it as a God upon Sunday My first Authority shall be out of Job who probably was iâ— the time of the ancient Patriarchs If I beheld the Sun when it shined or the Moon walking in brightness and my Heart hath been secretly enticed or my Mouth hath kissed my Hand this were an Iniquity to be punished by the Judges for I should have denied the God abovâ— Job in answer to Bildad chap. 25 and it may be especially â—â— ver 5. in his Apology professeth his Innocency as to open oâ— secret idolizing of the Sun or Moon which in his days it seemâ— was a common practice which probably had its Rise from somâ— broken Traditions touching the Dominion given to the Suâ— Gen. 1. 16 whence they termed the Sun Molech i. e. he thaâ— reigneth or ruleth or the King mentioned Lev. 18. 21 anâ— in many other Scriptures The Sun had also the Name of Baa i. e. Lord Num. 22. 4 41 the Idol of the Moabites whom theâ— supposed to be Lord of All for with these great Titles they honoured this Idol and worshipped him as the Great visible Lord and Ruler of the World whose glorious Light and other Influences together with that Blindness contracted by the Fall and Dispersion of Mankind led them to make and worship various Images thereof The Priests of this Idol were called Chemarim Chemarim Garments of Heathen Priests black from their black Garments whom Josiah put down 2 Kin. 23. 5 which Name of Chemarim the Lord threatens to cut off Zeph. 1. 4. And it is likely the Romanists have that black Colour and Habit from the Heathen Priests for any thing from Christ or his Apostles in precept practise or in favour thereof I do not remember Unto which Idol of the Sun some of the Kings of Israel did sacrifice and build high places which other gracious Kings as Hezekiah Josiah c. broke down whereof see the Histories at large in Kings and Chronicles which the Lord forbad as that which he had not commanded Deut. 17. 3 and which also the Prophets sharply reproved Jer. 19. 5. 32. 35 as that which the Lord never commanded which was the manner used by the Prophets to reprove and brand Corrupt Worship That it was not commanded by the Lord which is the same Exception we take against the First day And he that went a whoring after Molech the Lord would set his face against that man which high Places and Images of the Sun he threatens to cut down and destroy Lev. 26. 30. And the Aegyptians to whom the Remnant of Judah would go down had Temples dedicated to the Sun whereupon the Lord threatens to send the King of Babylon into Aegypt to break the Images in Bethshemesh i. e. in the House of the Sun Jer. 43. 10 to 13. And this sort of Idolatry was anciently performed about the rising of the Sun and this was that Sin which in a Vision the Lord shewed Ezekiel viz. 25 men of Judah with their Faces towards the East worshipping the Sun towards the East Ezek. 8. 16. And hence it was as I remember that the Heathen Temples were generally built toward the East the East being the Point wherein the Sun riseth in the Vernal and to which it returns in the Autumnal Aequinox which as some think from Gen. 2. 8 is directly over Paradice where the Sun is supposed first to have shined whence might arise a Custom amongst Idolaters of praying towards the East which is also very ancient though Solomon's Temple had its Priests and Sacrifices turning towards the West to avoid that Superstition Ezek. 8. 16 where their Backs are said to be towards the Temple of the Lord when their Faces were towards the East worshipping the Sun towards the East And in the Temple in Ezekiel there were three Gates one in the East another in the North and the third in the South Ezek. 46. 1 9 but none in the West And that the day for worshipping the Idol of the Sun was Sunday the First day of the week I offer one Authority from our own Country for our Ancestors in England before the Light of the Gospel came amongst them went very far if they did not outstrip others in this Idolatry and dedicated the First day of the week to the Adoration of the Idol of the Sun and gave it the name of Sunday from whom we have the name Sunday and hold fast that name to this day and this Idol they placed in a Temple and there sacrificed to it See Verstegan's Antiquities fol. 68. And upon like reason they made an Idol for every other day of the week by the names of which Idols they called the several days which names we still retain concerning which names consider Exod. 23. 13 Hos 2. 17 Psal 16. 4 Gen. 26. 18 Num. 32. 38 Zech. 13. 2 Josh 23. 7 Deut. 12. 3. And I think I do remember to have read in the Histories that a very great part of the World and particularly those parts of it which have since embraced Christianity did anciently adore the Sun upon Sunday Obj. A Learned Writer objects That the First day was set apart by the Apostles and that there is not the least Trace for any other day besides the First for Sabbath services and for this they have he says the universal Concurrence of all the Christian Churches for One thousand Six hundred years Ans In answer to which Affirmation I premise That all the Tradition in the World cannot add to take from lay aside or alter any Word of Christ or any Duty of any Man Obj. And the same Learned Objector on Rev. 1. 10 notes The vain Gavil of those that deny the Lord's day here to mean the Christian's day of Holy Worship even the First of the week I have fully confuted in a Book upon that Subject and it needs no confutation to those that are acquainted with Church-History who know that this day hath been kept holy as of Apostolical Ordination and Practice by the Universal Church ever since the Apostles days the Hereticks themselves consenting An Answer to that place Rev. 1. 10 I think you have before and that the Lord's day there mentioned is not the First but rather the Seventh day of the week the true Lord's day Ans And for further answer to the rest of that positive Affirmation I shall shew that there have been many Christian Churches who have for some Hundreds of years after Christ assembled for Publick Worship on the Seventh day Sabbath which will prove there have been some Dissenters from his Opinion in former times And to the rest 1st I answer first That the Seventh-day Sabbath was observed for Publick Worship during the Apostles time I think is plain in the Scriptures and so prov'd before in the Answers to the Ninth and Tenth Questions And who could change it after that Non Constat 2dly And if it were true that the Churches ever since the Apostles days One thousand Six hundred
little Colour some at first by Subtilty making and others by Carelesness letting in that Observation and now finding some Good by the Ordinances then celebrated approve of the day also and have put all their Strength to defend it An Opinion blown up to a wonderful heighth which yet God by his Word can easily take down For the present some have altered and in part abrogated this old Command and set up a contrary one in its stead and so do become in this not God's Subjects but his Law-givers as if they could make a more holy See Charnock's Attrib pag. 75. righteous Law than the Law of God and have so far forsaken God's Law and walked after the imagination of their own Hearts Jer. 9. 31. In this taxing his Wisdom as if he did not understand Job 21. 22 How unreasonable is this to impose any Law upon God and force him to revoke his own Upon the whole to my weak Understanding it seems evident That the World was made by the Lord Jesus Christ and that he is Jehovah who after the Creation instituted the Seventh day rested on it sanctified it and blessed it and that it was observed from the Creation till it was repeated at Mount Sinai and that there the Commands were given by Christ the Redeemer to Jews and Gentiles i. e. to all Mankind and that same Seventh day observed by Moses and the Prophets till his Incarnation that the Ten Commands and therein the Seventh-day Sabbath were confirmed by Immanuel our God and Saviour after his taking our Nature upon him that the same Seventh-day Sabbath and no other day of the week was kept by him during his life here and that perfectly and constantly and when he had finished the Work of Redemption that his Body rested in the Grave the next Seventh-day Sabbath and himself in Heaven as he rested the Seventh day after he ended the Work of Creation and that while he rested in Heaven and his Body in the Grave Believers then rested also according to the Fourth Command and by the Testimony of the Scriptures that the Seventh-day Sabbath was observed by the Apostles and all other Believers after our Lord's Resurrection and that constantly and that the Holy Spirit does call the Seventh day only and no other day of the week the Sabbath throughout the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and that after Christ's Ascension and after the pouring out of the Holy Spirit and that there is no Law nor any Word to be found in the Scriptures which do 2 Tim. 3. 17. Acts 20. 32. most certainly and fully contain the whole and perfect Duty of Man which requires the keeping holy the First day of the week and that there is not there one word of Promise made to the Observers of it nor any Promise of Acceptance from the LORD for any person in that Observation and that there is not one word of Threatning or Displeasure there against those who do not observe it Not one word there which constitutes the First day a Sabbath or calls it by that Name and How can it be proved by any man to be of God when the Word of God does not tell us of it Not one word that repeals or alters the Fourth Command in any jot or tittle nor any Power there given to any that ever were are or shall be in the World to make any Alteration therein and Who can tell us the persons authorized from God to do this Which therefore as long as the Heaven and Earth abide seems to me Luke 16. 17. Exod. 20. 10. Matth. 5. 18. unalterable and shews that the Seventh day is the true weekly Christian Sabbath and ought to be observed 〈◊〉 not repeaâ—ed nor altered there and so confirmed by Christ faces their Consciâ—â—â—'s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the 〈◊〉 and throws down all the Batteries raised against it Fain they would find out some colourable Objections to shelter themselves in a continual Violation of it but still that Law rises up and overthrows all Opposition They pray to God to encline their Hearts to keep that Law and yet keep it down what they can but all will not do GOD who has reserved a Tenth of our Substance has reserved but a Seventh of our Time which we should neither alter nor begrudge And indeed it seems to me marvellous that the observation of the weekly Seventh-day Sabbath should be so long laid aside here in a Land of Light notwithstanding so direct and plain a Command and that the First day should so far obtain for which we have so very little Colour some at first by Subtilty making and others by Carelesness letting in that Observation and now finding some Good by the Ordinances then celebrated approve of the day also and have put all their Strength to defend it An Opinion blown up to a wonderful heighth which yet God by his Word can easily take down For the present some have altered and in part abrogated this old Command and set up a contrary one in its stead and so do become in this not God's Subjects but his Law-givers as if they could make a more holy See Charnock's Attrib pag. 75. righteous Law than the Law of God and have so far forsaken God's Law and walked after the imagination of their own Hearts Jer. 9. 31. In this taxing his Wisdom as if he did not understand Job 21. 22 How unreasonable is this to impose any Law upon God and force him to revoke his own Upon the whole to my weak Understanding it seems evident That the World was made by the Lord Jesus Christ and that he is Jehovah who after the Creation instituted the Seventh day rested on it sanctified it and blessed it and that it was observed from the Creation till it was repeated at Mount Sinai and that there the Commands were given by 〈…〉 kind and that same Seventh day observed by Moses and the Prophets till his Incarnation that the Ten Commands and therein the Seventh-day Sabbath were confirmed by Immanuel our God and Saviour after his taking our Nature upon him that the same Seventh-day Sabbath and no other day of the week was kept by him during his life here and that perfectly and constantly and when he had finished the Work of Redemption that his Body rested in the Grave the next Seventh-day Sabbath and himself in Heaven as he rested the Seventh day after he ended the Work of Creation and that while he rested in Heaven and his Body in the Grave Believers then rested also according to the Fourth Command and by the Testimony of the Scriptures that the Seventh-day Sabbath was observed by the Apostles and all other Believers after our Lord's Resurrection and that constantly and that the Holy Spirit does call the Seventh day only and no other day of the week the Sabbath throughout the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and that after Christ's Ascension and after the pouring out of the Holy Spirit and
that there is no Law nor any Word to be found in the Scriptures which do most certainly and fully contain the whole and 2 Tim. 3. 17. Acts 20. 32. perfect Duty of Man which requires the keeping holy the First day of the week and that there is not there one word of Promise made to the Observers of it nor any Promise of Acceptance from the LORD for any person in that Observation and that there is not one word of Threatning or Displeasure there against those who do not observe it Not one word there which constitutes the First day a Sabbath or calls it by that Name and How can it be proved by any man to be of God when the Word of God does not tell us of it Not one word that repeals or alters the Fourth Command in any jot or tittle nor any Power there given to any that ever were are or shall be in the World to make any Alteration therein and Who can tell us the persons authorized from God to do this Which therefore as long as the Heaven and Earth abide seems to me unalterable and shews that the Seventh day is Luke 16. 17. Exod. 20. 10. Matth. 5. 18. the true weekly Christian Sabbath and ought to be observed 〈◊〉 to conclude the Ministers of the Gospel should well consider that by the appointment of Jehovah they are to bear the Iniquity of the Sanctuary Num. 18. 1 2 3 4 5 where as in other places the LORD speaks to the Priests then who had the charge of the Sanctuary to look well to it that they did not trespass in any thing of what was appointed in his Worship or in any thing which concerned their Office contrary to his Order and Direction for that if they did the Sin should be imputed unto them Be ye clean that bear the Vessels of Jehovah Isa 52. 11. The Priests were Keepers of the charge of the Altar Ezek. 40. 46. 44. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. Mal. 1. 8 11 12 14. 2. 1 2 3. 3. 3. And I take the force of the Apostle's Expression 1 Cor. 11. 23 I have received of the Lord that which I delivered to you about administring the Lord's Supper to lye eminently in this That what he did was by Christ's appointment And more remarkable as to all Gospel-Administrations in general is that of Mat. 28. 20 where our Lord's Commission and Command to all his Ministers to the end of the World is to Teach all Nations to observe all things whatsoever he has commanded them and in so doing he promises there to be with them By which Word Command and Promise of Christ it seems to me certain that as the Apostles their Predecessors could not so Ministers of Christ their Successors have no Liberty left them by Christ o◠pick and chuse in Christ's Commands which or what part they will obey and which not and which they will teach and which not 'T is to teach and practise what Christ has commanded not what Man 's Matt. 28. 18 19 20. broken Traditions pretend to command but what Christ has commanded Will Worship is and ought to be a Stranger to his Sanctuary and that strange Fire which comes not from Heaven Christ will not be served with And Christ's Expression I am with you alwaies does import that although the Work of Ministers to teach all the Commands of Christ and to oppose all the Traditions of Men which make void or change or lay aside all or any one part of Christ's Commands be hard Work yet that Christ would be with them and their Successors in the Ministry in their doing and teaching his Commands as long as the World 〈◊〉 last FINIS
AN ENQUIRY Whether the LORD JESUS CHRIST made the World and be Jehovah and gave the Moral Law AND Whether the Fourth Command be Repealed or Altered By THO. BAMPFIELD LONDON Printed for the Author and are to be sold by Tho. Fabian at the Bible in St. Paul's Church-yard a Corner-Shop next Cheapside 1692. AN ENQUIRY Whether the Lord JESUS CHRIST made the World and be JEHOVAH c. THE Word of God and the general Consent of the Christian and of much of the Heathen World being agreed for a weekly day of rest And Opinions and Practice varying which day of the week is to be observed some affirming it to be one day and some another And those agreeing upon the day differing in the Grounds of its observation and the time of its beginning and ending And these Questions concerning a Moral Duty to which All are weekly obliged do make it worth while to look into it to find if possible whether the Question be as doubtful as the many Treatises thereof have left it and whether the Unresolvedness which is upon and still afresh ariseth in the Minds of Men be incurable And when we consider the number and weight of Books and their Authors for about an Hundred years last past pleading for the first day of the week as the weekly day of rest it is some marvel whence that Unresolvedness does come and how it is maintained and with some gets Strength under many endeavours to suppress it private Consciences raising sometimes the old and sometimes new Objections and Doubts which neither themselves nor any Man or Book did yet ever answer to their satisfaction The plain Word and Law of Jehovah seeming expresly to command the observation of one day and many writing for and keeping up another Consciences are commonly startled out of all that settlement which they seem sometimes to have gotten from the Opinions good Intentions Practice Authority and Books of Men and are still suspicious that a positive Command of God and that one of the ten Commands requires positive Obedience from Man Wherein that I may commuâ—icate what I can I premise 1. First The Persons herein eminently treated with being such as are professedly awed by a Principle of Subjection to the Will of Christ if it can be known what it is and who resolve their Perswasion in Religion into the Word of God and who acknowledge themselves obliged to practise his Will whatsoever it shall prove to be I take this for granted That whatever is the Mind of Christ in this as in other Cases in his Word ought to be observed by us all 2. Secondly That Christ's Will in this is revealed to us in the Scripture or no where As for those who because they find not a Command for the first day in the Scriptures do reflect upon them as not perfect and resort to Traditions to make up what they surmise is defective in them and who to supply the want of a particular Command for the First day lodge a general Power in the Church to make Laws in this Case to bind after-Ages I answer That the Scriptures do teach us all Truths and Duties necessary to Salvation and that it is so full a Direction 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. in all cases that Christians need not go down to what is not written for direction what to do Peace on them who walk according to this Rule Gal. 6. 16. And if the Church had such Power as some pretend there being such variety of Churches which of the Churches shall give the World a Rule in this And if all Churches had been of one mind all along quo jure by what Right could they alter any Law of God And after such a loose Principle admitted where shall any man and who shall set Bounds to that loose Principle And generally the most Learned of the Prelatical as well Romanists as others go that way Mr. Calvin Calvin's Instit Book 2. chap. 8. sect 33 34. also lays the greatest stress for the observation of the First day upon the Authority of the Church he says the old Fathers have not without reason of their choice put in place of the Sabbath-day the day we call Sunday so Mr. Calvin allows the alteration to be made by the old Fathers but Mr. Calvin's particular Opinion in this case was for a seventh part of every day And for those who think the Seventh day in the fourth Command was ceremonial and that keeping one day in seven that is the First day of the week is moral and remaineth Calvin calls this a trifling of false Prophets and an infecting the people with a Jewish Opinion and he adds that such do as much exceed as the Jews in gross and carnal Superstition Some of those again but those few and mean who are for the Seventh day have run far into another Extreme and endeavoured to introduce some of the Mosaical Ceremonies which are all abolish'd by the death of Christ and are nailed to his Cross and buried in his Grave and by such Col. 2. 14. conceits occasion Slanders upon others and discourage Eph. 2. 15 16. further Enquirers which Extravagancies I take to be the usual Artifice of Satan to prejudice and hinder us from using due means to givâ— our selves or others that satisfaction we need in so weighty a case and by how much the more Wanderings there are about this Question by so much the more it is requisite that we do what we can to clear our way therein And some who have written for the First day are so confident that they count all contrary Reasoning vain Cavils and say they think they have fully proved that point And some represent such as think that Seventh day is still the Christian Sabbath as Jews On the other hand same few of those who think the Seventh day the Christian Sabbath set out the First-day-men as decliniâ—g the determining Authority of the Scriptures And these Heats are carried so high on both sides that the Bonds of Love are much broken and Christian Communion almost cut asunder which ways of speaking and writing as vehement we much dislike and I am perswaded many of both sides whoever do mistake do conscientiously mistake and I hope if it be possible to come at the certain knowledge of the Will of Christ our common Lord would sit down thereby and a right way herein we may well presume has been often and earnestly sought on all hands of Him about it and the Scriptures and Histories searched and those who love Christ are undoubtedly or ought to be willing to keep his Commands Joh. 14. 15. And here without prejudice it cannot be denied but those worthy learned pious and excellent Ministers of Christ and others who have written so many elaborate Tracts for the First day have done it with good intentions as thinking it for the Honour of Christ to keep up a day in memory of his Resurrection Nor can they or any others without
little difficulty in this Question if the Scriptures as they ought be the Rule to judge it by As to the time when the Sabbath doth begin Sabbath when it begins I conceive it not to be at Midnight nor to end at Midnight after when we generally sleep according to the reckoning of this Kingdom nor at Noon as some other Countries reckon nor in the Morning when we usually rise as upon other days and so to end at Night when we usually go to Bed as upon other days as others reckon but upon the Evening before and so to the Evening after as the Lord reckons the Days to begin and end Gen. 1. 5 8 13 19 23 31. and Gen. 2. 1 2 3 and I do no where find that first Distribution of Days altered or distributed by Him wherein Mr. Shepherd in the latter end of his learned Book for the First day having done very well I referr the Reader who makes any doubt thereof to him for farther satisfaction in that if need be As for the manner of keeping holy the Sabbath day there is in Principle no great variety of Opinion or Practice amongst the Protestants but what an ordinary Understanding who is willing to live by Rule may with a little help resolve although I have known some over-strict and many overloose therein And it seems in short to lye in a lively spiritual Converse with the Father Son and Holy Spirit in private Duties and publick Ordinances where they may be had and in a Holy Rest all that day saving only nightly and dayly emergent Cases of Necessity and Mercy for Men and Beasts Sick and Well which generally are well stated by the Ministry of the Gospel For that which I enquire is Whether the Law of the Fourth Command as to the Seventh-day Sabbath be repealed or altered by any Word of God Which Enquiry may be allowed to one that is no Minister and indeed to every Christian whoin in Practice it equally concerns with me As to the publick Worship of that day I think it Eabbath Worship worthy some farther Enquiry Whether that Worship should not be twice as much as the Evening or the Morning Worship ordinarily is and Whether all that Publick Worship of the Sabbath should not be performed at one Publick Meeting Which Evening and Morning-Worship in their proper Seasons is not to be intermitted upon the Sabbath day and for this see Num. 28. 3 4 8 9. And I cannot upon the sudden recollect from the Old or New Testament any light of two distinct publick meetings of the Churches one before Noon and the other in the Afternoon as standing-Standing-Duties of the Sabbath day and as distinct from the Evening and Morning-Worship but this I submit to farther Enquiry We have one Psalm for the Sabbath day Psal 92 and but one expresly appointed for that day that I find although the rest of the Psalms may be used on that day as the rest of the Scriptures And as to the time of that one Publick Meeting and Worship of the Churches upon the Sabbath I think it would be enquired whether the Direction we have about it be not towards Noon which seems to be the time of feeding and resting spiritual Flocks Solomon's Song ch 1. v. 7. Evening and Morning and at Noon will I pray and cry aloud Psal 55. 17. And Daniel kneeled upon his Knees three times a day and prayed and gave Thanks before his God as he did afore-time Dan. 6. 10 13. which as I take it were the three stated times of Worship among the Jews but what certain Rule the Jews had from God as to their daily precise times of Evening and Morning Worship I know not but only Evening and Morning Exod. 29. 39 41 42 43 45. Num. 28. 4 8. When the Holy Spirit was given to the Disciples it was the third hour of the day which was our Nine of the Clock Acts 2. 3 4 15. And Peter's Vision was about the sixth hour Acts 10. 9 which was about our Noon And Peter and John went into the Temple at the ninth hour the hour of Prayer Acts 3. 1 for the Hebrews accounted the twelve hours of the day thus our six of the Clock in the Morning was their first our ninth their third hour of the day our twelve of the Clock at Noon their sixth hour our three of the Clock in the Afternoon their ninth hour our six of the Clock at Evening their twelfth hour as Scholars know so that their sixth hour was Noon and Peter's Vision was about Noon And Cornelius was praying about the ninth hour Acts 10. 30. But whether that of David or Daniel or Cornelius or this of Peter and John were upon the Sabbath being not directly written that I know I cannot tell And although we have so much of our LORD 's constant keeping of the Sabbath as his manner was and of Paul's keeping the Sabbath as his manner was yet I do not remember any Instance of their publick congregating or preaching above once upon that day But this also I submit entirely to the Word and to farther Enquiry But if that be the Mind of Christ which he has directed in his Word I think there is much to be said for it as accommodated to the ordinary Cases of Mankind both spiritual and worldly and I am credibly informed that in some parts of England Christians do meet but once upon the Sabbath day As for Tradition I mean so far as I can weakly Tradition gather from my small Stock of Books about the Seventh-day Sabbath when the observation thereof ended and about the First day when the observation thereof began amongst any Christians hoping the World may hereafter have a more exact account thereof if need be from some one or other who has better Abilities a better Library and more Youth Strength and Leisure whom the Lord may raise up I shall offer such broken imperfect Collections as I can after so many Removes of my little Study by the Distresses of this Age. But this I premise that my own clearest satisfaction that the Seventh-day Sabbath is not altered came by the means of the Scriptures and the Writings of the most Consciencious and Learned for the First day and after all I am of this opinion That the Sabbath cannot be repealed or altered but by the same Power and Authority which first commanded it which was our LORD himself As for me it was as I remember some years after I was convinced of the Seventh day Sabbath before I had seen any Book that was written for it or before I had spoken with any person that was for the observation thereof and â— did and do find that the ablest Writers in my weak Opinion for the First day have with that soundness established the Ten Commands and their abiding Obligation to the end of the World and then by Conjectures have endeavoured to bring in â—he First day that the more I see the more I am
confirmed â—hat the vulgar Opinion for the First day is a vulgar Error which wants nothing to remove it as I humbly apprehend â—ut only the time when Christ will by his Spirit give an efficaâ—y to his plain Command and Word which First day has this Evidence of its weak Foundation that while some of the most â—earned do what they can by Writing and Practice to support â— they often beget new and confirm old Doubts about it and â— discover the Dust they raise to darken the Question to be â—ut Dust and shew the Sandiness of the Ground upon which â—hey build that Change And one sure way to convince an impartial enquiring Mind who has leisure enough is to read Mr. Hughes and Mr. Shepherd's Treatises about it wherein a plain Mind may discern so large Concessions about the Obligation of the Moral Law as seem to me to answer all Objections besides the great Contrariety there is amongst the Writers for the First day wherein he that will observe the Order of Time wherein their Books are written may find especially now of late that the last Book printed for the First day is ordinarily a tacite Answer to that which was last printed before it for the First day as two eminent Writers for the First day as it seems to me in answer to Mr. Hughes without naming him and to one another do shew whereof somewhat before by which 't is evident they think some hurt the Cause they write for and no two that I know of the many that have written have yet agreed upon the Grounds of its Observation And now at last it is openly avowed by one of the greatest of all the Writers for the First day that it is not instituted by the Scriptures By which words I think he gives up this Cause for if it be not instituted by the Scriptures and consequently not by Christ or by his Apostles or by the Holy Spirit there by whom when and where was it instituted Who but Christ has Power to institute a Sabbath day or to alter his Institution To whom has Christ given any Authority to alter one Iota or Tittle of the Moral Law Who are they that are bound to observe a weekly day not instituted by Christ in the Scriptures or are bound to lay aside what he has there instituted because of Private Mens Sayings and Writings And how this Law for the First day being an Universal Law and endeavoured to be imposed on the Universal Church can be excused from an high Usurpation of the Divine Authority and from an accusing Christ as if he had not sufficiently done his Work I know not And whatsoever some write for Obedience to their Inventions I cannot imagine they think any shaâ— be condemned or blamed by Christ at last for not doing whaâ— he has not required in his Word or that they would have uâ— live by the Rule of Tradition when they know and acknowledgâ— we must be judged by another Rule viz. by the Word Anâ— that the Word of God which we have is the Rule by which aâ— Worship Doctrines Conversation Discipline and all Mankindâ— are to be tryed in this World and shall be finally judged at laâ—â— I take to be the great Christian Principle as to this and thâ—â— which as far as I can recollect is generally avowed by all the sound Protestants that I have read or known in the World And I shall not wonder if some men under the colours of Tradition usurp the Divine Authority against the First Command and if such write and plead for what I think I can shew is forbidden in the Second Command and if they break in upon all the Commands for all which Men may easily plead Tradition all Ages more or less having brought forth some Transgressors of all the Commands which to such Arguers are Historical Evidences for such Practices But follow no man farther than he follows Christ And there is no Principle more evident and universally confessed by all the Reformed Christians than that whatever God commands us in his Worship or otherwise that we are to do be the things themselves in our Eye great or small And when Men can bind God's Promises of Assistance and Acceptance to their Inventions whether they be days or any thing else in his Worship or other Duty of Man then and not before they may appoint a new day of Rest Obj. And whereas one learned Writer for the First day thinks we cannot make good any one single Verse of the Scripture without Traditions Ans I had thought to have shewn in a Sheet or two that the sound Protestant Divines do generally agree that a Christian may be infallibly certain of his Faith by the Scriptures the Certainty whereof the Lord by his Spirit seals upon the Hearts of his Converts John 16. 7 8 13. And I had thought to give Instances of those converted by Christ and by his Apostles and since by his Ministers by his Word and Holy Spirit as never â—ent nor going to Tradition to assure them of the Divine Auâ—hority of that Word which did convert them which Word â—veth and abideth for ever And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto us 1 Pet. 23. 25 and is settled in Heaven Psal 119. 89 and will stand for ever Isa 40. 8. But thus much â—ay be a sufficient Answer to that Objection The late great and learned Assembly in their Confession of Faith â— 1. par 9 10 say The infallible Rule of Interpretation of â— Scripture is the Scripture it self and therefore when there is â— Question about the true and full sence of any Scripture it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly And parag 10. The supreme Judge of all Controversies in Religion can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scriptures And the Elders and Messengers of the Congregational Churches c. that met at the Savoy Ann. 1658 in their Declaration of their Faith and Order Ch. 1. Art 4 say The Authority of the Holy Scripture for which it ought to be believed and obeyed dependeth not upon the Testimony of any Man or Church but wholly upon God who is Truth it self the Author thereof and therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God See also Art 5 6. And Art 9 't is said The infallible Rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture it self c. As in the Assemblys Confession above cited and Artic. 10. to the same effect with the Assemblys Confession also And the Confession of Faith of the Antopaedobaptists Chap. 1 speaks the same things and in the same words or at least with very little variation of the words As to Traditions for the First day called Sunday the observation thereof amongst some I acknowledge is Traditions for and against Sunday ancient and that the Heathen Nations did oâ— old long before the Birth of our Lord offer Sacrifice to the Sun and worship
which then comprehended both East and West they should â—rbear to Labour or do any Work upon the Dominical â—y Eusebius in The Life of Constantine fol. 59 60 He sends â— Edict to all Governours of Provinces that they should forthâ—ith observe the Dominical day that they should honour Hoâ— days consecrated to the Memory of Martyrs and so settles â—oly-days and the First day by the same Edict Calvis Chro. Fol. 513. â—hich Edict was made about An. Christi 321. â—d Constantine died about An. Dom. 348 saith â—crates in the Margin so that this keeping the weekly Seventh-day Sabbath by all the Christian Churches except the Romans and Alexandrians must be some years after Constantines Death Which Testimony of so substantial a Witness besides the former and after Testimonies I do somewhat relye upon as an humane Authority and Tradition against that Affirmation of neither Trace nor Footstep for any other than the First day and this without the dissent of any single person as they remember dissenting in 1600 years whereas if this and divers Facts before and after remembred be true which by an Historical Faith no man can well doubt then all the Christians in the World between three and four hundred years after Christ except the Romans and Alexandrians in their Assemblies as every week came about celebrated the Mysteries upon the Sabbath day whilst the Romans and Alexandrians celebrated the First day which they called the Dominical day which I take to be a very great Evidence that the change of Times and Laws prophesied Dan. 7. 25 was brought about by Rome Cent. 7. Caranza's Councils fol. 311 312 339 340 the sixth General Council held at Constantinople the Emperor Constantinâ— Pogonatus President and Legates sent from Pope Agatho were present in the year of our Lord 673 Can. 52 the Fathers oâ— that Council enacted That no new Consecration should be all the Lent unless upon the Sabbath and Dominical The Sabbath is yet named by a General Council before the Dominical day and that in the seventh Century for we command that those days be kept Festivals and not to mourn oâ— fast upon them so that 673 years after Christ the Sabbath bâ— a General Council is established a Festival even in Lent And Fol. 340 Can. 55 the Fathers being informed that iâ— Rome they fasted in Lent upon the Sabbath against thâ— Tradition and Custom of the Church here â— Tradition affirmed by a General Council for oâ— Tradition for the Seventh-day Sabbath Ann. Dom. 673. serving the Sabbath as a Festival and that in Lâ—â— it seemed good to the holy Synod that in â—â— Church of Rome the Canon should forthwith oâ— tain or be put in execution if any Clerk be found in tâ— holy Dominical or Sabbath fasting besides one and one onlâ— let him be deposed but if he be a Laick let him be excoâ—municated So severe was this Eastern General Council â— continue the Sabbath a Festival and that against Rome it self 'T is true the First day of the week in some few places where Popery much prevailed at that time might be observed under the name of the Dominical day as a Festival and from the Contention which had been and then was between the Eastern and Western Churches about observing the Passover yearly and the weekly Festival upon the Dominical day it came to pass as I think that so many Popes Abbots Bishops Canons c. assumed the name of Dominicus As before whilst the Disputes between the Popes and the ancient Churches lasted about what day to keep the Passover upon divers of the Popes and Antipopes assumed the name of Paschalis And when this Controversie about the Sabbath was by the Popes somewhat quieted in these Western parts which was about the Thirteenth Century whereof more afterward then arises Dominicus the Hermit and then St. Dominic about 1243 i. e. about 447 years since and erects the Order of Dominicans which is continued amongst the Romanists to this day Cardinal Baronius's Annals An. Christi 603 sect 2 tom 8. Moguntiae sect 17. This year at Rome St. Gregory the Pope corrected that Error which some preached by Jewish Superstition or the Grecian Custom That it was a Duty to worship upon the Sabbath in like wise as upon the Dominical days and he calls such Preachers The Preachers of Antichrist By which it is evident that some then held themselves and others obliged to keep holy the Sabbath and preached it up and probably in Rome though the Pope calls it an Error This was in the seventh Century So as notwithstanding all the great contrary Affirmations and Boastings there are in the ancient Histories many Evidences of Tradition for the Seventh-day Sabbath Cent. 9. Baronius Ann. Chr. 828 sect 25 26 27 mentions a Story of a Maid possessed with a Daemon who being examined by a Romish Priest said He was an Officer and Disciple of Satan sent with Eleven more to destroy the Kingdom of the Franks because inter alia they did not keep the Dominical days as that Daemon calls them and other Holy-days So it seems it did not then obtain in France To which the Case of Abbot Eustachius in Scotland has some resemblance Cent. 10. Augustine on the 6th Chapter of John Tract 26. saith That in some places they communicate upon the Saturday and Sunday only which is quoted in Galvin's fol. English Institutions fol. 701 Quaere when and where that was Binius Cent. 13 Tomi tertii part altera fol. 1448. We have the initiating or first bringing in the Dominical day by a Council into Scotland which is there said to be An. Dom. 1203 that is in the 13th Century which is a famous Instance and as to that Kingdom will strike off Twelve hundred years of the pretended Sixteen hundred years Tradition It was in Scotland which Kingdom had divers early Plantations of the Gospel in some parts of it but generally received the Christian Religion about the year 435. Heylin's Geog. fol. 332. but if my Authorities be good had no observation of the First day until the year 1201 or 1202 or 1203. which Binius says was 1203 near Eight hundred years after Christianity was planted and professed in that Church and Kingdom and but about 490 years since Binius's Councils Tomi tertii Pars altera fol. 1448. A Council was celebrated in Scotland about the initiating or first bringing in then surely it was not there before of the Dominical i. e. of the First day which some now call the Lord's day or Sunday which he calls the Dominical which Council he says was held An. Dom. 1203 in the time of Pope Innocent III. See Roger Heveden whom Binius quotes An. 1202 and Matt. Paru's old Impression f. 192 193 and Lucius's Ecclesiastical History which he gathered out of the oldest and best Writers printed at Basil 1624. Lucius Cent. 13 fol. 264 Lucius says of the Dominical day In a certain Council in Scotland it was enacted That it should be
Nor in the Eleventh Century only fol. 215 E one Humbert contended strongly That Christ eat the Passover the Fourteenth day of the Moon and not the Thirteenth Cent. 12. Fol. 660 We have Pope Paschal the Second Fol. 677 Pope Paschal the Third Antipope Cent. 13. Nor is there any thing considerable that I find of this Question in the Thirteenth Century He who will take the pains may find much more of this about Easter in Binius and in Magâ—eburgenses and in Eâ—sebius which I had also collected but upon further thoughts I think this sufficient The Difference that still remains about the time of observing Easter between Rome and those who with Rome observe the new stile and those Nations who observe the old stile shews that in this also one of them is an Error and I think they are both out as before Upon the whole of this matter it seems to Rome made the Alterations me the first Endeavour of Rome was to introduce without any Command from God the yearly observation of the Passover upon the First day of the week in the Spring which was about the Second and Third Centuries and then the weekly observing the First day instead of the Seventh all the year long and by degrees they introduced other yearly and weekly Feasts and Fasts the weekly Fasts are Wednesdays Fridays and Saturdays 〈◊〉 Saturday is their Lady Maries day the yearly Fasts are Leâ— and the Eves of Saints days Their weekly Feast is the First day their yearly Festivals are the Passover Pentecost Christmas and a multitude of Saints-days So a great part of the year is now all in Feasts and Fasts and the rest of the Fourth Command Six days shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do is in effect much lain aside also as well as the Seventh day for Rest such Confusion has Rome brought into the World for which I see no other total Cure but by laying all Additions aside and returning singly to the Law and Word of God And as I say to that about the First day the same I say to this of the Passover that neither one nor the other is commanded in the Word 't is I think evident they both come from Rome I know a little that whosoever varies from Peace and Truth other mens common Sentiments in matters of Religion in any one point he presently falls under Prejudice And because there have been many Errors and Heresies therefore the plainest Truths however confirmed by Christ and this Word become suspected plain Christians for fear of displeasing others are frighted from looking into the Scriptures and searching there whether things are so or no and so for Peace sake go on in ways of Sin because it is the common Road and Track of others whom they esteem and whose Kindness they endanger if they be not made Masters of their Faith and Practice which Peace is a great thing and carefully to be maintained but still so far as is consistent with Truth and Holiness and no further for otherwise the Reformed Churches had never put for nor obtained that great degree of Reformation which we have if they must for Peace sake have sate down contented without those Alterations wherein they now generally differ from the Church of Rome and we must contentedly have sate down under all Administrations as they are used in that Church without looking further if Peace had been a Rule abstracted from Truth and Holiness but in regard the Lord has made it the Duty of every Man and Woman to obey GOD rather than Man Acts 4. 19 and whatever others whether they be more or less say or do to the contrary that we must follow them so far and so far only as they are followers of Christ and no further 1 Cor. 11. 1. Eph. 5. 1. 1 Pet. 3. 13. And seeing that all our Thoughts Words and Actions should now be governed and shall at last be judged by Christ as our Judge and by his Law and Word as the Rule it behoves us not to reject any Light which he graciously offers to set us right in any part of his Will And as God of old reserved the more open giving restoring and divulging of his Law upon Mount Sinai and therein this Fourth Command to the time of his delivering his People Israel out of literal Aegypt whether he have not also reserved the calling the Western Churches and those of the Eastern Churches of Christ which have in any sort sucked in the like or any other Corrupt Alterations to the time of delivering his People out of spiritual Aegypt or thereabout I cannot tell but that he will some time or other restore the Knowledge and Practice of his Will in this I do the more expect because of his Promises by his Holy Spirit to teach us all things John 14. 26. And for that reason as I ought not to prescribe so I am indeed no Judge which time is fittest but do plead his Cause in my day as I think my Duty is and hold my self and all others bound to the observance of his Commands although I acknowledge great Imperfections in our Obedience to every one of the Commands which nothing can expiate but the perfect Righteousness of Christ I remember some had a desire to keep up Circumcision not fully understanding that God had abolish'd that Ceremony while Paul was clear in the Doctrine of laying it aside and it often comes to pass that God puts a Thought into our Mind that like a Sun-beam makes a Truth visible in a moment which before we could not discern The Holy Spirit divides to every man severally 1 Cor. 12. 11 as he will and distributes the Treasures of Evangelical Knowledge sometimes upon the meanest of Earthen Vessels and maketh use of one man in one and of another in another Case that none may Glory and all may see their Need of Him and of one another and may all be willing to receive all his Will As Christ is Lord of his Grace so he is Lord of his time when to dispence it and of persons to use whom he will about it Acts 17. 26. Quest 12. If the Seventh-day Sabbath were prophaned by the Church before the Coming of Christ and reformed And whether it be prophesied by any of the Prophets who should change the Sabbath in the Times of the Gospel Q. 1. If the Sabbath day were prophaned before Christ's Coming and reformed Ans The Restauration of the Jewish State after a long discontinuance of it was brought about and their Temple rebuilt by Nehemiah Governour under the King of Persia Nehem. chap. 1 to the 7th Chapter and when he had drawn Israels Princes Priests and People into an Oath to observe God's Commands and not to buy Wares on the Sabbath day Neh. 9. 38. 10. 28 29 31 he saw some who trod Wine-presses laded Asses brought in Sheaves Wine Grapes Figgs and Burthens into the City on the Sabbath day and the men