writings of the most godly diuines and builders of our Church Gods people are vrged by the law of God even the fourth Commandement to keepe holy the Lords day for the Christian weekly Sabbath and in our divine service after the publicke rehearsing of that commandement in the congregation are injoyned to pray in these words Loâ—d haue mercy upon us and incline our heaâ—tes to keepe thy law And this you see the first generall duty of the Sabbath to weet Resting from worldly affaires clearly proved and that while their is a Sabbath or weekly day of holy assemblies either under the Gospel all men are bound to observe this rest The second generall duty necessaâ—ily to be performed in the keeping of the Sabbath is sanctification which is by mens devoting of themselves wholy to divine worship such religious actions as God requirs in the times of the Church in which they live such as are publick assemblies for praising God praying to him preaching reading expounding and hearing of his word commemoration of his great works and rehearsing of his promises for common edification Also private praierâ— and meditations on heavenly things domesticall instructions and the like All these are necessary Sabbath duties to be observed of al men in all ages both under the old new testament First the words wherin Moses here in my text discribes Gods first institutioÌ„ of the Sabbath proue this fully For here it is said that God sanctified it that is set it apart for holy exercises in the performance whereof men do sanctifie it For sanctifying is either by infusion of holinesse into the thing sanctified or setting it apart to holy use and exercise but it had no holinesse infused into it as I haue else where proved Therefore it was saâ—ctified by consecration that is setting apart to holy use Secondly it is called the holy Sabbath that is such a day of rest as is to be kept Exod. 16.23 before the giving of the fourth commandement as Moses shewes saying To morrow is the rest of our holy sabbath to the Lord that is this is a rest not of idlenesse but from common affairs that men may be exercised in holy duties onely Thirdly in the giving of the law from mount Sina God commands expresly that all his people doe remember to sanctifie and keepe holie the sabbath which cannot be but by exercise of holy duties and performance of holy service and worshippe vnto God Exod. 2â— 9 Lâ—stly in all the scriptures of the law which speake of the sabbath in the old Testament it is called the Lords holy sabbath And sanctification of it is required as appeares Exod. 31.15 5.2 Deut. 5.12 And in the Evangellicall Prophets which speake of the sabbath both of old and also in the last daies of the Gospell it is called the Lords Holy day Isa. 58 13 66 23 and it is said that all flesh that is true Christians of all nations Shall from one Sabbath to another come to worship before the Lord Ezech. 44.24 They shall hallow the Sabbath But here some perhaps will object That none can truly sanctifie the Sabbath nor performe aâ—y holy duty who are wholy carnall unregenerate and haue not the spirit of God dwelling in them sanctifying them such are many even in the bosome of the true Church And therfore sanctification of the Sabbath cannot be a generall duty performed by al men nor requiâ—ed of all but is a special duty prâ—per to the elect Saints who are truly sanctified others were neuer able to sanctifie the sabbath and therefore it is not a duty which God can justly require of all in generall Jt is true indeed that as a bitter fountaine corrupt can send forth no sweet and pure water so no naturall man can performe a true holy duty Holines is a supernaturall guift of the holy Ghost and he it is who enables men to performe all workes which are eternally holy But as ther is a two fold sanctification the one internal which is the woâ—k of the holy Ghost in men the other externall which is the consecrating setting apart of things naturall and artificiall to be imployed to an holy vse and to supernaturall end so also there are two sorts of holy exercise Some which are eternally holy as holy prayers and praises and all workes of true piety which onely holy men performe by the power of the holy Ghost working in them and mouing them Others are only externally holy by outward consecration seperation because the are appointed to be done for holy use to be used in the worship of God such are all outward religious duties as sacrificing and such like performed by Hipocrites and carnall professours in the old Testament such as Caine Saul and Elis wicked sonnes were And reading preaching set formes of prayer and gestures of worship performed by Hipocrites both before and under the Gospel These later are in the power of Hipocrites and unregenerate men who by a common guift and generall grace are enabled to performe farre more in this kinde then they do or are willing to do Now though all men cannot performe the first yet so farr as they are able they are bound to performe the later sort of dutâ—es among which are the externall sanctifications of the Sabbath as frequenting holy and publick assâ—mblies singing of Psalmes joyning with the Church in publick prayers and the like which as they are able to do so they are bound to do and if they refuse in such things to conforme themselves they are punisâ—ed both by God for disobedience to his law and also by the Censures of the Church The third generall duty necessarily required of all in the observation of the Sabbath is That they keep for their holy Sabbath that verie day of the week whether it be the first or seventh which God hath blessed aboue all other daies with the greatest blessing and which he hath sanctified aboue all other daies by more full relation of his own holines to the world and opening of a more wide doore of holines for the sanâ—tifying of all his people Thus I prove First most plainly from the words of my text which describe Gods first institution of the Sabbath First by blessing it aboue other daies with that greatest of blessings even the promise of Christ a perfect Saviour and Redeemer of mankinde Secondly by sanctifying it in revealing his holinesse to man and sanctifying man by his spirit the promise and thereupon appointing it to be kept holy As I haue fully before proved Secondly the Lord God himselfe both in giving the law from mount Sina and often repeating of the fourth Commandement by Moses still vrgeth the obseruation of the weekly Sabbath upon this grouÌ„d because he hath on that day Redeemed them out of the house of boâ—dage with a mighty hand streached out arme Deut. 5.15 in othâ—r places for indeede on the Sabbath he redemed them and
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
and giving the advantage by the ruine of all the walles about the Citty did impose a necessity vpon them to take and destroy the Cittie on that day and this worke was dispensed with and approved by God and so are all of the like kinde For necessity hath no law Secondly by the same rule other works of necessity as labour in queÌ„ching fire when mens houses are on fire or the towne in danger or in stopping of a breach when the sea or some overflowing river breakes through the banks and is readie to draw some part of the countrie and to destroy men and beasts and there is a necessiâ—y of Removing men beasts corn other good creaturs that they be not be drowned swallowed vp And in a word wheresoever God brings men into that necessity that they cannot be kept in welbeing without present help by some worke done on the Sabbath day such workes are not forbidden on that day Neither killing of sheep and oxen nor dressing of them nor grinding corne nor baking bread to refresh an armye returned from battell and ready to faint without present sustenance by dressing and preparing some part of the praey which they haue taken Our Saviour in the Gospell proues this clearlie Mat. 12. Where by Davids example who did take and eate the shew bread in his necessity he defends his Disciples their act of plucking â—ares of corn rubbing and eating them on the Sab also alloweth leading of cattell to drink the drawing theÌ„ out of pits such like But because occasion is here offered to speak of all kinds of actions which are allowed to be don from which men are not bound to râ—st wholy on the Lords day It will be expected of some that I should speak of actions and exercises of sport and recreation whether men be altogether restrained from them or whether any of them be lawfull to bee vsed on the Lords day Now because I will not provoke nor exasperate any who seem of contrary judgment especially men of great place authority I will propound my judgment which I conceiue to be agreable to Gods word onely ingenerall rules gathered out of the holy Scriptures which all understanding Christians may easily apply to the particulars 1. Jt is acknowledged by all godly learned divines That nor creations or sports which feed and cherish mens corrupt carnall affections are at any time lawfull as Idle Uaine jefting wanton gestures and daliance which increase lust and occasion wantonnesse and therefore least of all to be tollerated on the Lords day For this is seeking of our own pleasures polluting the Lords holy day which the Prophet Jsaiah condemnes Isa 58. 2. Honest and lawfull sports and recreations such as shooâ—ing wrastling and other games of actiuity hunting hawking angling and the like though they be lawfull at other times yet they are not to be tollerated on the Lords day in any measure if they be found to hinder men from publick worship seruice of God and publicke set duties of piety fit for the day or to withdraw them from private duties requisit in Christian families as prayer reading meditation repetition and examining of Doctrines by the Scripture which haue beene publickly preached and heard private instructions exhortations and mutuall provocations to piety and to praising of God by singing Psalmes and the like Whatsoever sports and recreations do hinder these and withdraw people from them they are on the Lords day impious and prophane how lawfull soever on other daies In this point all Godly grave and learned Divines do agree And how sinfull prophane and hatefull to God such sports are on the Lords day The Lord himselfe doth continually shew and declare by the many examples of dreadfull judgments and tokens of his wrath which hee hath shewed and doth still shew in this and in all ages for such doings dorwning some in their swimming breaking the backs armes legges and necks of other in their wrastling stricking with horrible lamenesse and with dreadly surfers and sudden death leapers dauncers hunters hawkers riders bowlers and such like And let every man take heed that his own heart do not deceiue him and that he doe not flatter himselfe in his follie when it is manifest that such sports are a mans owne pleasures condemned by the Prophet Isa. 58. And are seen and known daily to steale away mens hearts from holy duties and to turne their affections from heavenly and spirituall things wherein they ought chiefly to delight Thirdly as men may not do the lawfull works of their calling neither in providing meat drinke cloathes or other necessaries on the Lords day with a bare respect of naturall good and worldly profitt because this is doing of his owne waies and workes and not the worke of God Unto which Gods holy day is wholy consecrated and set apart Except onely in case of necessity when men and beasts cannot otherwise bee preserued in life health and being or when Gods people without such workes cannot be made fit able to serue God cheerfully as they ought on that day So also no bodily sports Recreations and pleasures are to be tolerated or used merely to cherish the flesh to refresh the body and to procure bodily strength but onely such as are in verie deed needfull in themselves and used and intended by Gods people with this purpose and â—o this end that they may with more abilitie alacrity and cheerefulnesse do the holy workes and performe the holie duties of Gods worship and service which are proper to the Lords holy day First this is manifest by the words of the Lord Isa. 58.13 Where he requires of his people that they turne away their feete from doing their owne pleasure on his holy day and call the sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord Honourable and honour him not doing their owne wayes nor finding their owne pleasure By their owne waies and pleasures we are to understand not onely their corrupt sinfull workes filthy words and vaine carnall pleasures which proceed from nature corrupted and naturally tend to increase transgression for they are to be abhorred every daie and at all times but here by their owne waies words and pleasure we are to understand such as proceed from nature created good and are onely intended to that end and haue none other effect For such though at other times lawfull and honest Yet on Gods holy daie are prophane common and inordinate as these words imply Secondly as it is not lawfull to use Gods holy word in jeasting nor with it to mingle our owne vaine talke nor to play with holy things because this is taking of Gods name in vaine Soe undoubtedly to use worldly delights and to sport our selues with uanishing earthly naturall and ciuill pleasures which are neither usefull to helpe and further us in holy devotion nor intended by us to that end is a prophanation of Gods holy day and an intermingling of our owne prophannesse
THE DOCTRINE OF THE SABBATH Wherein the first institution of the vveekly Sabbath with the time thereof the nature of the Law binding man to keep it the true grounds and necessity of the first institution and of the observation of it on the severall day in the Old Testament and also of the removing of it to the first day under the Gospell are laid open and proved out of the Holy Scriptures ALSO Besides the speciall dueties necessarily required for the due sanctification thereof these two profitable points are proved by demonstrations out of Gods Word First that the Lord Christ God and Man is the Lord of the Sabbath on whom the Sabbath was first founded by whom it was changed from the last to the first day of the weeke and is on that day unchangeably to be kept by all true Christians untill they come to the Eternall rest in Heaven after the generall resurrection 2. That the faithfull under the Gospell are as necessarily bound to keep the weekly Sabbath of the Lords day by vertue of the fourth Commandement as the Fathers under the Law were bound to keep the seventh day Delivered In divers Sermons by GEORGE WALKER B. of Divinity and Pastor of St. Iohn Evangelists Church in LONDON LEVIT 19.30 Ye shall keepe my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary I am the Lord. Printed at Amsterdam in the yeare 1638. To the Christian Reader THe Author of this Treatise being much importuned to publish his Sermons concerning the Sabbath preached in his owne Parish-Church to his owne Flocke not onely by divers of his Châ—istian Hearers but also by others both Preachers and godly people who had heard by report the manner of his large handling and expounding of this Text did yeeld at length to their Reqâ—ests and composed this Treatise which containes in it the whole summe and substance of the matter more largely delivered The Copie whereof written with his owne hand he gave to be imparted from hand to hand and transcribed by such as did dâ—sire to make use of it for their owne satisfaction and the instâ—uction of their owne private Families and Christian friends Which comming to my hands I thought fitt to publâ—sh and impart iâ— to the Englâ—sh Câ—urches in those Câ—uâ—tries on this other sidâ— of the Sâ—as being credibly informed that the Author â—s not unwillâ—ng to submite his Doctâ—ine to the judgement of the true Reformed Churchâ—s of Châ—ist accoâ—ding to that saying of the holie Apostle 1 Cor. 14 3â— The spirits of the Pâ—ophets are subject to the Prophets Let those things which beâ—ein seeme most of all to savour of noveltie be read without prejudice and sinister affâ—ction weigâ—ed by the shâ—kel of the Sanctuarie and I doubt not but such as are judicious will â—iâ—de them to be auncient truths like pure old gold newlie brought to light out of the old treasuâ—e of the sacred Scriptuâ—es in which mâ—ny pâ—ofitable truths fitt for these last times remaine yet to be more clearely revealed Which God wâ—ll undoubtedly bring to light by such as dâ—gge deeper in those mines then others formerly have done and labour to â—raw stâ—ll more Waters of comfort out of those Wells of Salvation To that God onely immortall and infinit in goodnesse and wisedome and to â—he woâ—d of his grace I commend you which is able to buiâ—d you up and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified THE DOCTRINE OF THE SABBATH Gen. 2 2.3 And on the seventh God ended his vvorke which he had made and he rested the seventh day from all his woâ—ke which he had made 3. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because in it he had rested from all his worke which God created and made CHAP. 1. IN the unfolding of this Text and handling of this maine and necessary point I will observe the Method and order which is most agreeable to the order of the words First from these words And on the seventh day J will observe and declare the time of the Institution of the weekly Sabbaâ—h even the very day wherin the first occasion was given for the sanctification of it and God did first sanctifie it and commaund that it should be kept holy Secondly I will shew the true ground and occasion of the institution of it laid downe in the next words God endeâ— his work which he had made and he rested the seventh day from all his worke which he had made and God blâ—ssed the seventh day Thirdly I will declare what is the blessing and sanctifying of the seventh day where I shall have occasion to speake of the Law and Commandement by which God seperated it from other naturall dayes to holy Heavenly and supernaturall use And of the dueties which that Law requires at the hands of all Gods people in all ages to the end of the World on the most blessed day of all the seven in every weeke even the weekly Sabbath-day Under these heades divers subordinate points will â—ffer themselves to be handled and divers necessarie questions will come to be answered and explaned First concerning the time of the institution there are severall opiâ—ions among learned Writers of former and later times First some Heathen Writers as Iustine Tacitus with others have grossely and absurdly erred as in the time so also in the Author and in the occasion of the institution though they had perhaps read the the writings of Moses yet it seemes they beleeved him not concerning the fiâ—st institution of it by God but finding the first expresse Law concerning the keeping of the Sabbath given by Moses at mount Sina written in Tables of stone and afterwards recorded in the the Bookes of Moses they make Moses the first Author of the Sabbâ—th and that upon this occasion because wandring with the Israelites out of Egypt in the wildernesse and finding no sustenance but being forced to fast six dayes at length comming to mount Sina with the people there found meate and rested and upon this occasion did appoint it to be keept weekly for a Sabbath or day of rest But all true Christians who beleeve the Scriptures to be the sacred infallible VVord of God being thereby better instructed doe with one consent hold confesse and constantly teach that God the Lord Iehovah the onely true God is the Author and Ordainer of the Sabbath and that he first ordained it upon the ground and occasion mentioned in this Text and expressed in the words of the Law But yet in the time they much dâ—ffâ—r among themselves Some in the time of the first institution concurre with the infidell Heathens before mentioned though they differ much concerning the Author and the occasion For they hold that the Sabbath was neither commaunded by God nor knowne to the Fathers and Patriarches nor observed by any before the comming of Israel with Moses to mount Sina and that the first instâ—tution of it was in the fourth Commaundement given by God among the ten from Mount
on our first parents begitteÌ„th of his immortal theÌ„ seed sanctifie them and worke faith and all saving graces in them so that they beleâ—ved the promise and found rest in Christ. And so this was the daie wherein God did first make man actuall partaker of his spirit and did make in him true holinesse and conforme him to the Image of Christ This appeares by three things First by Adams words chapt 3.20 where not withstanding Gods passing of the sentence of bodilie death against him and of his returning to dust in the grave in the words next before yet â—e by faith laies hold on one eternall life in Christ the promised seed and being strengthened with might by the spirit in the inner man doth call his wife Chavah which signifieth life because by Christ promised to be come her seed shee shâ—uld bee the mother of all liuing and not onely all his naturall seed should by Christ haue naturall life for a time and being on earth continued vnto them but also after death his wife and al their elect seed should haue life eternall in him This is a strong argument of a lively faith and of the quickening spirit given to Adam vpon the verie daie of the promise which was the seventh day Secondly that our first parents had the holy spirit given them on that daie by faith were instituted made partakers of the righteousnes of Christ the coats of skins doe shew which God fitted to them put vpon them For undoubtedly these skins of cleane beasts which God taught and commanded them to kill and offer in sacrifice as tipes figures and pledges of their redemption by the death and sacrifice of of Christ and these coats made of the skins of beasts sacrificed and put upon our first parents by God himself did plainly forshew the covering and clothing of all the faithfull with the Robes of Christ satisfaction and righâ—iousnesse were a token and pledge to them that they were justified by faith in Christ to come and cloathed with the garments of salvation For all Gods works are perfect he gives to no men by his own hand immediatly the outward pledg seale without the inward grace Thirdly Adams teaching of his sonnes Caine and Abell to sacrifice and to bring offerings first fruits to God which were tipes of Christ and of Gods rest in his mediation and fulls satisfaction and that at the end of daies that is the seventh which is the last of the week Gods holy weekly Sabbath these J say doe testifie Adams faith in the promise his holy obedience to Gods commandment of keeping holy the seueÌ„th day and his holy care to teach his Children holy obedience also Now this being manifest that of the seventh day God did first sanctifie man by his holy spirit and did bring in holinesse into the world among men we must needs acknowledg this a second point of Gods sanctifying that day and making it fit to bee his holy weekely Sabbath and the day of his holy worship CHAP. 9. THirdly the Lord God for a memoriall of these supernaturall heavenly things first revealed done on the seventh day and for a pledg to man of the eternall rest in heaven did also by his word and commandment appoint every seventh day to be vnto man a day of rest from his owne works which concerne this worldly life and to be kept an holy Sabbath to the Lord his God and this is the third point of Gods sanctifying the seventh day and setting it apart for holy and heavenlie vse and for holy worshippe service and religious duties which tend to begit and increase holinesse in men and so to bring them to see and enjoy God in the eternall rest of glorie This point because it is of greatest weight and moment comprehends in it many of those things which are necessary to be laid open made knowne for the distinct and profittable understanding of the Lords holy weekly Sabbath the right obseruation thereof together with the duties which belong thereunto are therein required Therefore I will doe my best endeavour to handle this point more fully to laie open distinctly the speciall things therein contained and that in this method order First I will proue this maine point to weet That Gods blessing and sanctifying of the seventh day did include the giving of a law commandement for the keeping of an holy weekly Sabbath Gods giving of this commandement was a maine speciall part of his sanctifying of it Secondly I will enquire search out the nature of that law commandement how farre in what manner it bindes Adam and all his posteritie Thirdlie because everie law which God gives to man doth impose a dutie upon man and bindes man to the performance of it therefore the uerie words of the text binds me to handlle at large mans dutie which this commandement of God this word by which hee did blesse and sanctifie the seventh day doth impose upon Adam all his posteritie even their sanctifying keeping holy the Sabbath day For the proofe of the maine point we haue three notable argumeÌ„ts First we haue the plaine testimony of God himselfe Exod. 16.28 where he cals this his blessing sanctifying of the seventh day by the maine of a commandement law tels the Isralites that they not keeping of an holy rest but going out togather Manna on the seventh day did refuse to keepe his commandements and lawes that is his commandements and lawes which he had given from the beginning in his blessing and the sanctifying of the seventh day For of other speciall lawes and commandements given beefore that time concerning the Sabbath there is no mention at all in Scripture neither did God giue any besides that from the beginning untill hee spake unto them afterward from mount Sinah and in the fourth Commandement called upon them to remember the Law of old giuen for keeping holy the Sabbath and renewed it againe to them Secondly In all the Law of God and in all the Scriptures wee never read of any thing truly hallowed sanctified and set apart for holy vse but by speciall Commandement of God and by the direction of his word the first thing which is said to bee sanctified after the seventh daie is the first borne of Israell Exod 13.2 and this was by Gods speciall commandement and therefore hee saith that he hallowed them On that day which he smote the first borne of Egypt Num. 3.13 The next sanctified mentioned in Scripture is that of the people of Israell when they were to come into the sight and presence of Gods Majestie at mount Sina Exod. 19.10 and that was by Gods direction and commandement as is there testified in expresse words The third sanctification mentioned in the Scriptures is that of the Sanctuary and the Altar and all the holy Uessels and implements therof And Aaron and his sonnes the
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
earth beneath and all creatures in them serving daily for mans naturall good welbeing even every day equallie did put man continually in mind of his duty to weet that he was to loue and serue the Lord with all his heart soule and strength at all times for this is the righteousnesse of a mans owne workes and of his owne person which God required of man in the first covenant in the state of innocency even his constant obedience to the vvhole and law and revealed will of God all his dayes withouâ— one dayes intermission Therefore the Sabbath which requires service of God and worship loue of him as mercifull a Redeemer and that upon one day of the weeke more then all the rest vvas not knowne nor commanded nor observed by nature in the state of innocency Fourthly the lavv of nature written in mans heart requires no particular duty but such as his owne naturall reason and vvill did direct lead him vnto in the creation and vvhich belonged to him in the state of innocency But the lavv of the Sabbath from the first institution commands and requires such things â—nd such vvorkes and duties as did not concerne man in the state of innocency As 1 Rest of man and beast from their vvearisome labour for their refreshing upon one day in seven This man had no need of neither vvas their any need of such rest because the toile and labour of man and beast came in after the fall vvhen God cursed the earth for mans sinne Secondly it requires in generall sanctification of the seventh day by holy and religious exercises and in particular by sacrificing to God by prayer and supplication and by meditating on heavenly things and on eternall rest and by studying all holy duties vvhich might fit men for the sight and fruition of God in heavenly glory All which vvhat soever other holy Sabbath duties and vvorks are mentioned in the word of God do belong to man only since the promise of Christ the blessed seed And in the state of innocency man had no occasion of any such duties he had no need of sacrificing vntill Christ his ransome and sacrifice for sinne vvas promised he neither could have any thought ar meditations of glory in Heauen or studies to fit and sanctifie himselfe for the fruition thereof untill Christ the onlie vvay to eternall rest glory vvas promised vvhat use had he of prayers and supplcations to God for any good thing needful vvhen he lacked nothing or for deliverance from evill vvhen as yet noe evill vvas knovvne in the vvorld What occcasion could he haue to praise God either for Christ before he did so much as dreame of Christ or had any thought of him at all As for naturall guifts and blessings he vvas by them admonished and provoked every day alike to loue serve honour and praise God vvherefore seeing the vvorkes and duties of the Sabbath are holy and tend onely or chiefly to the supernaturall and heavenlâ— life and to the eternall rest which Christ hath purchased in heauen for man vndoubtedly the lavv of the Sabbath vvhich expresly commands such workes and duties everie seuenth day is a positiue supernaturall and divine law not any dictate of nature imprinted in mans heart in the creation Fiftly every law of nature is common to all man kinde and is written as well in the hearts of heathen as of Christians so that the conscience of men whoe never heard of God or of his word is a monitor to admonish them of the duty which that law requires and an accuser if they transgresse that law and men haue no more need to be put in mind of those duties then of any other which the law of nature requires But the law of the Sabbath hath no footsteppe of impression in the hearts of barbarous heathen nations It is quite forgoten among them and onely Gods people who have his written law and word continually read and preached do keepe the Sabbath And God in giving it to Israell in written tables in repeating it often afterwardes still calls upon them to remember it thereby shewing that it is not as the law of nature printed in mans heart but is a law giuen by word and writing and from thence learned and therefore easilie and quickly forgotten Sixthly If it were a naturall law founded upon the creation and binding man to keepe a weekelie holy day in thankfulnesse for his creation and for the creatures made for his vse then it should in all reason binde man to keepe Holy the six dayes in vvhich God Created all things and especiallie the sixth daie wherein God made man himselfe and gaue him rule and dominion over all creatures For holy celebrations are kept weekely or yearely one the dayes in which the blessing and benefits solemnized and celebrated were first bestovved one men Therefore it is not a naturall law grounded on the creation Lastly Christ came not to chaunge the law of nature nor to take away any part of the obedience therof but to establish and fulfill it in every jot and title as he himselfe testifieth Mat. 5.17.18 And yet the law of the Sabbath soe farre as it requires keeping holy the seventh day as the fathers were bound in the old Testament is changed by Christ and by his resurrection in which hee finished the worke of redemption and was exhibited a perfect redeemer And the observation of the seventh and last day of the weeke is abolished And the first day of the weeke even the day of Christs resurrection is sanctâ—fied and substituted in the place of it and so was obserued by the Apostles after them by all true Christian Churches for the Lords day and for the Queene and châ—efe Princesse of all daies as the blessed Martyr Ignatius cals it Epist. ad magnesiâ—s pag. 31. Therefore it is not a law of nature printed eâ—grauen in mans heart J could alleadge more reasons but J hold this perfect number of seven sufficient for this present purpose J will therefore proceed to the next thing which is the discovery of the seuerall kindes of lawes which God hath given to men the briefe discription of every kind particularly by which J shall come to demonstrate what kind this of the Sabbath is CHAP. 11. THE Lawes of God which he hath given to men are of two sorts either lawes printed in mans heart which we cal lawes of nature Or else Positiue lawes which God hath commanded in his word over and above or besides the lawes of naâ—ure Thâ— Law of nature is that will of God which hee as Lord and creatour hath imprinted in mans heart in the creation even that naturall disposition which God gaue to man when he made him in his owne Image by which he doth informe man in the knowledge and moue him to the practise of all duties which belong to him and which he requirs of him for naturall wellbeing continuance in that life good
the common ground of this lavv printed in mans heart in the creation and finding it among the ten commandements which are generally held to be the summe and substance of the law of nature doe call it a law of nature Others haue considered it as a speciall commandement given by God immediatly after the creation by word of mouth and not written in mans heart and do call it a positiue morall law Others haue considered it as it commands rest one the seventh day now altered by Christ which rest was a signe of Christs rest from the worke of redemption is a token pledge of eternall rest in heauen there upon hold it to be a ceremoniall law and hence ariseth the diuersity among Christians and almost civill warre betweene the Pastors of severall Churches yea amoÌ„g learned preachers of one the same Church Whereas indeed they all hold the truth in part but not wholy They all erre in this that they limit it every one to that speciall kinde of law which he hath hath chiefly in his eye and upon which he hath set his conceit Now make it a mixt law proue it manifestly there needs no more contention except some men wil contend without cause against reason out of a spirit of contention contradiction First this law as all other lawes is indefinitly comprehended in the generall law of nature for the generall law written in mans heart in the creation binds him to attend the wil of God to be ready to obey God his Creatour in all things whatsoever he either had already declared or should at any time to come reveale to bee his will and to bee a duty which he required of man And therefore the observing keeping of a weekly holy Sabbath devoting of a seventh part of every weeke to religious exercises to rest from bodily labour common worldly busines being expresly commanded by God declared at severall times upon severall occasions to be his will man is by the generall of nature bound to performe it in this respect we may truly say that the law of the Sabbath is a law of nature included indefinitly in that generall law dictate of nature written in mans heart in the creation Secondly though J cannot conceive that the keeping of an holy Sabbath weekly was a thing so distiâ—ct written in mans heart in the creation that man of himselfe by the instinct of his nature or by the light of his reason motion of his will would haue set either the seventh daie or any other of the seven daies of the weeke apart for rest or other duties of the Sabbath which God in the first institution required commanded also in his law giuen from mount Sina Yet because the keeping holy of a weekly Sabbath upon such grounds as are mentioned in this text for such ends vses as God hath ordained to weet commemoration of Gods mercy bounty in promising Christ preserving the knowledge memory of the covenant of eternall life rest in Christ training up of people in religion the feare worship of God in holines by which they are made fit to see enjoy God in glory because J say the keeping holy of a weekly Sabboth is in these respects a thing very good profittable yea necessary for the helpe of man and for the reparing of his nature corrupted Thirdly if we consider the law of the weekly Sabbath as it was given by God in the first institution in his blessing sanctifying of the seuenth day againe renewed inserted among the ten commandements given from mount Sina at other times upon diuers occasions repeated by Moses and by the Prophets from Gods mouth If we also consider that neuer the Sabbath it self nor the ground reason ocasion of it to weer Gods perfecting the creation by promising revealing redemptioÌ„ in Christ the rest which J haue before proved demonstrated were written â—n mans heart in innocency but were after mans fall revealed by God thereupon the holy rest commanded to bee kept on that day which God aboue other daies hath blessed and sanctified We may truely affirme that the commandement of the Sabbath in these respects is a positiue law of God not a law of nature requiring such particular duties as man of himselfe without Gods positiue commandement would haue observed Yea the word Memento Remember soe often added to the precept of the Sabbath as appeares Exod. 20.8 doth plainly shew that the keeping holy of a weekly Sabbath was not a thing printed in mans heart for then it had beene vaine needlesse for God soe often to use this word Remember to put them in mind of this duty by Moses the Prophets mans owne conscience would haue been his daily and continual Monitor Remembrancer his own thoughts would haue ben ready to accuse him for every omision neglect of it As the Apostle testifies of the worke of the law written in mans heart Rom. 2.15 Fourthly if we consider the law of the Sabbath as it commandeth man together with his children servants labouring cattell to rest from their wearisome labours bodily paine which came in by sinne by mans fall together with servile subjection difference of the Maister servant which weekly rest intermission from toyle labour granted to servants cattell by their Maisters as well as to themselves makes very much for good order in every state common wealth for peace society among meÌ„ in every family serves for an excellent civill politicall use so it is in the judgment of many learned godly Divines not without good reason hold to be a civill and politicall lavv Fifthly if we consider First the time of Gods first institution of the Sabbath as it fals under Chist even upon the seventh day of the world in which Christ was promised to redeeme man who was fallen in the latter end of the sixth day as is before shewed Secondly if wee consider the ground and reason of Gods institution of the Sabbath and sanctifying the seventh day even Christ promised the seed of the woman to breake the serpents head by whose actually undertaking beginning to mediate for man God did perfect the mutable worke of creation setled the world in an higher estate of the perfection supernaturall did rest in Christs mediation being that which was able to giue full satisfaction to his justice Thirdly if we consider that in the first institution the Sabbath day was sanctified blessed aboue the other six dayes that is vvas set apart to heavenly supernaturall vse which cannot be imagined but in under Christ in whome all things are sanctified We must needes know confesse that the commandement of the Sabbath even in and from the first originall and institution is a law Divine and Evangellicall commanding such an
inheritance of the Saints in light as the Scriptures testifie 1 Cor. 15.20 Coloss. 1.12 Vpon these premises before proved at large and here againe pressed home to the purpose The conclusion followeth necessarily That it was the purpose intent and will of God to make the first day of the weeke the Lords day and the Christian Sabbath and in the first institution of the Sabbath and by his first law of the Sabbath which in the maine substance of it is perpetuall to binde all his people in the time of his glorious Gospell to observe that day onely for their holy weekly Sabbath vntill they come to that wherof the Sabbath is a liuely pledge even the eternall rest of glory in Heaven Thirdly whatsoever tends most to the perfect fullfilling of any speciall law and commandement of God given to men and is manifestlie made known to man to be most agreeable to Gods will revealed in that law and to the endes and uses which God openly pretendeth therein that man is chiefly bound to do by that law and commandement This is a most certaine and undoubted truth For Gods generall commandement is that we loue him with all our heart and worship and serve him with all our soule and all our strength Deut. 6 5. Mat. 22.37 Now the will of God revealed in this first institution and sanctifying of the sabbath and in the fourth Commandement of the law is often repeated urged by Moses the Prophets is more perfectly fulfilled in the right sanctification of the Lords day vnder the Gospell then it was in the observatioÌ„ of the seveÌ„th the sabbath of the old Testament whatsoever necessary duty God in the law of the sabbath requireth of maÌ„ from the beginning Or whatsoever end and use he openly pretendeth his law of the keeping of the holy sabbath that is more fully obtained effected and brought to passe by an holy sanctification of the Lords day and by keeping it an holy Sabbath to the Lord now vnder the Gospell Therefore by the law of the sabbath given at the first and by the fourth commandement it is repeated and explaned Christians are bound to to keepe the Lords day which is the first of the weeke for their weekly Sâ—bbath If any man doth make doubt of the assumption in this Syllogisme It is easily proved by a particular enumeration both of the particular substanciall and necessary duties which Gods word requires in the Sabbath and also of the ends and uses for which God requires an holy sabbath to be kept every seventh day The First maine dutie from which the seventh day requirs the name of Sabbath is rest and cessation from all worldly labours pleasures and delight wherein man is to withdraw his mind from worldly cares and secular affaires which concern this fraile earthly life and is to giue rest and refreshing to his owne body and to the bodies of his children servants straungers and toyling cattell as appeares Exod. 20.10 Isa 58.13 And the proper end and use of this rest is First to admonish man that he must not place nor seeke felicity in this world nor since his fall and breaking of the Covenant of workes by his disobedience hope for any happinesse or felicity either here or else where to be purchased by his owne workes of righteousnesse which he either is or was able in the first creation to performe in his owne person Secondly to shew that Gods just wrath appeased by Câ—rist and the sting of death and the curse and bitternesse of mans sorrowes and toilsome laboures which God imposed on him for his transgression is taken away and God will not haue his people to torment their bodies which continuall toile and painfull labour but to ease and refresh themselves with a weekly rest Thirdly to make men take notice that God hath a provident and fatherly care of his creatures both men and beasts hates all mercilesse cruelty oppression of their very bodies and will haue them so refreshed eased that they may last the longer and goe cheerfully through their weeklie labours Fourthly to shew that in Christ vpon whom the Sabbath is founded there is spirituall rest and ease and refreshing of the soul from the heavie burden of sinne and the miserâ—es of sinne to be found of all them who being heavy laden do flee to him and in him place their hope and confidence Fifâ—ly to put in mind of Gods resting in Christs mediation from the worke of creation and that he hath wholy given over all purposes and thoughts of repairing the world and restoring man fallen and corrupted by any worke of creation and hath set his mind on another kind of worke even the work of redemption by Christ and the new creation of heavenly spirituall and supernaturall graces and perfections in men by his holy spirit Sixthly to be a signe and memoriall of Christ his full perfecting of the worke of mans redemption and of his perfect satisfaction made to the justice of God for fraile sinfull men Lastly to be a token and pledge of the eternall rest in heaven and of the Sabbathisme which after the labours and troubles of this life the elect and faithfull people of God shall enjoy for ever in the world to come Now there is no day in all the weeke in which this first maine dutie of the Sabbath can be well be performed for the ends and uses as on the Lords day which is the Christian Sabbath The seventh day never yeelded halfe so much light helps to Gods people in the old Testament for these purposes as the Lords day doth to us vnder the Gospell For the Lords day in which Christ arose from death and entered into his glorie and perfected the worke of Redemption It discovers Christ the maine foundation of all rest even of the Sabbath it selfe more plainly unto us and in it being bewtified and adorned with so manie blessings and prerogatives which Gods word gives to it wee may as in a cleare glasse see and behold Christ with open face we see in his resurrection Gods justice fully satisfied his wrath appeased redemption fully perfected Gods resting in Christ mediation eternall rest purchased by Christ for us and gained to himselfe heaven opened unto us sin death and hell already ouercome and conquered And therfore there is no day by many degrees soe fit as this day of Christs resurrection to make us rest comfortably in our bodies and minds from worldly cares and bodilie lâ—boures and in our soules and consciences from the burden of sinne and the guilt thereof No daie or time can so plainly shew vnto us that our fellicity is not in this world nor to be obtained and purchased by the righteousnesse of our owne workes This sets before us Christ raised for our justification This shews Gods aboundant mercy and compassion â—o us and that hee hates all cruelties and oppressions And this is a speciall meanes to bring us to the assurance
of the blessed hope and eternall rest reserved in Heaven for vs. And therfore the first maine duty with all the partes thereof and the speciall endes and uses of it are more fully performed and obtained in the observation of the Lords day for the Holy weekly Sabbath then they possibly can be now by vs or could be of old on the sabbath of the seventh day by the fathers in the old Testament The second maine duty of the Sabbath is sanctifying and keeping of it holy to the Lord which comprehends in it many speciall and particular duties 1. Setting of their affections even their joy and delight wholy vpon God and heavenly things 2. Honouring worshipping of God in their hearts with holy thoughts and meditations by their lipps with holy prayers praises and thanksgiuing in their outward actioÌ„s by preaching hearing reading repeating of Gods word and solemne commemoration of his promises mercies and blessings in the word and sacraments 3. Teaching and learning all holy duties which tend to bring vs nearer to God in Christ. 4. Offering spirituall sacrifices to God of sweet sauour such as are almesdeedes works of mercy and charity wherby others may be made to tast of Gods goodnesse and stirred up to laud and praise his name All these are comprehended vnder the maine duty of sanctifying the holy Sabbath which the Lord commands expresly in the law and they are commended to vs by the Prophet Isa. 56.4 58.13 And the proper end and use of this duty and all the partes thereof is First to make vs set our affections on things which are aboue and not on things below and to stirre us up to seeke eternall life and heavenly happinesse in Christ onely and in him crucified and raised up Secondly to continue and increase in fraile men the knowledge and memory of Christ and of the way to eternall life and blessednesse in him which without keeping holy of a weekly Sabbath would faile cease among the sonnes of men Thirdly to begit and increase true grace and holinesse in men by exercising holy duties of religion and so to bring them by justification adoption to the right of inheritance in Heaven and by sanctification to fit them for the possession of it Now the observation of the Lords day in which Christ arose is such as may far more powerfully effectually moue men to the performance of these duties lead men more directly to the proper end and use of them then the old Sabbath of the the seventh day either now can or of old could do when it was most in force For it had no other light or life in it but onely from obscure promises and darke shaddowes through which Christ was seene as things farre off are seene and in the starre light nights But the Lords day the first day of the weeke hath light and life from the sun of righteousnesse Christ who in it rose up and to be the light of life to all nations hath brought life immortallity to light by the Gospell and discovered to us the kindnesse and loue of God the riches of his goodnesse in giving grace and shedding his spirit on us abundantly here and so fit us for glorie hereafter And therefore this day must needes be of great force and power farre abâ—ve the seventh day to make men set their affections on God and heavenly things especially upon the inheritance incorruptible and undefiled which fadeth not away reserved in heaven for us unto which God hath begotten us by the resurrection of Christ from the dead 1. Pet. 1.3 It is also powerfull and excellent to incite and stirr us up to honour God in our hearts by the due consideration of his goodnesse and mercie Also it much furthereth us to proclaime the high praises of our God and kinge and to make prayers and supplications to him Besides to make us helpfull unto others in seeking after their salvation And thus we may see what are Sabbath duties even the workes of piety mercy charitie c. pleasing to God and by which others may be brought to joyne with us in lauding and praising God and we our selves fitted for glorie Vpon â—hese points so fullie proved The conclusion followes necessarilie that the law by which God first instituted the Sabbath on the first sâ—venth day of the world doth binde us under the Gospel to keepe the Lords day for our weeklie Sabbath Fourthly that day which God hath made most Honourable and hath given it a most Honourable name and title aboue all the daies of the week to that he hath given the prerogatiue to be the weekly Sabbath hath made it his day of Holie rest For it is a property of the sabbath to be the Lords Holy and Honourable day as the Evangellicall Prophet Isaiah shews Jsa 58.13 making of it Honoâ—able is making of it the Sabbath Now the first day of the weeke is the day which God hath Honoured aboue all daies by the glorious victorie of Christ ouer death and over all enemies and powers of darknesse and to it he hath given the most Honourable name and title For the holy evangelist and divine Apostle S. Iohn who was the intimate beloved and bosome Disciple of the Lord and did best know his minde cals it the Lords day Revel 1.10 that is the day which the Lord hath made the day of great joy gladnes to his people as David foretold Psa. 118. which day the Lord Christ hath appropriated to himselfe his honour Honoured with his own name as he is the Lord God one Iehovah with the father For the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord is in respect of the roote from whence it is deriued the same in signification with Gods proper name Iehovah and most commonly in the new Testament is used to expresse that sacred name Therefore it is now under the Gospell made by God himselfe the weekly Sabbath The Fifth argument is grounded upon the wordes of our Saviour Math. 12.8 Mark 2 27·28 Where he saith that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath Therefore he even as he is the sonne of man or God made man is the Lord of the sabbath The first clause to weet the sabbath was made for man notes out vnto us two things 1. That the Sabbath was first instituted for man even by reason of the sonne of God promised to become man and so he is the foundation of it 2. That it was made for man that is for the man Christ and for the benefit of all mankinde in him for his honour and the advancement of his kingdome among men and for the good of men both naturall and civill in respect of weekly rest and refreshing also spirituall as knowledge instruction growth in grace holinesse The second clause not man for the Sabbath shews that the Sabbath is not one of those things which man was made to obserue
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
haue a law giuen to Adam when all mankinde were in his loynes commanding a duty even the sanctifying of a weekely Sabbath which hath beene and is of as great use after Christ as before For as the Isralites were bound unto this duty by God Exod. 16.23.28 20.8 euen in al their generations as appeares Jer. 17.21 so also Gods people are bound to it under the Gospell whether they be strangers which joyn themselves to the Lord and lay hold on his Covenant Isa. 56.6.7 that is Churches of the beleeving Gentiles or naturall Isralites after their long hardnesse in the last daies converted to Christ the repairer of the breach and builder up of the old wast places after many generations Isa. 58.12.13.14 And J do not thinke there is any man professing Christianity dare be so impudent as to affirme that any of Gods people in any age are exempted froÌ„ the Holy duties by which the Sabbath is sanctified and a seventh day in every weeke kept Holy to the Lord or that we in these evill and perillous times haue not as much neede of them for the upholding of true religion for the increasing of grace godlinesse in our hearts Therefore undoubtedly all mankinde in all generations and ages are bound to keepe a weekly Sabbath My second argument is drawne from the duty it selfe of keeping Holy a seventh day weekly to the Lord and thus I frame it Everie duty imposed on Adam and his posterity by Gods commandement which is in it selfe perpetually Holy and just and of as great use to all men in all ages as necessarily in all respects as it was in Adam when God first enjoyned it by his law That belongs to all mankinde and all the posterity of Adam are bound thereunto in all ages to the end of the world The keeping of an Holy weekly Sabbath and sanctifying of a seventh day in every weeke is such a duty Therefore it belongs to all mankinde and all Adams posterity are bound to it in all ages to the end of the world The proposition is so manifestly true thâ—t there can be no acception against it to deny it is to deny that greatest of Gods commandements which saith that Gods people ought to feare the Lord and walke in his wayes to loue and serve them with all their heart and with all their soule and with all their might Deut. 6.5 10.12 For whosoever exempts himselfe or others from a duty which is perpetually holy just usefull necessary for all men he in so doing refuseth to serue God with all his heart soul might and teacheth others to transgresse that great commandement The assumption also is an undoubted truth For first there can be no time nor age named since mans fall corruption which brought all mankind vnder the bondage of hand toylsome labour eating his bred with the sweat of his face wherin the rest of one day in every weeke is not usefull profiâ—table needfull for mens bodies most just equall to be granted to their labouring servants toyling cattell the verie light of naturall reason reqiures it for the coÌ„mon good welbeing of all men He who denies this to himselfe and to his children servants cattell he is an unjust unmercifull man not to be numbred among the righteous who are good mercifull to the life of their beasts Prov. 12.10 Secondly justice equity require that seing the life of man is a pilgrimage on earth here on earth there is no abiding place for him nor any felicity true rest or perfection to be found but in heaven maÌ„ should not spend all his time all his thoughts studies in about the things of this world but that he should haue a set time at lest one day in every week wherin he resting ceasing from worldly cares laboures delights should wholy devote himself to heavenly meditations and to holy exercises which may fit him prepare him for the place of rest teach direct him in the right ready way thereunto enable him to walke wisely therin Who thinks it to much to consecrate one whole day in seven unto religious exercises which may fit him for eternal life he is undoubtedly most vnequall in his judgment a judge of unjust things Thirdly it is a thing not only good holy in it selfe that man of his owne accord much more being commanded by God should devote one whole day in every weeke to the mediate worship of God in thankfulnes for his creation redemption the vse of Gods creatures restored to him in Christ with some advantage But also very vsefull necessary for the seasoning of mans weekly laboures with justice piety for the coÌ„tinuance increase of holines religioÌ„ in his heart and for the enlightening of his mind rectifying of his will sanctifying of his affections and fitting him to undertake and begin all his weekly laboures in the feare of God to direct them to the right end and to perfect and finish them happily by Gods favour and blessing Jf any man shall dare to deny this we may justly feare that he is rude ignorant of those heavenly and spirituall things whereof all Gods people haue continually experience in themselves And the constant practice of Gods people who in all ages haue observed and kept a weekly Sabbath holy to the Lord and therby haue profitted in all piety and holinesse will convince them of grosse blindnesse stupidity Adam no doubt did every seventh day devote himselfe to Gods worship and taught his first sonnes Caine Abell to bring their offerings to God at the end of daies that is every last day of the weeke for that is the most proper sence of the words in the Hebrew text Gen. 4.3.4 And so soone as the posterity of Seth began to multiply and increase they gathered themselves into a Church were called the children of God or Gods people and hereby they were distinguished from the carnall and profane progeny of Caine then they began to invocate and call upon the name of the Lord that is to worship God in publick assemblies Gen 4.26 Whereas Adam Abell and Seth had invocated and worshipped God in their own private families onely now the faithfull being multiplied did frequent publick assemblies which could not be but in set places and at set times surely euery weeke on the seventh day which God had blessed and sanctified Also after that generall Apostacy which came in by vnequall mariages of the sonnes of the faithfull with the daughters of the profane the destruction of the the old world with the flood Righteous Noah who was saved in the Arke with his familie immediatlie after began to observe the holy rest of the seventh day for it is said that the Burnt offering which he offered on the Altar of every cleane beasts and cleane foule vnto the Lord was a sweet smelling
sacrifice of rest that is sacrifices of the sabbath The Hebrew word in the text there used with the emphaticall particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the most notable rest even the rest of the holie sabbath wherein man resteth in memory of Gods rest in the satisfaction of his people the Isralites before the giving of the law from mount Sinah by Gods owne voyce they did obserue the Sabbath were admonished by Moses so to do Exod. 16.23 And they who rested not but went forth to gather Manna are reproved by God as transgressours of his lawes and commandements ver 28. And although we doe not reade of any Sabbath kept by Abraham and the Patriarches before Moses because the Church of the faithfull was but small comprised onely in their families which could not keepe any great and publicke Sabbath assemblies worthy of record in the sacred History Yet undoubtedly they had their set time as well as set place of Gods worshipp even a weekly Sabbath according to the law which God gaue to Adam when he blessed sanctified the seventh day But I shall more fully speake of these things hereafter And here upon these grounds I conclude that the assumption of this present argu is manifest And the conlusion which thence flowes is certaine to weet that the posterity of Adam in all ages are bound to this duty of keeping a weekly Sabbath Holy to the Lord. A third argument is drawn from the ground upon which God founded the Sabbath and commanded the duty of keeping it Holy to himselfe For if the ground of the duty stand firme throughout all generations and do belong to all men of all ages as well as to Adam who had the commandement given to him and the duty imposed on him by God Then the dutie also belongs to all men of all ages vnto the end of the world And whosoever do clayme any interest in the ground of the duty and expect profit by it ought to acknowledge that the duty belongs to them also except they can shew some speciall dispensation from God Himselfe Now the ground upon which God founded the Sabbath and imposed the duty of keeping it Holy is such as doth equally belong to all men For if wee cleave to the bare letter of the text as diuers commonly doe and take the ground of the Sabbath to be no more but this that God finished the worke of creation on the seventh day or hauing finished it and made every creature good perfect before on the sixt daies rested on the seventh from creating any things in the world Then we must withall confesse that this ground belongs equally to all mankinde for all men of all ages haue interest in the benifit of Gods creating the world and making all things so perfect that he had no more to do but rested on the seventh day But if that be the true and proper grounds which I haue before laid downe and proved to weet Gods perfecting of the creation which left all things good but mutable by bringing in redemption which Christ promised did on the seveÌ„th day take upon him to perform in mans nature And God resting in the al sufficient satisfactioÌ„ which Christ undertook to make for man and which saved God the labour of a new creation making new creatures and of repairing by a mediation the breach which mans fall had made in the word and so made for mans use This ground doth belong to all mankinde in all ages we now under the gospell haue as great or rather greater interest in it then Adam or the fathers in the old Testament And by virtue of this promise of Christ by meanes of his undertaking to be mans Mediatour and of Gods resting in his mediation all living men and all creatures made for the vse of man do consist and haue them in being in this world Coloss. 1.17 and God by him the word of his power being made man and fully exhibited aperfect Redeemer doth substaine and uphold all things Heb. 1.3 And although the circumstances of this ground are with the times and ages of this world mutable and there is a great chaunge from Christ only promised and undertaking mans redemption to Christ fully exhibited aperfect Redemer in his resurrection Yet the ground it selfe even Redemption by Christ is still the same the promise of Redemption which was made to our first parents on the seventh day being the greatest blessing which was revealed to mankinde in the old testament procured to that day the honour of the weekly Sabbath in all ages before the comming of Christ. And the full exhibition of Christ and the perfecting of Redemption in the resurrection of Christ on the first day of the weeke did merit procure to that day the honour of the Christian Sabbath in all ages vnder the Gospel For God did not rest soe much in the undertaking of Redemption on the seventh day as in the actuall performance and full perfecting of it on the first day of the weeke the foresight of the full performance made the promise a ground both of Gods rest and of the Sabbath in â—he old Testament And if Christ had suffered dyed and been swallowed up of death and corruption in the graue and had not gotten the victory ouer death and all the powers of darknesse in his resurrection then had we remained in our sinnes all our preaching of Christ and all our faith in him had beene vaine 1 Cor. 15.17 Jt was Christs resurrection which consumated the great work of mans redemtion and on the day wherein he a rose from death did he rest from that great worke as God on the seventh day did from the worke of creation and consecrated that day to bee the Christian Sabbath But yet all this while Redemption both promised undertaken and also actually performed is the same common ground of the holy weeklie Sabbath And Christ is the same Redeemer to all mankind and the onlie mediatour and Saviour Yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 13.8 And the duty of keeping an holie weeklie Sabbath is grounded on him throughout all ages who is the common Saviour and Redeemer of all mankinde Therefore all men of all ages are bound to this dutie none exempted from it in any nation age or generation Fourthlie that which God hath given to all mankinde in Adam for a perpetuall law to them of future benefit which he hath promised and hath in store for them that they are bound carefullie to keepe untill they fullie obtaine the blessing and benefit promised for if he that hath given a pledge doth take it away from them to whom he hath given it this is an evident signe that he hath altered his minde and purpose of giving the benefit to them And if they do at any time loose this which is the pledge or wilfully cast it from them they haue no evidence or token any more to assure them of the
he is promised or fully exhibited Thirdly because there is none of all the Sonnes of men who live in the Church and know the word law of God discern their own frailtie but know how hard it is for them to continue in grace in the knowledge of Christ in the understanding of the misteries of godlinesse without often exercises of religious duties as well in publick as in private without much hearing publick instruction in the word and law of God Therfor every rational man must needs know acknowledg himselfe bound by the light of reason his naturall appetite of his own happinesse to use all means for continuance increase of grace of heavenly knowledg in himselfe needfull to salvation especially this keeping of an weekly Sabbath which he findes by experience to be ameans to hold him fast to Christ. But if any who liue are borne in the Church in such times places wherin they haue sufficient means to know Gods revealed will and law for the keeping of an holy Sabbath weekly do through negligence idlenesse malice or perversnesse remaine wilfully ignorant of this law will of God as well as diuers alients This shal in no case excuse them neither doth it from the bond of this duty no more then it doth froÌ„ the bond of any other laws of which they are wilfull ignorant but God will punish them both for their failing in this duty for their wilfull shutting of their eyes eares and refusing to know his will law Now because a great part of mankind even of Adams posterity do liue out for the Church many nations for many ages even all pagans and Heathen infidels never heard of the Sabbath nor of Gods word vvhich requires the vveekly observation of it We are in the second place to consider vvhether this law of God and this his blessing and sanctifying of the seventh day doth in any respect bind them to this duty And first that ignorance of the law doth not exempt them from the duty it is manifest by plaine reasons First because they had means from Adam and their first progenitours to know this law for when the earth was devided into severall nations and countries the fathers and first founders of euery nation did know that God had in sanctifying the seventh day given this commandement to our first parents and their seed in their loynes But they by wilfull neglect of this duty brought the law into obliuion and their children rejoycing to follow their licentious waies and to put farre from all thoughts of this duty and all regard of this law became wilfully ignorant of Gods will yea they skorne to hearken to Gods word if it be brought vnto them Secondlie no ignorance which is not invincible but might be avoided by due care diligence can exempt a man from any dutie which God hath commanded all mankind to performe Our Saviour tells us that he which failes of his duty out of simple ignorance and doth not his Lords will because he knew it not shal be punished and beaten though with fewer stripes Because God is the Lord of all euerie man ought to enquire after learn his will And therefore Heathen people though they know not this law shal be beaten for neglect of this dutie because they ought to know God and to learne his will who giues them life breath and all things And if they who faile though simple ignorance must be punished though in a lesse measure then wilfull profaners Jt must needes follow that they are bound to the duty though not so strict lie nor in that manner and measure as they who live in the Church in such times and places where they know or may know the law and word of God Thirdlie all mankinde even the most barbarous and sauage nations as they haue their being and all guifâ—s of nature from Gods creating hand and power So they haue all these things continued vnto them by the mediation of Christ and by a common and vniversall virtue of him the Redeemer they are vpheld in life and health and strength in this world And Christ as Mediatour procures all these things to them after a secondarie manner for his elects sake which are either to spring after many ages out of their loines or to receive benifit of their laboures in subduing the earth making it habitable and fit for his people to dwell in and so preparing a place for his Church or the like In this respect God is called the Saviour of all men but especially of them that do beleeve Of all in as much as he preserues them innaturall life but of the faithfull fullie and perfectlie in that he saues them from eternall death and hell and brings them to life eternall And hereupon it is that all things are said to be and to consist in and by and for Christ. Coloss. 1.17 and hee is said to be a ransome for all men that is reaching to all in some measure manner and degree even to infidels to obtaine common guifts for them and to the elect perfectlie to redeeme them Now they who partake the benefit of the Christ the blessed seed promised to Adam they are bound to the dutie which God requires in thankfulnesse for it and for a continuall commemoration thereof Therfore all mankinde even the most barbarous are bound to the duty of keeping an holie sabbath weeklie though they doe not know that which bindes them to it and leades them to the performance thereof Fourthlie Gods blessing of a seventh daie and sanctifying it by his commandement given to our first parents is as easilie to be learned and knowne and kept in memorie as many other things of lesse moment which Heathen Jnfidels doe learne and know and kepe in memory for worldlie respects As for example to measure the times of the world by Yeares and Yeares by months and months by weekes and weekes by seven daies this because the Heathen finde to be verie commodious for worldlie and civill respects therefore they are carefull to learne and remember it and all such things And it is as easilie and as possible to to learne and know Gods law concerning a weeklie Sabbath and they would and might learne it if they were as carefull for their soules and to serve God as they are for their life and to serve their owne lusts and this world And if they would travell and send abrâ—ad into farre countries to learne heavenlie knowledge and holy bevaviour as diligentlie as they do to learne humane knowledge and worldly wisedome art skill they could not be ignorant of Gods law concerning the weekelie Sabbath But they refuse to learne this as they do to learne true religion and shut their eyes against it as they doe against the knowledge of Christ. Therefore as Turkes and other infidels who haue Gods word professed in their Countries cities and among them though they cannot rightlie call vpon
God nor beleeue in Christ without preaching of the word which they will not looke after but skorne it Yet they are bound to repent and beleeue and shall perish for rejecting and not vseing the meanes to git faith So it is with other infidels further of they shall perish for not using such meanes as are in their power wherby they might come to know this other duties which they are boūd to performe in thankfulnes for Gods gracious promise of Christ the redeemer for the commō benifits which they receiue through him CHAP. 16. THE Third thing which I propounded concerning mans sanctification so the Sabbath is the consideration of the duties wherin it doth consist which are of three sorts First some are such are common to all Gods people in all ages of the world and they be duties which are necessarie to the being of the Sabbath Secondly some are proper to the Sabbath of the seventh daie while the fathers under the Old Testament did expect Christ promised and were to keep their Sabbath in memorie of the promise of Christ made to our first parents on the last day of the week Thirdly some are proper to us who liue under the Gospel since Christ fullie exhibited a perfect Redeemer after the buriall of Moses that is the utter abolition of all legall shaddows together with the materiall temple of the Jews The duties common to all such as are necessary to the being of an holy Sabbath at all times they are three especiallie The first is a rest cessation from all seculiar affaires worldly pleasures except only such as are necessarie for mans welbeing cannot be omitted or deferred without great hurt danger of mans health life of the life and safety of the creatures which God hath made for mans use The second is sanctification of the Sabbath with such holy exercises of religion of Gods worship as God requires in that age state of the Church in which they live The third is sanctifying of that day of the week which God hath blessed honoured with greatest blessings aboue all other daies wherein he hath more fully revealed his holines opened the fountaine of holines for the sanctifying of his people Concerning the first to weet rest and cessation from all worldlie affaires bodilie delights there is a doubt made by some whether it doth equally concerne all Gods people as wel christians under the Gospel as the fathers of the old testament Divers are of opiniō that Christians haue more liberty are not so strictly bound to rest from all worldly affaires bodily delights as the fathers were befor Christ. But for the clearing of this point we are to note three specially things First that rest cessation from all seculiar businesse worldly pastimes is a dutie of the Sabbath which generally belongs to all men in all ages who are bound to keep a weekly Sabbath or holy daie by virtue of Gods sanctification of the Seventh daie For first the very name Sabbath which God gaue to the day signifies rest cessation puts us continually in mind of this duty And whosoever cals it by the name Sabbath doth thereby acknowledge it to be a day of rest Secondly a maine ground of Gods first institution of the Sabbath the rest from all workes of creation wherwith God rested in Christ the seventh day who on that day was promised took upon him to be mans mediatour as hath been proved befor out of the words of this text For Chtist the son of God vndertaking to repaire the works of creatiō which were defaced by mans fal to restore al his by another kinde of work then creation even by incarnation obedience suffering satisfaction for sin in mans nature for the redemption of the world did bring unto God the Creatour rest cessation from any more creation of new kindes of creatures And upon this ground even this perfecting of his worke of creation by bringing in redemption and in memory for a signe of Gods resting in Christ promised God sanctified the seventh daie to be an holy weeklie Sabbath bound man to this duty of rest on the Sabbath day from all secular businesse Thirdly in all ages whensoever God repeated the law of the Sabbath or vrged the observation of it either by Moses or the Prophets we shall observe that rest and cessation is injoyned as Exod. 20.10 The seventh day is the Sabbath in it thou shal◠do no maner of worke Exod. 31.14 thou shalt do no manner of worke therein Exod. 33.2 Devt 5.14 whosoever doth any work on the sabbath shall surely be put to death They might not gather man̄a on the sabbath day Exo. 16.28 they who went out to seeke Manna are called trasgressours And all the Prophets which in after times made mention of the Sabbath vrged rest blamed all servile vvorks vvhich concern this life as Isa. 58.13 Jer. 17.27 Neh. 13.17 Fourthly vve in these later daies haue as much need of rest more then men in former ages and the greater hopes and more cleare evidences of rest and glorie in heaven which we haue do more bind us to rest from worldly cares and to set our mindes on heaven where our hopes are These are strong arguments to prove that rest vpon the Sabbath day is a duty which generally belongs to all men in al ages which the first thing serving to satisfie the former doubt to proue the first generall duty Secondly Gods sanctifying of the Sabbath and his first commandement given to Adam for the keeping holy of the seventh day binds all men in all ages to keepe a weekely Sabbath to the end of the vvorld as I haue before proued and therfore the duty of rest belongs to all Thirdly they vvho hold the lavv of the vveekly Sabbath to be but for a time and that it is novv abolished they can shevv no Scriptures to vvarrant their opinion That place vvhich they object Coloss. 2.16 speakes not in the singular number of the vveekly Sabbath instituted here in my text For though the day bee chaunged upon vveightie reasons and good ground Yet the Sabbathisme still remaineth to the people of God not onely the eternall and heavenlie but also the temporall Sabbath on earth which leads to the heavenly The words of the Apostle speake of those Sabbaths or holy daies of the Iewes which were tipicall and shaddows of things to bee exhibited in Christ such as were the first and last daies of the Passouer Pentecost and other great yearly feasts The word Sabbaton being of the plurall number implies soe much and the nameing of feasts daies and new moones which were shaddowes of the law giue us just cause to conceiue that the Apostle intends only the festiuall and not the weekly Sabbaths Or if we should grant that the weekly Sabbath is meant among the rest which the father 's obserued on the
sanctified the first borne to himselfe Exod. 13. From whence we conclude that Gods blessing of a day aboue other daies with greatest blessings is a good ground for the keeping of it for his holy Sabbath and so also is Gods saÌ„ctifying of it by more speciall holines Thirdly it is manifest that all extraordinary and yearlie Sabbaths which God commanded Israell to keepe holy such as the first and seventh daiâ—s of the feasts of the Passover Pentecost of Tabernacles were al enjoyned to be kâ—pt observed in memory of greater blessings given on those daies and of Gods sanctifying them by more full revelation of his holines And therefore much more is the observation of the continuall weekly Sabbath grounded upon greater blessings given holines fully revealed on that day of the week which is to be observed for the Sabbath in whatsoever age time or state of the Church men do live they are bound by the first institution of the Sabbath and by the first law which God then gaue for the keeping of it as to obserue an holy weekly sabbath so to obserue on that verie daie of the weeke which God hath at that time and in that age revealed and declared to be the day which he hath blessed and sanctified aboue all others daies of the weeke As for example while Christ was promised a redeemer of the world and was not yet given the day of the promise wherin he was first promised and did undertake and begin to mediate for man was the most blessed day which God had sanctified and blessed with the promise which was the greatest blessing revealed and made knowne in the Old Testament But when an other day of the weeke comes to be blessed with a greater blessing even the giving of Christ and the full exhibition of him a perfect redeemer then is that the day which God hath sanctified aboue all daies then the law the words of the first institutioÌ„s bind meÌ„ to keep that for the holy Sabbath And thus you see the generall duties which God requires of all men in generall which are necessary to the being of the Sabbath and with out which there can be no right obseruation of a weekly sabbath holy to the Lord. CHAP. 17. THE second sort of duties now follow to weet those which were proper to the people of God in the old Testament vnto which the Fathers were specially bound befor the coÌ„ming of Christ while he was yet only promised not given a perfect Redeemer They also though they consist in many particulars Yet may be reduced to three chiefe heads First to rest and cessation Secondly to sanctification Thirdly to obseruation of the seventh and last day of the weeke for their holy weekly Sabbath First concerning rest from all worldly affaires and cessation from bodily exercises such as delight and refresh the outward man onely and are directed to no other end there are different opinions among the learned Some hold that the fathers vnder the law were bound more strictly to rest from bodily exercises and worldly affaires on their Sabbath then Christians are on the Lords day under the Gospel Jnsomuch that the strict bond of rest vnto which the law tyed them was an heavy yoke and apart of the bondage vnder which they groaned Others are of opinion that their rest being no more but from worldly affaires bodily exercises seruing only for bodily delight worldly profit was the very same vnto which all Gods people were bound in all ages and are still under the Gospel There are reasons brought on both sides but all Scriptures and reasons being well weighed I doubt not but they may bee brought to agree in one truth If only one thing wherin both sides agre and which both mistake be remoued namely a conceipt which both haue of a more strict and religious exaction of rest and cessation then indeede was required in the Sabbath of the Old Testament They who hold the first opinion bring many testimonies of Scripture which seeme to impose such a strict rest cessation on the fathers and the Isralites vnder the law as is by common experience found to be an heavy burden hard to be borne and even intollerable As for example Exod. 9.16.23 Where Moses speakes thus unto Israell This is that which the Lord hath said To Morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath vnto the Lord bake that which yee will bake to day and seeth that yee will seeth and that which remaineth over lay vp for you to be kept untill the morning Hence they conclude that the fathers were restrained froÌ„ baking or seething any meate on the Sabbath day Also verse 29. Wher Moses saith Let no maÌ„ go forth of his place but every maÌ„ abide in his place on the seventh day Hence they inferre That the fathers might not walke abroad on their Sabbath Likewise from the words of the law Exod. 20.10 Jn it thou shalt not do any worke they gather that the Isralites might upon no worldly occasion do any worke on the Sabbath day not so much as make a plaister or medicine for a sick and wounded man And so the learned Doctours of the Iewes vnderstodd the law and observed it as they shewed by their reproving of Christ for healing a diseased person by a word onely and no other labour Also Exod. 31.14.15 35.23 all kinde of worke is forbideen under paine of death Whosoever doth any worke therein shal be put to death saith the Lord. Yea he forbids to kindle a fire through their habitations on the sabbath day Num. 15.35 The man that was found gathering stickes in the wildernesse on the sabbath day was by Gods appointment stoned to death by the Congregation Neh 13 17. Jt was called profaning of the Sabbath when men sould any wares or vitails and when straungers of other nations brought in wares and fish on the Sabbath day to be sold. Also Amos 8.5 They whose mindes were so set on the worldly affaires that they longed till the sabbath was past and had their minde on selling corne and wheate The Lord sweares by the excellency of Iacob that hee will not forgit to reveng their doings From these scriptures divers both of the Auncients and later diuines haue concluded that the law of the Sabbath in respect of rest and cessation which is exacted in the old Testament with such rigour and upon such grievous penalties was an heavy and intollerable burden and therefore is abolished by Christ in respect of that totall cessation and strict rest Others on the contrary doe hold that as Christians haue more clear evidence hope of eternall rest in heaven and the spirit which makes the more spirituall shed on them more abundantly through Christ soe they ought to be more restrained from loue of the world from care of earthly things And therefore by the law of the Sabbath are bound rather more strictly then the fathers in the old Testament
labour was to be punished with death in all persons under the law though inded before God everie bâ—each of every commandement deserues death But that the open wilfull presumptious prophaning of the sabbath by any scandalous act or by a coÌ„mon practise was to be punished wiâ—h death This is plaine by the words next before going Num. 15. â—0 31 where the Lord commands that he who sinneth presumpâ—iously with an high hand and so reproacheth the Lord. and dispiseth his word be cut of from among his people against which word and expresse commandement the man which was found gathering sticks on the sabbath daie did presently sin and committed wilfull transgression presumptuously not through ignorance nor compelled by necessity and therefore he was stoned for an example of terrour to all presumptious transgreâ—sours But as for others who did beare burdens and sell vitailes not presumptuously but either through ignorance or forgetfulnesse or drawn by custome and ill example of the multitude in the daies of Jeremiah and Nehemiah they were not by the law put to death but compelled by authority and rebukes and by threatnings of wrath judgments of God to desist from profanatâ—oÌ„ of the holy sabbath as the placâ—s before named shew Neh. 13. Ier. 17.27 As for them whole mindes are altogether carried away after buying sâ—lling and worldly games on the sabbath day Amos. 8. they are threatned with no other wo then that which belongs to all such as afâ—er the same manner vnhallow the Lords day now under the Gospell Wherefore it is manifest that the fathers in the old Testament had no heavy burden of strict rest laid on them by the law but the same cessation from worldly affaires which they are bound vnto is still required of us and of all Gods people in all ages of the world They were not restrained in time of war from works of necessity as figâ—tâ—ng against enimies taking and destroying their cities as we see in the compassing of Jericho seven daies together one of which must needes be the Sabbath day Iosh. 6. They might flee for their liues and pull cattell out of pits and do any other worke which could not be deferred vntill the next day but present necessity requâ—red it for their owne safety and for the saftie of their cattell and of other good creatures which otherwise were in danger to perish But suppose the opinion of diuers both auncient and late writers were true to weet That the Isralites were bound to obserue a more strict and burdensome rest and under greater penalties then either the fathers before the law or we who liue in the light and liberty of the Gospell Yet this proues no more but onely that this rigour was apart of the bondage and paedagogie of the law wherewith they are hardlie pressed for this end to driue them to seeke ease in Christ and to long for his comming in the flesh And this burden and rigour onely is abolished by Christ together with the chaunge of the perticular day But the substance of the Law still remaines and bindes all men to keepe the Sabbath resting and ceasing from all worldly busines except that which is of necessity charity even as the fathers were bouÌ„d froÌ„ the first institution The secoÌ„d principal head of which the secoÌ„d sort â—f special proper duties which God râ—quired the fathers under the old testameÌ„t may be reduced as sanctification For ouer and aboue â—heir resting from secular affaires they were by Gods first institution of the Sababath bound to sanctifie the seventh day with holy and religious duties such as God in that state and condition of the Church required as an holie service and for heavenly and spirituall use even for begitting and increasing of grace and faith in them and for the fitting of them for the fruition of eternall rest The sanctification of the Sabbath in generall belongs to all mankinde in all ages and that all are bound to it by a perpetuall law As I haue proued sufficiently before I am now onlie to shew the speciall and perticular duties of sanctification which God required of his people in the Old Testament The first speciall duty of sanctification was the solemne commemoration of Christ the blessed seed and of the promise of redemption by him Unto this all the faâ—hers fro Adam until Moses so to Christ were bound by Gods fiâ—st institution of the Sabbath and sanctifying the seventh day vpon promise made of the blessed seed For full proofe of of this I argue thus both from Scripture and common experience Whensoever a day is set a part either by God or holy men to be kept with solemnity because of some great blessing or deliverance given or promised the chiefe thing to be observed in that solemnity is a publick solemn commemoration rehearsall of the blessing deliverance with joy praise Experience of all ages doth proue this In the solemn feast of the Passouer the chiefe duty of sanctification was the coÌ„memoration of Gods deliuerance of Jsraell from bondage in Egypt by his mighty hand streched out to smite Egypt and his destroying Angel passing over all the houses of the Isralites slaying all the first borne of â—he Egyptians this deliuerance was the blessing because of which God instituted this feast Exd. 13.5 The solemnitie of the feast of tabernacles for seven daies together was instituted by God because of his preservatioÌ„ of Israell in the wildernes forty yeares together without houses or cities in boothes tents the chiefe thing which they were bound to obserue in this holy solemnity was the commemoration of that preseruation in the wildernes by dwelling in boothes all the time of that feast wherby occasion was given to theÌ„ to rehearse vnto their childreÌ„ their child were moved to enquir learn bear in mind that blessing of Gods preservatioÌ„ Lev. 23.43 so in al ages we find by experience that the commemoration of the blessing upon which every feast was first ordained is the chiefe duty in all the solemnity as the coÌ„memoration and rehersal of Christs resurrectioÌ„ in the feast of Easter of the coÌ„ming down of the holy Ghost in the feast of Pentecost of Christs incarnation in the feast of the nativity And in our late yearely fâ—stivall for our deliuerance from the powder treason the chiefe duty is the coÌ„memoration of that deliuerance So that this proposition is most certain undeniable Now what the blessing of the seventh day was because of which God sanctified it to be the weekly Sabbath of the old testament also after by Moses commanded it to be kept holy As I haue largely before proued euen the promise of Christ the Redeemer And therfore it followes necessarily that the first and chiefest duty of sanctification of the Sabbath which the fathers were bound vnto was the commemâ—ration of the promise of Christ of redemption by him which was the blessing wherwith God blessed the seventh day
and therupon sanctified it And because from Adam untill Noah Christ was promised to be the seed of the woman And then he was promised to come of the seed of Shem afterwards Abraham was singled out of Shems family Christ the blessed seed was promised more specially to come of his seed even of Isaak the sonne of promise of Iacob Isaaks younger sonne And of all the tribes of Jsraell Judah was nominated And of all the families of Iudah Davids house was chosen David received the promise that he should be the progenitor of Christ. And all the Prophets in all ages in their Prophesies of Christ foretold that he should be made of the seed of David according to the flesh Therefore the fathers from Adam untill Noah and after him untill Abraham Isaak Iacob their seed posterity in their severall families still made a commemoration of Christ promised to come of them in all their weekly Sabbaths And when God had enlarged his Church in all the Tribes of Israel had by Moses recorded the promise of Christ that he should be the seed of AbrahaÌ„ c. after the Prophets had foretold that the Messiah was to come of Davids royal seed then they were all bound to preach Christ. and to commemorate the promise of him after a most solemn manner to their publick â—ssemblies on every Sabbath day And this was a prime duty and speciall worke of their sanctification of that day As we reade Luk. 16.29 Act. 15.21 The second speciall duty was offering of Sabbath sacrifices which were types and shaddowes of Christ and of redâ—mption and reconciliaâ—ion of men vnto God in him For as they did more solemnly rehearse the promises of Christ so also they did offer more solemne sacrifices in a double measure both morning and evening everie Sabbath day this God commanded by Moses to Israell Num. 28.9 And vndoubtedly Caine and Abell being instructed by Adam did bring their â—fferings on the seventh day which ended the weeke Gen. 4.3 And Noah his pleasing sacrifice was a sweet savour of rest that is a Sabbath sacâ—ifice Gen. 8.21 As J haue largely before proved The third speciall dutie was an holie assembly or holie convocaâ—ion which they were commanded to keepe on all other yearly festivall Sabbaths so every weekly Sabbath day as we reade Lâ—vit â—3 38 For although while the Church people of God were but a small number and despersed in severall places and families as in the familie of Melchisedek and Abraham and Lot and afterwards in the family of Iâ—b and of the sonnes of Abraham and Iacob before that Israell grew vp to be a nation there were few publicke holy assemblies kept either on the Sabbath or vpon any other occasion The Godly fathers did onelie call togither their houshould and families by themselves and did commaund and teach them to keepe the way of the Lord and to remember this Covenant as is testified particularly of Abraham Gen. 18.19 and in another place Where he is said to build altars and there to worshippe God As Gen. 12.7 13.4 as also it is said of Job c. 1.5 That he rose up early and sanctified his seven sonnes and offered vp burnt offerings according to the number of them Yet it is manifest that whensoever in any age there was a great increase of Gods people and an enlargment of his Church ouer a whole nation and countrie the Sabbath was by Gods appointment sanctified with holy assemblies After the birth of Enosh when the family of Seth began to increase and multiply it is said that men began then to call upon the name of the Lord. Or as some not unfittly doe translate the words then they began to call men by the name of the Lord that is Adam and his sonnes especially Seth his Children began to separate themselves from the wicked and profane people of Caines race and being gathered into a Church were called the children of God Gods people and did assemble themselues togither in set places and at set times every Sabbath day to worshippe God and to call upon his name as appeares in the Fourâ—h Chapter of Gen. ver 26. Thus Luther and Iunius expound that place as the words will uery well beare this exposition so also both Scripâ—ure reason confirme it For Gen. 6.2 The people of God who were gathered into the Church professed pure Religion in their assemblies are called by the name of God even the sons of God and by this title are distinguished from the wicked and profane who are called the sonnes of Adam that is carnall earthly corrupt men Secondly it is manifest that Abell long before Seth and Enosh did worshippe God and call upon his name and so undoubtedly did Adam and Seth before this time in their priuate families and therefore here cannot bee meant the first begining of mens calling upon Gods name and worshipping him but certainly the first beginning of Gods worship in publick assemblies of the Church in set places and at set times even everie Sabbath day As for them who translate this place that when Enosh was born men began to profane the name of the Lord they make way for diuers absurdities First that calling upon Gods name is profanation of it Secondly that profanation began in the family of Seth or at the least by the increase of his posterity Thirdly that there was no profanation of Gods name committed by Caine and bloody Lamech before this time contrary to that which is recorded before in this Chapter ver 8. 24. Where Lamech is brought in skorning of Gods threatnings And as we haue some monuments of antiquity which shew that holie assemblies were observed as religious duties of the holy Sabbath from the beginning So after that Israell became a nation and God set up his Church and tabernacle among them we haue most cleare and expresse commandements of God given by Moses to them and all their posterity that they should do no servile worke as appeares Levit 23.3.7.8 Num. 28 18 29.1 Deut. 16.8 And that the Priests and Levites togeâ—her with the people assemble together in the Temple on the Sabbath day it is recorded 2 King 11.5 2 Cron. 23.8 But I need not insist vpon further proofe of this point For everie man of reason must needes confesse that no publick holy Sabbath duties can be performed but in publick assemblies The Fourth speciall duty of the Sabbath unto which Gods people under the law were bound after the time of the law written by Moses and the publishing of the promises in the Scriptures of the Propheâ—s was the publick reading and expounding of the law the Prophets by the Priests and publick teachers and reverent hearing of them by the people This is manifest by the places before named to proue asolemne rehearsall of the promise to weet Luk. 16.29 Ast 15 21. And that on the Sabbath day For as those Scriptures do
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
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
the weeke And in honour of the resurrection of Christ on that day hath from the time of the Apostles agreed to keepe that day for the Lords day not out of any opinion that God hath blessed sanctified it aboue all other daies of the weeke but onely for good orders sake and that it is lawfull for Gods people after publick exercises of religion and some needfull rest and refreshing to use necessarie laboures and bodily recreations which in themselves are not sinfull and unlawfull neither do hinder publick duties of religion and of Gods worship But on the contrarie it is the common doctrine of the most godly and learned in the Church of England ever since the reformâ—â—ion of religion held maintained taught that although Christians are by Christ freed from the observation of the seventh day which was the Sabbath of the old Testament and from that servile bondage and rigorous rest which the law litterally and carnally vnderstood did impose on them or rather they by their carnal exposition wresting of the law did impose on themselves as not kindling of a fire nor liberty to heal the sick nor to do any worke of charitie and necessity on the Sâ—bbath day which could not without danger be deferred Yet they are bound by the law which was first giuen here in my text and after by Moses and the Prophets to keepe in everie weeke an holy rest and that on the first day which is the Lords day because God hath blessed it with a blessing aboue all other daies even by exhibiting Christ a perfect redeemer in his resurrection and hath thereby consecrated that day to be his holie sabbath And that all bodilie laboures sports and recreations and all worldly negociation are by Gods law strictly prohibited now under the Gospell as they were in the daies of the Patriarches and Prophets and under the law Because indeed and in truth they crosse the holie purpose of God which he hath manifested in his law and are impediments of those holy exercises which are required in the sanctification of his holie day This doctrine and practise I hold to be the best and this we are all bound to receiue and imbrace and to cleaue vnto it not onely because it is the Doctrine of our Mother Church commended to us in the book of homilies established by divets lawes statutes and constitutions still in force but also because it is most consonant to the sacred Scriptures the precepts and practise of the Apostles and to the common Doctrine of the purest and most holy Orthoxe of the auncient fathers in the Primitiue times and ages next succeeding after the Apostles as by Gods assistance as J shall make cleare and manifest In the justifying proving of this Doctrine and in laying open the speciall duties of Christians which concerne rest and cessation from all worldly negociation and bodilie laboures on the Lords daie which is the Christian Sabbath I will shew First of all That rest and câ—ssation from all bodilie laboures about the worldlie businesse and from all servile and and earthlie workes which concerne this fraile life is a necessarie dutie which God requires by his law of all Christians on the Lords daie which is their Holie weeklie Sabbath vnder the Gospell 2. That Gods law rightlie understood doth in respect of rest from worldly cares and all bodily workes and pleasures as strictly binde us vnder the Gospell on the Lords day as it bound the fathers upon their seventh day in the old Testament 3. I will shew how far Gods word law doth allow of bodily exercises which concerne this life and how farre in such exercises we may goe with good warrant upon the Lords holy Sabbath and what exercises are condemned in the word of God CHAP. 19. FOR the full proofe of the first point there are many strong and invincible arguments grounded vpon the word and law of God upon the generall consent of Orthodox divines both auncient and moderne even upon the confession of them who in this point much differ and seeme to deny that the Lords day either is or ought to be called a Sab. The first Argument is drawn from the words of the law which forbids all workes to be done on the Sabbath day either by man himselfe or his children servants or cattell as Exod. 20 10. Deut. 5.14 where it is said In it thou shâ—lt not do any worke thou nor thy son nor thy servant nor thy cattell Exod. 35.2 Leuit. 23.7 Yee shall do no servile workâ— therein whosoeveâ— doth any work therin shall be put to death The reasons why the Lord requires rest from all servile worke on the Sabbath day are two First because he who is the Lord our God and our Redeemer hath on that day rested from his worke and him we ought to imitate if we will enter into his rest Secondly because he hath blessed the day which is his Sabbath aboue all daies of the weeke and wheresoever the causes and reasons stand firme there the law is still in force Now this law of the Sabbath doth reach to the Lords day As J haue proved before the reasoÌ„ vpon which it requirs rest froÌ„ seâ—vile works are much more to be found in the Lords day which is the Christian Sab then in the Old Sabbath of the seventh day For in it Christ who is God ouer all blessed for ever and who is our Redeemer from a greater then Egyptian bondage even the slauery of sinne death and hell and the Divell hath rested from the great worke of redemption as God the Creatour did one the seventh day from the worke of creation And this day is now by Christs resurrection in which Christ perfected mans redemption blessed with a blessing farre more excellent then any wherewith God blessed the seventh day Therfore this is the Sabbath now under the Gospell in it God requirs of us by his law a rest total cessatioÌ„ froÌ„ al servile works Secondly whatsoever day is the Lords holy day a day of holy convocations assemblies that is a Sab of rest froÌ„ al servile works worldly busines this is manifest Exod. 12.16 31.15 35.2 Leuit. 32.3 7 which places do plainly shew that every day which is holy to the Lord and a day of holy assemblies is a Sab of rest no worke may be done therin And so likewise in all the law the Prophets every day which is a day of holy convocation an holy day is called a Sab day of rest from our own works pleasures every Sab is called the Lords holy day for these two are termini convertibiles termes which may be naturally affiâ—med one of another as apeares Neh. 9 14 Isa 58 13 Now the Lords day in the time of the Gospell is the chiefe of all holy dayes among Christians It was sanctified observed by the Apostles for their day of holy assemblies from the first publishing
all our owne ordinarie and common workes and labours Fourthlie they who are more spirituall and haue haue liuely hope of Heaven and haue the spirit shed on them more abundantlie they are more bound by Gods law to sequester themselves and withdraw their mindes from worldlie cares and more to minde heavenlie things as at all other times so on the Lords holie daie which is consecrated to heavenly spirituall and religious worship and seruice of God is a pledg to them of eternall rest with Christ in heaven For to whome God hath given more of them shall more bee required Now it is most plainly testified in the Scriptures That Christians vnder the Gospell are more spirituall and haue the spirit more abundantly shed on them through Christ then the Fathers had Act. 2.17 Tit. 3.6 The Ministery of the new Testament is the ministery of the spirit not of the letter 2 Cor. 3.6 And we haue now more evidence more assurance of the blessed hope reserued in heaven for vs. Colos. 1.5 There is Christ our life and Treasure Colos. 3 1.2 And there our hearts ought to be and not on earthly things We must now be ready if Christ call vs to sell all and to giue to the poore that we may haue treasure in heaven Therefore we are bound by the law especially on the Lords day our weekly holy day to be more sequestered from the world and to rest wholy from all cares and labours about earthly things that we may be wholy deuoted to heavenly things and to divine meditations Lastly though Auncient Fathers and Doctours of the Church did much condemne in their writings the observation of the Sabbath after the manner of the later Iewes to weet in idlenesse and from resting from all worldly affaires that they might spend the day in vaine sports and delights and in wanton leaping and dauncing which in the graue judgment of these learned Fathers Was worse and more prophane then plowing and digging and working in woll Yet notwithstanding they doe generally commend the Lords day as a day of rest to all Gods people from all rurall workes and worldly affaires that they may be at leasure to exercise themselues in holy duties and be wholy devoted to the worshipp of God And hereupon it is that the learned of these later times especially the builders of Gods Church in this land do most frequently in respect of this rest and cessarion from al seculiar affaires call the Lords day the Sabbath of Christians as appeares in the first part of the Homily of the time and place of prayer and do affirme that as the Fathers in the old Testament were bound to rest one the seventh day from all manner of worke Soe also are Christians bound on the Lords day to rest and that by the law of God CHAP. 20 THE second position which I haue propounded before which now Comes to be proved is That Gods law rightly understood doth in respect of this duty of rest from all worldly affaires as strictly bind us under the Gospell on the Lords day as it bound the fathers on the Sabbath of the seventh day in the old Testament Here some will perhaps imagine that I goe about to laye an heavy yoke of Jewish legall bondage upon Christians contrary to Christian liberty by which Christ hath made us free But if they remember and beare in minde what I haue before proued to weet That the fathers from the beginning had no such burden imposed on them as is commonly conceived and that the Scripâ—ures are alleaged to proue that they might not kindle a fire nor dresse meate nor goe out of their place on the Sabbath day and that it was death to gather sticks on that day in case of necessity are much mistaken They shall be forced to confesse that I take away the heavy yoke which many lay upon the Fathers in the old Testament raâ—hen then lay any yoke upon Christians in the obseruation of the Sabbath Yea that I require and urge no more then that which all the learned of best note in all ages haue ever since the time of the Apostles and by tradition from them commended to the Churches of Christ which also the lawes Canons and Doctrine of the Church of England generally receiued and established doe impose on us the light burden and easie yoke of Christ. It is true that the Scribes and Pharises those great corrupters of the law and blinde Hypocrites as our Saviour cals them did lay an heavy yoke on the people of their time by their false glosses and corrupt traditions as in diuers other points so in the obseruation of the Sabbath They held it unlawfull in case of necessity to pull an eare of corne or any fruite from a tree on the Sabbath day and blamed Christs Disciples for doing so when they were hungry and had no other meanes to keepe themselues from fainting They accused our Saviour Christ for working a glorious miracle and doing a worke of great charity on the Sabbath when by his word he healed some that were sick of great infirmities and sent them away bearing their beds on their backes in open sight of all which tended much to the honour of God and made the people glorifie Christ and his Gospell But our Saviour reproues them for this strictnesse and convinceth them of errour by diuers argumentâ— First by Scripture which saith that God will haue mercy rather then sacrifice that is God is serued more acceptably with workes of mercy which are morall duties then sacrifices which are but a seruice ceremonial he delights more in works of mercy charity then in them as at all times so when they are done to his glory on the Sab day So that if it was a breach and prophanation of the Sab to do any worke of mercie in it then it must needs be much more a prophanation to labour worke about sacrifices in killing beasts dressing washing their flesh making fires to burne them on the Altar which were not so pleasing to God as works of mercy But the Pharisees allowed approued such works of sacrificing durst not condemn theÌ„ And thâ—â—for our Saviour concludes that they ought not to condemne his mercifull works of healing the sick on the Sab day shewes that by censuring his doings for prophanation they did much more censure the forenamed actions of their Priests even the dressing burning sacrifices mat 12.5.6.7 Secondly our Saviour proues that by Gods owne law they were allowed to circumcise children on the Sab day whensoever it happened to fall out on the eight daie after the birth of children and to the Child circumcised they applied healing medicinâ—s and therfore they groslie erred in accusing him for healing on the Sabbath which was a thing pleasing to God and was a lesse labour then Circumcision Iohn 7.22 Thirdlie he convinceth them of grosse hypocrisie and blindnesse in that they imposed heavie burdens upon
tipicall seruice of the Lord which he in his temple required by a ceremoniall law for the sanctification of the Sab. Then much more doth Gods law allow coÌ„mand his publike ministers to labour sweat spend their bodily strength spirits in preaching his word in the holy Christian assemblies where Christ who is greater then the temple is present by his spirit in many of his members who are so many temples of the Holy Ghost and of God The second argument is drawne from the practise and example of Christ and his Apostles For as the Priests and learned scribes did of old read and expound the law and the Prophets in all their sinagogues every sabbath day And our Saviour approued this by joyning with them in some practise preaching teaching in their sinagogues in great throngs assemblies of people which thronged after him undoubtedly made him sweate as appeares Mat. 4.13 Iohn 5.10 So also the holy Apostles did on the first day of the week the Lords day labour in the word as we see by the example of St. Paul who at Troas continued his Preaching till midnight because he was to depart the next daye Act. 20.7 Now what they did performe as a duty taught by the law and moued by the spirit of God Jn that all their faithfull successoures are bound to immitate them Therefore the laboures and paines of Ministers and preachers are allowed on the Lords day being holy and religious workes and fittest of all for the holy day and holy place A second sort of workes alowed to be done on the Lords day are bodily workes and laboures which are soe necessary for the fitting and enabling of Christians to sanctifie that day and for bringing them vnto holy and publick assemblies and places of prayer and of Gods worship and holy service that witâ—out such working and labouring even on that day they neither can be so fit and able to serue God joyfully and to worshippe him with cheerefull hearts neither can they as the present case stands come unto holy Sabbath assemblies to heare the word to pray and to worship in publick As for example in places of restreant and of trouble and persecution where publicke Sabbath assemblies of true Christians are not tollerated but in Churches which are remote diuers miles and in barren countries where the Churches are foure or fiue miles distant from some houses and vilages in the parrish men may lawfully â—rauell on foote and ride one horses or make their horses labour in drawing them to the Church in Coaches And because men cannot be soe Cheerfull in the seruice of God nor soe hartily rejoyce before him not with strength and delight spend the whole day in Sabbath duties witâ—out warme and wholesome food and plentifull refreshing of their weake bodies therefore the dressing boyling baking and rosting of meate is lawfull on the Lords day soe farre as it more helps then hinders holy duties and the service of God This is manifest by the words of the law Exod. 12.16 where the Lord forbidding all manner of worke on his holy Sabbaths excepts labour and worke about that which people were to eate and which was necessary for the upholding of an holy moderate feasting on those daies This was practised by the Phâ—rises and by our Saviour and his Apostles who on the Sabbath day came to a feast to the house of a chiefe Pharise Luk. 14.1.2 Also the speech of the Shanamite to his wife 2 King 4.23 doth import that for the solemn observation of the Sabbath they were wont to ride and travell to the Prophets and to places where they might worship God and be instructed in the knowledge of his will and worship For when shee desiâ—d an asse to ride on and a young man to attend her unto Carmell where Elisha â—he man of God was Wherefore wilt thou saith he got to him to day seeing it is neither New Moon nor sabbath But here let me giue a caution That Christian people bee not too heedlesse setting their inhabitations in places Remote from the Church for some worldly commodities when they may with a litle lesse conveniency dwell neere And that they do not by vnnecessary feasting and superstitious dressing of meate hinder or wholy disable some of their famâ—ly from keeping holy the Lords day a fault to common in our daies Thirdly all works actions of bodily labour which are works of mercy and of Charity which cannot without convenience or danger be deferred or which may be done without hindering of our soules in Gods publick worship and to the great comfort of our brethren are lawfull and may be done on the Lords day As for example visiting of the siâ—k and of them that are in prison or in any great distresse and applying and ministering comfort and healing medicines to them offering and gathering of collections for the Reliefe of poore Saints labouring to set men at â—nity and to Reconcile jarring neighbours These are holy pious workes as our Saviour shewes and hee accounts such deeds when they come from a sincere heart as if they were don to himselfe Mat 25.40 Yea he himselfe did commonly on the Sabbath day practise such deeds soe often as he found occasion as we read Mat. 12. Luk. 6 Paul by inspiration of the spirit and by Commandement from the Lord Christ doth ordaine and appoint such vvorks to be done on the Lords day 2 Cor. 16.1 2. And from the daies of the Apostles all true Churches of Christ did practise such vvorkes of mercy pietie and Charity as Justine Martyr vvitnesseth and divers others in alter ages And such works the Ecclesiasticall constitutions of our English Church commanded and commend on the Sundayes holy daies of the Lord. Fourthly all bodily workes of great and extreame necessity which concerne the life and safety of men and of their cattell the preseruation of necessary creatures other good things of good use value and moment serving for mans being and welbeing may lawfully be done on the Lords day As for example 1. Fighting for our liues and for the safety of our country or city against enimies which invade us and set upon us and taking advantage if God doth offer it to us on the Lords day as Ioshua did at Jerico in compassing the City by Gods appointmâ—nt and by circumstances it is probable taking it on the seventh day and offering a bloudy sacrifice in fire to God as a Cherem or Anathema devoted and seperated to God for the first fruites of the land of Canaan after they came to Jordan from which no man might without sacrilege detract any thing as Achan did and was cut off for it Josh. 6. If Ioshua did compasse the Citty seven daies together as the text saith then one of the seventh must needs be the Sabbath most likely the last of the seventh wherein the Citty was taken and offered up in fire as a devote thing to God God offering the occasion
with the spirituall and heavenly obseruation of the Lords holie day in which God requires serious sanctification and graue and sober conversations as our own Ecclesiasticall Constitutions do affirme the reason is the same in both Thirdly in all other things consecrated by God himselfe and by his word and commandement to holy and heavenly use it hath alwayes beene counted a greevious offence to ad our owne naturall inventions and diuises to them or to turne them to common civill and mere naturall use either in whole or part except in case of necessity So undoutedly it is by the same reason a greevious offence willingly and purposly to imploy the Lords holy daie or any part thereof to common naturall and civill sports and delights Now the first is manifest by the word and law of God Nahab Abihu the sonnes of Aron were consumed by fire from the Lord when they offered sacrifices with common fire Lev. 10. Because they added to the holy offering that which was common Alsoe the sonnes of Ely did sinne greeviously in turning any part of the consecrated flesh to feede their owne bellies 1 Sam. 2. Saul in turning Gods sacrifice to a prophane use and forcing himselfe to doe it in ordinately that he might make the people to stand to him and keep them from scattering sinned and lost his Kingdome 1 Sam. 13. And when the Jewes prophaned Gods house of praier which was the holie place by buying selling and money chaunging it was so vile in our Saviours eyes and so wicked that he who in other things was a meeke Lambe being moved with zeale did like a Lyon Roare against them fell violentlie upon them and whipt them out with disgrace Iohn 2. Now the Lords Sabbath is an holie day sanctified by God immediatlie after the Creation and commanded in the fourth Commandement to be kept holy And our Sauiour by his Resurrection hath consecrated blessed the Lords day aboue all other dayes of the weeke and made it the Lords Sabbath more holie then the first as haue beene before abundantly proved And as all true Christian Churches so our Church more especiallie both by Doctrine and practise hath openlie approved this for the Lords Sabbath Therefore no part of this day ought to be turned to nautrall ciuill or carnall sports and delights Lastly though our Churches the places of our holy assemblies and our communion tables haue no particular expresse commandement for them from God but onely are consonant and agreable to the houses of God in Israel and we haue no other warrant for them but the example of Gods people in the Old Testament our own experience reason teaching that they are very necessary for publick assemblies and holie service the plot of ground is chosen by men and the materials and framing of them and the forme of them are all the workes of men God hath neither appointed the place as in the temple of Ierusalem nor the materials the forme as in the Tabernacle the Arke Altars which were built by Moses Yet we would count a great offence to turn any part of the Church to be a place for common sports plaies or a dancing Schoole and to play at dice or Cards or other profane games vpon the Communion Table Now then seeing we count it unlawfull to profane the places consecrated to holy vse by men inimitation of God and not by expresse commandement given for the separation of the ground or the place We ought more to count it unlawfull to spend any part of Gods holy day in carnall sports being a time sanctified by his expresse word and blessed with the greatest blessing Fourthly and in the last place whatsoever recreations and exercises of body and mind are necessary required for the bettering of our sanctification of the Lords day the enabling of us to perform with more cheerfulnesse strength and courage the holy worship of God and the work and service of his holy Sabbath and which are also intended by vs onely to that end and use them we may vse And so farre as they serve to further and in no wise to hinder Gods holy worship and the immediate works and duties thereof This is manifest by Gods allowing to his people in the law dressing of meat Cheerfull feasting on his Sab and holy daies Which are needfull to cheere up men and to provoke them to worship him with all thankfulnesse of heart also to put on our best apparell that we may come decently to Gods house As these are lawfull being directed to holy use so undoubtedly honest refreshing with recreations which cheer up the heart refresh the spirits are lawfull when they are helpfull to holy exercises and are directed to that end as stirring of the body walking in to gardens or fields to take fresh aire being found very helpefull to Preachers to reviue their spirits sâ—rengthen their loynes cleare their voyces sharpen and quicken their wits and memories and being done only to that end are lawfull So also walking into the corne feilds in â—ommer oâ— harvest or into meddowes or Pastures in the spring both to refresh our Bodies spirits and to give vs occasion to admire Gods bountie in clothing the bodies and his Fatherlye providence in making the earâ—h so fruitfull and to laud and praise him is lawfull for vs. And if after publick private exercise we doe soe walke about diuers together conferring of heavenly things taking occasion by sight of earthly blessings to provoke one another to thankfulnesse acknowledgment of Gods loue this no doubt is a recreation fitt for the Lords day and helps much our devotion and this seemes to haue beene practised by our Saviour who went through the corne feilds on the Sabbath day Mat. 12.1 and his Disciples with them CHAP. 22. IN the last place J come to the speciall Duties of holinesse by which The Lords Sabbath is especially said to be sanctified which I will run through as breifly as I can so far as brevity may stand with plainesse perspecuity And first of all you shall see that the most strict sanctification of the Lords day which is taught and urged by the godly learned both auncient and moderne Christian Divines Is no Judaisme I would haue you to take speciall notice that whatsoeuer things the Iewes and naturall Isralites were bound by the law â—o perfoâ—me in the sanctification of the old Sabbath which were meerely tipicall and ceremoniall and were ordained and practised onely to signifie some things which are fullie accomplished in Christ that we hold to be so abolished and made void that Christians ought in no case to obserâ—e or practise them on their new Sabbath the Lords day For they are all removed with the chaunge of the day we ought to a voyd them as much as we avoyd the old Sab which was the seventh day from the begining of daies in the creation As for example offering the sacrifices of slaine beasts and
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
weekly Sabbath is founded which is briefely comprehended in these 3 particulars 1. Gods perfecting of the woâ—k crâ—ated 2. Gods â—est on the seventh day 3. Gods blessing of it Out of which particulars as I haue laid them open this Doctrine doth arise CHAP. 3. THat the first institutioÌ„ of the Sabbath on the seventh day of the first week of the world was grounded vpon Christ and occationed by the promise of him to be mans mediatour and the worlds redeemer And the true proper grounds of the sanctification of the weekly Sabbath vpon which it stands perpetually to the worlds end and to the eternall rest in heaven are Gods perfecting of the created world by bringing in redemption by Christ Gods rest delight and pleasure in Christs mediation and Gods blessing the seventh day with a blessing farre a boue the blessings all of other daies even the giving of Christ a perfect Saviour for mankinde This point is most plaine and manifest by that whih I haue before delivered But yet for the better setling of our Judgments and confirming of our hearts in the knowledge and beleefe of this truth Jt will not be amisse to add further proofes and reasons grounded on the sacred Scriptures First that which is the ground of Gods sanctifying the seventh day aboue all the other six dayes of the weeke must needes be somthing which came to passe one that day which farre excelled the workes created on the six dayes For the holy Scriptures and the common practise of all nations do concure in this that all holy daies whether weekly monthly or yearely are obserued and were first instituted in memory of some notable and extraordinary thing which on those dayes of the weeke moneth and yeare happened came to passe witnesse â—he passover Pentecost the feast Purim and dedication the feast of Christ nativity resurrection ascension our fifâ—h of November aâ—d many others But there can be nothing imagined greater then the works of creatioÌ„ which were all finished on the six daies but only the promise relation of Christ the redeemer the work of Redemption by him the eternall Sonne of God on that day openly undertaken and begune as I haue before proved First for Gods ceasing from his workes of creation and his bare rest from them it being a doing of nothing not making of good things cannot in any case be esteemed better then the workes of the six dayes wherin God created all things good and perfect with naturall perfection For doing of good is better in the judgment of all reasonable men then doing of nothing Secondly for Gods perfecting of the creation by bringing man and woman the last and chiefest of his creatures into being that waâ— on the sixt day and his making of every creature compleat and perfect in his kinde that was done on the severall dayes in which they were severally created they cannot be any ground of sanctifying the seventh day but rather of the six daies of the weeke Wherefore it remaines that Christ promised â— perfect redemptioÌ„ on the seventh day of the world beginÌ„ing actually to mediate for man to coÌ„municate his spirit supernaturall grace faith to our first parents is the ground of the institution of the weâ—kly Sabbath on that day· Secondly a supernaturall effect cannot proceed from a naturall cause a spirituall building cannot be surely setled on a naturall ground and foundation If the effect be supernaturall the cause must be such and if the buâ—lding be spirituall the foundâ—tion alsoe must be spirituall on which it is setled Now the sanctification of the Sabbath as it is Gods worke in the first institution it is a seperating of a day from naturall to heavenly spirituall and supernaturall vse and to workes which tend to such an end as cannot be obtained by creation but onely by the mediation of Christ and sanctification of the Sabbath as it is a worke and duty which God requires of a man is wholy exercised about things which concerne Christ which haue relation to him and which none can rightly performe without the communion of the spirit of Christ and the sauing guifts and graces of God in Christ. The Hebrew word Kadâ—sh signifies onely such workes in all the Scriptures wheresoever it is vsed never any thing is said to be holy or sanctâ—fying but in for and by Christ wherefore that ground of the Sabbath must needes be something in Christ or indeed Christ himselfe on the seventh day first promised and revealed a perfect and alsufficient Redemer and mediatour to gather all things to God Thirdly that which hath no proper or principall end or vse but such as presupposeth Christ and his mediation and is subordinate to him promised and to the revelation of redemption by him must needes be grounded on Christ and receive the first institution and Originall from the promise of him or him promised This is a certaine truth which with no culour of reason can be denied For God doth nothing in vayne he makes althings for there proper end vse and brings nothing into being before hee hath a proper end vse ready before hand for which it may serve Now the proper principall end vse of the Sabbath for which the Lord is said in the Scriptures to institute give it to his people is such as presupposeth Christ and his actuall mediation and is subordinate to the promise of redemtion by him First God himselfe testifieth both in the Law Exod. 31 13. also in the Prophets Ezech. 20.12 that he gaue his Sabbath to his people for this end and vse Thaâ— it might be a perpetuall signe betweene him and them to confirme them in this knowledge beleefe That he is their God who doth sanctifie them Secondly another maine vse for which God instituted the Sabbath is that it might be a signe and pledge to his people of the eternall rest or Sabbathisme which remaines for them in heaven and vntill they come to that rest they are bound to keepe a weekly holy Sabbath to put them in hope of that eternall rest soe much may be gathered from the Apostles words Heb. 4.3.9 Thirdly the Sabbath is for that end and use that by keeping it holy by sanctifying our selvs to the Lord and delighting our selvs in him and in his holy worshippe wee might grow up in holinesse without which none can come to see and enjoy God and soe might draw still more neere to God till we be fully fitted to see and enjoy him in glory and to come to his eternall rest in Heaven Now all these principall endes and vses of the Sabbath doe presuppose the promise of Christ and his mediation For first in him alone as he is our mediatour God becomes our God who doth sanctâ—fie us and without Gods shedding of the holy Ghost on us through Christ we can never be truly sanctified as appeares Rom. 8.9 Tit. 3.6 1 Cor. 1.30 And
in Christ we are called to be Saints and sanctified 1 Cor. 1.2 Secondly there is no thought or hope of eternall rest in heaven but in and by Christ hee brings us into that and by going before us makes way for us Heb. 6.20 9 24. Jt is that which never entered into the heart of man his reason conceives it not till God doth reveale it by his spirit given though Christ 1 Cor. 2.9.10 Thirdly no man can haue accesse vnto God but in Christ there is no approach to the throne of grace but in him Heb. 4.16 It is Christ alone who for his peoples sake sanctified himselfe that they also might be sanctâ—fied Ioh. 17.19 And there is no growing up in grace holinesse but in him and by vnion and communion in one body with him as our head Eph. 13·16 vpon these infalible premises it followes necessarily that the proper end and use of the Sabbath presupposing Christ the first institution thereof must needes be grounded on Christ also Fourthly if Christ as he is the Sonne of man vnited in one person vnto God and so our mediatour be the Lord of the Sabbath so that the alteration and chaunge of it from one of the seven dayes to another is onely in his power and depends wholy on some chaunge in him then the institution of it is grounded one the promise of him and upon his mediation Now the Antecedent is manifest by our Sauiours owne words Mat. 12.9 where hee calls himselfe Lord of the Sabbath day And by his resurrection and becomming the head stone of the corner the Sabbath is chaunged from the day of him promised vnto the day of the full exhibition of him aperfect actuall redeemer in his resurrection as David foretold Psal. 118. And the practise of the Apostles in all Churches of Christian Gentiles doth aboundantly declare Act. 20.7 and 1 Cor. 16.2 wherefore undoubtedly Christ promised was the first ground of the institution of the Sabbath as our Saviour in that place of the Gospel Mat. 12.9 affirmes it was made for man that is not only for mens use but also for him the son of man upon the promise undertaking of him to become man the seed of the women for mans redemption for destroying the workes of the Divill VSE This Doctrine thus fully proved confirmed is a Doctrine of speciall use to worke in the hearts of all true Christians who have all their hope confidence in Christ an high holy reverence esteeme of the Lords holy weekly Sabbath to provoke stirre them up to a carefull conscionable diligent observation thereof in all their generations for the promoting propagating of pietye for the increase of devotion and advauncement of Religion in all succeding ages If the observation of the weekly Sabbath were but a dictate of nature written in mans heart in the creation then were the chiefe end and ayme of it no more but an earthly felicitye and the fruition of a naturall life in an earthly paradise It should be no better then one of the duties which belong to the old couvenant of life justification by mans owne works which is abolished and made void by mans fall And It is wholy frustrated of the proper end use of it which was justification life by workes of a mans own doing And so being not a part of the wisedome which is from above it should be of lesse esteme and of common and ordinary account with holy Christian Saintes Or if the Sabbath were a legall rite and ceremoniall ordinance onely such as were sacrifices burnt offerings circumcision and legall purifications which were shadowes of things to come then should it be abolished by the full exhibition of Christ and the observation thereof among Chistians of the beleeveing Gentiles were no better then setting up of abominations which make desolate by cutting men of from Christ. But here we are taught better things concerning the Lords holy weekely Sabbath to weet that it is an holy Heavenly Euangelicall ordinance wholy grounded upon Christ and depending onely upon him first instituted upoÌ„ the promised Christ limitted to the seventh day of the weeke in which he was promised to be mans redeemer did undertake in some measure begin actually to mediate and to intercede for man with God and commaunded to be kept onely on that seventh day during the tyme of the old Testament while Christ was onely promised the fathers sought salvation in him to come And now ever since the full exhibition of Christ a perfect redeemer in his resurrection necessarily imposed on all Christians and limitted by virtue of the first institution and foundation of it upon Christ to that day even the first day of the weeke which is the greatest day of Christ appearing in the nature of man on earth that is the day of his resurrection to glory and immortalitie and the day of his complete victory and triumph in his owne person over sin death the Devill all the powers of darknesse So that though the particular dayes of the weekely Sabbath that is the seventh of the weeke in the old Testament and the first in the new and under the Gospell may truly be called temporarye and caeremoniall because they have their set tymes and seasons the one the tyme and season onely under Christ promised the other the tyme and season under Christ fully exhibited that is the whole tyme of grace under the Gospell vntill we come both in soules and bodyes to the etternall Sabbath and rest in heaven when Christ Mediatour haveing destroyed all enimyes and delivered up the Kingdome to God his father God shal be all in all Yet they are such ceremonies as are holy in their seasons not by signification and consecration to holy and supernaturall use only as legall shadowes were but also materially and in respect of the very duties which are performed in observation of them yea and effectively because the due observations of them properly tends to begitt and increase true holynesse in Gods people Besides if we consider the observation of a weekely Sabbath simply in it self without limitation to a particular day so it is a perpetuall ordinaunce of God which bindes all mankind to the end of the world And there is none of all Adams posteritye but by Gods first institution he is bound to keep the holy weekely Sabbath upon that very day of the weeke which by the word of God and the ground of the institution appeares to be most seasonable in the age and the state of the Church under which thy live and have their being on earth Now these things being soe how it is possible that any true syncere Christian who as by one spirit and by a true lively faith soe also in his whole heart and in all holy affections is vnited vnto Christ and hath all his hâ—pe confidence in him as in his only Redeemer Lord Saviouâ— should not
Priests with all their robes and vestments also the sacrifices and all other holy things of the Tabernacle they all were sanctified by the speciall commandement of God and by direction of his word as Moses in the law testifies in Exodus 40. divers other places Soe the temple in Ierusalem and all the Holie things which are consecrated and dedicated to the service of God by Solomon are said to be hallowed and sanctified by God 1 King 9.3 and 2 Cron. 7.17 that is by Gods speciall commandement direction And Moses his dedication of all things in the law is said to bee by bloud and that by precepts spoken to the people according to Gods law Heb. 9. vers 19.22 And every creature of God is said to be sanctified to the use of the Saints by the word of God and by prayer 1 Tim. 4.5 Now if in all Gods word everie thing is said to bee sanctified by the word and speciall Commandement of God And wheresoever in all the Scriptures God is said to sanctifie any thing and to seperate it for holy Use The word Sanctifie doth necessarilye implie a Commandement and speciall law of God given for the seperating of it It were against all reason and common sence to deny heere in this text the wordes Blesse and sanctifie doe necessarilie alsoe implie that God gaue a speciall commandement and law for the keepeing of his holie weekelie Sabbath an holy rest unto him the Lord our God Thirdly whatsoever is sanctified by God and so dedicated to holy vse that it is not in the power of any creature to alter and chaunge and turne it to another use without sinne and transgression against God that is certainlie established by a spirituall law of God for where there is no law there is no transgression Now after that God had sanctified the seventh daie apointed it to be the rest of the holie Sabbath It was a sinne and transgression not to keepe it or to chaunge and alter it to common vse yea it was transgression against Gods commandements as appeares in the place before mentioned Exod. 16.23.28 Therfore Gods sanctifying the Sabbath was vndoubtedlie by giving of a commandement for the due keeping and observing of it But from this point thus proved there ariseth an objection the answering and removing whereof seemes to a matter of some moment For this being granted that God in sanctifying the seventh day immediatlie after the ending of the creation did giue a speciall law for the observation of the seventh day of every weeke as an holy Sabbath And if once consecrared by Gods law to holie use may in no case be turned to common and profane vse and whosoever doth chaunge it sinneth most greeviouslâ—e as appeares Exod. 30.32 Num. 16.38 and also by the destructâ—on of Kâ—ng Belshâ—zzâ—r for turning the hallowed Vessels of the Temple of Ierusalem to common and profane vse Dan. 5. It will here upon follow that Adams posterity in all ages are bound to keepe the weekely Sabbath on the seventh day and no creature may chaunge it to another daie without grieuous sinne And the Christian Churches which haue chaunged the Sabbath to the first day of the weeke haue made the seventh daie a common daie wherein they doe the workes of their private calling their worldlie businesse haue transgressed Gods law in so doing Neither haue they any warrant or ground from this first institution or the fourth commandement which the Sabbath of the Seventh daie to keepe their weekely Sabbath on the Lords day which is the first of the weeke For the satisfying of this objâ—ction and clearing of this doubt divers things may be answered First that in the most strict commandement of God by which he binds men to the keeping of holy assemblies and publick solemnities for the performance of religious duties worshippe and service to his majesties memorable of his extraordinary blessings and benefits though the solemne duties be limmited to some certaine and fit daies those particular duties be named in the law Yet if the substance of the Commandement be kept that is the holy solemnitie observed and the duties worship and service be performed in all full and ample manner as the law requires though the particular daies of the month yeare and weeke be chaunged vpon good reason and for weighty consideration The Lord doth dispence with alteration of that circumstance to another day and time which appeares by good reason and for just causes to bee more convenient and doth allow and accept that for the right performance of his law This is manifest by a plain instance and example given by God himselfe For the law of the passover which God gave to Israel did command them to keepe that feast in their generations vpon the fourteene day of the first month and that under paine of being cut off Exod. 12.14.18 Levit. 23.5 And yet upon just occasion such as Gods law approves either of uncleannesse of absence from home vpon a farre jouney it was lawfull to chaunge the particular time and to keepe the passover on another day more convenient even on the fourteenth day of the second moneth Num. 9.11 And soe Hezekiah and all the people of Israell and Iudah kept it and chaunged the day 2 Cron. 30. And hereby the Lord himselfe teacheth us that the Lawes which command holie solemnities and bind all his people in their generations to the due observation of them on certaine set daies such as the law of the weekly Sabbath the yearly Passover may stand in force and bee dulie observed though the particular daie of the weeke be chaunged vpon such grounds as Gods law approveth and for such causes and reasons as make that other day more fit and excellent for the solemnitie then that particular day of the weeke or of the moneth which is named in the law Secondly If any object that the law of the passover was ceremoniall and therefore might admit of some chaunges but it cannot be so in the law of the Sabbath if it be morall and perpetuall binding all man kinde to the worlds end To this I answere that for the time and season wherein ceremoniall lawes are in force they are equall in their obligation and binding of the persons commanded to lawes morall and perpetuall and therefore the argument and answer is good and firme and cannot with any good reason be rejected and denied Thirdly divers positive lawes which are morall and perpetuall and bind Adam and all his posterity in all their generations though they be firme and immutable in themselves in their obligation yet because the Duties of obedience which they impose vpon men and the men up on whom the duties are imposed are in their state and condition mutable and chaungable And the chaunges and alterations of the things commanded in times places and other relations and respects do not at all chaunge the law nor proue it ceremoniall and chaungable
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
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
men and having shewed what kinde of law this is which God hath giuen for the observation of the weekly Sabbath and how and in what manner it bindes the sonnes of Adam in all ages some in one kinde and some in another and Adam and all his posterity in some respects There remaines yet for all that hath beene said before one speciall point to be more fully proved That is concerning the Chaunge of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day what ground and warrant we haue for it and how the law of God by which God set apart the seventh day in the first institution and still in the fourth CoÌ„mandement and other repetitions of that law by Moses mentions on the seventh day for the weekly Sabbath can bind us Christ ans to keep holy the Lords day or warrant us to make it our Sabbath For the more full manifestation and proofe of this point and satisfiing of all doubts I will by the light of Gods sacred word and by the helpes which I shall finde in the writings and sayings of the best learned both ancient and moderne Christian divines do my best endeavour to shew and proue that the Lords day which is the first of the weeke and the day of Christs resurrection the fittest day of all the seven to be the holy weekly Sabbath of Christians That God before and in the first giving of the law of the Sabbath did intend and foresee the chaunge the grounds of the chaunge of it to the first day that God by Christ hath chaunged it And that the law of the Sabbath in the maine duties which it requires is more fully and in a better and more excellent manner obeyed by Christians in there observation of the Lords day and keeping it for the holy rest then it was by the fathers of the Old Testament in their keeping of the seventh and last day of the vveeke for their holy rest and vveekly Sabbath First to proue the conveniencie fitnesse of the Lords day to be the Sabbath under the Gospell aboue all other daies we haue diuers arguments The first I frame thus That day which is the first of dayes the first fruits of time especially of the time of grace is the fittest to be the Lords holy day aboue all other daies of the weeke in under the time of grace The Lord himselfe teacheth this for a plaine truth requiring the fruits of all things for an holy offering to himselfe under the law from the beginning when he taught Adam Adam did teach his sonnes Caine Abell to bring sacrifices of firstlings first fruits for offerings to him Gen. 4. Now the Lords day which is the first day of the week is the first of all daies in the world In it God began the creation the highest heavens which is the place of blessednes the heavenly host also the common masse matter of the whole visible inferior world the chiefest most gracious element the light that is the fiery heavens with the first beginning of the creation this day began so it is the first fruites of all times created although in the creatioÌ„ during the state of innocency the first fruites were no more holy theÌ„ the rest of the lump or masse sanctifying of things to holy use came in by Christ with the first promise of him the first time of Christ revealed being the seventh day was to be the holy Sabbath all the time in which Christ was onely promised not given Yet now seeing by the resurrection of Christ in which Christ waâ— exhibited a perfect redeemer and became the first fruites of them that sleep The first day of the weeke and of the world which was onely the first fruits of time before is by Gods providence become the first day firist frvites of the time of grace vnder Christ a perfect redeemer Therfore the first day which is now the first fruites of time both in the creaâ—ion and under pefect redemption which doth perfect and sanctifie the creation is now the fittest of all the dayes of the weeke to be the Lords holy Sabbath And it is against all reason for any to think any other day so fit to bee offered vp for the first fruites of every weeke and of our times to God as this day which is the day of the Lord Christ who is the true first fruites of all creatures and doth sanctifie the whole masse and lumpe of mankinde and all other creatures which are gathered vnto God in him In which day Christ arose from death and became the first frutes of them that sleepe that by the virtue of his resurrection hee might sanctifie the very grave to them that sleep in him might raise them up as to grace in this life soe alsoe to glory at the last day in the generall resurrection Secondly that day wherein the place of eternall rest and of the everlasting Sabbath which after this vvorld ended remaines for the people of God was created and brought into being and vvherein eternall rest was purchased and the way opened into that rest must needes in the judgment of reasonable men be the fittest day for the weekly Sabbath which is to all gods people a sure signe and pledge of eternall rest and of their everlasting Sabbath in heauen which weekly Sabbath is to be kept holy and sanctified by mediations on Heaven and Heavenly rest by such Holy exercises of religion as doe fit and prepare vs for the life of glory in Heaven Now the first daie of the weeke is the day wherin God created the place of eternall rest euen the highest Heavens which are from eternity decreed and ordained to bee the place in vvhich his elect shall keepe rheir eternall Sabbath after this life In this day also Christ arose from death perfected redemption and rested from that vvorke by vvhich he procured eternall life and Heavenly glory for God people upon this day hee opened the way to the Holie of Holies and made his first enterance both in his owne flesh also for all his members into that life eternall and that rest which they with him shall enjoy in the Heavenlie mansions Therefore vndoubtedlie this day of all the daies of the weeke most fit and and worthy to be kept an holy Sabbath of rest and to be sanctified with mediations on heaven and heavenly glory and with other exercises of religion which fit men for eternall rest in heaven Thirdly that day wherein God first created the light of this inferior visible world and wherein the light of the visible heavens did shine forth when it is once blessed with the rising up of a greater and more glorious light even the Sun of righteousnesse It is of all daies become the fittest most vvorthy to be the Lords holy weekly Sabbath which is to be hallowed by meditating vpon the inheritance of the Saints in light and by such holy
particular day it selfe and the rest tyed to it was a tipe and figure of the death of Christ and of his rest in the grave and of the rest and ease which Christ by his death should bring to all Gods people from the burden of legall rites and from the guilt of sinne and horrour of conscience which as an heavy load did presse them downe and from the masse of corruption like a weight hanging fast one them all which Christ abolished by his death and redemption and so put an end to the Sabbath as it was tied to the last day of the weeke This being commonly held for a certaine truth by the learned Fathers and writers of all ages after them untill this day proues so farre as their authority and reason will reach that though the keeping holy of a weekly Sabbath is a perpetuall day to which all Gods people are bouÌ„d in all ages yet the particular day was mutable and another speciall day was to be appointed and consecrated by him who is the Lord of the sabbath wherin an holy rest fitter for the time and state of the new Church must be kept with better service and solemnity Instead of bodily sacrifices there must be offering up of spirituall sacrifices of praises praiers alms works of piety charity for-slaughtering of beasts ther must mortifying of corruption by holy contrition and killing of all brutish lusts and carnall pleasures and delights by seperating our selues and sequestring our mindes from them Instead of darke shaddowes of the law and obscure promises of Christ to come there must be the light of the Gospel shining in the Church preaching of Christ crucified and raised up and set at Gods right hand and there must be seeking of Gods face in his name and mediation and of accesse vnto God in him by one spirit Now what day can any man conceive in any reason so fit as the Lords day the first of the week wherin we christians keep our weekly sabbath This undoubtedly is the most fit and convenient of all daies as I haue largely before proued Yea that this vndoubtedly is the onely particular day which Gods law bindes us to keepe holy all the time of the Gospell even untill we come to the eternall rest in heaven I will as briefly as I can proue and demonstrate in the last place and so conclude this point of sanctifycation of the Sabbath as it is the worke of God the lawgiver and is distinguished from mans duty and worke of sanctification CHAP. 13. THE First which is the maine foundamentall argument is drawn from the foundation upon which God hath from the beginning builded and surely setled the weekly Sabbath It is a thing most certaine and undeniable that whatsoever things are inseperably joyned cleaue fast together they stand move together the one cannot moue to any place but the other of necessity must moue with it Whatsoever is firmly sâ—tled on a rock and inseperably fastened to it founded on it must needes moue with the rock and cannot moue to any place but where the rock is moved upon which ground I argue thus That which is from the beginning founded upon Christ and so surely setled and firmly builded vpâ—n him by God the founder of al things that cannot be seperated it must needs moue and chaunge the place with Christ and cannot be moved nor chaunge and remove to any place but onely to that which Christ is removed The weekly Sabbath from the first institution is founded by God firmly builded and sure setled upon Christ the redeemer and is in seperably joyned to him Thereâ—ore it cannot move nor chaunge the place nor be remoued from the seventh day to any other day of the weeke vnlesse Christ the Redeemer change his day and moue together with it and if he doth chaunge his solemne day it must needes be chaunged and removed with him to the same day The proposition is undeniable the assumption also J haue fully proved before in the laying open the grounds of the Sabbath and therefore the conclusion is a most manifest truth That whensoever Christ chaungeth his day and chooseth another the Sabbath must needes bee chaunged to the same day Which conclusion fully proved I lay it down for a good ground and argue thus upon it That day which Christ leaveth and passeth from it vnto another which he chooseth for his speciall and particuler day From that day the Sabbath also is chaunged and moved and the other day which Christ hath chosen becoms also immediatly the particular day of the holy weekly Sabbath Now the seventh day which was the speciall day of Christ in the old Testament because on it Christ was promised a Redeemer of the world and did first undertake openly and actually to mediate for man is now ceased to be Christs peculier day he hath left it hath chosen the first day and made that his speciall and peculiar day aboue all other daies of the weeke when in it he got the victory ouer death and by his resurrection entered into his glory and eternall rest and of a redeemer in promise became a redeemer indeed fully perfected mans redemption Therefore ever since hath the weekely Sabbath beene removed to the first day and that is the peculiar day of the weekely Sabbath Secondly that God did from the beginning purpose in himselfe and by many evidences did declare his intent to chaunge the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day also in the first institution of the Sabbath and in the giuing of his law for the keeping of it did intend to bind us under the Gospel to the keeping of our weekly Sabbath on the first day of the weeke as he bound the fathers to the seventh day in the Old Testament J proue from the determinate counsell and forknowledge of God concerning the chaunges which he foreknew and determined to bring to passe in the foundation groundes and prerogatiues of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week It is a thing which all men who haue any true knowledge of God must needes know and acknowledge for an undoubted truth that God whose wisedome is infinit and his wife providence ordereth and disposeth all things doth never any thing in vaine he never laies the foundation in any place but there also he intends the building he never brings in the proper causes any where or in any time but then and there he intends to bring in to produce the proper effects of them and whatsoever commandement God giues to men to performe some speciall duty upon some speciall grounds and for some singular causes occasions reasons by that commandement he binds them to performe the duty whensoever and whersoever he shewes the grounds and reasons to them and giues and offers the causes and occasions So that if it be made to appeare unto us that now under the Gospel God had according to his owne
benefit nor any witnesse of the covenant or signe wherby to challenge the blessing Now the holie weeklie Sabbath is ordained of God and given in Adam to all mankinde to be a signe and pledge to them of spirituall and eternall rest in Christ which they shall never fullie obtaine vntill the last resurection in the end of the world For the full rest Sabbatisme whereof the Sabbath is a pledge doth till then still remaine for them Heb. 4.9 and they shall not enter into the full possession of it untill the last resurrection And Gods giving of himselfe unto his people to bee their God which doth sanctifie them whereof the Sabbath is a signe token and pledge vnto them as he himselfe testifieth Exod. 31. 13. is not fully manifested nor perfected untill they bee fully sanctified both in soules and bodies at the last day and made fit to see and enjoy God to rest with him in glorie for ever It is true which the auncient fathers haue observed and taught that the old Sabbath as it was limited to the the seventh daie of the week was a signe of the spiritual rest of the faithfull from their own sinfull works and of their steadfast rest upon Christ by faith when they are regenerate and renued by the holie Ghost which is shed on them abundantlie through Iesus Christ vnder the Gospel Tit. 3.5.6 and therefore that old Sabbath of the seventh daie of the weeke is so farre fulfilled in Christ and hath the accomplishment in him But because the fulnesse of eternall rest wherof the weeklie Sabbath absolutelie considered is the signe and pledge shall not be obtained vntill the last resurrection of the just when by virtue of Christs resurrection their bodies shal be raised out of the dust and be made like the glorious body of Christ which they still exspect in hope Therefore the keeping of a weeklie Sabbath as a pledge of that perfect eternall rest still belongs to all Gods people and they are bound to keepe it on that day of the week in which Christ arose which day by his resurrection is made a sure pledge that they shal be raised vp in the perfect image and similitude of his resurrection Fifthly that which is ordained by him and given to men to fit them for eternall rest in heaven to be a speciall means to conduct lead them in the right way therunto and which of it selfe is very good profittable and excellent for that purpose That Gods word and will and every mans reason guided by the word bindes him to obserue keepe and to hold himselfe constantlie and perpetually vnto it vntill he comes to the end of his race even the eternall rest in Heaven This is a truth vndoubtâ—dly For the Scriptures command us to runne our race vnto the end and to omit no meanes which may helpe to eternall life and experience teacheth us that the neglect of the ready way and meanes of gaining the pledge is the way to loose it Now the keeping of an holy weeklie Sabbath after the best and strictest manner by resting from all worldly businesse so farre as our weaknesse and necessitie will suffer and devoting our selves to Gods holy mediate worship as prayer reading hearing of Gods word both in priuate and publick assemblies and to serious meditations of heavenlie things is in it selfe one of the most powerfull meanes to beg it and increase faith and all holy saving graces in us and God hath ordained it for to conduct and lead men on in the right and readie way to etenall rest in heaven Therefore Gods word will revealed everie mans own reason guided by the word binds all men to it in all ages vntill they come to eternall rest in heaveÌ„ CHAP. 15. THE First point being thus proued The second thing before propounded followes that is to shew how farr and upon what termes and conditions the sonnes of Adam are bound to the duty of keeping a weekly Sabbath by Gods commandement giuen in the sanctifying of the seventh day here recorded in my text where God is said to sanctifie the seventh day that is by giving man a law to keepe it holy First for such sons of Adam as are borne and liue in the Church of God haue the means to know Gods word to obey his law There is no questioÌ„ to be made it is cleare that they are bound to know to keep this coÌ„mandement of God and to seperate one day in every weeke even that which God hath blessed aboue all the rest to devote it to holy heavenly exercises ceasing from all worldly cares labours delights and so to keep it an holy Sabath First as they are Gods creatures God hath thus far declared his mind will that men in immitation of him their God who rested on the seuenth day also for the refreshing of themselves their children servants cattell in their bodies should rest from worldly labours for the comfort of our soules should spend it in holy spirituall exercises in the worship of him their maker and preserver even the generall law of nature bindes them to this duty Secondly as God hath revealed himselfe a Redeemer Saviour of mankind by promising giving Christ So they are much more bound to keep all his commandements to the utmost of their power especially this of the Sabbath which God ordained to be a memoriall of redemption and eternall rest to be found only in Christ promised on the seveÌ„th day and in fulnesse of time given and exhibited Jf they beleeve that Christ is their redeemer and that they are bought with the price of his blood and are no more their own but his who hath bought them this binds them to glorifie God with their soules and bodies also which are Gods 1 Cor. 6.20 And this they cannot do except some time be set apart at least one day in everie week to celebrate in holy assemblies the gracious goodnesse bounty loue of God to them in Christ to sanctifie and fit themselves for him in all their weekly works and for the intending and seeking of him in all the labours of their hands Thus much the Lord shews in his law giuen expounded by Moses Deut. 5.15 Where he tells Israell that he gaue his commandement to them of keeping holy his Sabbath for this end that they might remember their slavery in Egypt their deliverance by his mighty hand stretched out arme Vpon which words wee must necessarily inferre that if God bound them by his commandement vrging them and pressing often to keep the Sabbath day for a memoriall of their deliuerance from temporall tipical bondage thankfulnes to him for it then much more were they all Gods people still are bound to keep holy the Sabbath day in thankfulnes for a memoriall of spirituall deliverance from sin death and Hel and that on the day of the Lord Christ wherin
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
determinat counsell and forknowledge chaunged the foundation of the weekly Sabbath and removed it all the grounds reasons accasions and praerogatiues of it from the seventh day to the first which is the Lords day we must needs see and acknowledge that it was the Purpose minde will of God to make the Lords day our weekly Sabbath and in his giving of the first law of the Sabbath which in the maine substance of it is perpetuall to binde all his people after the full exhibition of Christ to the last resurrection to keep the Holy weekly Sabbath on that day onely Now these things may sufficiently appeare by the opening and proving of divers things befor which I haue observed out of this text by urging pressing them home to this present purpose a little more fully here againe I shall put them out of all doubt and question and make them manifest clear to al who do not wilfully shut their eares against the truth First that the foundation of the Sabbath is Christ the Redeemer that all the true proper grounds reasons and occasions of keeping one day in every week Holy to the Lord are only to be found in Christ and came in with him as I haue before fully proued And as God first promised Christ to come the seed of the woman for the Redemption of mankind Christ did undertake for man to mediate for him on the first seventh day of the world and thereupon that day was sanctified to be the weekly sabbath So God had in his immutable counsell determined to exhibit Christ a perfect Redeemer by him to perfect mans redemption on the first day of the weeke and so to remoue Christ the foundation from the seventh day of the weeke to the first day together with all other grounds reasons occasions prerogatiues of the Holy Sabbath What greater chaunge could be or ever was hard of in Christ the maine foundation both of the Sabbath of the vniuersall Church then when of a redeemer promised on the seventh day and so continuing all the time of the old Testament while the fathers beleeued onely in him promised not yet come He became a Redeemer fully exhibited in his resurrection on the first day of the week changed the state of the Church and bringing her from the Nonnage and childish estate of bondage vnder the rudiments of the world and legall rites carnall ceremonies to the fulnesse of her time which God had appointed to her full age in the new testament And hereby that first day of the weeke became the chiefest day of the Lord Christ even his speciall particular day came to haue all the subordinat grouÌ„ds high prerogatiues of the Sabbath For in it God perfected his worke which he had made in the creation by the worke of redemption not promised undertaken onlie as in the seventh day but by a better kind of perfecting and ending even by redemption fullie finished on that daie Christ rested from that greater worke of redemption declared by his resurrection that he had made ful satisfaction for mankind to the justice of God that God rested in his satisfaction now actually made performed by a more excellent manner of resting then that wherwith he rested on the seuenth in that satisfaction only undertaken promised on that day Christ gott the victory over death hell sin the world the Devill and becomming immortall not subject to die or suffer any more entered into the glorious state of exaltation and into his eternall rest and made way for men to that eternall rest wherof the Sabbath is both a liuely pledg also a powerfull meanes to fit men for it And in al these respects God blessed the first day of the week with a blessing farre aboue his blessing of the seventh day for that was the promise undertaking only this was the performance perfecting of redemption therfore so farre excels that as the giuing of a great guift perfecting of a worke exceeds the promise of that guift undertaking of that worke Now that that this remouing of the maine foundation of the weekly Sabbath together with the subordinat grounds occasions prerogatiues of it from the seventh day to the Lords day the first of the weeke came to passe by the determinate counsell foreknowledge and providence of God and that from the beginning and in the first giuing of the law of the weekely Sabbath God did purpose and intend this chaunge it appeares most plainly by diuers reasons First because God is no idle spectator but the provident Lord disposer of all things which come to passe in the world nothing can come to passe but so as he hath appointed and in the time season which he hath determined The flood and generall deluge by which the old world was destroyed came to passe in the very yeare and day which God had prefixed did for tell to Noah one hundred and twenty yeares before The end of Jsraell peregrination and servitude in Egypt came to passe just at the end of foure hundred and â—hirty yeares in the same day which God had determined foretold to Abraham Exod. 12.41 and so the deliverance of the Isralites out of captiuity and the decree for their return came out at Gods appointed time which he had foretold by Ieremiah the Prophet Dan 9.2 23. And the particular time of Christs satisfaction and attonement for sinne and bringing in of eternall righteousnesse was determined by God and came to passe at the end of the seventy sevens of yeares as it was revealed to Daniell in the same Chap. 24. ver And in a word the very time of Christs resurrection by the virtue whereof we are fully redeemed and shall in our verie bodies be raised vp to life eternall and rest in glorie as the Apostlâ— testifies Rom. 6.5 1 Cor. 15.13.21 Philip. 3.10 1 Pet. 1.3 It was determined by God befor the foundation of the world as the words of St Peter do shew 1 Pet. 1.2 Secondly God in the very creation from the first beginning of the world did foreshew that he had a purpose to honour the first day of the weeke aboue all the other daies and to make it the Lords day and Christian sabbath by the resurrection of Christ. In that he made it the first fruites of time and in it created the highest heaven the place of the eternall Sabbath and brought forth the light of this inferiour world by which naturall prerogatiues he made this day the fittest of all daies of the weeke to be the day of Christs resurrection wherein he the sun of righteousnesse light of the world rose up with healing in his wings and became the first fruites of them that sleepe and by virtue whereof he will bring the faithfull into the eternall rest wherof the weekly Sabbath is a pledge will make them partakers of the