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A17418 The doctrine of the Sabbath vindicated in a confutation of a treatise of the Sabbath, written by M. Edward Breerwood against M. Nic. Byfield, wherein these five things are maintained: first, that the fourth Commandement is given to the servant and not to the master onely. Seecondly, that the fourth Commandement is morall. Thirdly, that our owne light workes as well as gainefull and toilesome are forbidden on the Sabbath. Fourthly, that the Lords day is of divine institution. Fifthly, that the Sabbath was instituted from the beginning. By the industrie of an unworthy labourer in Gods vineyard, Richard Byfield, pastor in Long Ditton in Surrey. Byfield, Richard, 1598?-1664. 1631 (1631) STC 4238; ESTC S107155 139,589 186

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Saviours ascension Gods people hath alwayes in all ages without any gaine-saying used to come together ken of which was the point of the Apostles doctrine I especially remembred you of That God I say which commanded and that doctrine which instructed servants to disobey their Masters and by depriving them of their service caused their hindrance The Apostle knew full well this was not the way to propagate the Gospell and enlarge the kingdome of Christ he knew it was Christian meekenes and obedience and humility and patience that must doe it and therefore hee commandeth Christian servants to give their masters all honour to obey them in all things and to please them in al things that so their masters seeing them more serviceable and profitable servants and withall more vertuous than others were might sooner be drawne to like of the religion that made them such whereas the contrary would have bin manifestly a scandall and grievous impeachment to the propagation of the Gospell and defamed it for a doctrine of contumacy and disobedience and for a seminary as it were of disturbance and sedition of families and common-wealths And not onely alienated the affections of masters from their Christian servants but inflamed all men with indignation and hatred against the Christian religion and the Professors of it Such therefore evidently is the importance and intendment of the Apostles doctrine as unpartiall men whom prejudice or selfe conceipt leads not away may soone discerne very farre differing from this doctrine of yours Touching which point of the Apostles instruction given to servants for this effectuall and generall obedience you will not reply I hope as some have done that at first indeede it was permitted for the good of the Church lest the increase of it and proceeding of the Gospell should be hindred by offence given to the Gentiles For would that have beene permitted if it had beene unlawfull Or could the Church of God bee increased by the sinnes of men His Church increased by that whereby himselfe was dishonoured Or would the Apostles have permitted men to sinne as now Iesuites do for the good of the Church nay exhorted and commanded to it who had himselfe expresly taught that wee must not doe evill that good may come of it No neither of both can bee because either of both were a staine and derogation to the righteousnesse of God the intention therefore of the Apostles was simple without all trickes of policie to teach servants all exact and entire obedience to their masters touching all workes that belong to the dutie of servants namely that were in themselves honest and lawfull without excepting of any day Answer First here you would prove your Tenet for servants obedience to their masters commands for worke on the Lords day even worke prohibited to bee more agreeable to the Apostles Doctrine than the contrary and to this end you alledge Texts to prove their obedience in al things to all masters at all times and thence conclude the answerablenesse of yours the unanswerablenesse of ours thereunto First object that you bring no proofe of Scripture to confirme this your universall obedience at all times viz. on the Sabbath day though you should have done it especially the doctrine of the Commandement touching cessation of worke lying so fully upon the servant If you reply that there is no exception of time I answer there is exception of obedience to unlawfull commands and such are workes otherwise lawfull enjoyned to bee done on the Sabbath and so we have equivalent exceptions to that of time Your ground therefore which you lay and say it is founded on Apostolike truth namely that Apostles permit servants no point of libertie but command them obedience without exception of master of labour or of time we thus impugne The Apostles Doctrine touching servants obedience doth admit of three limitations by themselves expressed First it must be an obedience in the Lord n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scholia that is according to the will of the Lord in all things in which godlinesse may not be overthrowne in all things provided that we admit of nothing against the Lord. If the masters covenant should crosse the covenant of the servant as he is a man and Christian to his God it is sinfull in the making if such should be made and worse in the keeping and alwayes voide ipso facto The ground of this limitation is this that all authoritie and superioritie is derived from God and subordinate to him therefore the command of an inferior power binds not to obedience when it is contrary to the precept of the superior power as Durand o Durand lib. 2. distinct 39. quaest 5. well noteth That therefore of Gregorie touching wives must bee held touching servants for ever p Sic placeat uxor voluntati conjugis ut non displiceat voluntati conditoris Let the wife so please the will of her husband that she doe not displease the Will of her Creator This limitation excepts the servants labour in servile worke on the Sabbath or Lords day Secondly it must bee an obedience wherein they abide with God in their service that is in the observation of the Commandements of God saith the ordinarie Glosse q Glossa interlin and saith Lyra r 1 Cor. 7. 20 24 Lyra. as farre as pertaines to those things which are not repugnant to the state of Faith thus also your doctrine is plainely condemned for God hath provided by his unchangeable Law that one day in seven the servants shall rest from their labour and with their master attend on God with whom there is neither master nor servant Thirdly yea but the master commands him to worke then otherwise indeede he ought not Nay the Apostles doctrine hath yet a third limitation That they be not the servants of men Vpon which place saith Chrysostome ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost tom 3. in 1 Cor. 7. 23. pag. 362. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. pag. 363. There are bounds set of God to servants and how farre they ought to keepe them this is also ordered by Law and they may not passe over them for when the master enjoyneth none of those things which are displeasing to God and disallowed hee ought to follow and obey but beyond this by no meanes for thus the servant is a free man And if thou yeeld any further although thou were free thou art become a slave This therefore he intimates saying bee yee not the servants of men And not farre after he briefly expounds it thus t Obey not men that command absurd things yea neither yeeld to their owne selves Are not these Commandements of the masters for servile worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absurd and without place and footing in Gods Word are they not of things displeasing to God These these are the servants limits beyond which if hee passe hee is the servant of men even of mens humours and a very slave because hee
signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 page 56 57 58. CHAP. XIIII Sheweth What worke for kinde is forbidden on the Sabbath and how the Aduersaries argument makes against him page 59 60. The text in Esa 58. 13. vindicated from his false glosse and vnfolded page 60 61 62. Diuers things about the forme and residence of sinne page 62 63. How farre this is true that the Minister of anothers exorbitant will sinneth not page 64. The vanitie of that distinction that the Seruants worke done in obedience to his Master is his naturally not Morally pag. 64 65. CHAP. XV. Sheweth How sinne is attributed to the members and that properly the man sinneth page 66 67. The faultinesse of our Aduersaries Reasoning about a Naturall and Voluntary Instrument of sinne page 67 68. What takes Voluntarinesse from a deed and the danger of that speech worke on the Sabbath hath sinne annexed to it page 68. CHAP. XVI Prooueth these particulars The Seruants working on the Sabbath impeacheth his seruing of God page 72 73. The Distinction of forbidding Nakedly and Immediately is vaine and freeth not him that doth the thing forbidden from sin page 73 74. The specification of the Seruant in the Commandement makes his working neuer the lesse his sinne but the more and the venime of that word Exception page 74 75. The Gouernour is charged more then the gouerned in respect of a Politicall obseruance of the Commandement not of a personall page 75. The fourth Commandement is a Law of Nature by Reasons Authorities and the Aduersaries owne words page 75 76 77. To worke on the Sabbath is euill materially page 78 79. The danger of that Position that prohibitions in the Commandements are caused by the Natiue illnesse of that which is prohibited page 79. The footsteps of euery specialtie in the fourth Commandement found among the Gentiles page 80 81 82 83 84. Gomarus exceptions against this answered page 84 to 87. Our Aduersaries reasons answered with a proofe that the fourth Commandement was kept by the Patriarkes before the Law giuen in Sinai page 87 to 90. CHAP. XVII Prooueth that the Seruant in such worke sinneth as consenter to his Masters sinne where the wayes of partaking with other mens sins are layd downe page 92 93 94. Decideth a great Case viz. what workes Seruants may doe on the Sabbath page 94 95. With Cautions both to Master and Seruant page 96. CHAP. XVIII Sheweth that the Seruant in this case may breake the Morall Law and yet not fall vnder the Iudiciall Law page 98. Some fearefull examples of Gods justice on Inferiours working that day at the command of Superiours page 98 to 102. CHAP. XIX Prooueth that light workes that are our owne are forbidden on the Sabbath by foure arguments page 104 105. A large explication of the meaning of the Hebrew word Melachah page 105 106. Authorities to prooue this Doctrine page 107 108. CHAP. XX. Our Aduersaries senselesse Answer to that place Exod. 35. 3. with the true meaning thereof page 109 110. The clearing of the Instances of our Sauiour in commanding some workes to be done on the Sabbath page 111. That that which some Diuines terme Christian libertie on the Sabbath is no other then Christian dutie to the eternall Law and was the Iewes freedome also page 111 to 114. CHAP. XXI Sheweth that to worke on the Lords day is a breach of the fourth Commandement pag. 116. 117. Where to find the Lords Sabbath pag. 117. 118. Authorities to prooue this page 118. 119. That the Lord Christ translated the day and that it is of diuine authority and of the Lords owne institution pag. 120. to 127. CHAP. XXII Sheweth the weakenesse of our Aduersaries position that the Lords day is by constitution of the most ancient Church and therefore Jus humanum a humane law and how he jumpes with Arminians and Papists pag. 128. CHAP. XXIII Examineth our aduersaries doctrine about the abolishing of the Iewes Sabbath and the proofes to prooue it ceremoniall pag. 129. 130. Declareth there is no ceremony in the fourth Commandement yet if there had beene it cannot cause the Sabbath to vanish pag. 131. 132. CHAP. XXIIII Sheweth the absurdity of this opinion that the Sabbath was translated by the Church and of the distinction of his generality and speciality of the Commandement pag. 133. 134. CHAP. XXV Prooueth notwithstanding that if the Church haue just power to translate the day the Commandement needes no translation but stands in force to binde vs to that day pag. 135. 136. CHAP. XXVI Prooueth that the speciality of the fourth Commandement inioyning one day of seuen and the seuenth and a whole day and that with precise vacancy from worke is morall pag. 138. to 144. In speciall that Gomarus his evasions are frigid and senselesse page 140 141. That the Commandement yeeldeth inforcing consequents for the Lords day page 144. CHAP. XXVII Prooueth that the Commandement of God bindeth equally and as strongly for the Lords day as it did for the Iewish Sabbath pag. 146. CHAP. XXVIII Disprooueth the distinction of Sanctification and exact vacation on the Sabbath and the Instance of the Popes Succession of Peter Idlely applyed to the Lords daies Succession of the Iewish Sabbath page 147 148. CHAP. XXIX Deliuereth Authorities of Fathers to prooue a generall restraint of labours on the Lords day page 149 to 152. The constitution of Constantine answered by constitutions of the same Emperour and by that of Leo with an Apologie in briefe for Constantine page 152 153. The clearing of the Councell of Laodicea page 154 155 156. CHAP. XXX Sheweth the vanitie of our Aduersaries Reasons and wish to perswade notwithstanding his Doctrine as devout an obseruation of the Lords day as the Iewes held of their day page 157 158 159. The sound Doctrine of our Church concerning the Sabbath and the full concord betweene it and ours with the plaine dissent thereof from our Aduersaries page 159 160 161. CHAP. XXXI Deliuereth Constitutions of Churches and Edicts of Princes that forbid and censure light workes page 162 163. Constitutions that bound Masters in commanding and free the Seruants in obeying that day page 163 164. CHAP. XXXII Sheweth three limitations laid downe by the Apostles touching Seruants obedience page 167 168. There can come no dishonour to the Gospel nor inconuenience to seruants dwelling with heathen masters by their obseruing of the Sabbath pag. 170. 171. 172. This doctrine is no seminary of disturbance or contumacy p. 173. The obedience to this command doth not alienate masters from their Christian seruants pag. 173. 174. CHAP. XXXIII Sheweth that Antiquity doth beare out the seruant in refusing the doing of seruile workes at his masters command vpon the Lords day pag. 176. 177. That the cause of the persecution of Christians was their withdrawing of themselues from obedience to their superiours pag. 178. What the Heathens and many of the Papists doe teach concerning this doctrine pag. 179. CHAP. XXXIV Sheweth that
which I tooke to bee amisse in his Doctrine by my first letter and in himselfe by my later which I hope e e Note his desire to have that base reply to come to Master Byfield after he saw cause to mistrust his cosins wickednesse and dissimulation and yeelded to cease the contention afore this you have received and delivered him If my writing rellish of too much sharpenesse contrary to my ordinary disposition the griefe I conceived of my Nephews misdemeanure of which I know no other occasion and his refusing to satisfie me where I had reason to require it and his returning me in stead of that satisfaction hard language were the causes of it But seeing he hath not the minde or as you say the leasure to yeeld me that satisfaction which I wished and which I should have indevoured to have given him on the like occasion and withall I see you so desirous to appease the quarrell f f There would then have been hot worke if Master Byfield would have given the second blow I am content to leave all as it is Let him satisfie himselfe and I have done Yet thus farre withall let me if not justifie yet excuse my passion to you Cosen who have some Nephewes of your owne and know the condition of my Nephew how hard it was to bring him into a good course and how apt he was to runne into an ill being withall a fatherlesse and motherlesse Orphane Imagine I say how the ruine or great likelihood of ruine g g Suppose it had beene so indeede as you conjectured how could his ruine have followed any way serving such a Master as you have heard in the answer to the occasion Chap. 36. and making conscience of such a commandement of God of such a One having the like relation to your selfe that that Youth to mee and being left by his dead Friends to your care would have affected you or how this case of this very Youth would have affected his Father or Grandfather if they had been alive But howsoever I remit all with all my heart Master Byfield h Note this speech shall never heare more of it from me And so I would advise him also to lay aside all rancour and bitternesse and in the Name of God proceed in the Ministery and service of God As for mee hee may without any impeachment notwithstanding this or any other dislike of mine Concerning the sending of his letter back out of which I charged him with some points I must intreat you to give me some respite to advise for in my last letter to him I have charged him with these points wherein while I have the letter I am able to justifie I have not wronged him but if the letter were out of my hands I stand at his curtesie for the imputation of a slander in charging him with that which I cannot the letter gone bee able to proove But this I will promise assure you Cosen on my honest word which I never have for ought I know and never will by the grace of God break with you that his letter shal never turne him to any prejudice at all and therwith I pray you rest contented til I can otherwise determine The other letter of my Nephewes to your wife I am forced also a little to deferre Master Shipton cannot yet finde it yet hee is assured it is in his Counting-house and promiseth she shall assuredly have it on his next leasure to search it out I am glad with all my heart of the sonne God hath given you Whom I beseech to send you more to increase your comfort more and to blesse this he hath now given you with long life and with the grace of his holy spirit which may ever grow up with him To Gods goodnesse I commend you all in much haste Iuly 27. Your ever true and assured loving friend Edward Breerwood M. Breerwood kept his word but the more hath this Publisher wronged him He shewed in truth neither charity nor zeale in venting this booke so long after the decease of these two learned men in this striking at the repute of a grave Divine that through indignity cast on his person vility might steale one his writings which will prove more lasting then pillars of Marble and in essaying to overthrow the Authority and so the duties of the Lords day What reward shall be given to him that durst presume to remove the Churches old land-markes Shall not these learned men deceased rise up in judgment against him as against one that raked in their ashes who in their life bare the one of them strange provoking with such modesty and wisdome and concealed the other of them wrath and contention and quench't it when it began to fire in his face FINIS
must he therefore succeede him in equality of power The Lords day therefore succeedeth the Sabaoth in the point of sanctification for celebration of the assemblies for the Church hath precisely commanded that but not in the point of exact and extreme vacation from every kind of worke for that the Church hath not commanded and so although the Lords day may well be tearmed the heire of the Sabaoth yet is it not ex asse haeres as the civill Lawyers speake It inheriteth not the whole right of the Sabaoth for that right and prerogative of the Sabaoth was not given to the Sabaoth and its heires it was no fee simple and if I may speake in the Lawyers stile it was onely a tenure for tearme of life namely during the life of the ceremoniall law which life ended in the death of our Saviour This reason therefore of the succession of the Lords day in place of the Sabaoth is no reason Answer First what was acknowledged by the Church as injoyned by the point of vacancie from all labour without the least rellish of Iewish ceremonies wee shall see in the next Chapter Here onely wee examine your supposed confutation of a reason to prove it which reason is this The Lords day is succeeded in the place of the Sabbath or as some say as Heire of the Sabbath therefore to bee kept Sabbath-like You confute it thus If it succeeds it in place must it succeede in equall precisenesse of observation No It succeeded in point of Sanctification not of exact vacation I reply your distinction is not distinct for if in Sanctification then in exact vacation namely vacation Sabbaticall for if in the end in the meanes necessary to that end and for that end ordained which is exact vacation so farre as it may further Sanctification Now for your playing on the termes about an Heire it is frivolous Secondly for your instance in the Pope succeeding Peter arguing from place to power it little conduceth to this matter for the Pope succeedeth not in place Apostolicall if he did I should not much doubt of his power Apostolicall Had there beene a certaine Commandement of God to shew that God in his eternall Law commanded his people to obey the Apostolicall place But by place you mean roome not Officiall function and then what kinne betweene your instance and the matter in hand CHAP. XXIX Breerwood Pag. 45 46 47. ANy other reason besides this or else authority which I might in your behalfe object to my selfe I know none worthy mentioning for the commandement of God as I have proved is not of this day The commandement of the Church is of this day but not of these workes neither will all the histories of the ancient Church nor canons of the ancient councels nor any other monuments or registers of antiquity afford you as I am certainely perswaded search them as curiously as you can record of any such constitution of the Church for the generall restraint of workes on the Lords day You may finde I know in some of the ancient Fathers much sounding the prerogative of that day as that it was a holy day in * Hist Eccles lib. 4. cap. 22. Eusebius a day of Christian emblies in * Apolog. 2. Iustin Martyr and a day of rejoycing in * Apolog. c. 16 Tertullian a festivall day in * Epi. ad mag Ignatius and some more of the like but doth any of all these import or imply a generall restraint a desistance from all worke No they doe not neither shall you finde in these nor in any other records of antiquity any constitutions of the Apostles and of the first Church extant to that effect no nor any relation or remembrance that such a constitution had ever beene made by them nay I finde cleare evidence to the contrary for would Constantine the Great that most holy Emperour and best nursing Father of Christian religion that ever Prince was would he I say have licensed by his decree the country people freely liberè liciteque are the words of the constitution to attend their sowing of graine setting of vines and other husbandry on the Lords day if those workes had beene forbidden by the commandement of God or decree of the Apostles and first Church Or would the Fathers in the councell of Laodicea one of the most ancient and approved councells of the Church inioyne the vacancy of the Lords day with this condition And if men can Certainely servants full ill can if they be constrained by their Masters to worke would they I say have added such a condition had it beene simply unlawfull for all sorts of people by the ancient sanctification of the first Church to doe any worke that day It appeareth therefore that there were no such universall constitutions of the Church The actuall forbearing of all workes by some Christians that day stand not on nor on the exhortations of some ancient Fathers to that purpose some remembrances of both are to be found I know but these are particular examples and perswasions constitutions of the Church they are not edicts of sundry Princes likewise and decrees of some provinciall councells are extant I confesse in record to the same effect and those are constitutions indeede but partly not of the Church partly not universall nor very ancient and therefore are no sanctions to oblige the whole Church which beside the law of God and decrees of the Apostles to whom the government of the whole Church by our Saviour was committed and the canons of the universall Synods no positive constitution can doe Answer Having made it evident that the Commandement of God stands in force for our Sabbath I might easily cast off all that you shall say to the end of your Discourse but to cleare and scoure the coast and make it apparant that what you say is nothing and all maketh for us who in this thing hold the Truth we proceede You say you finde nothing for the generall restraint of works on the Lords day in any Historie cannon monument and register of Antiquitie but cleare evidence to the contrarie First for the first let the places you alleage speake out that all may heare them and not be blindly huddled up That in Euseb l. 4. cap. 22. is a passage in the Epistle of Dionysius Bishop of Corinth to Soter Bishop of Rome concerning the accustomed reading of the Epistle of Clement to the Corinths in their publike assemblies on the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lords day of which hee saith thus Wee have spent or passed through to the end of it the Lords day to day an Holy day Now to spend the Lords day throughout an holy day is not to spend any of it in servile worke let Scripture Heathen writers and all men testifie this was done saith that Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After their ancient custome Iustin Martyr after he hath recorded all the duties of their publike assemblies addeth this having spoken in the
precedent words of the administration of the Lords Supper But we after those things for the remainder of the time doe ever remember one another of these things and those of us which have any thing helpe every one that wants and are alwayes together one with another A little after hee saith that the assemblies on that day were frequented of all in Citie and Countrie prayer preaching and the Sacrament was administred Collections for the poore which was after the assemblies distributed to the needy imprisoned stranger with the like whom they visited Tertullian in that 16 chapter of his Apologie against the Gentiles gives this as one cause of their conjecture that Christians worshipped the Sunne because they kept the Sunday Holy Wee give our selves to joy saith hee the Sunday for another farre wide reason than in honour of Diem solis laetitiae indulgemus the Sunne are we in the second place from them which appoint Saturday to idlenesse and feeding themselves also wandring from the Iewish custome which they know not What meaneth he hereby but that such a solemnitie is kept and ought to bee by Christians as should exceede in that kinde the feasts of the nations and Heathen as in his booke of Idolatrie chap. 14. he speaketh Ignatius speaketh enough to any man not prepossessed for he saith let every lover of Christ celebrate the Lords day as festivall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek word signifieth a solemne festivall free from worke and workeday labour That others also of the ancients did understand this celebration to be with exact vacation is evident Saint Austin saith come ye to the Church every Lords day for if the unhappy Iewes doe celebrate the Sabbath with such devotion that in it no earthly workes were done how much more ought Christians to bee vacant to God alone on the Lords day and come together for the Salvation of their soules Againe Apostles and Apostolike men have therefore ordained that the Lords day be kept with religious solemnitie because in it our Redeemer arose from the Dead and which is therefore called the Lords day that in it abstaining from earthly affaires and the enticements of the world we may serve onely in divine worship That of Saint Clement is also worthy note neither on the Lords dayes which are dayes of joyfulnesse doe we grant any thing may be said or done besides holinesse Austin also in the sixt booke de Civitate Dei chap. 11. speaking of Seneca's scoffing at the Iewes Sabbath that they lost the seventh part of their time in vacancie addeth this Notwithstanding he durst not speake of the Christians even then most contrarie to the Iewes on either part lest either hee should praise them against the old custome of his owne Countrey or reprove them perhaps against his owne will Saint Austine likewise reproveth their telling of tales their slanders playing at dice and such unprofitable sports as if one part of the day were set apart for dutie to God and the rest of the day together with the night to their owne pleasures In the same place also he condemnes walking about the fields and woods when they should bee at Serm. 251. De Temp. Divine Service with clamour and laughter and saith the day must be sequestred a rurali opere ab omni negotio from countrey worke and all businesse that wee may give our selves wholly to the worship of God Saint Chrysostome speaking of the fitnesse of the Lords day for almes saith it is a convenient time to practise liberalitie with a ready and willing minde not onely in this regard but also because it hath rest remission freedome and vacation from labours Saint Ambrose q Ambros tom 3. Serm. 1. de granosinapis p. 225. reproving the peoples neglect of Church on the Lords dayes saith Whatsoever brother is not present at the Lords Sacraments of necessity he is with God a forsaker of the Divine truth For how can he excuse himselfe who preparing his dinner at home on the day of the Sacraments contemneth that heavenly Banket and taking care of the belly neglecteth the physicke of his soule The same Father in another place r Id. Serm. 33. pag. 259. tom 3. saith Let us all the day bee conversant in prayer or reading hee that cannot reade let him aske of some holy man that he may bee fed with his conference let no secular acts hinder divine acts let no Table-play carry away the mind let no pleasure of Dogs call away the senses let no dispatch of a businesse pervert the mind with covetousnesse True this Father in this place speaketh of a Fast but we know that a Fast and Sabbath are alike for the point of rest Saint ſ Hieron ad Rustich Dominicos dies orationi tantum lectionibus vacant Hierom also On the Lords day saith he they onely give themselves to prayer and reading Secondly now for your contrary evidences what if they also make for us You alleage a constitution of Constantines Iurge First the same Emperours Constitutions found in Ecclesiasticall Writers Eusebius in his life saith Wherefore he ordained that all that obeyed the Romane Empire should rest from all labour on the dayes that are called from our Saviours Name Further hee saith of this Christian Emperour He taught all his hoste to honour this day diligently those that partooke of the Divine Faith hee gave them leasure to frequent the Assemblies that no impediment should hinder their attendance on prayer but others that had no savor of Divine Doctrine hee gave charge of them by another Law that they should goe into the open fields of the Suburbs on the Lords day and that there altogether should use the same forme of prayer to God when asigne was given of some one of them for said he we ought not to use speares and place the hope of our affaires in weapons and bodily strength Sozomen in his tripartite history testifieth thus That day which is called the Lords day which the Hebrewes call the first day which the Grecians attribute to the Sunne and which is before the seventh day he ordained that all should cease from suites and other businesses and should onely bee occupied in prayers upon it t Sozom Hist Eccles tripert l. 1. c. 10. Behold Constantine against Constantine Secondly your Constitution is read Cod. l. 3. tit 12 l. 3. This Constitution was reversed by Leo the Emperour and another made in these words We ordaine according to the true meaning of the holy Ghost and of the Apostles thereby directed that on the sacred day wherein our integrity was restored all doe rest and surcease labour that neither husbandmen nor other on that day put their hands to forbidden workes for if the Iewes did so much reverence their Sabbath which was but a shadow of ours are not we which inhabit the light and truth of grace bound to honour that day which the Lord himselfe hath honoured and hath therein delivered