creation or at the first day of the worlds redemption t is groundlesse to set any other beginning now Sunday is the common reputed day for the first day of the vvorlds creation and the 7th from it is Saturday the Lords Sabbath day but if you refuse this beginning and vvill fetche a first from the redemption then good Friday vvhereon Christ suffred must be the first day of your 7 and then Thursday will be your 7th day and so your Sabbath day or else Sunday vvhereon Christ rose must be your first day and then Saturday the Jewes Sabbath day vvill be your 7th day and new Sabbath day now behold though you seeme to stande to a 7th day for your Sabbath yet you cannot any approued vvay make the Lords day a 7th day vnles you take Mooneday for your first day of the weeke which no approued Authores doe and vvhich computation is not Diuine in ould or new Testaments but is merely humane and deuised and by like reason if you groundlesly begine at Mooneday may not vve begine at Tewsday or Wensday or Thursday c. and so skippe ouer as many dayes as vve please so as no man shall knovv vvhere or vvhen to begine nor vvhat day shall be his 7th day for a Sabbath if we may skipe ouer as many dayes as we please before vve take one for our first day may vve not skipp ouer as vvell 7. dayes as one day and if vve may skipp ouer 7. dayes why not 700. or 7000 dayes and so many vveekes yea yeeres may be vvithout any Sabbath 6 A 6th last reason they fetcht from practise of the primitiue Churches for the Historyes of the Church say they relate that they kept the Lords day for a Sabbath constantly I answere 1. I finde the contrary and that alleadged too by M. Perkins vpon the 4th Com vvhoe thus speakes The Sabbath meaning it the Lords day was neglected of those Churches vvhich succeded the Apostles vntill afterwards it vvas established by Christian Emperoures this he proues to be so by alleaging his author for it Leo and Anton. Edict of holy dayes now if Mr. Perkins vvhoe vvas so well seene in history of our churches vvould affirme this and that too whē he pleaded vvhat he could for our nevv Sabbath then surely in his judgement it vvas a cleere case that the primitiue churches kept not our Lords day euer or constantly 2. Ignatius vvhere he exhorted to keepe the Lords day there he exhorted to keepe the Sabbath day too now it is not likly both these dayes vvere kept for Sabbathes but that one only and that was the Sabbath day as is gatherable in that Ignatius calles the Lords day the Queene and Princesse of all dayes vvhere he left out a higher place for the Sabbath day as the Kings Prince of all dayes it is likly therfore that our Lords day was kept as we keepe an holy day with vs vvhen those Christian Emperoures did establishe by Lawes our Lords day to be solemnized at which tymes it flourished most yet euen then they kept it not as a Sabbath day but as vve keepe an Holy day for Constantin the Emperour most religiouse patrone of our Lords day as is vvell knowne in his Edicte for the celebrating of the Lords day yet therein gaue liberty for men to doe vvorkes of Husbandry on the Lords day now ploughing and sowing and reaping and the like worke of husbandry be quite against the very letter of the 4th Comm and against and contrary to that rest from all seruile vvorkes in earing in haruest and at other tymes enioyned in the Law for Sabbath day duties can we thinke Constantin directed by his reuerēd Clergy would can giuen such liberty had they counted the Lords day for the Sabbath day and to stand by the 4th Comm finally if vve should imitate the primitiue churches as touching dayes vve should weekely keepe holy Friday vvhereon Christ suffered as vvell as Sunday whereon Christ rose for Constantin did by one and the same Law commande his whole Empire to sanctifye the Friday and the Sunday the day before the Iewes Sabbath the day after it see Euseb de vita Constant lib. 4. cap. 18. and see Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 8. the Lords day because of Christs resurrection the Friday because of Christs passion as saith the text and here againe it appeareth the primitiue church kept not the Lords day for their Sabbath no more then they kept Friday for their Sabbath but both of them as we keepe holy dayes Hauing answered all their reasons that I can finde or heare of in next place let me passe my censure of reasons in generall How feeble a thing our best and refined reason is euery man may knovv that vseth reason S. Paul shall speake for vs vve know but in parte we see through a glasse darkely 1. Cor. 12.9.12 saith he 2. let all our lerned Diuines speake vvhoe not only in publique prayers to God confesse our blindnesse of minde but moreouer in their Sermons they dare not deliuer a doctrine collected by reason out of their text vnles they can soundly proue the same by some plaine text or other as you see their constant and laudable practise is and this they doe least they should deliuer for doctrines mens preceptes vvhereby you see what an holy ielousy they haue of their reason that though in their priuate studies they haue collected a doctrine by helpes both of nature and artes with great diligence yet dare they not trust to their reason vntill they finde God in his word to backe them 3. let Logicianes speake vvhoe are the masters in reason doe not they in their bookes of Logicke shew how many and sondry wayes reason is subiect to be corrupted by fallacies and Sophisticall arguments all which testimonies of the dimenesse and weakenesse of our reason teacheth vs thus much that as it is too great boldnesse vvith God and ouergreate confidence in our reason by bare force of it to dispute against any thing which God hath set vp as the 7th day Sabbath So it is a matter of no lesse dispraise and presumption by only force of reason consequence to innouate and set vp a new Sabbath and yet for all this doe I not exclude the vse of reason about the Holy Scriptures so be it be but to finde out vvhat God saith in his vvord I only exclude the vse of reason as by collections to add any thing to Gods vvord wherfore I reiect all reasons and consequences touching in nouation and bringing in a new Sabbath vnlesse as diuines backe their doctrines in sermons by plaine textes so these doe backe euery collection and consequence by a cleere text of Scripture or at least if I may be bould to grante so much that euery collection and consequence be such as is necessarily and demonstratiuely true so as it apparantly cannot but be true Hence is that laudable vsage of our church which though it
the Lords day c. Hence it is thus argued this day is called the Lords day as the last Supper of Christ is called the Lords Supper now as Christ did substitute the last Supper in roome of the Passeouer so he substituted the Lords day in roome of the Sabbath I answere 1. it doth not followe it must be called the Lords day in the same sense as Christs Supper is called the Lords Supper for it may be called the Lords day 1. in reference to God the Creator meaninge there by the Lords Sabbath of the 7th day since thes Sabbathes were caled the Lords dayes as the lords Holy day Isa 58 13. now if the Sabbath be the Lords holy day then is it the Lords day 2. In reference to God the Redeemer it might be called the Lords day as the day is wherein Christ will come to Indgment Luk 17 24 30. that is a day wherein Christ will shewe himselfe Maruailouse to the world so did Christ in the day of his Incarnation Passion Resurrection and Ascention in euery of thes he did a remarkable worke and euery of thes might be called the Lords day and which of them Iohn had respect vnto Scripture is altogether silent and therfore can we not builde vpon infallible growndes herein and we must not set vp Sabbathes tyeinge mens consciences vpon probabilities and contingencies furthermore who wold argue from Luk 17 24. that because the day of Iudgment is called Christs day Therfore that day must then be kept for a Sabbath day but admit S. Iohn meant the day of Christs Resurrection that is a day wherein he would declare himselfe mightely to be the Sonne of God by the resurrection from the dead Rom 1 4. What is this to a Sabbath which men must celebrate how doth it appeare Christ rose one this day and called it the Lords day with this intendement that men shold for euer after keepe it a Sabbath shewe me an institution of a Sabbath day by Christs riseing one this day or by S. Iohns calling it the Lords day finally say it were a Sabbath day how will it appeare in the Canon of Holy Scripture that the Lords day was in the Apostles dayes a weekly day kept euery 7th day as now it is or rather an annuall day as Easter day is for properly Easter day is the Lords day I answere further there is not like reason of thes two the Lords day and the Lords Supper for a day and a Supper differ much so as a day may be called the Lords in one sense and a Supper may be called the Lords in an other sense I answere secondly it will not follow that there must be the same reason and likenesse betweene the Lords day and the Sabbath which was betwene the Lords Supper and the Passeouer for the Passeouer was a branche of the Ceremoniall Law and a Ceremony and a type of Christ and therfore to be abolisht at Christs comeing But the Sabbath was a branch of the Morall Law and a Morall neither euer was it made a death to life now that God Sanctified the first day of the weeke for Christ to rise on I deny not nor doe I refuse to reioyce there on and be thankfull to God for so greate a worke euen euery day in the weeke and yeere or more solemnely once in a yeere as at Easter or ofter if the Church see it expedient But that this Text doth prophecy of this day for euer to be kept for our sole Sabbath in a Rest all day long and in holy duties euery 7th day this I denye since this Text saith not this day was Sanctified for men but it was Sanctified for Christ yea we may reioyce and be glad in it annually as the Iewes were in theire annuall dayes of purim Ester 9.26.27 and yet not keepe it in a stricte Rest all day long as on a Sabbath I answer secondly by day in the Psalme is not necessarily vnderstod a shorte ordinary day of 12. or 24. howres but rather a long space of tyme as all the tyme after Dauid came to the Crowne and so it may be applied to type out the whole tyme of Christ vpon the earth ruleing as King in the Kingdom of his Church thus Abraham sawe Christs day Ioh. 8.56 thus t is called the day of Saluation 2. Cor. 6.2 If then by day here be meante the day of grace or the tyme of Christs abode one the earth then heer is no footing for a Sabbath day of 12. or 24. howres long 4. A 4th Text they produce is Act. 2.1.14 where Peter preached one Pentecost which is one our white Sunday and administred the Sacramentes of Baptisme and the Lords Supper after he had converted 3000. soules wherfore this must nedes be a Sabbath day because in it were performed the workes of a Sabbath c. Here to I answere 1. That Peters actions are no diuine institutions vnlesse backt by some precept now nor Christ nor his Apostles gaue any precept for performance of thes duties one this day 2. Peters sermone was extraordenary for it was vpon the extraordenary comeing downe of the Holy Ghost then and to remoue away the false slander of drunkenesse v. 13. and it was occasioned by the greate concourse of people extraordenarily met and assembled not to heare a sermone but to heare the Apostles myraculously speake straunge tounges v. 6. now extraordenary things binde not to ordenary practise 3. Preaching and administration of Sacraments be not proper duties of a Sabbath but commone to any day of the weeke Christ administred Lords Supper one a Thursday night the night before he was Crucified Phillip baptized the Eunuch one a trauileing day Act. 8.38.39 and for preaching it was an euery dayes worke if occation serued preach the word in season and our of season 2. Timoth. 4.2 Christ preached to the Samaritane Ioh. 4. on a working day for his Disciples were gone in to the citty to buye meate v. 8. He preached one the Mountaine Mat. 5.1 and out of a shippe at an other tyme Luk. 5.1.2.3 which dayes were no Sabbaths for on the Sabbaths Christ and the people mett in theire Synagogues Luk. 4.14 Paul preacht daily in the Temple and from house to house Act. 5.42 and daily in the schoole of Tyrannus Act. 19.9 Now vnles thes duties of preaching and administration of the Sacraments were so proper to the Sabbath as they were vsed vpon no day else how can thes duties be markes of a Sabbath no no nothing but a Commandement will establish a Sabbath day doe not we preache reade Scriptures praye administer the Sacrament and performe as many Sabbath duties on Christmas day when it falls on a weeke day as we doe on any Sabbath day and yet vvho vvill therfore gather vve keepe that Christmas day for a Sabbath 4. Note Walaeus vpon the 4th Com pag. 161. saith it is called in to question of some whither this day of Pentecost then fell vpon the Lords day
or not yea he addeth that Pentecost may fall one any day of the weeke it is not therfore so generally a granted truth with diuines that Pentecost euer was vpon our Lords day as vve hold and keepe it 5. If I may add mine ovvne opinion of the matter I thinke Pentecost then when the Holy Ghost descended vpon the Apostles in cloven fiery tounges it was vpon our Saturday which was the 7th day Sabbath not one our Sunday that this may appeare note that Pentecost by the Law Leuit. 23.16 was to be vpon the 50th day and this accounte was to begin one the morrowe after the Sabbath v. 15. by Sabbath here is not to be vnderstode the vveekly Sabbath but the first Sabbath of the Passeouer thus the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 11 for they had 2. Sabbathes at the Passeouer to vvit the first day of vnleauened bread and the 7th day v. 6.7.8 to the former of thos had the Septuagint relation vvhen they said In the morrovv of the first of the Sahbathes to this a greeth Aynsvvorth one Leuit 23.11.15 alleageing the Chaldy and the Rabbines so reading and vnderstanding it So then vve must begine our account vpon the morrovv after the first Sabbath of the Passeouer novv that vve may knovv vvhat day this vvas on see Leuit 23.5.6.7 the Passeouer vvas on the 14th day of the Month on the 15th day of the month vvhich vvas the very next day vvas the first day of the Feast of vnleauened breade vvhich 15th day vvas the first Sabbath also novv then the morrow after this first Sabbath it vvas vpon the 16th day of the month and this 16th day must be the begining af our accounte Novv to apply this for so much as Christ suffred on good friday and eate the Passeouer on the day before at euening hence it follovveth that Christ eate the Passeouer vpon Thursday and it vvas the 14th day of the month and friday vvherein he suffred vvas the 15th day of the month and the first Sabbath of the Passeouer so as Saturday was the 16th day of the month and the morrow after the Sabbath and so the first day of our accounte to 50. dayes or to Pentecost To proceed if Saturday be the first day of the 50. then vpon a Saturday againe will fall the 50th day to make this appeare counte from Saturday taking it for one day 7. vveekes compleate Leuit. 23.15 and there you haue 49. dayes the 49th day falling vpon a friday here vn to ad the next day vvhich is Saturday and the morrovv after the 7th Sabbath or vveeke v. 16. and so you haue 50. dayes and also you see that the 50th day fell vpon the Saturday To conclude since Pentecost vvherein Peter preached Act. 2.1.14 vvas not one our Sunday but one our Saturday Hence it follovveth 1. that this Text Act. 2.1.14 maketh nothing for the prooving our Sunday or Lords day to be Sabbath day novv 2. it followeth that if those actions of Peters preaching converteing 3000. and baptizing them on that day were a sufficient proofe that the day wherein they were done was a Sabbath day and so ought to this day to be Then was Saturday at that tyme the Sabbath day and so ought â—o this day to be because one Saturday those actioÌ„s were performed But that those actions of Peters preacheing Baptizeing and the rest are 〈◊〉 sufficient argument and proofe that the day where one they were done was and is a Sabbath themselues confesse it Ergo Saturday was then and ought now to be the Sabbath day So you see theire owne argument makes strongly against them and for mee for the Saturday Sabbath 5. A 5th Text they produce is Act. 20.7 where the Disciples being come together to breake bread one the first day of the weeke Paul preached vnto them now by the phrase of breaking bread is commonly meante the Lords Supper so here againe they argue as before this must be a Sabbath because Sabbath duties were performed in it I answere 1. by refering you to those things in the answere to the Text last aboue Act. 2.14 which at first sight doe after themselues in answere to this place as they did to that the argument being the same I answere secondly though Paules preaching doth bind vs to preache also yet doth not the tyme wherein he preached bind vs to preach at the same tyme and day weekly for then were we bounde to preache euery Lords day till mid night for so did Paul here so that the day and tyme here which is our very question doth not bind vs. 3. Paules preaching now at Troas was extraordenary 1. in that he preached till mid night 2. in as much as he was to departe away from them the next day neuer to see theire faces againe v. 38. he cold doe no lesse then giue them a sermone one such an ocation had it bene one any day of the weeke 4. This preaching of Pauls at this tyme can make nothing for the Lords day for this sermon was only in the night not in the day tyme This appeareth by the tyme of celebration of the Lords Supper which in dayes of Christ and his Apostles was at Euening at Supper tyme for then our Sauiour celebrated it first Mark 14.17 and it was in vse so still in Pauls tyme 1 Cor. 11.21 now the Text saith The Disciples being come together one the first day of the weeke to breake bread or to receiue the Lords Supper now the end of theire comeing which was to receiue the Lords Supper declares plainly what tyme of the day they assembled in to wite in the Euening at Supper tyme to eate the Lords Supper there is no culler therfore to thinke they mett in the morneing about breakefast tyme for then be gines the publike duties of the Sabbath to goe to Supper and it addes a little light to the tyme of theire meteing to consider of the place where they mett that is in an upper chamber as t is in our Englishe Bibles v. 8. but Originall saith in a supping chamber 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in caenaculo so t is more then manifest they came but to Supper Now the disciples being assembled to that ende to receive the Lords Supper Paul tooke occasion of this present meteing after and I knovve not hovv long after they vvere mett to preache vnto them and after he had begune once then he held one his preaching till midnight but at vvhat hovvre of the night or Eueninge Paul begun his Sermon or hovv long after they vvere mett I can not finde T is true the disciples mett one the first day of the vveeke but it might be and it vvas most likely they mett a little afore shutting in of the day like as a man may be said to paye and discharge his bonde due one the 7th day of Iune though he bringe his mony but one quarter of an hovvre before Sune sett But here it must be remembred that t
church doth better become vs all that I aime at hereby is no more but this that we alleage not the practise of our church as an infallible rule touch stone of truth but though a Paul preacht it yet with these Bareanes Act. 17.11 rather to serche the Scriptures then to rely vpon the Testimony of man Finally that our church hath kept this Lords day so longe and therfore the more strange it should be an errour I answere t is true the Lords day hath beene kept for about this 1200. yeeres as nere as I can guesse from about the yeere 364. at which tyme the Laodicean counsaile enacted a Law for the abolishing the Sabbath day and for the sole setting vp the Lords day till then both dayes were in vse saue that as hath beene showne the Lords day was sometymes omitted since then only the Lords day hath beene in request and that is about a 1200. yeeres but here it is to be noted what church it is that principally ground of our future discourse I thinke it needfull therfore in the first place to stay a while vpon the exposition of it or rather of some such things in it as may make way for our future discourse First as touching the substance of the Com note that as in a bonde you haue two essentiall things th one is the summe of mony to be paide the other is the day when it is to be paide and as in circumcision there was two things commanded the one vvas the acte of circumcision the other was the tyme and day when to be done that is on the 8th day Genes 17.12 and as in that other Sacrament the passeouer two things were commanded the one was the slaying and eating of the passeouer the other was the tyme and day when to be done that is on the 14th day of the month Exod. 12.6.8 Iust so in this 4th Com God commandeth vs expresly two things as essentiall partes of his Com the one is Holinesse and Rest the other is the tyme when these ought to be performed and that is in the Sabbath day which is the 7th day the former may be called the duties in the day the latter the dutie of the day the duties in the day ye haue in these wordes To keepe it holy Exod. 20.8 the other duty in these wordes In it thou shalt not doe any worke v. 10. the duty of the day ye haue in these wordes Remember the Sabbath day v. 8. the 7th day is the Sabbath v. 10. The vse of this point serues for confutation Is it so that God in his 4th Com straightly chargeth vs two things that is the duties in the day and the dutie of the day or thus the duties to be performed and the tyme when they be to be performed how is it then that so many say of the tyme of the 4th com oh the tyme that is but an accident but a circumstance God regards not circumstances so much it is the substance of the duties to be performed in the tyme that God lookes at c. and therfore you are but superstitiouse and vaine to stand so much vpon tyme where to I answere 1. tyme may here be considered two wayes 1. in relation to the duties of Holinesse and Rest and so I grant the tyme is an adiuncte wherein these duties were to be performed 2. in relation to the commandement it selfe considered as a thing commanded together with Holines and Rest and thus it is no adjuncte but thus it is an essentiall part of the Com the tyme being no lesse commanded then the duties of Holines and Rest I answere 2. but admite that tyme here were an accident or adjuncte to the Com and that you esteeme of adjunctes as light and triuiale matters little or nothing to be regard for their nature as in them selues in comparison of things substātiall c. I say be it the tyme here were as mynte and annyse and commine and the duties to be performed Sabbath day Remember the Sabbath day c. vvhere it is to be noted that this phrase Sabbath day was emong the Iewes a proper name for one of theire weeke dayes namly for that weeke day which is the last of the weeke as Saturday is with vs and it answeres to our Saturday in so much as if we shold translate the Hebrew words Sabbath day we shold reade it Saturday Remember Saturday to keepe it holy c. now that Sabbath day was a proper name of one of their weeke dayes is apparant to all since they counted all the other 6. dayes of the weeke by the Sabbath day thus the 7th and last day of the weeke they called Sabbath day the first day of the vveeke our Suneday they called the first of the Sabbath the second day of the weeke our Moonday they called the seconde of the Sabbath our Tewsday the thirde of the Sabbath c. so as you see no day of the weeke was called Sabbath day but this one only I confesse the word Sabbath signifieth a Rest but it also signifieth a proper name of the last day of their weeke Secondly if this be not enough to shew that God had sett aparte one certaine well knowne day afore any of the other 6. dayes for Holy duties Then marke what the Lord saith further in this Com The Seaventh day is the Sabbath c. not the third day nor the 4th day nor the first day of the weeke but the 7th day is the Sabbath where to take hence all scruples aboute the order of the day it hath pleased God for our certaine information to pointe directly and distinctly to the day which he wold haue kept as by the finger saying The Seaventh day Thouchinge which word of number Seaventh it is to be noted that it is not a Cardinall number but an Ordinall notifying which for order the propertie whereof is to denote 1. one and one only 2. it notes that indiuiduall particular one which for order is the last of that number for instance The Thirde it is not any of the three as the second nor the first but it is the last of the three so the fifthe it is not the 4th nor the second but it is the last of the 5 so the Seaventh day is the Sabbath not the 6th day nor the third day nor the first day of the weeke but the last day of the weeke the 7th is the Sabbath so againe you see the Lord hath culled out the last day of the 7. for his Sabbath and hath not lefte it indefinitly and vndetermined Furthermore left any shold thinke the 7th day may be separated from that day called the Sabbath day as is vsually thought therefore note 1. the Lord God hath ioyned them together in his Comm. The 7th day is the Sabbath see Levit 23.3 and Exod 35.2 Luk 13.14 not the 8th nor the first now what God hath ioyned let noe man put asunder 2. Note that these two The 7th day and
the Sabbath day they be vsed in holy Scripture promiscuously as both pointeing at the same very day and tyme see Genes 2.3 God blessed the 7th day and hallowed it c. the which Moses repeateing againe Exod 20.11 saith The Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it so as a man may say the 7th day is the Sabbath day and the Sabbath day is the 7th day take away one and take avvay both graunte one and graunt both they are like the names Iesus and Christ both which belonge to one person our blessed Sauiour or like to the names Lords day and first day of the weeke both which belonge to our Sunday Thirdly the particularity of the tyme and day is apparantly pointed vnto in the reason of the 4th Comm which is fetcht from the day wherein God rested thus That day which I the Lord sanctified the same day must thou sanctifie But the 7th day I the Lord sanctified Therfore the 7th day must thou sanctifie novv since t is absurde to thinke the premisses shold speake of one 7th day and the conclusion of some other 7th day therfore if vve can finde out what 7th day it was God rested on vve may by it knovv vvhat day vve must rest on now t is most apparant that God rested vpon the 7th day from the creation which was that day which immediatly followed the six dayes of creation So then are vve to keepe by virtue of the Com the same particular seaventh day which next followerh Gods and our six dayes labour The vse of this pointe is 1. to discouer the errour of our tymes which vvill apply this 4th Com to the 8th day or to the first day of the vveeke which is appropriated to the seaventh day of the weeke by God the Lavvgiuer or will applie it to the Lords day which is the day after the Sabbath vvhen the Com is appropriate to the Sabbath day vvhich is the day before the Lords day Vse 2. is for refutation of those that say it matters not so be vve giue God a day which it is so be vve giue God a Sabbath or a 7th day it matters not whither this or that day Noe say you it matters not which vvhy then did God take such care to decipher out the very day vvherein he vvold be serued by thos 3. markes 1. he telleth you t is the Sabbath day 2. that t is the 7th day 3. that t is that 7th day whereon himselfe rested Further this vvere to make hallovved things common and common things hollowed and to crosse God vvhoe therfore culled out the 7th day from the others because in it he had rested Genes 2.3 Exod. 20.11 besids the reason vvhy God hallovved the 7th day vvas because in it he had rested which reason cannot be true of any day of the 7. saue the 7th If God vvold require it at their hands that did not circumcise one the 8th daye and eate the Passeouer one the 14th day the which tymes God did vvithout repetition once only in the same text mention vvhat vvill he doe to vs to vvhome he hath deceiphred out that tyme by 3. such notable markes in the 4th Comm it is noe dallying vvith God Vse 3. is for confutation of a common but frivolouse ansvvere saying vvhen they be vrged to this particular sett time of 7th day from creation the Com speakes not of The Sabbath but of A Sabbath by a Sabbath vnderstanding any day indefinitly and vncertainly thus they make Gods sett and certaine tymes vncertaine and doubtfull vvhich is quite contrary to Gods minde since God did limite and determine vvhich of the 7. dayes he vvould haue by those 3. notable markes aboue saide vvhen the Lord said Remember the Sabbath day the Ievves vvere not lefte at randome as not knovving vvhich day of the 7. God meante for they knevv it vvel like as if God shold say Remember Saturday is it vncertaine vvhich day of the vveeke Saturday vvith vs is Furthermore this reading of A for The it crosseth all our Translatours both ould and nevv vvho iudge it the most fitt to reade it The not A Remember The Sabbath day not Remember A Sabbath day finally were it lawfull thus to wrest Scripture whereas the third Comm is Thou shalt not take The name of the Lord thy God in vaine c. might not I here cauile thus Thou shalt not take A name of the Lord thy God in vaine vnderstanding by A name some Titles and Attributes of God vncertaine what or which or vnderstanding by A name some name of God as then vnknowne like as by A Sabbath we wold haue our new Sabbath meant which then to the Iewe at Mount Sinay was vtterly vnknowne In a worde were this lawfull might not I in like sorte delude them of the Lords day for being the first day of the weeke and whereas S. Iohn saith Revel 1.10 I was rauished in the Spitit on The Lords day I might say on A Lords day vnderstanding it of any day of the weeke vncertaine which Againe since neighther Christ nor the 4. Euangelistes nor any of the Apostles after Christs resurrection did euer alter the name Sabbath from Saturday ther for Saturday is still the Sabbath day by name Besides this vse is likevvise to be vrged by way of confutation to those who wold haue it reade or vnderstode not The Seauenth but A Seauenth day as of an vncertaine day the whie is made certaine by God for it is such a seauenth day as is the last day of 7 or of the weeke 2. t is 3. Thus hauing fonde out the particular time and day of Gods worship before I can come to speake of the duties to be performed in the day we haue 4. more particulares to speake of concerning the time 1. to Remember this time 2. that it is called Sabbath 3. that t is called a Day 4. of the reason why God Sanctified this day afore any other To handle these in order as they laye in the Comm. Remember c. here the Lord prefixeth a Memorandum to the seauenth day Sabbath Remember the Sabbath day c. a reason why God prefixeth a Remembrance to this Comm is rendred by diuines to be for preuention of carelesnes and forgetfulnesse one the 6. working dayes of the Sabbath next ensuing least that men leaue some common workes of the 6. dayes to be done on the seauenth day Sabbath this I confesse a truth indeed but this is not all I suppose for if one demaundes a reason why God prefixeth a Memorandum to this Comm more then to any other of the Commandements that cannot be the reason because by not forethinking of the Sabbath some vvorkes are left to be done on the Sabbath and so the Sabbath is profaned for since vve breake euery one of the Commandements it shold a beene likevvise nedfull to haue had a Memorandum prefixt to euery Comm lest through forgetfulnes vvant of forethinking vve breake them too but since a Memorādum is
assembly wherein they did no seruile labour v. 6.7 and this was a Sabbath day to wit a ceremoniall Sabbath day now the Iewes killing their passeouer on good friday as the 14th day then Saturday must be the 15th day and so an holy convocation and Sabbath by the Leuiticall Law and so here is an other Sabbath fell on and with the weekly Sabbath now to come to the point the parascue or preparation spoken of Mark 15.42 hath respect of these two Sabbathes only to this latter that is to the Ceremoniall Sabbath which was on the first day of vnleauened bread or on the 15th day of the month and it hath not respect vnto the Morall Sabbath now the reasons mouing me to say so are 1. because this parascue or preparation is not any vvhere applied to the Morall Sabbath but only it stands in reference to the ceremoniall and therfore we reade the Euangelist Ioh. 19.14 calling it the preparation of the passeouer not the preparation to the Sabbath as they would 2. we reade of a preparation euer on the day before the 15th day of the month the Sabbath on the first day of vnleauened bread but of none before the vveekly Sabbath see Luk. 22.8.9 and ye know there must be a preparation of the passeouer before it be eaten for it must be killed and rosted first Exod. 12.6.8 and a place where it must be eaten in must be prepared too Luk. 22.11 and to winde vp all in a word the parascue or preparation whereof Scripture speakes so oft is nothing else but the preparation and making ready of the passeouer to be eaten the which labour fell as now vpon the day before the Sabbath vnderstand whither Sabbath you will Mark. 15.42 so then this preparation ouer night being proper to the Ceremoniall Sabbath of the passeouer it belonged not to the weekly Sabbath so the weekly Sabbath began not ouer night ere the more for this Text Mark 15.42 Finally the cleering of this text Mark 15.42 by the way may be vsefull to shew their opinion is growndlesse vvho vrge a preparation to the Sabbath on Saturday afternoone or on Saturday euen pressing vs then to refraine our weekly labours and to spend that portion of tyme in holy exercises for my part I know no other preparation to the Sabbath to be performed more on Saturday after noone than in the forenoone or then on Friday or Thursday before that is I know none but this that we should remember it afore hand and so to be more and more mindfull of it as it drawes nerer and nerer vnto vs lest vvhen t is come we profane it You haue heard the first vse shewing vvhen the Sabbath doth not begine as namly not ouer night c. The 2d vse shall be to shew by vvay of instruction vvhen the Sabbath doth begine The Sabbath is to begin in the morning vvhen the day begines as breake of day this flowes naturally from the Comm for if God commanded vs to keepe holy the Day then must we begine vvith the day then vvhen the day begines to begin it afore the day as at midnight or the like is growndlesse and is more then God euer required so to delay the beginning an howre 2. or 3. after day breake is to robbe God of a part of his day by sanctifying to the Lord not a day but a peece of a day 6 The 6th and last point in the Comm as touching tyme and day is to enquire 1. vvhat day God sanctified but this nedeth no labour since t is apparant God sanctified the 7th day and last day of the vveeke that day vvhich followed his 6. dayes vvorke 2. vve are to enquire after the reason mouing God to sanctify this day of the vveeke before any other and this is plainly laid downe in the last clause of the 4th Comm and againe in Genes 2.3 So God plessed the 7th day and sanctified it Because that in it he had rested from all his vvork vvhere you see God renders the speciall reason mouing him to blesse and to sanctify the Sabbath day and it vvas Because that on that day himselfe had rested Use 1. may be to shew vs that God in his 4th Comm enioyneth not a day at randome but a particular day such a day as hath this reason of Gods Rest belonging to it now this belonged only to the 7th day of the vveeke not to the 8th day nor to the first day of the vveeke our Lords day for God the creatour rested not vpon our Lords day vvhen he had finished the vvorke of creatiō but vpon our Saturday the 7th day which goeth next before the Lords day Use 2. may be to shevv vs that the 4th Com can not be vrged or applied to the first day of the vveeke our Lords day because that reason of Gods Rest vpon the 7th day vvhich moued him to sanctify it neither doth nor can belong to the Lords day now since that reason of Gods Rest vvhich is a parte of the 4th Com can not belong to our Lords day no more can the whole Com belonge vnto it Use 3. and me thinks the reason of Gods Institution should say some thing for the morality and perpetuity of the Sabbath for as sine moued God to bringe death into the vvorld at the first vpon Adam Rom. 5.12 so the same continuing moues God still to continue death in the world vpon Adams posterity So Gods Rest vpon the 7th day mouing him at first to sanctify it the same reason remayning to vvorlds end should moue God to continue the sanctification of the 7th day for euer the ground of which consequence is taken from that axiome That God is immutable and vnchangable euer the same so as if things be the same towards him he againe is the same towards them Hence it is vve thus argue did God so to Abraham to David to Pharaoh c. if thou be to God as they were so God vvill be to thee as he vvas to them now as God is euer the same so is Gods rest on the 7th day And so we haue spake of the duty of the day and of the tyme next we should come to speake of the duties in the day and in the tyme the duties in the day are 2. Holines and Rest Remember to keepe the Sabbath day Holy and in it thou shalt not doe any worke but as touching exposition of these two Holines and Rest I purpose to desiste for asmuch as vve differ not in these sauing about the latter that it is houlden partly morall partly ceremoniall but of that by and by Hauing spoken of the duty of the day and mentioned the duties in the day here a question would be scanned touching both these comparatiuly to know whither is the more excellent that which God did first and principally aime at the duty of the day or the duties in the day a question at first sight I confesse it seemes friuolouse the rather I moue it
in the Sabbath all their labour vvill be lost as I trust in God it will appeare at the last what they say against the 7th day Sabbath I reduce to two heades the former shall consist of textes of Scripture and artificiall arguments the latter of testimonies and authorities of men for their Textes of Scripture whereby they would proue the 7th day Sabbath is abolisht 1. The first text shall be that of Isai 66.23 from month to month or from new Moone to new Moone and from Sabbath to Sabbath shall all flesh come to worship before me c. whence it is collected by them that the weekly 7th day Sabbath was a signe and that of the euerlasting Sabbath in Heauen and therfore the ceremoniall and temporary Hereto I answere 1. that this phrase of speech in this text is obscure and dark some to vs for vvhat shall be meante by these words from Month to Month whereof are these a signe now t is vnmeet that so plaine a text as is the 4th Com touching the Sabbath which is deliured in plaine and proper vvords should be contradicted and blotted out by an other text which is in Metaphoricale phrases of a doubtfull sense 2. if this Sabbath was a signe of heauen it is so farre from being a temporary ceremony as rather it is perpetuall Morall to last till Heauen comes as hath beene said before for the signe or shadowe is to last vntill the body a substance be comne or admit this Sabbath a signe both of the whole tyme of the Church of the New Testament on earth and also of the Church triumphant in heauen as some would why yet I hope the body of Heauen hath as much force to moralize the Sabbath as hath the body of the new Church on earth to ceremonialize and temporize it yea more by how much better but it is not worth our labour to spend more words about this text it hauing so little culler to any thing in it for their purpose 2. A 2d text to proue the Sabbath a ceremony and so abolisht is Numb 28.9.10 where it was commanded the Isralites to offer two lambes for for a sacrifice on the Sabbath day Hereto I answere 1. why should the sacrificing of two lambes on the Sabbath make the Sabbath a ceremony and abolisht any more then the sacrificing of one lambe euery day for a daily burnt offring Numb 28.4.6 make the working dayes of the weeke ceremoniall and abolisht 2. Hath not the Morall works in the Sabbath as Rest and Holinesse and remembrance of Gods Rest after creation as much and more power ouer the tyme and day wherein they were done to moralize and eternize the Sabbath as hath the sacrificing two lambes to ceremonize and temporize the Sabbath or if sacrifices could abolish the tyme of the Sabbath which was commanded why did they not also abolish the duties in the tyme as Rest and Holinesse 3. The Sabbath was a Sabbath in nature and institution before there was any sacrifices for it was in tyme of Adams innocency before the fall wherfore as the Apostle Gal. 3.17 reasoneth of the promise and of the Law that the Law could not disanulle the promise to Abraham which came 430. yeeres after the promise so say I Sacrifices cannot disanulle the Sabbath since the Sabbath was before any Sacrifices and since Sacrifices came after the Sabbath as therfore the Sabbath had a being before sacrifices and ceremonies so may it haue its being after all sacrifices and ceremonies be abolisht 3. A 3d Text is in Deuter. 5.15 where the Lord telleth the Israelites He brought them out of Egypte and therfore the Lord commanded them to keepe the Sabbath vvhence they would argue to this effect since that the Sabbath is an effect of or hath necessary dependance vpō their deliuerance out of Egypt it followeth if that deliuerance out of Egypt be but ceremoniall as a thing proper to the Iewe Then so is the Sabbath also I answere 1. The Sabbath may be said to be an effect or haue dependance of an other thing two wayes one as touching its obseruation the other as touching its institution now this deliuerance out of Egypt was not cause of the Sabbaths institution for the Sabbath was before they euer went downe into Egypt Genes 2.3 neither vvas or could the deliverance out of Egypt be the sole cause nor the cheife cause of the Sabbaths institution for Gods owne rest vpon that day Genes 2.3 was the cheife cause and next the Sabbath was made for man Mark. 2.27 that is for the ease and benifite of his body and for the good and edification of his soule in duties of holinesse But as touching the Sabbaths obseruation the deliuerance from Egypt might be a cause and was and ought to be a motiue to obedience in obseruance keeping the Sabbath day and so all blessings whatsoeuer should be motiues to obedience as Deut. 6.20.21.23.24 Deuter. 28.47.48 but vvhat if these blessings faile and God giue others in roome of them shall our obedience and obseruance faile and vanishe vvhat and if we Christians haue not that one particular blessing of deliuerance from Egypt which the Jewe had haue vve no many other blessings and deliuerance to moue vs to obedience as from that Armade in 88. from the Gunpowder plott and I know not how many more I conclude that since the deliuerance out of Egypt vvas not the cause of the Sabbaths institution but only of its after obseruation therfore though that deliuerance was ceremoniall yet was not the Sabbath ceremoniall 2. I answere if this motiue of Isralites deliuerance from Egypt because not belonging to vs Christians therfore shewes the Sabbath belongs not to vs neither Then may we by as good reason abolish not the Sabbath alone but the whole morall law also and then as vve vvill none of the Jewes Sabbath to be ours no more need vve vvill the Iewes God to be ours commanded in the first Com for the reason to induce to obedience and hauing the true God for their God was this I Law as therfore vvhen the Apostle saith Ephes 2.15 Christ abrogated the Law of Commandements vve vnderstand it only of the ceremoniall law of commandements not of the morall So vvhere here the Apostle takes away the difference of dayes I vnderstand him to abolish only ceremoniall dayes but not the Morall 7th day Sabbath I answere 3d. if all difference of all dayes be abolisht vvhy then keepe we the Lords day now for a Sabbath in a religiouse manner if you say you keep it not as a ceremony or type shaddow of Christ to come which was the reason of the Sabbaths abolition but in other respects as in remembrance of Christ alredy comne vvhy then by like reason may not the 7th day Sabbath be now kept by vs so be we lay aside that supposed typicall shaddowish respect vvhich it had of Christ to come and vve keeping it in other respects as in remembrance of
In sondry places in diuerse churches not at one place or two but at more 3. that vvhere they abode diuerse dayes they chose the Sabbath day not the Lords day to teache and to preache in as Act. 16.12.13 Act. 13.42.44 Act. 17.2 Act. 18.4 4. They kept Sabbath with both Jewes and Gentiles together sometyme with you see the duties of a Sabbath meditation in Gods Law vvith ioy and delight and admiration of the workes of God There be I confesse that would haue all this vnderstood of the Lords day but Ignatius speakes both of the Sabbath also of the Lords day distinctly in the same Text for the very next words are thus And after the Sabbath let the Lords day be celebrated c. Athanasius in his Homilie de semente saith thus We assemble together in the Sabbath day not as if vve were sicke of Iudaizme but therefore we meete on the Sabbath that we may vvorship Iesus the Lord of the Sabbath vvhere ye see Athanasius not only auowching that they of this tyme kept the Sabbath but also he defendeth theire keeping of it from superstition or Iudaizme but our tymes are now of a contrary minde thinking and saying if we should keepe the Sabbath day we should play the Iewes and be infected with Judaizme Socrates in his History chap 8. booke 6th saith Assemblies were vvonte to be in the Churches euery weeke vpon the Sabbath vpon the Lords day Zanchie ypon the 4th Com Thes 1. saith out of Sozomen That thos of Constantinople almost all others haue Ecclesiasticall assemblies to heare Gods Word on the Sabbath day and on the Lords day Doctour Prideaux on the Sabbath saith The Churches after Christ kept both the Sabbath the Lords day for diuerse yeeres with holy assemblies and this thing is so manifest saith he as it needeth no proofe c. In a word is it not plaine the Sabbath was in vse in the Church vntill the yeere of Christ 364. at vvhat tyme the Laodicean counsaile enacted a Law against it and for the Lords day Hosp de Orig. Fest cap. 9. pag. 27. but how vniustifiable this their acte was may appeare in that they enacted a Law against Gods Law and were guilty of that brande in Dan. 7.25 of vnlawfull changing of Tymes and the Law yea how full of suspition this their facte was may appeare in this that Church of Laodicea it was the worst of all the 7. churches that S. Iohn wrote vnto in his Reuelations yea and in that this change was not made till the yeere 364. t is of small accounte since the elder the church grewe the more corrupt it grewe for 364. yeeres after Christ crept into the church superstition and so dayly thence forwards popery by degrees But how soeuer it is plaine that the Sabbath day was in vse in the church at that tyme in which they enacted a Lavv against it or else they made a Law against nothing Here it shall not be amisse to adde the testimony of two or three of our owne Diuines auowching the morality of the 7th day Sabbath I could produce many but two or three for all strengthen my selfe and vvronge not them 3. Doctour Prideaux vpon the Sabbath lately comne forth pag. 140. saith Where did Christ abrogate the Sabbath vvhere is there any mention of setting the Lords day in the roome of it well Christ ascendeth he left his Apostles preachers and did not they vvithout any scruple obserue the Sabbath of the Iewes wich the Iewes did not they institute most freely assemblies in the Sabbath day did not the succeding churches the like c And now let me propounded vnto your choise these two dayes The Sabbath day on Saturday or the Lords day on Suneday and keepe whither of the twaine you shall in conscience finde the more safe If you keepe the Lords day but prophane the Sabbath day you vvalke in great danger and perill to say the last of transgressing one of Gods eternall inviolable Laws the 4th Com but on the other side if you keep the Sabbath day though you prophane the Lords day you are out of all guneshot and danger for so you transgresse no Law at all since Christ nor his Apostles did euer leaue any Law for it 1. To conclude let me take away two or three obiections and so an end Say some what a doe is here about a day is God so strict for a day so be he hath the duties it matters not so much for the tyme To whom I answere and make not you as much a doe too as you can for the Lords day the 8th day else why may not Mooneday or Tewsday or some other day be kept in memory of Christs Resurrection as well as Sunday the first day of the vveeke and doe not our diuines of best ranke lay it downe as their judgement that the Church the whole Church cannot now alter the Lords day to any other it seemes then in your owne judgement that tyme and day how light a circumstance soeuer you make it when you dispute about the 7th day in the 4th Com yet it is a matter of vveight and moment when you argue for the Lords day for vvhich yet you haue no Com 2. Thinke you it a light matter the which God hath beene pleased to stampe his Commandement vpon Exod. 35.2 The 7th day shall be vnto you the Holy Sabbath c. Will you sleight Gods Commandements admite the tyme and 7th day be as thing little profitable to God as was the fruite of the tree of knowledge of good euill in Paradise dareth any man hazard with God as Adam did The lesse the thing is vvith the more ease vve may shew our obedience and the greater our sine if disobedient 3. We dare not forfighte a bonde with man vpon such shiftes saying whē t is paiable on 7th day of Ianuary oh my neighbour regardeth not so much the day so I carry him the full some though it be the day after t is due nor durst those faithfull Israelites so sleight Gods tymes as to circumcise on the 9th day to call Passeouer on the 15th day vvhen God hath commanded CIrcumcision on the 8th day and the Passeouer on the 14th day 2. Saith an other this vvere to bringe into the Church Iudaizme againe and that strict rigorous obseruation of the Sabbath vvhich they vsed Here to I answere Athanasius afore cited said They kept the Sabbath day in their tymes and yet he saith they were not infected with Judaizme Further Iudaizme is when obedience is yeelded to a Law Ceremoniall but he that keepes the Sabbath day doth it in obedience to a Law Morall And as touching the rigorous strictenesse of the Iewish Rest or Sabbath it is not better than an euill reporte brought vp vpon the Lords Sabbath to loathe men of it vvhat and if men erroniously thinke the Iewes vvere more strictly tyed then indeed they vvere that is their errour and what and
is theire part to proue Paul begane his Sermon in the morneinge vvhoe say Paul kept this daye a Sabbath daye by preaching in it yea moreouer they must proue that the disciples here at Troas did refraine all servile labour and the ordinary vvorkes of theire caleinge all this first day of the vveeke or Lords day from morneinge to the end of this day if they vvill prove this day kept as a Sabbath for to refraine all workes and Rest is a branch of the 4th Com and one parte of a Sabbath dayes dutie but how they can prove this oute this text passeth myn vnderstanding 5. I deny that Paul preacht now at this tyme in conscience of the 4th Com and this they must proue or else they say nothing might not Paul preach at this extraordinary tyme in conscience of that Com 2. Tim. 4.2 preache the word in season and out of season surely this text was warrant sufficient for Paul to take all occasions of preaching the word euery day or night Sabbath day or other dayes finally how will it be proued that Paul kept this Lords day here for a Sabbath day by his preaching since that preachinge it is an euery dayes worke as hath bene showne afore can it be proved that Pauls intent and purpose in preaching was to celebrate thereby that day for a Sabbath this must be proved 6 A 6th Text produced is 1. Cor. 16.2 vpon the first day of the weeke let euery one of you put aside by himselfe c. here say they vvas a constant weekely collection for the poore now collections vsed to be after the word preached and Sacramentes administred all which were done one the Sabbath day as appeares in the histories of the Church ergo this first day of the weeke was a Sabbath I answere 1. indeed our oulde translatiō gaue some waye to vs to thinke this collection was weekly when it reade the text thus Euery first day of the weeke let euery one of you put aside c. but our newe Translatores haue well amended it and doe reade it thus vpō the first day of the weeke c. as of a single action once to be done onely and this further appeares to be true by those words in latter ende of v. 2. that so there be no gatheringe when I come so as Paul wold haue this collection cease when he came emongst them but had it bene weekly Paul wold rather haue had it reuined a freshe at his presence whoe was a furtherer of all holy performances This collection therefore was extraordinary tyeth vs not to ordenary practise for if it did then were we bound euery Lords day in euery Congregation to gather for the poore as a Sabbath dayes dutie 2. This collection was extraordenary in that it was not for their owne poore at Corinthe but for the poore of other Churches and therfore this mony collected was to be sente vpon the first day of the weeke If any shall demande which first day of the weeke the Church vvas to lay aside their almes one because there were many first dayes of the weeke in a yeere I answere since I finde it not differenced from others in the text I therefore thinke it must be vnderstoode of the first Lords day or first first day of the vveek vvhich came next after the Corinthians receiued this Epistle like as if I say to a frend come to my house one Saturday it is to be vnderstoode of the next Saturday first cominge after my invitation of him 7 A 7th and last text produced is Ioh. 20.19.26 where Christs frequent apparitiones to his disciples vpon the Lords day is made an argument to proue it a Sabbath daye but by what authority or rule of just consequēce Christs apparitions must constitute a Sabbath day nor can I conceiue nor euer haue I heard nor doe I thinke euer shall heare I answere 2. whereas the frequency and constancy of Christs apparitions one the Lords day is so much vrged I wold faine see where Christ appeared one the Lords day euer aboue once onely and that in Ioh. 20.19 as for his seconde apparition in v. 26. eight dayes after vvhich is supposed to be the next Lords daye after his first apparition it is quite other wise for in the originall it goes thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and after eight dayes c. now after 8. dayes cold not be the same daye sennight vpon the 8th daye but after the 8th day as on the 9th or 10th dayes after and so this seconde apparition was not vpon the Lords daye I grante there is a phrase Mark 8.31 that Christ after three dayes must rise againe and yet it must be vnderstood thus vpon the third he must rise againe But herein we must knowe thus to reade it is a departing from the naturall and proper sense of the words which is not sufferable saue in a case of necessity as to recōcile two textes of Scripture or the like as in this instance last propounded because other textes of Scripture say Christ rose vpon the thirde day 1. Cor. 15.4 and this text Mark. 8.31 saith after 3. dayes c. therfore to recōcile these two we vnderstand this latter text and the word after to be no more but vpon but now to apply this is there the like necessity in Ioh. 20.26 to vnderstand by after vpon is there any other text affirminge that vpon the 8th day Christ appeared to Thomas and the Disciples or is there any inconveniency or absurdity to take the words in their commō proper sense if neighther of these can be showne then the readinge which I vrge is sound and good I answere 3. if Christs apparition to his disciples cold be an argument of a Sabbath day Then of Gods word for the keeping of an other day then God apointed in his morall Law or 4th Com least I partake of that brande of a wicked man prophecied of Daniel 7.25 in changing tymes and the Law now since it is a propriety of God to change tymes and seasons Dan. 2.21 had not I need be carefull there be no new day as is the Lords day set vp for a Sabbath vnles it can be expresly infallibly demonstratiuely proued to be of Gods owne doeing least I say I be accessary to the sin of changeing Godes tymes Dan. 7.25 Thus haue I answered their textes of Scripture brought for the Lords daye to be a Sabbath and the common objections now let vs in next place examine their reasons whereby the Lords day is proued a Sabbath 1 The first reason is drawne from the frequēt and constant practise of Christ and of his Apostles celebration of the Lords day the which is authority sufficient for justification of the Lords day to be a Sabbatth I answere 1. admit Christ and his Apostles did preache on the Lords day thereby honour this day aboue any of the 6. working dayes yet how doth it appeare they did this on this day to
at an other tyme therfore I thinke it the more likely that we are tyed only to the day naturall in Winter though it be shorter then then the other Neuertheles because the safest vvay is best and an errour on the right hand rather to be admitted then one the lefte if any man judge it better for the depth of vvinter to keepe his Sabbath by the artificiall day I say not to the contrary yea I say for myne owne particular I purpose to accompany him whoesouer he be in performance of Sabbath dayes exercises and refrayning all seruile laboures not onely for the artificiall day but after it is ended vntill it be tyme to goe to rest sleepe Here an other question ariseth if we be tyed but to the day tyme and light onely for our Sabbath vvhat then shall become of the tyme of night before or after the Sabbath I answere nature teacheth that God hath made the night for man to rest in and sleepe and so necessarily he that tyme resteth from all labours as in the Sabbath day tyme but you may say againe what and if a man be not disposed to sleepe as not to goe to bedd so soone as the artificiall day in depth of Winter be done may he set vpon the duties of his ordenary calling vntill he goe to rest heretoo I answere where God hath left no order what to doe as in this case here then it is left to Christian discretion In this case then I should judge it very behoofefull that we deale vvith God in this night as vve doe by our selues on other nightes of the 6. working dayes in these if we be not disposed to goe to bedd vve vvill spend that parte of the night vve please to sett vp in in the vvorkes of the day before so let vs be as mindfull of our soules as of our bodies on the Sabbath night if vve please to rise before day let that parte of the night be spent in a holy preparation to the duties of the day following to set forwards them if we please to sett vp after the day light be spent then againe let this parte of the night be spent sutable to the day before in reading conference meditation singing of Psalmes and Prayer To this may I fitly apply that of Holy Dauid who spent much of the night in prayer and praises Ps 42.8 The Lord will graunte his louing kindnes in the day and in the night shall I sing of him c. The first vse of this point may be for confutation of an errour of some diuines houlding the Sabbath doth begine ouer night on Saturday at night or on Saturday Euening If God enioyneth only the day Remember the Sabbath day c. by what authoritie can any say we be bound to sanctify more then a day as namly to sanctify the Sabbath day and also a parte of the day or night goeing before the Sabbath day I know well the end these diuines aime at is holy and good and their argumentes carry a strong shew of truth yet not strong enough me thinketh the best that I could ere meete withall are these 3. the formost Taken from Genes 1.5 The euening the morning were the first day where by Euening they vnderstand the Night from about after Sune set forwards by morning all the day after now hence they thus argue That looke as God made the day at creation so we must after keepe it But God made the day to begine at Euening Ergo c. I answere the grownd of this argument is from a common indeed but mise vnderstanding of that text Genes 1.5 as I haue formerly showne so I deny that by Euening in the Text is meant an Euening which begines the night and comprises the night in it as the argument vnderstands it for by Euening is meante only the afternoone till Sune sett as formerly I haue showne but against this it may be said this sense is to make God to speake of things mise orderly if by euening you vnderstand the afternoone and by morning the forenoone then t is as if God had said So the afternoone and the forenoone vvere the first day whereas it had beene more orderly to a said So the forenoone and the afternoone were the first day since the forenoone is in order before the afternoone I answere such liberty though God doth take in speeche for instance to goe no farther for an example see Genes 1.2.3.4.5 darkenesse was for order before light and yet in v. 4.5 God mentiones the light before the darkenesse and why not then the after noone before the forenoone Their 2d argument is taken from Levit. 23.32 from Euene to Euene shall ye celebrate your Sabbath Hereto I answere this a peculiar law to the ceremoniall Sabbathes annually not common to the morall Sabbath weekly now we must not drawe the law of ceremoniall Sabbaths vpon the morall Sabbath for then must the morall Sabbath on 7th day be annualy onely and on the 10th day of the month as Leuit. 23.27 without regard to the day of the weeke besides many other differences twixt the morall and ceremoniall Sabbaths that might be showne but cheifly note in the 4th Com is but one day only mentioned to wit the 7th day but in Leui. 23. is two distinct dayes commanded to wit the 10th day v. 27. and the 9th day apart of it v. 32. now would any inferre hence that we should giue God the Sabbath day and a parte also of the day goeing next before it euery weeke vvere not this to giue God more then one day when in his 4th Com he required but one day A 3d to enforce the begining of the Sabbath on the Euening is taken from Mark 15.42 It was the day of the preparation that is before the Sabbath whence it is gathered by many that the Jewes vsed on the Euening before the Sabbath to haue a preparation to the Sabbath by setting a parte that euening for holy exercises refraying ordenary workes as they did on the Sabbath where vnto I answere more is gathered out this text then it vvill afforde and that preparation vvhich was proper to a ceremoniall Sabbath is applied to our Morall Sabbath To this purpose it must be obserued that at this tyme of Christs passion and on that day whereon he lay in the graue our Saturday there fell out two Sabbaths a morall and a ceremoniall vpon that day as Beza Piscator and others affirme and as euery diuine knowes and as must needes be for our Saturday wherein Christ lay in the graue vvas Jewes Sabbath day of the 4th Comm so there is one now againe the day before this namly good friday was the day the Iewes kept for their passeouer day Ioh. 18.28 Ioh. 19.14 now the Law of the passeouer was that the passeouer should be killed and eaten on the 14th day of the month Leuit. 23.5 and on the next day the 15th of the month they had an holy conuocation and
because I heare the most so sleighting this sacred tyme as but a circumstance c. and as a thing not required of it selfe and by it selfe as are the duties in this tyme Holinesse and Rest but only for an other things sake as for the Holinesse sake that is to be performed in this tyme and so as if the Holinesse be performed it skilleth not so much for the tyme. For my parte therfore I cannot see but the tyme of the 7th day is more excellent then be the duties of Holinesse and Rest in the tyme if these duties be not considered absolutly and in relation to God but respectiuly as subseruient to the tyme. Holinesse consider of it only as a dutie of first Table in this branch of praising and lauding God in an acknowledgment of his power and wisedome and goodnesse c. so reflecting Gods holy workes and attributes vpon himselfe now consider as the Heauens declare the glory of God Ps 19.1 So thinke on that 7th day as the Prophet Dauid speakes of dayes in generall v. 2. Day vnto day vttereth the same too or Day after Day as Aynsworth obserueth so then if dayes doe vtter the glory of God and shew forth his handy vvorkes reflecting vnto God and declaring the same to men then doubtlesse the 7th day Sabbath hath a kinde of secret speech vnto and praise of God by reflection vnto God and declaration vnto man the whole worke of creation done vpon the 6. dayes before shewing forth these Attributes of Gods wisedome power and goodnesse manifested in those dayes and surely this day doth more compleatly in its kinde reflect and giue God the full glory of his worke of creation then can any man vvho because he knowes things by halues can speake of them but by peeces well ther is some thing in this though I vvill not be curious nor stand vpon it 2. As for Holinesse as prayer prayses and the like I consider of it absolutly or relatiuly Absolutly without reference to any speciall tyme as a parte of Gods worship and seruice and so I graunt it may be greater then the 7th day tyme relatiuly as t is employed to the 7th day to honour it withall and thus it is not so great nor excellent I explaine my selfe by this simile a sonne hath a booke of his deceased father for his fathers sake he is so in loue with the booke as he will put vpon it siluer ot goulden claspes silkin strings double gild it other cost to the double or treble value of the book if now you demaunde whither the booke or the cost be the more excellent why sure the cost is the greater in it selfe considered and not as made seruiceable to the booke but the booke is the greater and more excellent in that for the bookes sake he begildeth it and puts on all that cost So as this Sonne gildeth and bewtifieth the booke because it was his fathers just so the Lord God blessed and sanctified the 7th day because that in it he had rested Genes 2.3 Exod. 20.11 The reason then mouing God to adorne and bewtify the 7th day so with Holines and Rest was because God had once rested on that day so as the 7th day was not set apart for holinesse sake but holinesse at this tyme was appointed for the 7th dayes sake Euen as Angles are ministering Spirites for our sakes and so are inferiour to men in some respects that is as they be attendants to vs yet further to this end see the 4th Comm where in the first place the Sabbath is commanded Remember the Sabbath day and as the cheif thing aimed at it is twice mentioned vvhereas Holines is but once named yea doth not the very order of the words and manner of vttering them importe the same like as if one should say to his seruant remember such a booke that you saue it and lay it vp carefully or that you gilde it and bewtifye it with the finest gould c. would not a man think by these words that all the seruants care and diligence and cost about the booke were for the booke and lesse than the booke in worth and excellency why iust in such frame of words the Lord deliured the 4th Comm Remember the Sabbath day that you sanctify it the which sanctifying the day is the adorning and the bewtifying of it I conclude if any man of better judgement think that so much is not to be attributed to the day and tyme as these my words importe yet I thinke these things considered he vvill judge there is much more in the tyme that by Gods ordinance then is commonly thought on and so as euery sleightie probable argument and curiouse distinction should not force a man to abolish this sacred Day and prophane this tyme me thinks we should sticke more closse to Gods Commandements than so God hath left vs but 10. Com and they be the rule of our life a light to our feet and lanthorne to our paths and that according whereto we shall be adiudged at that last day Mat. 25.34.35 Iam. 2.12 how should we contend for the maintenance of this truth which was once giuen vnto vs not suffering any of these 10. lightes to be extinguisht no nor any one of thē to be eclipsed in least degree nor enduring that any one linke be broken from this chain no nor so much as the least peece or percell from any of the linkes but that we mainteine them in the full weight and measure that euer they had not so much as the day or tyme once altred or changed remembring Deut. 12.32 vvhatsoeuer I command you c. thou shalt put Nothing there to nor take any thing there from and Galat. 3.10 Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law And so I haue done with exposition of this 4th Comm. The 7th day Sabbath is not abolished THat vvith the more culler of truth they might abolish the Sabbath day many haue taken in hand out of a sincere affection to their knowledge as I verily perswade my selfe yeelding too much confidence to antiquity and trust to the labours of our worthy forefathers in this point to make one of Gods tenne and morall Commandements namly the 4th to be partly Morall partly Ceremoniall a thing at first hearing very strange that of 10. only one should so farre differ in kinde from its fellowes when all vvere equally and a like deliuered by the immediate and audible voice of God and written all a like together by the finger of God in Tables of stone vvhich no ceremony vvas Nay vvhich is worce yet that not one whole commandement is said to be ceremoniall but only one peece of that one commandement is a ceremony as if one of the linkes of this chaine vvere partly gould partly lead whereas all the rest were pure gould what were this but to suppose our God to plough in his field with an oxe and
sacred tyme of the Lords Sabbath Beware ye be not found fighters against God and to side it vvith that branded vvicked one in Dan. 7.25 vvho thought he might change tymes and the law It is not to be passed by vvithout obseruation that the Apostle condemnes Sabbathes but indefinitly he said not all Sabbaths generally but Sabbaths indefinitly as of some Sabbathes only but say now that an indefinite axion may be conserued eighther generally or particularly aâ— the matter and circumstances of the place requireth why shew me now vvhat occasion this context giueth you to vnderstand here Sabbathes of all Sabbathes morall and ceremoniall or of any but ceremoniall or if you haue grownds so to doe from some other text I pray shew the text or if from som reasons I pray shew the reasons and let them be necessarily sounde and demonstratiuly true for there is great cause it should be so since by force thereof you vvill confront one of Gods expresse commandements you had need looke you goe on sure grownde vvhen you attempt to altar any branch of those commandements vvhich God himselfe tooke care to wright in Tables of stone for my part I trust it shall euer be my care to death to maintaine the inviolable and eternall Law of God those is commandements and euery iett and title of them so as not to departe with any of them nor suffer a title to be snatcht from me by any light distinctions or humane vnnecessary enlargement of the sense of words I trust God vvill euer giue me to make conscience of that Commandement Deut. 12.32 vvhatsoeuer I command you take heede you doe it Thou shalt put nothing there to nor take ought there from if I must not take any thing from the Law of God then resolue I not to consent to or yeelde that the Lords Sabbath should be rente from Gods Law vpon euery or any light coniecture and probable argument I answere 3d. if by Sabbathes here must be meante all Sabbathes as well the Morall as the Ceremoniall Sabbathes then by like reason may I gather an abolition not only of the ceremoniall Law but also of the morall Law for Ephes 2.15 t is said Christ hath abrogated the law of commandements and Heb. 7.12 of necessety there must be a change of the Law now vvhy may not I by the word Law vnderstand both morall and Ceremoniall Law as vvell as you by the vvord Sabbathes to vnderstande the Morall and ceremoniall Sabbathes see therfore vvhat absurdetyes would follow if it were lawfull thus to extende vvords but happily some thinke it no absurdety to say that Christ by his death abolisht both Lawes the ceremoniall and the morall but if such thoughtes and sayings be not blasphemouse against the Law of God I know not vvhat are if such collections be not of most perniciouse dangerouse consequence in Gods Church I cannot tell what be did not the same Christ whom they vvould make to abolish the morall Law renounce this facte and also contrariwise establish this morall Law Mat. 5.17.18 saying I came not to destroy the Law c. and then vntill heauen and earth perish one iotte or title of this Law shall not passe but they vvill say it vvas reestablished againe after by the in the 4th Comm and then you giue liberty for men to exercise themselues in seruile labours at home in their families and a part a brode in the fields in ploughing dikeing carteing and the like now these exercises doe vtterly abolish Holines I doe not say Holines absolutly for a man may be holy in a calling but I say it abolisheth a Sabbaths Holinesse vvhich is to be exercised in holy performances without labour and a whole day and in holy assemblies but how can they be in the congregation in the assemblie togeather who be euery man at his owne house seuerally or in the field scatteredly at their labours the same whereof is that take away Sabbaths and you take away Rest which is signified by the vvord Sabbath againe take away Rest and you necessarily take away Holinesse that other dutie also And againe if you by this text of Col. 2.16 doe abolish the very duties of the Sabbath Rest and Holines as you doe haue you not made faire worke think you by abolishing that which you call the morality of the Sabbath euer Rest and Holinesse 7. The 7th and last text they produce for the abolishing of the 7th day Sabbath is that in Exo. 31.13 where the Sabbath are said to be a signe that the Lord did sanctifie his people now they say all signes be abrogated and therfore the Sabbath day I answere 1. The Lord God doth not say expresly in this text you shall not hereafter as namly after the death of Christ keepe the Sabbath day any more because I haue made it a signe now no but thus much is collected by humane reason because God made the Sabbath a signe now I can but vvonder how mortall man dareth by bare force of his blind feeble reason thus to confront his God God said in his 4th Comm which he wrote aboue all Scripture by his owne finger Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it The 7th day is the Sabbath in it thou shalt not work Now the quite contrary to God men now a dayes blushe not by bare force of reason to anowche Namly that the Sabbath day is abolished and therfore not to be remembred any more nor to refraine seruile work in it yea they contradict their Sauiour too who said of the Morall Law one iott or title of it should not passe to the vvorlds end Mat. 5.18 but they say yis that one iott to vvit the 7th day Sabbath may passe c. now choose you vvhither it be safer to leaue the vveight of your soules vpon Gods and Christes expresse wordes or vpon mens force of reason by way of collections and consequentes we haue formerly showne how blinde a thing mans reason is in matter of religion and especially in the duties of the first Table vvhich conserueth God and that therfore Diuines in other are signes and yet in vse still I answere 5. by distinguishing of signes and that two wayes first there be signes of things present as is the Sabbath Exod. 31.13 it is a signe c. that I the Lord doe sanctify you here the signe the thing signified are together in tyme and there be signes of things to come and such vvas the signe of circumcision Genes 17.11 vvhich aimed at Christ to come now though I grant that signes of things to come be abrogate yet I deny that signes of things present be abrogate such are the Sabbaths mentioned Exod. 31.13 a difference must be put twixt the signes of things present and future since that vvhen a signe and thing signified futurly doe mete together in tyme then the signe vanisheth as vvhen circumcision and Christs death came together then the signe circumcision vanished but t is other vvise vvith
is this That since the Ceremoniall Sabbaths whilst in force did binde as strictly as did the Morall Sabbath therfore there is the same reason and the regard of the Ceremoniall and of the Morall Sabbath for strictnes of obseruation and therfore it followeth by like reason as farre as man may judge that if a dispensatiō be granted in case of necessity for a change of that day so a dispensation likewise in like case is granted for a change of the Morall Sabbath so long as that necessity vnauoidably lasteth vnles groundlesly we should think God is more strict towards Christians about the Sabbath then he vvas towards Iewes about the Sabbath of the Passeouer One obiection more vvhat and if vve cannot haue publike assemblies in the congregatiō may are vve not bounde to keep the Sabbath as vve can priuately euery man in his owne familie I answere since God had ordeined the Sabbath to be kept vvith publike assemblies and with the helpe of Priestes or Ministers as hath beene showne therefore I judge it better to alter the day vntill the tyme of reformation that so we might enioy the publike assemblies and benefite of an able Minister on an other day then without these to keep the very selfe same day that this opinion is justifiable see the like practise of the good King Hezekiah fore mentioned 2. Chron. 30.1.2.3 vvho because the Priests were not prepared to keep the Passeouer in the first Month nor vvere the people publikely assembled together in the same month for these two causes the King with his Princes altered the day of the Passeouer to the second month If any shall obiect or doubt that I straine things to farre when I wold justifie the change of the Sabbath by the change of the Passeouer because these two are things of a different kinde c. and because the reasons mouing vs to change the Sabbath are not the same that God mentioned in the Law of the Passeouers change Numb 9.10 for satisfaction of the vveakest in this point I thus answer 1. to the latter touching the reasons of our change they be not the same indeed euery way yet if they be as they are as necessary to enforce a change as thes Numb 9.10 it is sufficient and for proofe hereof see it in the practise of King Hezekiah who changed the day of the Passeouer 2. Chron. 30.3 not vpon these very particular grounds which God specified in Numb 9.10 for God specified onely these two defilment by a dead corps and being in a farre iourney but Hezekiah by like reason gatheted that they might alter the day vpon other grounds also if as weightie as those first and namely vpon these 1. Because the Priests vvere not sanctified 2. because the people were not assembled so thes two differ both in the persons and also in the things as may be seen by cōparing thos two textes together Secondly I answere to the former and I justifie my arguing from the Passeouer to the Sabbath from the practise of our Sauiour who argued from Dauids eating the Shewbread to the Sabbath Math. 1.12.2.3 which were things farre more different then the Passeouer day the Sabbath day for both these are of day and tyme but thos were of bread and tyme Further by this practise of Christ I finde it lavvfull for vs to reason from a ceremoniall as the shewe breade was or by like reason from a ceremoniall as the Passeouer was to a morall as the Sabbath was concluding that the same exceptions and dispensations belonge to the morall Sabbath which God granted to the ceremoniall Law of Shewbread or to the Law of Passeouer if there be necessity in the one as vvas in the other For a conclusion let me stopp vp one gapp wher at I perceiue some will be redy to breek out saying since that we haue not now the very day vvhich God sanctified but an other day in its roome vve are not tied so strictly to keepe this day in the duties of Reste and Holinesse as we shold be if we had the righte day and therfore vve may take liberty c. where vnto I ansvvere hovv euer the right day is to be desired principally and before any other and all good meanes to be vsed for obtayning it yet vntill a tyme of reformation I hould this day ought as strictly to be Sanctified as that other suppose a debtor bound in a bond to pay 10li. on the seauenth day of March and his creditor seing him in a streight and necessity is vpon him so as he he cannot bring the mony iust vpon the day in mercy the creditor permitteth him to make payment on the next day after on the 8th day of March shall novv this vnthankfull debtor thus revvard his mercifull creditor saying since I carry not my 10li. vpon the right day of my bond being dispensed vvith all for the tyme why therfore I nede not be strict neighther in the some nor yet in the currantnesse of the mony I may take liberty and carry but 9li. 10s. therfore yea and I care not if also I put in some light gould and clipt siluer is this good dealing thinke you by the debtor towards his mercifull creditor Why apply this the case is thine if thou vvilt giue Godlesse dutie and seruice on this 8th day then on the 7th day yea farther consider of that text Num. 9.12 vvhere though the Lord had permitted that in a case of necessity the tyme and day might be changed for the Passeouer yet as touching the duties of the Passeouer to be by the Law performed in the tyme and in the first day God vvold abate none of them though vpon another day for so saith the text According to all the ordinances of the Passeouer they shall keepe it So may I say of this first day of the vveeke vntill a tyme of reformation and necessity be remoued According to all the ordinances of the Sabbath on the seauenth day shall yee keep it FINIS