condemned cast into hell for their sins Speciall or temporarie laws are they which bind men or all men of some ages and in some times to some speciall service worship fit for the present state condition of the Church or to so some duties workes vvhich for the time are profittable to guid lead men to Christ therfore are sanctified of God set apart for that purpose â—uch are the lawes commandements of sacrificing bringing offerings first fruits to God of oxen sheep other cleane beasts birdes of the increase of the earth some of which lavves did binde all Gods people from the first promise of Christ even all the fathers from Adam untill Moses all Israell untill the comming of Christ such lawes were that of Circumcision given to AbrahaÌ„ as a seale of the covenant whâ—ch God made with him his seed that of the passouer and of the first borne all Leviticall ceremoniall lawes given to Israell by the hand of Moses such are the commandements of Baptisme the Lords Supper which binde all Christians under the Gospell There are also besides these severall kinds of lawes some mixt lawes of these some are partly in some respects naturall because they bind men to some duties vnto which nature binds them in some respects civill for they require things which tend to civill order government partly in some respects also evangellicall commanding things which tend to salvatioâ— in Christ. Some are partly morall perpetuall in that they require morall duties which are necessary vsefull at all times to the end of the world partly ceremoniall temporary in that they require obedience in things which are usefull onely in some cases and at some times As for example the law which God gaue from mount Sina wrote it in tables of stone it doth binde men not only to all morall duties which engrauen in the creation to weet all duties which man did owe to God as to his onely creatour to men as fellow creatures but also to such further duties degrees of obedience as man doth owe to God his only Saviour Redeemer in Christ to men Angels as his fellow sevants brethren meÌ„bers of one the same spirituall body under the same head Christ. And therefore God presseth and urgeth obedience to that law at the giuing thereof vpon this consideration and for this reason because hee is the Lord God the Redeemer and deliverer who as he delivered the naturall Israell from Egyptian bondage so by that typicall deliverance did foreshew and prefigure the spirituall redemption of all the spirituall bondage under sinne the world and the Devill To loue God aboue all and a mans neighbour as himselfe to honour Parents and to speake truth of euery one to giue leaue to every one freely to enjoy his owne and many such duties requited in the ten commandements are naturall and nature bound man to them in innocencie and in respect of them that law is nature But to beleeve in God as a Redeemer to visite and comfort the sick and distressed to honour parents pastors superiours as fathers in Christ and divers duties of neglatiue precepts as not to make images of God not to pollute Gods name by vaine swearing and such like the knowledge and thoughts of vvhich man had not in his heart by nature in the creation vvhich come into the vvorld by naturall corruptions and man vvas not subject to them untill he vvas seduced and fallen and brought into bondage by Satan they are posituallie morall and as the lavv commands them it is a positiue morall law yea in respect of some of them Evangelicall And as reverence and respect to civill Magistrates and men of higher place as they are superiours and men of greater power and authority which difference and equality came in by mans fall and flowes from Gods distribution of his common guifts in a different manner measure as I say this honour giuen to them as civill rulers ruling for our Good and the good of the common weath is commanded in this law so it is ciuill And lastly as all ceremoniall religious ordinances and outward significatiue worship sanctified by God and appointed as most fit for the time and season receiue their originall authority and first strength from that law given from mount Sina especially from the commandement which bindes man to obey God as his creatour Redeemer in all ordinances so farre as he requires so and in this respect this law is Ceremoniall and bindes to obedience temporary fit for the season opportunity Jn like maner the commandement which the Lord Christ hath given in the Gospell for Baptizing of Christians and for the administration and receiving of the Sacrament of his body and blood as they command an outward sacramentall washing with water and abodily eating of bread and drinking of wine which haue beene of use onely since the comming of Christ and not from the beginning so they are ceremoniall and temporary For whatsoever ordinances are in vse in the Church of God for a season onely that is during the time of the true and proper signification of the world Ceremonia which is compounded of the Gr wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a set time or season and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whice signifies onelie or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to abide or remaine But because the time of the Gospell is perpetuall unto the end of the world and they are commanded to be observed of all Christians at the time of the Gospell in this respect these Commandements may be called vniversall and pepetuall And as in these and all other Ceremonies ordained by God there are required besides the outward bodily rites actions many spirituall duties as inward reverence and holy affections of the heart faith in Christ the blessed Trinity beleeving of the covenant commemoration of Christ his benefits confession of three persons in one God and the eye of faith looking chiefly to the spirituall things signified so the commandement and law enjoyning them may justly be esteemed positiuely and Evangellically morall Thus much for the divers and severall kindes of Gods lawes which hee hath given to men J proceed to that which is the maine thing here intended that is to shew what kinde of law the commandement of the Sabbath is vnder which of these severall kindes it is comprehended And in a word J hold it to be of the last kinde to weet a mixt law that is partly naturall and partly positiue both ciuill and Evangellicall and not onely universall and perpetuall but also speciall ceremoniall and so indeed it takes part of all kindes of lawes which God hath given men and which are mentioned in the Scriptures which thing because the learned haue not heretofore obserued nor well considered but some haue cast their eyes upon
weeke an holie Sabbath to the Lord. But that indeed it came in after mans fall together with the promise of Christ and therefore is more fitly called a law of grace and a Positiue Evangellicall law requiring duties of obedience to God which chiefly and especiallie tend to begit grace and increase holinesse in men Yet it is not simply Positiue nor soe Evangellicallie morall but that it may in some sence and respect bee called naturall also For first it requires some duties of obedience which in their owne nature are Good and profittable though the law giuer had not by expresse commandement revealed his will that they should be done such is the giuing no wof rest intâ—rmission of bodilie labour and toile to our bodies and to the bodies of our servants and labouring cattell one whole day in everie weeke ouer and besides that which they haue in the time of sleepe in the darknesse dead of the night This is according to naturall reason and common equitie Secondly it commands some duties of Gods Worship and service which man by the law of nature was bound to performe in his innocency and which are naturally morall as lauding and praising God and giuing to him all honour and reverence in the most solemne and puâ—lick manner Thirdly it commands such holy spirituall works of grace such duties of sanctification as in theiâ— own nature worke to the sanctifying of men more more to make them capable of eternall rest in heaven of the full fruition of God As for example Meeting upon a set daie in everie week in holy assemblies for to heare read Gods word publick instructions exhortations mutuall provocations to piety sanctity Christian charity Fourthly the patticular day of the week which the law commands to be kept for an holy Sabbath is separated upon such a just ground reason in the first institution of the Sabbath and blessed by God with such a blessing aboue other daies of the week that whosoever knows the law true intent meaning of it rightlie undeâ—stands the ground of the Sabbath mentioned in the law he must by the light both of nature grace he forced to confesse acknowledge the particular day which the law commands to bee kept an holie Sabbath both in the old new testament For the law doth not command one day in seven to be an holy rest simply merely for the pleasure of the lawgiuer because he would haue it soe for no other reason but for very good reason upon a ground because he dignified the day of the Sabbath blessed it aboue all other daies with a singular blessing our owne reason doth tell us that the particular day of the weeke which hath in it the true reasons the honour blessing of the sabbath it ought by the law to be obserued for the holy sabbath none other while it retaines that honour blessing hath the true reasons properly annexed to it Now it it most manifest to all who read the Scriptures are well exercised in Gods word law That as the seventh last day of the weeke was blessed honoured adorned by God with the greatest blessing which God gaue to the world in the old Testament to weet the promise of Christ the Redeemer of the world Gods entring into the Couenant of grace of eternall life salvavation with man also Gods perfecting of the whole worke of creation by revealing giving in promise the worke of Redemption his resting in Christs mediation on that day vndertaken begun And therefor every reasonable man must by his own reason be induced lead to acknowledg that day the fittest most worthy of all daies in the week to be the holy Sabbath to be spent in thankfull commemoration of Gods free loue bountie to mankinde During the whole time of the old Testament before the comming of Christ. So likewise God hauing now under the Gospel transferred this honour to the first day of the week that is become a blessed day aboue all other daies being blessed of God with a blessing farr more excellent then that of the seventh day to weet the actuall performance of the promise by giving exhibiting Christ a perfect actuall redeemer in his resurrection without which resurrection all our preaching of Christ all our faith in Gods promises would prove vaine as the Apostle proueth 1 Cor. 15. Therfore every man must out of common reason equity conclude that together with the ground reason of the Sabbath which God hath now removed from the seventh to the first day he hath also remoued the honour festiuall solemnity of the Sabbath Also his first law which enjoyneth man to keep that day for the holy Sabbath which God hath blessed with the greaâ—est blessing doth bind all Christians to obserue the Lords day for their weekly Sabbâ—th under the Gospel And in a word that it were a thing most vnequall unjust if a man or any Church should goe about to set up for the weekely Sabbath any other day which God hath not dignified honoured with so great a blessing Now upon these prâ—missed reasons I hope it appeares manifestly First that though the Commandement of the weekly Sabbath is no dictâ—te of nature but a positiue Evangellicall law yet it doth by common naturall reason as well as by the light of grace direct every reasonable man to the partilar day of the weekly Sabbath as to the seventh day in the old Testament so to the first in the new Testament And no resonable man can deny it to be the most equall which this law binds men unto but vpon the true grounds of the Sab well weighed considered must be forced to confesse that as the seventh day was most worthy of the honour of the Sabbath had it before Christs full exhibition in his resurrection so ever since the Lords day the first of the week is become the true Sab of Christians none hath power to giue that honour to any other day Secondly it is here manifest that though Christ the sonne of God made also the son of man mans redeemer is the Lord of the Sab the determination of the particular day of the week depends on him and none other haue the honour prorâ—gâ—tiue to appoint the particular day but he only Yet we must not conceiue that Christ by his bare will sets downe the particular day that the day is to be obserued only because of his bare will commandement that any other is as fit worthy as the seventh the first if he would be pleased at any time to commâ—nd the same But we are to hold thâ—â— Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath hath the determinatioÌ„ of the particular day depends on him the Redeemer onely because the hoâ—y Sabbath is founded and builded upon him and in him alone
this law to be naturally writen in mans heart doe much differ are diuided into two opinions The one sort holds the law to be wholy naturall and perpetuallie morall both in respect of the rest and sanctification also in respect of the particular day of the weeke even the Seventh from the beginnning of the creation Thus doe Iudaâ—zing Christians hold who professe Christian religion but reject the sanctification of the Lords day and embrace and cleave to the Iewes Sabbath The other sort do hold that there is a three fould vse of the Sabbath day 1. Religious and holy which is the exercise of holy religious duties 2. Politicall or civill which is rest from worldlie weariesom labour of man and beast 3. Ceremoniall or sacramentall which is a signification and shadowing of spirituall rest in Christ. That in the two first respects the Law is naturall â—mortall and perpetuall and that nature requires that a seventh day of everie weeke should bee for rest and refreshing and for holy exercises of religion they all affirme And because the seuenth and last daie of the weeke was the daie wherein God rested hauing in the sixt dayes before perfected all the workes of the creatioÌ„ therfâ—â— they hold that for the signifying shâ—dowing forth of spirituall rest in Christ the seventh day was the fittest of all Gods people were by Gods Law bound to observe it for their Sabbath vntill Christ had fully finished the worke of redemption then rested from it as God did from the worke of creation And that ever since the resurection the signe and ceremony of Christs rest being fulfilled The Sabbath is to be kept by the same law of nature and commandement of God on the Lords day the first day of the weeke which is one in seventh vntill the eternall Sabbath and rest in heaven unto which Christ will bring all his elect at last This is the Doctrine of many of the best learned heretofore in our Church and divers godly divines do rest in this opinion which for the maine matter substance of it is pious godly approved by Aquinas the great Scooleman The second opinion is that the law of the Sabbath was not naturall wrâ—tten in mans heart neither did binde man to observe an holy rest the seventh day of every weeke onelie on the seventh day in which God rested but that it was a possitiue law given by God commanding more then the light of nature did clearly distinctly shew to man or bare naturall instinct move him unto and that it was like the law by which God forbad man to eate of the tree of knowledge which his own naturall appetite did leade him to eate of being good for food to the eye appetite pleasant and desirable But God restrained him from it not but instinct of nature or law written in his heart but by his owne voluntary commandement to shew his authority over man to teach man obedience to make man know that he might as justlie haue restrained him from all or the most part of either fruites that the use of the creatures the power which he gaue to man over them was his free gift therfor man ought to loue serve him his creatour as for his whole being so also for the use benifit of all other creaâ—urs And soe like wise they hold that by nature all dayes are alike in themselvs maÌ„ by the light of nature can discâ—rne no difference in theÌ„ bâ—t yet God to make man mindfull of his creation of God his creatour did by his word everlasting commandement given to man seperat one day fot the vses before named 1. For holy use even performance of religious duties only 2. For civill use to weet rest from hard labour 3. For ceremoniall to signifie the rest of Christ after the work of redemption finished to admonish man of rest from sinfull works to be a token of eternall rest in heaueÌ„ though any one day in the week is of it self naturally as fit as another that it is no matter what day be kept so that one in seveÌ„ be for these uses set apart yet because God rested on the seventh day from his work of creation therfor in the old Testament he would haue that last day of seven to be the Sabbath untill the comming of Christ inteÌ„ding that when the greater work of mans redemption was perfected by Christ then the day of his resurrection in which he rested from that worke even the Lords day should be the Sabbath of Gods people to the end of the world And so this law commandement though it be not naturall yet it is morall a perpeâ—uall and vnchangable rule of Gods canstant will of mans duty in this particular which is the main substance of it viz that man do keep one day in seven of every week for a Sabbath of rest ' thoughâ—ut all ages of the world that it is chaungable onely in the circumstance of the day that onely thus far 1. That while the work of creation was that work vvhich had the preheminence in the eyes of the vvorld the Sabbath vvas to be kept necessarily one the last of the seven in vvhich God did rest from that vvork so this lavv did binde men 2. That after Christ had finished his vvorke of redemption â—ested the seventh day in the graue on the first day vvas risen entered into his rest the vvorke vvhich novv hath the preheminence vnder the Gospel is redemption perfected by Christs resurrection the day of his resurrâ—ction rest should bee the holy Sabbath to all christian people wherby they should be admonished of the eternall rest in heaven wherin they should be holy devoted to such duties as tend to bring theÌ„ on to the fruition of rest with Christ in glory The third opinion is that the law of the Sabbath is not naturall nor perpetually morall at all but only civill ceremoniall some who are of this opinion doe hold that it was giuen of God in the beginning to be obserued only untill the comming of Christ partly in memory of the creation vntill the greater worke of redemtion should come in partly to signifie things to come by Câ—rist of true rest to bee found in him that now it is vtterly abolishâ—d together with all the festival Sabbaths of the Iewes Others of them hold that because there was great equity in this law also seting apart of one day in the week for religious exercises is a thing uery profittable usefull for the propogation of religion and for the upholding of order in Gods Câ—urch therfor the lavv in respect of the particular day is abolishâ—d for that vvas ceremoniall but the equity of the observation of on in seven still remâ—ines And therfore all Christians in imitation of the Apâ—stles ought to keep one in seven especially the Lords day
vvhich is the last in the vveeke rather then any other if the Church so determine it if it bee obserued vvithout any superstitious conceipt of more holinesse in that day or annexed to it rather then any other The fourth opinion is that the first lavv for observation of the vveekly Sabbath vvas the fourth commandement given from mount Sina that is did bind only the Isralits to keep the seveÌ„â—h day of the vveek for an holy Sabbath untill the coÌ„ming of Christ but novv under the gospel it is abolishâ—d in respect both of the particular day also the strictnes of the obseruation only the equity of it remains in the Lords day the obseruation vvherof is commeÌ„ded to us by the example of the Apostles â—ovv the lavv of keeping it holy is only ecclesiasticall an holy ordinance of the Church· Thus you see vvhile men build vpon vnsure and vnstable grounds not upon the certain vvords of holy Scripture compared together made to runne in a svveet harmony hovv various different they are hovv contrary some of them in their opinions For the removing of all doubâ—s setling of mens judgments in a sure vvay so farre as God shal enable me I vvill endeavour to select single out vvhatsoever I finde in these severall opinions to be agreeable to the truth to the sacred vvord of God reject the rest vvill ad more over what is wanting to make up a perfect Doctrine not out of mine owne conjections but out of canonicall Scriptures for that is the sure rule of all necessary saving and sanctified knowledge that must be the sure guid when Fathers Councels Churches do lead vs into severall doubtfull wayes First for them who hold that the law of the Sabbath was written in mans heart in the Creation I hold it true insome part to weet thus far That God creating man in his owne Image did print this in mans heart That as he had his whole being from God especially his reasonable soule by which he was made able to understand the will of God revealed to him by his word so hee was bound to obey God and to serue him all his dayes with his whole heart and with all his might And if God did require of him any part of his time and commanded him to obsteine from some good and lawfull workes tending to his naturall good and well being to doe some speciall workes for his Lords pleasure in one day or more selected daies of the weeke or of every moneth or yeare he ought to doe it out of duty and obedience to his Lord and Creatour Thus farre J consent that the law is naturall written in mans heart to weet in generall and in respect of the common foundation J grant also that the law and commandement of God injoyning the rest of men their servants and cattell from hard labour the seventh day or one daie in every weeke is a thing so naturally helpfull needfull for the health and wellbeing of men ever since mans fall and the curse of barennesse laid upon the earth and the punishment of toyle some labour and faint sweating imposed on man kinde that mans own naturall reason will and affection must needes approue it and moue and incline his heart to the obedience of it and his inward thoughts cannot but accuse him of wrong done to his owne body and to the life of his labouring cattell and servants if he disobey it and in this respect it may be called a law of nature Yea I adde moreover that if wee take the law of nature in a large sence as some times it is taken that is for every law which commands such duties and such obedience as in there owne nature are very vsefull profittable to the parties commanded and which is grounded on such just causes weighty grounds as by the judgment of naturall reason are in their owne nature well worthy of such observance then the law commandement of keeping an holy Sabbath on the seventh day in the old Testament in thankfulnesse for Christ promised for a continuall memoriall of that great blessing one the first day of Christs resurrâ—ction now under the Gospell in thankfulnesse for Christ fully exhibited the worke of redemption by him perfected which so much excels the promise made on the seventh day as perfecting of a worke excels the beginning undertaking of it may both in respect of the particular day the sanctification of it be called a law of nature that is a law requiring such morall perpetuall obedience as is in the nature of it most just and worthy to be performed But that the law and Commandement which bound the fathers to keepe an holy rest one the seventh day of every weeke and us under the Gospel to keepe it on the first day especially and no other was in in the creation written imprinted in the heart of man so distinctlie and expressly that man had an inbred notion of it and a naturall instinct of himselfe to observe this law to keepe a weekly Sabbath on those uerie daies which God hath prescribed both to the fathers us This I must needs deny for these reasons following First Gods sanctifying of the Seventh day by his word and commandement and his institution of the Sabbath by a positiue law giuen as my text here shewes had beene vaine and needlesse if the law and the Sabbath of holie rest had beene expressly and particularly written in mans heart already For what man by the instinct of nature by his own naturall reason will and affection is lead and moved to do that hee is vainly needlesly vrged unto by any law or commandement being of himselfe without any monitor ready to performe it Secondly the very word Sanctify signifieth the setting apart of this day to a supernaturall and heavenly vse euen for the performance of such duties as are aboue the naturalll imaginations and thoughts of man and which his naturall reason would never haue revealed to him not his will lead him to do If God by his word and divine superturall revealation had not directed and moved him Therefore this law by which God sanctified instituted the Sabbath is not a naturall law but a divine and supernaturall precept Thirdly in the creation and state of innocency man was bound to serve God as his creatour and the author of all his being and to be content with that estate wherein God had placed him and saw to be very good and to looke no higher It was the inordinat desire of more knowledge and of an higher estate then God had revealed and promised which made our first parents so yeelding to the devils temptations and vndoubtedly it was an occasion of their sinne in eating of the forbidden fruite Now the serving of God as his Lord and Creatour was the duty of man euery day alike for the heavens aboue and the
estate wherein he was created The law of nature may be distiguished into two sorts The one is Generall and indefinit which binds man definitly in a generall bond The other is speciall and particular which doth define prescribe speciall particular duties workes to men The generall and indefinit law is this That man being Gods creature and hauing his whole being life motion and all things from God of free gift is in duty bound to obey God to the utmost of his power in all things whatsoever God either by naturall light or by his word either hath revealed or shall at any time reveale and make knowne unto him to be his will that he should doe them The bond and obligation of this law is very large and reacheth through all lavves binds men to doe whatsoever God commands by any law whatsoever The speciall definit and particular law of nature is that commanding will of God engrauen in mans heart and in his upright naturall disposition which directs man to know moues him to performe such speciall kinds of duties and such particular workes as he ought to do and God reveales to him declarâ—s to be his wiâ—l that hee should do them Of these speciall lawes some are primary And some are secondarie lawes of nature A speciall primary law of nature is the will of God concerning such speciall duties and particular workes as mans owne pure created nature and naturall disposition did direct lead moue him vnto which his naturall reason in the state of integrity did shew unto him and his pure naturall will and affections did moue and stirre him to performe As for example to know and acknowledge God for his sole Lord and Creatour and one onely God to serue and worship him with such worship and reuerence as his pure reason taught him to bee meet for God to thinke and speake of God accordingly to beare himselfe towardes the creatures and to rule them according to the wisdome which God had given him to increase and multiply and to replenish subdue the earth and such like A Secondary speciall law of nature is a rule or precept concerning such speciall and particular duties and workes as mans owne right reason or Gods word discouers vnto him to bee in there owne nature good and just and profittable either for his owne naturall being and wellbeing as the cause now stands with him since his fall and for any other good end and use agreeable to Gods revealed will As for example that men should not liue idle but labour painfully to provide for themselves and families this is a duty which vvas knovvne to man before his fall but ever since the curse vvherevvith God cursed the earth for mans sinne Gods vvord requires it and mans ovvne naturall reason vvel informed and his vvill and affections vvell ordered doe naturally moue him to the performance of it for his naturall vvelbeing So diuers negatiue precepts vvhich forbidde such euils and sinfull deedes as man never knevv nor had any thought of them in the state of innocency but novv true naturall reason affection and conscience teacheth and moueth man to hate and abhorre them they are lavves of this kinde And if vve should extend the lavv of nature to the utmost as many do and bring under it every law which commands duties which are in their owne nature just and honest and very vsefull and profittable to the doers and to others â—nd serve directly and naturally for Gods glory We might reduce to this kinde of naturall lawes every positiue morall and perpetuall precept commanding any just or holy work duty which is just in it selfe though there were no expresse commandement given for the doing of it A Positiue law of God is that vvhich God in his wisedome by his word giues to man by which he bindes man to some obedience which he of himâ—elf by his own naturall vvit reason would not haue found out discerned to be good just neither would haue done or performed by the instinct of nature and the motion of his will affection for such an end as God hath appointed them unto There are diuers lawes and precepts of this kinde all which as they require that which God justly wisely willeth man to do do command things which are in respect of the present state condition good for man so they al are after a generall manner included in the generall law of nature and bindes men to obey them all Of these positiue lawes there are divers sorts Some are Positiue commanding things which tend to preserve maintain good order society peace not onely between God the creatour and man his creature but also betweene man other creatures among men themselves Such was the law which God gaue to man when he commanded him vnder the paine of death to obsteine from the fruite of the tree of knowledge of good and evill that for a wise just end even to put man in mind that he was not absolute Lord of all the visible creatures to vse them at his pleasure but that he was a subordinate Lord and ruler under God and that all other trees berbes fruites which God alowed him to eate of were Gods free guift also to teach him that hee was chiefly aboue all to looke to the service of God obedience of his will to omit the serving of his owne turne the doing of that which his owne vvill might moue him to doe when God at any time should call him another way And of this kind are all the judiciall lawes vvhich God gaue to Israell by Moses for the well ordering of their common vvealth all precepts of obedience vvhich inferiors ovve to superiours in things lavvfull and that for peace sake Some positiue lavves are Evangellicall and religious vvhich command vvorks duties tending to an holy heavenly supernaturall end use such are all lavvs coÌ„maÌ„dments vvhich God hath given vpoÌ„ occasioÌ„ of Christ revealed to maÌ„ in through Christ vvhich require duties service due to God as he is maÌ„s redeemer bind maÌ„ as he expects benefit by Christ the mediatour redeemer to such workes such obedience as come to be of vse in respect of Christ. These Evangellicall lavvs are of two sorts 1. Some are vniversall perpetuall requiring necessary works duties of all such as are to be saued by Christ. 2. Some are special temporary which require some speciall service workes of obedience them of some only for some times in some condition of the Church Perpetuall vniuersall Evangellicall lawes which bind all Gods redeemed ones require things necessary to salvation by Christ are the commaundements of God by which he bindes all men to repentance reformation of life to godly sorrow humiliation for sinne to beleeue in Christ under penalty of loosing salvation of perishing for euer
shew that the promises of Christ were solemnly rehearsed And out of Moses and the Prophets every Sabbath day So also they shew that Moses and the Prophets were publickly read and heard in their weekely holy assemblies and by this meanes the people were taught not onely in the promises and prophecies of Christ to beleeue in him a redeemer to come but also in all the righteousnes and duties of the law morall and all the judgments ordinances ceremonies of the law ceremonial wâ—ich was their Scoole-maister to lead them to Christ. Wee haue also to this purpose another plaine testimony Luk. 4.16 Where it is said that our Saviour as his custome was went into the Sinagogue on the Sabbath day stood up to read and the booke of Isaiah the Prophet was delivered unto him And he read a place which was written concerning himselfe and expounded it vnto them with the generall aprobation of the assembly Also Ast 13.15 27 verses Jt is testified that the Iewes in their Sinagogues on every Sabbath daie had Moses and the Prophets read unto them publickely both in forraine countries where they were disperced and also at Ierusalem and in their own countrie And that this was an auncient practise even from Moses and in the time of the Iudges and the Kings of Jsraell and Iudah to reade the law in the holy assemblies and to heare it read by the Priests we may gather from Exod. 24.7 Where it is said that Moses read the Covenant in the audience of the people Deut. 31·11 12 Where the Isralites are commanded to read the law in their assemblies in the hearing of all men women children Iâ— may also be collected from Iâ—sh 8.34.35 Iudg. 18.3 2 Cron. 17.7.8.9 30.22 35.3 That it was in vse after the Captivity the Historie of Nehemiah testifies Nehem. 8.4 9.3 The auncient division of the five bookes of Moses into 54 lectures that thâ—y might be read over once in every yeare by reading one lecture every Sabbath is a thing soe auncient that we finde no mention of the author of it therfore it may be supposed to be from Moses the writer of those books And the reading of a lecture also out of the Prophets everie Sabbath is recorded to be a custome long before Christs birth begun by occasion of the Tirant Antiochus who prohibited the Iewes to reade the law of Moses in their Sabbath assemblies vnder the paine of death As we read in the Apocripall History of the Macchabees lib. 1. c. 1.59 Whereupon they were forced insteed of the Law of Moses to read lectures out of the Prophets as Elias Leuita saith and euer since that custome is retained and was in use in our Saviours daies Luk. 4.16 The fifth speciall dutie of sanctification was the worshipping of the Lord which as it is required of Gods people in priuate and upon particular occasion at all times So publick upon the Sabbath day and in all holy yearlie Sabbaths The dutie of worshippe consists in confession of sinnes praiers supplications lauding and praising God singing of Psalmes and offering of free will offering and the like as wee read Neh. 9.33 Levit. 26.3 Deut. 5.5 Where confession acknowledging Gods favours is called worship and set downe for apart of it Gen. 4.26 12.8 13.4 and Psa. 79.6 Where the name of invocation and calling upon God by prayer is used by Synechdoche for all worship in in generall and Exod. 15.1 Iud. 5. Lauding and praising God with singing of Psalmes and holy Songs are rehearsed as a speciall part of Gods worshippe Now this worshippe of God by publick confession praiers and singing of praises cannot be but in publick assemblies and holy convocations which are especially kept on the Sabbaths and therefore this worshippe must needs be a speciall duty of the Sabbath and one part of the sanctification of it David also shewes this Psal. 42 3. Where he saith that he was wont to go up to the House of God among the multitude which kept holy day with the voyce of joy and singing And the 92. Psalme which is intitulâ—d a Psalme for the Sabbath day doth proclaime it to bee a good and necessarie duty on that day To giue thankes and to sing prayses to the name of the Lord to shew forth his loving kindnesse and truth from morning to night to Triumph in his works to speake of them with admiration and to declare his mercies and judgments and what a rock he is to rest on These are the most notable duties which Gods people were bound vnto in their sanctifying of the seventh day in the old Testament The third and last principall head comprehenâ—ing the rest of the duties which did belong to the observation of the Sabbath in the old Testament is the day it selfe which they were bound to keepe for their weekly Sabbath that is the last day of the week even the seventh from the beginning of the creation That this and no other was to be kept for their weeklie Sabbath in the old Testament appeares most plainlie by three things First because it vvas the day which God blessed with the greatest blessing of al which were giuen and revealâ—d before the resurrection of Christ to weet the promise of Christ of the redemption of the world by him Gods entering into the Covenant of grae with man Christs open actuall undertaking to be mans mediatour Saviour in whom the mutable worke of creation is perfected and God is well pleased and resteth satisfied as J haue before proved Secondly because as the fathers and Isralites obserued it according to Gods commandement in the first institution Exod. 16. before the giving of the law from Mount Sina So in giving of the law to Jsraell in the renuing of the Commandement by Moses vpon divers occasions the Lord doth expresly require the keeping of the seventh day for his holy Sabbath as we see Exod. 20. 31.35 Deut. 5. Thirdlie because not onely as the Prophets and holy men of God urged taught all men to obserue that day vntill the comming of Christ. But also our Saviour himselfe all his life time on earth and after his death kept this Sabbath by resting in the ground And the Apostles also while they lived among the Jewes and the tabernacle was yet standing and Moses was not yet buried did obserue keep for orders sake the old Sabbath of the seventh day as appeares Luk. 4.16 Ast 13.13 and diuers other places CHAP. 18. I Am come now to the last place to the speciall Sabbath duties vnto which all Christians are bound under the Gospell In the right observation of the Lords day which is their holy Sabbath And these speciall duties may be reduced to the common generall heads before named The first which come here to be handled in the first place as the ground upon which the rest are builded is the consideration of the particular day
of the weeke which they are bound to keepe for their weekly Sabbath This is that which is most controverted called in question among the learned in this age therfore comes to be first proued and clearly demonstrated by testimonies and proofes out of the holy Scriptures which being performed I proceed in the next place to the dutie of rest will shew how far Christians are bound unto it on their weekly Sabbath the Lords day And in the last place I will come to the speciall duties of sanctification by which that day is to be kept holy to the Lord now under the Gospell First for the day it selfe Some are of opinion that it is the same which was from the begining that is the seventh last day of the week This opinion is grounded upon the bare letter of the law as it was giuen both in the institution and sanctifying of the seventh day renewed againe in the fourth Commandement and understood by the fathers in the old Testament J confesse that the words of the law if we take them as they were limited to the fathers not considering wiâ—hall how and upon what grounds and conditions God made the seventh day the weekly Sabbath they seeme to favour their opinion For if we conceiue no moâ—e but a mere cessation and rest of God from his works on the six daies created to be the ground of the law then we may also conceiue that the law of the weekly Sabbath binds all mankind to that particular day in all ages because the ground is the same to all men equally belongs to all men in all times to the worlds end Oâ—hers are of opinion that the law of the Sabbath being but a mere ceremoniall law is a bolished by the comming of Christ and bindes not us under the Gospell to any particular day And that it is free for the Church of God to appoint any day for their holy assemblies and that Christians haue no Sabbath neither are bound to keepe any such rest as the law required in the old Testament Others hold that the law of the Sabbath is naturally simply morall in the generall nature of it as it requires a weekly Sabbath to be sanctified and kept holy and that the particular determination of the daie is an honour and prerogatiue which belongs to Christ the Redemer who is the Lord of the Sabbath And that it was the purpose of God from all eternity and in the first giving of the law as to consecrate the seventh day in memory of God perfecting all the works of creation resting from them on that day so also to consecrate by the resurrection of Christ the first day of the weeke to be ever after the weekly Sabbath in honour and memory of the worke of redemption which on that day was fully perfected by Christs rising from the dead and entering into that state of glory in which he rests for ever hauing no more to do for the ransoming and redeming of mankinde Gods justice being full satisfied The first of these opinions being grounded vpon a carnall vndestanding and imperfect sence of the words of the law hath but a weake and sandy foundâ—tion and because as the first authors of it were blasphemous hereticks which erred in diuers fundamental points of christian faith and Religion Soe also the reviuers of it are either cursed Anabaptists or men who doe not rightly vnderstand the law nor the groundes and conditions vpon which it requires an holy weekly Sabbath Therefore it is justly hated and rejected as a Jewish errour the maintainers thereof haue in all true Christian Churches of all ages beene branded with the name of hereticall and Iudaicall Sabbatarians And I need not spend any precious time in confuting it and the frivolous fallacies by which it is maintained The second opinion being too rashly conceived and vnadvisedlie professed and held by some godly Divines of the reformed Churches who in this point do much contradict themselves also being an unsound opinion and therefore well relished by Popish Schoole-men malicious Iesuites licentious Liberâ—ines and men of profane hearts hath no ground in the Scriptures nor any sound Orthodox writings of any auncient fathers Yea bringing great confusion into the Decalouge which is the summe of the morall law and laying a foule staine upon our Church which hath appointed the commandement of the Sabbath to be read among the tenne Commandements and enjoynes the people to pray that God would incline their hearts to keepe that law as well as all and everie one of the rest Therefore I shall not spend any time in the confutation of it The arguments which are brought for the confutation of the contrary truth will sufficiently raze and vtterly abolish it out of the hearts of all true Christians The third opinion is most agreeable to the holy Scripture and the common Doctrine of the Orthodox writers both of auncient and later times especially of the most godly and learned in the Church of England who haue heretofore writen learned treatises of the Sabbath and expositions of the ten Commandements of the Decalogue And therefore I wil bee bold here againe to commend it to you for an undoubted truth which I haue aboundantly proued confirmed by many demonstratiue convincing arguments already partly in that large search which J haue made before into the nature of the law of the sabbath and that description which I haue made of it but most fully in that passage where I proued the change of the day by the resurrection of Christ from the seventh to the first day of the weeke now vnder the Gospel and brought diuers argumenâ—s to shew that the law which God gaue for the keeping holy of a seventh day in every weeke at the first institution of the Sabbath here in my text and renewed againe on mount Sina and giue â—fâ—en in charge by Moses to Israell doth now as strictly binde us to keepe an holy Sabbath on the Lords day in everie weeke as it bound the auncient people of God in the old Testament to keepe the Sabbath of the seventh day But for the confirming of your hearts in the beleife of this truth and in the knowledge of this duty I will not multiply any new arguments onely that you may more firmely retaine it in your memories and still beare it in minde that you are in conscience bound to keepe only the Lords daie and none other for your weekly Sabbath in these times of the Gospell J will briâ—fly touch and explaine some principall heades which haue beene before laid down at large and in ample manner The summe whereof is this Namely That although the law of the Sabbath is not a law of nature in â—hat rigid sence in which some do conceive it that is a law written in mans heart expresly and distinctly in the creation which by the mere instinct of nature and direction of naturall reason did lead man to keepe everie seventh day of the
of the Gospell among the Gentiles on that they did meet together to heare the word to receiue the sacrament of the Lords supper Act 20 7 And on that day St Paul ordained that the collections offerings should bee made for the Saints 1 Cor 16 12 which were things proper for holy publicke assemblies So St John cals it by the name of the Lords day Revel 1 10 that is the day which is universall sacred holy to the Lord in an high degree For whatsoever things haue the Lords name named on them are such as all confesse many examples of Scripture proue abundantly All the auncient fathers doctors of the Church who immediatly in the â—ext ages succeed the Apostles do proclaime it to be the chief holy day of Christians even the Queene supreme Lady of dayes So Ignatius cals it as J haue often before noted also the day of their holie assemblies wherin they did come together to preach read expound heare Gods word to worshipp God to pray to praise God with their one voyce to receiue the Sacramentt and offer up almes So Iustin Martyr affirmes The rest of the most learned fathers as Basill Nazianzene Chrysostome Hyerome Austen do all extoll it for the Lords high roiall holy daie the chiefâ— primate first fruites of daies as the learned of all sides know coâ—fesse even Calvin his followers who made a doubt scruple of calling it the Sab or observing it for a Sab of holy rest by any warrant from Gods law Therefore none can with any good reason deny that one maine duty of this day is rest from all earthly workes Thirdly wheresoever there is as much use of holie rest cessation froÌ„ all worldlie affaires as there was of old when God first gaue afterwards repeated and urged the law of the weekly Sab there a Sab of rest ought to be kept weeklie even by the Com of God This is truth undeniable For no laws of God commâ—nding things which are but tipes figures are at any time abrogated vntill the things commanded cease to be of use as the Apostle shewes in the 8 9 10 cap of Heb Now Christ who is the body and substance of all types and shaddowes hath not by his comming so fulfilled the rest of the weekly Sabbath but there is as great as holy and as necessary use of it to us Christians as there was to the people of God in the Old Testament First we haue as much and more need of refreshing our weak bodies and the bodies of our servants and labouring cattell then they had by keeping a weekly Sabbath for we are grown farre more weake and feeble and of shorter life then they were Secondly we haue as great neede of seperating sequestring and recalling our minds and affections from all worldly cares negociations and pleasures â—hat we may haue pleasure and freedome to worship and serue God and devote one day in everie weeke to publick assemblies for our edification in grace faith and holinâ—sse For we are more full of infirmities and doe decay and grow corrupt more and more as all the world doth and haue need of all outward helpes more then they Thirdlie as rest from all workes and labours which concerne this life was necessarie and of great vse to Adam and al the fathers to withdraw their hearts and mindâ—s from placing their felicitie and seeking happinesse in this world and to put them in remembrance that being fallen from that integrity in which they were created and the first covenant of life by mans owne workes being broken and made voyd by the first fall and disobedience there is no hope of life or of any true blessednesse Soe it is of no lesse use but of much more necessitie for us who are farre more eagre after the world more readie to place our felicitie in earthly things and more proud and arrogant readie to glorie in our own merits to boast of our own righteousnesse â—s we see by common course of the world which now a daies soe madlie doateth after Popish and Pelagian merits Fâ—urâ—hlie as Gods commanding of a weeklie rest to be given to man and beast and the resting of the fathers on the Sabbath day from servile workes and labour which came in as a curse for sinne were of great vse to teach them and to be a pledge and token unto them that God did rest in Christs mediation and his justice was fullie satisfied and his wrath appeased towards them by that satisfaction which Christ had vndertaken to make and that the sting of sinne and death and the bitternesse of the curse was taken awaie by him So likewise it is of the same use still to us and we haue as much need of the same weekly holie râ—st to make us feele more sensible and relish more sweetly the virtue of Christs satisfaction the sweetnesse whereof wee through our dullnesse can hardlie tast and relish and many amongst us make a doubt whether there be any such satisfaction of Gods justice needfull at all or any appeasing of his wrath by Christ. Fifthly as Gods injoyning of rest was of use to the fathers to testifie to them his prouident care ouer his creatures both men and beasts and his hatred and detestation of mercilesse crueltie and unjust oppression Soe it is much more usefull to us for the same purpose in these last daies and perillous times wherein men are become fierce cruell implacable without naturall affection as experience teacheth and the Apostle foretold 2 Tim. 3.2.3 Lastlie as the weekly rest of the old Sabbath grounded upon the obscure promise of Christ was commanded by God that it might bee a meanes to stirre up the fathers to looke for true comfort ease refreshing in Christ if they did by faith flee to him whensoever they did travell under the burden of their sinnes and Satans temptations as wee read that Iob did cap. 16.21 and 19.25 Soe now it is much more usefull to stirre us up to seeke to Christ when wee are heavie laden and groane under the burden of sinne and of the miseries which come by sinne and of Satans dangerous temptations Seeing as Satan doth now â—ore rage like a Roaring Lyon 1 Pet 5.8 And is full of wrath because his time growes shorter Revel 12. So we haue Christ actuallie given and revealed and in the Gospell calling and inviting us and promising rest and refreshing for our soules in such causes of distresse if we come to him Jn a word to us the rest of the Lord Christs day is a more liuelie pledge of eternall rest by him prepared in heaven for us These things being cleare and manifest the conclusion following vpon these praemises it this That we are as much or more bound by Gods law to keepe the Lords day as a Sabbath of weekly rest by ceasing from all affaires of this life laying aside all worldlie cares and resting from
observation and service as is of use onely in and under Christ and mainly tends to lead men to salvation in him Sixtly if we consider the necessity of resting one whole day in every weeke from all our worldly affaires First that with one consent the Church and congregation of Gods people may all generally meet together in their set places of holie assemblies to heare and learne the Doctrine of saluation and word of life and to honour God with publick holy worship and service and with joynt prayers to call upon him in the name and mediation of Christ for all blessings Secondly that every man may instruct his family in private also at home and by constant exercising of them a whole day together in religious duties every weeke may make them to grow and increase in grace and religion and in knowledge and skill to order and direct all their weeke dayes labours to Gods glory their owne salvation and the comfort and profit of their Christian Brethren Without which religious observation once every weeke at the least especially upon the particular day of the week which God hath blessed with the most memorable work belonging to mans redemption it is not possible for people to be well ordered in a Christian Church nor Gods holy worship to bee either generally known or publickly practised nor the vulgar sorts of Christians to bee brought to the knowledge and profession and practise of true religion neceessary to salvation These things I say considered we must necessarily grant that the law of the Sabbath is an Evangellicall universall and perpetuall law such as the commandements of beleeving in Christ repenting from dead workes reforming of our lives worshipping and invocating of God in the name mediation of Christ and by the motion direction of his holy spirit all which Commandements binde all Gods people of all churches and ages from the first day wherein Christ was promised in one measure or other So that without obedience in some degree vnto these Evangellicall lawes it is not possible for any man to be and to continue a true child of God and to attaine salvation in and by Christ. And this law thus farre and in these respects coÌ„sidered can no more be abrogated and abolished then Gods covenant of Redemption of salvation made with mankinde in Christ. But all mankinde even every one who seekes salvation in Christ is at all times in all ages bound to obserue this law of sanctifying a seventh day in every weeke and of resting from all worldly affaires that they may serve and vvorship and seeke God in Christ. Lastly if we consider the Lords Sabbath as it is a significatiue éven a signe to us of the eternall Sabbath in Heaven and as it is in respect of the particular day of the weeke and some ceremoniall worship used in it chaungable and mutable according to the chaunges and motions of Christ the foundation and Lord of it and according to the seuerall estates of Gods Church and Gods seuerall dispensations of the misteries of salvation and severall waies of reuealing Christ in the old TestameÌ„t and before and after the comming of Christ in the flesh We must of necessity confesse that the law of the Sabbath is in these respects a Ceremoniall law commanding things which are temporary and mutable and fitted for some times and seasons onely First as it commanded the seventh day of the week to be kept holy as the most holy day because therein Christ was promised to be the redeemer of the world and God rested in his creation and perfected the creation by bringing in redemption which was the greatest blessing of the old Testament And as it required hallowing of the day by sacrifices and other outward service and worship which were tipes and figures of Christ to come and by preaching and rehearsing the promises of Christ out of the lavv and Prophets beleeving in the Saviour in heaven Soe it was a ceremoniall and temporary lavv and did stand in force and binde all Gods people to the obseruation of the last day of the weeke all the time of the old Testament vntill Christ vvas fully exhibited a perfect Redeemer in his resurrection And it vvas not in the povver of the Church to chaunge the Sabbath to any other day of the weeke that power rested in Christ the foundation and Lord of the sabbath It also bound the faithfull of these times to the ceremoniall â—â—nctification and to that tipicall seruice vnhich looked towardes Christ to come as well as to the seventh day onely and no other during â—hat nonnage of of the Church Secondly as the law of the Sabbath which requires that day to bee kept for an Holy rest in which God hath revealed the greatest blessing so hath blessed it aboue all other dayes of the weeke doth now ever since the perfecting of the worke of redemption in Christs resurrrection binde all Gods people to keepe for their Sabbath the first day of the weeke which by Christs victory over death obtained fully in that very day became the most blessed day aboue the seventh day and all other daies of the weeke And as under the name of hallowing keeping holy the Lords Sabbath it enioines such worship as God requires of his Church in her full age more perfect estate to weet spiritual sacrifices of praise thanksgiving preaching teaching faith in Christ crucified fully exhibited aperfect redeemer praying vnto God in the name mediation of Christ seeking accesse vnto the father in him by one spirit And as this law imposeth this holy weekly Sabbath to be a pledg to the faithfull of that Sabbathisme of eternall rest in heaven which remaineth for the people of Gods as the Apostle testifieth Heb. 4.9 So this law is like the commandements of Baptisme the Lords supper It is ceremoniall commanding such duties to be performed such a day to be obserued as are fitted to the time season of the Gospel yet it is so ceremoniall as that it is also perpetuall binding all Christians during the season time of the Church during the time in the new Testament under the Gospel that is perpetually to the end of the world vntill we come to the eternall rest in heaven And as there shal be no chaunges in Christ nor of the state of the Church vntill Christ shall come in glory to receive us into that eternall rest So there shal be no chaunge of the Sabbath to any other day of the weeke neither hath the Church or any other whatsoever any power to alter either the day or the sanctification obseruation of it no more then to bring in such an other Chaunge in Christ and such an alteration of the estate of the Church as that was from Christ promised and obscurely revealed in the old testament to Christ fully exhibited CHAP. 12. NOW hauing discouered the severall kindes of lawes and commandements which God hath giuen to
them a token and pledge of some great blessing and future good promised that God will haue them to keepe safâ— and to hold fast vntill they receive the blessing and come to the full possession of it This is manifest by the tipes and sacraments of the law which could not bee a bolished nor without sinne purposely neglected vntill Christ was fully exhibited of whom they were signes and pledges and he was the body and substance And we finde by daily experience that the loosing or casting away of the pledg is the forfetting or forgoing of a mans right whereof it is a pledge If we will receiue the blessing we must do the condition of it Now the observing of a weekly Sabbath is not onely a signe of eternall rest in heaven but also a token and pledge if it given in the beginning togither with the first promise of Christ and conveighed ouer from the fathers to us setled on the day wherin Christ arose from death and perfected mans redemption That it is a pledg of the Sabbathisme which remaines for the people of God the Apostles words imply Heb. 4.9 And the best learned haue ever held it to be our pledge of eternall rest in Heaven As Austâ—n Tom. 4. Quaest. 162. and lib. contra Adimantum cap. 13. divers others Therfore the holy weekly Sabbath upon the Lords day must be observed by all Gods people the law of the Sabbath binds them therunto perpetually to the end of the world to the day of resurrection to glory And thus I haue finished the Doctrine of the sanctification of the Sabbath as it is the proper act of God even his seperaing of the seventh day to be an holy rest by his word commandement CHAP. 14 THE thing which now followeth next in order is mans sanctifying the weekly Sabbath keeping of a seventh day holy to the Lord which God hath imposed on him for a necessary holy duty when by his word coÌ„maÌ„dement he blessed sanctified it as here we read in the words of my text For Gods sanctifying of daies times places is not any infusing of his holy spirit into them as he doth into his saints even holy Angels men but this giving of a law commandement to meÌ„ to obserue keep them after an holy manner to use imploy them to holy heavenly supernaturall use even to divine worship exercises of piety religion as I haue before proued plainly And in that Gods sanctified the seventh day that is gaue a law in the beginning to man to keep observe it for an holy Sabbath as my text shews Therfore it is a necessary duty imposed by God upon man so to observe keep an holy sabbath every seventh day or a seveÌ„th day in every week that duty of mans sanctification keeping holy the Lords sabbath comes now in order to be handled which is here necessarily implied included in the worde of my text In the opening handling wherof I purpose to proceed in this method order First I will shew that this duty of sanctifiing an holy Sabbath to the Lord is imposed by this act of God on all mankinde the children of men are bound unto it from the seventh day of the world after the first beginning of the creation untill that last day of the generall resurrection judgment in which they shal be called to an account reckoning of all things which they haue done in this life Secondly I will shew how farre upon what termes conditions men are bound to this duty by Gods law given for that purpose in his act of sanctâ—fying the Sabbath Thirdly I will shew more speciall the speciall workes wherein the sanctification and observation of the weekly Sabbath consisteth The duties are of three sorts 1. Some are common to all Gods people in all ages from the beginning and all states and conditions of the Câ—urch both in the old and new Testament Some are proper to the fathers of the old Testament while the Sabbath was limitted to the last day of the weeke and grounded upon Christ promised onely 3. Some are proper to the Church and people of God vnder the Gospell in the new Testament when the Sabbath is châ—unged to the fiâ—st day of the week even the Lords day builded upon the finishing of mans redemption and Christ fully exhibited and Gods resting in Christs satisfaction consummated which is a more excellent ground Of all these in order The â—â—rst point concernâ—ng the obligation of all mankinde to the keeping of an holy weekly Sâ—bbath from the first seventh day of the world vnto the last resurrection when the elect and faithfull shall both in their soules and bodies enter into the eternall rest in Heaven may be proued by divers Arguments My first Argument is drawne from the law by which God here in my text did first bind man to this duty thus J briefly frame it That duty which God hath enjoyned by a commandement given to our first parents without limitation exception or exemptioÌ„ of any that he hath imposed by his commandement upon Adam and all his seed and posterity in his loynes and they are all bound unto it to the worlds end The sanctifying of a seventh in every weeke and keeping it an Holy Sabbath is a duty injoyned by a Commandement which God gaue to Adam without limitation or exemption of any of his seed and posterity Therefore it is a duty imposed by God upon all mankinde and they are bound unto it in all ages vntill the end of the world The first proposition cannot with any colour of reason be denied if any shall object that God gaue to Adam upon the promise of Christ a law of sacrificing cleane beasts and offering first fruites which bound him and his seed in his loynes and yet they are not bound by it in all ages but onely untill the comming of Christ and his offering of himselfe a sacrifice which is the substance of all sacrifices and after that men are bouÌ„d no longer to that duty I answer that though the last of sacrifices of other service worship which were types shaddows was given to Adam upon the first promise without expresse limitation and reached to his seed in his loynes and as Caine Abell so Noah Abraham and all the patriarches people of God were bound to that dutie vntill Christ yet there was a limitation in the things commanded which being types and shaddowes onely of Christ promised were of no use but onely while Christ was yet expected and not actually offered up a sacrifice of perfect attonement and Gods people had neede of such types and figures to lead them to Christ. Therefore this Objection doth not touch nor infring this proposition which speakes of a law of a duty whiâ—h is of use to all mankinde in all their generations The assumption also is manifest For here we
are to be found all the meane and essentiall grounds and reasons both of the Sabbath and alsoe â—f the particular day wherein hee requires that it should be obserued If he had not undertaken mans redemption from death and hell and mans exaltation to eternall rest and glory there had beene neither any place for mans keeping of a Sabbath nor anie use of it to fit him for heaven or to be a pledg of eternall rest in heaven Jf God had not on the seventh day promised Christ the blessed seed to redeeme man from death to purchase life for him and to continue to him the benefit of the creatures and to perfect his creation Surely it had not been the most blessed day of the weeke neither would God haue instituted it to be a weekly Sabbath at the first and soe to continue untill the comming of Christ. And if God had not raised up Christ on the first day of the weeke and so exhibited him aperfect redeemer and fully performed his promise Then the first day had not beene made a more blessed day then the seventh and all other daies of the weeke And the Lord Christ would never haue made that day of the weeke his Sabbath alwaies after neither would his holy Apostles by inspiration of his spirit being moued to call it the Lords day and to obserue it and teach others to obserue it for their day of holy assemblies for the performing of all holy Sabbath duties And thus we see Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath and so determines the particular day of the weeke not by his bare will word but by bringing in such blessings on the seveÌ„th or first day of the week as made the one of them most worthy under the new testament to bee the holy Sabbath to be kept and obserued of all Gods people vnto the observation whereof they are justly lead by the light both of grace and nature And it is not either in the power of man or any other creature or in the just will of God or agreeable to the will of the Lord Christ and the wisedome of his spirit to appoint any other day for the weekly Sabbath but onely the day of the Lord Christ that is the day of him promised in the old and the day of him fully exhibited in the new Testament The first of which and no other the fathers were bound to keepe for their holy rest of old And the later and no other is our weekly Sabbath and the due obseruation of that particular is the first speciall Sabbath duty of all Christians under the time of the Gospell untill the last resurrection The second sort of speciall duties vnto which all true Christians are bound unto in their obseruation of the Lords day which is the christian Sabbath are the duties of rest cessation from all worldly affaires which now follow to be handled in the nâ—xâ— place Concerning which J finde much diuersity both of opinion and practise not only betweene true Christians of the reformed Churches and Antichristian Papists other hereticks but also in the reformed Churches among themselves First for the Church of Rome and all that are of her faction devoted to her superstition and Idolatry and marked with the marke of the beast which beares up the Romish Babylon though diuers of their learned Scoole-men haue heretofore maintained a very strict obseruation of rest on the Lords day Yet now in later times both in Doctrine practise they are growne uery desolate especially the Romish Catholicks which liue among us turning the Lords day into a day of liberty and spending a great part of it in sports plaies revelling other bodily exercises which are carnall fleshly prophane and impious As if so be their irreligious prophanenesse were at strife with their Idolatrous religion and at great emulation contending which should out go ouer runne the other in carrying them with greater speede to hell Yea to shew and make it manifest to the world that the Romish man of sinne is that great Antichrist which exalts himselfe aboue al that is called God euen aboue the true God the Lord Iesus Christ whose vicar he in hipocrisie makes himself The Church of Rome doth teach and urge her Uassals to keâ—p yearelie holie daies most strictly which are of her owne devising which the pope hath commanded to be observed in honour of his Cananized Saints in the mean time opposeth with many great profanations the Lords day which the Lord hath consecrated by his resurrection Which day being blessed by God with the greatest blessing aboue all other daies of the weeke is by the law vvhich God gaue from the beginning commanded to bee kept for the Lords holy Sabbath vveeklie Secondly there are of the hereticall faction of the Anabaptists Antimonians families other such prophane Sectaries which make little soâ— any lavv of God or man saving onlie the dictate of their faniticall â—pirit And left the commandemeÌ„t of the vveekly Sab least they should seeme to be subject to Gods lavv and to be be his servants vvhich they account slauerie and not absolute Libertines and sonnes of Beliall vvhich haue cast of the Lords yoke These esteem and obserue no daie at all but according to their own fancie make the Lords day so far as they dare for feare of men a market day of buying and selling waâ—es a daie of labour and of bearing and carrying our burdens as they well know who haue beene at Amsterdam where such heretickes and sectaries are tolerated Thirdlie among Christians of the reformed Churches there is a difference both in Doctrine and practise Some of the reformed Churches who out of their extreme hatred to Popish superstition and to all Popish rites and Ceremonies being unwilling to retaine any thing which was used in poperie except there bee some expresse Commandement or example for it in the Scriptures especiallie of the new Testament and labouring to overthrow the whole Hierachie and gouernment of the Church by Bishops all bodily rites they do in the heat of their zeale so violently set themselues against Popish superstious holie dayes that they goe about to take away all observations of daies and they haue proceeded so farre as to deny that any either weekely Sabbath or yearelie set feast ought to be kept holy by any speciall law or commandement of God They teach that the Sabbath as it was commanded to be kept of old was a mere ceremoniall shaddow of things which are accomplished in Christ and that is now a bolished But because it is a thing necessary for the hauing of holy assemblies and for good order in the Churches that there should be a set day either a seseventh or sixth day of eight dayes And because the law of nature requires that Christian people should haue some daies of rest from hard labour for the refreshing of themselves and their seruants and cattell therefore the Church of God mâ—y appoint any day of
mear and drinke offerings of fine flower mingled with oyle and such like and incense and gummes and spices they where but tipes and shaddowes of Christ his substanciall sacrifice and in that respect holy by Consecration And though divers of them were indifferent and tollerable while the bodily Temple was yet standing Yet when God hath cast them out by the destruction of the materiall temple the chaunge of the weekly Sabbath they are growne unlawfull to be practised and the reviuing of the practise of them is called abomination Dan. 12. And apostacy from Christ Gala. 4 5. turning againe to weak and beggarly elements and rudiments and becoming slaues to them Gal. 4.9 Wherfor we are now onely to observe in our sanctification of our holie weekly Sabbath such holie duties and exercises as are holie at alâ— times and in all ages both before and under the law and now also under the Gospell which in their owne nature are either trulie holie or tâ—nde to beg it increase and cherish holie graces in men And because God hath by the Gospell shined into our hearts to giue us the light of the knowledge of his glorie the face of Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 And hath shed his spirit on us aboundantly through him Tit. 3.6 And soe made us more spirituall because also our Saviour himselfe hath taught vs in the Gospell that God is a spirit they are true worshippers who worship him in spirit Iohn 4.23.24 Therefore the chiefest duties by which the Sabbath is sanctifiâ—d are the most speciall duties of Gods worshippe and the more spirituall the more pleasing to God more beseeming Christâ—ans Soe that the first rule which is here to be giuen and to be observed is this That all Gods people doe chiefely labour to stirre up and quicken the grace of God in their hearts and holy heavenly and supernaturall affâ—ctions in their soules that with pure mindâ— and spirits they may performe all duties and actions of Gods worship and seruice both publick and priuate It is true that all times and on all daies we ought to keepe our whole spirit and soule as well as our body pure and blameles to serue God as well with inward affection of heart and purity of spirit as ouâ—ward visible sencible actions and gestures of body But because the Lords day is the most blessed daie of the wâ—eke sanctâ—fied set apart for the holy worshippe and immediate service of God and for publick and priuate service devotion and Religious duties onelie therefore we all ought to haue as great care to furnish our soules with spiritual beauties of holinesse more abundanâ—ly in greater measure as we haue to make cleane and neate our houses and to decke and adorne our bodies with our best and cleanest holy daie apparell on the Lords day For though outward bodily actions gestures are required as râ—quisit and necessary in the publick worship of God and without them it is as impossible to do that publick duty and service to God which belongs to mutuall edification of Christians in this life to the solemne lauding and praising of him in publick assemblies as it is to performe visible senceable actions of this life by the soule only without the body Yet bodily service worship of God as coming duly diligently to the house of God to publick assemblies hearing the word withall attentions and speaking it with great vehemency Praying worshipping and giving thankes in the best forme of wordes which can be devised and with most humble and reverent gestures of devotion as bowing down the body to the ground knocking of the breasts sighing groaning lifting up the hands and eyes to heaven and the like they all without spirituall affection and devotion of the heart are no better then a dead karcast without a soule yea they are filthy hypâ—crisie and mockerie of God and lothsome abomination in his sight as the Lord by the Prophet testifieth Isa. 1 c 10 to the 16 verse 29 13 And therefore let our first and chiefest care bee about the fitting and preparing of our hearts and filling and replenishing our soules with spiriruall affections and quickening and stirring up inward and spirituall grace within us for these are the life and soule of all religious duties of all holy worship of God without them we canÌ„ot in the least measure sanctifie Gods holy day nor performe any least duty of sanctificatioÌ„ acceptable to God Now the speciall means which serve for the quickning of spirituall grace kindling of spirituall devotion in our hearts are diuers The First is that which J haue spoken of befor in the duties which concerne Rest to weet a totall sequestring of our selues from all worldly businesse puting away all earthly thoughts cares delights that our whole heart and soule all our affections being purged from all such drosse may haue roome for holinesse only and for spirituall devotion and motions of the spirit For no man can serve two Masters at once God and the world Cast out earthlie carnall thoughts and spiritual and heavenlie affections will easilie enter and beare sway And because this sequestring of our selves from cares of the world must go befor true sanctification in order time therfor undoubtedlie the beginning of the Lords Sab daie is there where the old Iewish Sab ended that is in the evening of the Saturdaie And certainlie when men taking their Rest from labour the whole night befor the Lords daie for sequestring themselves from worldlie businesse fitting of their soules with spirituall devotion and stirring vp of grace in their hearts then do they most profittablie begin their Sabbath for by the meanes the time of preparation and quitting of the minde from worldlie troublesome thoughts shall go before the time of practise and publick assemblies Wherein they are to appeare before God and to performe the maine duties of Sanctification and of his holy worship And herâ— J cannot passe by without some reproofe that evill carnall custome most worthy to be condemned which is to common among our Cittizens who defer their reckoniâ—g with their worke-men untill the evening and night which beginns the Lords day Let me here admonish you all to forsake this practise if you loue the Lord and will honour his holy Sab. The second meanes is to meditate on those things which may stirre up our dull spirits and quicken grace in our hearts as first upon the greatnesse holinesse and glâ—rie â—f the Lord and more specially to present our selves when the light of the day commeth both to speak to him in praier and praises to heare him speake to us in his word read and preached This must needs moue and stirre up spirituall devotion and affection as we see by experience in worldly things how carefull we are to trimme and fit our selves when we are to go before an earthly King or some great Nobles Secondly to consider what holinesse and purity especially of
heart and soule is required in vsing the publick holie ordinances of God and in approaching neare to him to worship him in his holy place his owns house As wee reade Leviticus 20.7 1 Peter 1.15.16 The holinesse that becomes Gods house is not vanishing showes and shaddowes which passe awaie in the doing and vsing of them as bowing cringing and such gestures but a spirituall and eternall holinesse which lasts for ever and can never bee defaced nor perish as David shewes Psal. 93.5 It is better then thousands of Rammes Mich. 6.6.7.8 It is putting on of Humility Mercy meeknesse and all other affections and departing from all iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 It is the Jmage of Christ in the new creature which is created after God in righteousnesse and holinesse that is which cannot lye nor deceiue by faiding but lasts for ever Ephes. 4.24 Thirdly to call to mind those Scripturs which require holy preparation as Eccle. 5.1 which shewes Gods anger against such as come to his house without due furniture and a wedding garment as Mat. 22.12 Fourthly to meditate on that whereof the Sabbath is a signe and pledge vnto us even our Resurrection to eternall life and to the eternall Rest of glory in heaven in the sight and fruition of God whom none can see without holinesse Thiâ— is most powerfull to stirre up spirituall affection and to quicken grace in our hearts The third meanes is earnest prayer to God for his spirit and increase of his spirituall grace in our hearts that is of great force if it be importunate Luk. 11.13 18.1 and fervent Iam. 5.16 And therefor when the Lords day begineth in the evening or day going of the Satturday we must make speciall prayers for this purpose as also in the morning when we awake and see the light of the Lords holy day Jn the next place after we are thus prepared wee must set our selves wholy to the performance of the duties of holinesse which are required for the sanctification of an holy Sabbath to the Lord which are either publick or private The first publick duty is diligent assembling of our selues with the congregation of Gods people in the house of God the place of publick assemblies This is so necessary that without it there can be no solemne service nor publick worship of God performed by us This the Lord requires in the law where he joynes these two together as in seperable companions even holy convocations and keeping of a Sabbath Ex. 12.16 These our Saviour Christ did frequent though Lord of the Sabbath as well as the fathers did under the law as appears Mark. 1.27 And so did his Apostles on the new Sabbath the Lords day 1 Cor 16.1.2 The second publick duty in the publick worship of God is Praier lauding and Praising him and offering vp sacrifices of thankfulnesse and the first fruites aâ—d calues of our lippes in a solemne orderly and decent manner and order This the holy men of God carefully performed in the House of God on their Sabbath in the old Testament as David shewes Psal. 5.7 42.4 And this our Saviour commandes to us for an holy duty in Gods house where hee cals the house of God the house of prayer Mat. 21.13 that not only to the Jews but also to al beleeving nations as the Prophets words by him cited do shew Isa. 56 7. This the godly at Philippi where they had no Synagogue nor Church performed in a publick assembly by a Riuers side Act. 16.13 This was practised by the first Christians at Iudaea Act. 2.46.47 and this the Apostle injoynes Heb 13.15 This David foretold Psal. 118.24 In a word all Scriptures which teach us to call upon God to pray to confesse our sinnes to humble our selves before God to worshippe him and to giue thankes and do commend these for holy duties they doe much more teach vs to performe them on the Lords day in our holy assemblies The third sort of publicke duties are the holy ordinances of God which tend properly to beget and increase holinesse and to teach Christians Gods holy worship and feare to weet the publick reading and and expounded of the word of God and preaching and Catechising on the Mininisters part and on the peoples part reverent attention hearing of the word of God This was a constant practise from the daies of old which the Fathers obserued soe long as the Church of the Jewes and first temple was standing As appeares Ast. 13.15 cap. 15.21.27 Also by our Saviours practise preaching in the Sinagogues every sabbath day Luk. 4.16 Mar. 1.31 And this the Apostles practised in holie assemblies which they appointed to be kept on the Lords day and this they commanded to be performed by all the Christian Churches as appeares Act. 11.25 20 7. 1 Cor. 16.1 14.23.26 Colos. 4.14 1 Thes. 5.27 Fourthly besides preaching reading and expounding of the holy Scripturs ther is also the administration of the Sacraments as of Baptisme and the Lords Supper the later of which especially is an holy sab daies ordinance of Christ first instituted in the assembly of his Apostles not to be administred and receiued ordinarily but in Sab asseÌ„blies and publick meeting of the Church comming together on the Lords day as we gather from Act. 20.7 1 Cor. 11.20.33 And that publick Baptisme is most fit to bee administered on the Lords day in the publicke assembly these reasons shâ—w 1. Because it is joyned with preaching Mathew 28.16 Secondly because it is the receiuing of the Baptized into the true Visible Church Thirdly in publick it may bee better perfomed by the joynt prayers of the whole Congregation· Fourthly it may much profit the whole publick congregation of Gods people by putting them in minde of the covenant made in Baptisme The fifth sort of publick Sabbath duties are workes of mercy charity which are fruites of faith working by loue Unto which duties the publick Ministers soe often occasion is offered are to excite up the people and they ought to offer freelie and to make collections for the poore Saints This St. Paul taught 1 Cor. 16. 1 2 and this was in times and ages next after the Apostles practised and performed as Iustin Martyr testifies Apolog. 2 pag. 77. Sixthly publick censures of the Church and actions of correction are most fitly performed in publick assemblies of the whole Church on the Lords day such as open rebuke of scandalous sinners before all the people that others may feare Excommunication and casting out excluding from outward communion obstinate and refractary offenders as hereticks adulterers incestuous persons such like Receiving into the Church of God such as were cast out upon their humble confession and publick repentance openly before the whole Church These are not to be done in corners but in the face of the Church as St. Paul ordained by commandement from the Lord by direction from the spirit of God 1 Tim. 5 20 1 Cor. 5.4
2 Cor 2 6 7 and as divers of the auncients haue held and shewed in their practise Seventhly ordaining and calling of Bishops Pastors and Elders being of old performed in the face of the whole Church with publick prayers and laying on of hands Act. 1.15 14.23 2 Cor. 8.19 As it was of old soe at this day is a verie fitt dutye of the Lord holy weekly Sabbath Besides these publick duties there are diuers priuate duties which are necessary both to make the publick duties effectuall and frutefull and to testifie to the Praise and glory of God the power of his holy ordinances and the worke of the spirit by them upon our hearts and soules The first of these is private prayer either by our selves alone or in our families with our Children servants and others of the houshold for if we must pray continually when just occasion and oppertunity is offered as the Apostle teacheth 1 Thes. 5. then most especially before we go vnto and after we returne from the publicke assemblies for a blessing upon Gods Publick ordinances both to our selves and others Our Saviour bids us pray in secret and David exhorts vs to commune with God on our beds and to pray after his example morning evening and at noone day The second is meditation of such as are alone on things heard in the Church and repetition in the family for the printing of the the word in their mindes and memories and mutuall instruction and exhortation one of another without which the word will take small effect afterwards and quicklie beforgotten Saint Paul doth intimate the necessary vse of this duty where he commands women to aske and learne of their husbands at home and not to speak in the Church 1 Cor 14 35 1 tim 2 11. This is the holy duty which God commended in Abraham Gen 18 That he did command and teach his houshold Children which few men can do conveniently on the week daies when every one is about their worke some in one place and some in another onely the Lords day is the fittest The third is rejoycing singing of Psalmes and Praising God in our families this David commends for a duty of the Sabbath Psal. 92.1 And this Paul and Silas taught us by their example Act. 16.35 Where they two being in prison and in the stocks are said on the Lords day at midnight to pray and sing Psalmes with soe loud a voyce that the Prisoners heard them And yet I hope none dare call them Puritants and Hipocrites as the profane miscreaunts of our time call all the familes in which they heare singing of Psalmes on the Lords day The Fourth is visiting of the sick of prisoners releiving the poore and needy perswading of disagreeing Neighbours to peace and reconciliation These are works of mercie and of Christian loue and charity haue no proper end but to bring honour to God and to make him to be praised of his people and his people to be edified in loue And being an holie private service of God they may be done on the Lords daie our Church Doctrine doth teach them and Ecclesiasticall constitutions allow them The last duty is meditating on Gods workes magnifying them and speaking of them with admiration one to another if upon any just occasion or for necessarie refreshing we walke diuers together into the feilds This David mentions in the Psalme for the Sabbath day Psal. 92 45. Where he saith thou Lord hast made me glad through thy workes and I will tryumph in the workes of thy hands O Lord how great are thy workes Thus much for the speciall duties both publick priuate which Christians are bound to performe on the Lords day which is the Christian Sabbath Now the consideration of these severall duties being some publick some priuate some more proper for the Sabbath and some for all daies offer to us somethings more to be obserued First the publicke duties of the whole Church together must first be regarded and preferred before priuate duties at home and mumbling of private praies with our selves in the Church because they make more for Gods glory and mutuall edification and do shew and declare our Christian vnity Secondly publick duties must take up the best and greatest part of the day because they are proper to the day and to publick assemblies which are to be kept weekly on the Sabbath day Priuate duties are common to all daies of the weeke Thirdly the duties of mercy charity to men must giue place to the mediate worship of God when there is no vrgent necessity and they may bee deferred to another day without any inconvenience Men hauing oppertunity before must not put them off vntill the Lords daie and then by them shoulder out holy duties of piety and Gods solemne worshippe Lastly by the many and severall duties required on the Lords Sabbath wee see that to him who hath a care and respect of them all there will be no time left for for idle words and toyish talking praunsing in pride and vanity nor for any carnall sports pastimes and pleasures But Gods day wil be found little enough for holy duties which are to be performed And therefore I dare not allow any liberty for any sports how honest lawful so ever at other times except they bee holy and Gods worship be furthered and no better duties by them be hindered Which no man can in reason conceive or imagine If God be to be loved aboue all and honoured and served with all the heart and mind soule strength as the law commands J do not see but all Gods people ought so to do especially on the Lords day to be discontent grieued that they canÌ„ot do it so fully as they ought not to allow to themselves in these things anie liberty which may hinder Gods holy worship The greatest opposites of the weekly Christians Sabbath when they haue most vehemently disputed spent al their argumeÌ„ts against the observation of the Lords day for an holy Sab day of holy rest are by the cleare evidence of the truth so convinced that will they nill they their conscience forceth them to confesse That the speÌ„ding of the whole day even the space of four twenty hours of the Lords day an holie rest cessation from all worldly thoughts cares from all seculiar affaires in holy duties of Gods worship service both publick and private is a thing Commendable praise worthy in them and pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God To that one only wise omnipotent immortall and eternall God who in all things and ouer all enimies maketh his truth to triumph be all honour glory and praise now and for euer FINIS Justin. Dialog cuÌ„ Triphone Tertull. adversus Judoeos Irenaeus lib. 4. c. 20 * Tostatus Pererius Gomarus Heb. 11.10.16 Origen Hierom. trad in 2 Gen. Austin in Psal. 80. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 8 21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 31.2 Heb. 10.26 1 Ioh. 5.16 Heb. 6·6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrine 1 Reason 2 Reason 3 Reason 4 Reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Position negative 1· Pit 1.3 Objection Answer 1. Position affirmative 2. position affiâ—mative Gen. 4. 3 position affirmative Objection Answer Object 2. Answer The severall opinions concerning the law of the Sabbath The distinction of Gods laws serm 251. de tempore serm de tempore 136. Zanch. lib de De Calog thes 1. 1 Argument 2 Argument 3 Argument Argum. 6 Argument 7 Argument 8. Argu. 9. Argu. Of mans sanctification of the Sabbath 1 Argument 2 Argument 3 Argument 4. Argu. 5 Argument Objection Answer Object Answer Prolog in Psalm Objection Answer Lexicâ— cold 1. Argument 2 Argument 3. Argument 4. Argum. 5. Argu Chrisostom in Cor. 16. Augst ser. 25 1. de temp Gregor Magn Epist lib 11.3