on such things and at such times as might carry the greatest shew of being exempted as namely 1 Gathering of Manna d when they were fed but from hand to mouth as they say 2 Making of the Tabernacle e thogh it were the place wherein the Lord should be served 3 Working in harvest time f yea though it commeth but once a yeare and for mans life is most necessary 4 Keeping of faires and markets g carrying of things to be sold and selling of victualls there though then indeed much might be gained As it appeareth by the manifolde Commandements both generall and speciall for the Sabbaoth what manner of rest it is that must be kept so also is it made evident by the vrging and repeating of the word so often in so manie words and so particularly as we have seene before in Exod. 16.23 c. which rest thus vrged is two fold 1 Outward and of the whole body and that is two fold 1 From doing any of the foresaid things forbidden by speciall commaund or other workes whatsoever we vse or may doe lawfully on the sixe daies and they be of two sorts 1 Works of our Vocation And therefore it is not lawfull on the Sabbaoth day for Carriers to travell with their carriages h for Schoolemaisters to teach or studie humanitie for Physitians to reade bookes of surgery or physicke for Lawyers to studie the case peruse evidences c. nor for Iudges and Iustices to ride their circuites or sit in iudgement because all these are the ordinarie duties of their vocation which belong to the sixe daies except in cases excepted in the next chapter 2 Works of our Recreation yea though they be honest and at other times lawfull For 1 If the duties of our vocation without which a Common-wealth cannot stand must cease when we should attend vppon the Lordes worke much more must our pleasures cease without which men may continue though not well 2 As the works of our recreation are lesse needefull than those of our vocation so they doe more hinder vs from the sanctifying of the Sabbaoth by reason of the excessive delight which our corrupt nature doth take in them 2 From speaking and hearing of worldly businesse and that for two causes 1 Because much talking and hearing of worldly businesse doe as much hinder the sanctifying of the Sabboth as much working doe for 1 We may worke alone we cannot talke but with others and so wee hinder both our selves and others too 2 Our mindes cannot be set wholly vpon the worship and service of God as they should and at the same time be talking and hearing of i worldly matters 2 Because this Commandement must be no more restrained then the other And therefore vaine wordes and worldly speeches are heer also forbidden k as well as profane speeches in the first as naming of false gods in the second as vaine othes in the third as contemptuous speeches in the fift as railing wordes in the sixt as filthy words in the seventh as covetous speeches in the eight slandrous words in the ninth 2 Inward and of the minde viz. from studying and thâ—â— â—â—th day worldly matters and great 〈◊〉 there is so to beleeve For 1 The whole law was given to the whole man 2 The creation redemption and preservation to the glorification both of body and soule do bind vs to obey God both in bodie and minde 3 The law cannot else be perfect and absolute like the Law-giver who as he is a spirit so hee will be served in spirit and mind 4 Except our mindes be emptied of all worldly affaires there can be no roome for heavenly meditations to dwell in 5 The very end why we dispatch our hands of our businesse is that our mindes might not be disturbed with them THE PROOFES a Exod. 16.23 To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabboth vnto the Lord and chapter 〈…〉 daies shall men worke but the 〈…〉 day is the Sabbaoth of the holy rest vnto the Lord whosoever doth any worke in the Sabbaoth day shall die the death and 35.2 as before b Exod. 20.10 But the seventh day is the Sabbaoth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke c. c Exod. 31.14 Hee that defileth it meaning the Sabbaoth shall die the death Therefore whosoever worketh therein the same person shall be even cut off from among his people Ier. 17.27 But if yee will not heare me to sanctifie the Sabbaoth day and not to beare a burden nor to goe through the gates of Ierusalem on the Sabbaoth day then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof and it shall devoure the pallaces of Ierusalem and shall not be quenched d Exod. 16.26 Six daies shall ye gather it but in the seventh day is the Sabbaoth in it there shall be none 27. Notwithstanding there went out some on the seventh day to gather but they found none 28. And the Lord said vnto Moses How long refuse yee to keepe my Commandements and my lawes 29. Behold how the Lord hath given you the Sabbaoth therefore hee giveth you the sixth day bread for two daies tarry therefore everie man in his place let no man goe out of his place the seventh day 30. So the people rested the seventh day c Exod. 31.12 Afterward the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 13. Speake thou also vnto the children of Israel saying Notwithstanding keepe yee my Sabbaoths for it is a signe betweene me and you c. f Exo. 34.21 Six daies thou shalt worke and in the seventh day thou shalt rest both in earing time and in the harvest thou shalt rest g Nehe. 13.15 In those daies saw I in Iudah those that trode wine presses on the Sabbaoth day and which brought in sheaves and laded Asses also with wine grapes and figges and all burthens and brought them into Ierusalem on the Sabbaoth day and I protested to them in the day that they sold victualls 16. There dwelt men of Tyrus also therein which brought fish and all wares and sold on the Sabbaoth day vnto the children of Iudah even in Ierusalem 19. And when the gates of Ierusalem beganne to be darke before the Sabbaoth I commanded to shut the gates and charged that they should not be opened vntill after the Sabbaoth c. h Ier. 17.21 Thus saith the Lord Take heede to your soules and beare no burden in the Sabbaoth day nor bring it in by the gates of Ierusalem 22. Neither carry forth burdens out of your houses on the Sabbaoth day i Math. 6.24 No man can serve two masters k Esa 58.13 If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbaoth from doing thy will on my holy day and call the Sabbaoth a delight to consecrate it as glorious to the Lord and shall honour him not doing thy own waies nor seeking thine owne will nor speaking a vaine word then shalt thou delight in the Lord c. What works may be done vpon the Sabbaoth day CHAP.
For 1 The Lord saith heere Remember c. that is thinke of it before hand to shew that except it be thought vpon before it come for the ordering of our businesse accordingly we cannot keepe it as it should be kept 2 Those things which in the other Commandements are vnderstood are expressed in this For first in this Commaundement both the good is expresly commanded and the evill expresly forbidden in the other Commandement it is not so Secondly heere we are expresly charged with our selves and those that belong vnto vs in the rest it is not so 3 Heere be more reasons vsed than in al the rest they be in number 3. 1 The first is drawne from the equitie of the thing commaunded for seeing as God giveth vs sixe daies for our own businesse reason requireth that we should keepe the seventh day for his Maiesties vse 2 The second is drawne from Gods example that we may be like our Creator in that point of resting the seventh day 3 The third reason is taken from the end of that blessing which the Lord bestowed vpon that day for he blessed this day with a spetiall blessing to this end onely viz. to his service and to no other From this multiplicitie of reasons heere vsed we may gather foure things 1 The greatnesse of Gods goodnesse who perswadeth vs by reasons when he might compell vs by his onely and absolute authority 2 The excellency of that dutie which is heere so many waies enforced 3 The necessitie of it 4 How rebellious our nature is especially against this Commandement that must be drawn to the liking of it by so many reasons So much for the manner of Commanding Now of the matter that is Commanded and that is double 1 That a day of rest must be kept 2 That this rest must be sanctified Concerning the day of rest foure points are to be considered 1 That a Sabbaoth day or day of rest must of necessitie be continued in the Church of God vnto the end of the world See chap. 2. 2 That this rest must be vppon one certaine day and what day that must be See chap. 3. 3 What manner of rest it is that must be kept See chap. 4. And what workes may be done that day See chap. 5. 4 To whom the observation of this rest is enioyned See chap. 6. With obiects aunswered chap. 7. Concerning the sanctifying of this rest foure points are to be considered of 1 What is meant by sanctifying the Sabbaoth day See chap. 8. 2 By what meanes the Sabbaoth day must be sanctified which must be by performing of duties 1 Publike and they be of two sorts 1 Of Piety See cha 9. 2 Of Pitty See cha 10. 2 Private and those are also two fold 1 More private such as are to be done by every man alone See chap. 11. 2 Lesse private or such as are to be performed with others See cha 12. and 13. 3 By whom those meanes must be put in practise whereby the Sabbaoth is to be sanctified See chap. 14. 4 What obiections commonly are made against the sanctification of the Sabbaoth or any part of the doctrine thereof See chap. 15. Of the Continuance of a Sabbaoth CHAP. II. THe Continuance of a Sabbaoth must be graunted and not bee doubted of or else in vaine doe we exhort to the keeping holy of a Sabbaoth Now the Continuance of a Sabbaoth or day of Rest may be prooved two waies 1 By the antiquity of the Sabbaoth 2 By the ends for which it was first ordained The antiquity of the Sabbaoth day is very great for 1 So soone as there was a seventh day created so soone was it made a Sabbaoth day and sanctified to a holy vses 2 From the first institution of it it was kept among the Hebrewes by tradition vntill the b Law was given 3 From the law vntill Christs time it was kept by the Iews according to the fourth Commaundement of the morall law 4 Our Saviour Christ at his comming by his practise did establish it c and his Apostles after d him 5 The christian Churches ever since the Apostles time have kept a Sabbaoth day according to the practise and writings of the Apostles So much of the antiquitie of the Sabbaoth day Now of the ends for which a Sabbaoth or day of Rest was first ordained and those were two 1 The first was a more principall end and that was to further both Adam at the first and Adams posteritie for ever in the true worship of God Now so long as the worshippe of God must continue in the Church so long must the Sabbaoth continue which was made a subordinate meanes and helpe vnto the same But the worshippe of God must continue for ever in the world Therefore also while the world standeth a Sabbaoth day must be continued 2 The second end of a Sabbaoth was lesse principall and that was to helpe Nature and to maintaine bodily strength Exod. 23.12 And in regard of these two ends it is still most necessary which may appeare by reasons 1 Generall and those may bee drawne 1 From the greater to the lesse For if Adam in his best estate had neede of a Sabbaoth day wherein he might serve God by meditating vppon his works by praying vnto him for the continuance of his grace and by praising his name for benefites received c. and all because hee might fall then much more neede have we of a Sabboth day being so grievously fallen that so we may recover our selves againe 2 From the effectes of sinne For after sinne had entred the first strength decayed then came in corruption and weaknesse paine and wearinesse and all fore-runners of death with death it self in regard whereof we all crave helpe of ease and rest without which we cannot long endure And therefore looke how much we are weakned broken more then our fore-fathers were and Adam in Paradice so much more need have we of a Sabboth that is a rest then they had 2 Speciall and these in regard 1 Of the wicked who vpon the six daies never reade the scriptures nor hear them nor pray nor meditate nor conferre of religion but by this mercifull ordinance of a Sabbaoth they are driven to doe that which they would not otherwise doe by which meanes eyther some good may be wrought in them if they belong vnto God or else they shall be left without excuse in the day of the Lord. 2 In regard of the godly themselves who oftentimes also neglect the exercises of Gods worship in the weeke daies but are driven by this meanes of a Sabbaoth to supply their former wants to their greater good THE PROOFES a Gen. 2.3 So God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from all his worke which God had created and made b Exod. 16.23 And he answered and said this is that which the Lord hath said To morrow is the holy rest of the Sabbaoth
vnto the Lord bake that to day which ye will bake c. c Luke 4.16 And hee came to Nazareth where he had beene brought vp and as his custome was went into the Synagogue on the Sabbaoth day and stoode vp to reade d Acts 13.14 But when they departed from Perga they came to Antiochia a Citie of Pisidia and went into the Synagogue on the Sabbaoth day and sate downe ver 15. And after the lecture of the Law and Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue sent vnto them saying Yee men and brethren if yee have any word of exhortation for the people say on Then Paul stoode vp c. verse 42. And when they were come out of the Synagogue of the Iewes the Gentiles besought that they would preach these words to them the next Sabbaoth day verse 44. And the next Sabbaoth day came almost the whole Citie together to heare the word of God Chap. 17.2 And Paul as his manner was went in vnto them and three Sabbaoth daies disputed with them by the Scriptures e Sixe daies thou shalt d ee thy worke and in the seventh day thou shalt rest that thy Oxe and thy Asse may rest and the sonne of thy maide and the stranger may be refreshed Deut. 5.14 But the seventh day is the Sabbaoth of the Lord thy God thou shalt not doe any worke therein nor thy sonne nor thy daughter nor thy man servant nor thy maide nor thy one nor thy usse neither any of thy cattell nor the stranger that is within thy gates that thy man servant and thy maide may rest as well as thou Marke 2.27 And he said to them the Sabbaoth was made for man and not man for the Sabbaoth Of the day that the Sabbaoth must be kept vpon CHAP. III. AS there must be a Sabbaoth or day of rest continued in the Church of God while the world continueth so this Sabbaoth must be vpon one certaine day of the weeke and that is the seventh day for so God hath appointed first at the creation a secondly at the giving of the Law in Mount Sinai b But not that seventh day which was from the first creation of the world for that was once changed vnto the first day of the weeke the day after the Iews Sabbaoth which we now keepe for the Sabbaoth day Acts 20.7 concerning which change three things are diligently to be considered 1 That it was made by the Apostles could be made by none so fitly as by them and that for two causes 1 Because they had the best gifts for they had the spirit of truth to leade them into all truth c And therefore could see further into things thē the rest of the church 2 Because by reason of their great Apostolicall authority they could prevaile more then thers 2 That the Apostles made this change of the day vpon good reasons made knowne to the Church and those were cheefely two 1 In memorie of the second creation of the world by Christ because on that day the Lord Iesus did most gloriously rise againe and so conquered death sinne and hell and finished the worke of mans Redemption which was a second creation 2 Then the Lord Iesus having as it were made the world new againe hee did 1 Cease suffering as God at the end of the first creation ceased working 2 Begin his glorious rest and so continueth in rest and glorie for ever In which respects 1 The time of the Gospel is called the world that was to come d The heavens and the earth are called New e and all things men all are called new f creatures 2 This new Sabbaoth also is called by a new name viz. the Lords day g of the Lord Iesus concerning which name two things are to be noted 1 That it must be retained with the day because part of the honour and estimation of the day consisteth in giving it his right name 2 That it dooth no whit abate the glory of the first creation nor of the first Sabbaoth but being added vnto it as a further honour doth increase the dignitie of it even as Iacob was more renowned of God when he was also called Israel 3 That this first day of the Iewes weeke which we now keepe for the Sabbaoth is that Sabbaoth day which was ordained by the Apostles through the direction of Gods spirite and therefore must remaine for ever and never more be changed For 1 Vppon this day the Primitive churches with the consent of the Apostles vsed to assemble and to exercise all the parts of Gods worshippe which were proper to the Sabbaoth day h 2 The Apostle Saint Paul willeth that to be done vpon this day which is most fit for the Sabbaoth day and that is collecting for the poore i as more at large is shewed in chapter 10. 3 This day hath beene kept of all Churches ever since the Apostles time and in all the new Testament is nothing found to controle the same neither was it ever resisted by the Apostles but hath beene by their writings approved and by their practise confirmed vnto vs. THE PROOFES a Gen 2.3 So God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it c. b Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbaoth day to keepe it holy c. verse 10. But the seventh day is the Sabbaoth of the Lord thy God c Iohn 16.13 Howbeit when hee is come which is the spirit of truth he will leade you into all truth d Heb. 2.5 For he hath not put in subiection vnto the Angells the world to come whereof we speake e Esa 65.17 For loe I will create new heavens and a new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde verse 18. But be you glad and reioyce for ever in the things that I shall create for behold I will create Ierusalem as a reioycing and her people as a ioy f 〈◊〉 Cor. 5.17 Therefore if any man be in Christ let him be a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new g Apoc. 1.10 And I was in the spirit on the Lords day h Acts 20.7 And the first day of the weeke the Disciples being come together to breake bread Paul preached vnto them i 1. Corin. 16.2 Euery first day of the weeke let every one of you put aside by himselfe and lay vp as God hath prospered him that then there be no gatherings when I come What manner of rest must be kept CHAP. IIII. IT is not enough to keepe a rest but we must keepe a most precise and exact rest and that may appeare vnto vs two waies 1 By the manifold Commaundements even for the keeping of the Sabbaoth 2 By the vrging and repeating of the word Rest in so many words so often and so a particularly All the Commandements given for the keeping of the Sabbaoth are two fold Generall whereof some be without b penalties expressed and some be with c penalties annexed Speciall wherein the Lord forbiddeth his people to worke
be to him that is borne in the land and to the stranger that dwelleth among you f Levit. 25.3 Six years thou shalt sowe thy field six yeares thou shalt cut thy vineyard and gather the fruit thereof 4. But the seventh yeare shall be a Sabbaoth of rest vnto the land the Lords Sabbaoth thou shalt neither sowe thy field nor cut thy vineyard Obiections against the first part answered CHAP. VII OBiections which are commonly made against the doctrine of the Rest are of two sorts viz. such as arise 1 Of some scruple or doubt of conscience among the better sort 2 Of mindes possessed either with a prowd perswasion of mans owne sufficiencie to keepe the Law as the Papists and popish Protestants are or else with greedie covetousnesse and distrustfulnesse of Gods providence as worldlings be Obiections of the first sort are chiefely two which with their answers are as followeth 1 Obiection Christs observation of the Sabbaoth day maketh no more for the continuance of a Sabbaoth then his observing of Circumcision the Passeover the sacrifices and other Iewish ceremonies doth make for the continuance of them But they were all abolished by his death being typicall and ceremoniall and so might the Sabbaoth too being but ceremoniall neyther To this obiection wee answer two waies 1 So much of the Sabbaoth day as was Iewish and ceremoniall is taken away as namely the restraint of a meate dressing and b kindling of fires but as for the day of Rest serving vnto Gods worshippe it was not ceremoniall but morall and therefore was not taken away 2 The Sabbaoth day stoode vpon a surer ground then the whole ceremoniall Law namely the publike worship of God and the releefe of nature which ends of the Sabboth are perpetuall and therefore the Sabboth day also must be perpetuall neither could it with the ceremoniall Law be taken away Now that it was not taken away appeareth by the practise and writings First of all the Apostles in generall long after Christs death and after they had received the holy Ghost Acts 13.14 42 44 and 17.2 as hath been shewed in chap. 2. at the letter d Secondly of Iohn who wrote 97. yeares after Christs ascention and doth plainely avouch the continuance of it by this new and honourable name the Lords day Apoc. 1.10 a name then best knowne to the Church 2 Obiection The Sabbaoth was a memoriall to the Iewes of their deliverance out of Aegypt c therefore that people being now gone to whom that deliverance did belong the Sabbaoth is also gone with them To this Obiection wee likewise answer two waies 1 That the Iewes having that reason to move them besides the other before mentioned were the more straitly bound to the keeping of the Sabbaoth but wee also are bound to keepe it as well as they 2 That it was required of all men long before those reasons were annexed vnto it yea for many hundreth yeares before the Iewes were a people and therefore though those people be gone yet the Sabbaoth is not gone with them 3 Obiection Col. 2.16 Let no man condemne you in respect of an holy day new Moone or Sabbaoth It seemeth by these words that wee are set free from keeping any Sabbaoth at all Answer The Apostle meaneth the time of the Iewish Sabbaoth and other Iewish feasts which being typicall the abolishing whereof may by this place be iustly warranted but yet the Sabbaoth is not abolished with the Iewish day sith Christ hath warranted the whole Law every iot or tittle of it to remaine 4 Obiection The Sabbaoth it selfe is ceremoniall Exo. 31.13 it is made a signe of our sanctification Answer There is some difference betweene a signe and a shadow for shadowes signifie things to come but signes things alreadie come as well as to come The signes in Aegypt were tokens of Gods anger the Sacraments are signes to confirme our faith Rom. 4.10 and Christs miracles were signes to shew forth his glory Ioh. 2.11 yet none of these were shadowes So the Sabboth is a signe memorative to put vs in mind of our sanctificatiō but yet no shadow Indeede the strict keeping of the Rest by the Iewes commanded Exod. 16.23 was a shadow as well as the seventh day yet the Rest commanded in the fourth precept was not so neither had it any ceremony annexed thereunto 5 Obiection Gal. 4.10 Paul saith Hee is afraid that hee hath bestowed his labour vpon them in vaine Because they observe daies and times Where the Apostle seemeth to disallow set times An. The Apostle condemns not al set times for he both kept set times himself with others Act. 20.7 and appointed the first day in the weeke for collectiōs both at Corinth Galatia 1. Cor. 16. But he speakes of those Iewish dais times years which he saith were shadowes of things to come Col. 2.17 and done away by the comming of Christ who was the bodie of all those ceremoniall shadowes of which sort were their Sabbaoths of yeares as namely every seventh yeare wherein the ground did rest from tilling and everie yeare of Iubile wherein bond men went out free and alienated possessions returned againe to the owners Levit. 25.10 And next their Sabbaoths of daies which also were of two sorts ceremoniall and morall Of the first sort were the Passeover Penticost the new Moone and the feast of Tabernacles which in Levit. 23. are called Sabbaoths and also their morall Sabbaoth as touching the time of it and the strictnesse of keeping the rest vpon it and betweene these ceremoniall Sabbaoths and the morall Sabbaoths was great difference as appeareth Levit. 23.37 38. These are the feasts of the Lord which yee shall call holy Convocations c. besides the Sabbaoth of the Lord. 6 Obiection Rom. 14.5 6. The Apostle seemeth to make all daies alike either to be observed or not observed Answer He saith that some men did count them so but the Apostle maketh no such account and the question moved there is not betweene the Iew and the Gentile as some thinke but betweene the stronger Christian and the weaker chap. 5.1 The Stronger esteemeth one day above another which appeareth in that there was a day both commanded received and approved in the Church then the weaker is hee that holds every day alike So that if men count all daies alike it is an argument of their weakenesse whose infirmitie as yet must be borne with so long as it may be for their good to edification chap. 15.2 But if any shall obstinately and with a high hand hold and defend that the Lords day is but as another day we are to rebuke them sharpely that others may feare Obiections of the second sort are as followeth 1 Obiection If it be thus strait as that we must rest in thought word and deede who can keepe it or abide it But we can perfectly fulfill the Law so saith the Counsell of Trent Sess 6. cha 18. Therefore the Sabbaoth day is