proofe thereof First Acts 20.7 Vpon the first day of the Weeke when the Disciples came together to breake Bread PAVL preached unto them readie to depart upon the Morning and continued his Speech till Midnight Why is it sayd expressely That the Disciples came together to heare the Word preached and receive the Sacraments rather on this day than another rather than on the Iewish Sabbath were it not then a custome to celebrate on that day their publike Meetings the Sabbath of the Iewes beginning by degrees to vanish The Fathers and all Interpreters almost doe so conceive it Though I confesse that from a casuall fact I see not how a solemne institution may bee justly grounded Nor may wee argue in this manner The Disciples met that day together therefore they gave commandement that on that day the Church should alwayes bee assembled for Gods publike worship Who markes not heere a great and notable incoherence Looke therefore next upon the first to the Corinthians cap. 16. vers 2. where wee seeme to have a Commandement Let every man sayth the Apostle upon the first day of the Weeke lay by him in store What Collections for the Saints And why Because hee had so ordered it in the Churches of Galatia Heere then wee have an Ordinance set downe by the Apostle to bee observed in the Church But what is that hee ordereth Not that the first day should bee set apart for the Lords service but that upon the first day of the Weeke they make Collections for the Saints The third and last is Revel 1. and 10. I was sayth the Evangelist in the Spirit on the Lords day And what day is that Had hee meant onely the Iewish Sabbath doubtlesse hee would have called it so If any other of the Weeke not eminent above the rest the title had beene needlesse and ambiguous and rather had obscured than explaned his meaning What therefore rests but that comparing this place with the former two Interpreters both new and old conclude together that here the Apostle meant the first day of the Weeke whereupon Christ rose and the Disciples came together for the discharge of holy duties and Paul commanded that Collections should bee made as was the custome afterwards in the Primitive Church according unto Iustin Martyr who lived verie neere the Apostles times The alteration of the name doth intimate that the Sabbath was also altered not in relation to Gods worship but the appointment of the time SECT VII What then Shall wee affirme That the Lords day is founded on Divine authoritie For my part without prejudice unto any mans Opinion I assent unto it however that the Arguments like mee not whereby the Opinion is supported This inference first offends mee That in the Cradle of the World God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it therefore all men are bound to sanctifie it by the Law of Nature since I both doubt whether the Patriarkes did observe it before Moses time and have learnt also that the Law of Nature is immutable Next this distasts mee That they would have the spending of one day in seven on Gods holy worship to bee perpetuall and Morall As congruous or convenient all men admit it but cannot see so easily that it should bee Morall and perpetuall Nor is it thirdly without scandall that the fourth Commandement should bee so commonly produced to iustifie our keeping of the Lords day by the Text thereof If they required no more but the analogie the equitie or the reason of that Commandement wee would not sticke to yeeld unto it But whiles they stand too close to the very letter they may perhaps bee iustly charged with Iudaisme Fourthly as little like I them who promise much in proofe hereof out of the New Testament which the Text affordeth not For where is any expresse institution of the Lords day in any one of the Apostles or Evangelists Yea or what Text is there whence it may necessarily bee collected in case wee meete an Adversarie who must bee dealt withall exactly and will not easily assent but to solide Arguments Nor lastly am I satisfied with the bare Ordinance of the Church which with the same facilitie may bee broke as it was enacted Which absolutely to affirme of the Lords day were too unadvised Therefore amongst so doth distinguish with us of Divine authoritie strictly and largely taken that so not that alone which is found in Scripture may properly be said to have Divine authoritie but whatsoever by good consequence may bee drawne from thence eyther in reference to the institution or some example of it or at least some analogie thereunto And whereas Calvin Bullinger Bucerus Brentius Chemnitius Vrsine and others of the Reformed Churches affirme That still the Church hath power to change the Lords day to some other Suarez doth thus distinguish in it That it is absolutely alterable but not practically that is as I conceive it That such a Power is absolutely in the Church though not convenient now to bee put in practise The reasons of it two First because instituted as generally the Fathers grant in memorie of our Redemption made perfect on that day by our Saviours resurrection Next because not depending barely upon a Civill or Ecclesiasticall Ordinance but on the practice and expresse tradition of the Apostles who questionlesse were ledde into all truth by the Holy Ghost Which beeing so if any waywardly shall oppose us as if they would compose some Sabbaticall Idoll out of an equall mixture of Law and Gospel they may bee very fitly likened to the Iew of Tewksburie mentioned in our Common Annals who on a Saturday fell by chance into a Priviâ— and would not then permit himselfe to bee taken out because it was the Iewish Sabbath nor could bee suffered to bee taken thence the next day following because the Lords day celebrated by the Christians And so betwixt both dayes hee died most miserably that understood not rightly the celebration and true use of eyther Of which the celebration of this day I am next to speake SECT VIII Prayse waiteth for thee O Lord in Sion and unto thee shall the Vow be performed O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come The life of Pietie and Religion is Gods publike worship the soule of publike worship is the due performance of the same They which esteeme not this as they ought to doe whether prophane carnall or schismaticall persons doe not alone as much as in them is teare the Church in pieces which is the seamelesse Coat of CHRIST but doe renounce the Heritage bought for us at so great a price and offered to us with so great mercie Hee that endevours to pursue the severall by-wayes and dissonant clamours of particular men in this present Argument entreth into a most inextricable Labyrinth But generally those things which others have propounded in some obscuritie may bee reduced most fitly unto these two heads First that wee marke distinctly in the
noted by a corrupt Copie of Iosephus But howsoever for the Rabbins they are thus silenced by Galatinus Si fluvius ille dum erat c. In case sayth hee that River whiles it was in being was a good argument that the Iewish Sabbath was to be observed now since there is no such River extant it is a better argument that their Sabbath is not any where to be regarded Our fanatick and peevish spirits it were best to send to make enquirie for this River while in meane time wee doe unfold and for as much as in us is compose the Differences which have beene raysed in this Point amongst wiser heads SECT V. They then which are perswaded that the Lords day succeedes in place of the Iewish Sabbath affirme it eyther as established by the Law of God and of Divine authoritie or introduced by Ecclesiasticall constitution They which pretend the first eyther derive their arguments more weakely from the Old Testament or else more warily from the New And from the Old Testament they produce two arguments one borrowed from the sanctification of the seventh day in the first Creation of the World the other from the institution of the Sabbath in the fourth Commandement Of those which build upon the constitution of the Church some doe affirme it absolutely as doe the Papists and Arminians as may bee made apparant out of the Iesuites Canonists and Schoole-men and the Confession of the Remonstrants To whom adde Brentius on Levit. 23. Chemnitius in his Common Places and of our owne Writers not a few Others so fortifie and corroborate this Constitution Ecclesiasticall as if the Church did onely publish and continue that which by the Apostles was first ordered But as it seemeth to mee these Differences are of no great moment save that the first Opinion inclines too much to Iudaisme and doth too much oppugne whether more impudently or more ignorantly that I cannot say the received Opinion of Divines For who knowes not that common Principle of the Schoole-men out of the seventh unto the Hebrewes The Priesthood being changed there is made of necessitie a change also of the Law Whence they conclude that at this day the Morall Law bindeth not as it was published and proclaimed by Moses but as at first it appertained no lesse unto the Gentiles than the Iewes and afterwards was explaned and confirmed by Christ in his holy Gospel Zanchius doth strongly prove the same amongst other things out of this Commandement about the Sabbath Si Decalogus quatenus per MOSEN traditus fuit Israelitis ad gentes quoque pertineret c. If the Commandements sayth hee as they were given by MOSES unto the Israelites appertained also to the Gentiles the Gentiles had beene bound by this Commandement to sanctifie the Sabbath with as much strictnesse as the Iewes But since it is most evident that the Gentiles never were obliged to keepe that day holy it plainely followeth that they neyther were nor could be bound to keepe the rest of the Commandements as published and proclaimed by MOSES unto them of Israel Nor doe these hot-spurres well observe how they intangle themselves by borrowing the authoritie of the Lords day from the Law of Moses For if they ground themselves upon that Commandement Why keepe they not that day precisely which the Text commandeth By what authoritie have they substituted the first day of the Weeke for the seventh day exactly from the Worlds Creation What dispensation have they got to kindle fire to dresse and make readie Meat which was prohibited the Iewes by the same Commandement In case they bee ashamed of these and such like beggerly elements and tell us that the Morall duties of the day are onely now to bee observed not to say any thing of a distinction so infirme and which the Text affordeth not they desert their Station and will they nill they ioyne with them who letting passe the veile of MOSES seeke for the originall of the Lords day in the Sunne-shine onely of the Gospel SECT VI. For those that make their boast that they have found the institution of the Lords day in the New Testament expressely let them shew the place Our Saviour oftentimes disputed with the Pharises about their superstitious observation of the Sabbath day and many times explaned the meaning of that Commandement But where is any the least suspition of the abrogation of it Where any mention that the Lords day was instituted in the place thereof Well Christ ascended up on high and left behind him his Apostles to preach the Gospel And what did they Did they not keepe the Iewish Sabbath without noyse or scruple And gladly teach the people congregated on the Sabbath dayes Nay more than this Did not the Primitive Church designe as well the Sabbath as the Lords day unto sacred Meetings These things are so notorious that they need no proofe The Papists hereupon inferre that the Lords day is not of any Divine Institution but grounded onely on the Constitution of the Church A Civill Ordinance sayth Brentius not a Commandement of the Gospel And the Remonstrants have declared in their late Confession That by our Lord CHRIST IESVS all difference of dayes was wholly abrogated in the New Testament All which accord exactly with that generall Maxime which in this very Argument is layd downe by Suarez and by him borrowed from the Schooles In Lege nova non sunt data specialia Praecepta Divina de accidentalibus observantiis That in the New Testament there were given no speciall Precepts or Directions touching accidentall Duties Yet notwithstanding this even in the Church of Rome Anchoranus Panormitan Angelus and Sylvester have stoutly set themselves against these luke-warme Advocates in affirmation of the Divine authoritie of the Lords day For as it rightly is observed by the defenders of the fourth Opinion it seemed a dangerous thing to the whole Fabricke of Religion should humane Ordinances limit the necessitie of Gods holy worship Or that the Church should not assemble but at the pleasure of the Clergie and they perhaps not well at one amongst themselves For what would men busied about their Farmes their Yoakes of Oxen and Domesticke troubles as the invited Guests in the holy Gospel would they not easily set at naught an humane Ordinance Would not prophane men easily dispense with their absenting of themselves from Prayers and Preaching and give themselves free leave of doing or neglecting any thing were there not something found in Scripture which more than any humane Ordinance or Institution should binde the Conscience Well therefore and with good advice the Acts and practice of the Apostles hath beene also pressed besides the constant and continuall tradition of the Church That so it may appeare that in a thing of such great moment the Church did nothing without warrant from those blessed spirits Three Texts there are which are most commonly produced in full
celebration of this day what speciall duties are commanded and next what offices are permitted To the discoverie whereof these words Our God our neighbours and our selves like a Mercuriall finger will direct our journey amidst the severall turnings of this present World These three are principally aymed at in those pious duties which on this day have beene commended to us or rather imposed on us by the Acts and practice of the Apostles First the Disciples came together to breake Bread and heare the Word Which without solemne and preparatorie Prayers were a faint devotion Acts 20. This is the honour due to God Collections secondly are appointed 1. Corinth 16. This is in reference to our neighbour And last of all Saint IOHN was in the Spirit on the Lords day Revel 1. This in relation to our selves That so our pious contemplations borne by the wings of the Spirit may ascend on high even to those Hills from whence commeth our salvation Therefore upon this day Gods people are to meet in the Congregation to celebrate Divine Service and to heare the Word Almes to bee given and godly Meditations to bee cherished with our best endevours From whence ariseth that as an Accessorie in the Gospel which was a Principall in the Law of MOSES Rest from servile workes and from the ordinarie workes of our Vocation For since there is not extant eyther Commandement or example in the Gospel which can affixe the Rest of the Iewish Sabbath to the Lords day now celebrated and that our Christian libertie will not away with that severe and Ceremoniall kind of Rest which was then in use wee onely are so farre to abstaine from Worke as it is an impediment to the performance of such duties as are then commanded Saint Hierome on the eighteenth of the Acts affirmeth That Saint Paul when hee had none to whom to preach in the Congregation did on the Lords day use the Workes of his Occupation and CHRIST did many things as of set purpose on the Sabbath so hath Chemnitius rightly noted to manifest that the Legall Sabbath was expiring and to demonstrate the true use of the Christian Sabbath if at the least the name of Sabbath may be used amongst us which some distast To end in briefe those things are all commanded which doe advance GODS publike Service and those permitted which are no hinderance thereunto Of this sort specially are the workes of necessitie as to dresse Meat to draw the Oxe out of the Ditch to leade our Cattell unto Water to quench a dangerous Fire and such as these Then workes of Charitie First in relation to our selves and heere wee are permitted Recreations of what sort soever which serve lawfully to refresh our spirits and nourish mutuall neighbourhood amongst us Next in relation unto others and heere no labour how troublesome soever is to bee refused which may accommodate our neighbour and cannot fitly bee deferred Where wee must alwayes keepe this Rule That this our Christian libertie bee void of scandall I meane of scandall justly given and not vainely caught at That wee pretend not Charitie to absent our selves from religious duties when eyther covetousnesse or loathing or neglect of GODS holy Ordinances are under-hand the principall motives Foure properties there are as one rightly noteth of all solemne Festivals Sanctitie Rest from labour Cheerefulnesse and Liberalitie Which verie things the Ancients by those names whereby they did expresse their Festivals doe seeme to intimate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to meete or to bee assembled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rejoyce to dance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to restraine from workes that are an hinderance And so amongst the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth an Assembly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes Expences From whence their solemne Festivals were so entituled And unto all these whether Recreations or Entertainments Feastings and other indifferent Customes it onely appertaineth to the Religious Magistrate to prescribe bounds and limits Not to the rash zeale of every one which out of a Schismaticall Stoicisme not suffering people eyther to use a Fanne or to kill a Flea relapse to Iudaisme nor on the other side to every prodigall and debauched Companion who joynes himselfe unto Belphegor and eates the Sacrifices of the dead FINIS Cap. 15.5 Gal. 4.10.11 Cap. 2.16.17 Sect. 4. See Austin de hâ—resâ—b Epiphanius Sect. 2. Epist. 3. l. 21. In Rog. Hoveden Anno. 1201. Anno. 1200. Institut l. 2. cap. 8. Sect. 33. Ib. Sect. 34. Paraen lib. 1. cap. vlt. Institut l. 3. Cap. 8. Sect. 34. Gen. 3. Sect. 3. 7. Gomaâ— desensio sentent c. 10. Investig Sabb. cap. 4. Cap. 10. Cap. 3. Anno 5. and 6. of Edward 6. cap. 3. Heylius Geogr. in France Rogerâ— on the Articleâ— Art 7. Id. in the Preface to the Articles Paraen l. 1. cap. vlt. Hebr. â— Sâ—mpos l. 4. sub finem Lib. 7. cap. 15. De annis mensibus Levit. â—5 Cap. 3. Azor. Instit. Moral part 2. q. 3. Hospin de Fest. Ethn. Iud. l. 3. cap. 3. Annal. sacri ad diem 7. In Exod. ad Praecept 4. V. Damasc fid O. th l. 4. c. 24. Irenaeum l. 4 30. In Gen. 2. q. 4. Ad dâ—em 7. sect 2. In Exod. 〈◊〉 Praecept 4. In Gen. cap. 2. q. 4. Calv. Instit. l. 2. cap. 8. Zouch Tom. 4. l. 1. cap. 15. In Exod. 20. q. 11. â— 2. q. 122. art 4. Institut lib. 2. cap. 8. sect 28. Vbi suprâ— Instit. l. 1. cap. 8. sect 34. Marc. 2.27 Matth. 5. De bello Iudaic. l. 7. cap. 24. Natur. Hist. l. 31. cap. 2. Anno 31. n. 38. Exerâ— 15. sect 20. Lib. 1. cap. 9. Bellar. de cult Sanct. l. 3 c. 11. Estius in 3. Sent. d. 37. sect 13. Vers. 12. Tom. 4. l. 1. c. 11. Exod. 16.35 Matth. 12. Mark 2. Luke 6. Ioh. 5. Acts 13.17.18 cap. Hosp. de sest Christ. c. 9. Montholon prompt in Sabbat De Relig. l. 2. cap. 1. Azor. Institut Mor. part 2. c. 2. Zanch. tom 4. l. 1. c 19. Foxe Stowe in vita Henr. 3. Psal. 65. In loc Com. Perk. in Case of Consc. l. 2. c. 16. Rob. Loâ—uâ— in â—ffig Sabbat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉