That it is Credible that the first Fathers were taught of God concerning the manner of Worship And from the same God received the Religion of that Day Thus ye have a glance of Rivet's Third Argument The rest of Rivet's Arguments for the Original of the Sabbath to have been from the Beginning of the World I shall omit and dismiss untoucht both because Rivet himself confesseth That they are not of any great moment if the Three former and chiefer would not prevail as also because I here give the Reader notice that the main of them would be touched in our ESSAY CAP. V. D. Heylyn is Opposed in the Matter and Substance of the present Question of the Original of the Sabbath 1. By Learned Dr. Willet 2. By Worthy Mr Weemes both which contend for the Truth not in single Combat with every particular opposed but to assert and corroborate in gross and in common the main of the Controversy 1. HEylyn * In his History of the Sabbath makes the Challenge That those words Gen. 2. And God blessed the Seventh day c. are there delivered by way of Anticipation Anticipations saith he of the same nature not strange in Scripture No Law imposed by God on Adam touching keeping of the Sabbath The Fathers afore the Law kept not the Sabath c. So Heylyn Verba sine rebus 2. Doctor Willet's Answer Willet On Ger. 2. v. 3.14 in opposition thereunto on Gen. 2.4 Cites and Asserts as follows Here we have the Institution of the Sabbath saith Willet which afterward was revivd by the promulgation of the Moral Law We refuse therefore the erroneous Opinion of Tostatus and * In Gen. Lib. 1. p. 223. Pererius two Popish Authors who think that this Sanctifying of the Sabbath is here mentioned by way of Anticipation being not Instituted till the time of Moses For say they every day to man in the state of Innocency should have been a Sabbath Neither was there any positive Precept given to Adam in Paradise but only that of not eating the forbidden fruit But in this affirming they are grosly deceived 1. Man had now Transgressed before the Sabbath was Instituted as after shall be proved And therefore they do out of time urge the State of Man's Innocency 2. If Man had continued in that State seeing he was appointed to keep the Garden and not to live idly no not in Paradise it is most like that even then he should have kept the Sabbath as a rest and Intermission even from such Labour as became that place and as a Symbole unto him of a further perfection to be attained unto 3. That the Sabbath was Instituted now the Creation being finished it may appear by the Fourth Commandement Exod. 20.11 where this Reason of the Law is given For in Six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth c. 4. It is also evident that the Sabbath was kept by Godly Tradition before the Moral Law was given as appeares Exod. 16.23 To morrow is the Rest of the holy Sabbath to the Lord. N. B. 5. Thus the ancient Fathers Jerom Austin The ancient Fathers alledged and Origen ground the Institution of the Sabbath upon God's Example in this place Jerom. trad in Gen. 2. Aust Ps 80. And Origen thus answereth Celsus Lib. 6. objecting If God were weary that he need to rest God rested saith he that we resting from our labour should celebrate that day Thus of Doctor Willet Of Weemes in Chap. 6. CAP. VI. Now for a close let us hear Learned Weems speaking punctually and fully to the Question in his Exercitations divine Command 4. p. 229. Quest QVestion Whether the Sabbath was from the begining or not Ans The Lord setteth down his Example for Imitation to us because he rested that day that we may learn That the Institution of the Sabbath was from the beginning Which is contrary to them who hold That the Sabbath was not ordained to be kept till after the Lord had rained down Manna Ex. 16. Obj. And they say that these words The Lord rested from all his Works the Seventh day were a Reason added to Moses's Sabbath when the Law was given but not to Adams's Sabbath before the Fall Answ But we answer In the reasons of the Commands there is something Natural from the Begining and something added by Moses As in the respect of the 5th Commandement this was Juris Naturae of natural right given to Adam and all his Posterity viz. Honour thy Father and thy Mother THAT THY DAYS MAY BE LONG that is live happily here and then to be Translated to another life But his was Juris Mosaici of Mosaical right That thy days may be long in THE LAND WHITHER THOU ART TO GO So this was Juris Naturae of Natural Right in the Reason added to the Sabbath Thou shalt rest from all thy Works because God rested from his Works But this is only Juris Mosaici only of Mosaical Right That the Sabbath should be a Sign between God and them and belongeth not to Adam's Sabbath Ezek. 20.10 I brought them out of Egypt and gave them my Sabbaths that they might be a sign between me and them The Sabbath was 〈◊〉 particular Sign to them of their bringing out of Aegypt And they should always remember to keep it because the Lord brought them out of Aegypt The Sabbath was from the Beginning but it was accessory to the Jewish Church that it was made a Sign as the Rainbow was from the Beginning the Reflex of the Sun in a Cloud But it was not a Sign to the World until the Deluge Obj. 2 But they say we read nothing in the whole History of Genesis of the Sabbath or that any of the Patriarcks kept it Ans We read nothing that the Adulterous and Incestuous persons were put to Death before Judah's time N. B. Did the Patriarches suffer this sin to be unpunished all this time And is it probable that the Holy Men of God who Sacrificed to the Lord and Worshiped him had not a certain time for his Worship determined to them The Lord Sanctified the Sabbath as soon as he had rested from his Works and set up the Sun and the Moon Lemaguadim which is the Hebrew word used afterwards in the Law for the holy Convention ad stata tempora i. e. Set appointed times What appointed times were then for his Worship N. B. if not the Sabbath For as yet they had none of their Aniversary Feasts Obj. 3 Again they say That the words set down in this Law That thou mayst rest and thy Servant may rest belonged not to Adam's Sabbath For Adam before the Fall was not wearied and there should have been no servile Subjection before the Fall Therefore these words belong only to Moses's Sabbath Answ Although Adam should not have been wearied in dressing of the Garden yet it behoved him to rest that he might exercise himself only in the Worship of God And
Bethel Gen. 12.8 and Chap. 13.4 and there called on the name of the Lord the true God And likewise he planted a Grove in Beer-sheba and there called on the name of the Lord Gen. â—1 33 the Everlasting God And prepared all things at God's command to offer up his Son Isaac for a burnt-offering though afterwards he was forbidden the Execution Therefore Idolaters planted Groves Gen. 22. and Worshiped in High-places their Idols and made their Children to pass through the fire to them mentioned as high Crimes throughout the Old Testament Even such is the Rise of the highest Idolatry to wit of worshiping of false Gods That because Godly men Worshiped the true God according to his divine Inspirations and Institutions therefore Idolaters it an inique and unequel imitation Worshiped their false Gods according to their own inventions And this Idolatry is most Ancient N. B. and practised by Abraham Terah and Nachor in Chaldea before they were called out Josh 24. v. 3. and Converted from it Gen. 12.31 And Chap. 12.1 Now to draw down our discourse to the particular point in hand ¶ 2. The great and Universal Monarches Saturnus Babylonicus and Belus his Son and other Potentates of Assyria and Chaldea having Idolatrously seâ— up the whole Host of Heaven i. e The Sun Moon and Stars to be their Gods it is not imaginable that they would Dedicate any other day to the honour of their greatest God viz. the Sun theâ—â— the day which the Patriarchs before the Flood Dedicated to God the Creator of the Sun which doth further appear in that those Worshippers of the Sun having robbed God of his Worship they robbed him also of his Name For Nimrod having given to the Sun his greatest God the Name of Baal â—e afterwards assumed that name â—o himself * Jo. Gr. Assyr Monarch And Belus giving â—o their greatest God the Sun â—he name of Jove the Contract of Jehovah the said Belus afterwards took that name to himself and was called Jove Bel. * Idem Biblian ¶ 3. And moreover seeing â—he Idolaters assigned to every of their Seven Planet-Gods one of the seven days in the week â—o considering sober man can â—hink otherwise but that they would Dedicate and Celebrate â—o their greatest God the SVN whom they called God of Gods and Lord of Lords the day formerly observed and celebrated to the great and true God of Heaven and Earth rather then to the Moon and Mercury or other their inferior Gods And therefore nothing can be more probable then that the Seventh day with the ancient Patriarchs was no other but that which afterwards was the SUN-DAY Sonnes-day or Day of or to the Sun with the Assyrians and from them was called Sunday or Day of the Sun by other Nations also as the other days of the week were called by the other names of the Planets as we do to this day viz. Moonday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday all Saxon names of the Six inferiour Planet-Gods Whereupon as I said before this was one reason why the Lord changed to the Jews the Seventh day from our Sunday to the Jews Saturday CHAP. VIII Proving that the Heathen Gentiles did of old in all Countries and Generations Worship the Sun Sect. 1. HAving shew'd how and by what means the Heathen Gentiles of old took cognizance of the Supereminency of Sunday or day of the Sun and hinted that they on that day worshiped the Sun Now for Confirmation of it and to make way to that which must follow it is requisite that I should prove That the Heathen Gentiles did â—n all Countries and Generations of old Worship the Sun ¶ 1. The Assyrians with the help of the Chaldeans set up the Idolatry of Worshiping the Host of Heaven viz. Sun Moon and the rest of the Planets Macrob. Saturn l. 1. c. 9.17 18 19 20 21 22 23. And Rabbi Maimonides one of the soberest of the Jewish Writers as some Learned assert affirms That from the days of Enosh the Stars were Worshiped as Gods After which time the great God was generally forgotten No man scarcely knew the true God but Enoch Methusalah Noah Sem. and Heber De Jol. 1. Quest Thus Maimonides * Maimon Some yea and of the Learned Quaere How Maimonides should come to know what he hath said Ans 1 To this first we Answer from Gen. 4.26 And to Seth was born a SON and he called his name ENOS then began men saith our English Translation to call upon the Name of the Lord. But the Learned H. Broughton * Broughtons works in Folio p. 11. p. 64. p. 219. p. 339. Presented it to King Jâ—â—â—s in Print five times at least in his Works blame this Translation and thus Translates it Also to Seth was born a Son and he called his name Sorrowful Enos Then had sprung up prophaneness instead of calling upon the name of the Eternal And gives these reasons 1. At Enos Birth Religion is sorrowfully corrupted through Marriage with Cain's House Enos Sorrowful and Kenan Lamentable so called for Idolatry then arising For he saith in another place of his Works That the Ten Fathers or Patriarchs before the Flood had names given to them Consignificant to the time And 2. Because presently in the next Chapter save one Moses tells us viz. in Chap. 6. is the declining of the Sons of God in Religion and of the coming of the Flood And it seems by Nicholas de Lyra That the Learned Jews did understand this Scripture of the corrupting Religion in those times The Chaldeâ— Paraphrase likewise Translates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sons of Men gave off from calling upon the name of the Lord. And in that Edition in 4 o. Printed at London of that accurate Translation of the Bible by F. Junius a Learned Christian and J. Tremelius a Pious and Learned Jew Printed at London this Text is thus Translated Tunc coeptum est profanari in invocando nomine Jehovae That is then began men to be Prophane in calling upon the name of Jehovah And sutable are his notes upon the place Tunc sub Enoschi tempora Caeptum est profanari id est Alii posteri Schethi apud quos mansura est Ecclesia a Caiinitis corrupti caeperunt prophanare se In invocando i. e. in cultu Dei vide inquit Cap. 5.22 cap. 6.2 Now this Enos living above Five hundred years before the Flood shews us no small antiquity of Idolatry 2. We answer to the Quaere That the knowledg of the Planetary Idolatry might come down to the Ancient Rabbies by sure Tradition For as Sem lived about an hundred years before the Flood when the Planets were deemed to be the Universal Governors of the World So he lived long viz. Five hundred years after the Flood Though he lived not to Moses's time yet did he live till Abraham was an old Man if he did not live after Abraham's Burial Before which
¶ 1. In that when the parts of the Natural day are mentioned in Scripture before Israels coming out of Aegypt the Morning was set before the Night Gen. 1.16 17 18. God made two great Lights the greater Light to rule the DAY and the lesser Light to rule the Night he made also the Stars And God set them in the Firmament of Heaven And to rule over the DAY and over the NIGHT and to divide the LIGHT from the DARKNESS Likewise in Gen. 7.4 Yet seven DAYS and I will cause it to rain upon the Earth forty DAYS and forty Nights And vers 12. The rain was upon the Earth forty DAYES and forty Nights Item Gen. 8. last While the Earth remains Seed-time and Harvest and cold and heat and Summer and Winter and DAY and Night shall not cease ¶ 2. Because at what time soever or hour of the day light the Scripture speaks of the following Night it expresseth it in this manner To Night This Night This same Night as belonging to the same day and not to the following day See Gen. 19.34 Where THIS Night is exprest as the Night-darkness that followed the day's Day-light immediately foregoing as belonging thereunto So Gen. 26. 24. And Isaac went up from thence to Beersheba and the Lord appeared unto him THE SAME NIGHT that is the Night belonging to the immediate preceding DAY LIGHT wherein Isaac Travelled up to Beersheba ¶ 3. When at any hour of the day-light the Scripture mentions Night it speaks not of the Night as belonging to the day following but as belonging to the day before-going saying Yester-night Gen. 19.34 YESTERNIGHT I lay with my Father And Gen. 31.42 God hath seen saith Jacob to Laban mine affliction and the labours of my hands and rebuked thee YESTERNIGHT But when at Night they spake of the Day following they used not to say TO DAY or THIS DAY but to MORROW or the MORROW AFTER Num. 33.3 They departed from Rameses in the first Moneth in the fifteenth day of the first moneth on the MORROW AFTER the Passover the Children of Israel went out with an high hand c. So 1 Sam. 19.11 And Saul sent Messengers to David's house to watch him and to stay him in the MORNING And Michael David's Wife told him saying If thou save not thy life TO NIGHT TO MORROW thou shalt be slain signifying by the morrow another day Mat. 6.34 Jam. 4. 13 14. Sect. 2. Yea I might further assert That after Israels coming out of Aegypt the Jews mentioned in Scripture did commonly accompt the Artificial day of Day light to be the former part of the day in respect of their Civil affairs Exod. 13.21 22. The Lord went before them by DAY in a Pillar of a Cloud to lead them the WAY and by night in a Pillar of Fire to give them Light He took not away the Pillar of the Cloud by DAY nor the Pillar of Fire by Night So Levit. 8.35 Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation DAY and Night See also Num. 9.21 So it was when the Cloud was taken up in the MORNING then they journyed whether it was by DAY or by Night CAP. IV. Of the change of the beginning of the Natural Day and the Effect thereof Sect. 1. WHen the Israelites were come out of Aegypt the NIGHT was made excepted as before excepted the former part of the Natural day This appears ¶ 1. Because a never to-be forgotten Memorial or Memorandum is solemnly put upon that Night wherein they march'd out of Aegypt Exod. 12.42 It is a Night to be much observed unto the Lord for bringing them out from the Land of Aegypt This is that Night of the Lord to be observed of all the Children of Israel in their Generations ¶ 2. The Israelites were commanded after their coming out of Aegypt to celebrate the Sabbath from Evening to Evening Levit. 23.32 N. B. From Evening to Evening shall ye celebrate your Sabbath Sect. 2. The new beginning of the Week Whereupon they so begin their Week-days also whereby their Sabbath day was measured out unto them to be their Seventh day otherwise their Seventh day would not have been proportionable to their six days of labour Sect. 3. A new beginning of the Year From hence also their Year had a new beginning For whereas formerly they began their Year in the Month Tisri N. B. which consisted chiefly of our September after all their ingathering of all their Fruits of the Earth Exod. 23.16 And the Feast of Harvest the First-fruits of thy labours which thou hast sown in the Field and the Feast of INGATHERING which is in the END of the YEAR when thou hast gathered in the Labours out of the field Likewise Ex. 34.22 And thou shalt observe the Feast of weeks of the First-fruits of Wheat-Harvest and the Feast of Ingathering at the YEARS-END Now hence forward they were to begin their Year with the Moneth in which they had their Freedom from Aegypt Exod. 12. 2. This Moneth shall be unto you the BEGINNING of MONETHS it shall be the FIRST MONETH of the YEAR to you Which Moneth was called in the Hebrew Abib and by the Chaldee Nisan consisting partly of our March and partly of our April being with them the first Moneth after the Vernal Aequinoctial that is after the Spring-Aequality of the Day and Night So that from after their deliverance from Aegypt the Israelites had a new Year and a new Moneth and a new day to begin their year withal N. B. So that although in respect of their Civil Affairs they began their Year their Moneth and Day as they did before they came out of Aegypt yet in this New Ecclesiastical or Sacred Year they began their Day at Even All their Sabbaths and all other their Sacred days and so also their Week-days for measuring out to them their Sacred days they began at Even They had the Evening to be the former part of the Day Levit. 23.32 Sect. 4. To speak a little more particularly to the said Change That the Artificial day of Day-light among the Jews consisted of Twelve hours is evident by Scripture Act. 2.15 These men are not drunken as ye suppose seeing it is but the third hour of the day that is Nine of the Clock in the Morning so that Six in the Morning was the first hour of their day And Mat. 27.45 Now from the Sixth hour that is Twelve of the Clock at noon-day there was darkness to the Ninth hour i. e. Three of the Clock in the Afternoon And consequently the Twelfth hour was Six of the Clock at Evening the period of their day And proportionably was the reckoning of their Night ¶ 1. Now as Moses put back the account saying Levit 23.32 From Evening to Evening shall ye celebrate your Sabbath And upon that footing of the account Exod. 12.41 42. And it came to pass at the end of the Four hundred and thirty
Years even the the self same day it came to pass that all the Hosts of Lord went out from the Land of Aegypt It is a NIGHT to be much observed unto the Lord for bringing them out of the Land of Aegypt this is that Night of the Lord to be observed of all the Children of Israel in their Generations I say as Moses thus put back the account to begin the Sabbath-day at the Evening before viz. from Six of the Clock that Evening to continue to Six of the Clock at Evening of the next ensuing day So Christ re-assumed and brought forward all that day Light and put it to the next day with which together with the Night following he made a new distinct day by rising early in the Morning of that new-made day having put an end to the Jewish Sabbath Mat. 28.1 In the END of the Sabbath Christ then put an end to the Jewish Sabbath when it began 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dawn with some Light towards the FIRST DAY of the week in which rising Christ ceased as Learned Weemse notes according to Heb. 4.10 from his own Works N. B. as God did from his ¶ 2. 'T is true as ye have heard that this day in the whole Matter was the Jews Seventh day Sabbath But when as hath been explained Christ had new formed and bounded it by restoring its Evening to it and so making it as a new day in that respect then was it called the FIRST DAY of the week because it was the primest day of the week and was the beginning of the Christians new Measure and Accompt of days opposite to that old Measure and Accompt that Moses delivered to Israel Lev. 23.32 CHAP. V. The reason why Gen. 1. Of every days work it is said The Evening and the morning made one day the Evening being put before the Morning contrary to our Assertion CHAP. 3. And §. 1. In giving the reason whereof is set forth the true Nature of those Six days wherein God Created the World Sect. 1. Obj. IF it be objected That before Israels coming out of Aegypt the Evening which is as aforesaid the Artificial Night was set before the Morning which is the Artificial Day both being the two parts of the Natural Day Gen. 1.5 c. The Evening and the Morning were the First Day Second Day Third Day Fourth Day c. We answer ¶ 1. Those days were Creational days Not Natural days of Twenty four hours measured out by the Sun circling the Earth once every Natural day But they were Creational days peculiar to the Creation wherein God did work every days work producing Entities out of Non-entities Habits out of privations and rested the Seventh Day ¶ 2. They were extraordinary days not measured out by the Motion of the Sun as now For in the first second and third of those days there was no Sun as yet in being to measure them ¶ 3. And they were Vniversal days that is when it was day it was day over the universal World when it was Night it was Night every where over the whole Universe both in regard of the beginning and ending of the Day and the Night To make it more plain that these were Vniversal days let us consider an instance or two The Universal day explained by instances in one Day The First Day was such a day as when it began any where it began every where No where then was it no day nor any other then the First day of God's Creation There was in Nature before though not before in time a mixture of Light and Darkness Gen. 1.2 But when God had out of it formed the Light and made it shine out of that Duskishness dividing the Light from the Darkness so as they should never be both in one Hemisphere but orderly each succeeding the other God then called that Light so divided by the name of Day that is Day-light And that Darknes so divided he called Night that is the Nights darkness The full Revolution of both which was the First Day In this division of the Light and Darkness or Day and Night though the Night was before the Day in one Hemisphere that is over one half of the World And the Day before the Night in the other Hemisphere yet in respect of the whole Universe neither of them was before the other in time When the First Day began somewhere when it was Night at the same time that First Day began some otherwhere when it was Day-light Every where did the First Day begin at the same time The same may be said of the Second and Third Day before the Sun Moon and Stars were Created Yea likewise the Fourth Day in which the Sun Moon and Stars were Created if they moved as soon as they were Created was notwithstanding an Universal Day that so all Seven might in a just proportion of length and number answer to one another When it was the Fourth day any where it was the Fourth day every where I say not Day-light every where but it was the Fourth day consisting of Day-light and Night-darkness A Caution to the Reader The Reader must always distinguish between a Day and Day-light Now though it is not revealed in what hour or time of the Fourth day the Sun Moon and Stars were Created the whole Fourth Day being allotted by the Divine Story N. B. to and for their Creation yet this must by natural necessity be granted That when the Sun first appeared to the World on that Fourth day it was at that time over some part of the Globe of the Earth making it to be Noon there and in all places within that Hemisphere which were in the same Meridian with the Sun So that although on that Fourth Day Sun-setting was before Sun rising in some places and Sun-rising before Sun-setting in some other places And in some places Noon was before either of the other and in some other places Midnight was before them all yet in respect of the whole Earth not one of them was on that Fourth Day before the other But at the Suns first appearing and shining over half the Earth it was at that very instant the Fourth Day as well where it was Sun-setting or Sun-rising as where it was Noon And likewise it was then the Fourth Day also in the other part of the Earth to which the Moon or Stars first appeared For neither Sun Moon or Stars appear'd to any place on the Third Day which was the day before they were made and the Fifth Day was not then begun The same may be said of the Fifth Sixth and Seventh Day when either of these days began it was after Sun-setting in some places and before Sun-rising in some other places and it was then Noon in some places and Mid-night in some other places yet all are of and upon the same Day Seeing then these were Universal Days and so no Man can tell where on Earth those places are at
Aegypt 3. Of the Dawning of the Morning as they were delivered in the Sea from Pharoah in the morning Watch. 4. Of Day-light as when the Jews stood on the Shore and saw their Enemies dead in the Red-Sea The Christian Sabbath consists of these parts in this Order 1. Of the Dawning of the Morning as when Christ arose Math. 28.1 2. Of the Day-light as when Christ awhile after his rising appeared to the two Maries Mat. 28.9 3. Of the Evening as when Christ appeared to the Disciples at Evening John 20.29 4. Of the Night and Darkness or Dark-night as when Christ took his Natural Rest as sleep he did as the Evangelists â—estifie CHAP. XI Of the Deductions from the whole of the foresaid Chapters as genuin Conclusions from the said Premises Sect. 1. HAving cleared we Hope the former Nine Chapters we now judge under favour of the pious Learned that we may infer these Three Conclusions 1. That the Moralitie of the Fourth Commandement is stamped impressed and fixed rather on the Christians Sunday Sabbath day Seventh day or First day then upon the Jews Saturday Sabbath Note good Reader by the way that it is no contradiction in the thing to call our Sabbath the Seventh Day if it be called also by our Translators and others the First Day as it appears following 2. The Jews Artificial Sabbath day of Day-light and the Christians Artificial Sabbath-day of Day-light were in the same Horizon and materially as to Day-light the very same at the very first change of the Sabbath Exod. 12.42 Unless we will say That there is one whole day lost since Israels going out of Aegypt when God Instituted that the Jews should begin their Sabbath at Evening which if admitted would odd the accompt and make an interval in the Calculation of time since the Creation to this day They are therefore Numerically the same day although variously named viz. The Seventh day because it followed our Six days labour and the First day because the chief day of the Week from Adam to us and the chief day of Christ agitating on Earth for our Salvation viz. The day of his Triumphant Resurrection Which in the Letter of the Original is not called the First day of the Week but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mar. 16.2 Joh. 20.1.1 Cor. 16.2 That is the only day of the Week for the reason aforesaid yea Christ rose in the end of the Jewish Sabbath between the Seventh day and the First day and so got two names 3. That both Sabbath days the Jews and ours upon several accompts are the same To clear these Three Conclusions and First of the First That the Morality of the Fourth Commandement is fixed rather on our Christian Sabbath or Lord's day then on the Jewish Sabbath Note well that ¶ 1. If it be granted on all hands that THAT of a Religious thing which is changeable be Ceremonial Lasting as the word imports but for a time And THAT of a Religious thing be Moral which is never changeds then if any will seek a Ceremonialty in the Fourth Commandement they must find it in the change of the Jews Sabbath after their coming out of Aegypt And if they will as they ought acknowledg a Morality of the Fourth Commandement it must needs be in the Christian Sabbath observed from the Creation to Moses's time by Jews and Heathen Gentiles and from that time down to Christ by the Heathen Gentiles as before proved Chap. 8. and Chap. 9. And from Christs time down to us by the Christian Gentiles ¶ 2. Nor Secondly did Gods Command at the Jews coming out of Aegypt to observe their Sabbath null or make void the Christian Gentiles Sabbath because as it could plead Prescription and Seniority so it was new stampt by Christ's Resurrection on that Christian Sabbath a greater deliverance then that out of Aegypt and his several appearances on that day of the Week to the Apostles at their Devotions Praying over them and Breathing on them saying receive ye the Holy Ghost John 20 The Apostles likewise approving the Churches meetings on that day and improving those meetings as for Piety so for Charitie by Collections for Christians in want 1 Cor. 16.1.2 So that St. John in and by his Revelation he received calls it the Lord's day Revel 1. And since that hath been observed by the Chistian Churches for One thousand six hundred sixty three years justly concluding that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * The LORDS day Rev. 1.10 doth as certainly hold out to us our Christian Sabbath as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 11.20 Doth the LORDS Supper ¶ 3. We may argue the Morality of our Lord's day-Sabbath a paribus from the like cases in other things For why was the Levitical Law called Ceremonial and to be observed only by the Jews but because God appointed them a Religion and Worship in Types of Sacrifices Washings c. the Shell and sensible out-side whereof was to be shaken that is shaken down and removed Heb. 12.27 but the kernel and Spiritual meaning of them touching Justification and Sanctification by the Blood and Spirit of Christ c. was to abide for ever to the end of this World Heb. 12.27 28. Therefore aâ— the whole Politia of the Jews Worship was partly that is Extrinsecally in the Letter Ceremonial and partly Intrinsecally in the Spirit and meaning was Moral So their Solemn day for Exercise of their Solemn Worship was Ceremonial in that it might be changed and was changed to A Seventh day for the Jews to observe and is Moral in the fixt Standing of THE Seventh-day Solemn Worship observed by the Christians to the end of this World to which day its hoped the Jews when convinced will again change their Jewish Sabbath ¶ 4. What Notion then will some ask and what value do we put upon the Ten Commandements delivered by God himself to the Israelites by the hand of Moses after the change of the Sabbath when they were come out of Aegypt as far as the Mount Sinai Exod. 20 Answer We look on them in the Matter as altogether moral Commandements though in respect of that change of the Solemn Week day of Publick Worship wherein specially they were read and recited to the Jews we look on them as Ceremonial I mean Though the time in respect of that change was Ceremonial N. B. yet the Commandements themselves in their Substance are moral Our Reason is Because the Ten Commandements were written in their Equity in mans heart from the beginning and in their matter were extant in use and Practise long before Israels coming out of Aegypt For Example The matter of the First Commandement of Faith in God was commended and commanded and enjoyned all the World over both Jews and Gentiles Gen. 15.6 Abraham believed in God and the Lord ACCOMPTED IT TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOVSNESS This Commendation and acceptation of Faith by God himself is in Gallatians 3.5 6 7
God commanded the Jews to take into their Sabbath the next preceding Evening then either we must say The Jews Sabbath began the Evening next AFORE our Sabbath-day-light began or else that the Jews Sabbath began at the Evening AFTER our Sabbath-day-light began If we say AFTER then one whole day is lost in the computation of time If we say AFORE then we have that we contend for viz. That the Jews Artificial Sabbath-day of Day-light and the Christians Artificial Sabbath of Day-light were Materially as to Day-light the very self same as before at the very first change of the Sabbath Thus of the Second Conclusion ¶ 3. Conclusion to be cleared afore named is That both Sabbaths the Jews and ours in several respects and on several accompts are much the same 1. They are the same Materially as to Day-light not only in the same Horizon of which Jerusalem is the Centre point as was said in the First Conclusion but also in that Horizon which encircleth England and Judaea excepting about four or five hours that Day-light begins in Judaea so much sooner then with us in England as is demonstrable upon the Globe 2. They are the same reputatively that is They are reputed and esteemed the same day of the week in number For what is the Reason that the French and Dutch are said to keep the Twenty fifth day of December for the Feast of the Nativity of Christ and yet we English also are said to keep the same Feast on the Twenty fifth day of December though we keep it Ten days Old Style after them beyond Sea that observe New-Style Ten days before us I say what is the Reason but because the French and Dutch ever since that Pope Gregory altered their Year begin their Months sooner by Ten days then we do Just so it is in the Matter of the Sabbath namely both Jews and Christians all of them keep their Sabbath on the same day of the Week viz. on the SEVENTH day of the Week and that the Reason why the Seventh day of the Week with the Jews comes to be almost a day sooner then it doth with the Christians is because the Jews began their Week near a day sooner this they did formerly before the change of it at their coming out of Aegypt and sooner then the Heathen Gentiles did and the Christians now do 3. Both Sabbath days the Jews and Ours are the same boundarily For as the Six days of Man's Labour do bound out the Jews present Sabbath Six days saith the Fourth Commandement Shalt thou Labour and do all thy Work but the Seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God So all the Six days of our Labour are the boundary of our Christian Sabbath for after our Six days of our Labour we keep our Sabbath not sooner nor later And the natural necessity of the thing constreins For the Sabbath must either relate to the Six days of God's Work of Creation or to the Six days of Man's Labour in his Vocation Now it cannot relate to the Six days of God's Work of Creation and so to the day of God's Rest For then either the day of God's Rest and the Jews Sabbath must be the same beginning in all places at Sun-setting where-ever the Jews did or ought to observe their Sabbath which cannot be except the Earth were all a flatt and not a round Globe as we see by sence both on the Globe and on the Hills and Mountains of the Earth how their roundness makes the day begin successively over the whole Earth Or else the day of Gods Rest did at the first and still doth begin in this computation of a Seventh sooner in some places then in other and so first at one particular place whiles it was no where else the day of God's Rest either of which are so against sence and reason that no understanding man can rationally imagine it Therefore the bounding and measuring out of the Sabbath must relate to the Six days of Man's Labour in his Vocation as 't is directed in the Fourth Commandement immediatly after which Six days of our Labour follows the Seventh day for Rest So that in this respect also the Jews Sabbath and our Sabbath are the same The Close THus have I Laboured in this small Treatise with great Ventilations and Careful thoughts to give rest to others hoping that upon due consideration of what hath been cleared in the precedent Treatise touching the Seniority of our Christian Sabbath before the Law The sameness in several respects of both Sabbaths at this day And that the Crown of Morality is rather Set Worn or to be worn on the head of our Christian Sabbath then on the Jewish Our Christian Brethren of the Saturday Sabbatarians will be brought off from the Errour of their Opinion and out of that discomfort and those encumbrances that attend the Practise thereof Which is the Prayer of their hearty well-wishing Friend N. H. FINIS