day inclusively reckoning the day of Birth for the first and the day of Circumcision for the last of the Eight days which with Six whole days between make Eight Whereas if Eight whole days had been fully past Christ had been Circumcised the Tenth day The Sense being the same with that concerning Iohn the Baptist Luk. 1. 59. On the Eighth day they came to Circumcise the Child So here After Eight days that is on the Eighth day or after the Eighth day was come And this I think is the constant Language of Scripture every where And his Objection needs no other Answer but that St. John did not speak English And I cannot but think however he please thus to object that himself doth believe this after Eight days to be here meant of the First day of the next Week and he should have been so candid as to own it And that post Octo dies is the same in sense with Octo post diebus that is the Eighth day after reckoning the present day for one and that it is so to be understood in this place We should not in a serious Enquiry press what possibly might be but what we truly think is the meaning A Lawyer at the Bar may fairly propose For his Client what possibly may be the Sense of such or such a Clause But a Judge on the Bench and a Counsellor To his Client is to consider what really Is the Sense of Words in question I dare appeal to himself whether in his own thoughts he do not think after Eight days here to signifie the same as after Eight days were accomplished Luk. 2. 21. And if so then this is rather to Wrangle than to Dispute fairly Before I dismiss this place it is not amiss to take more particular notice about what time it was that Mary Magdalen and the other Women came to the Sepulchre on the day of Christs Resurrection 'T is said Luke 23. 55 56. When they beheld the Sepulchre and how the body was laid on the sixth day day at night whereon he was Crucified they returned and prepared Spices and Ointments and rested the Sabbath day according to the Commandment And in the next words Luk. 24. 1. Now upon the First day of the Week very early in the morning they came to the Sepulchre bringing the Spices which they had prepared In Mat. 28. 1. In the end of the Sabbath when it began to dawn toward the First day of the Week In Mark 14. 15. When the Sabbath was past very early in the morning the First day of the Week they came to the Sepulchre at the rising of the Sun or by Sun-rising And Ioh. 20. 1. The First day of the Week early when it was yet dark they came to the Sepulchre Perhaps all the Women did not come just at the same time but were all there by Sun-rising But the Body was raised before they came as is agreed by all the Evangelists Where I observe First that the Sabbath according to their Account did not end till toward the morning of the next day The end of the Sabbath or when the Sabbath was past was early in the morning before the Sun-rising while the day did begin to dawn and while it was yet dark Very early indeed in the morning but yet not till morning not in the Evening over night And therefore without disputing how the day was reputed to begin in the time of Moses 't is manifest that at this time as well the Sabbath as other days was by them reckoned not from the beginning of the Evening to the beginning of the Evening but rather according to the Rom. account from Midnight to Midnight For 't is manifest that it was toward Evening of the Sixth day before the Crucifixion was over For it was some while after the Ninth hour that is after our Three a Clock that he cryed with a loud voice and gave up the Ghost Mark 15. 34 37. And it was yet later when they brake the Legs of the two Thieves that they might not remain on the Cross upon the Sabbath but only pierced his side because he was already dead Joh. 19. 31 32 33 34. And later yet when Ioseph of Arimathea begged his Body and buried it For 't is expresly said When Even was come there came a rich man of Arimathea named Ioseph and begged the body of Iesus and when he had taken the Body he wrapped it in a clean linnen Cloth and buried it in his own new Tomb Mat. 27. 57 58 59 60. Mark 15. 42 43 44 45 46. Luk 23. 51 52 53. But though Even were come before this time yet the Sabbath was not begun for so it followeth Luk. 23. 54. that day was the Preparation and the Sabbath drew on And after this ver 55 56. the Women who beheld the Sepulchre and how the Body was laid returned and prepared Spices and Ointments the same night but rested the Sabbath day according to the Commandment And by this time it must needs be pretty late at night while yet the Sabbath was not begun That is I suppose not till Midnight of the Sixth day Nor was the Sabbath ended when Evening began on the Seventh day For if so the Women might that night have brought and applyed their Spices and Ointments which they had prepared the night before For they had as much time so to do after the Evening was begun that night if the Sabbath were now ended as they had to do what was done the night before after that Evening was then begun Nothing hindered them but because the Sabbath was not yet done and they were to rest the Sabbath day according to the Commandment But so soon as well they could when the Sabbath was ended they came early the next morning while it was yet dark And might as well have come the night before if the Sabbath had ended when the evening began I add farther If the Sabbath had ended at the evening of the Seventh day and the First day of the Week had then begun as this Author would have it Christ might have risen that night for it would then have been the Third day and not have stay'd in the grave for the third day till the next morning which yet we know he did 'T is manifest therefore that the First day of the Week did begin from the middle of the night not from the First Evening of the Seventh day And that Christ was risen very early in the morning of that First day while it was yet dark We are next to Consider how long that First day lasted After Christ was risen early in the morning while it was yet dark how early that was we cannot tell but it was in the Morning not over night he appeared first to Mary Magdalen and the Women who went to the Sepulchre they as they were directed carried news of it to the Disciples and when they were going Mat. 28. 11. the Watch came into the City and
the Feast of Unleavened Bread For though it were the fourteenth day at evening yet it was the fourteenth day not the fifteenth And Luke 23. 54. the evening after our Saviours Crucifixion on the sixth day when it was late at night as was shewed before and must be according to the story of what had been done before that time was yet but the preparation not the Sabbath the Seventh day being not yet begun For so we have it it was the preparation and the Sabbath drew on And the Women were then preparing their Spices and Oyntments yet rested the Sabbath day according to the Commandment So that the Sabbath day was not yet begun nor was it ended when the evening of the next day began but on the morning of the day following as was shewed above And as we shewed at large before the first day of the Week on which Christ rose began very early in the morning while it was dark and continued the same day till very late at night And this is the constant Language of the New Testament every where So that when the Congregation of Christians Acts 20. 7. did on the first day of the week assemble to break Bread and Paul Preached to them continuing his Sermon till Mid-night this must needs be on what we call Sunday and the morning following was Munday morning not Sunday morning as this Author would have it 'T is manifest therefore that there was a Religious Assembly of the Christian Congregation at Troas on the First day of the Week for celebration of the Lords Supper and Preaching and Paul with them Which I take to be the celebration of a Christian Sabbath However this he says is but One Instance True this is but one But we have heard of more before and shall hear of more by and by But this one is more than he can shew for more than Two Thousand Five Hundred Years from God's resting on the Seventh day Gen. 2. 3. till after Israel was come out of Egypt Ex. 16. during which time he would have us think the Seventh-day Sabbath was constantly observed And if he could shew any one such instance of Enoch Noah Abraham or other where such a Religious Assembly for the Worship of God was held on the seventh day in course from the Creation he would think his point well proved though no more were said of it than is of this Whereas now as to the time from thence to the Floud he brings no other proof but that Abel and Enoch and Noah were good men as no doubt they were and therefore it is to be presumed they kept a Sabbath and that upon the seventh day Which is to beg the question not to prove it From thence till Israels going into Egypt all that he brings to prove this matter of fact is but that of Gen. 13. 6. where speaking of Abram and Lot with the multitude of their Cattel it is said the land was not able to bear them that they might Dwell together for their substance was great so that they could not Dwell together and there was a strife between the Herd-men of Abrams Cattle and the Herd-men of Lots Cattle c. They could not Dwell together that is saith he they could not Rest together that is they could not keep a Sabbath together therefore he concludes they did use to keep a sabbath and that Sabbath was the seventh day in course from the Creation And is not this a goodly proof I should think if he would put a stress on the word Rest it should rather signify they could not live quietly together without their herd-mens quarrelling about their Pasture for so it follows in the next words there was a strife between their herds-men From thence till after their coming out of Egypt he brings no other proof but that of Ex. 5. 4 5. Where when Moses and Aaron had been pressing Pharaoh to let Israel go three days Iourney into the Wilderness to keep a Feast and Sacrifice to the Lord their God Pharaoh replies Wherefore do ye Lett or hinder the People from their Work you make them rest from their Burdens or you take them off from their Work that is says he you make them keep a Sabbath For the Word or Verb there Translated you make them Rest is he tells us a derivative from another Verb which signifies to Rest from which Verb the word Sabbath is also derived They did therefore Rest saith he that is keep a Sabbath and that Sabbath was every Week and it was on the seventh day in course from the Creation Alas how little do either or both of these places prove of what he would have to be granted him thence He tells us sometimes there were other Sabbaths besides that of the seventh day I am sure there were other Restings If Moses and Aaron had desired Pharaoh to excuse them from their Work one day in seven that on such day they might serve the Lord their God it would have looked like an Argument But when it is to go three days into the Wilderness to keep a Feast to the Lord what is this to a Weekly Sabbath This Seventh-day sabbath so runs in the mind of this Author that if any where he can lay hold of the word Rest it must presently prove a Seventh-day-sabbath Else who would have thought that because Abram and Lot could not dwell quietly together therefore they must needs keep a Sabbath and that upon the seventh day and in course from the Creation And the like of the Israelites in Egypt because Moses and Aaron are said to hinder them from their work Therefore they did constantly keep a weekly Sabbath and that upon the seventh day in course from the Creation He might have to better purpose alleged Pharaoh's seven fat kine and seven lean ones and the seven full Ears of Corn and seven empty for here we have the number seven signalized only these were Seven Years not Seven Days and the like of Nebuchadnezzar's being seven years turned out to the Beasts of the field Dan. 4. 25 32 33. Or that of the Clean Beasts and Fowls coming into the Ark by sevens Gen. 7. 2 3. But what is more to his purpose and which he should not have missed is that of Gen. 7. 4. and Gen. 8. 10 12. where we have the interval of seven days particularly mentioned For yet seven days and I will cause it to rain upon the Earth c. Chap. 7. 4. where God gives to Noah just a Weeks warning of the time when the Floud should begin during which interval if those days were Sabbath days he might remove himself and what was necessary into the Ark before the next Sabbath And toward the end of the Floud Noah sends out the Dove Chap. 8. 8. And he staid seven days and again sent forth the Dove ver 10. And he staid yet other seven days and sent forth the Dove c. ver 12. Where we have the Dove sent out three
Chap. 4. 9 10 11. he rebukes them severely that after they had known God or rather were known of God they should turn again to the weak and beggarly rudiments or elements Ye observe saith he days and months and times and years I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain 'T is not indeed here said in particular what those days were that are here meant yet it is most likely and scarce to be doubted to be meant of the Iewish Sabbath For though other Observation of Times be here reckoned up there being the same reason of all yet there was no occasion for the others in Galatia For the Jews themselves did not think themselves obliged nor do the Jews at this day to the observation of their other Feasts or Fasts out of their own land But to that of Circumcision and of the Iewish Sabbath and the distinction of Meats they thought themselves obliged even out of their own land And of such we must understand this to the Galatians These being the things there in question not those other which were confined to the land of Canaan But he objects here that though Days be mentioned yet not Sabbath days and fansies it might be meant of some other days not of Sabbaths To gratify him therefore in this also I will proceed to that of Colos. 2. 16. Where Sabbaths are expresly named To the Colossians who were also Christian Gentiles he pursues the same notions Least any one should beguile them with inticing words Col. 2. 4. thereby to bring them under the Mosaick Law He bids them Beware lest any spoil them through Philosophy and vain deceit Whereby I suppose he means the Mosaick doctrines or Philosophy of the Jews which Clemens Alexandrinus doth all along call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in contradistinction to that of the Greeks after the traditions of men after the rudiments or elements of the world and not after Christ ver 8. and that particularly of Circumcision ver 11. in the room of which Baptism is come ver 12. Christ by his Death having blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances meaning the Jewish Law and took it out af the way nailing it to his Cross ver 14. and amongst other things Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink as if some were now clean others unclean as under the Mosaick Law or in respect of an holy day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Festival or of the new Moon or of the Sabbath days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 16. Where by Sabbath must be meant the Iewish Sabbath the day which in common speech was understood by the word Sabbath For this he hath two or three evasions He doth commonly press hard in other places that by Sabbath is to be understood the Jews Seventh-day-Sabbath and no other day The holy Spirit doth call the Seventh-day the Sabbath and no other day of the week both in the Old and in the New Testament throughout p. 46. And I think he is not much out therein that it doth usually so signify where it doth not come with some intimation to direct us to some other sense And why it should not be thought so to signify here I see no reason For though I take our Christian Sabbath to fall as properly under the word Sabbath in the Fourth Commandment as that of the Iews yet the word in common use having by this time become the proper name of that Day which the Jews so called it was necessary to avoid confusion to give the Christian Sabbath another name as that of the Lords Day or the first day of the week And consequently that the Sabbaths here mentioned are to be understood according to the then use of the word of those Sabbaths Not as if all days of Holy Rest where hereby forbidden but onely the nicety of confining it particularly to that day which was then in common speech so called But he would not have it here understood of the Seventh-day Sabbath as every where else but some other Ceremonial Sabbaths but what those are he doth not tell us That there were some other Feasts observed by the Jews which in the Old Testament are sometimes called Sabbaths but very seldome I do not deny nor that those come under the general Words in this place But those do not seem to be here principally intended because it is manifest to be understood of the Sabbath there in dispute Now there was no occasion of a dispute concerning the observance of those other Sabbaths amongst the Gentiles out of the Holy-land These observations being not thought obligatory even to the Jews but in their own Land onely And it is expresly provided Deut. 16. that these were not to be kept in any place promiscuously not within any of the Gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee But in the place which the Lord thy God shall chuse to place his name there So of the Pass-over ver 5 6. So of the Feast of Pentecost ver 11. So of the Feast of Tabernacles ver 15. And of altogether ver 16. And therefore not out of their own Land I do not deny but that they might in private houses eat the Paschal Lamb as Christ did with his Disciples but not Sacrifice the Pass-over For it was to be sacrificed in the Temple onely and the Feast of the Pass-over to be there solemnly kept Not in private houses and much less out of their own Land Nor do I remember that any where in all the New Testament the word Sabbath is used for any such Sabbaths Nor can reasonably be supposed to be here meant of those Feasts because it is put in contradistinction to them Let no man judge you in respect of a Feast of the New-moon or of the Sabbaths Which yet I do not understand as if no Sabbath might now be kept but that the Obligation to that Sabbath was now at an end Another evasion is this He would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sabbata in the plural number to signify Weeks not sabbath-Sabbath-days The sabbath-Sabbath-day being called in the singular number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sabbatum For he will rather play at small game than stand out If we should allow him this it would not advance his purpose at all For if the business of Weeks be at an end that we are no longer to distribute our time into Weeks than that of the Sabbath much more which he would have to be the seventh day of the Week But suppose we do allow that one Sabbath is to be called Sabbatum what are we to call two or more Sabbaths Must not they be Sabbata And if this be his meaning then are we not to observe such Sabbaths any longer But what must we then say to Mat. 28. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render In the end of the Sabbath meaning thereby the Seventh day Sabbath then past 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it began to draw towards the first day of the Week must we read it at the end the
Sabbaths because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the plural number when the Sabbaths meaning the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbaths were now at an end and the First-day Sabbath coming on in their place If that reading please him it will serve us as well But he is mistaken in his criticism 'T is true that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number seems to be sometime put for a Week but not Weeks that I know of as he would have it And so it is commonly taken to be where we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the first day of the Week but may as well be rendered the first day after the Sabbath And so is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular as Luke 18. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I fast twice in the week I suppose he would not have us render it I fast twice on the Sabbath day though it be in the singular number as if he did fast twice upon one day But thus rather I keep two Fasts to one Sabbath which is the same in sense with I fast twice in the Week In like manner as the Olympiad may be taken sometime for that particular year on which were the Olympick Games which were wont to return every fifth year inclusively that is as we use to speak the fourth year after the last Olympick sometime for the interval of four years from the end of one Olympick to the end of the next following So here Sabbatum may be sometime taken strictly for the sabbath-Sabbath-day and sometime for the whole septiduum or week from Sabbath to Sabbath And so is Sabbata in the plural number taken also for a sabbath-Sabbath-day Thus I take it to be here Mat. 28. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the Sabbath-day was ended in the same sense with that of Mark 16. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of the very same time when the Sabbath was past And in like manner Matth. 12. 1. At that time Iesus went on the Sabbath day through the Corn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sabbatis in the plural number And so it is in Mark 2. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet it is meant but of one day as appears by the parallel place where the same is again related Luk. 6. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so Mat. 12. 5 10 12. Mar. 3. 4. Luk. 4. 31. Luk. 6. 2 9. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Septuagint is commonly put for the Sabbath-day I will not say Allways because I have not examined it but in all the places which I consulted And even in the body of the Ten Commandments Exod. 20. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remember the day of the Sabbaths in the plural number And again ver 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the seventh day Sabbaths to the Lord thy God So Ex. 16. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sabbaths a holy Rest unto the Lord to morrow And Levit. 23. 3. six days shall work be done but the seventh is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sabbaths of Rest ye shall do no work therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the Sabbaths of the Lord. Which are the signal places wherein the Sabbath is commanded And the like very often if not always in the Septuagint whose language the New Testament doth usually follow So that his criticism comes to nothing but only to shew how careless he is of what he says if at least he may seem to say somewhat Such is that when he tells us p. 136. that God who hath reserved a Tenth of our Substance hath reserved But a Seventh of Time As though he thought a tenth part to be more than a seventh part And many such negligences which I spare to mention But whether we render it Sabbath-day or Sabbath-days the sense is still the same And the Apostles design in all these places seems to be this that though to the Iews to whom it had once been a Law he doth allow a liberty till they should be better satisfied for each to follow his own judgment without censuring others as well in this of the Iewish Sabbath as in the business of Circumcision and the abstinence from Meats and their other Rites yet he would by no means suffer these to be brought upon the Gentiles as a new Yoke to which before they had not been subject I say as a new Yoke to which they had not been subject For though I do admit that by natural light or the Law of Nature man ought to allow a competent time for the solemn service of God and by a positive Law that it should be at least one day in seven that is after six days of Labour the seventh to be a day of Rest and so much to be intended in the Fourth Commandment Yet I do not think it to be so determined to this day in order as to be unchangable to after Ages We can be no ways sure that the seventh day in order from the first raining of Manna Ex. 16. was the seventh in order from the Creation And as they did observe it then in order from thence so when Christ or his Apostles by direction from him did put it into a new order this new order doth as well sute the words of the Fourth Commandment as that former I do the rather say that this to the Gentiles is a new Yoke because I find this to be given as a sign a covenant or distinctive mark given to the Jews as Gods peculiar People in contradistinction to other Nations just as Circumcision was So Exod. 31. 13. My Sabbaths ye shall keep for it is a Sign between me and you throughout your generations and ver 16. The Children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual Covenant and ver 17. It is a Sign between me and the Children of Israel for ever So Ezek. 20. 12. I gave them my Sabbaths to be a Sign between me and them and ver 20. They shall be a Sign between me and you that ye may know that I am the Lord your God Just as it is said of Circumcision Gen. 17. 7. I will establish my Covenant between me and thee saith God to Abraham and thy seed after thee for an Everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and thy seed after thee and ver 10 11. This is my Covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every male-child among you shall be Circumcised and it shall be a Token of the Covenant between me and you and ver 13. My Covenant shall be in your flesh an everlasting Covenant not as if Circumcision were to be for ever obligatory but rebus sic stantibus so long as things continued in that estate And so it is called Rom. 4. 11. He received the Sign of Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith And such was the Bloud of the Paschal Lamb on the Door-posts
Commandment and other Writers about the Sabbath That this Commandment begins with Remember to keep Holy the Sabbath-day or the day of Rest not the Seventh day much less the Seventh day of the Week from the first Creation And what is that day of Rest the next Words tell us Six days shalt thou labour but the Seventh is the Sabbath c. That is after Six days of Labour the Seventh shall be a day of Rest. And in the close of that Commandment Ex. 20. 11. our Bibles have it wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day not as we commonly repeat it the Seventh day and hallowed it The Reason given to inforce it is For in Six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth c. and rested the Seventh day and accordingly should we after Six days of Work have a Seventh day of Rest and so onward If he thinks that to make a difference that we now reckon our Weeks to begin with the day of Rest and after that Six Working days which in a continued Circulation comes all to one I will allow that Gentleman if that will please him better to begin the Week on Monday and then Sunday will be the Seventh The Commandment says nothing of the Seventh day of the Week in a continued Succession from the Creation but the Seventh day after Six days of Labour And whereas he observes and would lay great weight upon it that it is hashebigni the Seventh the article ha answering to our the not a Seventh 'T is very true and very proper so to be For the meaning is not that after Six days of Labour there should be a Seventh for Rest no matter when but the Seventh day that is the next day after those Six But it is not said the Seventh in Course from the Creation Just as when it is said a Male-Child is to be Circumcised the Eighth day it is not meant of an Eighth day in Course from the Creation but the Eighth day from the Birth And in like manner Ex. 12. 16. In the Seventh day there shall be a Holy Convocation it is not meant of the Seventh day of the Week from the Creation but on the Seventh day of the Feast of unleavened Bread what ever day of the Week that happen to be And Exod. 16. 5 25. The Sixth and Seventh day there mentioned seem plainly to be not the Sixth and Seventh in course from the Creation which I doubt was not then known but from the first raining of Manna ver 4 5. He 'll say perhaps The Jews observed such Seventh day from the Creation and that was their Sabbath But that is more than he or I know or any man living They had I grant a Circulation of Seven days but from what Epocha we cannot tell And when Moses tells them on the Sixth day Ex. 16. 23. Tomorrow is the Rest of the Holy Sabbath It seems to be the fixing of a new Epocha from the first raining of Manna and then all his Arguments from the continual Observation of the Seventh day from the Creation till that time are at an end Whether this from the first raining of Manna be the same with that from the Creation no man can tell And there is Six to One odds that it is not Now that there is a new Course of Sabbath from a new beginning whereof this Seventh day from the first raining of Manna is the First and not a continuation of a former Course hitherto observed without interruption seems farther evident from this consideration Because if this were but a continuation of that uninterrupted Course of Sabbaths then the next Seventh day before it would have been a Sabbath also and to have been in like manner observed that is the next day before the first raining of Manna But on that day we find Exod. 16. 12 13. the Quails came up and covered the Camp without any Prohibition to gather them If therefore they might not now gather Manna because it was the Sabbath but might before gather Quails it should seem that was not a Sabbath And if it be not allowed upon occasion to fix a new Epocha then if the Circulation of Weeks from the beginning of the World which was then about 2500 years old did ever chance to have been interrupted and the day forgotten as in all likelyhood it might be in Egypt if not long before or if ever after it should chance so to be as in the days of Iosiah when the Book of the Law was lost and the Pass-over forgotten men must never keep a Sabbath thenceforth For then all his own Arguments return upon him No other day is Commanded 't is Will-worship no Promise to the Observance no Threatning for the Neglect I should rather think if that day were unknown as I believe it is Any day were better than None at all For Gods Commands do more respect the Substance of the Duty than the Circumstance of Time especially if they cannot both be had Circumcision was to be Administred on the Eighth day according to the Institution I do not mean the Eighth day of the Week but the Eighth day of the Childs Age and therefore on the same day of the Week on which the Child was Born But if by Accident or Default it were omitted it might be done any day after rather than not at all Abraham we know was 99 years old and Ismael 13 when they were Circumcised and what was the Age of other Males in Abraham's Family we cannot tell and a Proselyte at any Age was to be Circumcised though perhaps it were not remembred on what day of the Week he was Born and those who were born in the Wilderness for Forty years together were all Circumcised at once Iosh. 5. 4 5 9. though not all born on the same day of the Week The Pass-over was appointed to be eaten standing with their Loyns girt their Shoes on their feet and their Staffs in their hand as in hast to be gone Ex. 12. Yet our Saviour seemeth to have Eaten it Sitting or rather Lying And none of them were to stir out of doors till morning Ex. 12. 22. Yet Christ and his Disciples went out the same night to the mount of Olives and thence to Gethsemane Mat. 26. 30 36. The Shew-bread was to be eaten by the Priests only yet our Saviour observes that David did eat of it on a special occasion without blaming him for so doing The Rechabites are commended Ier. 31. for obeying the Command of Ionathan their Father not to drink Wine nor build Houses but to dwell in Tents c. Yet did they upon Nebuchadnezzar's Invasion quit their Tents and repair to Ierusalem nor is it reputed a Disobedience The Paschal Lamb was to be kill'd the Fourteenth day of the First Month at Evening Yet if we consider how little knowledge they had in those days of the Sun and Moons motions and if we consider what the Jewish Writers tell us of their very uncertain Method of judging which
Congregation met together on a Religious account for the Service of God But let it be called if he please a Religious Discourse of the Holy Apostle to a Congregation of Christians met together for such a purpose He would then have it thought a favour or condescention to admit this breaking of bread to be meant of the Lords Supper and not barely a Common eating But since he doth not deny it we will accept the favour and take it so to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Disciples being congregated or assembled to break Bread 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Disciples not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some of them and they were perhaps not every one but the generality of them as at other meetings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 congregated or assembled and it seems to be a good full Congregation by Eutychus's being mounted to the third loft whatever he meant by that third loft though but the third scaffold so high that by a fall from thence he was in great danger of being killed Now it is not likely that such a Congregation of Christians were thus assembled for common eating He says Paul was to go away on the Morrow True But it is not said they came together to take leave of Paul but came together to Break Bread Paul's going away on the Morrow might be the reason and I believe was why they continued there so long but the End for which they came together was to Break Bread and the occasion of their so coming because it was the first day of the Week On which it should seem they were wont so to do for that end And if he candidly consider it methinks it should seem so to him Paul came to them at Troas in five days where he abode seven days And on the first day of the week when the Disciples came together to break Bread Paul preachea to them Doth not the fair prospect of the place import thus much that they were then met to break Bread as being the first day of the week What other occasion was there of mentioning what day of the Week it was It had been otherwise a fairer transition to have said He staid there Seven days and on the Seventh day or the last of those Seven the Disciples came together to take leave of Paul and Sup with him over night who was to depart on the morrow Now if it had been said on the Seventh day though meaning but the last of those Seven it would no doubt have been urged as a great argument of Paul's keeping a Seventh day Sabbath and the Disciples with him not as a Iewish but as a Christiam Assembly for breaking of bread which was a Christian not a Iewish Service For then breaking of bread would certainly have been the Lords Supper But because it was on the first day of the Week it must now be but common eating to take leave of Paul and to Sup with him as he tells us p. 57. Friends commonly do when a Minister or any other special Acquaintance intends to take a Iourney in the morning to sup with him over night But if he thinks this to be all which is there meant by the Disciples coming together on the first day of the Week to Break Bread he must excuse me if I cannot be of his Opinion But because he is content to admit upon some terms their meeting might be upon a Religious account for the Lords Supper as no doubt it was I shall press him no further therein but accept of his condescension When he tells us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Greek for one and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may as well be rendered One day of the Week as the First day of the Week Surely he is not in earnest Such trifling doth more hurt than help his cause No doubt but when ever they met it was one day of the Week we need not be told it nor need the word Week be added he might as well have said one day nor need he have said so much But this Author cannot think nor doth he that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth any where signify other than the first day of the Week In the whole story of Christs Resurrection and what followed on that day in all the Four Evangelists we have no other word for it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor have we any other word for it that I know of there or any where else I do not know that it is any where called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such shifting doth not look well 'T is somewhat like the Story of a man who bought a Horse for Five Pounds to be paid the next day And accordingly on the next day he sent Five Pounds of Candles Perhaps in the Bargain it was not said expresly in words at length Five Pounds of Lawful Money of England But by common intendment it must be so understood And an honest English Iury upon a Tryal would so Find it The Latin word Pridie is a Derivative or Compound rather from prae prior and Postridie from post posterior and accordingly in Latin pridie Calendarum and postridie Calendarum must signify a day before and a day after the Calends But can any man think it is meant of any day No but the next day before and the next day after So if we say Christ was Crucified one day before the Sabbath and Rose again one day after the Sabbath This one day is the next day And so any man who hath not a mind to Cavil will understand it And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one day after the Sabbath must needs be understood of the next day after the Sabbath Nor is it ever used in any other sense If it were to be understood of any indefinitely it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some day after the Sabbath not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one day after But the most pleasant shift of all is when he would have us think that this Evening which is called the first day of the Week was the Evening after the Seventh day that is Saturday night and the next morning when Paul was to go away was Sunday morning and he to travel that Sunday And that the Evening of Saturday was the beginning of Sunday and was therefore called the First day of the Week Because it is said Gen. 1. the evening and the morning was the First day and so of the rest and therefore the evening was the beginning of every day See what shift a man will make rather than quit an Opinion he hath once taken up We are taught that on the Fourteenth day of the first month at even the Pass-over was to be killed Doth he think that this Fourteenth day at even was the end of the Thirteenth day the Fourteenth day then beginning I think every body else takes it to be the evening at the end of the fourteenth day and the Fifteenth day on the morrow was the first day of
the Worship and as Prudentials so to be managed as in all other actions as may with Decency and Convenience best advance the spiritual Worship and may be varied according as the diversity of times and places may require Not to lay the Weight of Divine Institution upon such little things As if because Paul Kneeled down and Prayed Act. 20. 36. therefore it were unlawful to use any other Gesture in Praying Or as if because Christ bids when thou Prayest enter into thy Closet and shut the door Mat. 6. 6. therefore we may not pray in the Chamber Parlour Dining-Room or Chappel Or because Christ did Celebrate the Lords Supper at Night in an Upper-room to Men onely and but Twelve and to those Sitting or Lying therefore we may not do it at Noon or Morning in a Low-room to Women as well as Men in greater Numbers or in some other Gesture For though such Circumstances may be Lawful and sometimes Advisable when convenient yet to put a Religious Necessity upon them as of Divine Institution looks like a piece of Superstition And if we consider seriously how great a mischief many times some needless Scruples do create to the Church of God how great a matter a little fire kindles and how great hindrance to real Piety it might justly make us wary how we add Fewel to such a Flame and rather bear with some things we think amiss but may perhaps not be so than by attempting to remove a suppos'd Evil create a greater Mischief As to the present point in question I have said so much upon the whole as I think might satisfy the Gentleman if he well consider it Yet I know when men have once espoused a notion of which they are fond and have so long pored upon it as to rivet it in their mind catching at every little thing that may seem to favour it and slighting whatever makes against it as we find our Author doth very often And that hardly any thing can be said so plain as that there be nothing to be cavilled at by one who is minded so to do And that when God hath declared his will as plainly as he thinks fit to do if men will not be contented with reasonable evidence he is not obliged to gratify their humours When I say we consider this It looks somewhat like what Solomon tells us Prov. 18. 19. of a Brother offended harder to be won than a strong City and I must leave the success to God who so teacheth as none like him He remits us to two Writers on this Subject in defense of the Christian Sabbath Mr. Shepheard and Mr. Hughs whom I have not read nor have them at hand and Two others whom he names not nor know I well whom he means for more than two have since written who he thinks do tacitly retract somewhat that those before had granted And divers 〈◊〉 have written on this Subject though I have scarce consulted any of them And particularly I have not seen what is written by Dr. Young or Mr. Warren whom I find cited in a late Book of G. T. which came out since this was Written and part of it printed It is very possible that some of those may have said much of what I now say or that I may now say somewhat of what they have said before But in this there is no hurt If in some particulars I vary from some of them it is not because I slight them or out of a desire to contradict them but freely to speak my own thoughts as they do theirs Nor is it to be expected that all Writers on the same Subject should agree in every particular Nor is he to make advantage of it For p. 3. he owns it is so also with those who are for the seventh day But as to the main I presume we do well enough agree I have been a great deal longer than I did intend when I first began to write I shall give you a brief Summe of what I have said to this purpose as to both Questions For the Question is double though it seem to be but one First concerning the Iewish Sabbath Whether that be Antiquated and at an end Secondly concerning the Christian Sabbath Whether there be sufficient ground for this to succeed in the place thereof As to the first I agree with him in many things which he prosecutes at large though not peculiar to his Question As That Our Lord Iesus Christ is God that he is the Lord Iehovah the God who made the World who rested the seventh day who brought Israel out of Egypt and gave the Law on Mount Sinai For there is no other God But this I say he did as God in Union with the Father and Holy Ghost not as Christ God and Man our Mediator and Redeemer For he was not then Man nor was there occasion of a Mediator and Redeemer before the fall I agree also that the Decalogue or Ten Commandments is Obligatory to us Gentiles as being for the substance of it a Law before it was so delivered on Mount Sinai And that the Fourth Commandment concerning the Sabbath is one of them which requires after six days of Labour the seventh day to be a Sabbath or day of Holy Rest. And our Christian Sabbath is such But it doth not say the seventh in course from the Creation nor doth it appear that the Iewish Sabbath was such but rather the Seventh day from the first raining of Manna I do agree also that God himself did rest on the Seventh day from the Creation Gen. 2. that is He did cease to Create But I do not there find that Man did so rest or that there was any express command for him so to do on that day much less for ever after on every Seventh day in course from the Creation How much may be thought to be implyed in those words he blessed and sanctified it I will not dispute However it is but by Implication not by any express command such as our Author demands for the Christian Sabbath Nor do I find that ever it was observed by Man till after the Israelites coming out of Egypt or expresly commanded so to be Nor do I find that any other Nation beside the Jews did anciently so much as divide their time by Weeks Since the times of Christianity they have But that they did so long before that time I do not find I do agree also that after Israels coming out of Egypt they did observe a Sabbath Exod. 16. But it was from a new command at Marah or Elim which appeared New to them not a continuation of a constant practise and it was from a new beginning the Seventh day from the first raining of Manna and as a distinctive sign or token of Gods being their God in a special manner as contradistir guished to other nations as himself owns p. 26. and 28. and as a memorial of their Refreshing after their Bondage and Labour in Egypt and feeding
shewed to the High-Priests the things which were done who calling a Councel gave the Souldiers Money to say His Disciples came and stole him away while they were asleep undertaking to secure them in case the Governour should come to hear it Upon this news being brought by the Women to the Disciples Two of them from the rest went to the Sepulchre to enquire into the business and brought an account of it to the rest who were Astonished at it And all this happened before the Two Disciples began their Journey to Emmaus for they discoursed of it by the way and told it to Iesus who fell into their Company Luk 24. 19 20 21 22 23 24. Now their Journey from Ierusalem to Emmaus was about Threescore Furlongs ver 13. which our Author rightly computes to be about Seven miles and an half of our miles which they Travelled on foot for 't is said they walked Mark 16. 12. and Iesus in their company Preaching to them out of Moses and the Prophets the Doctrine of Christ's Death and Resurrection When they came near to Emmaus it was towards Evening and the day far spent Luk. 24. 29. they did there abide for some time and Iesus with them continuing to Preach on the same Subject and was at length known to them by breaking of Bread ver 30. 35. After which they returned to Ierusalem and told these things to the Disciples then gathered together ver 33. By which time having now walked another Seven miles and an half we may reasonably suppose it to be pretty late at night For when they first approached to Emmaus it was then so late as that it was not thought convenient unless upon some such great occasion to Travel further ver 28. Yet after they were come back to Ierusalem Christ then appeared himself to the Disciples blessing them reproaching their unbelief confirming their Faith giving them Instructions and Commission for Preaching the Gospel and Planting the Christian Church And it was yet but the same day at evening being the First day of the Week Joh. 20. 19. on which he rose but now late at night when the doors were shut that is if I mistake not so late as that it was time to shut up doors as men use to do towards bed-time Not as if Christ came in through the Key-hole any more than did the Two Disciples that came from Emmaus or did Penetrate the doors as the Papists would have us think in favour of their Transubstantiation For they were not so shut but that they could be opened again upon occasion to let him in as they had been to let in those Two that came from Emmaus as well as to let in Peter late at night Act. 12. 16. So that from very early in the Morning while it was dark till very late night and about Mid-night was the same day the first day of the Week 'T is manifest therefore that about our Saviours time according to the Computation of the New Testament both the Jews and the Four Evangelists did reckon their days from mid-night to mid-night And if they did not so reckon Christ could not be said Mat. 12. 40. to be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth For it was Evening when Ioseph begged the Body of Iesus and later yet before he had buried it and yet this must be reckoned part of the Sixth day olse he had not been three days in the Grave or heart of the earth And I think they were so reckoned in the times of the Old Testament also Which though it be not so much to the present purpose yet if you will pardon this digression I will tell you why I think so It is I know an Opinion taken up by some and I find it is grown pretty current even amongst Learned men that the Jews in the time of the Old Testament did reckon their days from Evening to Evening whether they mean from Sun-set to Sun-set or from Six a Clock to Six a Clock I cannot tell nor perhaps are they all agreed as to that point But I take it to be a mistake which being at first taken up without sufficient ground hath since passed without further examination from hand to hand We find Exod. 12. 6. the Pass-over was to be killed in the First month on the Fourteenth day in the Evening which I think is agreed by all to be the Evening at the end of the Fourteenth day not that at the end of the Thirteenth for the next morning was the Fifteenth day which evening therefore belonged to the Fourteenth day But it is noted in the Margin of our Bibles that it is in the Hebrew between the two Evening s. You 'l ask perhaps what are those two Evenings I 'le tell you what I think they are The word Day you know is taken in a double sense Sometimes for what we call the Natural day as it is contradistinguished to night from Sun-rising to Sun-setting sometimes for what we call the Artificial day or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so as to take in both day and night Our Saviour tells us there are Twelve hours in the day meaning the Natural day But in the Artificial day of which we are now speaking there be Four and Twenty hours Some please to call that the Natural day which I call the Artificial for all do not use the words in the same sense But that matters not so long as we understand one another Now by the word Evening is understood the end of the day Which as to the Natural day is at Sun-set but as to the Artificial day it is I think at Mid-night And consequently between the two Evenings is as much as to say after Sun-set and before Mid-night And this is what in our Language we commonly call the Evening which is in the Hebrew between the two Evenings that is between the end of the Natural day and the end of the Artificial day and within this time was the Passover to be Killed Rosted and Eaten Nothing of it was to remain till the Morning that is not after Mid-night for as soon as Mid-night is past Morning begins And within this time all Leaven was to be put away that is before the Mid-night of the Fourteenth day Which is so fair an account of it as that we need not scruple to embrace it And it was the Fifteenth day that was the first day of the Feast of Unlevened bread all Leven being put away before Mid-night and this Fifteenth day was to be kept as a Sabbath and a Holy Feast to the Lord ver 14. on what ever day of the Week it chanced to fall And so was the One and Twentieth day which was the last of those Seven days Seven days shall ye eat Unleavened bread even the first day ye shall put away or shall have put away leaven out of your house And in the First day there shall be an Holy Convocation and in the Seventh day there shall be an Holy
Convocation no manner of Work shall be done in them save that which every man shall eat that is they are to be kept as a Sabbath or day of Holy Rest ver 15 16. From the Fourteenth day at evening till the One and Twentieth day at evening ver 18. that is from the Fourteenth day at Midnight till the One and Twentieth at Mid-night And in like manner Lev. 23. 32. from Even to Even or Night to Night that is from Mid-night to Mid-night or from the end of one Evening to the end of the next Evening So in Levit. 23. 5. and Numb 28. 16 17. In the Fourteenth day of the First month is the Pass-over of the Lord and in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast Seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten c. Where it is manifest that the fourteenth day which is the Lords Pass-over is another day from the fifteenth which is the first day of the Feast For I will pass through the land of Egypt saith God this night that is the night of the Fourteenth day and will smite all the first born in the land of Egypt Ex. 12. 12. And what time of the night it was we are told ver 28. And it came to pass at Midnight the Lord smote all the first born of the land of Egypt And to the same purpose Moses tells Pharaoh chap. 11. 4 5 6 7 Thus saith the Lord About Mid-night will I go out into the midst of Egypt And the first born of the land of Egypt shall dy from the first born of Pharaoh c. that ye may know that the Lord hath put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel So that the fourteenth day which was the Lords Pass-over continued till the Mid-night of that day and then began the fifteenth day which was the first day of the Feast Than which I think nothing can be more clear And Num. 33. 3. The fifteenth day of the first month is the morrow after the Pass-over In like manner Deut. 16. 6. Thou shalt Sacrifice the Pass-over at even at the going down of the Sun that is after the going down of the Sun or when the Sun is gone down at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt which was about Mid-night Ex. 12. 21. Ex. 11. 4. What he offers from Gen. 1. 5. is easily answered The evening and the morning were the first day and so of the other days Whence he would have it thought that the day is to begin at the begining of the Evening Or as the Margin tells us it is in the Hebrew the evening was and the morning was the first day Or there was evening and there was morning day one for in such order the words stand in the Hebrew Or and was evening and was morning day one That is there was in the first day and so in the rest evening and morning or darkness and light And the Dark is put first because beginning the day from Midnight the dark is before the Light And by day one is meant the first day And it was moreover very agreable so to reckon For supposing Paradise the principal seat of Action the Sun may reasonably be supposed to be Created in the middle of the Fourth day Gen. 1. 16. in the Meridian of that place as in its greatest Splendor or if not in the Meridian of that place it must needs be in the Meridian of some place and wherever that be the day of 24 hours being there half past it must have begun at Mid-night foregoing And I doubt not but a Child born on Saturday night at Ten a Clock was to be Circumcised the next Saturday as being the Eighth day not on the Sunday after I have insisted the longer on this because I find him afterward moving another question about what time the Sabbath is to begin and end and lays great stress upon it as we shall see anon Of which I think we need not be further solicitous than to begin and end this day according as other days are accounted to begin and end in the places where we live I do not think the Fourth Commandment to descend to these Punctilio's But if he think it necessary to be more curious in it I take it to be very plain from what I have said that at the time of Christs Death and Resurrection it was accounted to begin very early in the morning while it was dark and continue till very late at night according as we now account our days from Midnight to Mid-night But I go on We have now found our Saviours Example as to the two First Sundays from his Resurrection if at least their first day of the Week be our Sunday imploying the day in Religious Exercises and Sabbatical Affairs with his Disciples How many more Sundays he so spent with them we cannot tell Which Examples of his Two first with their Imitation of him in others after of which we are to speak by and by and the Churches practise ever since looks so like the Celebration and Institution of a Christian Sabbath or day of Holy Rest and Religious Exercise as that we may warrantably do the like I am sure it is more than he can shew for the Saturday Sabbath in Gen. 2. 3. Save that men are apt to think a small thing an Institution and Ius Divinum for what they fansy but as to what they do not nothing will serve but Full Express Words We have next clear Evidence of a like Practise consonant to this Example in Act. 20. 7. On the first day of the Week when the Disciples came together to break bread Paul Preached unto them ready to depart on the morrow and continued his Speech until Mid-night Which is so plain that he is much put to his shifts to avoid it That here is a Religious Assembly of the Disciples he doth not deny Paul was Preaching very late even till Mid-night and they met to break bread which I think is generally agreed by Interpreters to signify the Celebration of the Lords Supper and I know not well what clearer Character we need demand of a Religious meeting for Worship sutable to the Work of a Sabbath or Holy Rest. And it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I think he will not deny though he seem to cavil at it to signify on the first day of the Week But he excepts that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated Preached is elsewhere render'd Reasoned or Discoursed Be it so and if that word will please him better let it be so here he reasoned discoursed treated or did hold forth that I think will not alter the case and he continued or held on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Discourse this Speech this Sermon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sermonem till Mid-night he held on this holding forth till Mid-night which I take to be the same with what we now call Preaching or very like it 't was a long continued discourse to a
times just at seven days distance And how do we know but that these three days were three Sabbath days Which though it be not a conclusive Argument is better than any that he brings For here we have three Intervals of seven days in these two Chapters But if a Weekly Sabbath were then kept 't is very strange that we should have no intimation of any such thing in the books of Moses before Israel's coming out of Egypt And much more that there is nothing of it in the Book of Iob. And that none of his friends amongst the many charges they bring against him should never object his Neglect of the Sabbath or want of due observance thereof Which being so plausible an objection it seems more likely that a Sabbath was not then wont to be observed for which he hath so very little to shew And by what we have Iob 1. 4. It should seem that Iob's Seven Sons kept Feasting each in his own day for Seven days together without any mention of a Sabbath intervening Nor was it a Religious Feast but a Feast of mirth and jollity such as made Iob suspicious lest they might sin and curse God in their heart v. 5. And therefore he offer'd propitiatory Sacrifices for them continually or as the Margin tells us it is in the Hebrew all the days that is every of these Seven days As little a matter will serve his turn to prove p. 43. that Christs Ascension was and his coming to Iudgment is to be on a Saturday or Seventh-day-Sabbath Because it is said Acts 1. 12. that Mount Olivet whence he ascended is from Ierusalem a Sabbath-days Iourney But he tells us that by no account that he can make can he assign the Ascension on the First day No more can I. But what then Well! But why upon a Saturday rather than a Sunday Because he observes that after Christ's Ascension from Mount Olivet it is said Then they returned to Ierusalem from Mount Olivet which is from Ierusalem a Sabbath-days Iourney Well! what of this He cannot see why it was expresly said that it was but a Sabbath-days Iourney from Ierusalem but because it was the Sabbath-day Perhaps I may shew him another reason as likely as it If the word then do not there signify the same day but only at large after his Ascension this is nothing to the purpose But admitting that by then be meant the same day the connexion runs fairly thus After his Ascension they returned from thence to Ierusalem the same day for it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but a little way off about a Sabbath days Iourney Which I think is a fair account of the place Especially since we know otherwise that it was not upon 〈…〉 Account as he speaks will serve as well for the one as for the other But indeed for neither But how doth this concern his Coming to Iudgment Yes Because it is there said ver 11. He shall come in like manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as ye have seen him go into Heaven And because this Author fansies he did Ascend on a Sabbath day therefore he fansies also he shall on a Sabbath day come again I see a Weak Argument with a strong Fansy will go far But to prove his Ascension to be on the Sabbath besides this of a Sabbath-days Journey he adds further That Christ and his Disciples were then Assembled and that Christ Preached Well! And why may we not as well conclude that the day of his Resurrection was also a Sabbath For Christ and his Disciples were then assembled first at Emmaus and then at Ierusalem and Christ did then also at both places Preach to them and the substance of his Preaching was much the same as will appear by comparing Luk 24. with Acts 1. and did then also Celebrate the Lords Supper And eight days after Christ was again Assembled with the Disciples and Preached to them on the same day of the Week If Christs Presence and Preaching will prove the Ascension day to be a Sabbath why should it not as well prove the Resurrection day to be a Sabbath the onely difference is That he thinks serves his turn But this makes against him And why should it not also be thought a Sabbath Acts 20. For Paul and the Disciples were then Assembled and they were assembled to break Bread and Paul there Preached to them And all these Assemblies were on the first day of the Week And they seem to me a much stronger proof of the First day the day of his Resurrection being a Sabbath than that the Ascension day was so And the Preaching which our Author here mentions as on the day of Ascension seems to me rather to have been on that of the Resurrection For St. Luke in the beginning of this Chapter of Acts 1. seems to give a short repetition of what himself had delivered more at large Luk. 24. And gives an account not only of what happened on the day of Ascension though he close with it but of what happened during the forty days from his Resurrection to that time And this Preaching I take to be that mentioned Luke 24. on the day of his Resurrection But after all this is but a Whimsey what he tells us of Christs Ascension on a Seventh-day-Sabbath For 't is very plain that his Ascension was neither on a seventh day nor on a first but on a fifth day of the Week For 't is plainly said Acts 1. 3. That he shewed himself alive after his Passion being seen of them Forty days that is he was seen of them at times not constantly for the space of Fourty days whereof that of his Resurrection was the first and that of his Ascension was the last And if that were Sunday this must be Thursday He may tell it upon his fingers as he speaks p. 5. if he please But though our Saviours Ascension was not on the seventh day of the Week in observance of the Seventh-day Sabbath or in confirmation thereof Yet the mission of the Holy Ghost according as on the First day of the Week the day of his Resurrection he had promised Luk 24. 49. was on the first day of the Week fulfilled also as appears Acts 2. When the day of Pentecost was fully come that is the Fiftieth day for so Pentecost signifieth in Greek they were all with one accord in one place that is they were unanimously assembled and suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty Wind and filled the house where they were sitting And there appeared to them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sat upon each of them that is at least upon each of the Apostles and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other Tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance Which I take to be a further instance if our Author will not allow it to be called a Sabbath at lest of a Religious Assembly for the Worship of God
the whole time of those Assemblings employed in Religious Exercises Preaching Celebrating the Sacrament Instructing and Blessing his Disciples and giving them Commission for Preaching the Gospel and Planting the Christian Church And again with the same Disciples on that day sen-night assembled with them and in like manner employed It was specially signalized also by the Miraculous Effusion of the Holy Ghost on that day in a great assembly of Iews and Gentiles on the day of Pentecost and the day employed in Preaching and other Religious exercises It was observed in like manner at Troas in preaching the Word Celebrating the Sacrament and other Religious Communion as things there usual on that day It was observed at Corinth not once onely but as a thing of course and so presumed by the Apostle when he gives particular Instructions concerning a Collection for the Saints to be made weekly on that day And in like manner in the Churches of Galatia with a like direction to them And we have no reason to suspect but that in other Churches also there was a like custome of observing that day And it is the onely day of the week unless the Seventh-day in order to the Iewish Sabbath that is so much as Mentioned by name after the Resurrection of Christ. At least I do not at present remember the Second Third Fourth Fifth or Sixth day of the week by name so mentioned Now what we have reason to believe was so generally observed after the Resurrection by Christ himself more than once by his Apostles and by the Christian Churches in their days we have reason to believe was according to Christs direction For we know very well that Christ did after his resurrection give commandments to the Apostles about things pertaining to the kingdome of God and â—â—â—â—ling the Christian Church What those Commandments were in particular we cannot tell but are to presume that what they did therein was pursuant of those commands and this in particular about observing the first day of the week which we call the Christian Sabbath And which in contradistinction to the Iewish Sabbath is called the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. And hath accordingly been so called and so observed ever since Which being so practised by the Apostles and so continued ever since I take to be a good warrant for us to continue it as a thing agreeable to the Will of God As to what he so often objects that there is no express command thereof recorded that is not such a command as our Author demands We are not to prescribe to God in what terms he shall make known his Will any more than the Pharisees Mat. 16. 4. were to prescribe to Christ what kind of signs he was to shew to testify his authority 't is sufficient if God do in his own way intimate what is his Will though it be it not with the formality of Be it Enacted And those who are willing to be taught of God will be content so to understand his meaning An approved Practise in the Worship of God frequently Repeated attested by Miracles encouraged by Christs own Example and that of the Apostles and the Christian Churches then and continued in the Christian Church ever since Is to me great evidence of the will of God and that there was a command for it though it be not recorded Like as I believe that there was very early a command from God to worship him by Sacrifice though that Command be not recorded But to that of its being so observed ever since he objects we have nothing but Tradition either that the Christian Sabbath hath been so observed or that it is called the Lords-day And Tradition is what he takes great pleasure to exclaim against If that be admitted saith he where shall we stop Very well I am not over fond of laying too great a weight upon Traditions at least not on all things that are pretended so to be But I pray How can he tell otherwise than by Tradition whether our Saturday or our Sunday be the Seventh day in course from the Creation Or if that be too hard a question whether of the two is the Seventh day of the Iewish week I know nothing but Tradition for it I cannot remember so long Nor have I so long kept so strict account of days as to be sure of it I trust to the common Computation of the world that our Sabbath is a continuation of that Sabbath which the Apostles kept And if so I am safe If not I cannot help it And because I think the Apostles Sabbath was on the first day of the Jewish week therefore I think ours to be so But if theirs was not neither is ours He would not have that of St. Iohn Revel 1. 10. I was in the spirit on the Lords-day to be understood of our Sabbath And why not He tells us 1. Some think it to be Christmass-day 2. Some think it to be Easter-day and 3. Some think it to be the Day of Iudgment And long Discourses we have upon all these Well! But doth he think it to be meant of any of these No. Then to what purpose are these alleged in disparagement of the Christian Sabbath But he seems to have so great displeasure against the Christian Sabbath that whatever he can think of to be Objected though he do not think it to be true he will be sure to Object that he may disparage the Day or perplex the Argument as if he were more concerned to beat down the Christian Sabbath than to set up the Iewish Not considering that by all this he is doing their Work who would have none at all For they know well that the Iewish Sabbath hath been long since laid aside without any great fear of returning and if they can but throw off the Christian Sabbath also 't is what they would have And 't is of a like import what he argues p. 84 for coming to the publick but once a day not twice as our manner is For those who care not to come at all if he dispense with them as to the One they will dispense with themselves as to the Other meeting I should rather think that the whole day being due to the Service of God publick and private it is to be parcelled out as to the number and times of publick meeting as might according to Christian Prudence be judged most conducing in this or that place to those ends and to common Edification and that to make such little Circumstances otherwise than as they conduce to those general ends a matter of Religious Observation or Divine Institution is a like extravagance as that of the Pharisees in laying like weight on their Traditions and that of the Papists on their numerous Superstitious Ceremonies And is as properly superstition as these I do not know this Author who thus argues against observing the Christian Sabbath and against publick meeting on that day more than once And therefore am not willing to