exercise the Ministerial function imployed Peter to Preach and by his Sermon at the Third Hour converted Three thousand at the Ninth hour Five Thousand He held the Angels of the Asian Churches in his right hand and out of his mouth went a two-edged sword the Sword of the Spirit namely the Word of God All this is very agreeable to the nature of a day wholly devoted to Religion 4. The Holy Apostles and Disciples Upon the First of the Week when the Disciples came together to break Bread Paul preached to them Act. 20.7 Here are actions very suitable to the design of a Sabbath Preaching and Administring the Holy Sacrament The Time when these actions were performed is the First of the Week This was a constant custom we never read that the Apostle in any place where he found none but Disciples did upon the old Sabbath communicate with them in those Ordinances which the Gospel has appointed Now as touching a Collection for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia so do ye Vpon the first of the week let every one of you lay up by him in store 1 Cor. 16.1 2. The duty here enjoyned is a Collection for the Saints The Apostle did design That it should be very liberal according to the estate of every Man Why he should wave the second third fourth fifth day of the Week and pitch upon the First for the doing of this generous and pious Work cannot be conceived except upon the First of the Week the Disciples of Christ use to meet and be engaged in such Religious performances as have a tendency to excite the mind to Christian liberality These were the thoughts of S. Chrysostome Hom. 43. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was an idoneity and fitness in the day to dispose and lead them to the acts of Charity This custom was not only amongst the Corinthians but all other Christians The Epistle is addressed to all who in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.2 and it was not only upon one or two First days but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the First day of every Week There remaineth therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the keeping a Sabbath to the people of God For he that is entred into his rest he also hath ceased from his works as God did from his Heb. 4.9 10. These words are directed to the Hebrews who were inclinable thro' the efficaey of former impressions to disvalue the institutions of the Gospel That the Apostle might prevail with them to yield a chearful conformity to those appointments He demonstrates That Christ is more valuable than Moses and stiles their deserting the Gospel a departure from the living God and cites Psalm 95. which has a peculiar aspect upon the state of the Church under the Messias In it are described his Disciples under these names the People of his pasture the Sheep of his hand Their solemn meeting to Worship O come let us worship the duties performed at this meeting as Prayer Let us kneel before the Lord our maker v. 6. Singing of Psalms Let us make a joyful noise unto him with Psalms v. 2 3. Hearing the word if you will hear his voice v. 7. a particular day on which all these duties are to be performed To day if you will hear This day being intended for a Sabbath at which time all spiritual advantages are administred which tend to the bringing the Soul into truest satisfaction and rest an exhortation is given to the People not to harden their hearts as the Israelites did in the provocation lest they be deprived of this rest as the Israelites were of theirs in the land of Canaan Now because there are several sorts of rests recorded in the Scripture The heavenly rest in the world to come the rest of the old Sabbath rest in the land of Canaan the Apostle makes it manifest that it is none of these which the Psalmist means but the rest of a Sabbath under the Gospel Not the heavenly for the rest here spoken is confined to a certain day v. 7. Whereas the rest above is every day without interruption Not the rest of the old Sabbath for that was at the beginning when the works were finished from the Creation of the World But the rest mentioned by the Psalmist is some future thing under the Gospel as I have sworn if they shall enter Not the Rest in the land of Canaan If Jesus had given them rest then he would not afterwards have spoken of another day From these premises it is concluded there remaineth therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the keeping a Sabbath day to the people of God under the Gospel And that we may know this Sabbath is the Resurrection-day and by consequence the First of the Week it is added for he which entred into his rest hath ceased from his works as God did from his God the Father upon the Last of the Week ceased from his works and made it a day of rest unto his people Therefore God the Son has done the like with the First of the Week he then putting a period to his state of Humiliation and ceasing from his labour and trouble which he did undergo in the accomplishment of the work of our redemption I was in the Spirit upon the Lord's day Rev. 1.10 By the Lord's day we can understand no less than a day appointed by our Blessed Lord and devoted to his Honour and Worship This day must necessarily be the First of the Week For S. John in expressing this circumstance of Time designs a credit to his relation and therefore must necessarily mean some day which was very well known by this name at the writing of the Revelation It is manifest by Ignatius who was his contemporary That the common name then given to the First of the Week was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This day God was pleased to signalize by a communication of the Holy Ghost in some extraordinary measures S. John was in the Spirit upon it In the words there is an allusion to the manner of speaking amongst the Hebrews who say that a man besides the Soul which he is ordinarily endued with has another Spirit given to him upon the Sabbath which they stile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an excellent Soul Manass Ben. Is reconc Buxt Syna Jud. c. 11. p. 288. Such allusions we have in the very Context The Seven Spirits v. 4. have a plain aspect upon the Seven Angels which the Jews say do constantly attend the throne of God And the Governours of the Asian Churches are called Angels with respect to the Rulers in the Synagogues which were known by that name 5. The testimony of the following ages He who consults the Writings which are extant will meet with these four Things which being laid together will amount to what has been asserted 1. That the First of the Week was owned by Christians as a Day of Worship 2. As a Sabbath
Spirit of God being about to set out this proportion alone as a rule for all ages as well under the Gospel as under the Law and looking back upon the great neglect of it in Aegypt and foreseeing the oppositions it would meet with tending to extinguish the memory of it he is pleased in the very front of the precept which enjoyns it to place tins word Remember As for the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing can be necessarily collected from it to enforce our belief that the last of the Seven is designed in the Precept for this article is many times found where it has no such determining influence as Deut. 8.3 Man doth not live by bread only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here doth not signifie this or that kind of Bread but leaves it in its general signification Lev. 18.5 Which if a man do he shall live in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is without any Emphasis and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expounded by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without aw article Rom. 10.5 When this article is Emphatical it must be collected from the reason of the thing or the circumstances of the place When the Holy Spirit doth design a peculiar determination by it it is often joyned with a separated Pronoun as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speak to this young man Zach. 2.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the self same day Gen. 7.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this house and this City Now we have nothing of this nature in the Fourth Command to oblige us to believe such a determining Emphasis in it but on the contrary the reason of the thing and all circumstances duely considered highly favour the sence which has been given The Fourth Commandment is encompassed with Moral Laws and placed in the very Centre of a perpetual rule of righteousness Our interpretation gives the most intelligible account why it should have this situation It is generally asserted That the last of the week was Typical but none have discovered the least tittle of Ceremoniality in one in seven This is reducible to the Laws of Nature which are usually reckoned to be of Two sorts either such as are discovered by the Light of Nature or else such as being made known by revelation are approved of by that Light Institut Justinian Arnold vin com p. 52. Altho' the equity of devoting just One in Seven to the Worship of God is not so manifest as generally to be pitched upon without the aid of revelation yet it being disclosed to be the mind of God it finds a very ready entertainment All agree That some time is to be set a part and what proportion can be more equal and convenient Gell. l. 3. ◠10. noc At. de Etruriae originibus Seld. de jur Nat. Gen. p. 376. Qu 69. p. 432. than the Seventh Varro made it his business to discover an excellency in this number above others Postellus observes That antiently at Rome one day in seven was sacred tho' not the same with the Jewish day The Author of the Question and Answer ad Orthodoxos ascribed to Justin Martyr takes notice of some peculiar marks of honour upon this number and says it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more valuable and eminent than others Now if the observation of one in seven appertains to the Moral Law and the last of the seven to the Ceremonial we ought to interpret the Fourth command for one in seven and not the last For the whole Decalogue being designed for a Royal Law an everlasting rule and standard for all ages certainly every Command in it is to be construed in such a sence as doth most fully comply with this intention in the Law-giver This interpretation makes the fourth Precept like to the others it stands in conjunction with for they do not descend to any particulars The First Command doth not name Saturn Mars or Mercury but keeps in the general Thou shalt have no other Gods The Second doth not mention the image of any particular Deity The Third doth not name assertory or promissory Oaths The Fifth doth not nominate any individual which stands in the relation of a Father or Mother So the Fourth doth not express the particular day of Worship but confines it self to that which is more general One in Seven whether it be the first or last as God shall please to appoint It is not difficult to discern the temper of this Law by the genius of the other precepts which are its companions Lastly There are many very considerable for Learning and Judgment who favour the interpretation which has been given S. Chrysostome glossing upon these words Hom. 16. Gen. 88. p. Fron. Duc. God rested the seventh day and sanctified it says From hence we are taught to set a-part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one day in the circle of week for the exercise of spiritual duties Aquinas affirms That the last of the seven is not contained in the Fourth Command Preceptum de observatione Sabbati est secundum aliquid morale c. secundum hoc inter praecepta Decalogi computatur non autem quantum ad taxationem temporis quia secundum hoc est ceremoniale P. 2. Q. 100. art 3.22 Q. 112. art 4. The Precept concerning the observation of the Sabbath is in some respect moral and in that sence it is accounted amongst the Ten Commandments and not as it sets out the particular time because that was ceremonial In the Homily of Time and Place these words occur By this Command meaning the Fourth we ought to have a time as one day in the week wherein we ought to rest yea from our lawful and needful works For like as it appeareth by this Commandment That no Man in the six days ought to be slothful and idle but diligently to labour in that state wherein God hath set him even so God hath given express charge to all Men That upon the Sabbath-day which is now our Sunday they should cease from all weekly and work-work-day labour c. Mr. Hooker asserts Eccl. pol. l. 5. p. 378 379. That we are bound to account the Sanctification of one day in seven a duty which God's immutable Law doth exact for ever Mr. Mede speaking of the Fourth Precept Diatr of the observation of the Sabbath c. p. 240. says Where it is called in the Command the Seventh day that is in respect of Six days and not otherwise and therefore whensoever it is so called those six days of labour are mentioned with it The Seventh therefore is the Seventh after six days of labour nor can any more be inferred from it The example of the Creation is brought for the quotum One day in Seven as I have shewed and not for the designation of any certain day for that Seventh Curcellaeus is of the same mind De Esu Sangu p. 64. Notare oportet nihil
day 3. As a Day preferred before the old Sabbath 4. As a Day instituted by Christ in the place of the old Day The First is manifest from Justin Martyr Apol. 2. p. 99. Apol. c. 39. who says That all Christians use to meet together upon it for the Worship of God Tertullian gives an account of the whole Solemnity of the day Eusebius says Hier. de Script Ecc. Euseb l. 4. c. 22. That it was celebrated by all Christians dispersed throughout the World If it had not been universally observed no account can be given why the Ebionites who did keep Saturday in a conformity to the Jews should celebrate the Lord's day That they might be agreeable in their practice to the Christians and why the contest grew so high about Easter whether it should be upon the Lord's day There had been no ground for this dispute in case the First of the Week had not then been honoured above all other days If this day was so generally devoted to Religion then there was a cessation upon it from all those secular imployments which are not reconcileable with so sacred a purpose and such a cessation is an ingredient essential to the constitution of a Sabbath Secondly We find sometimes the First of the Week to be expresly called a Sabbath-day as appears by the words of Gregory Nyssen He stiles it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De resurr Christitom 2. p. 814. Par. Ed. In Psalm explan Prologus p. 335. De temp p. 257. and represents this as the reason because the only begotten Son of God rested upon it from all his works S. Hilary owns it by the same name Nos octavâ die quae ipsa prima est perfecti Sà bbati festivitate laetamur S. Austin speaking How the glory of the old Sabbath was transferred to the First of the Week concludes in these words Sic quoque ritè sanctificamus Sabbatum Domini Isychius says concerning the Resurrection-day In Lev. 23. Haec est altera dies Sabbati The name whereby the Lord's day was anciently called amongst Aethiopian Christians Scaliger de emend tem l. 7. p. 645. is Sanbath Zachristos the Sabbath of Christ The Rythmes concerning a Jew in the time of Henry the Third make it manifest That this name was familiarly applyed to the First of the Week The Jews words to those who offered him their help to pull him off the Jakes upon Saturday were Sabbata nostra colo de stercore surgere nolo Mat. Par. Our Sabbath I so highly prize That from this dung I will not rise The Christians did reply the Lord's day being next Sabbata nostra quidem Solomon celebrabis ibidem Then Solomon it must be thy fate Our Sabbath there to celebrate It is stiled by our own Church the Sabbath-day in the Ecclesiastical Constitutions Can. 70. Thirdly It is represented as a day much preferred by Christians before the Jewish Sabbath It had so much the pre-eminence That the Last of the Week by Spectators out of the Church and the better and sounder part of those within had little or no notice taken of it or deference paid to it The Jews observing the singular regard the Christians had for the First of the Week called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of the Nazarites Avodah Zar. Hor Hebr. 320. It was a common maxim among them On the day of the Nazarites a Jew must not negotiate with a Christian The Gloss interprets a Nazarite to be one who follows the errour of him who commanded his Disciples to keep holy the First of the Week Buxt L. Rab. 1384. In voc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rab. Bechai commenting upon that expression behind one in the midst Is 66.7 says That it either denotes the cross of the Edomites or their solemn Feast-day By the Edomites he means Christians For the Jews in their private records where they give a greater indulgence to their blasphemous humour assert That the same Soul which was in Esau Lex Rab. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did pass into Christ from thence his followers are called by this name The Feast-day which he terms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fixed or stated time for Christian Worship is no other but the Lord's day When Pliny attempts to represent the crimes which the Christians were guilty of he sets this in the front Quod soliti essent stato die ante lucem convenire carmenque Christo tanquam Deo dicere That they were wont to meet upon a certain day and to sing a Hymn unto Christ as unto God If it had been usual for them to meet upon the old Sabbath as well as the Lord's day Pliny who made it his business to inquire into their practice would have discovered it and then it would have been statis diebus not stato die Here is only mention of one particular day That this was the Lord's day is apparent from Ignatius Ad Magnes who lived in the time of Trajan to whom Pliny wrote He represents the Jewish Sabbath as a working day and attributes to the Lord's day a dominion over it The celebration of Sunday was so constant amongst the Christians that the Heathens conceived That they gave some veneration to the Sun Which misapprehension occasioned the words of Tertullian Diem Solis laetitiae indulgemus aliâ longè ratione Cor. Mâ—l quà m religione Solis The Heathen Inquisition use to put this question to the Martyrs Dominicum servâsti hast thou kept the Lord's day The answer was I am a Christian I cannot intermit it Ignatius calls the First of the Week the Queen of days and if it was the Queen it had a Sovereignty over all other days and would not permit the old Sabbath to sit in the same Throne with it Non benè conveniunt nec in unâ sede morantur Majestas Amor. Queens and Lovers will not agree In the same Throne long to be Justin Martyr asserts That the old Sabbath is of no use after the time of Christ Whereas when he speaks of the Lord's day he says That all Christians meet upon it hear the Prophets read have a word of Exhortation spoken to them and the whole performance is concluded with Prayer and a collection for those who are in distress These duties use to be discharged in the Synagogues upon the Old Sabbath but that being abrogated they are now translated to the New The Council of Laodicea declares That Christians ought not to rest on the Jewish Sabbath but work preferring the Lord's day before it The Church anciently was so far from having any respect to the old day Or. 29. p. 282. Hâ—er 30.31 Hist Eccl. l. 4. c. 22. Buxt l. Rab. vo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that those who believed That they were under an obligation to observe it were branded with the infamy of heresie 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Nazianzen the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphanius the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
power over the Sabbath is to the same purpose with that power over those things whatsoever they be The things mentioned in the former Verses are the Shew-bread and Sacrifices which he put a period to and did erect other constitutions in the room of them We have already proved That the old day is annulled by him The First of the Week is stiled the Lord's day what can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be but an effect of that power which the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was invested with Pray That your flight be not on the Sabbath-day Mat. 24.20 It appears from hence That a Sabbath would be observed about Forty Years after these words were spoken for the flight mentioned in them was upon the account of the Roman Army stiled the abomination of desolation which about that time besieged and took Jerusalem called the holy place It is not said Pray that you be not put upon this extremity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the Sabbath then in use but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a general word which may be applyed to the first as well as the last of the Week This Sabbath is to be celebrated by the Disciples for he treats them privately v. 3. and we cannot think he would use such an emphatical expression which has a tendency to beget an awful regard to the Sabbath here mentioned in case they had not been concerned in the observation of it about the time which Christ had his Eye upon no other Sabbath was observed by the Disciples but the First of the Week About Two and Twenty Years after his Death we find it kept in a very full Assembly Act. 20.7 After which there is not the least mention of the celebration of the Jewish day in the New Testament but on the contrary S. Paul condemns the observation of it Coloss 2.16 This Epistle was written not long before his Martyrdom when he was in his bonds at Rome c. 4. v. 18. Therefore we have reason to believe That our Blessed Saviour had his Eye upon the First of the Week when he exhorted the Disciples to pray That their flight might not be on the Sabbath day As a Winter-flight would have been prejudicial to their bodies So likewise to fly upon the Sabbath when they were to be ingaged in the most solemn addresses to the Divine Majesty would be really disadvantageous to their Souls Indeed it is pretended That our Saviour's words were occasioned either by the foresight of some trouble to the Disciples from the superstitious Jews who would certainly hinder them in their flight upon their Sabbath or else of some molestation in their own Consciences arising from their being not fully weaned from the observation of the Ceremonial Rites To which I reply That no such thing could in reason be feared as the being hindred by the Jews because before the time which is spoken of they had laid aside their Superstitious conceits about sitting still or the going only a Sabbath-days journey when they were in capital dangers and received it as a Maxim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That when life is exposed to hazard the rest of the Sabbath may be dispensed with Tho' the Essenes refused to submit to this rule yet they being a very inconsiderable party in respect of the Pharisees and Sadducees and without any power of inflicting penalties they could be no impediment to the Christians in their flight As for the trouble arising from their own Consciences That cannot be supposed because they had full instructions before this time about the abolition of the Ceremonial Appointments All S. Paul's Epistles in which there are clear expressions about this matter were written before the destruction of Jerusalem If his Doctrine was not prevalent with them yet it cannot be imagined that they should be more superstitious in this particular than the Jews which were not converted and they made no scruple before this time either to fight or fly upon the Sabbath in case of danger as I have already intimated I pass from the words of Christ to his Actions as his Resurrection his appearing after his Resurrection the particular Acts done by him at his appearance The old Sabbath being discharged and the Fourth Command still for One in Seven as is evident by the premises we have a fair indication from the Resurrection of our duty to put a peculiar honour upon the First of the Week above all other days and account it the Christian Sabbath All days in themselves are equal That which alters this equality and advanceth one day above another is the eminence of the work which is done upon it The Resurrection of Christ being the consummation of the new Creation and of our redemption from the direful effects of the primitive Apostasie is the most eminent performance the World has been acquainted with Were we left to our own conduct what day could we make choice of to be the day of our Solemn Worship and rest from those labours which are not reconcileable with it Euseb de laud. Const Euseb vit Const 628. Vales l. 4. c. 18. Nazian 〈◊〉 43. Basil Hexam Hom. 2. but this which is ennobled with so transcendent a work Upon this account the antient Christians stiled it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 really the first the highest of all the first-fruits of days Samuel made it an argument That Saul was chosen King because there was none like him a man higher than the people from the shoulders upwards The First of the Week being advanced by the Resurrection and made much taller than any other of the Seven we may truly say Behold the Day which the Lord hath chosen to be the Queen of Days as Ignatius stiles it As the rising of Christ from the dead upon the First of the Week promotes our belief that it is the day which God has appointed in the room of the old Sabbath So likewise his appearing upon it after the Resurrection no less than five times upon the self-same day once to Mary Magdalen Mat. 28.9 10 11. Luk. 24.33 34. Jo. 2.19 v. 26. then to the Women the third time to the Two Disciples the fourth to Peter the last to the Eleven Eight days after taken inclusively he appeared again when the Disciples were met which was punctually upon the First of the Week This day was singled out by him for the first and last most eminent manifestation of himself by his Spirit The first to the Disciples at Pentecost when the Holy Ghost descended upon them in cloven Tongues Rev. 1.10 The last to S. John to whom the future state of the Church was revealed For what end were all these appearances but to inform future ages That the First of the Week is a day most acceptable to him and to assure them of his special presence when they convene upon it for his solemn Worship To all this I might add the particular acts which he did at his appearance He invested his Disciples with power to