God had made undeniably any exclusive determination for the generall of Religion we must not have argued against it for as much as His Will so far as we can know it is the only Rule of Good But according to the Principles He hath put into us both in Nature and from Scripture together We cannot possibly conceive it profitable to His Honour which is infinite His glorious Name is exalted above all blessing and praise Neh. 9.5 to have a restraint put upon mankind never to imploy Time upon His immediate service longer or oftener or sooner then according to any particular strict Exclusive Determination Much lesse profitable to Men their Soules being their best part and their good being advanced even toward an eternall happinesse the more the larger proportion of Time is by them imployed in Religion Therefore also no such Exclusive Determination is to be found any where in Scripture with relation to the generall businesse of Religion Only for some particular occasions of Worship God was pleased of old to determine some Time exclusively as the eighth Day from the birth of a Child for Circumcision and the eighth Day for the sacrificing of the firstling Males of Cattell neither sooner nor later and some others of the like nature may be found Bur these also which is a remarkable note are only Determination of the Quando Season or Order of Time And no such that we can remember are found Exclusive even for particular occasions of Worship either for the Frequencie unlesse such as were only once in a yeere to be performed as the Passeover and such like feasts of memoriall of particular benefits or once in a life as Circumcision of old was and Baptisme is now held to be or much lesse for the Continuance it being never forbidden to say no more now to give God the longest Continuance at any Time when any Continuance at all was determined But infallibly certain it is as we said that for the generall businesse of Religion the Scripture knowes no Exclusive Determination Also it is not possible for Man to obtaine any such Wisedome unlesse God would miraculously reveale it which cannot be imagined in this case that he should be able to say antecedently My worldly occasions or other mens will never at any Time while we live admit any more or oftener or sooner then this particular Continuance Frequencie and Season exprest in this or that Determination made or to be made by us or any other No Exclusive Determination then can be conceived to be profitable for the generall businesse of Religion All which we note as well to prevent the mistake of any unjudicious Conscience who specially by the suggestion of others might fancie perhaps the fourth Commandement injoyning one Day of seven for Religion to be an Exclusive Determination and that it were forbidden to imploy any other Time considerably upon Gods worship or looking after their soules as also and that chiefly to confute the untowardnesse of some profane Cavillers Objection prevented who though they are far enough from observing the Continuance and Frequencie Religiously of one Day in seven according to the fourth Commandement yet dogmatically and most perversly contend that if that Commandement be in force for one Day in seven for Religion then it is also for six Dayes working and following worldly businesse equally necessarily And that so it is equally a sin to goe to heare a Sermon on a Week-Day as to work upon the Sabbath and that the fourth Commandement forbids the one as well as the other Now this were to make the fourth Commandement an Exclusive Determination The contrary whereunto may sufficiently appeare from what hath been already said Yet for more complete conviction and perfect rooting out any such scruple in the minds of any that are not wilfull we adde That it is most evident That God never meant the fourth Commandement for an Exclusive Determination nor was it ever so no not to the Jewes and therefore neither can it be so to us now as both Gods other determinations and Mens also even strictly besides remisse ones doth undeniably manifest For we finde in Scripture that not only before the fourth Commandement given with the rest in that Majesticke manner on Mount Sinai the Feast of the Passeover and herein two Dayes the first and the last of unleavened Bread were determined by God himselfe Exod. 12. But afterward in the Books of Moses He besides determined the Feast of Weekes and that of Tabernacles this againe having two Dayes the first and the last as Sabbaths and the Dayes of the New Moones every moneth and the Day of Attonement yeerly and dayly also every Day a double Frequencie of Time for the Morning and Evening Sacrifice All much Times were indeed specially instituted for particular reasons except the dayly Frequencie of the Morning and Evening Oblation and had to the Jewes Typicall relations each of them in the particularities of their seasons and the manner of their observations Yet also were all those Solemne Dayes serviceable likewise to the Generall businesse of Religion for increase of Knowledge of God and Affection toward Him though in no proportion comparable with the Weekely Sabbath by reason of their Rarity and its Frequencie as appeares both in reason and by the Shunamites using to goe to the Prophet upon the New Moones By all which it is most undoubted that God meant not the determination of the Weekely Sabbath for an Exclusive determination of Time for the Generall of Religion As also by that Holy Men did yet further determine Times for themselves as David and Daniel three Times every Day for Prayer and for others too as the Dayes of Purim and the Feast of Dedication forenoted and Extraordinary Dayes of Fasts upon extraordinary occasions Besides all voluntary Times imployed by pious soules every where intimated Likewise the Generall Precepts of Praying continually and without ceasing and many such like formerly mentioned and others to be named anon doe certainly imply that men ought to bestow more Time upon Religion Gods solemne Worship and their own and others soules as they can redeeme opportunity then God hath expresly determined these being remisse determinations as we shall shew by and by together with the reason of them There is then no such thing as an Exclusive determination to be fancied with relation to the Generall of Religion as being expresly contrary to all the Rules and practise of it in Scripture and the Church in all ages Only we grant and desire it may be remembred that no man may determine either for himselfe or much lesse for others Time in any of the respects So as 1. to March for Holinesse and Necessitie with Gods determined Times which is the fault of the Popish Holy-dayes all of them besides the Idolatry ef some of them being specially intended to the honour of Creatures Angels and Saints the blessed Virgin and others As also in their Canonicall houres they put speciall Holinesse
oftener being not so necessary and so burdensome And therefore still this houre in a yeere or any other Continuance in any other Frequencie pitcht upon is above all other Times for Religion no other being equall to it VII Arg. 4. Nature requires a determination of a particular day Ergo. 4. If there must necessarily be together with the determination of the Continuance and Frequencie for the necessary sufficient chiefe Time also a particular determination of the particular day and houre wherein this houre in a yeere must be observed or else it is impossible to be observed by a whole Particular Church together constantly and much more impossible in regard of a whole Nation and most of all for all Christâ—ans and men all the world over Then when that particular Day and Houre is once determined by what authority soever in any Church as it must necessarily be as soon as the old seventh-day Sabbath was known to be abrogated All Dayes and Times are not equall in Religion under the Gospel even in regard of the particular Season or Order Day or Houre No other Day or Houre is equall to this determined Day or Houre but It above them all That particular Day wherein that Houre is to be observed is above all other Dayes and that particular Houre of that Day is above all other Houres even of the same Day As a King once chosen in an elective Kingdome and chosen he must be as soon as possible may be is above all other men in that Kingdome or Nation and none equall to him from henceforth whatever they were before his election And in reference to this election necessary to be made of a King that State is called properly a Kingdome even during the inter-regnum or vacancie and it cannot be said properly that all men are equall in that State because the Fundamentall Law of the State requires that one be above all the rest as King So that from the Law of Nature and the confessions of our Adversaries themselves It cannot be properly said that in any one of the Respects of Time Continuance Frequencie or Order all Times or Dayes are equall in Religion under the Gospel For that 1. The Law of Nature requires a determination of all the three Respects that so a chiefe Time may be observed 2. It then requires upon the supposition of Gods not determining now an undelayed immediate determination of all of them by the Church 3. It binds consequently upon the supposition of this determination left to the Church the Consciences of all under the Churches authority to that determination in all respects as well and as strongly as if God himselfe had expresly made it And so to all inferiors in the Church and superiors too unlesse endued with cleare authority to alter what is once ratified by God that Time so determined for Continuance Frequencie and Order also is necessary and unalterable and above all others 5. If God in the New Testament VIII Arg. 5. God ownes one day as his viz. the Lords-day Ergo. have owned one particular Day in a Revolution as His calling it the Lords day as He hath undoubtedly whatsoever ridiculously D. Gomarus hath fancied that it signifies only the day of the vision to John and no more Then how seldome soever it come about be it but once in a yeere Or whatever be meant by it whether the day of the Lords nativitie Christmasse day as it is called or of His resurrection Easter-day or any other day and how little soever be to be observed of it as holy and spent in Religion two houres or one houre or lesse Yet still in as much as it is intituled the Lords-day by the Spirit of God guiding St. Johns pen All Dayes and Times are not equall in Religion under the Gospel for Frequencie and the particular Day in that Frequencie For this Day in its Frequencie is above all other It alone and no other with it or besides it is honoured and graced with that Majestick and glorious title IX Arg. 6. The Church in all ages hath owned the Lords day Ergo. 6. If the Church in all Ages from St. Johns time be a sufficient Interpreter or living Dictionary of a word or phrase in Scripture as a man would thinke no man would offer to contradict that Then the Lords-day signifies both a Day in a Weekly revolution and not an Annuall Day and the first Day of the Week the Day after the old Sabbath which was the last Day of the Week On which first Day of the Week S. Paul being at Troas seven Dayes kept a speciall meeting and administred then the Sacrament and on that first Day of the Week he appointed at least the charitable collections to be taking it for granted that that Day was weekly observed as undeniably it was in the next Age and ever since Then also againe All Times and Daies are not equall in Religion under the Gospel But the Lords-Day the first Day of the Week for Order and Frequencie is above all other Daies and numbers of Daies One Day in seven and the first of the seven have that dignity in the New Testament to be owned as Gods as the Lords own time which no other Number or Day can pretend unto None so necessarie as this to be observed X. Arg. 7. The Lords day in all the three respects of Time most necessary to Religion Erg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perrincus al Dominum Scap. 7. If whatsoever God ownes as His possession by way of discrimination or difference from other things of the same kind uses to be wholly His no part or parcell of it for worldly use as it was with the Lords house and the like Then is the Lords day wholly the Lords wholly sacred the whole Continuance of it being the Lords possession to be wholly imployed in His immediate worship and service The Greeke word for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being plainly a Possessive belonging to the Lord. And then also again All Times and Daies are not equall in Religion vnder the Gospel even for Continuance as well as for Frequencie and Order But the Lords-day is in all the 3. Respects of Time more necessary to Religion than any other and so above all other Dayes and Times There being none besides this ennobled with such a relation to the Lord to be stiled by Himselfe His. None so every way or any way the Lords day as this For also XI Arg. 8. The Scripture ownes the Lords day as of his institution Ergo. 8. If Scripture may be safely interpreted by Scripture even about the nature and reason of a phrase or terme as that uses to be a generall rule among Divines except there be in the Text it selfe an evidence that it cannot be here taken as it is elsewhere or that it oppose some other undoubted truth Then besides all that hath been already noted of the Lords-day it is hereby also intitled to an Institution from the
himselfe to be determined unto by some vow of his owne or Gods command or some Superiours whom he dare not disobey So that whatsoever is left indeterminate to such is to be reckoned as nothing as never any of it imployed for God and the soule Therefore the determination of the Continuance and Frequencie of Time for Religion is so Profitable that it cannot be too large or too frequent if it leave but enough for bodily necessities and and other necessary worldly occasions Religion also being the chiefe and most necessary businesse as hath beene said 2. But now for the Quando XIX 2. The season or order of beginning hath of it selfe no substantiall profitablenesse toward Religion though accidentally it may have some or Season of Beginning what day of any number of dayes or what houre or part of any day there being no validity or efficacie in it indeterminately and voluntarily applyed to Religion as we have also shewed unlesse meerely by accident A determination of it is no further profitable then as it may Accidentally serve to secure the other respects of Continuance and Frequencie before determined As if some hours foure or six of a day were determined It is profitable that the beginning be determined somewhat early that so interruptions may not prevent the observation of so many hours Also if a whole day be determined as for solemne humiliation once a quarter It is profitable to determine some particular day some while at least before hand least interruptions of busines not so well ordered as might have been upon foresight of such a day determined do disturbe the orderly and religious observation of it even by himselfe alone Also so farre as in any other accidentall respect a man can foresee any helpe on such a day or houre or the freedome of his owne spirits or better disposition of body or the like it may be profitable to him to determine such a season of beginning for himselfe Otherwise it is not ordinarily profitable at all what particular season whether it be this day or that the first or third or seventh or tenth of that revolution or this or that houre or beginning of such Continuance that is before determined God nor the Soule gaine not nor loose not either way XX. The Quando season or order of Time that is the particular dayes may be accidentally profitabâ—y determined namely to preserve the memoriall of some worke of God on such a day and accordingly to helpe to affect with thankfulnesse specially when appointed by God to that purpose But we must not forget that in Religion or toward it that is toward some particular Consideration in Religion there may be some Accidentall profit in some determination of the Quando or Season of Beginning some solemne Worship like unto which there is nothing for study or any civill businesse which we toucht in the beginning of the foregoing Chapter Namely some Memoriall of a speciall worke of God done upon that season that day Of which sort God instituted divers under the Old Testament undeniably and we say he did also one such Day under the New Testament the first Day of the weeke cald therefore the Lords Day in stead of the Old Seventh day-Day-Sabbath which was in memory of Christs rest from the worke of redemption as the former of Gods rest from the worke of Creation And men also both under the Old and New Testament have instituted some particular dayes in memoriall of Gods workes as upon such dayes as the dayes of purim in the booke of Ester and the feast of the dedication mentioned Joh. 10.22 and instituted in the Time of the Maccabees as we read 1. Mac. 4.59 And no man doubts but the Christian Church hath instituted divers such dayes of memoriall Our Adversaries affirming it even of the Lords Day it selfe But that we shall dispute with them about in due season Now for the profit of these institutions so farre and so long as God commanded or commands yet any there is no doubt some profit in that by a spirituall blessing even upon that day above another not commanded by him All his Ordinances being ever accompanied with a blessing unto and upon the right observers of them and accordingly at the very first institution of the Seventh Day Sabbath God is said to blesse it as well as to sanctifie it Nay first to blesse it then to sanctifie it though it was doubtles the same act as of purpose to secure the blessing to the observers of its sanctification Gen. 2.3 And withall it may serve in a degree to quicken not the memory only but the affections also toward God for such a benefit as the Worlds Creation and so for the other benefits of which some other dayes were appointed memorialls Gods command certainly make these memorials lively and operative for these purposes so long as he would have them to be so used XXI How far and in what case the Quando or particular day appointed by man only for a memoriall of any worke or benefit of God may be Profitable As for dayes instituted by men for memorials some little profit there may also be in determining the particular day in a revolution as somewhat serving to quicken and affect the mind with the occasion But then this must also be where it is certaine and clear that the day determined is answerable to the day of the benefit Or else if that be doubted of it is like to affect but very little indeed And the services also of the Day must be specially and affectingly applied to the occasion of the memoriall Or else again there will be very little if at all any profit by the determination of such a particular day Likewise it is to be remembred that upon the particular Dayes which God instituted under the Old Testament XXII The Quando or particular dayes appointed by God under the Old Testament were ordained by Him partly for a Typicall signification and so also had an accidentâ—ll profit But it is not 〈◊〉 with any under the New Testament appointed by God and much lesse of any appointed by Men. He was pleased to put some particular typicall signification relating to Christ the body of all those shadowes as the Apostle generally tells us of them all Col. 2.16 So that He made them for the time being for that infancie of the Church yet more profitable in this consideration of being Documents of some of the Mysteries of Christ In which use no Day appointed by Man of old ever did or could serve for any Profit Neither doth any Day now either of Gods or much lesse of Mans appointment God having put an end to all Typicall uses by the comming of Christ in the flesh and His suffering and resurrection But we say before His comming even the Quando or seasons of Times determined by God had some profit in them in those two Considerations and the Lords day hath still as a memoriall appointed by
it is a singular proofe of mens affections to God in His sight when they look up to Him and meditate of Him very frequently They doing it most often that have strongest affections because also it may be done suddenly in the midst of worldly businesses many times and in divers worldly businesses a man may continue a remarkable Time in Ejaculatory Prayers and Meditations and not hinder himselfe a jot which now he that hath present and strong Affections for God will not faile to doe And he who doth it but seldome doth hereby discover at least to God who searches the hearts that his Affections are but weak and faint to God-ward And so it is for the Lord Supper he that comes oftenest as a man ought with spirituall remembrance and inward celebration of Christs Death and spirituall hunger and thirst after the benefit of it to be anew sealed to Him by the Sacrament manifests unquestionably most spirituall Affection to Christ And he who comes seldomer shewes his Affections to be more sleight and slack understanding it still where there is no just present impediment And for the tryall and discovery of such variety of Affections towards Him besides other Reasons which His infinite wisedome may have God is pleased to make these Determinations remisse and no more And for the purpose of such Triall from which a mans own conscience upon examination may gather profitable admonition and comfort such Remisse Determinations are specially profitable as we have shewed XLI Supposing the former determinations made eâ—se not But we must adde withall to this Consideration that to the main and generall businesse of Religion Gods worship and the Soules good such Remisse Determination of the Continuance and Frequencie of Time for it if there were no other Determinations none strict and even conclusive to make up the ordinarily sufficient chiefe solemn Time of Worship it could not be profitable because in no wise sufficient for persons so unwilling and so unwise and so liable to Interruptions from worldly businesses and other mens importunities as even the best men and much more the ordinary sort of mankind are all their life long As will appeare more fully in the next Chapter in which we shall discourse at large of the necessity even of such a Conclusive Determination to Religion But upon the supposall of such a Conclusive Determination for the chiefe solemne Time for Religion other Determinations made but even remisse may stand in good stead and prove very profitable oftentimes even beyond ordinary expectation as experience shewes in those that are willing to take the advantages of them as was intimated before XLII Particular determinations for particular ends may be removed 6. Furthermore it is also to be observed that as we said before in point of Learning Determinations of Time for particular intendments toward Religion although withall of some use and profit for the generall businesse of Religion may so grow out of date upon those particular intendments being satisfied and so the speciall and principall reason of those Determinations being ceased that it may be convenient to remove and take them quite away partly as burdens not so sutable to the state of the New Testament but specially lest their Perpetuity should ecclipse the glory of Christ of whom they were shadowes as well as other Ceremonies And accordingly so we find in the Epistles of S. Paul Rom. 14. Gal. 4. Col. 2. a Repeale of all the Jewish Festivall-Dayes New Moones and others including also the Jewish Quando or particular Day of the seven which was for the Weekly Sabbath Their main intention being for particular ends and purposes typicall The Apostle saying of them all Gal. 4. That they were weak and beggerly elements And Col. 2. Shadowes of good things to come but the Body was CHRIST And so Christ being come and the Church come of age out of her state of infancie God thought it not fit to continue these any more nor any thing in the stead of any of them except only of the Seuenth-day Sabbath because it was a Circumstance which did belong to the Substantiall Determination of one Day in seven in the fourth Commandement which was the Conclusive Determination for the chiefe solemne Time Therefore in stead of it He set up a new particular Day the first of the seven as that was the last called in the New Testament by the name of the first Day of the Week and the LORDS-Day This we say was done because the Substantiall Determination of one Day in seven could not be observed without some particular Day also determined for it But the others God wholly took away as being no way proportionable in Profit with that and as being willing to leave His Christian Church now come to age at some more liberty then before to present Him with voluntary Determinations of Times of attendance publikely as all Churches have had some of their own even those that have rejected the name of Holy-day or Festivals yet have they had sometimes even weekly Dayes wherein they have had Publike Prayers or Preachings or both And also privately each one hath more to shew his free affection when so many Dayes were not expresly determined by God as there were before Yet still He would not take away that Conclusive Determination of one Day in seven for the most singular and substantiall profit of it which we have partly shewed already and shall doe more in the following Chapters As also we shall hereafter further discourse upon those places of St. Paul which our Anti-Sabbatarians doe so earnestly urge against the fourth Commandement for one Day in seven to include that also though there be not the least intimation of any such thing there further then concernes the particular Day then observed as we shall shew Mean time in this place we held it necessary to touch the remarkable difference between the Determination of one Day in seven as the Conclusive Determination for the chiefe Time for Religion and all the rest and how conveniently they being repealed it may be perpetuated as also that It being perpetuated their repeale brings not any prejudice to Religion there being such reason for it but a benefit rather which cannot be conceived of that for one Day in seven XLIII A reservation for necessary interruptions may be profitable in any such sort 7. And now in the last place to shut up these Considerations of the Profitablenesse of the Determinations of Times for Religion That which we have divers times insinuated already we now assert the Profitablenesse of Namely Of a Reservation for necessary Interruptions both ordinary and extraordinary This we say may well be conceived profitable to be adjoined to all kinds and manners of Determinations for Religion for that by this meanes both they will be the lesse burdensome by much though they be otherwise large for the proportion and strict for the manner of Determination and scarcely liable to a pretence of burden as
to the distances of Places But yet they may be truly said to observe the solemne Time upon that same Day some beginning a little before others and so successively one after another to the end of the 24 houres of that Day one or other would be still imployed in the solemnity of Worship according to the Dayes determination And so an amends as we may say would be made for not beginning all at an instant in that hereby the Holy Time N. B. should be observed actually and continued in actuall services full 24 houres and so no part of it wholly shrunke up by sleepe or other interruptions For still in one part or other of the World whole Countries would be in their waking Time and so in the solemnity of their devotions For demonstration of this suppose at such a Place the Day begins an houre before at another as it is really so every Day in point of light and so of midnight and noone and evening c. and this other Place sees Day an houre before another yet more Westward and so of the rest as betweene Dover and the West of Ireland they say there is an houres difference Now by that Time the first Place hath begun and gone on in solemn Worship an houre the next begins and joyns with them and so the next till it be gone round So that by the twelft houre halfe the World are in their solemne Worship Publike or Private And then the other halfe takes the turne in their order till the twentifourth houre There cannot then we say be a better way to exercise the Communion of Saints upon earth Nor is there upon earth imaginable a fuller resemblance of the great and solemne Assembly which is constantly kept in Heaven And let that be further noted in a Word that the forementioned respects of Time Continuance Frequency and Season are not in Heaven distinguishable For they in Heaven doe keepe a constant and everlasting solemne Sabbatisme as it is cald Heb. 4. whereas we poore snakes on earth are forced to waite the returnes of solemne Times The reason is they above have no other worke to doe but to serve and Worship God they are spirits without bodies we on earth have bodies to care for as well as soules we have other callings commanded us to attend on as well as on Gods solemne Worship But yet it is fit we should as neer as we can conforme to them above which we say is chiefely by this joint observance of the same particular Day and number and length all the World over for our chiefe solemne Times Whereunto may be added for a conclusion that otherwise every sover all dominion as there are many in Germany and Italy and other Countries not subordinate to one Prince or State with their neighbours but small principalities and free States might vary the particular Day were it but to shew their liberty and so such as had occasion to travell among them would be very often either forced to breake the number determined to all or else keepe within doores upon their owne solemne Day and so want the help of others and be in danger to be interrupted by others And so every where upon the borders of Countries this hazard might be All which is prevented and only so by having all in all Countries of the World the same particular Day and beginning of it as we have said And so we have at length dispatched the whole of what we judge considerable about the profit and necessity of solemne Time generally and of the chiefe Time for Religion in speciall Except by whom the determination of this chiefe Time is to be made which now followes in the next Chapter CHAP. X. The Determination of the chiefe Solemne Time of Worship for all men necessary and ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe Time as also of the particular day for it belongs not to men but to God 1. The question explained HItherto in the former Chapters particularly about Time we have been laying foundations of fortifications where withall to defend the Perpetuity of the fourth Commandement for a seventh Day Sabbath and the Divine institution of the Lords Day the first day of the weeke for the particular day and to batter down the opposite Mounts of our adversaries both Sabbatarians and Antisabbatarians And as we have built upward we have planted some Peeces and discharged them against their workes in such fort as we are perswaded the judicious Reader already discernes them to shake and totter But now we are about to erect a Principall Tower which if we can firmely and strongly do All men will see that we have sufficiently secured our selves and our cause from any fear of future assaults from the Antisabbatarian party And as for the Jewish Sabbatarians we doubt not but we shall also quit our selves from them in the latter parts The matter we propound to be strengthned is the position exprest in the title of the Chapter That the Determination of the chiefe Solemne Time for all men necessary and ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe Time as also the particular day for it belongs not to men but to God To state this clearely we must needs repeate a little of our foregoing discourses and adde a few words more for full understanding of it 1. By the chiefe Solemne Time 1. What is meant by chiefe solemne Time we meane the Continuance and Frequency jointly that is so much at once so often and so often so much Time to be observed for Religion Gods honour and the soules good in Solemne Worship and that in a convenient large Proportion in the whole and a convenient large Continuance for the various kinds of worship publike domesticke and solitary and a convement space for serious performance of severall duties in each kind together with a convenient Frequency of Revolution of such continuance So as no other proportion of Time is or can be of Equall profit with this All other being lesse large for Continuance remarkably or remarkably lesse frequent and so cannot attaine to that substantiall profitablenesse to the generall of Religion that there is in the chiefe Solemne Time we speake of 2. By the Determination of this chiefe solemne Time 2. What by determination Necessary for all men we meane The appointing it so to all men by a law as that thenceforth all men that have this law given them and their posterity to the worlds end are bound in conscience to observe it and cause as much as lyes in them others also to observe it as necessary to Religion so as they sin that observe not the whole proportion or that observe it not according to the distribution of the Determination so much Continuance together in one day and no lesse and that dayes Frequency so often returning and no seldomer then is exprest in the Determination Only still admitting a reservation as we have oft touched before for necessary worldly occasions 3. What by
mans calling may be allowed to be the divider and the distributer of the chiefe Time of all men and so God and the soules of men have no other allowance for the chiefe Time to Religion then what those worldly considerations shall allot This thought about Gods indulgence is a most weighty and most necessary consideration in this dispute But it doth not seeme to be at all taken into consideration by our disputers in this question We shall therefore anon make a distinct argument of it that we may be sure they and all Readers that will take the paines to view those discourses shall not be able to misse it or passe it sleightly over But we must first make up this Argument and another in the meane Time We say then that by all this discourse of the Nature of God the Nature of the Soule the Nature of the Duties of Worship the Nature of the Body and worldly occasions Take any of them single and apart or joyne any of them or all of them together in the consultation and we are as farre as can be from any guesse how to proportion the Time betweene Religion and other matters except that we ought undoubtedly to say if we have nothing but these to direct us That to Gods honour and the souls benefit the farre greater proportion of Time is necessary and that it cannot be sufficient to let the world possesse the largest share And if this be true as we cannot see how it can possibly be denyed and we shall yet further confirme it in a following argument our Adversaries have made a goodly purchsse by disputing the abrogation of the fourth Commandement for one Day in seven In as much as in stead of their pretended Christian liberty not to be tyed to such a proportion all other rules call for twise thrise as much and rather for six Dayes of seven and leave but one for worldly businesses And if they shall object Excep that mens bodily lives could not be preserved with so little a proportion for worldly businesses and trades We Answer set aside the Wisdome of God Sol. and His allowance of six Dayes Worke in the fourth Commandement it is not possible for any man living or any number of men to assigne certainly how much Time is to be spent in worldly businesses for the preservation of mankind in a bodily life If there were that simplicity of Diet of Apparell of Buildings all other things that there was in the first Ages of the world and is yet in some Countries though our pride and curiosity call them Barbarous for it certainly a great deale lesse Time would serve then now doth for worldly matters And though as the constitution of the world now is we are far from blaming such Trades and Manufacturers or the using of them as sinnes because specially we beleeve God to have allowed six Dayes in a Week mainly for worldly businesse according to the fourth Commandement Yet we say still that if this allowance were not we see not any warrant to imploy mankind so much in these businesses which as we said have been spared of old and are spared in other places at this Day to so notorious prejudice and undervaluing of God and His honour and the good of soules And so still we are altogether at a lesse for a rule of wisdome how to determine our necessary and sufficient chiefe Solemne Time for Religion And therefore this determination could not be nor was ever left to man to Adam or the Partriarkes before Moses Much losse to the Gentiles and Heathen for themselves and theirs nor yet to the Church of the New Testament LII 5. Nor the old proportion of one Day in seven in the fou th Commandement But remained ever in Gods hand which is the thing to be proved But we must not forget our fifth Consideration mentioned in reference to the Christian Church That our Adversaries in their best moodes when they say The Church must not offend in excesse or defect not render the yoke of Christians too heavy by appointing too much nor slight or seeme to slight the service of God and render it contemptible by appointing too little They seeme to fancy that the proportion of one Day of seven though by no meanes necessary to be perpetuated may be a convenient direction that thereabouts it should be among Christians and accordingly in the Christian Church ever one Day in a week hath been observed which with the addition of Holy dayes more rarely appointed they count a sufficient Time for Religion equall if not superiour to the Time that God had from the Jewes under the Old Testament Now to this we have divers things to say though we will not offer to follow their extravagancies in and out step by step in this dispute but onely shew somewhat the insufficiency and absurdity of this pretence LIII This is proved absurd We say then 1. That for other Holy dayes besides the weekely Solemne day they come not properly into this dispute about the ordinary chiefe Time for Religion They are 1. Extraordinary Dayes of which kind the Jewes also had some of Gods appointing and some of their own more then many Christian Churches have though not so many as some others Also 2. These are taken up without any such rule as may either urge the conscience to judge them necessary or conclude them together to be sufficient Therefore 3. Also herein the Christian Churches greatly differ which as we have argued before must not be in the proportions of the chiefe solemne Time necessary and sufficient for all Christians Likewise 4. No Church Reformed that hath retained Holy dayes hath spoken fully and clearely about the Continuance of them and how necessarily they are to be observed to Religion and imployed wholly in Religious duties or not And so they come not properly into this dispute about the necessary chiefe Time for Religion 2. Leaving these out and considering the weekely solemne proportion it was of old determined to the Jewes in the fourth Commandement One whole Day of seven Both which as well as the particular seventh Day the Saturday Sabbath which they pin to the Commandement But we shal shew their errour in it hereafter our Adversaries make to be now abrogated by Christ that is both the number one Day of seven and the Continuance one whole Day Of both these we must now argue the case with them how upon the supposition of Gods making these void they can finde out a rule for the Christian Church to make a determination of the chiefe Time for Religion for Frequency and Continuance And first we must discourse of the Frequency LIV. 1. With respect to the Frequency For the number of one Day in seven which is from Christs Time to this Day observed and perpetuated among all Christians by all confession Some kept as is said more Dayes but all kept the Lords day the first Day of the Week and
Sabbath he promises in Gods name That they should be made joyfull in Gods house of Prayer and their services accepted by Him v. 3 6 7. So that spirituall comfort in God and His gracious acceptation of their services is the blessing promised to the faithfull observance of this Time appointed by God for the chiefe solemne Time of His Worship Neither can this be eluded by our Disputers as they offer to Except 1 throw off all the places of the Old Testament by saying that this Except 2 was typicall of Christ and our spirituall rest in Him from sinne or else that it belonged only to the seventh-seventh-day Sabbath which the Jewes observed and so either way and both wayes we have nought to doe with it For we have proved sufficiently Solut. that a solemne proportion of Time determined for Religion for the necessary and sufficient chiefe Time as the Weekly Sabbath then was undeniably is no typicall matter but a substantially-necessary thing to Religion and that there is need of a Blessing upon such Time whatever the proportion be unlesse it were all our Time or else it will not be sufficient And so the Blessing here cannot be to the Sabbath in any typicall respect but as that proportion of Time determined by God for the chiefe Time for Religion His worship and mens soules Inst And though they may happen to object the mention of Gods accepting of their burnt offerings and sacrifices upon His Altar which Sol. if referoed to our Times must needs be meant typically 1. This will not hurt our interpretation of this place since the difference is apparant enough between His calling for the observation of that which is so substantially necessary in the kind of it to Religion that is either this Proportion determined for the chiefe Time or some other and that which is plainly a figure and a type as all burnt offerings and materiall sacrifices were Of which kind there are now none such under the Gospel So that in this the Prophet only speaks in the language of the present time that while sacrifices were offered and burnt upon Gods altar by the conscientious observers of His Sabbath according to His command those services should bee accepted and after they were ceased their spirituall services of prayers and thanksgivings which are in stead of them under the Gospel Like unto that of David Psal 51. who first saith God would have no sacrifices from him but a broken and contrite heart yet afterward he saith God would accept young bullocks from him Sol. 2. v. ult And as for the seventh Day they urge so much we deny the emphasis to lie at all upon that though it were the particular Day then to be observed but wholly upon the Proportion though taking in that seventh Day because then in being and then only commanded by God But we have shewed our grounds of difference enough between these two in point of substance and necessity to Religion one Day in seven and that seventh Day And what needs more to be said we shall adde when hereafter we shall come to shew as we have promised it and are forced to repeat it oftener then we would that the seventh Day was not directly commanded in the words of the fourth Commandement nor at all as the substance and particular matter of them But only within the generall scope as then appointed by God elsewhere and so our Lords-day comes equally within it and is now become successour to it in the particular title to the Blessing as we shall see So that this place stands good for our having a Blessing on Gods determined Time His Sabbath observed both by Jew and Christian The other place is Isa 58. Where LXXIII Another text Isa 58.13 expounded after he had called to a most carefull observation of the Sabbath both negative and affirmative and that both outwardly in deed and word and inwardly in thought v. 13. he promises in Gods name a remarkable spirituall Blessing v. 14. Then shalt thou delight thy selfe in the Lord that is God will so afford thee His divine Blessing upon thy conscionable imployment with joy and cheerfulnesse calling the Sabbath a delight of that Day of Gods solemne appointment for the chiefe Time of His worship that all the week after thou shalt find a delight in the Lord thou shalt have a heart oft to think of Him even in the midst of thy worldly businesses and to redeeme Time also ever now and then from thy worldly businesses to converse voluntarily with Him and be glad of all opportunities so to doe not willingly missing any time any day when thou canst have freedome to converse with Him and attend upon Him And that this is the meaning of this Promise and Blessing understanding it Evangelically and not to an absolute perfection of delight in God in this world which is not to be found in sinfull man We desire no other proofe than the Consciences of Christians that keep the Lords day as Gods Sabbath by Him commanded and their very manifestation of it in the eyes of their very adversaries Namely that such as delight in the strict and exact observation of the Sabbath doe answerably delight or seem at least to delight in conversing with God at other times and every Day gladly wait upon God some time morning and night even they and their families too and at extraordinary times they delight to heare and pray publikely and to converse with Christians in a spirituall manner privately and to attend upon God by themselves alone when they can get leisure Which is unlesse men will say that all such are wilfull and grosse Hypocrites a reall Comment upon this Promise of the Prophet of delighting in God increased in men by the Sabbaths observation And on the contrary it is more then evident that the most of those that make no conscience of the Sabbath of the Lords day doe expresse very little or no delight in God or any true spirituall converse with Him at any other Time They care little for any other Opportunity of hearing His word they worship Him not at all or seldome or very slightly with their families and lesse perhaps if the truth were known in their own solitary devotions In a word the one sort though Gods commandement and indulgence together satisfie them that one Day in seven is ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe Time for God and their soules yet they cannot satisfie themselves their consciences towards God nor their longings after Him unlesse they besides both daily and extraordinarily redeeme what Time they can possibly or at least conveniently redeeme to waite upon Him and satiate their soules more and more in enjoying a spirituall converse with Him like a friend or lover whose felicity is to be with the party loved as much and often as may be The other sort though they have no ground to think that Time sufficient not regarding the Commandement yet they hardly or not at
all allow it in their minds to be necessary specially not the whole Day in any wise but even scarcely the publique houres of it and much lesse do they thinke any other Times to be necessary or scarcely so much as convenient to be ordinarily bestowed upon Religion as not delighting in God and so the Time they attend upon Him is rather a Penance then a delight a torment then a comfort to them As their language and carriage do more then enough proclaime The blessing then of this Text is happy and cleare also as we suppose Let Consciences judge LXXIV An exception answered But ere we part with this last place besides the former cavill of a typicall mysticall or spirituall sence and that seventh Day-Sabbath which from the former answer may be sufficiently satisfied considering still the nature of the chiefe solemne Time we must not misse taking notice that some even of our Orthodox Divines in point of the Sabbath do interpret this place Esay 58. of a Fast which they say hath the nature of a Sabbath and indeed the yearly fast of Gods appointment Lev. 23. the Day of Expiation is called a Sabbath and they give this reason that in the beginning of the Chapter the Prophet speakes of a Fast and so they judge he doth here at the latter end D. Ames Medul Theol. lib. 2. c. 15. Sect. And one of chiefe note in this matter of the Sabbath seemes somewhat strangely to enervate the strength of that 13. ver which we have alledged for the strict observation of the Sabbath leaving doubtfull whether it be meant of the ordinary Sabbath or a solemne Fast and as far as we can understand even contradicting himself within a few lines in the explicating that thirteenth verse as the judicious Reader may observe But to answer to all this briefly We say 1. That these Divines Sol. though they think the Sabbath secured for all this interpretation of this Text by a Fast and even by it For say they Such strictnesse belongs to a Fast but as it is a Sabbath and so if it be to be so observed a Sabbath much more Do yet afford a wrangler too much advantage in that they wave the clearest place against worldly words and thoughts on the Sabbath that is any where in Scripture And if an opposer should say as they will that a Solemne Fast is to be more strict then a Sabbath that very fasting being a strictnesse which includes divers things in it from which eating and specially dressing any meate on the Sabbath loosens a man they would not so easily convince such as they think that all this belongs to an ordinary Sabbath but only an extraordinary which is also a Fast Although for our parts we hold that the nature of Religious Time as the Sabbath was doth infallibly extend both as words and thoughts But this is not usually taken notice of 2. But further for the thing it selfe as it is no argument Sol. 2. that because the Prophet speakes of a Fast in the beginning of the Chapter therefore he doth so in the end also For it is most usuall in Scripture and particularly in the Prophets to go from one matter to another without any solemne preface So 3. It seemes to us to be cleare Sol. 3. that the contents of our last translation of the Bible doe rightly and distinctly analise this Chapter and lay out the parts of it to be evidently foure severall matters 1. A reproofe of Hypocrisie vers 1.2 2. An expression of a counterfeit fast and a true vers 3. to 8. 3. Promises to godlinesse in generall vers 8. to 13. 4. Lastly Promises to the keeping of the Sabbath vers 13.14 Or if any list to extend the promises in the former verses to a right Fasting Yet is there no reason to confine these two last to that matter For 4. It is not likely Sol. 4. that having before vilified a Dayes Fasting vers 5. even though with outward strictnesse and afflicting the soule too he would make such splendide promises as vers 14. containes againe to that Dayes observance specially not intituling it by its ordinary Name but borrowing the Name Sabbath for it Sol. 5. 5. But above all if it be rightly considered what glorious promises are here made as we said and that emphatically to the keeping of a Day named Gods holy Day or a weekly Sabbath usually bearing the title of Gods Holy Sabbath and Gods Sabbath every where and to the calling it the Day a delight the Holy of the Lord honourable c. It is no way probable that this can be meant of a Day rarely comming about when there was a weekely Day to which all these Titles properly belonged and that it is ten times twenty times more signe of godlinesse to sanctifie the Sabbath constantly weekly then to observe an extraordinary Fast Day once in a yeere and God had appointed no more and if in Time of speciall feare or danger Gods providence or Prophets also called to another Day yet still this was but a small matter compared with the piety and devotion of a constant weekely Sabbath A worldling in feare and distresse may possibly call one such Fast-day a delight c. but not a weekely Sabbath whose sudden revolution over-suddaine a great deale for worldly minds to delight in its comming will try the best spirit that is And while worldlings language at least in their hearts is When will the Sabbath be gone He had need be a godly man in earnest that can in the presence of God constantly call it a delight wish it come and delight in it being come and observe it as is here exprest with supposition too of humane frailties And therefore there is much more reason to take it properly for the weekely Sabbath then improperly for an extraordinary and seldome observed Fast Sol 6. 6. Whereunto we may in the last place adde that the 14 verse doth not only continue the spirituall blessing forenoted upon particular persons but a most high and rich and full promise unto the whole Nation that should observe the Day there spoken of Now what likelihood is there that a whole Nation should be so remarkably encouraged to observe one particular single Day in a yeere or so for still we say the emphasis in the 13. verse is clearely to observe the Day spoken of what ever it be and not rather to observe the weekely Sabbath Of which both our Prophet and Jer. c. 17. and Ezek. c. 20.22 23. and other places of Scripture speake so much with all earnestnesse of promises and threatnings and mentions of judgements even relating to the whole Nation as we have formerly toucht in our Epistle Dedicatory where also we have given a memorandum of Gods most gracious fulfilling this promise to our Nation ever since we held forth the Doctrine of the Sabbath professedly Which blessing we trust and heartily pray we shall never be so
over as neer as may be One and the selfe-same particular Day for the chiefe Time to Religion among all Christians hath been declared in the former Chapter To which may now be added That we remember not to have ever read or heard in any Religion but those that professed the same Religion observed the same particular Dayes for the chiefe solemne Times belonging to their Religion It was ever so in the Jewish Religion and is so still and the like was done by all that became proselites to their Religion Also all Christians at this Day doe and have ever done so farre as any records lead us observed actually the same particular Day for the chiefe Time to Religion the Lords day the first Day of the Weeke even those that joyned some other dayes with it as some did a while the Old Sabbath and others other Dayes yet this was ever the chiefe Day as is learnedly shewed by a late Author in his elaborate collections from Antiquity expresly concerning the Lords day Neither did ever the Church of Rome as presumptuous as she hath been in other matters even to controll the undoubted Lawes of God and Christ as about incestuous marriage and the Cup in the Lords Supper dare to try or practise her authority upon the Lords day in changing it to any other Day Which is also so much the more remarkable because of the impetuous fiercenesse of the Romish Victor even in the second Century after Christ and hard after the Apostles Times about the particular Day for Easter mentioned before And that in the very Councell of Trent some alledged upon some occasion that the Lords day stood but by the Authority of the Church Yet for all that The Romish Church never durst venture upon it to alter it to any other The more impudent slander therefore we esteeme it to be and without all shadow or colour which Barclay as the Translator of Doctor Prideaux his Lecture quotes him with an accent of credulity reports that Master Calvin should consult of changing it into Thursday To which we only say thus much If to accuse without proofe shall be sufficient who can be innocent And the World hath been enough abused with notorious untruths concerning that man of God both since he is dead and even when he was alive which also have been sufficiently refuted by undeniable proofes Therefore we wish also the relatour of this sleevelesse tale to consider whether he be any better then the delatour If those sentences of Solomon be true Prov. 10.18 and Pro. 17.4 But we have somewhat more to say in the matter in hand that is the very Professours of the Mahometane Religion though some of them differ among themselves even to an abhorring one of another in some other matters as the Turkes and the Persians Yet they all agree in the keeping of the same particular Dayes for the chiefe Times of their Religion namely the Friday as we noted before And so it was also among the Heathens they had multiplicities of Religions But we find not among those that professed the same Religion with others any disagreement or variety about the particular Dayes of their chiefe Times of solemne Worship So that it seemes a kind of consent in Nature and very agreeable to say the least of it to the very Law of Nature that it should be so Which makes us the more admire at some at least of our Adversaries disputing as if the present Church had power to alter the Lords day to any other day of the Weeke And what Church they meane Nationall or Vniversall which to be sure will never meate so much as representatively if we include all Christians of Europe Asia Africa and America within the universall Church Or what they intend by it And whether they would be glad to see any Nationall Church or all the Westerne Churches together to take in hand such a thing to shew their authority as Lords of the Lords day and silence all future disputes by whose authority the particular Day stands What ever their thoughts be We for our parts hope we shall never live to see any Nationall Church much lesse ours and least of all many Nations to rush upon so desperate an adventure And so we conclude this argument with this note That as we suppose the ground that hath made all the World thus consent in the same particular Dayes according to their severall Religions was immediately their perswasion That those Dayes are determined to them by their gods and that it was so delivered by those that commended to them those particular Dayes So this perswasion was built upon another originall principle that the determination of them did properly belong to their gods LXXVIII Arg. 4. from the consent of the heathen And this may make up another argument briefly of great probability at least not only for the particular Dayes but also and principally for the chiefe Time to Religion namely The universall consent of Heathens and misbeleevers whose practise is by some of our adversaries delivered us as the best Comment upon the Law of Nature or Morality of the fourth Commandement practising and observing their chiefe Times for their Religion as determined to them by their gods and so owning the determination of them to belong to their authority only This we say hath not only seemed reasonable to the Mahometans as we shewed but to the very Heathen of old Among whom as their Priests or Law-givers the immediate institutours of their Religion feigned the other matters of their Religion and Worship to be prescribed by their gods in Oracles Visions Dreams and the like according to that naturall principle which is the generall affirmative part of the second commandement God every God is to be worshipped with His own prescribed Worship So according to the generall meaning of the fourth Commandement or at least according to part of the generall meaning of that second forementioned They ever ascribed the institution of their chiefe and ordinary Holy-dayes and solemne Times for their Religion and the service of their gods Dij miserati laboriosum a natura genus humanion remissiones laborum ipsi constituerunt de leg 2. LXXIX The 5. generall Arg. from confession of the very adversaries C. D. pag. 21. unto their gods themselves Hear Plato speake for them all The Gods compassionating the laboursome life of mankind themselves appointed remission of their labours that is Dayes or Times of remission from their labours which were their Holy-dayes Specialties of these may be found in other Authors But now after all what will our Readers say if some of our greatest adversaries in this question have themselves confessed as much as will necessarily inferre All this determination about the chiefe Time and particular Day for it to belong to God without peradventure or long dispute Heare them speake Thus one delivers his opinion Men may by the Light of Nature from the Creature climbe up to the knowledge of the Creator
LORD Himselfe from CHRIST The Primitive Church seemes to beare witnesse to this calling the Prayer instituted by Christ by the same terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oratio Dominica neither can it signifie any thing but the Prayer of the Lords institution Though the Generations after weakned the Testimony by calling Churches so As being paralell in phrase with the LORDS Supper which beyond all peradventure had no other Institour but Christ The Spirit of God who directed the two Apostles Paul and John in these two titles which are neither of them used in Scripture but once a peece never vouchsafed the terme to any other thing in the New Testament but only to the Supper and the Day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He had his choyse of words and spake nothing but upon admirable reason And no other good reason can be imagined why he would match these two these only in this appellation If they both had not had the same Author and Institutour And if he had not intended to insinuate so much unto us and teach it us even by the phrase particularly giving first the terme to the Supper and when we could not mistake that matching the Day with it that we might not mistake that neither Then also once more All Times and Dayes are not equall in Religion under the Gospell The Lords day is above all other Dayes and Times in regard of its Author and Institutour No Day is equall to this in this highest dignity and prerogative whence its being His peculiar His possession wholly His sacred to Him infallibly flowes unlesse He had said the contrary having its authority and institution from the Lord himself and so being then unquestionably necessary to Religion and most properly Holy and beyond controll altogether unalterable by man None of which can be alledged with any the like pretence from Scripture for any other Day under the New Testament We are not ignorant that exceptions are made by our disputers against these things that we have represented concerning the Lords day But the speciall answer to them we reserve to its proper place where we shall by His assistance for whose Commandement Day and Honour we argue in all this take all that they say against it into consideration and give we hope a satisfactory discharge to all their objections In the meane Time upon so just an occasion in this place we thought it requisite to give our Readers a breefe of what we shall more at large then discourse of whereby we doubt not but even without the help of our solutions divers will be able by the innate light of these considerations here presented to discover the adverse exceptions to be but frivolous and no way enervating our assertions about it But we have one proofe more of the inequality of Times now XII Arg. 9. God retaines the determination of Times to himself Ergo. all not equall 9. If God himselfe retaine in His own hand even under the Gospell the determination of the Continuance and Frequency of the chiefe Time necessary and sufficient to Religion for all men for the chiefe Time and that it is not put over by Him to men the Church nor any other as hath been at large proved in the forgoing Chapter Then the fourth Commandement is unquestionably that determination expreslly for one whole Day in seven and the Lords day the first Day of the seven of the week is the particular Day and all that we have here now said of the Lords day is undeniably true unlesse our Antisabbatarians will turne Sabbatarians and pleade for the saturday-Saturday-Sabbath as still in force by the fourth Commandement from which Hold we yet doubt not but we shall beate them hereafter and all that argue for it But howsoever then still it followes most certainly that all Times and Dayes are not equall in Religion under the Gospell But that there is still as great an inequality of some Dayes though not of so many as ever there was under the Old Testament except the typicall use of the particular Dayes then appointed even upon the highest ground of Divine command which lifts up the Lords day for the whole Day in a constant weekely revolution above all other Times and Dayes now whatsoever as certainly and only necessary to Religion and sufficient for the chiefe Time unto all Christians and men all the world over and properly Holy and unalterable by man and honoured with the blessing mentioned in the fourth Commandement and needed by men as we have discoursed before XIII Objections answered And now from all this will follow a certaine and easie Answer to those places of the New Testament which seeme to favour the adverse opinion and to lay all Dayes and Times levell now As Gal. 4. Blaming the observation of Dayes and Moneths and Times or seasons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word and Yeeres And Rom. 14. making stronger Christians to pronounce every Day alike Sol. These places we say must of necessity be interpreted of the Iewish Dayes and Seasons the particular Dayes which they observed for the Weekely Sabbath and the New Moones These texts and Collections are oft earnestly urged by our disputers therefore we shal in another place more fully sift and scan them and the objections raised from them But here it was necessary to touch them in briefe and the seasons for their Yeerely festivalls the Passeover feast of Weekes Trumpets Tabernacles and their Sabbaticall Yeeres every seventh Yeere and Yeares of Iubilee every 50. Yeares of these Seasons and Dayes speakes the Apostle which the false Apostles would still obtrude upon Christians and weake ones still made conscience of Of all these Dayes and Seasons it is most true that they are all alike under the Gospell and none higher then others none of them to be observed with any religious respect to the Day any more or as Holy-Times as being made voyde by Christ and laid levell with all ordinary Dayes and Times But these cannot be extended to all Dayes and Times universally If but any one of the former positions in this Chapter be true and much lesse can they be urged against us if all our reasons here exprest be good as we beleeve them to be And specially the third and the last For which without more adoe now we appeale to the consciences of all readers Whether they will admit of our interpretation of these places or make voide even any necessity of any sufficient Time at all for Religion and so hazard the loosing of all Religion for want of a sufficient Time so much as one Houre in a Yeare or any day at all to be certainly determined for Religion Gods Worship and soules good Which whatsoever it be or by whomsoever it be determined All Dayes and Times are not equall but the determined sufficient Time must be above all other Times and the Day for it above all other Dayes And if they grant such a determination necessary then whether
Sabbatum Redivivum OR THE Christian Sabbath VINDICATED IN A Full Discourse concerning the Sabbath And the LORDS DAY Wherein whatsoever hath been written of late for or against the Christian Sabbath is exactly but modestly Examined And the perpetuity of a Sabbath deduced from grounds Of Nature and Religious Reason By Daniel Cawdrey and Herbert Palmer Members Of the Assembly of Divines Divided into Foure Parts 1. Of the Decalogue in generall and other Laws of God together with the Relation of Time to Religion 2. Of the fourth Commandement of the Decalogue in speciall 3. Of the old Sabbath in particular 4. Of the Lords Day in particular The FIRST PART Ezek. 22.26 They have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths and I am profaned amongst them Mark 2.28 The SONNE OF MAN is Lord also of the Sabbath London Printed by Robert White for Thomas Vnderhill and are to be sold at the Signe of the Bible in Woodstreete 1645. The License THis Treatise entituled Sabbatum Redivivum Or the Christian Sabbath vindicated as in my opinion the most satisfactory of any I have seen and that in a point of Divinity wherein as appeares by the many Books written against it the wisdome of the flesh maintaines as great an enmity against God as in any whatsoever I recommend unto the Presse as of excellent use in these times CHARLES HERLE The Contents of the first Part. CHAP. I. OF the Term of a Morall Law and the distinction of Laws into Ceremoniall Judiciall and Morall And of Morall Laws into Naturall and Positive CHAP. II. Rules to know a Law to be Morall though but positive CHAP. III. Every Law of the Decalogue is a Morall and Perpetuall Law CHAP. IV. The Exceptions to the former Rule answered CHAP. V. Christ hath confirmed all the Commandements of the Decalogue as perpetuall Mat. 5.17 c. CHAP. VI. Solemne Worship is Morall-Naturall both Solitary and conjoyned in Families and Churches and how far CHAP. VII Generall Considerations about Time and its profitablenesse in reference to Morall actions of importance CHAP. VIII Considerations of Time in relation to Religion and the Worship of God how far it may be profitable thereunto CHAP. IX A Determinate Solemn Time for Gods Worship is Morall-Naturall and that in the first â—ommandement And what kinde and manner of Determination of Time for Religion may be proved Necessary by the Law or Light of Nature and generall Rules of Scripture CHAP. X. The Determination of the chiefe Solemn Time of Worship for all men Necessarily and Ordinarily Sufficient for the chief Time as also of the particular day for it belongs not to Men but to GOD. CHAP. XI Two Corollaries from the former Discourses about Solemne Time 1. All Times and Dayes are not equall under the Gospell 2. Time and Place are not equall circumstances in Religion CHAP. XII The Necessary sufficient chief Time for Religion together with the particular Day for it is a part of Worship and not a meer Adjunct or Circumstance only Errata PAge 108. Line 2. And specially c. unto the end of that Paragraph should have been inserted line 16. after the word pleases p. 136. l. 33. for much read which p. 168. l. 7. for coninuance r. continuance p. 233. l. 34. for lets r. let p. 242. l. 16. for mahomet r. Mahomet l. 33. for if r. If p. 260. l. 19. for puplique r. publique p. 261. l. 17. after of r. it p. 266. l. 32. for Chhistian r. Christian p. 273. l. 3. for Pimitive r. Primitive p. 274. l. 25. for justification r. institution p. 275. l. 12. for possibilies r. possibilities p. 276. l. 33. for Apostle r. Apostles p. 277. l. 4. for the r. that p. 282. l. 23. for ver 16. r. ver 14. p. 283. l. 25. blot out not p. 296. l. 30. for them r. that l. 36. for charity r. Charybdis p. 305. l. 13. for mianly r. mainly p. 314. l. 5. for referoed r. referred p. 318. l. 27. for continue r. containe p. 322. l. 7. for oligatory r. obligatory p. 332. l. 25. for Lev. 23. r. Lev. 27. p. 346. l. 28. for viz. r. both p. 352. l. 15. for that r. the To the Christian Reader WE are now Christian Reader to enter upon a very great work not so much in respect of the bulk and length as containing under it many controversies as in respect of the subject matter it selfe the worth and Dignity of it The vindication of the Christian Sabbath In the entrance and Preface whereunto we think it not amisse to give thee a briefe account of some particulars which may not being satisfied stand as prejudices in the reading of the following Discourse and they are these 1. What is the concernment of a Sabbath that we are so large in vindication of it 2. Why after so many books of this subject we adde any more 3. Why seeing there are three parts more this part comes forth alone without its fellowes For the first of these In reading of the Scriptures 1. The Elogies of a Sabbath we do observe that there is not any one part of Religion except but the mystery of our Redemption of which more is spoken than of the Sabbath The Elogies of it are so many that they would easily swell into a volume if we listed to enlarge our selves We shall therefore give thee but a touch or taste of the chiefest Heads 1. In Generall it is the Compendium of all Religion And first of all in generall we may call the Sabbath and the due observation of it the Compendium or Continent of all Religion Hereupon it is very observable that as the commandement of it stands in the Heart of the Decalogue as the bond of both the Tables so it is in other places of Scripture joyned with the chiefest Duties of both Of the first Table in that place You shall keep my Sabbaths Levit. 26.2 and reverence my Sanctuary Of the second Table in that other place You shall feare every man his father and his mother Levit. 19.3 Having all the Priviledges that Commend the most Substantiall Lawes in Scripture and sanctifie my Sabbaths The Law of the Sabbath hath all those priviledges that do commend any the most substantiall Lawes in Scripture It is one of the Ten spoken by God himself with Majesty and Terror written in the Tables of stone with his own finger put in the Arke by his own command together with the rest to signifie as even one of the Adversaries sayes the perpetuity of it 2. In Particular 1. The Frequent mention of it in all parts of sacred Scripture More Particularly 1. There is as frequent mention of it as of any one Commandement implying as on the one side the Importance of it so on the other Mens untowardnesse and backwardnesse in the observation of it There is no part of Scripture wherein there is not something remarkable of a Sabbath 1. In the Law or five Books
of Moses 1. In the Law or the five Books of Moses so called we have first as we doubt not to prove the Institution of it in Genesis 2. The solemne Promulgation of it in Exodus 3. The manner of Sanctification of it in Leviticus 4. The Profanation Vindicated in the Book of Numbers 5. Pressing arguments for the Observation of it in Deuteronomie 2. Then the Historicall parts of Scripture 2. In the Historicall parts have some Remembrances of it either as observed or profaned 3. There is in the Book of Psalmes 3. In the Psalmes Psalme 92.1 4. In the Prophets a speciall Psalme appointed for it 4. The Prophets are much and frequent in the complaining of the Violation and pressing on the Observation of it 5. 5. In the Gospels 6. In the Acts. The Gospels have often mention of it 6. The story of the Acts hath likewise touches both of the old and New Sabbath 7. 7. In the Epistles The Epistles do hint and insinuate an Institution of a Christian Sabbath 8. And lastly 8. In the Revelation the Revelation discovers Gods right unto it giving it the Title of The Lords Day All which shall be vindicated in due season from those objections and evasions which the Adversaries do put upon them 3. Besides all this the observation of the Sabbath 3. It is ranked amongst Substantials is ranked by the Prophets amongst the most substantiall and perpetuall Duties of Religion 4. 4. The great care of God I Dâ—…ing the commandement 1. In the Length 2. Affirmatively and Negatively The speciall Cost if we may so say and care of God in delivering the Commandement argues much worth and wa ght As 1. In the Length and largenesse of it to make it plain and evident 2. That whereas other Commandements are propounded either Affirmatively only or Negatively only this is both Affirmative and Negative 3. 3. Charged upon all sorts It is Charged upon all sorts of people particularly especially Superiours to look well to the observation of it 4. 4. Urged by many Reasons It is Urged by many Reasons As first Gods Interest in it It is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God Secondly Gods Example He wrought six dayes and rested the seventh Thirdly His Sanctification and blessing of the Sabbath Fourthly The equity of the proportions for Continuance 5. With a speciall Memento and Frequency but one whole Day of seven for six allowed unto men Lastly it is stamped with a speciall Memento in the very front of it Remember the Sabbath Day c. lest it should be forgotten and as a Watch-word of solemne preparation for it 5. It is called a Gift and Favour Exod. 16.29 Ezek. 20.12 Nehem. 9.14 5. The Sabbath is so far from being esteemed by the people of God to be a ceremoniall Yoke or burden that it is divers times called a Gift and sometimes acknowledged as a speciall Favour of God 6. The Observation hath speciall promises Nationall and Personall Temporall and Spirituall 6. The Observation of it hath as great Encouragements by many speciall promises as any one Duty in all the Book of God Both Nationall as Jer. 17.27 Isai 58.14 and Personall even to unlikely persons Isai 56.2 4. 6. Both Temporall and Spirituall in the same places which may serve as Comments upon the Blessing mentioned Gen. 2. and in the Commandement Exod. 20. Fulfilled on our Nation And here give us leave a little to demonstrate the exemplification and fulfilling of this Promise and Blessing to this Nation of ours above any other Nation round about us As we do not find any other Reformed Church hath either so clearly maintained the doctrine of the Sabbath as ours hath both in the Homily of the Time and place of Prayers and in so many Authorized Writers for more than sixty yeares or so solemnly observed it by Command of Lawes Injunctions and Canons and the Conscientiousnesse of Governours of families and private Christians So we find a speciall Ratification of the promised Blessing both in Spirituall and Temporall respects 1. For the Spirituall Travellers of all Countries 1. Spirituall Blessings that look toward Religion do testifie that no Country among the Reformed hath more visible Piety and Schollers that travell amongst Books find no where more exact Treatises of Sanctification than in England 2. For Temporall 2. Temporall the world is witnesse how fully Temporall Blessings have been made good to us of this Nation And which is singularly observable our prosperity began to be clear when the Doctrine of the Sabbath was owned as the Doctrine of our Church by the aforesaid Homily which that it was not in King Edwards time appears by an Act Anno regni 5 6. speaking of all Dayes as alike by Gods Word Whence we observe further that though all the Stories of the Time worthily do magnifie Edw. 6. in his own Person as one of the most excellent Princes that ever raigned yet they speak of his reigne but as a Sad and Dark Day to the State Temporall by reason of ill successe abroad and dissentions of the Nobles at home After which followed a black Night in Queen Maries time by the bloody persecutions of her best Subjects her Forraign-match and losse of all we held in France But when Queen Elizabeth succeeding had restored the Gospell and withall the Doctrine of the Sabbath was Resumed and Professed the Heavens cleared up so bright over our Heads as never had England a more Glorious Day even Temporally than all her reigne after 7. The Transgression of it is 1. Aggravated 7. The Transgression of that Law of the fourth Commandement and the Profanation of the Sabbath is 1. Aggravated by speciall circumstances and reckoned amongst the greatest Abominations Ezek. 20. 22. 2. Threatned 2. Threatned with severest vengeance both Personally with Death Exo. 31.14 and nationally with fearfull judgements as Fire in their habitations Jer. 17.27 3. Punished and Desolation to their Country Levit. 26.34 43. 3. And Punished accordingly with death Numb 15. and Desolation of their Nation 2 Chron. 36.21 and so acknowledged as the cause thereof Nehem 13.18 Exemplified also in our Nation And if we might not bâ— troublesome we might no lesse Exemplifie the remarkable Judgements upon this Nation of ours than we did the Blessings in former times since the time that people began to profane the Sabbath and the Doctrine of it not only disclaimed by some of our Writers but also the Profanation of the Lords Day authorised by the Book of Sports It is observed by others how many dreadfull examples there have been of Personall Profanations of that Day and we think one main Cause of these nationall Judgements under which this Land now grones was the publique Toleration of the Profanation of that Day To say nothing of the manifest decay of Piety and the Power of Godlinesse since that Edict came abroad we
Text reads it And vindicated That Law which said and that the Article ὠwill agree to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is exprest in the verse before as well as to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not named we answer This variation will neither prejudice our cause nor our Argument at all if it be rightly considered For of what Law speakes the Apostle It must needs be granted of the written Law Where say we either in the Book of Moses at large or particularly in the Decalogue and so in the two Tables of stone Not the former for then the forementioned Ceremonious Iew might again have come upon him with this That Law which sayth Thou shalt not kill sayth also Thou shalt not eat swines flesh so by eating swines flesh a man is a transgressor and breaker of the whole Law For this is as well found in the Law of Moses written by him as the other Therefore of necessity it must be meant of the Decalogue the Law of the Tenne Commandements considered as one Law together and so though the severall Commandements be so many distinct branches with reference to each other Yet are they joyned in one bulk and body together as one perpetuall Law as spoken altogether and written altogether and that in such a manner as no other Lawes were Neither will it be possible to satisfie the Apostles drift and make his argument good unlesse we thus interpret it And therefore we must needs take Liberty to account both Papists transgressours for breaking the 2d. Commandement Because he that said or that Law that said Thou shalt have no other Gods but me said also Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image And so our adversaries transgressours for breaking the fourth Commandement Because he that said or that Law that said Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain said also Remember the Sabbath Day to Sanctifie it c. Prim. p. 180. 181. Nor is this place eluded by the answers which one of our adversaries attempts or rather makes a shew to give it For he meddles not at all with the Force of the Apostles argumentation But insists principally upon the words of offending in one point having first denied the inobservation of the Sabbath to be under the New Testament a sinne because the Law so farre as it commands the Sabbath obligeth not any more Mean time he touches not at all in his answer the strength of the reason whereby the Apostle proves his sentence But contrary in the allegation of our argument he enervates both it and the Text it selfe particularly viz. The scope of it namely by altering the Apostles words and instead of instancing in two Commandements of the Decalogue as the Apostle doth vers 11. wherein we place the strength of our argumentation as we have said before he only generally saith and that in another Character then the Text is in as if it were our inference not the Apostles The same God which injoynes the one of these Points hath injoyned all the rest By which generall expression because a heedlesse reader may happen to be deceived we make bold to aske him what points be those the Apostle means Did not he himself say for us that he speaks of the Law of the Decalogue and if he would deny it the instances vers 11. will constraine him again to grant it whereupon we urge him thus further If Saint James speake of the Decalogue then of the words of the Decalogue as God said them or as the Law said them as they were spoken by God and written by him And if so then either he must deny the fourth Commandement to have been with the rest spoken by God and written by him or deny Saint Iames his argument that because one Commandement of the Decalogue binds now therefore another doth or deny his own denyall that the fourth Commandement in the very words of it is now in force let him take his choice And if now himself or any for him think to urge us by the same argument to the old Jewish seventh Day as commanded by the fourth Commandement which they do oft and continually we must as oft and continually deny that it was commanded in the Decalogue directly and as the substance of the fourth Commandement and of this we shall give good account in due time and place Mean time we let passe the residue of what he saith to this place of Saint Iames because it goes altogether upon that supposition And counting our selves to have made good our two first Testimonies of the Prophet and Apostle we come to a Third of an ancient Father Namely Irenaeus who thus speakes for us God 3. Irenaeus ◠4. c. 31. the better to prepare us to Eternall Life did by himselfe proclaime the Decalogue to all the people equally which therefore is to be of full force amongst us as having rather been enlarged then dissolved by our Saviours comming in the flesh Upon which words the Historians evasion is frigide and flash when thus he glosses Hist of Sab. Part 1. p. 66. Which words of Irenaeus if rightly considered must be referred to that part of the fourth Commandement which is indeed Morall or else the fourth Commandement must not be reckoned as a part or member of the Decalogue because it did receive no such enlargment as did the rest of the Commandements by our Saviours Preaching but a Dissolution rather by his practise But this Glosse corrupts the Text making an exception where the Father made none and besides it proceeds upon a misprision of the sence and scope of that Commandement supposing the seventh day Sabbath to be directly commanded in it and one in seven to be but Ceremoniall whereas the contrary we hope shall be manifested in both which if it be done this Commandement hath as well received enlargement as the rest By the substitution of the Lords-day in stead of the old Sabbath and the Religious observation of it But of this in time and place convenient 4. The adverse party themselves C. D. p. 8. Lastly One even of our Adversaries thus pleads our cause The Precepts of the Morall Law are summarily comprehended in the Decalogue which have this Prerogative peculiar to them that they were delivered not by Moses but by God himselfe and by him written in Tables of stone and preserved in the Ark to shew their degnity above others and to note out the Perpetuitie note that of observance which was due unto them This is an ingenuous confession if he would be constant to it But whether it be his misprision or his misdevotion to the fourth Commandement he afterward comes in with his Exceptions That this is to be understood of the Decalogue as far as it is Morall Though in so saying he doth either expresly contradict himselfe or speak non-sense in one of these Assertions But because this Exception lies chiefly against the fourth Commandement we will remit
Tables of stone c. VIII Except 6. It is further pretended Gods writing was His Framing and creating by his Power the Externall Letters and Characters of the Tenne Commandements But it appears by the example of Ionah his Gourd and many other things immediately formed that all such things are not Eternall Solut. To this we answer briefly thus This is nothing to the purpose For we do not think the world shall be eternall because immediately Framed by Gods Power much lesse Ionah his Gourd But it is another matter to frame the Characters of Lawes which inevitably note out some intention of continuance and to frame so the Characters of these Lawes and none other by his immediate Power in Tables of stone may well argue that none other Lawes should be more Perpetuall then these and that is enough for us To note out as one of themselves hath told us their dignity above others and the Perpetuity of Observance which was due unto them IX Except 7. Writing in Stone was to note out the hardnesse of the Peoples Hearts not the Perpetuall Obligation of the Lawes see Ezek. 11.36 2 Cor. 3.14 and Ioshua had Moses Law wherein were many Ceremonialls and Iudicialls upon stone Ios 8.32 Solut. Againe we must say not writing simply in stone but the Lords writing in stone argues the Perpetuity of it what men writes in stone may be perishing like themselves even though it should out last the writer But doubtlesse if we should see a King or State command to have some Lawes and not others written upon stones or like durable matter we could not but thinke that they meant to have those Lawes to be and be accounted among the cheifest of their Perpetuall Lawes How much more when God shall doe it himselfe The rather still because these Lawes were not like those by Ioshua written in stone for every one to read them But layd up in secret in Gods Privy Cabinet his sacred Arke So though the writing of them in stone might partly note the hardnesse of the Peoples Hearts yet the writing them by God himself in stone and laying them so up may appear to be specially to note out their Perpetuity But he still goes on and we follow him X. Except 8. If Gods immediate speaking and writing argues such Precepts to be Perpetually Morall Then his not speaking and writing argues others to be Temporary For proper signes and affections conclude both Affirmatively and Negatively But the consequence is false Ergo the Antecedent To this we answer first By denying the sequell God may write Sol. 1 Morall Precepts and command others to write Morall Precepts also and yet God may write only Moralls There is a clear difference between these two Propositions Only God writes Moralls and God writes only Moralls The latter may be true The former is certainly false 2. The confirmation of the sequell is Petitio Principij taking Sol. 2 it for granted that Gods writing is made a Proper signe or Affection of a Morall Law A signe it is not ex natura Rei but by the good Pleasure of God who never was pleased to write any other c. and therefore it will not hold both wayes God writ this Ergo it is Morall God writ not this Ergo it is not Morall It is sufficient that God would give us this as a signe of the Decalogues Perpetuity that himselfe did honour it with his owne voyce to all the people wrote it with his owne Finger in stone and commanded this alone to be put in the Arke which priviledges were never afforded to any other Lawes Ceremoniall or Judiciall nor the rest of the Moralls and therefore these to be taken to be Morall at least as much as any that wanted all these Priviledges Others doe thus except against this Rule If the Proposition be of the sound and syllables of the Decalogue XI Except 9. G. Irons p 81. so that whatsoever is written in the letter thereof is affirmed to be Morall it is utterly untrue for what thinke you of those words in the very front of the Decalogue I brought thee out of the land of Egypt c. are they Morall If any say these words are a Preface not a Law he speaketh nothing to the purpose pag. 83. for the Proposition is Vniversall of whatsoever was written in the Tables of stone with Gods owne Finger c. Our adversaries confesse the taxation of the Seventh day to be Ceremoniall though in the very heart of the Commandement and written with Gods own Finger Solut. 1 But to this we say 1. Our Proposition is not so universall of whatsoever is written in the Tables of stone But thus all the Commandements of the Decalogue written in Tables of stone are Morall not all the Reasons of those Commandements A Morall or generall Commandement may be pressed on some to whom it is given by a Ceremoniall or speciall Reason contra without any alteration of the nature of the Commandement Solut. 2 2. The difference of Lawes which we now seek respects not only us Christians but the Iewes also that God would have them know and us also that those Lawes were the principall and most respected by himselfe and most carefully to be observed by them and us The Preface and Promise at most can but intimate That those Lawes were in a speciall manner given to the Iewes which is not denied but the manner of speaking writing keeping may strongly argue God meant them for Perpetuall Solut. 3 3. And this is acknowledged by C. D. as we shewed above one of his own side The writing in Tables of stone c. was to signifie their perpetuity and dignity above the rest Solut. 4 4. We take what himselfe grants for the present in his first Answer All the Commandements of the Decalogue are Morall but every one in his proportion and degree and so is that of the Sabbath We adde in the letter of it viz. for one day in seven As for the proportion and degree whether Naturall or Positive we now contend not Only we let him know that his Adversaries as he calls them doe now deny that the taxation of the seventh day or last of seven to be in the heart of the Commandement or written by the finger of God XII Except 10. Another Exception is That the Ark it selfe was lost at the Captivitie therefore the Argument is not good The Decalogue was put and reserved in the Ark Ergo perpetuall Solut. To this we say we did never imagine that the Ark and Tables must necessarily be preserved till the end of the world but it was sufficient to denote and signifie their precedencie and perpetuitie that God was so carefull to speak write and reserve those Lawes Though this be no convincing Demonstration to a Caviller yet to Reasonable men it will no doubt passe for more than probable CHAP. V. Christ hath confirmed all the Commandements of the Decalogue
perversae Phariseorum opinioni repugnans c. Second is yet more plaine This Law was altogether Necessary and is so still to keepe reprobates under and take away evill from Gods people and a little after Christ doth not contradict that Law it selfe then which nothing can be more just but the perverse opinion of the Pharisees The c Pareus pag. 121. Non sustulit Christus in judicijs Christianis talionem Third no lesse expresly Christ did not take away Retaliation in Christian judicatures The d Cartwright Part 1. Harm pag. 399. Iustissimum legem iniquissimam reddiderunt et mel Legis in absynthiam converterunt Fourth saith that Christ shewes that the Scribes and Pharisees had drawne the Magistrates duty to every private mans Power and so he saith They had made a just Law to be most unrighteous and afterward he wishes to consider the justice of the Law most accurately fitted to suppresse and keepe under violence And againe As by all mens consent he is to be punished with death that hath caused anothers death so it is for a hand or eye And if this Law were now put in execution before all men Men would be slower to maime or dismember others These Proofes are not bare assertions of the Authors XII 2. By reason but backed with Perpetuall Reasons To which we know not what besides mens contrary customes can be alledged to disprove them In conclusion whatsoever men talke of the Ceremonialls and Iudicialls included in vers 17. we would desire them but to remember that as we shewed Christ doth even now destroy the Law of divorce and then let them make sence of this if they can Till Heaven and Earth passe one jot or tittle of the Law shall not passe and yet I now destroy the Law of Divorce which is to put upon Christ a flat contradiction besides that which reflects upon ver 19. of which by and by Therefore we must conclude if Christ in this Sermon Expound no Ceremoniall or Iudiciall and one Judiciall he plainely destroys XIII The second proofe of the generall answer Then ver 17. He only speaks of the Morall Law Our 2d. Proofe of our generall answer is taken from vers 19. thus If our Saviour speake in the 17. and 18. verses of the Ceremoniall Lawes as well as of the Morall then the Disciples of Christ and the Church succeeding must needs run under his sentence in the 19 verse for breaking and teaching men to breake some part of the Law of which he spake For it is evident the Apostles St. Paul especially did breake that is Abrogate pull downe destroy the Ceremoniall Lawes presently after his Death If I build againe the Things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I have destroyed speaking of the Ceremonialls Gal. 2.18 and many more such places If it be said Christ came to fulfill the Ceremoniall Lawes in his owne Person and so came not to destroy them in his practise This indeed is most true but nothing to the purpose for he did come to destroy them by his Death and Doctrine by himselfe or by his Apostles who as we said did both break destroy and abrogate them and also teach men so to doe But take it of the Morall Law only and he did come not to destroy it as well as to fulfill it in his owne Practise that is to confirme it not only by his Personall obedience to it but also by his Doctrine as the vindication of it from the false glosses of the Pharisees doth clearly manifest Now let a reasonable man judge whether it is likely that Christ speaking before of the Morall Law or meerly Morall matters would so suddenly without any just cause digresse to speake of the Ceremoniall Lawes and that in such a frame of words as are as well false as true False in one sense and true in another Or that he would say I came not to destroy the Ceremonials and presently threaten those that should breake one of the least of those Commandements and teach men so whereas the Ceremonials were ere long to be Abolished and destroyed And then on the otherside commend and promise much to them that should keep them and teach men to keep them even those Commandements which were certainly and necessarily to vanish and passe away So that this 19 verse alone had our Saviour said no more had been sufficient to confirme the Morall Law whereof the Decalogue is the summe called often and in especiall manner the tenne Commandements to be in force to the worlds end saying Whosoever shall breake one of the least of these Commandements and teach men so shall be called the least in the Kingdome of Heaven contra For we would aske of what Commandements speaks our Saviour here Of Ceremoniall Or Morall Not of Ceremonialls for certaine for they were to be broken and to be preached downe and the threatning would rather fall upon them that should observe them and teach them to be observed as necessary Commandements still in force Therefore he speakes of Morall Lawes only the least whereof might not be broken or taught to be voyd till the worlds end This sentence therefore alone is sufficient to confute and falls heavy upon Antinomists who fear not for to teach that Christ came to destroy and hath destroyed the Decalogue or Morall Law as well and as much as the Ceremonials whereas he sayes expresly whosoever shall breake one of the least of these Commandements and teach men so shal be called least that is none in the Kingdome of Heaven And let them who in part comply with them in affirming the fourth Commandement to be Ceremoniall and consequently abolished consider how they will avoyd the same censure of our Saviour Let us heare what they say Thus one would avoyd it Granting them XIV Excep 3. that Christ in those words had regard to the Decalogue only I answer that he speaks of dissolving and overthrowing of those Commandements Prim. p. 178. and condemnes all that dare to doe it But to abrogate the Sabbath Day injoyned by the fourth Commandement seeing it was a Figure and Type and that by fulfilling it in himselfe and in his faithfull servants the truth thereof figured by the outward Sabbath to free them from the necessitie of the observation thereof was not a dissolving of i◠c. But we reply 1. We say not Solut. Christ in these words had regard to the Decalogue only but to the Decalogue primarily and to all other substantiall precepts explicatorie of it whether in Moses or in the Prophets 2. If you grant what we have proved that Christ means it of the Decalogue only or chiefly we now adde If he speake of it at all you are one of those that dare to dissolve and overthrow one of the Commandements and teach men to breake them For what is to dissolve or overthrow a Law but to make all the words of the Commandement voyd Otherwise the Lawes of
the Passeover and all the Ceremoniall Sabbaths are not to this day dissolved nor did the Apostles teach men to break them The contrary whereunto is evident to all the world Now do not you your selfe and others of your side hold the fourth Commandement to be one of the least Commandements and even wholly Ceremoniall in the substance and letter of it and teach men expresly That it is no inconvenience to say Prim. p. 138. that of ten Commandements in the Decalogue there are but nine Morall that oblige us now Can you then in reason deny that you breake one of the least Commandements and teach men so If not then we desire you in the feare of God to consider well how you will escape our Saviours condemnation by your owne confession XV. Inst 1. pag. 179. Thus you goe about it Of necessitie the broachers of this argument must avow that Christ doth not in this place blame all inobservation of the Sabbath nor establish the observation thereof absolutely and for ever Therefore this limitation must bee added that Christs intention is to forbid the transgression and to command for ever the observation of the Commandement touching the Sabbath as far as it may and ought to oblige us according to the termes of the Gospel that is say you so farre only as it commandeth that Gods publike worship be practised for ever as it shal be established by him and that an ordinary day be appointed for that purpose Sol. To this we say 1. Wee doe not avow that Christ in this place doth blame all or any inobservation of the Seventh Day Sabbath much lesse establish it for ever For we hold even from this place and shall maintaine in time convenient that the Seventh Day Sabbath was not the substance of the fourth Commandement but the observation of one day in seven and this we say Christ doth in this place establish for ever 2. Wee adde to your limitation that the publike service is not commanded by the fourth Commandement that is another of your mistakes as shall in time be manifested but by other Commandements though the time of the fourth Commandement in part and chiefly if it may be is to be imployed in publique worship And therefore when you yield that Christ speaks of the Decalogue only it is in your interpretation to confesse that Christ hath made void and destroyed one whole Commandement of the Decalogue which yet Himselfe denies and threatens them that shall dare to doe it You cannot avoid this by saying He fulfilled in himself the truth of the thing figured by the outward Sabbath For if He destroyed the old Sabbath which you say was the substance of that Commandement and Ceremoniall still it will follow that He destroyed the Commandement although He did fulfill the Figure Think on it But it is further said XVI Inst 2. That our Lord Christ passeth most conveniently from the Ceremonies which the Scribes and Pharisees accused him falsly to destroy to the Moralities which they destroyed in effect Therefore I say unto you Except your righteousnesse exceed c. v. 20. But 1. This sense is very preposterous for the whole preceding Sol. 1 discourse was of Morall matters and therefore He must rather passe from Morals to Ceremonials then contra 2. True it is in the 20. verse He speaks of the Scribes and Pharisees Sol. 2 but not as accusing Him of the breach of Ceremonials but rather as accusing them of the breach of Morals with reference to the 19. verse Whosoever shall break one of the 〈◊〉 of these Commandements and teach men so q.d. The Scribes and Pharisees are instances of what I mean For they by their corrupt Glosses of the Decalogue doe both destroy and break the Commandements and teach men so however they were exact in Ceremonials and their own Traditions Except therefore your righteousnesse exceed theirs you cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven 3. It cannot be shewed that the Pharisees did accuse our Saviour Sol. 3 as yet for breaking any Ceremoniall Lawes except it was for breaking some Ceremonials belonging to the fourth Commandement in doing some miracles on the Sabbath day Chemnitius in his most learned and judicious Harmony upon the Gospels sheweth that the Contests John 5. and Mat. 12.1 c. and v. 9.10 c. were all before this Sermon upon the Mount which being granted then is the Argument more strong for the confirmation of the fourth Commandement Think not that I am come to destroy the Law I am come to fulfill it and confirme it Therefore whosoever shall break one of the least of these Commandements be it the Fourth or any other and teach men so shall be called the least in the Kingdome of Heaven XVII Excep 4. C. D. p. 12. There are yet some other Exceptions as this for one If we grant them that by the Law is meant only the Decalogue and that our Saviours fulfilling and not destroying the Law was the ratifying and perpetuating of it we shall condemne the Christian Church for altering the day from the seventh to the first day of the week which cannot stand with our Saviours speech who saith that not one jot or title shall passe from the Law Solut. To this we answer 1. They that make the substance of the Commandement to be the seventh day cannot justifie by any meanes the altering of it to the first but must needs make void the Commandement contrary to our Saviours asseveration That till heaven and earth passe one jot or title of the Law shall not passe For it is a certain Rule in Lawes When the substance of a Law is abolished the whole Law is quite abolished Let him consider it 2. But if we hold that the fourth Commandement commands only one day in seven to be our Sabbath not one jot or title of the Law is passed And the Church is justified in her altering of the day having sufficient Authority going before her in designing of the day Of which more hereafter XVIII Excep 5. B. of E. p. 64. But it is further excepted Our Sabbatizers must first of all make remonstrance that the fourth Commandement of the Decalogue is simply and formally Morall before they presume to affirme that the same is a part jot or title of the Eternall Law which Christ commanded to be observed to the worlds end Solut. This is easily answered 1. It is not necessary to prove it simply and formally that is Naturally Morall It is enough if we can prove it positively Morall for himselfe hath confessed that there are some Lawes positively Morall which are universall and bind all mankind p. 27. as that against Polygamie and wedlock in some degree And therefore he plainly contradicts himselfe when p. 63. he saith That Christ hath freed and delivered the Christian Church from the Eternall observation of all such Legall precepts as were not simply and formally Morall But those Positive Laws aforementioned he saith
God But these are still but accidentall Considerations as we said before and not having that direct and substantiall influence into Religion that the Continuance and Frequencie of Time determined hath and namely that the Continuance of a whole Day in the frequent revolution of a Week of seven Dayes hath which we say was together in Time determined Gen. 2.3 with that seventh Day in order for the Quando or particular Day for that World But before it in Nature the particular Day that Seventh being in Nature after one of seven And undoubtedly one Day of seven was determined in the fourth Commandement And we say That and no more directly and substantially commanded and determined there and hope to prove it sufficiently in due place time as being of substantiall importance to Religion and the worship of God which God then gave out his CoÌ„mandements to settle the substantials of N. B. All other Commandements of the Decalogue are wholly substantiall and so perpetuall The Fourth then being substantiall for one day in seven for Religion This may conclude that to be the whole substance of the Commandement and not that particular seventh day which hath no substantiality in it And then that one day in seven is likewise perpetuall as appears by all the other CoÌ„mandements of the first Table by all the Commandements of the second Table being substantials of duty to Man And that the 7th day Sabbath though then in force was not at all directly commanded there nor as any part of the substance of it as being not of any substantiality toward Religion more then any other day of the seven Would then have been if then commanded by God as that was before that time Or then the Lords day is now supposing it commanded now as we doe by God or even commanded only by the Church as they suppose if it be but certain that the old Day is no longer in force In a word This is that we say think we have clearly proved from the nature of the respects of Time toward Religion as before toward study for Learning or any other Civill businesse That the Quando Season or Order of Beginnings viz. This or that particular Day first or last of seven or of any other number hath no Materiality or Substantiality in it toward Religion to make it be profitably determined rather then such another of such a number but only accidentally And so in this Consideration to be greatly inferiour to the Quamdiu or continuance as also to the Quoties or frequencie of revolution which are so mainly profitable as we shewed before 3. Whence it followes clearly as was also said before in relation to Learning That whereas a Determination of the Continuance and Frequencie of Time for Religion XXIII Therefore there may be an alteration of it without hurt to Religion whether of either of them singly or both of them joyntly cannot be altered in any remarkable degree without an answerable alteration in the Profit of it toward Religion namely the Profit must needs be greater if it be altered from a lesse proportion to a greater as from halfe a Day to a whole Dayes continuance and from the Frequencie of one Day in seven to one in six or five and so the profit will be lesse if altered from a greater proportion to a lesse as from a whole dayes continuance to 3 or 4 houres only of a day and from the frequencie of one day in seven to one in eight or ten only and consequently a determination of these respects of time remains in the nature of it constantly perpetually profitable to Religion It is quite otherwise with the Season or Order of Time for Religion For of that there may be a remarkable alteration as from the last Day of seven to the first of seven from Evening to Morning * It is ususually taken for granted that the Sabbath of old began in the Evening This we doe not affirme nor yet altogether deny but shall consider it hereafter But now we speak of it by way of supposition that it â—â—d so begin or the like and yet no alteration at all unlesse in some Accidentall Considerations forenoted in the Profit of it In as much as still God and the Soule may have the same proportion of Time both for Continuance and Frequencie singly or jointly and so as much substantiall advantage and no more be toward Religion in the alteration of the Season or Order of Beginning as was before this was altered We say again there is no substantiall convenience or inconvenience profit or disadvantage to Religion in the perpetuating or changing the Season or Order of Beginning from one Day of the Week to another or from Evening to Morning * Whereas we say It makes no substantiall change in the profit to alter the Beginning from Evening to Morning We yet conceive an accidentall profit by it in that by the meanes of the beginning in the Morning we are sure to have the Continuance if for a whole Day not to be ended while we are awake The profit of which we shall argue hereafter But that if no accidentall Consideration recommend a Change that Season or Order of Beginning may be perpetuated under the New Testament which was under the Old without prejudice to Religion And if any Accidentall Consideration doe recommend a Change that Season or Order of Beginning the Day or Time for beginning the Day may be changed and that fitly so it be done by sufficient authority Also in that change It is all one what Season or Order of Beginning be placed in the stead of the former unlesse there be some particular accidentall consideration that recommends one rather then another and then that for that cause is fittest to be chosen and determined accordingly And these things we affirme of the alteration of the Season or Order of Beginning under the Old Testament from the last Day of the Week to the first Day of the Week and from beginning in the Evening to beginning in the Morning This alteration is without any substantiall prejudice to Religion so long as the Determination of the Continuance and Frequencie joyntly that is of one whole Day in seven remaines unaltered Also it is without any substantiall profit For still there is just the same and no more nor lesse advantage toward Religion Gods honour and the Soules good that there was before And God altering it as we say He hath done the Authority is unquestionably sufficient And we have also sufficient ground recommending such an alteration and such a choice even supposing as our Anti-Sabbatarians doe that God hath put over this authority to the Church not only from the Type annexed to the old Day but from a greater benefit then that which the Old Day was a memoriall of namely the Redemption of the World being above the Creation and this Redemption completed in the morning of the Resurrection day while withall
likely to worke a setled worke upon his spirit to be still more and more for God and his soule Whereas those that are taken off from religious thoughts by worldly any thing soone doe apparantly in experience loose a great part not to say all sometimes of the benefit namely of the spirituall light of knowledge and heat of affection that they might have gotten in a longer Time or seemed to have gotten in that Time which they did bestow upon Religion in a Continuance Christians will confesse this and worldlings manifest it And particularly ignorants who live in a neglect of the Sabbath either through their owne fault or their superiours doe by their excuses of their ignorance beare strong witnesse to this Their language is We are dull headed and hard to learne any Catechisme being not booke learned and we have no Time to learne Their meaning is chiefely they have not leisure to allot a sufficient Continuance of Time at once being cald off by one businesse or other when they would as they pretend or doe set themselves to learne And there is much of truth in this if they acknowledge not and so improve not the Sabbaths Continuance which rightly used would much advance them even in one Day And so still all pleads the profit of a large Continuance determinated 5. XXVI It is very profitable to Religion to have Frequency of times Determined even single so it be as great a frequency as may be consistent with a mans worldly necessities as once or twice every day In as much as Religion and the Solemne worship of God for his honour and the good of mens souls is a businesse Permanently Necessary all a mans life long It appears also that it is profitable to Religion to have a Determination of the Frequency of returne to the Duties of it Even as great a Frequency as can be imagined compatible with the formerly mentioned Necessities of Naturall and worldly businesses Specially to secure a man that his Knowledge of God and Affections towards God in a word his acquaintance with God shall not be lost or diminisht As the intervention of Worldly businesses being so directly opposite to thoughts of God for the most part specially in spirits and hearts so corrupted as ours now are cannot but put in hazard The proper prevention whereof lyes mainly therefore in the Determination of as great a Frequency of returne as may be as suppose every day or every morning and every evening that is twice every Day viz. of those Dayes the maine of whose Continuance is taken up for worldly businesses according to the Ceremoniall Law of the Morning and Evening Sacrifice which carried along with the Duties the Frequency of the Time of tendring them together with a Remisse Determination that is within a Latitude of the Season also And such Determination of the Frequency even though there be nothing of the Continuance Determined at all or only Remisly if any is we say Remarkably Profitable to prevent strangenesse in the Soule toward God For while the not-Determining of any Continuance jointly with such Frequency of twice every Working-day will assure that it may be observed without any prejudice to a mans worldly businesses which ordinarily certainly cannot but admit a looking up to God even Solemnly every Day between morning and noone and again between noone and a mans lying down to sleep so that a man be Free to continue no longer then his occasions will then permit This very Frequency will yet keep the soule happily in breath and in dutifull respects toward God And withall will now and then afford him the Advantage of making some Remarkable Profit by Voluntary enlarging the Continuance of Time for Devotion when being at it he finds no particular businesse calling him of perhaps for an houre or more together However let the Continuance be never so short yet if a man do but Affectionately tender Solemne Worship in such Frequency Determined of Morning and Evening every Day It must needs preserve from a Totall Decay and strangenesse toward God which in a very seldome returne there would be very great danger if not certainty of and so proportionably according as such Determination of the Frequency single were more or lesse Frequent the prevention or danger of decay in Religion would without doubt be And so the Profitablenesse of the Determination of a very great Frequency even single is apparantly Evident And specially it may be and will be so if besides it there be for Religion a Determination made jointly of the Continuance with convenient largenesse and of the Revolution also with Convenient Frequency Of the profitablenesse of which joint-Determination XXVII A joint determination of both the Continuance and Frequency in a convenient largenesse is singularly profitable to Religion Even the most Profitable of all other making the proportion so determined the chiefest Time for Religion we are in the next place to speake 6. And upon the former Suppositions it can with no Reason be denied but such a joint Determination of the Continuance and Frequency in a convenient largenesse is not only Profitable to Religion but the most Profitable Determination of all other The Determination of the greatest importance to the maine businesse of Religion Gods honour and the good of mens soules as taking in the strength of the two Substantiall respects of Time the Continuance and Frequency joined And accordingly the Proportion of Time therein Determined is the chiefe Time for Religion of all other Therefore concerning this Time or this Determination it is a consideration of the greatest waight by what Rules it may be ordered wisely and made in a Convenient and just and Profitable Proportion or observed to be so if we speak of any already made as namely of that of One dayes Continuance in the Revolution of seven which we say was the Substance of the fourth Commandement Now here there may be a double consideration of the Wisdom and Conveniency of the Proportion of Time so determined between the Continuance and Frequency jointly One is in regard of the totall proportion Determined for Religion and so secluded from worldly businesse how so much in the whole as for instance the proportion of a Day in seven or the seventh part of time in the Revolution of seven dayes whether that be a wise and Convenient and Profitable Determination and not certainly too much or certainly too little for the chiefe Time for Religion And by what Rules to judge it either Way But this we leave the Discussion of to a following Chapter where we shall endeavour to beat it out clearly and at large The other is in regard of dividing and sharing such a proportion as a Day comes to in seven between the Continuance and Frequency On vvhich side the greatest Waight should be put whether on the Continuance to make that as large as may be and so put it all into one day as in the fourth Commandement Or on that side
Or 2. thereby to hinder the necessary businesses of mens worldly callings wherein againe the Papists offend in making their Holy-dayes so frequent as that they are exceeding burdensome specially to the poorer sort And this also is possible to be a fault even in voluntary attendances upon Religion sometimes If any doe it so as thereby to neglect their callings ordinarily and remarkably they offend though not against the fourth Commandement properly but only against the indulgence therein granted of six Dayes worke ordinarily and directly against the eighth Commandement or any other that properly concernes their particular callings But avoyding these errours we say no Church nor no Man is to be blamed but commended rather for determining or voluntary applying any Times for Râ—ligion the solemne Worship of God and looking after the soules good the weekely Sabbath or Lords Day of Gods determination being not Exclusive nor any other as we have said XXXIV 2. An initiall determination is certainly profitable 2. In the next place we affirme that an initiall determination may be certainly profitable to Religion Namely Where there is but so much wisdome that by determining so much Continuance or such a Frequencie or such a Season there will be or can be no prejudice to bodily necessities and necessary worldly occasions Not as concluding so much and so often to be enough for the whole or chiefe Time for Religion for that were to make it a Conclusive determination of which our next Consideration is to speake But that so much and so often may infallibly be allowed And therefore so much and so often at least may be determined and as for a beginning for which cause we count the terme of an initiall determination proper And this will according to the proportions of it be so farre forth serviceable and profitable to Religion and particularly against unwillingnesses and unnecessary interruptions As for instance it may be at least for some men and so hath been found in experience very profitable to determine to themselves at least a quarter of an houre in the morning every Day and as much at night or toward night for Religion and solitary attendance upon God And such a like proportion or more for their Family-devotions morning or noone night or evening That at least we say so much so often shall be imployed and when they have freedome they may enlarge the Continuance specially or sometimes even the Frequencie voluntarily and according to occasions And this is properly an initiall determination and it cannot be denied but such an one may be profitable as hath been shewed XXXV A conclusive determination is not profitable in some cases 3 Now for a Conclusive determination and namely of both the Continuance and Frequencie joyntly seeing that it is the chiefe determination of Time for Religion generally or the determination of the chiefe Time for the Generall of Religion which come all to one as hath been intimated before There is a twofold Consideration to be noted one shewing in what cases such a determination can with no probability be conceived to be profitable to Religion The other declaring upon what conditions it may be certainly and infallibly profitable For the first of these this we say That a Conclusive determination of the Continuance and Frequencie of Time joyntly cannot in all probability be profitably made by such persons as want either such wisdome or willingnesse or authority as is plainly requisite to a determination of this Nature viz. of the chiefe Time for Religion For 1. if they want wisdome 1. When men want wisdome either to set out the whole proportion as how many houres in all in so many Dayes or to distribute this proportion fitly between the Continuance and Frequency as they may erre in either case and on either hand in either case so in all probability they are like to erre one way or other If they be affectionately zealous for Religion they may possibly erre in determining too large a proportion too long a Continuance and too frequent a Revolution On the other side if they be sollicitous for worldly businesse they may determine too little a proportion and so too short a Continuance or too seldome a Revolution or both And if they mistake not the proportion and that they should not consent to what we before discoursed of the greater profit in the largest Continuance as perhaps some may not assent to it then againe they may erre perhaps not a little in sharing the proportion between the Continuance and Frequencie and both faile of advancing Religion so much as they might have done as also greatly prejudice mens worldly businesses which in conclusion may happen to fall upon Religion againe For that men in those cases will be apt to make too bold with the religious Time under pretence of necessity at least In a word this Time being to be the necessary and ordinarily sufficient chiefe solemne Time of Worship Where there wants wisdome to judge 1. What is necessary and 2. What is ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe solemne Time in regard both of Continuance Frequency joyntly It may as well be conceived that a blind man will find the right way where there are divers turnings of which he is not aware as that there can be a profitable Conclusive determination made for Religion by such Persons XXXVI 2. Or willingnesse 2. If they want willingnesse to imploy Time in religious Duties themselves and so to have others imploy Time in it It is yet much more certaine that the determination will not be profitably made For they must needs both be apt to think not so much or so often to be necessary as indeed is and so to misse-judge the whole proportion counting much lesse or seldomer sufficient then they should doe As also howsoever for want of affection to forbear to determine themselves or others to any such proportion as they have no will should be observed Of which there needs no other proofe then that of too many pretenders at large to Religion that are so farre from determining any Time to themselves or their families where they thinke themselves wholly left at Liberty that they never so much as observe any voluntarily in any constancie and much lesse have any families-devotions scarce thanksgivings before or after meals at all through the whole years or their whole lives What likelyhood then can there be that such or even much better then they supposing them to be yet in the ranke of the unwilling will ever make a profitable determination of the necessary and ordinarily sufficient chiefe solemne Time for Religion As soone will a covetous man tax himselfe and his posterity to as much as is fit for such to pay weekly and yearly even to the worlds end who yet by his good will cannot afford to part with a farre smaller proportion and grudges at any thing that is laid upon him though farre short of his due XXXVII 3. Or
also the Determinations themselves in the residue of the Times will be a great deale more certain to be observed by this allowance of such really important necessities The taking away of an excuse saving sometimes the main of a Duty which else under the pretence of prejudicing a necessary present businesse would have been wholly neglected as an unreasonable command Accordingly therefore we find sufficient intimations in the Scripture and particularly by our Saviours pleading with the Pharisees on that occasion That works of mercy to any of Mankind and even to a Beast as the lifting them out of a pit or even leading them forth to water are Reservations made by God himselfe out of the strictest Determinations of Time for Religion namely out of the Sabbath And the same Equity is generally held by the strictest Divines to extend to all such businesses of Necessity which could neither have been done the Day before nor can be deferred to the next Day As the quenching of a fire breaking out in a Hay-stack though in a field and remote from any dwelling house and the like Further particulars of which Reservations to be gathered from the instances of our Saviour and His discourses about them and other generall expressions we shall have occasion again hereafter to examine As also that to us now under the Gospel there is some further allowance in this kinde then was to the Jewes of old We being more freed from all reall burdens then they were Only it must still be remembred that Gods indulgence herein must be so far from making us think the Determinations to be of no force as our Adversaries most absurdly argue against the whole Doctrine and Law of the Sabbath from those expressions of our Saviour about these Reservations as we shall see that we ought rather to esteem our selves the more obliged to them since God is so graciously pleased to condescend to us as to prefer our naturall and worldly necessities in such cases before His own immediate services But doubtlesse if we thinke His services and our Soules necessities any matters of regard at all we shall not see any just ground to think that God ever meant by such Reservations for particular cases and occasions to lay all Time levell and referre all to mens courtesies whether they will give Him any back again or how much or how little often or seldome And so we have done at length with this Discourse about the Profitablenesse of Determinations of Times for Religion generally XLIV The Conclusion together with some Intimations of Application more particular unto the Determination of one Dayes Continuance in the frequent revolution of seven Dayes according to the fourth Commandement But the full application cannot be made till we have added also the Considerations that concerne the Necessity of this or that kind of Determination and this or that Manner and likewise scanned whether the chiefe Determination for the necessary and ordinarily sufficient chiefe solemne Time can be profitably made by any other but God himselfe To which two Points we shall speak by His assistance in the two following Chapters And if in this already or in any that follow we shall seem to any too prolixe and tedious We must desire them to consider that the Argument is not only of great importance but also hath hitherto been handled very confusedly in this Point about the Nature of Time which yet is one of the main hinges upon which the whole Controversie depends even by all the Adversaries as well as the friends of our or rather of Gods cause for His Solemn Time and Day of Holy Rest We have therefore been desirous to beat things out so as that any attentive Reader may see clearly the way we goe and the strength of the Arguments on which we ground our Cause that so far as is possible and as God shall vouchsafe to blesse we may satisfie all Consciences even of ordinary Readers which we much misdoubt we should not have done if we had strived to contract our selves unto the quicker apprehensions of the more pregnant wits while withall we assure the one and other sort that we take no further delight in expatiating either in matter or words then we judge it necessary to the clearing of doubts which others or our own minds have made about the whole or any part of this undertaking CHAP. IX A Determine Solemne Time for Gods Worship is Morall Naturall and that in the first Commandement And what kinde and manner of Determination of Time for Religion may be proved necessary by the Law or Light of Nature and generall rules of Scripture I. Determinate Time is 1. Morall Naturall THE Generall nature of Time in Religion as well as in civill actions and the Profitablenesse of the Determination of it for Religion as well as for Learning or any other civil businesse hath been in the foregoing chapters at large considered and discoursed of Now we are to proceed to a higher step concerning it Namely the Necessity of its Determination for Religion Gods honour and the good of mens soules of which though we have also spoken somewhat in generall already Yet are there further considerations to be set down about it and particularly What kind of Determination of any one of the respects of Time single or of any two of them jointly or of all three of them together is necessary for Religion As also what manner of Determination Remisse Initiall or Conclusive according to what may be proved from Generall rules of the law and light of nature Applyable to all men in all ages all the world over and generall rules also of Scripture without allegation of the fourth Commandement or any such determination exprest in Scripture But onely to consider whether those generall rules will not necessitate us to have recourse to the fourth Commandement for the determination conclusive of the Continuance and Frequency joyntly for all mankind now that come to the knowledge of it as well as for the Jewes of old and to the first Day of the week the Lords-Day for the season or order of beginning to count and so for the particular day to be necessarily observed by all Christians to the worlds end As also to make us acknowledge that the same Continuance and Frequency of one Day in seven was given to Adam and all his Posterity according to Gen. 2. together with the last Day of seven from the beginning of the Creation for the season and order And this is the taske of this and the next Chapter chiefely for the laying down the Positive grounds of our tenents generally reserving the discussion of particular exceptions and objections to the following parts where we shal deale with the severalls in their order distinctly To begin then II. 1 Explained we propound two Positions in the forefront of this discourse about the necessity of Determinate Time for Religion according to the Title of this Chapter whereof the first is Some
certainly sufficient namely for the chiefe Time ordinarily for all men and that in three regards 1. of Gods acceptation that he is pleased with such a proportion and such a distribution of it and would not have more ordinarily of all men for the generall proportion nor that otherwise distributed 2. Of the soules benefit withall in necessary knowledge and for spirituall affection to the attainment of Salvation 3. Of a consciences security which may be apt to doubt either whether the proportion be sufficient in regard either of Gods acceptation or the soules Good or whether it be sufficiently and rightly distributed betweene the Continuance and Frequency so as to satisfie those ends of it 5. It must ever be remembred that this is but a Conclusive determination and not Exclusive and so though this be the chiefe Time and sufficient as such a Time yet not the only Time determined by God who by the Law of Nature and insinuation also of the word hath besides determined the Frequency of twice a Day at least of the working Dayes both for domesticke Worship and solitary Worship and by His providence doth still now and then determine to this or that Nation or Church or Family or Person a Day of Fasting and Humiliation or Thanksgiving extraordinarily and besides allowes them liberty to determine to themselves and theirs some other Times as also to imploy some voluntarily so farre forth as may and will stand with their worldly necessary callings and that they doe not impose or observe them as equally necessary with those of Gods owne determination We say then the sufficiency of this Time we now dispute of is not absolute but for such a kind of Time for the chiefe Time or which fully includes the whole Nature of it for the necessary and ordinarily sufficient chiefe solemne Time of Worship for all men All other Time being either 1. Lesse necessary as all Times meerly of mans appointment or 2. Lesse ordinary as the extraordinary Dayes of humiliation or thanksgiving which Gods providence may sometime determine or 3. Lesse solemne as the Daily Frequencies determined by the Law of Nature which have no determination of any Continuance expresse with them and 4. Finally all also together are lesse chiefe and sufficient because this is to have the chiefe strength both of Continuance and Frequencie joyntly to such a sufficiency as is before exprest Which we desire may be remembred as well to distinguish this Time from all other Times as also that to spare unnecessary repetitions we may be allowed to call this Time the necessary and sufficient Time or the ordinary sufficient Time or barely the sufficient Time or the chiefe Time of Worship and may not be mistaken in these expressions but understood as we have here delivered our selves XLI The necessitie of such a determinatiâ—â— proved Now for the proofe generally of the necessity of the determination of such a chiefe Time for Religion we propound this one maine and Generall Argument That without which Religion cannot certainly stand among all men is necessary to be determined for all men But without such a chiefe Time determined for solemne Worship Religion cannot certainly stand among all men Ergo Such a chiefe Time for solemne Worship is necessary to be determined for all men The Major needs little proofe to any conscience For as Religion is necessary to all men So must needs be the meanes and helps without which it cannot stand among all men The meanes and the end so farre as they are conjoyned are equally necessary in Naturall and Theologicall reason So that among whomsoever of mankind Religion cannot stand without such a chiefe Time determined It is all one to leave them without such a Time and to leave them without Religion As then no man is left without a necessity of being Religious so no man is left without a necessity of a chiefe Time to be determined The Minor before we offer to prove it we crave leave to explain and cleare two expressions in it One is the Word certainely The other the phrase Among all Men. 1. By the Word Certainly we mean according to the certainty of ordinary means and helpes Among which we affirme such a determination of such a sufficient Time to be not denying but extraordinarily and by a singular grace and blessing of God a man may attaine to Salvation though he never observed or never heard of such a Time determined God can plant Religion how and in whom He pleases and preserve it without ordinary meanes if He see good But we can see no certainty ordinarily how mankind should preserve Religion in their soules without such a determination of Time for it and a sutable observation of it with as much care and conscience as other ordinances and meanes and helpes of Religion 2. By the phrase Among all men we meane that the greatest part of mankind cannot maintaine Religion in their soules without such a determination of a sufficient Time for it such namely as have a constant and full imployment in a worldly calling whether inferiors specially or even superiours and Governours of families or of Townes or Countries and Commonwealths Religion cannot Certainly that is Ordinarily stand among them who are farre the greatest part of minkind without a sufficient Time determined and conscionably observed Though we grant that among some of mankind who have no great businesse in worldly imployments but have leisure much even every Day ordinarily to bestow divers houres upon Religion Gods Worship and their soules good and to Frequent the publike Worship where ever it is neer them Such might perhaps keepe up Religion in their consciences though they were not under or did not know themselves to be under any such determination of a sufficient Time necessary to be observed for Religion As also more specially those whose callings and particular imployments are properly within the sphere of Religion as Divines and Ministers of the Word of God may much more easily be Religious in their owne Persons by their dayly and continuall imployment in the study Meditation Writing and Speaking of Matters of Religion even though they should have no sufficient Time solemne determined to them with others that they knew of and did owne but only the Times of the Publike exercises of their Ministery which we say and shall prove anon is greatly unsufficient for the generall of mankind And this very thing we are perswaded hath been an occasion XIII A profitable digression about a daily Sabbath whereby at least in part sundry Divines even of prime note in the Reformed Churches abroad who have spoken and written seemingly at least over-injuriously against the fourth Commandement injoining perpetually one whole Day of seven to be imployed meerly for Religion have been deceived in the point of the Necessity of the Perpetuity of the Commandement in that sense and have spoken so much of making every Day a Sabbath and so keeping a continuall Sabbath because themselves
did so very much by the advantage and even necessity of their Callings being spirituall and in the road of Religion and their minds withall full of zeale and religious affections And thus we are the more inclined to believe because the very same Divines when they think of other men speak very fairly toward the Perpetuity of a seventh day Sabbath as necessary for all men As may be seen among others by that one place of him who is esteemed the chiefest of the Disputers against it of Mr. Calvin we meane in his Commentary upon Genesis 2.3 who thus speakes Benedictio ista nihil aliuâ—â—est quam solemnis consecratio qua sibi Deus studia occupationes hominum asserit die septimo Est quidem legitima hac totiua vitae meditatio in qua se quotidic exerceant immensam Dei bonitatem justitiam virtutem sapientiam in hoc magnifico coeli terraeque theatro considerare verum si fortominus sedulo quam par esset ad cam intenti essent homines ad supplendum quod assiduae meditationi deerat septimuâ— quisque dies peculiariter delectus est Primum ergo quievit Deus deinde benedixit hanc quietem in soeculis omnibus inter homines sancta soret vel septimum quemque diem quieti dicerit ut suum exemplum perpetua esset regula Denique sacra est ista vocatio quae homines mundi impedimentis eripit ut totos Dei cultui addicant Praetereasciendâ—â— est non 〈◊〉 tantum vel atatis vel populi sed totias humani generis commune esse hoc exercition Quies spirituisis est carnis mortificatio ne ampliussibi vivant filli Dei aut propriae voluntati indulgeant Quod eam Sabbathum figuravit temporale fuisse dico Quod autem ab initio mandatum fuit hominibus nise exerceant in Dei cultu meâ—ito ad mundi finem usque durare oportet Calv. in Gen. 2. That Blessing is nothing but a solemn Consecration whereby God challenges to Himselfe the cares and imployments of Man And afterward To supply the defects of Daily Meditation every seventh Day was peculiarly chosen First GOD rested and then He blessed this rest that it might be holy among Men in all ages He dedicated every seventh Day to rest that His example might be a perpetuall rule And again This Vocation is sacred which takes men off from Worldly impediments to give themselves wholly to GOD. And yet further VVe must know that this is the common exercise not of one Age or People only but of all Mankinde And finally after he had mentioned another end afterward added to the Sabbath under the Law to the Jews namely typicall of Christ he remarkably concludes with these words That the Sabbath did figure that sc our Mortification it was temporary But that it was given to Men from the beginning that they should exercise themselves in the VVorship of GOD worthily it ought to endure to the VVorlds end Thus he Than which and so the whole of the matter in that place nothing can be spoken more judiciously or more Orthodoxly But other where he and others forgetting we believe the necessary Worldly businesses of other men seem to speak as it besides a time for Publike Worship there were no other Sabbath now but a continuall every-dayes Sabbath It being as we said very much so with themselves and so they not finding a speciall need of a seventh Day wholly to be a Sabbath in regard of themselves spake more unwarily of the Commandement than we are perswaded they would now have done if they had lived in our Time and seen their own and other people undone by prophanations of it VVhich hath made also divers Divines of those Parts to speak more fully for the fourth Commandement of late then formerly as we shall note hereafter But this by the way and in a kind of digression not unusefull we hope And so having cleared our meaning in the Minor of our Argument we come to prove it Namely That without a Chiefe Time determined sufficiently for Solemn Worship Religion cannot certainly stand among all men Thus we further argue If without a sufficient Time determined both for Continuance XLIII The Minor confirmed and Frequencie jointly no sufficient Time will be generally observed among Mankind for Religion Then without such a Time determined Religion cannot certainly stand among all Mankind But without such a sufficient Time determined no sufficient Time will be generally observed Ergo Without such a sufficient Time determined Religion cannot certainly stand among all Mankind The Consequence of this Argument may be undeniably made good by the consideration that without a sufficient Time observed for Religion Men who are borne void of the knowledge of God and unapt enough to learne it will never attaine a sufficiencie of knowledge for the honouring of God in their hearts and lives and saving their own souls Nor is it imaginable that they can possibly come to such knowledge either by the Continuance of one whole Day once in their lives of which we disputed before or by the addition of a few Minutes twice or thrice or four times every Day by snatches and sudden fits Mans nature is too froward too much corrupted to learn the mystery of heaven and salvation so by the by as experience superabundantly proclaimes even where there is a great deale more Time then so allotted to it and observed for it Also 2. without such a sufficient Time observed for Religion The great duty of love to God which is the fundamentall affection and even the summe of all Piety can never in an ordinary course be attained or preserved or exercised and exprest Men are as averse from Gods love as ignorant in the knowledge of Him And even though they have a knowledge of the Doctrine of God as many have not only competently but even eminently by having been trained up to it and having spent much time upon it from their youth up yet they may be Atheists in regard of affection and wholly devoid of all love to God And there is no ordinary meanes to work their hearts to such a holy love but by their being busied a convenient space of Time and that frequently in the services of God hearing of Him and meditating of Him and the like whereby they may come to be convinced of the reality and certainty of those divine truths which they have learned to know and see a necessity of loving and imbracing them and God in them above all Acquaintance breeds love between those that were strangers So doth acquaintance with God by the observation of sufficient convenient times of attendance upon His Ordinances Also if in any some beginning of love and affection be bred there is no preserving of it from decay but by frequent and conveniently continued intercourses and converses in holy duties Any man that disuses these or curtals the Times of them will and doth find in himselfe if he consider himselfe
make as it were nothing of His service and of solemne Times for it But of this more in another place LV. 3. It is most consonant to Nature to begin the day in the morning We proceed to the third Proposition about the beginning of the particular Day and that is It seemes most consonant to the Law and Light of Nature and Scripture reason that unlesse God otherwise determine it himselfe the beginning of the Day should be in the morning that is after midnight rather then the evening before We put in that Parenthesis unlesse God otherwise determine it himselfe As well that we may never neither by way of consequence nor so much as in appearance dispute against any appointment of God acknowledging everlastingly that all His determinations what ever we may surmise or argue are wisest and best so long and so much as He will have them stand As also for that it is commonly taken for an undoubted and undeniable truth That the old Jewish Sabbath did begin and so end at Evening Whether it did so certainly or no perhaps we shall consider more particularly hereafter But for the present we cannot forbeare to say that we are no way convinced that it ended in the Evening though we will not now neither dispute that in point of fact But all we will doe for the present about it is to shew our grounds why under favour of Gods not determining otherwise as we said we conceive it most sutable to Religious reason that the chiefe solemne Time should not end till our waking Time ends or till Midnight and so consequently if it must be a whole Dayes continuance as we suppose it must the beginning must be at Midnight The reason of that assertion and not the Evening before Our reason is That if we consider the Evening before or the Evening after there will be perpetuall danger of incroachment either upon the Religious Time or the Worldly Time to the prejudice of one of them but specially of Religion in most men 1. Consider the Evening before In winter time it is Evening with us at five a clock a good part of the Time and at foure for a week or two or more If now as soon as it growes dark the Time for Religion begins They must to observe it aright and have their minds in frame lay aside their worldly businesses a while at least before and this will at least seem to incroach too much upon their businesses and disappoint Markets on the Day before and Journies very much sometimes Or rather the hazard will be that worldly things will stick to mens fingers and businesses in their minds so long that what with Supper time and other Night-businesses before they goe to bed and many hasting to bed under pretence perhaps of earlier rising in the Morning though likely enough they mean nothing lesse nor do they rise the earlier for it God and the soule would have very little even of those houres after four or five a clock besides what conscientious men use to give Him every night and so scarce worth the while of reckoning the Religious Time or Day for it to begin at Evening specially considering the great losse that would in all likelihood be by the ending of it at Even which is the second Consideration For supposing the Day ended at foure or five or sixe a clock either men would still continue their Religious thoughts as to close fairly their waking Time with them and this would be againe thought too much because the former Evening was challenged as Gods due whether He had it or not Or else which would be infallibly with the most of men they would instantly when it grew darke or at Sun-set which I take it was the Jewes Evening ending those Dayes that did end at Even as the Day of Expiation Lev. 23.23 throw away all thoughts of Religion and fall to worke or buying and selling in shops or to sports and play which cannot possibly but be prejudiciall to Religion by weakning the good they had received before in the Day and even making them lose any godly affections they had gotten by a cold dampe deading any spirituall heat that might be put into them by the ordinances and services of God publike or domestick or solitary by one or all Hereunto we may adde that upon the knowledge of this ending at that houre there would be before-hand matches made of meeting to make bargaines to game and play and perhaps to drink and carowse the Day being now over and then even before it were over the minds of most worldly people would so run upon those things even while they were in the exercises of devotion that they will make very little benefit by them but they will as it were sit upon thornes in the publike Ordinances and rather then faile goe out in the midst of them if they misdoubt or discerne that they are like to trench upon their worldly times And for this we would but appeale even to sober consciences when they sometimes heare a Sermon on the Week-dayes after which immediately they have worldly businesses or even but a meeting of pleasure to attend upon Whether those things doe not much run in their heads and make them sit in paine and feare and long that it were done and even tempt them to goe out unlesse shame hold them and leave it before the end or specially before the end of Prayer Psalme and Blessing And then it would be undoubtedly much worse with ordinary people as appeares but too manifestly by their goings out both morning and afternoon as soon as they think the Sermon should end the glasse being run or that it is ended and they hasten to their dinner or to serve their cattell or the like But now by the beginning and ending at Midnight or the Morning which is ordinarily all one so as one wakes in the Religious Day and lies down to sleep in it All the inconvenience on both sides is prevented Men may follow their businesses the Night before that they may the lesse disturbe them on the Day for Religion and their Night-devotions may settle their minds against the next Day and then on that Day all the waking Time being determined for Religion it will plainly secure very much all the good gotten and keepe out all mischievous disappointments by worldly thoughts and discourses and to settle a mans spirit excellently by lying down with those thoughts of God and Religion and so sleeping as in Gods armes may make all singularly happy to him And if this be so they are surely not so well advised that have so ridgedly urged the beginning of the Lords day to be necessarily at Evening as they suppose it was with the Jewish Sabbath But we have somewhat further to say to them about that from our Saviours Resurrection in the Morning Of which we shall discourse hereafter LVI 4. The same day to all mankind is conducible And now we passe
to our fourth and last Proposition about the particular Day to be determined for the chiefe solemne Time namely That it seemes greatly conducible to the honour of God from all Mankinde and to the generall communion of Saints all the world over that the same particular day of such a number should be determined to all men of the same age that is from Adam to Christ and the same from Christ to the worlds end all the world over to observe it according as the Day begins with them sc from Midnight in the Countries where they are and live 1. To the honour of the one God That this is so in reference to the Honour of God may be shewed from Gods being One and so the greater unitie and uniformitie there is in His Worship among all His servants in all places of His Dominion the greater is His Glory Now all the whole earth is His Dominion Neither is there any other Lord in the whole World that hath supreme authority over any of mankind but Himselfe alone And therefore as much as is possible for all His Subjects to joyne together in worshipping of Him it cannot be denied but it is an advancement of His Honour Now this cannot be in regard of Place they are too many and dwell too farre asunder to joyne together in Place but in Time they may namely within the same 24 houres all the World over how farre distant so ever they be one from another and though Antipodes one to another or how many so ever they be in number yet they may at the same Time on the same Day Naturall be every one of them every where worshipping God in the most solemne manner publikely or privately with others as they can have others to joyne with them in Place or at least solitarily and alone And tender to Him not only the same proportions of Time for Continuance and Frequency the same number of Dayes one as well as another every where Namely their waking Times as was said before but also the same particular Day according as the Day falls out with them Then which of all things that are any way belonging to the outward Worship of God there is not any one thing as we conceive that can make His Worship more solemne and celebrious Nor redound more to His Honour striking all men that are yet but strangers to Him and much more His professed servants with a marvellous awe of His service and that none should dare to rob Him of His sacred Time which He so universally requires of all mankind not only for Continuance and Frequencie but also for the season and order of the Day and beginning of the Day An objection prevented And if any shall now object that this reason would enforce or inferre the same particular Day from the Worlds beginning to the Worlds end and that there should not be one particular Day or beginning of the Day from Adam to Christ and another particular Day or beginning of the Day from Christ to the Day of judgment To this we answer First that we never did nor never doe intend to dispute against God and therefore whatever we argue for this or that we meane it never no otherwise then so farre forth as He hath not revealed His will and pleasure to the contrary And therefore for the particular Day under the old Testament what ever may be said of the beginning of the Day it being clearly the will of God that it should then be the last of the Seven and now under the new Testament the first of the Seven it is unquestionally the fittest for His Honour and all things that it should so be besides the particular reasons for the change of the Day to be discoursed of fully in their proper Place hereafter But this being said we answer in the second place that Gods determining to all mankind one and the selfe same Day from Adam to Christ as some of our disputers grant and some of them deny and which wee doubt not but to prove sufficiently partly in the next Chapter and partly in a Chapter expresse for the antiquity of a Seventh Day Sabbath and so of that Seventh Day from the Creation confirmes very fairely that it is His pleasure it should be so under the new Testament also neither can we conceive any reason why it should be otherwise being as possible now to be observed every where when once it is made knowne to men by the preaching of the Gospell as it was of old for that Seventh Day there being such faire reason for it in reference to Gods Honour as we have said ◠To the Communion of Saints The like may be said also of the Communion of Saints all the World over which can no way be better no way so well exercised externally as by having not only the same number of Dayes determined to them for the chiefe Time of Worship but the same particular Day and beginning of the Day as neer as is possible by reason of the variety of the Climates That as often as that particular Day comes about every one of them where ever they are or with whomsoever doe either publikely in congregations if it may be It is certaine a day ordinary and frequent is necessary for maintenance of the true Religion and godlinesse of union and Christian societie among the fathfull c. prim p. 251. see also p. 59. C. G. Irons p. 8. or if not that then in families or at least in secret each one in solitary devotions send up their Prayers and Praises and Services together unto the Throne of Grace remembring one another in those Prayers and Praises There is no man will doubt or can question but if they all were so neer together and voyces and eares were proportionable that all could joyne together in one Place at one Time it were to be done That therefore which can be done in the exercise of the Communion of Saints seemes to be most requisite to be done Namely that they all have and observe the same particular Day even all the World over for their solemne Time of Worship And this the rather because this solemnity so determined and so observed will be a most lively visible representation of that great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Great Assembly of the Saints and Angels in Heaven spoken of Heb. 12.22 As if for that Time or Day the World were turned into Heaven Or Heaven come downe into the World As Saint Iohn sayes he saw the new Jerusalem descending thence It is true as hath been more then once toucht before all the World cannot beginne and end their solemne Worship even if they should count the Day to begin at one and the same instant as neer as they could and so some at one houre and some at another yet none could tender their solemne Worship but in their waking Times which by the diversity of the Meridians must needs be divers one from another according
is easily cleared For how can it be imagined with any probability or even possibility That every man having these Determinations left to him all men every where will agree upon that same Continuance Frequency and particular day for Worship In what one thing do all men in all parts of the world agree that is any way contrary to corrupted nature as this determination of necessary and sufficient Time is that is contrary to the wills and carnall affections of men Nay we need not travell so far for this as all over the world Take but any one country city village house and let it be but once known that None hath authority over another to determine times to him but that it is left to every single man for himself And it cannot resonably be hoped that there would be a compleat agreement in the same Proportions Continuance and Frequency or the same particular dayes constantly Some out of frowardnesse because they would not joyne with such or such and would not have them joyne with themselves would have their dayes and times by themselves Others out of meere prophannesse would shift and shuffle the times and dayes that they might overslip as much as they could Others through covetousnesse and worldly mindednesse love of pleasures and the like would not think it fit to determine themselves long before hand or to a constant proportion or day as not knowing what worldly occasions they might have which they had rather attend upon though of no necessity then upon Religion And specially when by others being also left to their own determinations they could not be certaine whether they should be interrupted by their comming to visit them or trade or trafficke with them And so by the shift besides great neglect of Domesticke and Solitary Worship there would be in many places even where Christianity were professed no Publique Worship at all or at least many would never come to it at all or not in any constancy And so this together with the forenoted hindrances of the willing by the interruptions of the untoward would fill all places with nothing but confusion and irreligion And therefore cannot be supposed to be so left by God XI Except 1. answered If any man shall now object against all this kind of argumentation generally as unsufficient because even though it be granted that God Himself hath fully determined all the times in question yet the unwilling will still be untoward and neglectfull and men will still interrupt and hinder one another Sol. and so the same inconveniences will remaine that are alledged We answer That it is one thing to have irreligion be among men for want of a law by leaving them to themselves to make lawes in matter of greatest concernment in Religion and another thing to have irreligion be among them that will not be obedient to a law made for them The former we conceive altogether contrary to Gods honour His holinesse and justice and revelation of His will and law in His word The other we know to be permitted in His providence and out of which He will fetch Himself honour and vindicate His holinesse and justice even according to His truth the truth of His threatnings added to the transgressions forbidden by His law in His due and appoynted Time 2 Pet. 2.9 XII Except 2. and Except 3. answered If it be further objected that to many nations God hath certainly not declared any particular law concerning the Times of His Worship As also that whereas we speake so much and so often of the good of mens soules toward their eternall salvation requiring such a determination and observation of sufficient times for Religion This were to no purpose even were it revealed to many nations in the world who have not the knowledge of Jesus Christ without which there is no salvation We answer Sol. 1 He shewed His word unto Iacob His statutes and His Ordinances unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any nation and as for His judgements they have not known them Psal 147. God hath not revealed Jesus Christ to many Nations Yet that is unquestionably necessary to salvation and was revealed to Adam and Noah But their posterity generally lost it and God revived it not unto most of them And so though in a farre different degree and even kind of necessary was it with the Sabbath the chiefe Time of Worship Also many Nations whose Ancestours had the Gospell preached to them and all the Precepts of the New Testament now have them no more which yet are necessary to Gods Honour and the good and salvation of mens soules 1. To the first of these No more hath He many other particular lawes which yet were and are His Commandements undoubtedly both in the New Testament and in the Old and specially in the matters that concerne His Worship His Ordinances for His service 2. Yet these He undoubtedly declared to Adam after his fall to communicate to his posterity and afterwards to Noah for his posterity before and after the floud And when the succeeding generations growing wicked lost and forgot them or corrupted them He in justice left the greatest part of them without divers particular Lawes belonging to His Worship and even some belonging to the second Table in divers Countries and among the rest that of the chiefe solemne Times of His Worship For. 3. It may be fairely answered that to such as were corrupted so farre as to Worship plurality of gods against the first Commandement and make and Worship Images against the second and their whole Religion was superstition and wilworship in a manner There was no proper use of the particular expresse Law for the chiefe solemne Time of Gods appointment which being to be kept to Gods Honour and not to the Honour of Idols God did not vouchsafe to revive among them particularly that particular Law which they had prophaned if they had observed it to their Idols And this apprehension we have the Prophet Ezekiel for our instructer in who in the name of God complaines of the Jewes for prophaning His Sabbaths as well as defiling His Sanctuary in that the same Day that is on the Sabbath when they had slaine their children to their Idols they came the same Day into Gods Sanctuary into Gods House Ezekiell 23.38 39. See how God accounts worshipping of Idols a prophaning of His Sabbaths when done upon that Day N. B. Therefore we need no longer wonder that God also never reproves the Gentiles by His Prophets for not observing the Sabbath which some of our Adversaries thinke to be a demonstration that the Sabbath was not given to Adam neither concerned the Gentiles at all but was peculiar to the Jewes because they say the Gentiles are reproved for other sinnes but not for not observing the Sabbath They were not we say reproved for not observing it because to have observed it to their idols and the honour and worship of false gods had been
to have prophaned it as Ezekiel hath told us Therefore also they are not reproved for not observing any times at all Yet doubtlesse many of them were so Atheisticall and irreligious as they observed not the times of their own Superstition Yet to observe some times our adversaries and all men confesse is absolutely Morall Naturall and bound all the Gentiles in all ages But because they observed not those they did observe unto the honour of the true God but of Idols therefore we say they are never reproved for any neglect or inobservation of Times at all But on the otherside when God mentions by His Prophet Esay Chap. 56. The sonne of the stranger joyning himselfe to the Lord He againe and againe calls such to the observation of the Sabbath with most ample promises as a most essentiall part of Religion and most necessary to every Servant of God A Law then from God Himselfe is most necessary for His Honour and for Religion concerning the chiefe Time for His Worship Though to those Nations that have cast off His true Worship He hath not particularly revived it not having given them His written Word Sol. 2 2. To the other objection concerning the good of mens soules 1. We say not that the observation of the Sabbath or any sufficient Times in Duties of Religion will save mens soules or benefit mens soules without the revelation and Faith of Christ 2. But we say that a Law from God Himselfe concerning a Sabbath or the necessary and sufficient chiefe Time for Religion is necessary unto every man as a Morall meanes towards the attainment of salvation and the good eternall of mens soules as well as towards the right honouring of God And therefore God hath not put over the making of such a Law unto men whether Christ be revealed to them or not revealed to them neither to every man for himselfe single or to any speciall men or number of men for all the rest XIII Nor 2. is this Authoritie given to some speciall men for the rest And now having proved this sufficiently enough concerning it s not being put over to every man single and we suppose not too prolixly considering how we argued withall that if it belong to men it must belong to every man single And our largenesse about this may stand us instead an on also We proceed to the second maine branch of our second Argument Namely That God hath not given Authority to any speciall men or number of men to determine the chiefe Time of His Worship for all men This question is disputable in three severall distinctions of Time or Ages of the World The first we make for this matter from Adam to the mention of the Sabbath to Israel Exod. 16. The second from thence to the making void of all the Jewish Dayes the particular Seventh Day Sabbath and all by the Resurrection of Christ and preaching of the Gospell by the Apostles The third from the making void of the old Seventh Day Sabbath to our Times and so to Christs second comming And in each of these Periods of Times Two sorts of Persons are generally considerable 1. Those that were out of the Church by the revolt of their Ancestours from Gods Covenant made with Adam after his fall intimated Gen. 3.15 Namely Cain and his posterity and those that fell off to them Gen. 6. and those of Noahs posterity that fell from the Covenant renewed with him and Sem according to the intimations of Gen. 9. Namely the race of Cham and even of Japhet and Sem also the most of them turning Idolaters as is said even of Abraham and his Progenitours before God called him Jos 24.2 and so the greatest part of the World remained and doth remaine out of the Church and Covenant of God to this Day 2. In all ages from Adam even untill now God hath had a Church some though at Times very few He renewed His Covenant with and made them His peculiar servants And so were outwardly the whole Nation of the Jewes the seed of Israel particularly from their comming out of Egypt till the destruction of Jerusalem after their rejection of Christ their promised Messiah And ever since and a while before He hath had a Church chiefly out of the Gentiles who have received His Gospell and the Faith of Christ Now we are to take a view of both these sorts of men the Pagans so lets us for distinction sake call the former sort and the Church in the three Periods of Time forenoted In all three of them it is controverted concerning the Pagans what sufficient Times they were obliged unto or are and by what Law by whose determination And for the Church or servants of God in the first and the last for in the middlemost it is beyond all peradventure that God determined the Time to the Jewes and left it not to them But yet even during that Time because there might be and doubtlesse were in some part or other of the World still some few servants of God among the Gentiles It will be justly questionable by whose Authority the determination of the necessary and sufficient Times was made even for them where ever they were and what proportion soever was determined though never so small a Continuance and seldome revolution These things thus premised we thus propound our Aurgument against any speciall men having this Authority for all the rest XIV If so then either to Pagans or to the Church If God have given it now or heretofore to some speciall men for all the rest of mankind Then either to some speciall men among the Pagans for all within their Countries and to the Church for all their knowne members Or to the Church generally for all mankind both the members of it and all others But neither hath God given this Authority to some speciall men among the Pagans for all within their Countries and to the Church for all their knowne members Nor yet to the Church generally for all mankind both its members and all others Ergo He hath not given it to some speciall men for all the rest of mankind The Consequence is undeniable the enumeration being sufficient The Antecedent hath three branches considerable In the scanning of which we will begin with the first and next take the third and leave the second to the last Place Which will appeare to be the convenientest method of proving them though the Argument could not so well be contrived in that order XV. 1. Not to Pagans This is proved absurd First then we reason against this Authority being left to any speciall men among the Pagans in any Age of the World whether Governours of Families of Townes or Countries or Kindomes That they should have in their hands the determination of the necessary and sufficient Times for Religion for themselves and all under their Authority And we say that God Himselfe did determine it to Adam and so to his posterity and that
or too little Time for attending on God and their soules too often or too seldome or even perhaps whether the particular Dayes were or could be seasonably determined or observed conveniently A Conscience that must venture and suffer for a practice is in a miserable condition if it have no certainty that God requires what it doth and forbids what it forbeares And on the other side the necessities of the soule and its eternall state to be above all worldly things regarded and manifold sentences in the Scriptures to that effect and Gods honour and service to be preferred before mens and before any thing that can concerne ones selfe will never suffer any Conscience to be at peace that observes not sufficient Time for Religion constantly And both together shew there had need be another authority determining it then their own which we say can be no other but Gods How our Adversaries will or can satisfie themselves or others about this Case we doe not well conceive Somewhat it is that they offer to say towards it which we will here briefly touch because we shall be forced to consider their sentences againe elsewhere XVII Some Exceptions to this answered 1. One while they tell us that the fourth Commandement is Morall-Naturall only for Publike Worship 2. Another while some of them say that the Commandement is not given to servants and so by consequence not to any that are not Lords and Masters of their own Time in respect of men as children wives and any inferiors set to worke by superior authority of Governours 3. And some againe say that Christians in Pagan Countries ought to keep the Sunday as having been appointed by the Christian Church A little for present answer to each of these The two first directly pervert the state of the Question and affirme no determination no observation lying upon their consciences who are under others authority unlesse their superiors have determined Times for them and Times for publike worship But our Question supposes that sufficient Times are to be determined for all men by one or other and that for solitary worship where there is or can be no publike 2. For this also we have proved to be Morall-Naturall and necessary to Religion that there be such determinations of sufficient Time for all men 3. Even themselves at times and by fits make it Morall-Naturall in the fourth Commandement to have and observe sufficient Times determined 4. And is it now a manifest contradiction to say a Commandement is Morall-Naturall that is necessary to all men and yet that if there be no publike worship a man is free as one of them expresly speaks Can the neglect of others free me from a Morall Commandement totally We say totally for they make this publike worship the whole Morality of the fourth Commandement Againe is there any other Commandement of the Decalogue from which any man can at any time be said to be totally free Father or Mother may dye But there are other superiours still alive or even inferiours to whom the fifth Commandement continually binds to afford some honour and so of the rest Again Morall Naturall is by themselves described to be universall and perpetuall How is this so if the command extend to no more but that which is neither universall nor perpetuall Not universall because not to servants at all if their Masters order otherwise and will not let them forbeare work Not perpetuall when there may all the Time he is in such a Country a Captive be no publique worship with in his reach But such contradictions men must needs run into that leave the roade-way of the Scriptures the Kings high way the way of Gods Commandements the Royall Law as Saint Iames calls it Iam. 2.9 to follow the by-paths of their own or other mens devisings And as for that one of them sayes That because Sunday hath been established used in the Christian Church for aday of divine service Prim. a man namely in a pagan country ought to apply himself privately to religious exercises with greater assiduity then on other dayes We desire him to satisfy us whether by the words he ought he meanes that he ought in conscience as a necessary duty of Religion he ought in obedience to the Morall Naturall law of God for having and observing a determinate Time to do thus though his Pagan Governour Master or Prince forbid him and to keep him from it set him all day long to some hard bodily labour and that from weeke to weeke allowing him neither that day not any other for his devotions and private exercises of Religion If he say no this is not his meaning as not thinking it reasonable to put a poor captive to venture upon the rage of his prophane Master or Governour Then his answer is but a collusion and nothing at all to the purpose of our case If he say yes he ought to do so and venture to suffer for it though not the whole of the day but only some part of it we reply 1. Who shall determine how much of the day If he will take but our Churches Homily of the place and Time of Prayer he will find the whole day called for If the Canons of 1603. there is little lesse If he take but even the practise of any Christian Church in the World even during the Publike Worship Yet 2. this is more then he shall be allowed by his Pagan Superiours and so must resolve to endure sufferings even to extremity perhaps for it And in this case is not here a very goodly ground of encouragement to suffer upon The Churches establishment or usage of a day Whereas when we urge the Commandement of God it is usually by our disputers thought most unreasonable to lay such a yoke upon poor Christian captives And therefore we remember not that they ever durst any of them to put any conscience upon sufferings in their way for their sufficient Time or even their Publique Worship Morall Naturall and the Churches determination of either But we must needs professe for our parts that we dare do no other for a weekely Sabbath and the Lords day particularly as determined by God And whatever they think of this hazard or choise and that our Doctrine thrusts such poor captives into miserable straites That either they must sin against God in breaking the Sabbath or provoke their ungodly superiours desperately against them by keeping to it We cannot but say that we esteeme such captives happy rather that have the doctrine of the Sabbath in their hearts to warrant their sufferings much more then such who according to their opinion should think they were bound by their captivity and the Command of obeying their Governours though Pagans and profane to keep no fourth Commandement at all no Sabbath at all nor ordinarily sufficient Time for Gods Solemne Worship even solitarily and the takeing speciall care of their own soules good And if ever it should be our lot
as Mahomet the veriest villaine one of them that ever lived in the world If they shall say that this day of Mahomets invention is to be abhorred indeed in token of detestation of his impiety but some other day might be yeelded to We reply 1. That still then Christians must suffer for that nicety of a day 2. That it is scarcely imaginable that any Pagan Governour would allow any other day then what they observed themselves for the first would be double against their profit in that 1. they could not have their servants labour when they were at leisure to joyne with them and over look them and when they were absent they would feare their work would be done but untowardly 2. Besides that whosoever observe a day doth it in some reference to their own Religion and so would rather tye them to that then let them have another specially 3. When they might be able to tell them out of our adversaries suppositions that their Religion their Scriptures did not determine them to any particular day but left it to their Governours to determine And so still they must observe a day invented by wicked men 3. However what day soever they took up a sober conscience would we think shrinke to throw away the Lords day at a Pagans command Let this we say be considered We on the other side being perswaded that God hath not only determined us to one day in seven by the fourth Commandement but to the Lords day for the particular day by those designations of His word as also that in this day this only the number was exactly preserved of one Day a Sabbath six Dayes worke even at the very Time of the change of the Day as we shewed in the former Chapter and that by this meanes God may have the same Day all the World over des other Arguments of which in their due Place We we say upon this perswasion can answer the question readily that we must hold to this particular Day the first Day of the weeke the Lords day and no other whoever commands or forbids offers or threatens For that Gods will must stand and be obeyed before mens against mens and He must be trusted to maintaine us our soules at least which is enough and the most we can be assured of in a hundred other cases in maintaining His Ordinances and appointments XX. 3. They know of no such authoritie We have yet one Argument more to urge against this Authority of Infidell and Pagan-governours for the sufficient Time for Religion and the particular Dayes for it If Pagan-governours have this Authority put into their hands by God Then it is reasonable they should know that this Authority is committed to them But Pagan-governours so farre as we remember in any story never knew of any such Authority committed to them Ergo It is not probable that any such Authority is put over to them The consequence of this Argument may be confirmed by the necessity of a determination to be made proved and confessed to be Morall Naturall And that it cannot be imagined such Princes should take this upon them and exercise this Authority unlesse they have some knowledge or perswasion that this Authority belongs to them The Antecedent may also be fairely argued from the silence of all bookes in this point For though we know that Pagan Princes and states did appoint some dayes extraordinarily yet we find not that they did so ordinarily nor ever thought they might doe so But what was done in this kind was from Oracles or pretences of Oracles of their gods by their priests or otherwise And the greatest flatterers of Pagan Princes never did that we remember ascribe this Authority to them as given them by their gods It were wonderfull then that we Christians should find out this Authority given by God to Pagan Princes of which as we said before there is not the least word nor intimation nor shadow of any such thing in Scripture and the Law of Nature also is sufficiently cleare against it We conclude then here the Authority is not and yet upon divers suppositions of our Adversaries touched already and to be toucht hereafter here it must be or no where among men for those that live in Pagan Countries For to come to the other sort of men That is the Church of God Of which we say as before XXI 2. Not to the Church for all mankind God hath not given to it the Authority of determining the chiefe solemne Time necessary and ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe Time unto all mankind Mankind in referrence to the Church is againe distinguishable into Pagans and Members of the Church Of the latter fort we shall dispute more at large of the former a few words may suffice which yet added to the former discourses will carry the Cause clearly and undeniably That it being Morall Naturall to all men to have and observe a sufficient Time determined for Religion This determination doth not nor cannot belong to men but to God himselfe Thus we reason concerning Pagans If the Church universall hath no Authority but ever her owne Members Then the Authority of determining the necessary and sufficient Time for Religion unto all men belongs not to the Church But the Church universall hath no Authority but over her owne Members Ergo The Authority of determining this Time unto all men belongs not to the Church The Consequence of this Argument cannot be denied Unlesse any would offer to say that all mankind are Members of the Church universall which is most absurd The Antecedent is easily proved As well 1. The Apostle denies any such Authority to be in the Church of Iudging those that are without 1 Cor. 5. And if they cannot judge them then not determine any thing to them For this and that Authority goe together in things determinable by the Church Though the Church may judge in things wherein it may not determine in the sence we now take determination that is the Church may censure which is the judging there meant offenders against Gods Law as the incestuous Person spoken of But it may not determine that to be incest which God hath not made so nor determine any to be lawfull or dispence with it when God hath forbidden it however presumptuous the Church of Rome hath been in both It is lesse then to determine and make Lawes then to judge and censure offenders The Church therefore having no power of censure of those without those that are not her Members can have no power to determine any thing unto them They who are out of the Church are already in as bad a condition as the Churches censure can make them that can but deliver them to Satan and Satan undeniably hath them already The Churches Authority is apparantly but the Authority of a mother now a mother as a mother hath no Authority over children not her owne 2. As also because it is and would be extremly
Church cannot make a Time necessary to Religion by vertue of its determination which was not necessary before 2. To make a thing necessary to Religion which was not before necessary is to have power upon the Conscience But the Church hath no power upon the Conscience to make Lawes and impose them upon mens Consciences Ergo the Church cannot make a thing necessary to Religion which was not before necessary and so not make Time necessary 3. The Churches authority generally is acknowledged not to extend beyond things indifferent But to make a thing or Time necessary to Religion which before was not necessary is to go beyond the limits of things indifferent Ergo the Churches authority extends not to make a Time necessary to Religion which before was not necessary and so not to meddle with determining this necessary chiefe Time which must be determined for Religion XXVI Argument third The Church cannot make Time ordinarily sufficient to Religion A third argument followes paralell to this If the Church have authority to determine to its members the necessary and ordinarily sufficient chiefe Solemne Time for Religion then it hath authority to make that Time ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe Time for Religion by vertue of its determination which before its determination was not sufficient But the Church hath no authority to make by vertue of its determination that Time sufficient ordinarily for the chiefe Time for Religion which before its determination was not sufficient Ergo the Church hath no authority to determine to its members the necessary and ordinarily sufficient chiefe Time for Religion The consequence is again cleare from the former grounds We are now arguing about a sufficient Time to be determined ordinarily sufficient 1. for Gods honour in His approbation and acceptance 2. Sufficient for mens soules in Gods blessing And 3. Sufficient for sober consciences satisfaction in reference to a just ground of perswasion of both the former Now God had of old in His hands authority unquestionable to determine such a sufficient Time and to make any Time sufficient so far as His determination intended it even by vertue of His determination of it And we are we say disputing now whether this authority be put over to the Church or not Because such a determination must still be as we have also shewed of a chiefe Time sufficient unto Religion that is ordinarily sufficient and for the chiefe Time in all the forenoted regards Therefore if the Church have authority to determine this chiefe Time to make this determination it hath authority to make that Time sufficient by vertue of its determination which before was not sufficient For if it were sufficient before then the Church doth not properly make the determination but only declare it It doth not exercise any legislative act but only prudentiall and ministeriall It only preaches to its members what Times God in nature or Scripture hath made sufficient not determining any thing decisively by vertue of any authority given it in the case The Antecedent is also again divers wayes confirmed 1. Because if the Church could make a Time sufficient unto Religion by vertue of its authority or determination which before was not sufficient then it could make any Time that it should determine sufficient by vertue of the same authority and determination for again A quatenus ad omne valet consequentia the authority and so the vertue of it being the same in one determination as in another And then one houre in a weeke or two houres in a Moneth or in a yeere or any other proportion or number would be sufficient unto Religion if the Church should so determine it But this also cannot be denyed to be most absurd Therefore it remaines that the Church cannot make a Time sufficient unto Religion by vertue of its authority and determination which was not sufficient before 2. To make a Time sufficient to Gods honour in His acceptation is His own Royall Prerogative according to his own expression of His approbation But this He hath not communicated to the Church in any thing whatsoever Of Gods blessing required to make the Time sufficient see afterward a distinct proofe Sect. 71. for the maine and chiefe part of it And therefore not in this matter hath he given the Church authority having no where confined His approbation to the Churches determination 3. To make a thing sufficient to the soules of men in Gods blessing is also a peculiar of His Almighty grace And He hath not given the Church power to convey in any other thing His Heavenly Grace at their pleasure And therefore not in this matter of Time 4. The Churches authority as we said before is generally acknowledged not to reach beyond things indifferent But to make a Time sufficient for Religion which before was not sufficient exceeds the limits of things indefferent Ergo the Church hath no such authority 5. To make a thing sufficient to satisfy sober consciences in reference to a just ground of perswasion of Gods acceptation and blessing there can be no lesse then an impossibility of errour in the determining the proportion and the distribution of it between the Continuance and Frequency But this God hath no where promised to the Church in any matter that is to no number of men outwardly professing themselves to be the Church except only to the Apostles Neither doe our Adversaries in this point so much as pretend an impossibilitie of the Churches erring as appeares even by their arguing that the Church may alter the determination after it is made Therefore we say againe and conclude that the Churches determination or authority cannot make a Time which before was not sufficient to be sufficient to satisfie any sober conscience and so no way sufficient for Religion XXVII An Exception answered We are not ignorant that to both these foregoing Arguments about the necessitie and sufficiencie of this chiefe Time there may be some kind of Answer made out of the Adversaries books Namely that they argue not that the Church hath authoritie to determine so excessively much or so remarkably little But they come for the Frequencie towards one Day in seven and sometimes almost home to it saying it must not be lesse then one in seven Only they still keep aloofe off in the point of Continuance which yet as hath been oft noted and hath need to be oft repeated and remembred is the main subject of all the dispute and quarrell between them and us In this they dare not yet at least have not spoken out what Continuance or neere what the Church should determine no not for the Publike Worship except the Author of Sunday no Sabbath that mentions two houres But even about the number of one Day in seven they are not constant but flie off againe somtimes a great way as afraid to grant so often by way of necessity or assert so often by way of sufficiencie lest they should be put to
and in the Nature of the businesse to a whole Day and no lesse Continuance neither did ever any Orthodoxe Church speake otherwise of it though we know the Popish mock-fasts or foole fasts end often at noone so that all that the Church doth or the Christian Magistrate is to appoint and determine the particular Day or the Frequency of Dayes upon some speciall occasions and to declare that the Continuance is to be extended so long with penalties Civil or Ecclesiasticall on them that shall be knowne to transgresse it even within doores otherwise they doe not command properly any particular family or solitary Worship at all Or if they did were it not for those intimations of Scripture and the Nature of the businesse of solemne humiliation and the prevention of all tolerable ordinary excuses by the publike appointment no mans conscience were bound to observe the whole Day at home and in solitary Worship before and after the publike because of the Churches or Magistrates authority and determination for the reasons before set downe Another Argument followes which is a fifth against the Churches authority to determine the chiefe solemne Time Even against that authority which our Adversaries thinke most infallibly certaine to belong to the Church namely for the publike Worship Against which thus we argue XXX Arg. 5. The Church cannot command aâ—l her members to observe the time in publike worship If the Church have authority to determine the chief Time of Worship for all its members in reference to the publike Worship Then it hath authority to command all its members constantly to observe that Time in the publike Worship which it determines for it But the Church hath not authority to command all its members constantly to observe that Time in the publike Worship which it determines for it Ergo The Church hath not authority to determine the chiefe Time of Worship to all its members in reference to the publike Worship The consequence is certaine from the state of the question formerly laid downe 1. That the determination discoursed of makes the Time necessary to Religion and so commands all unto whom it is made to observe it constantly 2. Also our Adversaries doe every where make it Morall Naturall to observe publike worship and contend that it is the whole morality of the fourth Commandement to command publike worship and consequently a necessary and sufficient Time to be by the Church determined for it So that the determination of the Time for such publike worship is an expresse command of a constant observation of such publike worship even by vertue of the Law Morall Naturall and the whole remaining force of the fourth Commandement 3. Likewise it were a meer vanity and ridiculous folly to dispute for authority of determining Times and so a folly to determine them if men be not thereby bound as by a command to observe those Times once determined constantly except in the particular case of reservation of which we have often given touches before XXXI This is confessed by the adverse party G. Irons Now for the Antecedent It will be made good 1. By our Adversaries owne conceits contradicting themselves as we touched a while agoe in a like Argument Namely Though they make the publike worship Morall Naturall Yet doe they so farre forget themselves as to exempt shepheards diggers in mines servants sundry sorts of them at least as cookes and others and divers other people from any necessity of constantly observing the publike worship Insomuch as the translatour of Doctor Prideaux Lecture imputes it as strange superstition that a Towne of his acquaintance had not a piece of roast or baked meat to a Sundaies-dinner throughout the whole yeere which must needs be because all the servants went constantly to the publike worship An imputation to say no lesse of it worthy the pen of one of those S. Paul speaks of Phil. 3.19 whose God is their belly otherwise how durst he that would carry the face of a Christian reproach the Ministers of Christ as he there doth for teaching the people both Masters and servants to preferre the publike worship of God before the sacrificing to their owne bellies and so to take more care even of every poore servants soule by carrying them along to the publike worship of God then to provide for the pampering of their owne guts though with the pinching or starving of their servants soules But to let him passe we urge all of them and specially those that dispute that the fourth Commandement was not given to servants whether they will averre That a servant is bound by the Churches determination to keepe constantly to the publike worship from the first to the last of it every time that there is any Notwithstanding any Commandement to the contrary If their perhaps prophane Masters though they beare the names of Christians and that upon no allowable necessity will charge them to stay at home altogether or part of the Time before they goe to Church or come home before it is ended and specially if such ungodly Masters or parents shall threaten or beate their inferiours if they doe otherwise then they charge them We say againe what will they say a servant or inferiour is bound to in these cases which are every day one where or other Nay what is an inferiour free to in these cases Who hath a soule to save and so to looke after and a desire to use the meanes for it specially Gods publike worship having little or no helpe at all but hindrance rather in the family and exceeding little time for any solitary devotions They cannot here answer either way but they overthrow their owne Principles For either 1. They must say Servants and inferiours may and must keepe strictly to the Churches determinations for publike worship notwithstanding any contrary command or threatning or cruelty of their ungodly superiours Which they will not allow us to urge men to upon the Commandement and determination of God Himselfe and for this they deny this Commandement of the Sabbath to have layen upon Israel in Egypt and that the Lords day was strictly observed by the Primitive Christians under persecution If these things be urged against us they cannot reasonably urge servants and inferiours now to crosse their superiours upon the Churches determination even for the Publique Worship 2. Or on the other side they must say that servants and inferiours are not bound nay that they are not free by the Churches determination to the Times of Publique Worship because of these inconveniences And then they grant our Antecedent That the Church hath not authority to command all its members constantly to observe that Time in Publique VVorship which it determines to them Of will they say that servants and inferiours are not members of the Church or that the Churches determinations reach not to them but so far forth as their Masters and Parents will give them leave and that they are free or rather not free
since the service of God is our perfect freedome if our Church say true in her prayers and are not to give God attendance constantly in Publique Worship and so constantly look after their soules And then what becomes of the Morality of the fourth Commandement for Publique VVorship and what of Publique Worship and a sufficient Time at least for it Morall Naturall It is beyond our wits how our adversaries can expedite themselves out of the intanglements of these contradictions whereas in our way all is plaine in three words God determining the Time to all all even sevants and inferiours are bound to observe it to His honour and the good of their soules so to be willing and carefull of it and they are free to observe it being willing notwithstanding any opposition of men Masters Parents or others And though they may and must regard Gods reservations and so stay at home to tend a sick person and do any thing which is truly necessary yet not upon slight pretences or trifling occasions and when they are at home they are to redeeme all Time possible to serve God and look after their soules by themselves And if for this they incurre their superiours displeasure they must trust God in that as well as if they would urge them to lye or do any other wickednesse XXXIII Proved by reason 2. Another proofe of our Antecedent against the Churches authority even for the Publique Worship in a word according to what hath been touchâ— in a former argument is that If the Church hath authority to commanded all its members to observe constantly that Time in Publique Worship which it determines to them It may command them 2 3 4 5. Dayes in a Weeke and 5. or 6. or 8. Houres of each of those Dayes both Masters and Servants Inferiours and Superiours and call them from their workes to publique Worship so often and so long But this must not be therefore the Church hath no such authority even for the Publique Worship and the Times for it A sixth argument is this XXXIIII Argument sixth The Church cannot make a perpetuall determination If the Church hath authority to make this determination of the chiefe solemne Time necessary and sufficient to its members for Religion Then it hath authority to make a perpetuall determination But the Church hath no authority to make a perpetuall determination Ergo The Church hath not authority to make this determination The Consequence may be thus confirmed that proportion of Time which is both necessary for Religion sufficient for Religion for the chiefe Time of Worship is in reference to men not to say in the nature of Perpetual For nothing can be taken from that which is necessary nor added by mans authority to that which is sufficient So that if the determination of the Church hath made the Time necessary and sufficient to Religion it hath made it withall perpetuall and unalterable The Antecedent that the Church cannot make a determination perpetuall Is partly proved by the confession of the adversaries in this case in hand For they dispute and argue divers of them for the Churches authority at this day to alter and change the Time the Lords Day not onely to some other Day of the week but to some other number greater or smaller Partly by the general confession of all Orthodoxe Divines even the Hereticall Papists also that all institutions determinations lawâ— of men even of the Church universall are in their own not â—e alterable and at least the Church universall may alter them in a generall Councell And so that it belongs to God only to make lawes perpetuall and unchangeable And therefore say we it belongs only to Him to make this determination of the necessary and sufficient chiefe solemne Time for all men and particularly for all the members of the Church which doing it is unquestionably in reference to men XXXIV Argument seventh perpetuall and unalterable A seventh Argument thuâ— proceeds If God have given the Christian Church this authority to determine the necessary sufficient chiefe solemne Time for Religion It is a burden to Christians that the Church have this authority to all its members Then it is by way of spirituall priviledge and liberty for Christians But it is not a spirituall priviledge or liberty to Christians to have this authority given to the Church Ergo God hath not given to the Church this authority The Consequence is not to be denyed 1. Because our adversaries do so much and so oft urge the notion of Christian liberty to prove Christians free from all Gods former determinations of Times even that of one day in seven for a Weekely Sabbath in the fourth Commandement and to prove that the Church is to determine the necessary and sufficient Time now 2. Indeed there can be no other reason imagined why God should set His Christian Church to make this determination or make voyde all His own former determinations but in favour to His people now for a spirituall priviledge and Christian liberty The Time of the Gospell being a Time of spirituall freedome above the Time of the Old Testament The Antecedent may be verifyed severall wayes 1. By the confession of the adversaries who say sometimes and offer at some reasons for it that the Christian Church may appoint and determine more and oftener dayes than the Jewes had determined to them by God himselfe And if it be absolutely left to the Church to determine they may determine as many as they will And so there wil be lesse liberty in that sence they plead for it lesse freedom for worldly occasions work and sports then the Jewes had or then we urge from the fourth Commandement for one whole Day in seven For two Dayes in a week or even twenty seven Holy dayes in a yeare besides the Lords dayes weekely which are in our Church if they must be observed at least by abstaining from all work as some urge in their bookes and to be sure the Ecclesiasticall Courts did urge in practise punishing all those that they could prove did work on any part even of a Holy day This we say was and would be lesse freedome then the Jewes had or then we would have if the Lords day were wholly observed and no other dayes strictly besides But they may determine as hath been said even twise thrise as many more dayes if they have such authority as we dispute of Where then is the liberty talked of 2. If the Church had not such an absolute authority to determine but as much as was of old one whole Day in seven And without an expresse prohibition or pregnant reasons to the contrary which our adversaries in their way have not yet alledged this cannot be denied by them And so keep the number and continuance still and onely change the Day as we say is done but by God not men We aske again where is the liberty talked of unlesse they will say
it is more liberty to be bound to the Churches determination even of the same proportions of Continuance and Frequency then to be bound to a Commandement of God If they shall say XXXV Some Exceptions answered Sol. that the Church was at liberty whether it would have determined so much or not We answer This is indeed something in respect to the Church-Governours those that have this supposed authority of determination But it is nothing at all of liberty in respect to the ordinary members of the Church to the greater part of Christians they are as strictly tyed by such a determination to one whole Day in seven by the Churches authority as the Jewes were of old by Gods authority or as we say Christians are now And if they would say Excep 2. Sol. the tye were lesse strict Besides that they have not shewed wherein supposing such a determination we say then the determination were vaine For it is vaine to make a Law to determine a Time or any thing else authoritatively and then for those to whom it is made not to be tyed strictly to it particularly in a Law of this nature for a necessary and sufficient Time for Religion which supposes a firme obligation to observe it being once determined by just authority We say therefore againe where is the Christian liberty 3. Even the Governours liberty were but for the first turne if that be true which we have argued before that this Time being once determined by whomsoever is unalterable by man And even if the Church universall had power to alter it yet till such an Assembly as did properly represent the Church universall all Churches had no liberty at all and however much lesse the members of the Churches 4. Except 3. If they place the freedome and liberty in determining a lesse Continuance than a Day as indeed this is the maine thing they drive at We answer 1. that our Church in practise Sol. against worke hath determined no lesse then a Dayes Continuance wholly and the 13. Canon of 1603. speaks no lesse affirmatively for the observation of the whole Day though in some generall termes 2. And then they must say that it is unlawfull for the Church to determine a whole Day which they cannot well doe considering 1. that a whole Day may be lawfully observed by their own confessions and they usually hold that what a man may doe voluntarily the Church may enjoyne to doe Also 2. we have argued one Day at least in ones life to be Morall-Naturall and therefore God doth not in likelihood refuse the determination of a whole Day in a convenient Frequencie As likewise 3. We have shewed that a whole Dayes Continuance in a convenient Frequencie is clearly the most profitable distribution of the proportion for the chiefe Time and far more advantagious both for Religion and worldly businesse then a lesse Continuance with a more Frequent Revolution There is no probability therefore at all unlesse there were a certaine word for it in Scripture which there is not that God should allow the Church liberty to determine the Continuance any other way and not allow the determination to a whole Day 5. Yet againe if so This may be satisfied with determining it to begin within a quarter of an houre of every ones waking and to continue till within a quarter of an houre of their lying down to sleep or of midnight and what remarkable liberty were this to be granted as a spirituall priviledge and purchased by the blood of our Redeemer as they sometimes speake to us in scorne when we name some few restraints on the weekly Sabbath to the Jewes which we are now freed from 6. But above all we desire the Christian Reader to consider two things more the one is how that can be called a spirituall priviledge or Christian liberty if the Church have authority to determine remarkably lesse Frequencie or specially lesse Continuance then God determined to the Jewes Remarkably lesse then a Day When the soules of Christians are toyled with worldly businesses all the week long and almost over grown with the thornes of worldly cares and distractions through multitude of imployments specially being servants and inferiors or men of great trading or of much businesse even in publike affaires as great Statesmen and they long for the Sabbath the chiefe solemne Time that they may have leisure to breath toward God and refresh their soules with converse with Him in Publike Domestick and Solitary worship and so provide for Eternity specially that Day all other Dayes being so much taken up with temporall and earthly matters And now the Time is so short by a scanty determination that specially as soon as the Publike Worship is over they are againe called upon by their earthly businesses and forced to their worldly drudgery again as their spirituall soules will call it even by others importunities and haunting them specially themselves being inferiors Is this we say a spirituall priviledge a Christian liberty for which the blood of the blessed Redeemer was in part shed to purchase it What our Adversaries consciences when they doe more seriously to consider it in cold blood then perhaps they ever yet have done hitherto will judge of this we know not But for our own parts we are so far from counting or calling this a Christian liberty that we esteem it were a miserable slaverie and bondage to soules and consciences And so contradictory expresly to the gracious intents of our most gracious Redeemer whose blood hath procured us all advantages to our soules that can justly be desired and in no wise left us in worse condition for our soules good then the Jews were And we doubt not but the conscientious Readers will be greatly of our minds We wish our Adversaries sadly to consider it 7. The other Consideration is That if a Christian upon this supposition of a scanty determination of the Church in the point of Continuance whether superior or inferior but specially if an inferior Or even in the case of observation of whatsoever Time determined by the Church be it more or lesse oftener or seldomer shall in their voluntary observation of any other Time or in their obedientiall observation of their determined Time be encountred with froward interruptions though not of necessity sufficient to be yeelded to by Gods reservations or specially be commanded or threatned or misused by Masters or Parents in opposition to it Were it to be counted a spirituall priviledge to have no better ground of suffering then the Churches determination Were this to be reputed a Christian liberty purchased by the blood of our divine Redeemer by the blood of God as it is Act. 20. Or rather an unhappy want of a firme foundation of confidence in suffering Wherein Christians having the expresse word of God determining them to this whatever it be of Time which they observe they may justly triumph and rejoice in any losse or reproach or suffering
world we must rather yeeld God and our soules six of seven or more even all then rest in such a scanty proportion and give the world so much but by vertue of the Indulgence in the fourth Commandement which without all question cannot be longer lived then the Commandement it selfe let them consider it and tell us their mindes when they are resolved of an answer Meane while LXXI 4. There is a blessing of God required to make any proportion of Time sufficient we intreate them to take a fourth consideration along with them or a further confirmation as we may call it of this last though it hath somewhat distinct as will appeare For 4. Besides the Commands requiring the mainest part of our Time for Religion and God as we have seen There is to be considered a Blessing necessary to make any proportion and distribution of Time lesse then all to be sufficient for mens soules And this we are put in mind of by the very first mention of Gods determining a particular Time Gen. 2. under the terme of Blessing which also the Commandement emphatically repeates and Esay particularly comments upon as we shall see We say whatsoever Time is taken out of the whole and allotted by Indulgence to worldly businesse doth not nor cannot leave the residue how great soever the proportion be sufficient for mens soules but by vertue of speciall blessing upon that proportion of Time which is determined for soules be it more or lesse And this Blessing comming only from God the determined proportion must be also from Him for Religion which of it selfe gives assurance of an answerable blessing according to the intendment of that Time even though there should be no distinct mention of a Blessing which yet as we said God hath annexed to His determination of a Weekly Sabbath for the chiefe Time for Religion even from the beginning But without such expresse and particular determination from God or an expresse promise of Blessing on the proportion which men or the Church shall determine whatever it be which is no where to be found in Scripture We have no manner of ground to conceit a Blessing on any proportion of Time that can be determined by men for Religion to make that sufficient for mens soules A Blessing we say beyond the proportion of that which might be expected from so long and so often attendance on Religion a multiplying Blessing in the nature of Christs blessing the five loaves and two fishes to feed more by many then the naturall proportion could possibly give hopes of So that the attendance on God one Day in seven which is the Time in question shall be blessed beyond an ordinary Dayes service if it were not specially appointed by God and have a stronger influence on all the other sixe Dayes of the Week following then could be expected from so much Time spent in Religion simply considered as so much Time And without such a Blessing upon the consecrated solemne Time the soule would still be leane hungry and even starve for want of a sufficient proportion of Time by reason of its manifold continuall necessities faintings decayes and temptations So that whatever our Adversaries dispute against the Commandement of God we conceive they dispute against their own participation of a Blessing upon whatsoever Time is determined and observed by men themselves or others And that a certainer Blessing may be rested on in the observation of one Day in seven as from Gods determination then in two Dayes in seven three Dayes nay sixe Dayes in seven at mans appointment For here still would be uncertainty whether this proportion were sufficient But Gods command which in all His Ordinances hath eternally a Blessing annexed to the right observers is sure and certaine to convey a Blessing and make a sufficiencie for the chiefe Time in which Consciences may abundantly rest and satisfie themselves And this we are fully perswaded God meant to signifie to us when Gen. 2. at the first mention of His consecrating a solemne Time He saith The Lord blessed the seventh Day and sanctified it A Day or any other such creature is capable of no other Blessing then to be made a meanes of Blessing to the right users of it according to Gods command And observe that because God saw that the encouragement of a Blessing was greatly necessary in this matter He saith not the Lord sanctified the seventh Day and blessed it But the Lord blessed and sanctified First blessed and then sanctified Though we cannot tell how to conceive the Blessing without the Sanctification going before or at least concurrent yet God to shew more abundantly his goodnesse and graciousnesse both in challenging this proportion to himselfe of one Day in seven and allowing by His indulgence sixe Dayes of seven for worldly occasions He puts the Blessing foremost and so He doth also remarkably in the fourth Commandement where having expresly allowed the indulgence of six Dayes for worldly work after He had challenged a seventh Day for a Sabbath for Himselfe He repeats His own example of sixe Dayes work and then His blessing a Sabbath a seventh Day and sanctifying it Why so but to assure us that a happy Blessing should attend the conscionable observation of this Sabbath of one Day in seven that though it were so little a proportion yet it should be ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe Time And all the sixe Dayes between the revolutions of this Sabbath one Day in seven should taste of the good gotten on that Day The strength of it lasting in mens soules from Sabbath to Sabbath with a little of each Day besides as was said formerly and they should by it principally grow in grace and spirituall comfort in God towards eternall life notwithstanding all their ordinary and great interruptions of worldly businesses on the Working Dayes And upon this we have as it seems to us LXXII The Text of Isa 56.2 expounded the Evangelical Prophet Isa a clear pertinent commentator interpreter as we toucht before and that in two Chapters of his Prophesie towards the latter end where he is much if not altogether upon the Times of the Gospel Let us see what he saith to our purpose c. 56. 58. In the former place calling all sorts to Gods Covenant and particularly to the observation of the Sabbath he begins with Blessed is the man that doth this and the son of man that layes hold on it that keeps the Sabbath from polluting it v. 2. Then encouraging the Eunuchs though persons under a kind of legall curse in those dayes to this observation he promiseth them from God an everlasting name better then of sons and of daughters a name which should not be cut off that is a spirituall blessing on their soules and an owning them for His true and faithfull servants v. 3 4 5. And againe encouraging the strangers the Heathen outwardly as yet without the Covenant of Grace to come in and sanctifie the
unwise and unhappy as to forfeit by our forsaking the doctrine or practise of this Day of blessing as we there said And now the errour imputed by the Author Sol. 7. quoted in the objection will fall upon himselfe who can no way make good his owne assertions of the Holy observation of the Lords day the Sabbath unlesse he grant all actions words and even thoughts meerly humane which are not necessary for of necessities we have as all agree granted reservations to be sinnes so farre forth For that this were to take so much how little soever from God whose Day it altogether is and from the soule for whose good it is to bestow it and that we say unnecessarily upon the World and a mans selfe in earthly respects And then also how shall the magnificent promise be fulfilled to those that allow not God the whole of His owne twice called holy Day We would not have toucht this slip of so reverend an Authors pen but that we have met with it objected against us and his testimony against us might sway with others if we had wholly passed it over in silence But now we are perswaded we have made good this text also for the securing of happy blessing both personall and nationall to the observers of Gods determined chiefe solemne Time or Sabbath And so our whole Argument taken from His indulgence of the Time for our worldly businesses And so we passe on to some speciall Arguments LXXV God must determine the particular day Arg. 1. for Gods determination of the particular day all time and dayes are his none ours but by his indulgence vindicating the determination of the particular Day for the chiefe solemne Time as well as the chiefe Time it selfe But in a very few words in comparison of our former great length Thus we reason If all Time be Gods and none ours for worldly imployments but by His indulgence Then the particular Day or Dayes for the chiefe Time to Religion belongs to Gods peculiar determination and not to mens But all Time is Gods and none ours for worldly imployments but by His indulgence Ergo The particular Day or Dayes for the chiefe Time to Religion belongs to Gods peculiar determination and not to mens The Antecedent cannot be denyed and hath been sufficiently illustrated in the foregoing Parallel Argument The Consequence of this may also be cleared If we consider 1. That how ever this be no such matter of importance in Religion in the essentiall part of it as the former was yet even this concernes in some sort the Soveraignity of God so far as we can conceive of it Unlesse He had fully and clearely exprest himselfe which we no where find in His Word to have put over the determination of this Particularity to men 2. That an indulgence to men of so much Time so often for their worldly imployments as of sixe Dayes in seven doth not yet in the nature of it allow them to be their own Carvers in the particular Dayes But they must wait upon Gods particular allowance of the particular Dayes before they may presume to imploy any of them at all to their own worldly occasions The order as well as the proportion is in Gods hand originally and He puts not the disposition of that out of His hand without an expresse declaration of so much particularly or at least generally As Lawyers say of the King that He passes away none of his rights in any grant by doubtfull and ambiguous words If but a master say to his servant or scholar or a parent to his child I will allow you so many houres for your selfe your own businesse or sport c. and so much Time you shall attend your booke and my businesse this Day or any Day Will any conclude that such servant scholar or child may take those houres to himselfe when he lists himselfe though he should attend on this master or parent the rest of the Time For this would shew that himselfe rather then his superior were the Lord and commander of his Time and so be an act of presumption as if also his superior were rather beholden to him for affording to give such attendance upon him at all then he to his superior for his indulgence of so much Time when he could have challenged none at all all being his superiors none his own for his private occasions Let this be thought upon and it cannot well be denyed but it is a proper peece of soveraigntie even of all superioritie to retaine the appointment of the particular Times for the chiefe attendance of inferiors upon them in their own hands and a part of the naturall homage such owe to their superiors to depend upon their expresse pleasure for the particularities of the chiefe Times of such attendance as well as for the proportion of such Times A Lord even of a Manour uses to reserve this authority in his own hands That his Courts when all his homagers shall be bound to doe their suit and service to him shall be at his calling and not at the Tenants pleasure either extraordinarily or ordinarily How much more is this a Royaltie beseeming the LORD-Paramount of Heaven Earth We conclude then this Argument with this admonition That our Disputers would but root out that pernicious thought which we feare they are deeply tainted with That Time is now rather our own than Gods And then we make no doubt but they will readily yield both the chiefe Time for His Worship and the particular Dayes for it to belong eternally to His determination and all disputes between them and us will suddenly be at an end We confirme this Argument by a second LXXVI Arg. 2. Upon that determination depends Gods blessing neere of kin to the former sutable also to our foregoing discourses for the chiefe Time If we stand in need of a Blessing from God upon the proportion of Time which we observe for the sufficient chiefe Time for Religion Then the determination of the very particular Day belongs to God peculiarly and not to men But we stand in need of a Blessing from God upon the proportion of Time which we observe for the sufficient chiefe Time for Religion Ergo The determination of the very particular Day belongs to God peculiarly and not to men The Antecedent hath been sufficiently confirmed before The Consequence may be proved by considering 1. That the Proportion cannot be regularly observed but by the determination of a particular Day for it 2. That men have no power to annexe Gods blessing to any determination of theirs That comes freely from Gods own will and pleasure from His meere grace which men cannot so much as know without He reveale it himselfe by way of Promise or Covenant which He doth to His own ordinances but no where to mens ordinances that is to any such determinations of men as are intended obligatory to others N. B. or for any permanencie We adde this
explication because we find that God did for a single act allow His people even after His own Altar was made to build an Altar for sacrifice to Him upon a speciall occasion of earth or of whole stones But they were not to make a custome of using that Altar and therefore the materials of it were to be loose Also in the Passeover Exod. 12. God allowed particular persons according to their store to take a Lambe or a Kid but not that He allowed the Elders to enjoyne all to one sort nor was he that now used a Kid obliged to it the next turne But here the particular Day in question is to be determined for many indeed for all mankind as the next Argument will offer proofe of and so to be oligatorie and accordingly to be at least for some while permanent For it were both altogether ridiculous would bring forth manifold confusions to be every 2d. or 3d. turn or revolution changing the particular Day Therefore we say no such permanent and obligatorie determination hath any promise of Blessing unlesse it be the determination and ordinance of God himselfe Now upon the particular determination of the Day or the particular Day determined the Blessing doth fall though not properly for the particular Dayes sake but for the Proportions to make that sufficient to be observed for the chiefe Time as hath been said Accordingly then that particular Day to make it capable and susceptible of the Blessing that is that the observers of that particular Day may enjoy the Blessing promised to the observers of the chiefe Time that particular Day must not be determined by men but by God LXXVII Arg. 3. It is very fit all the world should have one and the same day as neere as may be A third Argument to like purpose of which also touches have been formerly given but we conceive it convenient to be here expresly handled is from the more then conveniencie neere to a necessitie if not altogether so that there should be one particular Day as neere as may be according to the variation of Climates even the selfe-same Day all the world over for the Honour of God generally from all His servants together at the same time and for the generall exercise of the Communion of Saints also all the world over Thus we propound it If all the world over there is to be as neere as may be one and the self-same particular day for the chief time to Religion Then the determination of this particular Day belongs to God peculiarly and not to men But there is to be all the world over as neere as may be one and the selfe-same particular Day for the chiefe Time for Religion Ergo The determination of this particular Day belongs to God peculiarly and not to men The Consequence of this Argument is evident 1. By the constant necessity of having a particular Day determined for the chiefe Time to Religion so as if any such particular Day which was once determined for it be abrogated upon any grounds whatsoever there must without delay be a new particular Day determined as without which the chiefe Time necessary to Religion cannot be observed by all those whom it concernes by all Christians 2. By the Impossibilitie that without a Divine determination or at least a divine revelation all Christians could so much as come to know what Day particularly were determined by all that know of the abrogation of the former particular Day before them As suppose the Apostles going into severall Countries and preaching the abrogation of the old seventh Day and that a new Day was to be determined by the Church and that Matthew goes first and Thomas after him and Bartholomew after him how can the Christians to whom Thomas or Bartholomew preach thus know without divine revelation what Day is determined by the Churches that made the first determination namely those to whom Matthew preached 3. By a like impossibilitie of their knowing what the Churches that should receive the Gospel after them would determine concerning the particular Day as namely to whom suppose Philip and Andrew and Simon should preach after the others 4. The impossibilitie that they would all agree upon the same Time though they did know one anothers minds unlesse some command from God did necessitate the latter converted Churches to consent to the determination of the first Churches and this supposed would to them be in the nature of a divine determination and would suppose an inspiration from God to have assisted the determination by those Churches 5. Of this the great and violent difference even presently after the Apostles times about the keeping of Easter day upon the particular Day of the Week or the particular Day of the Moneth between the Western and Easterne Churches shewes proofe sufficient namely how little hope or possibilitie there would have been even in the Primitive Times of the agreement about the particular Day for the chiefe Time to Religion and so much rather now if wholly left to the determination of men of the Church Particular or Nationall Churches or any 6. Finally if it may be imagined Except that an Vniversall Councell representing the whole Church might sufficiently have agreed upon the particular Day for all Churches and so for all Christians all the world over We desire it may be considered Sol. 1 1. that there was no such thing as any such universall or generall Councell representing the whole Church in the first Times when the Lords day Inst Sol. the first Day of the Weeke came first to be practised 2. If any shall say that of Act. 15. was such an one he must yet remember there was no such determination made For if it had the Holy Ghost would have recorded it being so necessary a thing Sol. 2 And againe the determinations there were the determinations of the Holy Ghost as is expresly said in the Synodicall Epistle v. 29. Sol. 1 3. Neither could there be any such so soone as this needed to be and was determined for the practise of particular Churches and Christians For we said before there could be no delay after the abrogation of the old seventh Day Sabbath preached And the conversion of Churches so late one after another made a generall Councell of all the Churches in severall Nations of the World impossible till the Gospel had beene planted in all Nations From all which it followes undeniably that if one and the selfe-same Day were or were to be determined in the Apostolike and first Times for the particular Day unto the chiefe Time for Religion unto all Christians all the World over it could be no otherwise then by a Divine determination either by Christ himselfe while He conversed with His Disciples after His resurrection or else by the Apostles divinely inspired and commanding in the Name of God and Christ which comes all to one passe for the point in hand The Antecedent That there is to be all the World
therefore and is ever very necessary that God by His own Law Word should determine all and so without all doubt then He hath And now it remaines that we should examine the Arguments or pretences for the Churches Power to determine this chiefe Time for Religion in all the respects or in any But we can find none particular and proper to the matter in hand but only generall presumptions upon the supposition which they will needs suppose That God hath made voyd all His owne former determinations and so left in His Word all Times and Dayes equall under the Gospel As also that assertion comes most frequently forth That Time and Place are equall circumstances in Religion And so Place being left to the Churches determination Time is so too in like sort All which we shall encounter more particularly in their proper station and namely in the next Chapter by way of corrollary to our whole discourse about religious Time we shall endeavour to manifest distinctly 1. That all Times and Dayes are not equall in Religion under the Gospel 2. That Time and Place are not equall circumstances in Religion And therefore the leaving of the one that is Place to the Church will inferre nothing at all for the Time to be so left And then we shall conclude all our generall discourse and first part with asserting That this chiefe Time thus determined by God is not a meere circumstance or adjunct of Worship but a proper and essentiall part of it a part of Religion to be observed with the same mind that any other part of Religion is which will helpe we hope not a little to the conscionable and carefull observation of it LXXXI An objection answered Only one Objection though of two branches we have met with against the necessity of the determination to be made by God which we must give a particular satisfaction unto least some Readers should yet stumble or be gravelled at them but briefly for many words will not now need Thus it is said It seemes to be necessary that God should determine the sufficient Time for His publike Worship even on the solemne Dayes And again the sufficient Times for family and solitary Worship every Day as well as the determinations we have all this while been arguing for And seeing it is cleare He hath not done those it may seeme not necessary He should doe the other We answer 1. Supposing that God hath determined the chiefe Sol. 1 Time of Worship There is no such necessity that out of that He should determine particularly a proportion for the publike Worship For when men know they must spend the whole Continuance of the Time the whole Day in Religious Worship either publike or domesticke or solitary The Governours of the Church may now be well enough trusted to determine the houres for the publike Duties Their wisdome unlesse in perverse spirits that would purposely shut out some of the Ordinances of Prayer or Preaching or the like or curtall them that men might be sure to have no benefit by the publike will easily suffice to allot convenient proportions for these from experience how long men may ordinarily hold out in such Duties whether Ministers or People with edification and herein also to referre it partly to the discretion of Ministers There being a possibility of variety in severall particular Churches in the same Church at severall seasons of the yeere and the like without any remarkable prejudice to Religion Gods honour and the good of mens soules any where Because still the residue of the Day before and after the publike remaines devoted to Religion Whereas there would be manifest and certaine danger of prejudice to Religion even the ruine of it as we have shewed if the whole of the chiefe Time were left to mens discretion to any number of men whatsoever 2. We say the like for the Continuance of Time for Religion on Sol 2 the working Dayes either in domesticke or solitary Worship That God having strictly determined the chiefe Time namely one whole Day in a weeke according to the fourth Commandement there was no such necessity that He should determine besides the Continuance of the Week-dayes devotions He might have done these also we confesse if it had so been His pleasure But we have intimated formerly faire reasons which we may conceive why He would not namely 1. His gracious indulgence to try mens affections and zeale and spirituall wisdome in redeeming of Time ordinarily and extraordinarily on those Week-dayes for their families and themselves to waite upon God and their Soules with which they might be conveniently trusted if they conscionably observed the chiefe Time the Sabbath of Gods owne peremptory determination Specially remembring what we said a while agoe of the Blessing made over to such that they should thereby come to delight more and more in the Lord and such then will not be wanting to God and their soules or others soules even on the Week-dayes when they conveniently can redeeme any Time 2. As also To make evill men the more inexcusable who being not tyed so strictly on the Week-dayes will yet rob God and their souls and the soules of others under them of the Time of the Sabbath the Time that God himselfe hath made to be the necessary and ordinarily sufficient chiefe Time for Religion to all men Such we say would never have obeyed any determination on the Week-dayes for any Continuance if they should have been tyed to that also which thinke the Sabbath one day in seven so intolerable a burden now that they are so much at libertie on the other Dayes For also such on the Week-dayes doe scarce give God any Time at all many or most of them with their families or alone Therefore we say we can see reason why God was pleased not to tie men in all the parcells of Time when yet He would and hath in some in the chiefe And like unto this He hath done at least in the opinion of all or most of our English Adversaries in another Point namely in matter of our goods All our estates and goods are His as well as our Time Therefore out of them out of the increase of Corne and Cattell and the like He hath by an expresse determination challenged to himselfe a portion by way of tribute or homage namely the Tithe the tenth part It is the Lords Lev. 23. which afterwerd Himselfe divers yeeres after bestowed upon the Levites ond Priests His Ministers to whom He saith Himselfe would be their portion and inheritance Num. 18. Now this Law we say our English Disputers beleeve to be perpetuall Notwithstanding which strict tie for that part of our goods a tenth part All acknowledge somewhat more to be due to God for pious uses and for the maintenance of the poore and yet in neither of these hath God made any particular determination but left it to every ones discretion and affection according to occasions ordinary and extraordinary
* When without all controversie God determined to the Iewes the chiefe solemne time the weekly Sabbatâ— yet He did not the hâ—ures of publike morall worship much lesse the continuance on week-dayes And it was so even of old when that Law of Tithes was undeniably in force So there is no manner of necessity or reason to inferre That if it please God and it appeare necessary to us for Him so to doe to determine one thing a chiefe thing the chiefest in the kind Therefore He must also doe all of the kind Or that because He hath not determined all of the kind or not this or that Therefore we have no need that He should determine at all any of the kind not so much as the chiefest For 3. We adde that Gods not determining the Continuance of Sol. 3 the Time for the Publique Worship on the Solemne Dayes nor yet of Family or Solitary Worship on the Work-Dayes is so far from arguing that He hath not or need not for our sakes determine the chiefe solemne Time for Religion His own Honour and mens soules generally that it rather strongly confirms that He hath and that we needed He should As being the only certaine and sufficient obligation to hold men to necessary sufficient just and profitable attendance upon God and their soules and to supply the defects that are or may be in scanty performances on the Week-Dayes and to scoure off the rust and filth then contracted by much handling of worldly matters and to make up a full advantage beyond that which the nature of the Publike Services whether shorter or longer could of themselves meerly reach unto God we say saw it necessary and we can by His shewing see it too that He should not leave all Time to mens determinations and yet convenient He should leave some undetermined strictly Therefore accordingly so He hath done determining the chiefe Time with the particular Day for it expresly in His Word and somewhat of each Day by the very Law of Nature as we have shewed and leaving the rest undetermined to all men in regard of any strict determination and referring it to the various occasions and affections of every one for themselves apart and of superiors for themselves and their inferiors both ordinarily and extraordinarily according to generall rules of the Scripture speaking of His Honour and the good of soules And all this most wisely and graciously as we trust hereafter every Conscience that duely waighs the premisses will confesse with us Unto which acknowledgment yet all our following Discourses will not be unprofitable for the fuller removing of all objections and scruples in any part of the whole Question and the setling of mens judgements in all the maine matters belonging to this great Controversie as we hope will appeare in the sequel CHAP. XI Two Corollaries from the former Discourses about Solemn Time 1. All Times and Dayes are not equall under the Gospel 2. Time and Place are not equall circumstances in Religion IT is found by experience That Truth sometimes is as much or more prejudiced by some common Sentences which have some shew of probabilitie or veritie in them as by the strongest Argumentations against it Because these are only confined to the Discourses and Writings of learned men and are formally and sufficiently opposed by the Patrons of Truth But those are usually tossed up and down among all sorts and passe for the most part without examination and so doe great hurt insensibly Therefore it is that those who would effectually vindicate an opposed Truth must as well take some paines to encounter such common sayings even distinctly and expresly as any other contradicting Arguments applying to them without feare of being counted Tautologists such Reasons as are laid down even in other places with the addition of any other that are particular and proper so to discover fully the falsitie and danger of those vulgar Conceits and Expressions I. Two Corollaries from the former Discourse The thought of this hath made us esteeme it necessary to bestow this Chapter entirely upon the examination of two common Assertions which serve our Adversaries at every turne almost 1. That all Dayes and Times they say are alike and equall under the Gospel 2. That Time and Place are equall circumstances in Religion Which have been so commonly agitated not only in all Writings of theirs in this Subject though without any judicious and exact scanning but in vulgar discourses that they are grown to be in a sort Proverbs among them Insomuch as we find that the latter of these hath in some sort tainted some even of those who yet are Orthodox in the maine about Solemne Time so that even they speak the same language now and then of an Equalitie of Time and Place All which constrained us to take in hand a Particular Consideration of both these forementioned Assertions And though we must of necessity say over some of those things we have spoken already and touch some others beforehand whose proper place to argue fully comes hereafter yet we rather choose to doe so though some should call it tautologizing than for want of a formall setting our selves against those fallacious Principles to leave such prejudiciall conceits in the mindes of any Readers To begin with the first then Our Position is II. The first All Times and Dayes are not equall All Times and Dayes are not equall under the Gospel The Contradictory whereunto had wont to be exploded as an Anabaptisticall fancy But now of late among the Disputers concerning the Sabbath and Lords day it hath gotten some more venerable fautors And which addes to the strangenesse even those that cry it down in the Anabaptists say as much as they in sense and neere their very words So that there is little or no difference between them and the other whom they would seem to oppose Except it be that our Disputers give somewhat more to the Churches power about Times and Dayes than the Anabaptists allow But that we may refute both the one and the other III. The question stated by shewing in their erroneous expressions or meanings We will first a little state the Question now before us and then declare our Grounds opposite to their Assertions and finally give a touch of Satisfaction to their chiefest strength from the New Testament which may seem to favour them But all briefly 1. It is true That all Times and Dayes in themselves 1. Our consent as Times and Dayes materially considered are equall and of the very same nature One not more excellent more holy more necessary to be observed to Religion than another that is antecedent to all determination of God or in sensu diviso So that the learned Bishop speaks right in this Every day of the week had one and the same efficient cause namely Divine creation B. of E. p. 34. And all times and things created by God were very good But if they so state the
Question the Anabaptists and they and we are all agreed They have no Adversary in this Cause But yet this is nothing For they may as well say this of all Times and Dayes under the Law as under the Gospel That all were materially equall and in themselves considered By the Sun-rising or setting no Theologicall difference appeared in any of them no more than now Here then lies no scruple Ames Medal Theol. lib. 2. c. 15 sect 50.53 2. It is also granted That the Church may set apart some Times and Dayes for publike Worship But with some limitations before insinuated 1. That they be not accounted as necessary to Religion or as essentiall parts of Gods Worship 2. That they be not esteemed and used as properly Holy so farre that it should be unlawfull to change them or to imploy them in any but sacred uses 3. Lastly that they be not esteemed as efficacious meanes of Holinesse and Blessing in reference to the particular Times Dayes or Houres to the observers of them But in this sense againe nor we nor the Anabaptists we thinke will much contend with them For the Anabaptists granting a publike Worship by Assemblies must needs confesse That there must be some Times or Dayes set apart for orders sake to that use and that every one may know when to joyne with the publike Assemblies B. of E. p. 132. Yea we are told that some of them did judaize and kept the saturday-Saturday-Sabbath as instituted of old by Divine authority and not the Sunday as being in their opinion and our disputers too but of humane institution There was therefore no reason to quarrell with the Anabaptists concerning the inequallity of Dayes if this be all the difference Rather it seemes the Anabaptists were offended at this that those Dayes which man only had instituted were called Holy dayes and observed as they conceited in that manner and with that opinion of Holinesse c. as those of Gods institution were to be observed 3. Nor is there any question made by any side Whether Divine institution alone doe not make any Times this or that particular Day or Houre properly Holy and necessary to Religion For this is granted there were some Dayes so made Holy under the Law And the reason is the same under the Gospel If God institute or perpetuate any 2. Our dissent Our opinion explained 4. But herein as we conceive lies the businesse and difference betweene us That we say All Times under the Gospel are not equall in reference to Religion But that some Times in the severall respects of Time some expresse and definite Continuances some expresse and definite Frequencies or Revolutions and some expresse and definite Seasons or particular Dayes are necessary to Religion and properly Holy so as they may not be changed abrogated or otherwise imployed by man and so necessary above others in sensu composito not by a Physicall necessity of ordinary nature but by a Theologicall necessity Consentancum est rationi naturali vel potius moraliter necessarium est ut fasti sint dice Suarez lib. 2. de Relig c. 2. or Ethicall and Morall as some other besides us have expressed themselves And that so it should be sin in all men except in the cases of reservation admitted by God to interrupt solemne Times not to observe those particular Times and Dayes which is not to be said of other Dayes and Times Our disputers contrarily do maintaine That no expresse or definite Continuances or expresse and definite Revolutions or expresse and definite particular Dayes 3. The contrary opinion explained are so necessary to Religion as that all men or all Christians should be guilty of sin for the in observation of them more then of others This we say is that which many of their reasonings apparantly tend unto and which they must meane if they understand themselves Also we cannot deny but that at other times they say that which will not stand with this as we shall even here by and by shew them But we cannot help that if they contradict themselves as they doe in more things than one but only by shewing it them and our Reasons on the one side As we shall here now doe for our Assertions to win them fully to them if it may be We say then for the confirmation of our Position IV. Confirmations of our Assertion Arg. 1. Nature determines a whole day at least once Ergo. and refuting of theirs 1. If the Law of Nature determine at least once in every mans life a whole Dayes continuance expresly as necessary to be altogether spent in Religion as we have argued in the ninth Chapter then is not all Time equall under the Gospel in respect of Continuance for Religion No other proportion will satisfie the Law of Nature no not two or three Halfe-Dayes in stead of one whole Day And so this Continuance of a whole Day may not by man be abrogated altered or alienated and is more properly Holy than any other Continuance of Time for Religion that is than any other that is lesse For greater there can be none in Nature as hath been shewed 2. If the Law of Nature determines for every Work-day of a mans life at least a double Frequencie of attendance upon God V. Arg. 2. Nature determines for twice every day Ergo. as necessary unto all men which we have also argued in the forenoted place Then is not all Number or Frequencie of Times equall in Religion Or all Times equall in respect of an expresse Frequencie or Revolution so often Halfe the Day spent in Religion will not suffice to discharge from the second due attendance nor ten times upon the Day before or the Day after compensate for that neglect Because the Continuance being not here determined the Service may be so suddenly dispatcht as nothing but want of Will and Devotion can be assigned as the cause of not tendring that double proportion on the most busie Day that any man hath in his whole life VI. Arg. 3. Nature requires a determination for Continuance and Frequencie Ergo. 3. If the Law of Nature require any determination of Time at all for Continuance and Frequencie jointly as we have also proved at large and all our Adversaries also acknowledge under the termes of a Sufficient Time to be Morall-Naturall Then whosoever be the determiner of this sufficient Time or whatever the proportions be though but an houre in a yeere yet is not all Time equall in Religion under the Gospel for Continuance and Frequencie both For this houre in a yeere is necessary to Religion and so properly holy and unchangeable by man who may not take a shorter Continuance or lesse Frequencie because this is necessary not a longer Continuance and greater Frequencie because this is sufficient for the chiefe Time lesse and seldomer being against the Law of Nature which cannot be said of other Continuancies and Frequencies more large Yet againe more and
also another use namely Typicall as we have also noted But the people of God ordained some likewise as the Dayes of Purim and Feast of the Dedication And as for the Christian Church they by degrees grew to observe sundry Dayes of memoriall in a yeare and haply made good use of them in the Innocent Times but afterward these also degenerated into Superstition and burden and even proved matters of Idolatry as that Papists Dayes formally dedicated not to God but Saints Angels and the Virgin Mary In which they pray solemnely to them and worship their Images and Reliques above all other Times Here then they may go again for equall Place and Time a small profit and some danger of disprofit Only the Continuance of Time well imployed may be and is a reall and substantiall profit so far forth as our Anniversary Time of thanksgiving for deliverance from the Powder Treason in experience and reason is Also Gods Day of memoriall sets Time above Place he having now ordained no Place for that end So that the advantage here is for the Time of which a great deale more will come to be shewed now straight way XXIV 5. As Typicall 5. The last kind of profit that we can think of which Place can afford to Religion is still accidentall namely Typicall serving by the command of God for a Ceremonially Spirituall use Such was the Place of the Tabernacle and Temple which related to CHRIST whose humane nature was the true Temple wherein dwelt all the fullnesse of the Godhead bodily and directed to expect all the acceptation of our services our spirituall sacrifices from their being presented in Him and in His name to the Father and the unlawfullnesse of presenting them otherwise And answerable hereunto Time the seasons of Time as we have formerly discoursed even all that God of old appointed all the particular Dayes He set apart for His worship he made first or last to be typicall and to have a Ceremonially Spirituall use relating to Christ as Saint Paul tells us Col. 2. In this againe then Time and Place of old were equall And so are they now too Not that there is any such use of them in the Christian-Church now But that there is no such use of either of them any more We will not urge or pleade for a Ceremoniall or Typicall use of a seventh day-Day-Sabbath under the Gospel However some friends seeme a little to doe so by some phrases perhaps unwary certainly unadvised Nor of the Lords-day though it is a strong memoriall as appointed by God in memory of Christs Redemption by His resurrection on that Day of the Weeke Also no Place now doth or can inherite such a Typicall profitablenesse Men never having power to invest it with it and God having devested it by the comming of Christ in the flesh and the consequent destruction of His Temple at Jerusalem We say then That in this respect as well as the former Time and Place have been and are equall in Religion one as profitable as the other But we have now done with all their equality and with all the necessity or profit that can be in Place this or that or any Place toward Religion Of which we have had nothing properly Theologicall or Spirituall but this last which was meerly accidentall by Gods absolute pleasure and institution and the rest only properly for the bodies convenience and very little or nothing to the mind except accidentally to the fancy or memory But nothing substantiall or in the nature of the thing it selfe toward the Soule its inward good Gods glory and so the advancement of Religion And now there are yet behind manifold considerations of Time the proportions of it the Continuance and Frequencie wherein it is Ethically and Morally substantially and materially profitable and even necessary in the most Theologicall respect that can be for the securing and advancing of Religion Wherein it will undeniably appeare to be beyond comparison superiour to Place and that Place in those most important respects XXV Three differences in nature between Time and Place toward Religion can in no sort pretend to be equall to Time in Religion Only first let us but premise two or three differences even in Nature between Time and Place which though perhaps at the first view they may seem but sleight yet upon second thoughts they may possibly be counted worthy the noting as foreboding as we may say the greater and more remarkable differences in Religion First then Place our Place is terrenum quid an earthly kind of thing we being on earth its foundation is on earth and is defined by an earthly body of which it is the superficies And accordingly as we have already said it hath only properly relation to the body and bodily conveniences But Time is coeleste quid a kind of heavenly thing whose foundation is in heaven being derived from thence from the motion of the celestiall orbes and heavenly lampes of light being measured by them and being the measure of them And accordingly it is proper to helpe us forward toward heaven 2. Place is quiddam crassum materiale a kind of grosse and materiall thing and so only concernes the bodies convenience directly which is a materiall substance But Time is quiddam immateriale spiritale as we may say a kind of spirituall and immateriall thing and so hath a more proper influence into the mind soule and spirit 3. Place is in its owne nature fixum immobile quid a fixed setled steady thing which moves not and so lesse care is required about it the same Place that serves conveniently for one businesse will often without any care taking serve for another the same Hall or House for divers kinds of Councells at severall Times But Time is mobile fluidum quid a fleeting fleeing thing that slides away silently like a river without noyse and so the same particular Time in any of the respects is irrecoverably lost if slipt and neglected and accordingly if good care be not taken about Time the whole action or businesse comes thereby to be disordered and marred So that even in Nature to begin with the differences are apparent between these two Time and Place and so in Civill or Artificiall actions they are not equall XXVI In Religion at least 20 differences 1. Time indeterminate is of great importance not so Place But much more manifestly and importantly in Religion in very many Considerations which we now proceed to enumerate and waigh 1. We have noted of Time even indeterminate That it is a circumstance of much importance toward any businesse that admits variety of degrees as getting Learning and Religion doth Both the proportion of Continuance and of Frequency even either of them is very materiall and a substantiall advantage or disadvantage toward Learning and Religion according to the largenesse or scantinesse of it and that in an Ethicall and Theologicall Consideration But of Place we now
Religion 17. As all Time is Gods and none ours for worldly businesse XLII 17. All Time is Gods all Places are ours but by his indulgence And indulgence of his we have none that we can securely challenge sufficient for worldly occasions but the six Dayes in a weeke mentioned in the fourth Commandement which indulgence cannot be perpetuated without the perpetuating also and first of the command of one Day of seven for God and Religion So that without this Commandement and indulgence we trespasse upon God continually in following our worldly businesses But as for Place though the whole earth be Gods yet in expresse termes He hath given it to the children of men Psal 115. by a generall indulgence Neither calls for any of it back under the New Testament as he did a little spot for typicall use of old any place is convenient for so many bodyes serving all the necessary turnes for Religion And so there is no Trespasse upon God in point of Place if there be but an observation of his appointed Times in any Place Whence still the same conclusion rises Time and Place are not equall Circumstances in Religion 18. Mens soules need a singular blessing XLIII 18. There needs a blessing to make sufficient not so for place to make any Time lesse then all sufficient for their soules which have so manifold necessities and are so infinitely more worth then all bodily occasions Which blessing as none but God can bestow so is there no ground to expect it but to his own appointments and determinations And such blessing He annexed to His determinations of Time Gen. 2. and Exod. 20. But there being no influence of Place into the soul any Place is sufficient which is sufficient for the bodyes convenience And so no blessing is to be expected with relation to the Place But only to the meeting and to the observation of the Time so appointed by God neither did God ever blesse any Place for Religion but only typically In this then also Time and Place are not equall Circumstances in Religion XLIV 19. The necessary Time for Religion is properly holy so is not any Place 19. The Necessary Time for Religion is properly holy and the sufficient Time acceptable to God or else it could not be counted sufficient But no Place is or can be now properly holy or acceptable to God Nor was ever any Place so of old in a morall sense or with reference to Morall Worship But onely typicall The Synagogues are no where called holy Places in Scriptures No not the very court of the Temple where the people meet to pray and heare and the like Neither were they suffered to go at any Time into that holy Place but the Priests only and only the High Priest and but once a yeare into the Holy of Holies on the day of Attonement All to teach the people that all the holinesse and acceptation of service in the Temple was only typicall which when it should cease all holinesse of Places should withall cease and no more acceptation to be expected from the service presented in any Place with reference to the Place or any consecration of it to Religion So though we may now consecrate or set apart Places for Religion as the Centurian a Gentile of his own accord and in love to the Jewish nation as themselves say and not as an act of devotion built them a Synagogue Luke 7.5 Yet can we neither make them Necessary Holy nor Places of acceptation Place and Time therefore are not equall circumstances in Religion XLV 20. The New Testament honours a Time viz. the Lords Day no Place as the Lords house 20. Finally to wind up divers things in a few words The New Testament honours a Time with the glorious title of Gods possession the Lords day which Day for Continuance Frequency and Order may be observed all the world over with but a little difference according to the climates how many millions soever of Christians there be in the world Which joynt serving of God eminently redounds to his great honour and is the greatest exercise of the Communion of Saints upon earth from which no persecution imprisonment or the like can hinder them so long as they have but spirits enough to lift up their soules to God But the New Testament dignifies no Place now with the title of the Lords house His possession Neither can all Christians now because of the Churches amplitude meet in one Place And if any would say all their places of meeting might be of the same proportion all the world over We Answer It is indeed possible in nature but altogether improbable and next to impossible in practise that it should be so without a divine command For it were altogether ridiculous in reason as it would be to have all men weare cloathes of the same bignesse and length Besides this would only be publique Places not domesticke much lesse solitary And again persecution and imprisonment might hinder from using these Once more then Time and Place are not equall circumstances in Religion nor fit to be equally left to men to the Churches determination or any other And so we doubt not but we have sufficiently evinced this assertion as well as the former If any think XLVI The conclusion we have spent too many words about it let him thank our disputers confidence on the contrary side which hath in a sort forced us to it while withall we have given a kind of recapitulation of some principall heads in the foregoing Chapters which some Readers perhaps will not be sorry for We end with this advertisement That if we had listed to make our Selves or our Readers merry in so serious a subject as our generall matter is we would not have wisht for a handsomer subject then this paralelling of Time and Place as equall But we durst not be light in so waighty a cause And now we have a third Corollary to adde That the chiefe Time is a part of worship and not a meere circumstance which will be yet another proofe of its being above Place But this is for the next Chapter CHAP. XII The necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Religion together with the Particular Day for it is a Part of Worship and not a meere Adjunct or Circumstance only I. A third Corollarie The necessary sufficient Time is a part of Worship THis Assertion we conceive to be a necessary Corollarie from our foregoing Discourses Yet is usually denyed even by some who differ not from us in the maine grounds of it Therefore we judge it expedient to be subjoyned and cleared Because also we are perswaded it will not only adde a little more light to some things already laid down but likewise somewhat more awe the Consciences of every one in the point of strict observation of the whole Lords day in a weekly revolution For if men be once fully convinced that not only the performance of such particular
Duties as that Day is usually spent in by these that are devout whether in publike or in the family or alone as Prayer for instance and reading the VVord are Parts of Divine Worship But even that the observation of this particular Day and that weekly all of it in varieties of Duties of Religion one or other all our waking time is also it selfe a Part of Divine Worship and beyond the nature of a meere Adjunct or Circumstance of VVorship VVe doubt not but they will be a great deale the more carefull and conscionable in the observation of the whole Day and every part and parcell of it II. The question explained To effect this we must first cleare what we meane by a part of worship and what by a meere adjunct or circumstance of worship and so state the question between us and those of the contrary opinion and then bring our arguments and vindicate them and our assertion from the contrary exceptions and objections VVe say then 1. What worship is and what a part of worship 1. Worship generally is the tender of our homage to God and giving Him immediate honour Accordingly a part of Worship is whatsoever is presented to God whether thing or action as a speciall homage and as an immediate honour to Him Or at least ought to be so if it be not 2. What an adjunct or circumstance of worship 2. An Adjunct or Circumstance of Worship which is meerly such is That which is not or ought not to be presented to God any speciall or immediate Honour to Him but only serves and is used as an accomodation to the performance of some thing or action which is properly Worship or perhaps is only an unthought of accident naturally or occasionally accompanying that thing or action which is Worship 3. Withall it is to be considered 3. The same thing may be both a circumstance and part of worship that the selfe same thing which in one case is but an Adjunct barely a meere Circumstance and â—o way a part of Worship may in another case be more then a Circumstance and a proper part of Worship being specially and immediately tending to Gods honour and tendred with that intention and to that end Some instances will cleare all this 1. The sacrificing of a Bullock or Sheep was a part of Gods worship under the Law 2. The Sexe that it was male or female The Age that it was so many moneths or weeks or yeers old The Colour that it was red or black or white Was in many cases a meere Circumstance not regarded nor to be regarded 3. Yet in some cases it must be a male not a female in others a female not a male So in some cases so young and no elder in others so old and no younger as in the firstling males it was to be seven dayes with the Dam nor more nor lesse Num. 19.2 and the eight day to be offered And in the Water of Expiation the ashes of the burnt Heifer was to be of a red Heifer of such an age precisely In all which those very circumstantiall considerations were properly parts of Worship Of the Homage to be tendred to God and immediately to His Honour 4. Furthermore it is to be observed how any thing III. 4. How any thing comes to be a part of worship whether seeming to be substance or circumstance comes to be a part of Worship Which may be resolved two wayes 1. As Worship comprehends under the terme both true worship and false worship or Right worship and Will-worship So the cause of it is our intention to present it as a speciall homage as was said and an immediate honour to God Such intention we say is the formall cause that such an action is Worship in him that presents it 1. The formal cause is our intention or such a thing in him that tenders it And without such intention no action is formally Worship in any man however it be in the nature of the action or in any other person that presents it As for instance The repeating of any sentence of Scripture or the Lords prayer intending thereby to honour God is a part of Worship But to repeat it to teach a child to spell or read or to understand a language or to use it as a charme or the like is certainly no Worship because it wants an intention of immediate honouring God by it So to kneele down before an Image or Crucifixe with intention to honour God by that action is Worship though false and idolatrous but to kneele down before it not seeing it nor thinking of it Or to pull out a thorne out of ones foot or the like is no Worship because againe here wants an intention of honouring God by such an action 2. The efficient cause is Gods command 2. But now as Worship denotes only true and right Worship So the proper efficient cause and that which both legitimates and necessitates such intention is the command of God What He commands to be presented to Him whether seeming substance or circumstance hath the nature of a speciall Homage and immediate Honour to Him and ought to be presented as often as it is presented with such intention From which command also flowes an answerable acceptation of such a commanded thing or action when accordingly performed with that intention And with that intention there may and should also be an expectation of such acceptation whereby the intention is proved in a mans conscience whether the matter be commanded or not For Will-worshippers expect an acceptation though without warrant And prophane Hypocrites though they pretend to worship God yet when they intend it not they expect no acceptation We say then our expectation of acceptation declares whether we tender such a thing as a part of Worship or use it as a meer circumstance IV. Gods command is either particular or generall 5. Yet againe Gods command of any thing as Worship is either expresse and particular of such a speciall thing or generall of such an affection which according to an allowance of presenting some kinds of things to Gods honour doth present such particulars or such a proportion sutable to the degree of the affection and other occasions Instances of the first were the daily sacrifices expresly commanded of the second Free-willing offerings and Vowes As we read of Salomons thousand burnt-offerings on the Altar at Gibeon and his mighty number of Peace-offerings two and twenty thousand Oxen and an hundred and twenty thousand Sheep Even these being acceptable fell under the generall command of Honouring the Lord with his substance which Salomon himselfe records sutable to those Times and his incomparable wealth and the like Considerations as of the great Solemnity of dedicating the house of the Lord c. 6. Once more the Command of God of things for His honour V. Gods command is either 1. By the Law of Nature may either be 1. By the
32. It is said They are the Lords His part His tribute And so the payment of them was a speciall Homage to Him an immediate Honour a part of worship And that which is specially to be noted antecedent to any particular use which He meant to put them to and whereto He did afterward apply them sc the maintenance of His Priests Levites For this we read not of till Num. 18. which was divers yeers after Whereupon it is there and elsewhere said That the Lord is the portion of Levi that is Levi should enjoy the Lords portion of Tithes as also of Offerings But this use of them was secondary and we doe not say that in this considration the payment of them was properly Worship For it was not immediately to Gods honour but only mediate in as much as those Levites that were maintained by them were Gods Ministers That which made them Parts of Worship was antecedent as we said to this Namely Gods challenging them as His portion His own primarily and originally though now making the Levites His receivers Hence the witholding them is called robbing of God not defrauding or robbing the Levites Mal. 3. And if we understand aright This is that Sacrilege mentioned Rom. 2. where after the Apostle had twice said Thou breakest the same Commandements thou teachest others not to break Stealing and committing Adulterie he adds Thou that abhorrest Idols or Images dost thou commit Sacriledge Dost thou break the same Commandement viz. the second robbing God of part of His Worship by detaining His portion of Tithes However to be sure they were His portion formerly and so a part of His worship 3. And so was that share which God reserved to Himselfe out of the Midianites spoiles The Lords Heave-offering v. 29.41 Num. 31. which is called the Lords tribute the Lords portion And was His a part of homage to Him a part of His worship on that occasion antecedently to the speciall use He afterward allotted that also to be disposed of by Eleazar the Priest as we there read Now if these things by this meanes became parts of Worship So is it in reason with that Time which God challenges as His tribute or peculiar portion out of all our Time It must be a part of Worship in that it is His allotted to His Honour antecedent to any particular uses which it is put to to any particular Duties of Worship which yet become the imployment of it Namely one or other of them or more than one even all the varieties of Duties doe actually imploy this Time unto Gods Honour But antecedent we say to any particular Duties the Time being Gods His portion is to His Honour immediately and a part of Worship and consequently calling for some particular Duties of Worship to help imploy it to Gods honour In a word Though it cannot be actually imployed to Gods Honour without some particular Duties yet hath it a distinct consideration abstracted from the Duties As requiring and calling for and even commanding as we said formerly of Solemne Time in generall Duties to attend it some or other And so is distinctly by and of it selfe to the Honour of God immediately as well as the Duties themselves though not actually separated from all For that is a contradiction in Religion to say That a Time can be to Gods honour and not be imployed in some Religious Duties or other But we have said enough as we conceive to illustrate and evince the Proposition of our Argument That the Time which is Gods portion is a part of VVorship The Assumption That the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Religion is the Time which together with the particular Day for it God requires out of all our Time out of all mens Time as His peculiar portion that is above all other Time hath been proved abundantly in the foregoing Chapters 9. 10. And this we also conceived to be meant in those words of the fourth Commandement The seventh Day or a seventh Day one Day of seven is the Sabbath or a Sabbath of the Lord thy God or to the Lord thy God namely That he being the Lord of all thy Time as of all things else that are thine hath reserved to Himself and challenges for Himself while He allowes thee six Dayes mainly for thy woâ—ldly businesse this proportion of Time of one whole day of seven The Lords Day if from Divine Authority must needs be a part of worship and more holy then other Dayes G.I. pag. 16.9 as his peculiar portion to be sanctified imployed to His immediate honour And like to this as we conceive is the meaning in the New Testament of the terme of the Lords Day it is the particular Day which he hath taken and challenges to Himself as His peculiar portion out of all the Dayes of the Weeke to be sanctified wholly to His honour whence the conclusion followes inevitably That this Time in all the respects of it is a part of Gods worship a part of the speciall homage and tribute due to Him from all men and specially accepted by Him We proceede to another Argument IX Arg. 2. It is the observation of a morall Commandement of the first tab e. Ergo. properly respecting the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Continuance and Frequency jointly Thus The obedience to and observation of a morall Commandement of the first table is a part of Gods immediate worship But the observation of the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Religion is the obedience to and observation of a morall Commandement of the first table Ergo The observation of this Time is a part of Gods immediate worship Both the Propositions are confessed and granted by our Disputers Prim. p. 2. Therefore they must own the child issuing from such Parents The Major is thus expressed Whatsoever is morall is universally an essentiall part of Gods service The Minor thus The morall substance of the fourth Commandement is to have a Time regulate frequent c. And generally they all speake of a sufficient Time as morall naturall It is then a part of worship a proper and essentiall part of it by their own sentence But we will a little further prove and illustrate it also by our own grounds and not depend upon them 1. For the Major we say That the Commandements of the first Table do all of them plainly concerne the immediate worship and honour of God and all the objects of those Commandements namely the things and actions outward or inward commanded in them are matters of Divine worship Therefore the obedience to those Commandements the observation of them must needs be a part of worship of our Homage to God and redound to His immediate honour For 2. Whatsoever is to be presented to God by vertue of a morall Commandement of the first table is to be Presented to Him by all men as a speciall homage they all owe to Him as when a Landlord keeping court requires all his
tenants to attend him such dayes in a yeare from such an houre to such an houre till he dismisse them this Time as a part of their homage to him their Landlord and as an immediate Honour to His Divine Majesty being so presented and accordingly it is certainly specially acceptable to Him Therefore it is most properly a part of worship and far beyond the nature of a meere adjunct or circumstance in that the description of a part of worship formerly given fully agrees to it 3. If Gods Ceremonially positive command can make a thing any thing Num. 19.2 c. Heb. 9.13 a part of worship as a bunch of Hysope a thread of Scarlet or Purple wooll dust of the Tabernacle the Ashes of a Red Heifer and the like as no man can deny but it was of old of which yet no Morall or Rationall cause can be given but only the Soveraigne will of God requiring such things as a part of His worship much more must it be acknowledged that a morall command of God whether naturall or positive for which a cleare and morall reason may be alledged that such a command is to Gods speciall Honour as also to our great good must needs make the obedience to and observation of any thing so commanded a part of His worship without controll unlesse any will say that a morall command hath lesse force in it then a ceremoniall 2. For the Minor 1. That the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Religion is morall even morall naturall namely that the law and light of nature commands there should be such a Time observed A Frequent Time of convenient Continuance necessary and sufficient for the chiefe Time that is we all must observe no lesse so often and no seldomer so much But so much so oft is necessary Again we neede observe no more so often nor no oftener so much for the chiefe Time But so much so oft is sufficient All this we have proved at large Chap. 9. And this cannot but be within the compasse of one of the Commandements of the first Table which comprise among them all that concernes Religion as our adversaries confesse often and we have also proved Chap. 10. The observation then of this Time is certainly the obedience to and observation of a morall Commandement of the first Table 2. We have also proved Chap. 10. that this chiefe Time can be determined by none but by God himself and if that be so then unquestionably the words of the fourth Commandement containe that determination of God for the chiefe Time and one Day of seven is it and is morall in that Commandement And so the observation of it is both the observation of the chiefe Time for Religion and the obedience to and observation of the morality of the fourth Commandement And thus both our Propositions being confirmed the conclusion followes assuredly That the observation of this chiefe Time is properly a part of worship of Gods immediate and essentiall worship A third Argument proceeds concerning the particular Day for the chiefe Time that it also is a part of Worship X. Arg. 3. It is commanded by God for His worship Ergo. as our assertion holds forth Whatsoever is certainly commanded by God for his Worship is a part of his Worship But the particular Day for the chiefe Time is certainly commanded by God for his Worship Ergo. The particular Day for the chiefe Time is also a part of Divine Worship The Major cannot be denyed it being the command of God that makes any thing and every thing a part of Worship nothing is so without His command in nature or Scripture how important or necessary it else seeme to be And nothing but is so upon His command how flight soever it seeme to be as we shewed before of a bunch of Hyssop c. The Minor we had also proved in the tenth Chapter by divers arguments and in the ninth Chapter there was this which we think it not amisse breefly to repeate That the number or Frequency of Dayes being once commanded by God as namely a seventh Day in the fourth Commandement If the particular Day come to be changed or to cease and be out of date the immediate next Day doth by vertue of that Commandement of the number of one in seven infallibly and presently come in Place of it as heire at the Common Law and as the successour of a successive Kingdome immediately upon the death of the former King unlesse any new one should be expressely set up by the same authority that commanded the number of one Day in seven So that God having commanded the number of one Day in seven for the chiefe Time to Religion in a constant revolution which is to leave six Dayes still together for worke and a seventh Day to be a Sabbath Immediately upon the change of the particular Day for the chiefe Time which of old was the last of the seven Immediately we say upon the ceasing of that and its growing out of date the very next Day which is the first Day of the next weeke comes in the stead of it even in the silence of God as being already commanded by the fourth Commandement which determined the number and so remaines as commanded by God and is therefore a part of His Worship now as well as that former particular Day was which none denyes XI The objections answered Except Prim. p. 2. Now these Arguments a man may think were cleare enough to carry this cause Yet some thing is pretended against them at least against our assertion Let us therefore now consider it Thus one excepts The Time under the Old Testament made a part of Gods service not of the morall but of the Ceremoniall and Typicall service established then in the infancy of the Church which was not to continue but â—ring the Time To this we answer 1. That though this be true of the other Festivalls yet we deny it of the weekely Sabbath one Day of seven For as much as it cannot be denyed but it was then and we have proved and shall do yet further in that next part that it is still the chiefe Time determined by God for all men and so morally commanded to all men from Adam to the worlds end and as such it was as we have now argued and so is still a part of Gods worship of his morall worship and in no respect ceremoniall 2. As for the particular Day which then was commanded for that chiefe Time though we grant it was not Morall that is perpetuall but only Temporary for that world from Adam to Christ as also we deny not but God to the Jewes annexed some Ceremoniality to it which use made it more a part of worship for that Time viz. of the typicall worship Yet forasmuch as that which generally and properly made it a part of worship was not this or that particular use but the expresse command of God In like sort though the particular Day
Duties of worship But under the New Testament there is no such thing there is no Duty of Religion no particular Duty of worship that Morally and Theologically must necessarily be performed on the Lords-day and on no other Day Neither is there any particular Duty of worship Prayer only excepted which can never be wholly excluded when we have to doe with Religious Times or Duties of worship necessary to the observation of the Lords-day absolutely or infallibly So that in a Theologicall or Morall sense it is not proper nor true to say that either the continuance of a whole Day or the revolution of that whole Day once in seven Dayes or the particular Day the Lords-Day is a necessary circumstance to any particular act of worship But only to worship to Religion in general in the manner forenoted as commanded by God for the chiefe Time according to the Law of nature and Scripture and for the particular Day according to both Old and New Testament And in such a sense being Morally and Theologically necessary this Time in all the respects of it call it a circumstance or adjunct or what you will cannot be avoyded but it will have the nature of a part of worship according to any right description of it XIII Obj. 2. Answered But he still goes on striving rather to explaine then to deliver himself from his former Argument by instances As courser fare or meaner apparell in time of mourning hath no more holinesse in it then any other but only is subservient to worship and holinesse And as a Day of Fasting is no more holy then another but serves to holinesse c. Lastly as the houres of the morning and evening sacrifices every Day were not more holy then other houres of the Day but as circumstances only to be observed So for so he would inferre as we conceive the Dayes of the New Testament are but circumstances of worship not any parts of worship To this we answer First the difference between the things compared Sol. 1 at least as he seemes to understand them is very great as much as the Divine institution and the want thereof For he confesses that one Day in seven is morall and commanded by God in the fourth Commandement But as he seemes to take the other things we have no command for them Otherwise when God ever did as of old command the abstinence from some kind of meates from some kind of apparell and commanded sackcloth c. Those observations were a part of the legall worship And when God ordained an annuall Fast that very Day in its observation was a part of worship as well as the Sabbath But when men voluntarily set apart Dayes to Fasting and Prayer the particular Dayes are no parts of worship but only meanes subservient to the worship of God because they have no Divine command concerning those particular Dayes So when men appoint Holy-dayes as they are called they are no parts of worship but only circumstances subservient to it But if God have appointed any Time as even according to this Author He hath one Day in seven by the fourth Commandement that Time must needs be a part of worship as well as a necessary circumstance to Holinesse and Religion And this his third instance doth help to manifest For though the precise point or minute of Time was not commanded for the Morning or Evening sacrifice yet the Time was within a latitude It might not be before such an houre nor after such an houre as the Jewish Authors expressely name the bounds understood by them So that we may also well say that the observation of them within that latitude not sooner nor later was a part of Worship part of the Jewes speciall homage part of the immediate honour they owed to God and whereunto they were infallibly bound by Religion and conscience of Gods command namely to observe such seasons of Time strictly in such revolutions And to have performed the same services sacrifices which neglect of those speciall respects of Time had made them guilty of violation of Gods worship Also from hence they had intimations at least of promises of blessing and acceptation speciall even with relation to the very Times observed besides the particular services presented on them And the services then presented according to those times were more acceptable than others presented at their own voluntary times Therefore Elijah waits for the Time of the offering the evening-sacrifice 1 King 18. Even when he was to present his extraordinary sacrifice and worship And David mentioning acceptation saith not barely as a sacrifice but as an evening-sacrifice Psal 141. There came a speciall blessing to the three Kings distressed for water at the Time of the offering the meat-offering 1 King 3. And even in Daniels Day of solemne Humiliation and Fasting the Angel comes to him with a gracious and comfortable message at the Time of the evening sacrifice Dan. 9. All these intimations shew that there was a peculiar respect had to those Times those Houres both by men and even by God himself They were then specially acceptable and parts of worship The chiefe Time then the Sabbath much more Sol. 2 2. Let it be considered whether by this kind of arguing this Author do not make all Dayes under the Gospel equall and so in the issue contradict himself For if Times and Dayes now be not parts of worship but only necessary circumstances of worship in his sense then the LORDS Dayes are no holier no better then other Dayes on which any worship is performed For they are also necessary circumstances of that worship performed on them But to say and hold that one Day in seven is morall by the fourth Commandement is to say that all Dayes are not equall and if now this be not a contradiction let the Readers judge XIV Obj. 3. Answered He hath only one thing more to object That in the New Testament no such promises are made to the observation of our Day as were to the seventh Day of old but only to the exercises of piety and publique worship And hence he would it seemes infer that it is no part of worship Sol. 1 But to this we answer 1. We find no expresse promises made to the seventh Day in the beginning when it was as he holds given to Adam Yet no doubt were implyed in Gods blessing and sanctifying the Day and so it may be now Sol. 2 The promises were not made to speake properly to the seventh Day but to the Sabbath or rather to the observation in duties of piety and Religion which is the imployment of the Sabbath And if one Day in seven be required now as he holds the promises do in like manner belong to it What command of God or Ordinance of Religion is there Sol. 3 which is not attended in the very nature of the thing with promises As godlinesse in generall hath all the promises So every duty of godlinesse hath its share This Day then being commanded being Gods ordinance a duty of godlinesse in its observation is not without promises It was lesse needfull to make new promises to this Day in particular Sol. 4 since they are made already Gen. 2. Exod. 20. Esa 58. as we have seen unto Gods Day His Sabbath the Day of His appointment for the sufficient chiefe Time of His Worship Look therefore as the duties of the Day a holy rest fall on our Day by vertue of the fourth Commandement So by the same equity and analogie the Blessings annexed to that Day fall on our Day on the right observers of it And so all his Objections are satisfied And our Conclusion good The chiefe Time and the particular Day for it is a Part of VVorship not a meere Circumstance We will now close this Chapter XV. The testimonies and confessions of the adverse party Hooker Eccles Pol. lib. 5. p. 378. with some Testimonies and Confessions 1. The judicious Hooker holding one Day of seven to be morall and of perpetuall obligation by the fourth Commandement as we shall heare hereafter thus delivers his Judgement concerning the nature of this Time It cannot 〈◊〉 denied but the very Law of Nature it selfe requires the sanctifâ—â—ation of Times For which cause it hath pleased God heretofore 〈◊〉 exact some part of Time by way of perpetuall Homage Where by Homage he meanes a piece of part of service which we owe to God the Lord of time and us by the fourth Commandement 2. Heare our Adversaries G. Irons p. 88. Chalenging a tribute of our Time p. 70. G.D. p. 21. There ought to be a certaine part of our Time given to God p. 59. B. of E. p. 121. That God should have a Tribute of our Time for Publike VVorship was never by any man denyed to be Morall and Naturall By Tribute he meanes we suppose a Part of VVorship as Tribute paid to Kings is a Part of the Homage and Honour due to them 3. Another thus The Heathens had their Feasts and set Dayes consecrated to the worship of their gods That is as we thinke he cannot but mean Not only they did worship their gods on those Dayes but did observe those Dayes as a part of worship in honour of their gods 4. This followes also upon that of the learned Bishop The Religious observation of holy times is reduced to the fourth Commandement as a speciall to a generall But say we The Religious observation of holy times by the fourth Commandement is a part of worship 5. For this was preached at Court and not long since printed by Command D. Turners Sermon at Whitehall March 10. 1635. p. 19. Statut. 1 Carol. The Religious observation of the Lords-day who doubts but it is a part of Gods immediate worship 6. Finally The King and State have proclaimed as much Forasmuch as there is nothing more acceptable to God than the true and sincere worship of Him according to His holy will And that the holy keeping of the Lords-day is a principall part of the true service of God We have what we have argued for And with this we rest and end our first Part. FINIS