blessing Thus using their Rest either swinishly or superstitiously as the Iewes did theirs * Ignatius ad Mag saith let us not Sabbatize after the Iewish manner as rejoycing in Idlenes for hee that doth not labour let him not eate sayth the Scripture but let every one of us keepe the Sabbath spiritually rejoycing in the meditation of the Law not in the ease of our bodies admiring the workemanship of God not eaâ—â—ng things of the Day before nor drinking things luke-warme nor walking measured paces nor rejoycing in Dancings and mad Shoutings and clapping of the Hands and Feete But such ought to know that Gods example in resting was not the summe of his commandement concerning the Sabbath nor the proper duty injoyned therein but only the occasion of his Commandement and a meanes appointed for the fulfilling of it as appeareth in the tenour of the fourth Commandement where it is said that because God rested the seaventh Day from the worke of Creation Therefore he blessed the seaventh Day and hallowed it What you say of the second Duty is true both in the letter and in your meaning as I conceive it except you meane that the sanctifying of the Sabbath consisteth only of the time of publicke Duties which I cannot beleeve you doe because you speake of private as well as publicke worship and againe because of your adjuration prefixed to your Treatise Herein you give an Answer to some of your Partizans as B. White pag. 140. c. and Dr. Heylin pag. 113. 114. who sayth that two things the Lord commanded concerning the keeping holy of the Sabbath The one in relation to the people which was to rest and the other in reference to the Priests which was to offer sacrifice but of any Sabbath duties which were to be performed betweene them joyntly saith he wee find not And againe saith he of any reading of the Law or exposition of the same unto the people or publike forme of prayers to be presented to the Lord in the Congregation wee find no footestep till Nehemiahs dayes after their returne out of the Babilonish captivity And againe though resting from workâ—â— were a thing commanded yet sayth he the imployment of this Rest to particuler purposes either of contemplation or devotion that is not declared unto us in the word of God but left at large to the liberty of the people So also Bishop White pag 144. saith That there should bee any publicke or solemne reading or expounding of the Law every Weekely Sabbath Day is not expresly required and commanded in the Pentateuch And againe he sayth Pag 146. After the captivity the Iewes frequented their Synagogues upon the Sabbath Dayes and Moses was read but saith he this was not commanded in the Decalogue or by any expresse sentence or Mandat of Moses Law Answer These Antisabbatarians discover a strange partiality for where as they jeere others for their too precisely calling for a Scriptum est for the proofe of every circumstance yet now when the point comes in issue for themselves they fly to the same way of argumentation Non invenimus non scriptum est * So Bishop White pag 41. cannot find the will of God in the 2. Gen touching the sanctiâ—ying the Sabbath but brings this as an argument to justify 3 Prâ—lepsis That there is no other meanes for us to know what the will and act of God was Gen 2. but only divine revelation and the holy Scripture neither makes mention of any Commandement of God given to Adam concerning his resting upon the Sabbath Day c. And againe pag. 43. There are no commanding or imperative words nor any sentence declaring or signifying a precept in Gen 2. And yet wee plainly find an example of God in that Gen 2. 23. 24. paralel to this of the Sabbath nay soÌ„ewhat short to passe for a Law and to have a binding inâ—erence inferred thereupon as I have more at large observed in the beginning of my Answer to M. Broads 7. chap. And yet in the practice of our Church there are some things for which not having expresse Scripture wee lawfully build them upon proper deductions as for Baptizing of Children we find in Scripture that the Apostles Baptized whole Families amongst which say wee it s most likely there were some Children But in this matter of the Sabbath no consequences must be allowed by our Antisabbatarians There must be nothing but a bare rest commanded by God to the People no private contemplation nor publicke devotion although as M. Broad sayth God required as a speciall Duty on the Sabbath to have an holy Convocation and so it is expresly called Levit. 23. 3. for it was not enough sayth he to worship God privately but they must goe to the Assemblies and praise him in the Congregation Idlenes being unlawfull at all times And indeed if God may be suffered to tell his owne meaning wee find it plaine enough what he meant which sure must be his command else the Iewes erred not in seeking salvation and life by the right cousnes of the Law though God meant it as a â—choolemaster to bring the unto Christ Isaâ—ah 58 13 where he sayth If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my Holy Day and call the Sabbath a delight the Holy of the Lord honâ—rable and shalt honour him not doing thine owne waies nor finding thine owne pleasure nor speaking thine owne words then shalt thou delight thy selfe in the Lord c. which sheweth us the meaning of those words of the Commandement Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath Day and the end of that Rest which in the following words of the Commandement is enjoyned which as the other Commandements implyed more then is expressed And Bishop White saith pag. 146. That some other religious actions were intended by God as the end of the precept notwithstanding that no other but Rest was formally commanded If then religious actions were the end of Gods command surely then rest must be properly enjoyned as the subordinate meanes usefully and significantly conducing to fulfill that end And what a perversencs this sheweth in men to dispute upon Chimeraes and to frame acâ—y arguments of suppositionâ—s in matter of fact among the Iewes when Gods purpose which ought to give meaning to his Lawes and to sway our judgements is both knowne and acknowledged Which place of Isaiah Dr. Heylin pag 174 will have to signifie a spirituall Sabbath in abstaining from doing evill which in the Page foregoing he sayth was figured unto us in the fourth Commandement But it is apparant that the workes and pleasures there prohibited are so our owne as that wee have intimated a liberty to use them at another time which is our owne though not at this time which is so especially and extraordinarily Gods so as the imployment of that time ought to be Gods in like manner like as the workes mentioned in the fourth Commandement are such as may be done
captive and therfore if they did it not at all or if but a few of them were disposed after this manner to keepe the Sabbath before the Captivity the greater was their Sinne and the more they deserved to be punished of God as they were and the lesse to be regarded of us who ought to be followers of men and esteemers of men as they are followers of God Hereunto I will annexe and abstract of Mr. Hildershams upon this point of sanctifying the Sabbath hanled in his Lectures upon 51. Psal. Lect. 135. Hildersham which though long yet not tedious to a Godly reader because profitable It is sayth he a singular good thing to be strict in the observation of the Sabbath and such a thing as God is highly pleased with and hath beene wont to reward wheresoever he finds it To keepe a bodily rest upon that Day from all our owne workes is but one particuler that is required of us in the observation of the Sabbath nay that is as I may say but the outside of the Commandement and concerneth only the outward man the outward and bodily observation of it Of the fourth Commandement as well as of the rest that may be truly said which the Apostle speakes Rom. 7. 14 of the whole Law Wee know saith hee that the Law is spirituall The spirituall observation of it by the inward man when wee call the Sabbath a delight the Holy of the Lord honourable as the Prophet speaketh Isaiah 58. 13. That is when wee can joy in that Day as in the Lords own Holy Day and esteeme it in our Hearts a farre greater and more honourable Day then any other Day keeping the rest and performing the Duties of the Day cheerefully reverently conscionably spiritually This spirituall observation of it I say by the inward man is the chiefe thing that God requireth of us in the fourth Commandement the outward and bodily observation of it which may be performed by a man that hath no truth of Grace in him at all is nothing in Gods account in comparison of this And yet of this bodily observation of the Sabbath by the outward man the resting from our owne workes is but the least part The exercising of our selves upon that Day in doing of the Lords worke and spending of it in such holy duties both publicke and private as may breed and increase grace and sanctification in us is a greater matter and more pleasing to God a great deale then that is No man may thinke he hath kept the Sabbath well because he resteth from all his Labours of his calling upon that Day So farre forth the brute beast thy Oxe and thy Horse keepeth the Sabbath as well as thou For so is the expresse Commandement Deut. 5. 14. Neither thine Oxe nor thine Asse nor any of thy Cattle shall do any worke upon that Day Of thee that art a man and a Christian man God requireth more then so he will have thee not only to rest from thine owne Labours but to spend the Day so farre as thy bodily necessities will permit in such religious duties as may make thee a more holy and a better man The Hebrew word Sabbat from whence the Sabbath Day receiveth his name signifieth not such a rest as wherein one sitteth still and doth nothing as the word Noach doth but only a resting ceasing from that which he did before So God is said Gen. 2. 2. to have rested the seaventh Day not that he rested from all workes for my Father worketh hitherto and I worke saith our Saviour Iohn 5. 17. but because he rested from all the workes that he had made as Moses saith there As if he had said he rested from Creating any thing more And so wee likewise are expresly commanded to rest upon the Sabbath not from all workes but from such workes as wee did and might do upon the sixe Dayes God never allowed us any Day to spend in Idlenes and doing of nothing especially not that Day But he hath appointed us workes and duties for that Day which hee would have us as carefully to goe about them as wee are upon other Dayes to goe about the workes of our calling and when wee are at them to performe them with every whit as much diligence and care to doe them well as wee doe any worke wee take in hand upon the sixe Dayes Let no man say what would you have us to doe if we doe no busines upon the Sabbath Day would you have us spend the time in sleeping or talking or sitting at our doores or walking abroad How will you have us passe the time for the whole Day To such I answer Thou hast so much worke to doe as if thou wert as thou shouldest bee thou wouldest complaine that thou wantest time to doe it And yet this worke that God hath injoyned us to spend this Day in hath such interchange and variety in it as no good heart hath cause with these carnall professors Mat. 1. 13. to snuffe at it and to cry behold what a wearines it is how tedious and toylesome a thing it is to keepe the Sabbath as these men would have us to doe But the true Christian findeth just cause to call the Sabbath a delight as the Prophet Isaiah speakes 58. 13. for all this worke and labour that God hath injoyned us in it Wee have publicke duties to performe on that Day in Gods House And both the family duties and secret duties which wee are bound to performe every Day by the equity of that Law Numb 18 9. 10. to be doubled upon the Sabbath Day that wee might the better attend upon the profit by these holy workes these duties of Piety and Religion which are the proper workes of that Day For that is the chiefe end that the Sabbath was ordained for Remember the Sabbath Day to keepe it holy saith the Lord in the fourth Commandement Keepe the Sabbath Day to sanctifie it I gave them my Sabbaths saith the Lord Ez 20 12. to be a signe betwixt mee and them that they may know that I am the Lord that sanctify them As if he had said He remembreth not nor keepeth the Sabbath he regardeth it not nor careth for it how strict soever he be in resting from his owne labours that keepeth it not holy that spendeth it not in such religious duties as wherein he may know and feele by experience that it is the Lord who by his Ordinances doth sanctifie him who both doth begin and increase grace in the Soule c. And pag. 704. saith he and if it so well please God to see men rest from their owne workes on that Day which yet as I told you is but the least thing that belongeth to the right observation of it you may bee sure he is much more pleased to see men spend that Day in doing of his worke in exercising themselves in those duties of Piety and Mercy which hee hath appointed to be done upon that
VINDICIAE SABBATHI OR AN ANSWER TO TWO TREATISES OF MASTER BROADS The one Concerning the Sabbath or seaventh Day The other Concerning the Lords-day or first of the Weeke With a survey of all the rest which of late have written upon that subiect by GEORGE ABBOT Psalme 36. 9. In thy Light shall wee see Light LONDON Printed by I. D. for Henry Overton and are to be sould at his shop entring into Popes-head-Alley out of Lumbard-street Anno 1641. TO HIS MVCH HONORED FATHER IN LAW M r. WILLIAM PUREFEY OF CALDEcoate in Warwickshire Esquire SIR THe times favoring truth it becomes every one now that God hath given oportunity to bring out of his store both new and old as he is provided This which I here present to you and the World is both for it deals with our primitive English Antisabbatarians Breerewood and Broad but chiefely with the latter because none else that I know of have undertaken him being not in print and therefore knowne but to a few as also with the whole cluster of our moderne Writers upon that subject which are too many to name except with an c. For the plot of the times haâ—s beene against the power of Godlines which could never been pulled downe whilest the Sabbath stood upright and therefore our Patrons of impiety have rightly projected to take that out of the way which stood so much in theirs and to remove that same holy interruption which God in his care and wisedome had put to our dayes and wayes of Worldly natures that so they might bring all to a levell by paring away Sabbathâ— and Sermons which was the onely way to mount them to the height of their designe of bringing Godlines to a forme and all things but Episcopacy from ius Divinum to iâ—s Humanum that they may bee all in all but all this while they have kicked against the pricks for which they now smart nor could they expect other then that they which opposed the rest of God should have their owne rest molested for God will find a time to bring truth to light though she wade through a long Eclipse and to shut up errour in darknes and her abetters in disgrace as now they are for with the froward hee hath threatned to shew himselfe froward and hee hath made it good to the praise of the glory of his power Your ever obliged Son in Law GEORGE ABBOT Deare friend I Doubt not that God shall have honour by this Booke from others let him have the honour of it from your selfe When we come to give up our accounts wee must acknowledge our receipts first as from God Matth. 25. 20. Master thou deliveredst mee five talents then our gaine and improvement by and of them unto God for wee trade for our Master and not for our selves There is light in the Treatise more then hath shewne in former times or Authors as the declaration of Christ to the World was progressive so is the illumination of the spirit not only in particular Mens Soules but in the whole Church which must have her growth as well as particular Men and what if somebody in after times may stand on your shoulders and see further let God yet be gloryfied though he make the feete of posterity to stand as high as our heads so wee blessed be God have shorter shadowes then our predecessours and still the more light ariseth the lesse shall bee the shadowes till they be none at all It was Gods providence that brought M r Broads Manu-script to your hands and that thereupon stirred up your spirit to doe something against the fresh forces that should come in now of late to fight against the Sabbath God did not tell you his Errand when he sent the Booke to you but the event is the finger that points to Gods providence as Time is the Mid wife of Truth God found out you who being vacant from other imployments might the better worke in this Vine yard you who being not ambitious of humane 〈◊〉 named learning should keepe close to the Scripture the spirit and reason without doting upon names of Fathers c. which wee in these times are mad upon and so hinder our owne growth by putting their old spectacles on ouâ— Noses which dimme our Eyes and thinke it not Scholler-like to go beyond Aristotle This I must needs say the whole Booke savours of spirituall matter and argues that it came from the Spirit and promiseth to breed Spirit in the Reader and truly all Scripture-knowledge should be written as the Scripture was and that is by the carriage of the holy Ghost Holy men wrote saith hee as they were carried by the holy spirit so should so are holy men carried now not by selfe-humours and ends Let the wilfull blind slight it 〈◊〉 2. 15. barke and scorne it yet the spirituall man is judged of no man though himselfe discerne all things God will most probably reveale his Sabbath to them that best keepe it here and that shall enjoy his Sabbatisme hereafter and they are his people I verily beleeve thus much of the Booke that it overthrowes and confutes the Antagonists and if they can produce no better reasons and records then they have it will be Master of the field for mee thinkes M r Broad is very weake and loose when compared with yours I could wish your Booke a speedy birth if any that it might give pauze to others that intend any thing of that kind to the Presse Commit it to Gods patronage for he is the fittest Patron it can have My Prayer shall be that your spirit may be such as may procure a blessing on the Booke by giving it to God first and then his Church in a spirit of Humility and selfe-deniall see Gods providence and his assistance see your end in Writing Printing see what a seasonable time and opportunity of good and be confident of this that in spirituall men it will breed spirituall knowledge and affection whether it carry them in all points of judgment or no Vale. The Author of this answer desireth the Reader to take notice of these things THat herein you have first M r Broad faithfully transcribed and my answer following saving that in some places you shall find some things passed by without answer which I take to be not much materiall and therefore to avoyd tediousnes I passe them but I had not dealt faithfully if I had not transcribed them being his That the chiefe of my ayme is to deale with his Arguments and not with his Authors and therefore my paines is principally bestowed in the rationall part so farre as Scripture and Reason the sword of the Lord and Gideon lead mee which are the best satisfiers of godly and reasonable men though where his Quotations come into my way I have not utterly balked them That this Tractate was written long before these late Antisabbatarian Treatises of B P White D r Heylin and M r Dow came forth and
on the sixe Dayes though not on the seventh but the imployments and pleasures of Sinne wee have no liberty to owne and use as ours And had he consulted Bishop Hall in locum he might have beene better informed of the true meaning of this text who thus sences it If thou shalt refraine thy foote from walking farre or servdely on the Sabbath and refraine thy selfe from doing thine owne workes or taking thine owne carnall pleasures on my holy day and shalt contrarily take delight in a conscionable sanctifying of that Day of the Lord as that which is by thee accounted a Day of consecration to the Lord and worthy of great reverence and honour c. Wherein he gives Bishop White the shocke Pag 232. who sayth That honest and moderate recreations were not forbidden either in the Law or in the Prophets in literall and expresse termes for no other will be allowed as also Pag 237 sayth he I find no formall or expresse prohibition either in the text of the fourth Commandement or in any other sentence of Moses Law simply restraining the Iewes and Israelites from the use of honest recreations upon their Weekly Sabbath Day Besides wee find the Levites were dispersed abroad throughout all the Tribes and so were many of the Priests among the People whose office it was to teach the Children of Israel the difference betweene cleane and uncleane things and all the Statutes which the Lord had spoken by the hand of Moses Levit. 10. 11. So that it was their office to teach the People whether with the booke of the Law or without it I will not dispute but as it was their office to teach so it was the Peoples duty to learne * Both which are implicd Esi 30. 20. in those words Yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more but thine eies shall see thy teachers which was the fittest to be performed on both parts on holy times appointed to that end by God for holy Convocations and accordingly we find the practices of the religious Shunamite to be who it seemes by her Husbands question was wont to make the new Moone and Sabbath Day the ordinary times of her repairing to the Prophet for the due celebration of them And though it fall out for her to be named alone yet it is like it was the practice of others also that feared God though perchance through corruption of manners among the Iewes there was no order taken for solemne meetings to repaire and meete together for the celebration of those times according as they could most conveniently accommodate themselves for that purpose And to mend the matter D. Heylin Pag 141 bringeth the authority of Gaudentius Brixianus and Cyrill against himselfe making them speake thus The Iewes sayth Gaudentius neglecting those spirituall Duties which God commanded on that Day abused the Sabbaths rest unto ease and Luxury For whereas sayth Cyrill they being free from temporall cares ought to have imployed that Day to spirituall uses and to have spent the same in modesty and temperance and in repetition and commemoration of Gods holy word they on the other side did the contrary wasting the Day in Gluttony and Drunkennes and idle delicacies Moreover by his Rule wee should thinke the Levites sanctifyed no Sabbath neither the Priests that were scattered among the People 1. Because wee find nothing thereof recorded 2. By this rule of separation of Priest and People they should indeed have nothing to doe towards it for they did not officiate in the duty of sacrificing nor were they Laicke People to whom rest was commanded Neither should wee beleeve that Prophecy of Simeon and Levi I will divide them in Iacob and scatter them in Israel to be performed as concerning Simeon because wee find not to our understandings how he was scattered as wee do of Levi. But it is enough for sober minds to know that now wee are ignorant of many things in circumstance that were cleare to them that lived in those times But sayth D. Heylin Pag 148. c. They had no Synagogues therefore they had no Congregations before Nehemiahs time To which I answer That Godwins * In his Moses and Aâ—ron pag 86. opinion is that they had Synagogues before even so soone as the Tribes were setled in the promised Land but that they were in Davids time saith he appeareth Psal 74. 8. where it is said That they burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the Land which D r. Heylin answers Pag 149. and saith This was but a Prophecy or prediction of David touching the future State of the Church under Antiochus To which I rejoyne That it is true that this is Prophetically spoken by David but it is likely that Dauid as other Prophets were wont to doe tooke his hint from things in present being to expresse future events and things by like as one saith of Similies Parables and Examples that have beene alledged by the wise to represent the truth that they have beene derived from the custome and nature of things according to the knowne truth in that Time an Place But put case they had no Congregations before the Captivity nor did not celebrate the Sabbath spiritually in holy imployments but carnally in meere Rest what doth this advantage D. Heylin and his party or damnify the Sabbath seeing that D. Heylin himself Pag 143. confesseth that the breach of the Weekly Sabbath was one cause of their Captivity and proves it also Neh 13. 18. who also he confesseth were a people so averse to the due observation of the Sabbath as that when God had brought them againe out of Captivity into the Land of Canaan and hereupon they had bound themselves by Covenant to a due observation of the Sabbath yet notwithstanding when Nehemiahs back was turned they brake promise with God Pag 145. an unfit People to make a president who also by his owne confession were as regardlesse of annuall Sabbaths and Sabbaths of yeares Pag 143. as of Weekely Sabbaths And againe seeing that after their returne from their Captivity the truly religious seeing these Sabbath-sinnes reformed them which is the time that wee are to take notice of them * As wee are in like manner to take notice and of those times and â—â—ges of the Church since Christ which being better setled and freed from Gentilisme and heresies gave best improvement to the Lords Day and not of those which either through distraction or ignorance give us not so faire a president for the better and not for the worse and then wee see all these imaginary arguments confuted by their practice for then when they saw their errour and had â—marted for it they turned over a new leafe then they made them plenty of Synagogues and holy convocations and the Law read and expounded and the Statutes of the Lord taught them accordingly as it was the Priests and Levites duty all which shewes what they should have done before they were led
day especially in seeing them keepe his Sabbaths spiritually and conscionably Certainely they that doe so shall be sure to be blessed and rewarded of God for it To this purpose it is worth the observing that as our Saviour sayth Marke 2. 27. That the Sabbath was at the first made for man for the great benefit and behoofe of man Man could not no not Adam in Innocency have beene without it but with great danger and losse unto him So the Holy Ghost sayth there twice of the Sabbath Gen. 2. 3. and Exod. 20. 11. that he never said of any other Day That the Lord blessed that Day that is appointed it to be a meane of a greater blessing to man if hee kept it as God had commanded him to doe then any other Day or any of the ordinary workes of any other Day can possibly be Two sorts of blessings there be which the conscionable observer of the Sabbath shall be sure to receive by it 1. The first are spirituall and they indeed are the chiefe blessings of all because they are durable and lasting and because they concerne the Soule which is the chiefe and most pretious part of man And for these was the Sabbath chiefely ordained that God might by it in the use of his Ordinances enrich our Soules with spirituall blessings in Heavenly things So the Lord saith Ez 20. 12. that he gave his Sabbaths to his People to that end that they might know that he was the Lord that sanctified them Wee shall find and know that the Lord will sanctifie us both begin and increase saving grace in our Hearts if wee keepe the Sabbath conscionably Yea the Lord hath promised Isaiah 56. 6. 7. to every one that keepeth his Sabbath from polluting that he will make them joyfull in his House of Prayer And Isaiah 58. 13 14. That if a man shall keepe the Sabbath heartily and spiritually then he shall delight himselfe in the Lord. By these two places it appeareth that God hath bound himselfe by promise to them that keepe his Sabbath not only to worke sanctification increase of holines and power over their corruptions which he professeth in that former place of Ezekiel was the very end he gave his Sabbaths for but also by his spirit of adoption to encrease in their hearts a lively sence of his favour assurance that he heareth and accepteth their Prayers Peace of Conscience Ioy in the Holy Ghost which are blessings the Christian Soule prizeth above all things in the World Ob. Why may you say may not a man receive increase of grace and spirituall comfort in the use of Gods ordinances on any other Day but only on the Sabbath Ans. Yes verily but these promises may give him assurance to receive them more richly and plentifully upon the Sabbath then on any other Day 2 The second sorts of blessings that the conscionable observers of the Sabbath receive by it are temporall for concerning them also wee have a promise Isaiah 58. 4. Gen. 18. 13 48. 4. Psa 1. 19. To conclude this point with the authority and judgment of a learned Bishop now living Bishop Hall Decad 6. Epis 1. Gods Day sayth he calleth for another respect then doe common Dayes The same Sunne ariseth on this Day and enlightens it yet because the Sun of righteousnes arose upon it gave a new life unto the World in it and drew the strength of Gods morall precept unto it Therefore justly do wee sing with the Psalmist This is the Day which the Lord hath made Now I forget the World and in a sort my selfe and deale with my wonted thoughts as great Men use who at some time of their privacy forbid the accesse of all suters Prayer Meditation Reading Hearing Preaching Singing good conferences are the businesses of this Day which I dare not bestow on any worke or pleasure but Heavenly I hate superstition on the one side and loosenes on the other But I find it hard to offendin too much Devotion easy in â—rophaneâ—es The whole weeke is sanctifyed by this Day and according to my care of this is my blessing on the rest Broad CHAP. III. I. Whereby the Sabbath was Sanctified THe Sabbath was sanctifyed by resting from worke Thus Zanâ—hy in effect likewise Vicest and D. Boys and this Analysâ—â— naturall Some make two parts the one affirmative the other negative but they are out of the way In the fourth Commandement we have to observe 1. The Commandement it self briefly delivered and is thus Remember the Sabbath to Sanctify it 2. Then followeth the explication in order God shewing what is the Sabbath the seaventh Day is the Sabbath to the Lord thy God And after how it is sanctified In it thou shalt not doe any worke I do not write as many doe that the Sabbath was sanctified by praying hearing of word and if thou marvailest thereat see at the end of the Booke 3. A reason is yeelded why God requireth this service For in the sixe Dayes the Lord made Heaven c. Here thou seest that God himselfe being expositor to sanctifie the Sabbath Day is not to doe any worke on the seaventh Day read also Ier 17 24. II. Whereby the Sabbath was profaned The Sabbath was prophaned by worke as Exod 31. 14. Profanare sine vioâ—are vâ—cat â—o die operari perin de at que professo Mart in Math 1â— 8. Every one that defileth the Sabbath shall surely bee put to Death for whosoever doth any Worke therein that Soule shall bee cut off from among his People Further the Sabbath was profaned by the least worke and thus hee prophaned it who only gathered stickes therein As he that â—ateth the least food may be said to breake his fast as well as he that eateth his belly-full So hee that did the lâ—ast worke brake the rest or Sabbath as well as he that laboured all Day Some would have the Sabbath prophaned by Drunkennes Lasciviousnes Dauncing c. In it God said Thou shalt doe noe Worke not in it thou shalt not worship Idols thou shalt not drinke excessively c. for he needed not these things being forbidden by other Commandements Ans 1. If by one Sinne then by another and then every man profaned the Sabbath 2. Any Day in the Weeke was as well defiled by Sinne as the Sabbath for every Day was alike exempt from Sinne. The punishment for prophaning the Sabbath was Death If then such as haunted the Ale-house and the like prophaned the Sabbath as well as he that gathered stickes they should much rather in reason have undergone the punishment Now although the Sabbath was defiled by worke and whosoever wilfully or carefully did any worke therein was to be put to Death Yet in two cases worke was to be done on the Sabbath In what cases the Sabbath might be prophaned 1. In case of necessity Thus the Disciples being hungry pulled the Eares of Corne and rubbed them in their Hands Math 11. which
from other works on that day that hee might bee vacant to works pertaining to the service of God And saith hee yet further servile works as they respect either the service of sin or the service of man doe contrary the observanâ—e of the Sabbath in so much as they hinder mans application to divine things For a closure to perswade the spiritualizing of the Sabbath observe what one speaking of the word remember as it is prefixed to the fourth commandement saith To remember the keeping of the Sabbath saith hee is so to keepe it in mind as to prevent worldly busines falling on that day to desire after it to prepare for it to delight and glory in it as wee doe in those things wee keepe much in remembrance for when hee speaks of remembrance hee cals on us for such affections and actions as become remembrance therefore when God bids you remember the Sabbath hee commands you to desire it Thus David still explainâ— himselfe by the word remember in the Psalmes as Psalme 44. 4. and in other places For it is a rule amongst the Hebrewes in eâ—pounding of Scripture that verbâ— seâ—suâ— cum affectâ—◠〈…〉 so that by remembring the Sabbath wee should desire it delight in it and account the busines and imployment thereof honourable to us glorifying God in the consecrating it to him being joyfull in it and the duties of it both as the soules market day to provide it necessaries like as the Husband man is glad of the market to buy and sell in and as the soules holy-day for to procure it refreshing as Schoole-boies joy in a play-day and not bee weary of the day nor heavily doe the dutieâ— of it Broad CHAP. IV. Wherefore God ordained the Sabbath THe ends and purposes for which God ordained the Sabbath were many 1. That the Israelites might celebrate the memoriall of the Worlds creation as Exod. 31. 〈◊〉 It is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel for â—ver for in â—ixe dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth and on the seaventh day rested and was refreshed 2. That they might remember their deliverance Consider whether God commanding the Israelites to keepe the Sabbath because hee had brought them out of Egypt this bee an Argument that the Sabbath was then first enjoyned out of Egypt where 〈◊〉 doubt they might not rest any day from their burdens And remember that thoâ— wâ—st a servant in the Land of Egypt and that the Lord thy God brought theâ— out thence through a mighty hand and outstretchâ—d arme therefore the Lord thy God 〈…〉 3. â— That Servants and 〈◊〉 might rest and bee refreshed after their hard labour in the weeke before as Exod. 23. 12. sixe dayes thou shalt doe thy worke and 〈◊〉 the seaventh day thou shalt rest that thine Oâ—e 〈◊〉 Asse may rest and the Son of thine hand 〈◊〉 and the stranger may bee refreshed 4. That the Israelites might have more leisure to serve God who on this day as also on festivall dayes commanded them to have an holy convocation Sixe dayes shall worke bee done but the seaventh day is a Sabbath of rest and holy convocation Levit. 23. 5. That they might know how that hee was the Lord that did sanctifie them as Exod. 31. 13. Verity my Sabbaths yee shall keepe for it is a signe betweene mee and you throughout your generations that yee may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you 6. By some mens Doctrine the legall Sabbath served to put the Israelites in mind of keeping a spirituall Sabbath as the legall circumcision served to put them in mind of the spirituall circumcision of the heart hereof now in their understanding the Prophet Isaiah speaketh Chap. 58. 13. truly this spirituall Sabbath is the onely Sabbath in the judgement of Augustine Tertullian Chrysotome c. which Christians ought to keepe 7. The legall Sabbath was a type of the heavenly Sabbath it was a shadow of the blessed rest to come of which matter in the next Chap. Answer To the first of these I answer That the Israelites were a people contenting themselves with the outward part not savouring the inward and spirituall strength of things which is naturally the fault of all men till they bee better taught of God and for this reason God ever and anon made the Sabbath to follow as a Counter-checke to their carnall zeale And therefore when the making of the Tabernacle was commanded the Sabbath was even then exempted from its very worke to shew them that it was other worship that hee expected and that they were not to repose their happines and confidence in outward things but in God And as therefore in the time of Mannah hee commanded his Sabbath to shew them how that it was hee and not that which nourished them So likewise when the Tabernacle was commanded the Sabbath was urged upon them in this 31. Exod. to shew them how that it was God and not it that sanctified them And therefore did the one give place to the other So that the end of the Sabbath as it is expressed in this portion of Scripture betweene the 12. and 18. verses seemeth rather to consist in these words of the 13. verse for it is a signe betweene mee and the children of Israel for ever that yee may know that I the Lord do sanctifie you Those words which in the 17 verse make mention of the Worlds creation and Gods rest being rather added as a reason in this place to enforce this end For here it is not the meaning of the holy Ghost to discourse of the Sabbath simply but onely occasionally as appeareth by the coherence of the 11. 12. and 13. verses where the Sabbath is urged with a verily or a notwithstanding as it is in the Geneva that though hee had commanded the making of the Tabernacle yet hee would not have them repose their Religion or content in this outward Tabernacle or Temple for God dwelleth not in things made with hands but that they should looke to the spirituall part the Temple of their hearts that they should bee more carefull to build up and keepe that in repaire which did more properly distinguish them to bee the sanctified Israel of God Whosoever therefore is an Israelite indeed let him looke to make good this signe of his sanctification the sanctifying of the Sabbath by spirituall worship and service which doth excellently approve it to his conscience that God hath sanctified him that is chosen him to bee his and thus it is made holy to him as it is phrased in the 14. verse that is a day of blessing and sanctification for therein God bestoweth the best of his blessings because on that day wee are or ought to bee wholly imployed in the best of his ordinances such as belong to our soules and not to our bodies Therefore ought not this day to bee defiled with bodily imployments by such as are the Israel of God but to bee dedicated from earthly
labour to an heavenly rest after the example of God For when the hands cease from one imployment the heart is fittest for another And as one well observeth The Sabbath-day signified that they themselves were the Lords and therefore they abstained from their owne works to doe the Lords To the second end gathered out of the 5. of Deut. That they might remember their deliverance out of Egypt I answer that this is an Argument to incite them to the better observance of this duty of sanctifying the Sabbath and their more willing allowance of it in their servants For the 15. verse is thus much That whereas when thou wast a servant in the Land of Egypt thou couldst not have sanctified a Sabbath unto mee having no rest for thy selfe because of thine intolerable pressures which I who am the Lord thy God have set thee free from and therefore command no more then I have enabled thee to fulfill therefore doe I now expect that according to my commandement and for my mercies sake shewne to thee in working thy deliverance thou shouldest observe the Sabbath to sanctifie it For Gods mercie thus preached unto them must needs conduce much to the gaining backe from them both mercy and obedience And for this cause it is that this their deliverance is made the Preface to the whole Law sutable to that in the Gospell that wee being delivered from the hands of our enemies might serve him without feare And both this which was a signification of our redemption and that other example of Gods resting from the creation are propounded as fit Theames for them to improve and exercise their minds upon to the glorifying of him and bettering themselves on that day both which were much to one purpose to shew forth the wonderfull loving kindnes of God to his people and Church in that hee made all things for them even for them whom hee had delivered out of Egyptian thraldome which admirable mercies of his hee would have them take speciall notice of and turne to praisefull Haleluiahs on that day which hee hath sanctified to himselfe without wearisomnes cheerefully and with delight as the Angels and Saints in Heaven keepe their Sabbath If this typicall and corporall deliverance of the Iewes bee such a perswasive reason of their sanctifying the Sabbath shall not our deliverance much more stirre us up to doe the like The substance of your marginall consideration hath beene handled before onely I adde this that a commandement is not made speciall by every motive but that it may bee in force to mee though every motive brought to enforce it properly concerne not my particular Else a man may oppresse a stranger that hath not beene himselfe stranger in the Land of Egypt Though this motive bee onely proper to them in the letter yet common to us in the spirituall and better sense and therefore enforceth the commandement upon us as well as on them Touching your third end deduced from Exod. 23. 12. where God commanded the Iewes to rest from their sixe dayes worke on the seaventh day that so their Cattle Servants and Strangers might bee refreshed To this I answer that this commandement doth neither imply that a bare rest doth sanctifie the Sabbath nor that they were to use the Sabbath as a Parenthesis betweene two weekes the better to passe from labour to labour but the intent of it was 1. The better to set forth the heavenly rest which the Sabbath signified for it being thus absolutely and universally commanded both to them and every thing that was properly theirs it sheweth the absolute and universall rest which every one that belongeth to God shall bee possessed of in Heaven as well as God himselfe For as God rested from his works so shall they from theirs to enjoy an absolute and perpetuall refreshment with him in Heaven 2. That to the practices of piety which they were to performe towards God on this day they should adjoyne the practices of charity humanity to man and beast not that mercy was the proper end of the Sabbatical-rest for so you confound the two Tables the first whereof immediatly respects God the second Man And in this respect was God curious of the due observance of his Sabbaths because the right keeping of them did involue the whole Law of God Your fourth end drawne from the 23. Levit. doth refute your position of the Sabbaths being sanctified by rest For if so bee this rest of the Sabbath served properly as a meanes to further the holy duties of that day how can the holines of that day bee properly or principally said to bee included in the rest it selfe which if it bee not an holy rest that is used to an holy end and purpose it neither fulfilleth the duty of the commandement which commandeth us as well to sanctifie the Sabbath as to forbeare worke nor the signification of the Sabbath it selfe For in Heaven when there shall bee the convocation of the universall Church of God the perpetuall Sabbath shall thenbee sanctified not in that wee shall rest but in that wee shall holyly rest Your fifth end fell out to bee discoursed of in your first which shall suffice concerning it onely thus much further that I suppose it cannot bee proved that all signes of covenants were abolished by Christs comming For the Rainebow was given for a signe of Gods covenant with Noah The Sabbath for a signe of Gods covenant with Israel from which I inferre that this cannot therefore bee judged abolished because a signe because the other signe as wee see is yet remaining Catonus pag. 45. De iride autem si concedemus quod doctissimi nonnulli negant illam ante diluvium fuisse induisse à postea raâ—ionem signi sequetur tamen inde quòd nos contendimus essentiam iridis non à signo dependisse imo si promissio Dei ad certum tempus restricta fuisset expleto tamen illo iridis natura non minus integra remansisset Similiter de Sabbatho dicendum est And to give further light to that same place of Scripture Exod. 31. 3. I will here insert the discourse of a divine of prime note upon the word remember shewing the reasons wherefore it is prefixt to the foâ—rth commandement wherein he handles the aforesaid text This word remember saith hee is prefixed to the fourth commandement rather then to the rest for 2. reasons 1. Because wee are apter to forget it then any of the rest for marke it in Scripture and where any duty is charged by God with Remember it argues a pronenes to forget it as that Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth when many lusts are ready to draw us of And the reasons why wee are so apt to forget this Commandement and why there is need of a Memento are foure 1. Because the rest of the Commandements are written in our Hearts by light of Nature but this only was given by outward ordinance of divine instruction
we are apter to forget instructions then inclinations 2. Because this more restraineth the naturall liberty then all the rest they restraining only sinfull things this lawfull things yea our very words and thoughts about them 3. Because of the multitude of our sixe daies businesses which had need bee remembred to bee seasonably finisht else they will breed distractions 4. Because the Devill prompts us to forget it so to quench the Memory of the Creation and the Creator and so to bring in the Eternity of the World as he did amongst the Heathen and there with Athisme to prevent which wee are bid to remember to keepe this Commandement as a meanes to preserve the memory of God and to keepe a foote his worship 2. Because it is of most weight to bee remembred and that for three reasons 1. Is taken from the dependancy of the observation of all the rest of the Commandements on this for in keeping of the Sabbath the Lord is wont to sanctifie his People to the keeping of all the rest of the Commandements so that keeping this wee keepe all and neglecting this wee neglect all hence God saith Exod 31. 3. Verily my Sabbaths you shall keepe for it is a signe betweene mee and you throughout all your Generations that you may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you moreover saith God Exod 20. 12. I gave them my Sabbaths to bee a signe betweene mee and them that they might know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie them Looke all the conversion of sinners and you shall see where one hath beene converted on the Weeke Daies 7 have beene on the Sabbath 7 to one nay 10 to one if not a 100 to one God doth delight most to dispence his grace on that Day so that keepe that Day and you keepe an oportunity where God doth bestow his graces on the Sonnes of men but neglect it and you neglect an oportunity of getting grace of God Heathen Princes are wont on their coronation Day to shew themselves to their People in all their rioalty and cast about Silver and Gold so doth God sometimes in these his solemne Daies shew himselfe to be present with us in holy duties he scatters abroad his holy graces and delights so to do wee are not to appoint God the time when to come downe and speake to his People but they must waite the time he hath appointed now God doth delight to sanctifie Men on this Day of all the rest therefore the text saith He blessed it and hallowed it that is he did blesse it to be a meanes to sanctifie it to his People for else the Sunne shines no hotter on this Day then any other but that God hath blessed it as he blessed the bread to make us blessed to observe it therefore is a means to bring ablessing on our Family Towne Kingdome where wee live take many Men that are dejected for Sinne and 〈◊〉 tell you one of the first and chiefe in their neglect of the Sabbath though it be not written in their Hearts by nature On this Day God drawes nigh to his People and they to him by whom he will be found sooner on this Day then any of the rest and if wee get grace any Day its a thousand to one it is on this Day or else something added to it Esa 36. 4. The way to lay hold of the Covenant is to keepe the Sabbath there is some hope of a Mans salvation when he makes conâ—cience of keeping the Sabbath If thou turne away thy feete c. and consecrate it as glorious c. thou shalt delight thy selfe in the Lord saith Esay implying that a man that hath no delight in keeping of the Sabbath hath no delight nor pleasure in God but the way to get pleasure in God is to keepe the Sabbath 2. Reason why this cómandement is of most weight to be remembred is taken from the efficacy of it in it wee are made most spirituall and heavenly minded it frames our spirits to be fit for every good busines by keeping the Sabbath wee are kept from idle thoughts and by this meanes are moulded up into a Heavenly frame wee are not even of this World there is nothing of it doth hang about us There remaines a Rest to the People Heb 4 9. implying that the Saints in Heaven keepe a Sabbath rest meditating divine things learning from Christ Singing praises and are in a spirituall manner wrapt up in all spirituall busines and minding Heavenly things And wee by keeping it are wrapt up from all incumbrances otherwaies lawfull but now not fitting our spirits 3. Reason is taken from the memory of those things are kept in memory by it for by keeping in mind the Sabbath wee keepe in mind Gods chiefest benefits to us as our Creation and our Redemption by its translation from the seaventh to the eight Day and Ezech 20. 12. that it is a signe that God doth sanctifie us implying thus much that whereas there are three Persons who shew themselves in three Works tending to our Salvation This Sabbath is sanctified to us to put us in remembrance of them and their works as of the Father that Created us of Christ that Redeemed us of the Holy Ghost that Sanctifies us Thus are our chiefest blessings remembred by our keeping of this fourth Commandement and therefore it is of most weight to be remembred The legall Sabbath as you call it and which you speake of in your sixth end was more then to put them in mind of the spirituall Sabbath for it was the properst meanes of bringing it about to cause them actually to keepe a spirituall Sabbath for when as they were not to do any of their owne works nor to thinke any of their owne thoughts what could they construe hence but that they were to doe Gods and thinke Gods * Like as the Apostle collects Heb 11. 14. from our Fathers saying they were strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth that they that say such things declare plainly that they seeke a Countrey And therefore doth not that 58. Isaiah 13. intend only the negative part for so God should allow of Idlenes and take away the nature of the mind which is ever to be in motion but also the spirituall part which also is expressed there but if it had not it being delivered in the Negative they both ought and might thence have deduced the Affirmative and better part like as was done to them in their Typicall ordinances wherein the shell was to be cracked before they could find the kernell * It was Gods ordâ—nary way of delivery in those times like a skilfull Logitian that only mentioneth the Major and the Minor of a Syllogisme and leaveth the Conclusion to be gathered as a thing so easy because so necessary as none but Fooles and Dunces can be ignorant of and thus doth Christ deale with us also under the Gospell he giveth generall Rules for us thence to deduce
2 ly I answer it was not their practice as you may see Luke 14. by comparing â—â—verse with 12. 13 except of some superstitious ones such as Ignatius ad Mag mentioneth 3 ly I answer it was not their opinion for then the Pharises would have replyed upon Christs argument that necessity made it not lawfull to them in regard that that necessity was begot by their improvidence in not preparing and making ready their viands beforehand on the Day before according as that Law enjoyned for so it is likely through the improvidence of the man that gathered Stickes on the Sabbath Day probably for to seeth or bake some Mannah unprovided the Day before his action became necessary and yet he was stoned for it But here it will be said that if this action of Christs Disciples was a breach of Rest Obj. and so judged to bee unlawfull then in like manner it is unlawfull for us going through a Corne Field on the Sabbath Day to do the like It is as well unlawfull to us as to them needlesly and cursorily performed Answ. but with a distinction of unlawfulnes for it was literally unlawfull to them but it is spiritually unlawfull to us For it was of a positive holines to them in their times but to us it is only of a relative holines so that such an action is unlawfull to us not properly as a breach of Rest but as it is a distraction or a fruit and effect of empty carnall and earthly minds on that Heavenly Day for else in case of necessity for mercy sake it is lawfull or as an helpe and furtherance of the spiritualizing or sanctifying of that Day it is also lawfull as if a man for the helpe of his mind in meditation or to deduce some point of instruction do pluck an Eare of Corne and anatomize it by rubbing it in his hand the better to see the wisdome and power of the Creator in it For thus even in the time of Israel the Temple sanctified workes to it owne service even on the Day of Rest as Christ sheweth after in this 12. Math intimating that the principall end of the instituting the Sabbaths rest from carnall workes was for the service and helpe of the Temple of our minds and Hearts in the workes and wayes of God Isaiah 58. 13. Levit. 23. 27. 28 c. And therefore did the godly-wise among the Iewes make no scruple of working on the Sabbath Day to this end as the Priests in the Temple nor to travell further then a Sabbath Dayes journey for this purpose as wee see by the godly Shunamite her going to the Prophet a Kings 4. 22. 23. For spirituall and holy ends make spirituall and holy actions so that the action bee not unlawfull but indifferent To this purpose its worth our observation to consider how that the building of the Tabernacle and Temple gave place to the rest of the Sabbath Exod. 31. intimating that distracting bodily labours or the carnall part or imployment of or about even holy things their opus operatum must give place to the spirituall rest of heavenly mindednes and spirituall worship or worshipping of God in Spirit And againe on the contrary the Sabbath-rest gave place to the serviceable works of the Temple and Tabernacle implying that our carnall rest must give place to his spirituall worship and service And hereupon let mee in an holy Iealousy annexe an exhortation to some of the Ministers of this Land for blessed bee God it needs not to all that they would carefully provide and looke that they doe not build the Tabernacle on that day I meane that they rest not in the opus operatum of their holy imployments and busying themselves about the carnall part of holy things in putting off the studying of their Sermons or getting them by heart except it bee to worke them upon the heart and not barely to commit them to memory till that day and so though they take care to build the Tabernacle of Gods Church yet they in the meane time neglect the Temple of their owne hearts in serving God in the Spirit and not in the letter or outward performance onely But it were well if they would gather and prepare their Mannah seeth it and bake it the day before that when the Sabbath came they might have nothing to doe but to chew and concâ—ct it into their owne Spirits * Doctor Taylor in his expe-Christ revealed pag. 148. The Minister must not onely set the Word and Sacraments before others but himselfe must feed on on them as the Priests did on the Shew-bread all the weeke and yeare long least it befall him as that Prince which saw plenty of food with his eyes but tasted not of it 2 Kings 7. 20. and so spiritually in the experience of their owne hearts not heads dish it out to their hearers which would bee an happy meanes to make them see better fruits of their labours For commonly that which is notionally delivered is notionally received and that which is spiritually and powerfully delivered in the evidence of the Spirit is spiritually and savingly received though I know to the pure all things are pure a good stomacke can digest good meat though the cooke perhaps never licke his owne fingers how ever it bee cooked or dished it may bee as the yolke of an egge to the hearer when it is as the white to the speaker without tast or life for Spirit begets Spirit as fire begets fire And as a worthy Writer of this Church saith to this purpose that it can hardly sinke into an hearers heart that never went further then the speakers head This fault in part is to bee suspected in some Ministers by their absenting themselves * In the vestry or elsewhere from the publicke prayers of the congregation not comming in till the Psalme bee almost at an end of ill president the congregation losing the Doctrine of their example and the assistance of their Spirit not but that some men at some times may bee justly and really straitned and necessitated to study or get by heart their Sermons on the Sabbath-day others also may bee of weake memories and must bring it fresh To such I speake not but onely to make them their afflictions and to watch and pray against them but to them to whom God gives Mannah for gathering and preparing that they doe not put up with the worse and neglect the better part of the duty satisfying themselves with this that they are in their Divine calling conversant about holy things and so gather Mannah when they should eat it It is an easie thing to take great paines in the outward part or performance of holy things which oft proves a snare causing the neglect of the Spirit of the inner man For many are great labourers in the worke of the Lord that are starvelings in the Spirit of the Lord satisfying themselves with a Popish peace of conscience in the deed doing
regard of their superstitious resting which they used upon the Sabbath as that they would rather endure to dye then fly especially considering the Religion they put in that tradition of a Sabbath daies journey which was but two miles as they accounted it So that had they fled â—ut two miles further then their stint they would have thought themselves more to have violated the Sabbath then if they had spent the whole day in contentions and seditions within the City For of such force is zeale when it is not according to knowledge of Scripture as that through our corrupt nature it bindeth the conscience more straight then any command of God rightly understood As we may see by those souldiers who when they were besieged rather then they would drinke of the well into which a dog was throwne they would starve or render the City * Turkish History And so doubtlesse would many of the Iewes chuse to dye before they would fly further then their superstitious tradition gave them leave But as I have given truth its due in commending your exposition so give me leave to discover the fallacy of your marginall sophisme by comparing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 already spoken of in the 2 Col. 16. There because it maketh for your advantage you will have it to be meant the weekly Sabbath and yet the Article is not prefixed and in this place you will have it to be meant the lewish Sabbath because the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not prefixed This is scarce good dealing But I pray you let one and the same defect beget one and the same sense in both places and so let them both passe alike for the Iewish extraordinary festivals and so your Argument shall not only prevaile with us but evince the truth Broad CHAP. VIII VVHat would follow were the fourth Commandement morall or perpetuall Such as give a different sense of the same Law at sundry times make it like a nose of waxe Were the fourth Commandement morall or perpetuall it would follow that we Christians ought to keep the Iewes Sabbath for the meaning of this Commandement must needs be the same as heretofore it was A Law cannot say one thing to day and another to morrow though a Law-giver may And now the meaning of the fourth Commandement heretofore was * God sanctified the seventh day Gen. 2. not one day of seven or the like the fourth commandement enjoyned the same that the seventh day wherein God rested should be sanctified other meaning this Commandement could have none as the words thereof doe manifestly declare they import this and nothing else Such I know among us as urge the perpetuity of the fourth Commandement will have it bind now to sanctifie the Lords-day but they cannot agree among themselves show this strange matter â—hould come to passe I say this strange matter for there being an old statute for fasting on the Friday if it should be said that hence forward we should be bound thereby to fast upon Saturday would it not seeme wonderfull strange A strange matter it is that the fourth Commandement should bind to sanctifie the Lords-day and how it may come to passe many strange opinions there are which I thinke needfull here briefly to examine 1. Opinion There are who teaching that the fourth Commandement bindeth to sanctifie the Lords-day will have it thus to come about They say that those words in the beginning Remember to sanctifie the Sabbath are for substance the whole fourth Commandement that which followeth being only an explication and a reason and here they take the word Sabbath in a generall sense so that this with them is a more generall Commandement then if God had said Remember to sanctifie the seventh day Ans. I acknowledge that these words are for substance the whole fourth Commandement as you teach but whereas you put a difference betweene Sabbath and seventh day Consider further 1. That once onely before mention is made of the Sabbath and that Sabbath was the seventh day 2. Remember saith God to sanctifie the Sabbath and what Sabbath should they remember to sanctifie but that before mentioned 3. That the word Sabbath is not to be taken againe in such a generall sence throughout tâ—e Scripture this I cannot approve of for these reasons 1. Because then the word Sabbath should be taken in one sense in the beginning of the Commandement and in another towards the end for towards the end by Sabbath must needs be meant the seventh day onely And rested the seventh day wherfore the Lord blessed the Sabbath and sanctified it Here Gods resting on the seventh day is the reason why he sanctified the Sabbath and can it be a reason of sanctifying another day besides the seventh day especially seeing he laboured on all the other Suppose that we had the like speech in the new Testament as thus He rose again on the first day wherefore he blessed the day of resurrection and sanctified it Who would not take the day of resurrection here for the first day only Reas. 2. By this your Doctrine the fourth Commandement should be of larger extent then that Commandement in the beginning suppose it were a Commandement as you would have it for there it is said God blessed the seventh day not the Sabbath Answer In stead of answer to this in this place I referre you to a review of your first Chapter and mine where the selfe same point is largely discoursed Onely a word or two more 1. Touching your consequence of the unchangeablenesse of the Iews day into ours if the fourth Commandement be admitted morall See for this Eatâ—nus de Sabbato pag. 40. de Moralitate Sabbathi Neque enim saith he mutâ—bile cum ceremoniâ—li bene est coniunctum aut cum eo convertendum Quamvis enim omne ceremoniale sit mutabile non é contra tamen Multa enim sunt positiva â—â—â—tabilia quae non sunt Ceremoniâ— huius generis sunt leges Iudiciales Exod. 21. c. Sic etiam totuâ— Decaloguâ— aliquo modo mutabilis fuit ut disertè Apostolus expriâ—it in 3 ad Gal. 13. Christus redemit nos ab execratione legis cap. 4. 30. Ejice ancillam filium eius quâ— ancilla ut vers 25. apparet moâ—â— Sicai erat qui est in Arabia Hoc est lex quae ibi pronunciata fuit Hisce liquet quod lex maleâ—â—ctio eius in Christo sunt abrogata quatenus aliquo modo erant murabilia totam autem legem ceremonialem esse nemo est qui dixerit 2. And touching your instance or similitude of fasting Friday by Statute I answer That indeed it were strange to turn Friday into Saturday by vertue of the letter of the same law Rebus sic stantibus but put case we had some extraordinary Deliverance fell out on Friday as the Gun-powder Treason and were to keepe it weekely as we are the Sabbath then if either
of his worship consist in the observation of times or places neither did Christ or his Apostles command us Christians to any day whatsoever yet this generall Commandement we have 1 Cor. 14. Let all things be done to edifying decently and in order yea and Nature teacheth that there should be Times and Places set apart for publike meetings as we see the Gentiles had by the very light of nature 2. This order to assemble on the Lords-day had his beginning in the time of the Apostles and was approved by them neither is there the least doubt to be made but that were Saint Paul now alive he would approve of it in like manner onely he would be much more earnest then I have been aâ— or can be to have all superstition cleere weeded out of mens minds After the Apostles time the succeeding churches observed the same order as partly appeareth by these sayings of Iustin Martyr and others before alleadged and thus it hath continued ever since and no doubt shall so continue to the second coming of Christ. Some of late have made it a question whether the Church may change the Lords-day into any other day of the weeke but in my judgement they might well have spared their pains therein for what can be imagined wherefore any Church should attempt such a matter unlesse it be to withdraw some from a superstitious conceit they have of the day Let this errour be reformed and there is no feare of a change Answer To this changing of the Lords-day into another I answer That as the order of the last day in the weeke was significant in the time of the Iewes So is the first day now as I have observed before and as therefore that was commanded so was this prophecyed by Isaiah * I have formerly shewne how both by Isaiah and David this was cleerly foretoâ—dand promised in the old Testament and accordingly practised in the new and therefore can no more be altered now without contradiction of divine authority then the other could in the time of the Iewes Except you can imagine God hereafter to bestow a benefit on us as much greater then our Redemption as our Redemption was then our Creation Besides the Church hath no liberty to alter any day the which hath a cleare ground and warrant in the word which the Christian Sabbath or Lords-day hath And moreover you say Christ is Lord of the Sabbath if so then sure the priviledge and authority of altering belongeth only to him Broad The Apostle Hebrews 13. giveth this charge Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves and againe Rom. 13. Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake Some peradventure hearing that God hath not immediately commanded us Christians to sanctifie the Lords-day as he did the Israelites to sanctifie the Sabbath will be ready to demand what need we then forbeare any worldly businesse on the Sunday for answer unto whom though unworthy of any let me also demand what need you repaire to the Church the place of prayer That you may so doe must we teach that God in expresse termes hath commanded to build Churches and in such places in every Parish Had these men lived in the time of the Law though they had forborne worke on the Sabbath yet certainly they would not have repaired to the Synagogues when they had been called they would have answered with Dathan and Abiram we will not come for God hath not bidden us come to such a place nor at such a time of the day Even in the time of the Law some things were lest to bee ordered by the Magistrate Should thy soâ—â—e being sent of thee into the field thinke with himselfe I need not goe for it is not written in the Scriptures that I should goe plow to day As God in generall termes hath charged thy sonne to obey his father so God in generall tearmes hath charged thee an inferiour to obey thy Governours both spirituall and temporall by whose joynt Commandement thou art bound to sanctifie the Lords-day and if thou wilfully breakest this double bond know that it is by the comming of another spirit upon thee then came upon Sampson heretofore even such a spirit as the man had that brake the yron chaines and setters in pieces Mark 5. Answer Pray you turne the point of this Argument into your owne breast and consider if the same authority which commandeth you to sanctifie the Lords-day doe not likewise in the Liturgy command you to pray for inablement to keep the fourth Commandement * Have a better nion of your 〈◊〉 then to think she wil command you to pray for that which you oâ—ght not to beleeve and practise but it sâ—emeth whosoever is in authority you will be supreme binding that authority that should rather bind you But if the authority be thus as you would make it in the hand of the Magistrate onely to appoint the time of Gods solemne worship and that the fourth Commandement is now of no force nor yet the prophecy or Apostolicke practice to bind us then you may say with Ames in his Medulla pag. 355. ut si ipsis videatur diem 〈◊〉 ex viginti aut triginta huic usui assignare non posint hoc nomine argui alicuius 〈…〉 aut scripturae Nay rather we may hence argue it as a fault in the Apostles and primitive times that they would take upon them of their authority to create so neere a semblance to the Sabbath and not rather an annuall remembrance of the Resuâ—â—ection and by an humane institution to shoulder out a divine one anâ— yet the substance thereof to wit the benefit of the Creation still remaineth to be remembred But it is strange that the Church should either assume this liberty or that we should give it to the Church 1. Seeing the fourth Commandement doth dictate to us both the proportion of time which we are to celebrate to God and the reason of that celebration the Time is the seventh day the reason is Gods resting from or consummating his greatest and beneficiallest worke which Christ the author and actor of the new Creation God and Man hath now fulfilled by his Resurrection and so pointed and appointed us the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the particular seventh day nothing dissenting from the Commandement nor destroying it but fulfilling and establishing it upon better tearmes 2. Seeing God commandeth to labour six dayes and to rest a seventh And Christ hath not exempted us from labouring in our calling to the end of our lives therfore a seventh day is to be kept for Sabbath weekly to the end of the world And it is not left in the power either of the Church or any humane authority doctrinally to shorten or enlarge this proportion of dayes for our labour and holy Rest or any way to abrogate or alter this Commandement Broad  Gal. 5. 13. For brethren ye
that day or houre wherein some great good hath befalne them And contrary-wise to curse that day that bringeth woe Ier. 10. 14. thus God having felt as it were the sweetnes of rest on the seaventh day in comparison of his labour in the sixe former and being well refreshed is hereupon moved to blesse and sanctifie it Answer You say its probable God pronounced the Sabbath sanctified at the end thereof when hee had rested which for my part I assent unto for â—o in the 2 Gen. 3. it appeares to bee most likely Besides that Moses his manner of expression in that verse compared with the like in the first chapter doe much perswade it for you shall find there that when hee hath related Gods five and sixe dayes workes as finished and compleated by him then followeth the blessing upon them so in this second chapter heâ— makes the blessing to follow upon his resting as before upon his working But what you would gather hence I doe not well perceive yet two things in my opinion follow very naturally 1. That hereby God would give to Adam as well a president as a precept to regulate and invite his subsequent duty in the particular of the Sabbath That seeing God had chosen the seaventh day to finish his creation in and to rest there from and had thus made it knowne to Adam with a promise of a blessing thereunto for after-time upon due observance That therefore Adam and his posterity should bee moved thereby to dedicate the seaventh day from the sublunary imployments of the other sixe to bee a perpetuall Sabbath unto the Lord not by a bare rest for what honour hath God by that but by a sanctified rest 2. That it was not meant that Adam should keepe the seaventh day Sabbath which God rested on for though it was Gods seaventh day yet it was Adams second day which is another reason to prove your probability for it is likely that God himselfe did first rest the seaventh day that so hee might by his example being revealed to that end give mankind a patterne for ever after to doe the like which is very apparant and more confirmed by the Law concerning the Sabbath as it was afterwards renewed upon mount Sinai to the Israelites where wee are commanded after sixe dayes labour to dedicate a seaventh to holines to that end to rest from our worke on the seaventh day as God did from his that so by following his example wee might the better obey his commandement not that wee were to rest the selfe-same day that hee did but onely in similitude and imitation that is to employ sixe dayes in our necessary labour and the seaventh to rest according to his example that so wee might sanctifie it according to his commandement * Which Adam had not done if hee had keâ—t Gods seaventh day Sabbath Which Argument doâ—h much disprove that over-strict tying the Sabbath to the precise seaventh day after the creation and proves the â—umerall day to bee onely morall and perpetuall or the proportion of time which the Lord exemplifieth there which is the seaventh day for number not that seaventh day for time But you will say Obj. did not Gods example as well oblige the order as the number as well the last as the seaventh day Yes Answ. during the supereminency of the worke of creation but when a more excellent worke was finished the worke of our redemption from which it also pleased him exemplarily to rest not on the last but on the first day of the weeke and as exemplarily by his Apostles ever after to preserve thâ— number and proportion of time according to the commandement the substance of the reason which constitutes the commandement still remaining entire to wit Gods resting from or accomplishing his worke onely the terminus à quo varieth the case in respect of order For the transcendency of the latter displaceth the former as the presence of the King doth the Major of a Towne I say at this time did the order vanish and the day of Gods creation give place to the day of Gods redemption as the more worthy worke And if God may bee said in any manner of speech to bee refreshed in his resting from the powerfull worke of creation much more from the painefull worke of redemption Broad 3. When God first commanded man to sanctifie the seaventh day IT is not said in Scripture that God presently commanded Adam to sanctifie the seaventh day If the word sanctified Gen. 23. importeth commanded Adam to sanctifie it why shall not the word blessed import also commanded Adam to blesse it and it is one thing for God to sanctifie a day and another thing to command men to sanctifie it Indeed it is probable that this example of God in working sixe dayes and resting the seaventh Adam and his posterity should alwayes have followed had they continued in the state of innocency But when Adam had now eaten of the forbidden fruite God thrust him out of Paradice cursed the Earth for his sake and set him to get his living in the sweat of his face Answer You say it is not said in Scripture that God presently commanded Adam to sanctifie the seaventh day and that it is one thing for God to sanctifie a day and another thing for him to command man to sanctifie it To which I answer That God here at the institution of the Sabbath did as Christ by his Apostles did at the institution of the Lords-day that is by a declaratory example appoint it as a duty unto the Church for ever after teaching them to set aside the seaventh day which was then the last and is now the first day in the weeke from all secular commerce and imployment wholly to trade with God in giving and receiving spirituall commodities Nor is there any difference in this case betweene Gods sanctifying it and his commanding it to bee sanctified by man For besides that to sanctifie ever signified to set apart to an holy use wee see it to bee the very voyce of of the Scripture how that the Sabbath was made for man that is for his good and benefit For man was to learne from it that all his happines consisted not in his owne labour but also in Gods blessing so that though hee laboured sixe dayes together yet the seaventh day well observed might doe him more availe then all his sixe dayes labour And therefore by Gods blessing that day is implied a reciprocall respect both of our blessing him and his blessing us and by his sanctifying is intended his setting apart that day for a more speciall communion betweene him and us by his more speciall blessing of us and our more solemne worshipping of him For surely you will not say hee sanctified it and blessed it that wee should superstitiously thinke any inherent holines or blessednes to bee in the very day it selfe And if not what followes then but that it must needs bee meant
that wee should ever after use the seaventh day to a blessed and holy end and expect a blessing from God thereon in so doing for els to what use was it that God did thus reveale himselfe and his resting and not rather conceale it if hee had meant it onely for a bare narration But it is evident by the second giving of the Law what and how hee meant it at the first thus Master Breerewood in his second tract pag. 9. The Sabbath saith hee is called holy not formally for any peculiar inherent holines it hath above other dayes but finally because it was ordained and consecrated to holy exercises in the service of God which gives answer to Bishop White pag. 40 who saith that the second Gen. 2. 3 expresseth not the manner how the Lord sanctified this day whether by imparting any speciall vertue to it above other dayes or by dedicating the same to any religious service to bee performed by Adam in the state of innocency c. You onely affirme that it is one thing for God to sanctifie a day and another to command man to sanctifie it but shew not the difference But you would imply as if the sencible refreshment of that day in a grosse sence were the cause that made God fall so farre in love with it where as both you and every man knowes that there are no passions of wearisomnes and refreshment in God that they should bee meant by his resting but that it is spoken ad captum vulgi for our better understanding 1. To exemplarize unto us how that spirituall and heavenly employments should bee a refreshing unto us in comparison of earthly imployments and so farre wee were capable of wearisomnes even in innocency at to have found other manner of refreshment in divine and spirituall things then in worldly affaires 2. To signifie the sensible refreshment and happy alteration that wee should have had in our heavenly rest from the state and condition that wee were in here on Earth But perchance you are of opinion with some that thinke Adam should not have beene translated but have lived immortally upon Earth had hee not falne But to this I answer that by the curse which was annexed to the tree of knowledge wee may know è contrario what manner of blessing was promised and intended by the tree of life now the curse involued both the first and second death here and in hell so c. * For a further argument I wish them to consider and compare Rom. 3. 23. with Rom. And they indeed that are of this opinion must prove the Sabbath not to signifie our rest in heaven nor to bee given in innocency As for your criticisme in the Margin it is not worth the weighing The substance of Gods institution in those words being thus much Hee blessed the seaventh day Pag. 202. that is saith Master Richard Bifield hee appointed it to bee a fountaine of blessing to the observerâ— of that day and sanctified it that is commanded it to bee set apart by men from common businesses and applied to holy uses Thus Calvin on the place this blessing saith hee Calvinâ— was nothing els but a solemne consecration whereby God claines to himselfe the studies and imployments of men on the seaventh day Thus Master Hildersham in his lectures upon the 51. Psalme pag. 704. saith it is worth the observing that our Saviour saith Marke 2. 27. That the Sabbath was at first made for Man for the great beneâ—it and behoofe of Man Man could not no not Adam in innocency have beene without it but with great danger and losse unto him So that the holy Ghost saith that twice of the Sabbath Gen. 2. 3. and Exod. â—0 11. that hee never said of any other day That the Lord blessed that day that is appointed it to bee a meane of a greater blessing to man if hee keepe it as God hath commanded him to doe then any other day or any of the ordinary workes of any other day can possibly bee So Marius on Gen. Marius 2. Hee blessed it that is hee consecrated it to his blessing to bee kept of men and sanctified it that is not as if hee stamped holines upon it as you would imply but because hee appointed it to his sanctification and praise and to the holy conversation of men In short Hee blessed the seaventh day and hallowed it that is hee digniâ—â—ed it with this priviledge above the sixe dayes that it should bee exempted from their prophane and civill actions and negotiations and dedicated to holy and sacred imployments And now whereas you say that Adam should have observed Gods example in innocency had hee stood I thinke so too Wherein you mightily contradict your selfe for why should Adam imitate that which even now you would have to bee onely an action in God but of no exemplary use to man But why should the Sabbath bee usefull to Adam in innocency who was so perfect and not much more usefull to Adam in innocency who was so perfect and not much more usefull to the Church of God after I would faine know But you goe on and say that Adam was thrust out Paradise what then God had his Church still which was principally respected by God in the giving of the Sabbath * As appeares in that as soone as God had taken and selected to himselfe a noted Church of the Israelites out of the World he renewes his institution and command of the Sabbath to them As it is said in the 4. Hebr. 9. There remaineth a Sabbatisme to the people of God that is to his Church for they are they which in the Scripture sense shall rest from their labours and therefore was the Sabbath still in force though pethaps not in use although they then and wee now ought to bee so much the more carefull to keepe it by how much wee stand in need of the blessing of God since the curse falne upon our selves and the whole creation Broad Neither did hee or his posterity sanctify any Day in an holy rest a long time after for ought that wee doe certainly find or may probably conjecture 1 The Iewes acknowledge that they doe not read of Abrahams keeping the Sabbath and I may adde neither of any others keeping or breaking it both before and a good while since Abrahams time although wee doe read of Circumcision Sacrifices and the breach of other Commandements together with punishments for the same 2 Before the Israelites comming out of Egypt I find no mention of Weekes which distinction of time the Sabbath causeth as of Dayes Moneths and Yeares whereas after their comming forth and institution of the Sabbath mention is made as well of Weekes as of any other 3 Tertullians judgment is that Adam Lib advers Iâ—d Noah Abraham c. kept not the Sabbath and of the same opinion are many others so Peter on Gen. 2. After that God had delivered the
what you thinke sufficient for the present day and for the rest let it bee laid up to bee baked or boyled to morrow Which 〈◊〉 bee the meaning for these reasons 1. Because of the example of the man aforesaid that was stoned for gathering stickes it is probable to that end 2. 〈…〉 the difference betweene this Sabbath and their other Sabbaths would bee confounded whereas they were distinctly in expresse termes allowed to make ready what they should eate And thirdly because it would have clouded the significancy of their gathering and preparing a large proportion of Christ to assure them of the Sabbatisme to come And fourthly because when the Sabbath day came Moses in the 25. verse of 16. Chap. said not as before in the 23. versâ— Bake that yee will bake to day and seeth that yee will seeth But hee saith onely eate that to day to wit which they had layed up baked or sodden since the day before And fifthly Those words bake what yee will bake to day and seeth what yee will seeth and that which remaineth lay it up is not meant in respect of the indifferency of proportion as if hee had said bake what proportion and seeth what proportion yee thinke good and lay up the rest raw but it respects the indifferency of their cooking it intimating that they might either bake it and seeth it or bake it or seeth it as their fancy liked best so that they did it on that day before the Sabbath for on the Sabbath they were not to alter the property but to eate what they had leâ—â— as they left it In this new-sangled fancy you shall find Doctor 〈…〉 Brahourne agreed part I. pag. 100. 101. where to backe this exposition Doctor Heylyn objectâ— that it were no wonder if being baked it purified not To which I answer that the wonder was that 〈…〉 kept it untill the morning 〈…〉 to the command 〈…〉 either raw or baked a great deale longer time without putrifying Though it having the formerly 〈…〉 first which among so many it is like was reserved of all sorts some raw some baked some boyled all which yet purified alike it was then indeed a wonder that it did not the like the second time when they kept it lawfully which sheweth that it was of God and not of the nature of the thing both that it putrified the first time and that it putrified not the second time that it was kept But to put this upstart exposition utterly out of question besides the reasons aforesaid Let them compare the 23. verse with the 5. verse whither Moses relates and there they shall find God commanding them to prepare that which they bring in on the 6. day and what was that why it followeth twice so much as they gather daily So that they were to prepare all they brought in and they brought in all they gathered and they gathered twice as much as they gathered on the other dayes So that in summe it is euident that on the sixth day they were to prepare that is to cooke or make ready by seething or baking the whole double proportion which they had gathered on that day Nor is it without ground as you affirme to say of this mans gathering stickes that his manner of doing it did aggravate his offence for there are these grounds to induce it 1. Because if it had beene necessary it had not beene unlawfull no more then Davids eating the Shew-bread for Christ sayth in this very case of the Sabbath That God will have mercy and not Sacrifice 2. It is more then probable by the context that his Sinne was out of Presumption for in the verses immediatly foregoing it is said Hee that doth ought presumptuously shall bee cut off from his people and then followeth the instance of this mans fact as it were an example of this fault and this punishment which wee never read afterwards to be inflicted upon any 3. Wee find no excuse he made for his fact so that it either was not necessary or if necessary yet occasioned by his wilfull and carelesse neglect of making his Mannah ready the day before according to the Commandement and so not excusable Now as touching your marginall consideration how that the Sabbath was ordained in memoriall of Gods resting To this I answer That wee doe not celebrate on the Sabbath the memory of Gods bare resting no more then wee do Christs bare rising but wee celebrate the consummation of the worke of Gods goodnes in the Creation and of his Mercy in our Redemption for Gods resting on that Day from the Creation was no part of the Sabbaths sanctification but a cause in him why he appointed the seaventh Day to be a sanctifyed Sabbath unto us no more then Christs Resurrection on the first Day of the Weeke was a part of the sanctification of that Day but only the cause why wee sanctify it or dedicate it to Rest and Divine imployment ever since And therefore in vaine doth B. White object p. 302. that Christs Resurrection was no Commandement containing an institution of a new Sabbath in that he erringly saith as elsewhere I shew that it was not spent in resting but in action seeing saith he the ground of the old Sabbath was Rest. But wee doe not simply celebrate Gods rest but his Rest or accomplishment of our Creation as it hath relation to us not as that rest simply respecteth God for so it is meant only as a patterne and serves as an occasion to beget this ordinance of the Sabbath as wee may see by the manner of expression that is used to set forth the Sabbaths first institution Gen. 2. 2. 3. where Gods rest is not only mentioned to be on the seaventh Day but also his compleating the worke of Creation verse 2. upon both which joyntly followeth the institution of the Sabbath verse 3. and as wee may also see by the prophecy in Isai. 65. 17. where the commemoration of the benefit of one Creation shall eate out the other Indeed Gods resting the seaventh Day was of twofold use The one of illustration for thereby was signified the Rest of Gods Church in Heaven as appeareth in the 4 of Heb. The other was to give us an example of retiring our selves from earthly things on that Day * For so on that Day God as it were returned to Heaven againe only to be conversant there for ever after having as it were been absent during the Creation As it is said Gen. 17. 22. And he left of talking with him and God went up from Abram that so wee might devote it to his glory for this Resting of God was only set as an example for us to imitate the better to obey his Commandement But more are willing to observe his example then to obey his precept that is to cease from bodily labour then to be spiritually imployed in the sanctifying of that Day by making it a Day of holy businesses and consequently a day of
was a kind of reaping and threshing Where their Fingers were in stead of Hookes and their Hands of Thresholds Thus againe the Iewes pulled Oxen out of Pitts and thus in the time of the Maccabees they determined to fight in their defence on the Sabbath 1 Mac 2. 2. When they had Commandement from God or Christ Iosh 6. thus the Israelites by Commandement from God compassed Iericho thus the man by Commandement from Christ caryed his Bed Ioh 5. some say that the carying of the Bed was a meanes of publishing the miracle and thus defend the fact but there was other meanes to make the miracle knowne and they will not say I thinke that the Man on the next Sabbath might have done so againe on his owne â—ead that then which made his fact lawfull was only the Commandement of Christ who being Lord of the Sabbath could cause any man to prophane the same when he saw good Answer Herein you go about to prove ' that the' Sabbath was either only or chiefely sanctified by resting from Worke. First by your owne Analys of the fourth Commandement wherein you would make God to put the chiefest part of the Sabbaths sanctification in Rest. Secondly by your proofe out of Ier 17. 24. Thirdly by proving the Sabbath to be prophaned by workes which againe you prove by shewing how he that gathered Stickes on that Day was more severely punished then many a one that other wayes seemed more to prophane it 1. For your proposition it selfe which is that the Sabbath was sanctified by resting from worke To this I answer I wish the Geneva note upon the title of the 92 Psal which is a Psalme or Song for the Sabbath Day that this teacheth that the use of the Sabbath standeth in praising God and not only in ceasing from Worke. Whereunto I adde Mr. Calvin upon the 2. of Gen saith he God did not simply command man to keepe the seaventh Day holy as if he were delighted with rest but to the end he being free from all other businesses might more willingly and quietly apply his mind to the Creator of the World Furthermore saith he it is an holy rest which delivereth Men from the impediments of the World that they may wholy bend themselves to the service of God Secondly I answer that it was neither only nor principally sanctified by resting for then any labour even about the worship and service of God had beene unlawfull and by this doctrine the best way for them to have sanctified it had beene to have laine all Day in their Beds * But as one observes upon Gods commanding Adam to worke in Innocency that Idlenes was never Mans happines much lesse his holines and they had sanctified it better in the Night then in the Day and every man in his owne House then in publicke Congregations which but even now you your selfe contradict Which Dr. Heylin would have us beleeve it is whilest every where he would perswade us That holy labours and necessary were breaches of it among the Iewes such as were Circumcision offering sacrifices and fight or flight in time of danger c. Whereas hee ought to know that rest from our owne workes is only enjoyned Isai 58. 13. that so wee may be imployed in Gods * And therefore Exod 35. 2. It is called a Sabbath of rest to the Lord that is to the Lords use like as the same phrase in the 5 verse shewes where they are bid to take from among them an offring to the Lord. And therefore was not the worke of Circumcision unlawfull though a painefull one nor the worke of offering Sacrifices though a toylesome one much lesse workes of mercy and Charity For Christ sayth Math 12. 12. That it is lawfull to doe well on the Sabbath Day No worke was a breach of the Sabbath which was either in it selfe as were religious actions or upon occasion lawfull to be done upon the Sabbath And therefore in the beginning of that chapter he makes the Disciples rubbing the Eares of Corne for hunger occasioned in his service on the Sabbath Day to be equall with the Priests sacrificing in the service of the Temple which was in it selfe no prophanation of the Sabbath though in the 5 verse Christ said Have yee not read in the Law how that on the Sabbath Day the Priests in the Temple prophane the Sabbath for wee read no such thing in the Law that they prophaned the Sabbath But he meanes they did that on the Sabbath which the Pharisees might through their superstitious misprison as well call a prophanation of the Sabbath and count unlawfull as that action of his Disciples I deny not but Rest from worldly workes was a positive part of the Sabbaths sanctification in the time of the Iewes because of the holines which did then accompany it being a Type and that transcendent to all the rest as I have often said But that it was ever meant to be either the whole or principall part of the Sabbaths sanctification I utterly deny although they abusivâ—ly made it so even to the neglect of acts of mercy for which they were blamed by Christ the Lord of the Sabbath as you say by a superstitious misinterpretation of Gods commandement agreeing with selfe-love and sensuality as you doe by falsifying the true sence of the word Sanctifie 2. To come to your Analys whereby you would prove your position to it I answer That in it you confound the end and the meanes by making the Commandement it selfe which consisteth in the first and last words to be expounded by the middle part as if sanctification which alwayes signifieth to set apart to an holy use should be properly interpreted by resting from worke as if God would put up with negative service only or as if that which is negative could be the principall matter of a precept affirmative But indeed the rest which you would make to be the only interpretation is chiefely and properly of a subservient nature serving as a significant accomodation to the maine duty of holines commanded as may appeare First by the Rest which was commanded them on their other Sabbaths was it not chiefely removendo prohibens by removing an impediment the better to devote them to services which was then enjoyned them of feasting and sacrificing and humbling their Soules and doth not the same hold good to us in our Sabbath which is to be sanctified by all these at once in a spirituall sence That it was so to them is evident in the 23. Levit 27. 28. 29. 30. Where God having instituted the day of attonement telleth them how they were to sanctifie it in the 27 verse to wit it shall be an holy convocation to you and yee shall afflict your Soules and offer an offering to the Lord and then in the 28 and 29 verses he bids them yee shall doe no worke in that same Day and what 's the reasons why it followes for it is a
I meane lawfull though Christ had not commanded it being necessary because happily hee had never a one else being a poore man to ly on at night Or els in his absence his bed might have beene wronged or stolne * See paâ—alell to this Matth. 9. 6. And put case hee had left it and in his absence it had beene stolne and hee meeting the theife the theife threw it downe and runne away might not hee in your opinion have then taken it up and carried it home And why then might not hee lawfully carry it home before to prevent stealing as after it was stolne And wee have reason to beleeve it to bee commanded by Christ to one of these ends For it is like hee was poore or had no body to watch it nor yet to carry it for him for then hee might have had some man to have put him into the Poole when the water was troubled but hee had none In like case I appeale to your opinion whether you thinke it a breach of the Sabbath for a Iew in his Sabbath-dayes journey finding a cloake-bagge or a bagge of money to take it up and carry it away least if hee leave it there till the next day to avoide carriage on the Sabbath another that hath as little right to it as hee find it and carry it for him Secondly I answer that Christ neither could nor did command him to breake the Sabbath or prophane it First I say hee could not for that tye which the Law hath upon us by the condition of our nature because wee are borne under it it had upon Christ by the condition of his office and voluntary susception because hee was made under it So that it behoved him to fulfill all righteousnes And therefore hee is said in that respect to have beene obedient to his parents though hee were not onely the Son of Mary but the Lord of Mary Therefore when Scripture denieth all sin to have beene in him it implieth that hee was exactly conformable to the Law in doing all that it requires and in leaving undone all that it forbids Secondly I say hee did not upon that reason which you alleage to wit as being Lord of the Sabbath For 1. Though indeed hee was Lord of the Sabbath yet in his humane nature wherein hee was under the Law hee was not to shew his foveraigne authority to the breach of any part of it either morall or ceremoniall for so it behoved him to fulfill all righteousnes Secondly that place of Scripture whence you borrow your reason is mistaken by you For those words the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath-day doe not intend that Christ is Lord of it as you meane for him to keepe or breake it at pleasure But Son of man signifieth mankind as is evident 1. by comparing the 27. and 28. verses of the second of Mar. The 27. verse saith The Sabbath was made for Man and not Man for the Sabbath and then in the 28. verse it followeth with this word of coherence therefore the Son of Man is Lord c. where the one and the other doe intend man in genere and for Christ if you will secondly because that in that action it was not Christ himselfe that Lorded it over the Sabbaths-rest but his Disciples for though it was done in his service yet not by his commands as you reason but of themselves for the releife of their necessity But to conclude I see not then by these arguments how your first * To wit in the sense proposition can be made good For if so bee rest sanctifieth the Sabbath then doth man and beast sanctifie it alike then is there no difference betweene the stranger and the Israelite nor betweene the Israelite and his oxe If you had said that not resting in the prophaning of the Sabbath as bowing to Images is the prophaning of Gods worship wee had easily agreed But that by the sense of the fourth commandement it is properly or principally * Though occasionally and by accident I acknowledge it to be a part of the Sabbaths sanctification in the 〈◊〉 of the Iewes the sanctifying of the Sabbath I can no more yeild you then that not bowing to Images is properly or principally the worship of God by the sense of the second commandement Ohi. But you will say is not Gods commandement kept in both these when they doe not bow to Images and when they doe not labour but rest Ans. I answer that the things which the commandements properly and principally strike at are not observed thereby For these are rather preventions of Gods dis-worship then any parts of his worship And hee that knoweth these commandements aright knoweth they intend doing as well as not doing And therefore hee that out of a good conscience forbeareth to doe the one wherein indeed he negatively keepeth the commandement will by vertue of the same conscience set you the other For otherwise hee should give but a poore account to his Master at the last day who when hee asketh him what hee hath done answereth him with what hee hath not done and when hee asketh him an account how hee hath imployed his Sabbaths and what glory and worship hee hath done him in them hee answereth him I never prophaned thy Sabbaths with bodily labour but alwayes rested on that day neither did I ever bow to an Image surely his wayes shall bee as his that hid the talent in a napkin for hee hath reason to looke for no better thinking of God as hee did that hee was hard in his commandements and therefore hee kept them as hardly in the negative and not in the affirmative * Whereas Bishop Lake in his Sermons pag. 213. saith that negatives are but to attend affirmatives and God doth not reward the ferbearance of â—vill but the doing of good Master Dod pag. 74. saith one may forbeare the sins of the second commandement and yet bee a damnable breaker of that commandement for God commands not onely to turne from dumbe Idols but also that wee should serve the true and living God 1 Thes. 1. 9. else such are as well guilty of the breach of this Law as Idolaters they for doing that they should not wee for not doing that wee should So of the fourth commandement And for authority sake take notice what Thomas Aquinas saith to this purpose In the observance of the Sabbath saith hee two things are to bee considered one whereof as the end and this is that man bee vacant to divine things which is signifiâ—d in that which hee saith remember that thou sanctifie the Sabbath for those are said to bee sanctified in the Law which are applied to divine worship But the other is the cessation of works signified when it 〈◊〉 added on the seaventh day of the Lord thy God thou shalt not doe any workâ— And againe saith hee Spirituall works are not forbidden on the Sabbath-day for therefore doth a man abstaine
particular Conclusions To your last End I answer That it is most true that the Sabbath was a Type of the Heavenly Sabbath and a shadow of that blessed Rest to come and therefore transcendent to those Types which were properly lewish and of a Temporary nature whereas this Sabbath had its beginning with time and shall receive its ending with time when the workes are finished from the foundation of the World When as the Church of God is possessed of the Antitype then shall this universall Type vanish by the second comming of Christ as the Iewish Types have already vanished by his first comming Broad CHAP. V. 1. The Sabbath was a shadow SAint Paul in his second Chapter of the Epistle to the Coloss. hath these words Let no man judge you in Meat Coloss 2. 16. 17. or Drinke or in respect of an holy Day or of the new Moone Hoc est figurae fuerunt quae portenderent ea quae post essent verè exbiÌ„henda à Christo. Marlor or of the Sabbaths which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ. Here by Sabbath the Weekely Sabbaths are meant as I gather 1. Because St. Paul useth another word which doth most properly signifie the festivall Dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Vnles by Sabbaths in this place the weekly Sabbaths be meant * Vide Tractâ— de Sab. cap. 2. erg 1. wee have not the least warrant in Gods word for working on the Iewes Sabbath The Sabbatarians heretofore might with more colour have put of any Text then this 3. Taking it for granted that wee 〈◊〉 not keepe the Iewes Sabbath how it is credible that S. Paul being Christs only Doctour about Dayes Rom 14. Gal 4. Coloss 2. and handling this matter purposely in three Epistles should not give us to understand as much in one of them and if in any in this 4. Thus it is taken by very many great Divines S. Aug termeth the Sabbath Sacramentum ambratile spir lit Instit lib 2. cap. 8. sect 28. cap 14. Calvin speaking of the fourth Commandement sayth umbratile veteres nuncupare solent so that it seemeth the Fathers generally for Sabbaths here understood the Weekely Sabbaths and therefore tearmed the fourth Commandement umbratile shadowish 5. I know no more but two or three in Print who take it otherwise and all that they can say is that it is Sabbaths in the plurall number See Math 28. 15. Acts 13. 14 16. 13. but Sabbaths importeth the Weekely Sabbath in many places Againe that with Sabbaths are adjoyned Meates and Drinkes and therefore that S. Paul speaketh of such Sabbaths as are in ranke with them which manner of arguing is tearmed Petitio principis This is all that ever I knew alledged by any which is so little that it only argueth a will to say something it is not so much as a shadow of sound proofe Besides this Text Coloss 2. There are other pregnant enough to prove that the Sabbath was a shadow Type or Ceremony as that Exod 31. 13. and and the like may be gathered by Heb 4. * See what I have written of this Textâ—â— my questions but of these Texts more shall bee said hereafter Answer 1. However there may be another word used to signifie Festivall Dayes yet you cannot deny but it is frequent to name their festivalls Sabbaths Because of the Rest and analogy which they had common with the Weekly Sabbath * Like as Magistrates are called Gods though there be other words to signify them And such is the sence of this Text as may probably appeare by these following reasons which you so slightly evade 1. Because it is Sabbaths in the plurall number for the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where it signifieth the Weekely Sabbath and not the Weeke it selfe is for most part either expressed in the singular number or if in the plurall then it is joyned with a word singular as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and after this manner it is also every where translated both in English and Latine but in this 2. Coloss 16. there are none of all these 2. Because Sabbaths are adjoyned with such things in this place of the Coloss which are indisputably abrogative and meerly Iewish * Such as are termed in the 14 verse the handwriting of ordinances and in the 17 verse are termed the shadowes of such things to come whose body is of Christ that is which are fulfilled in Christ and whose significations end when hee commeth But we know the signification as you your selfe confesse out of 4. Heb of the Sabbaths Rest is Heaven our Rest there which remaineth unfulfilled yet to the People of God as the same 4. Heb sheweth and therefore are these the likelier to be such For as Dr. Andrewes saith of the Sabbath how that it had beene folly to have put a ceremoniall Law amongst the Morall so say I in this case that it were strange if God who is the God of order and not of confusion should by his Apostle in this place mixe one of the ten Morall Commandements with the hand writing of Ordinances things meerely ceremoniall and abrogated To which two Reasons I adde these which follow 1. The Apostle himselfe did condescend to keepe the Weekely Sabbath with the Iewes not only for a time as he did some of the Iewish Holy-dayes as also their other rites but at all times and in all places as occasion offered as being a thing of a different nature from their Sabbaths which he taught 2. These three Holy-dayes New-moones and Sabbaths are but as I may so say Synonimies in sence signifying as it were one and the same thing in the intention of the Apostle by divers expressions for were not New moones Holy-dayes and Holy-daies Sabbaths so that if you dispâ—â—e from a seeming Tautology you may as well argue against New-moones as Sabbaths And I would know why Holy-daies and Sabbaths may not be as well one and the same in this place of the Coloss as in the 58. Isa 13. both of them in the one place signifying the Weekely Sabbath and in the other place the Iewish Sabbaths Which Synominy doth the rather appeare from that 4. Gal 16 which is the same in effect with this of the Coloss where the Apostle by Dayes Moneths Times and Yeares meaneth things of the same nature and Ordination to wit the Iewish abrogated Types and Ceremonies such as begun with Mans Fall or rather with Moses and ended with Christs Resurrection unto which the converted Gentiles did too much adhere not such as began in Paradice and shall end in Heaven But whereas it may bee objected that doubtlesse had not the Apostle intended all Sabbaths in the word plurall he would have made some particular exception of the Weekely Sabbath considering how considerable it was so to do if he would have had the Weekely Sabbath to bee understood to bee still of force To this I
answer That the first Day of the Weeke or Lords Day having taken footing among the convert Gentiles to whom the Apostle wrote he might with lesse scruple use the word Sabbaths absolutely without exception considering that all Sabbaths eo nomine were outlawed Though now as the case stands we in these times are forced to re-assume the name Sabbath not thereby to shoulder out the more worthy name of Lords Day but to vindicate the authority of the fourth Commandement and to testify our judgements touching the new Sabbath like as the primitive times are reported to take up the wearing of the Crosse to testifie their profession and Confession of a Crucified Christ against their opposers 2. To your second Reason I answer That our warrant to worke on the Iewes seaventh Day is the fourth Commandement which proportioneth us out sixe Dayes for our worldly affaires and the seaventh for an holy rest which is the totall and morall sence and summe of that Commandement and which wee still observe the order being occasionall and temporary but the number morall and perpetuall as I have proved before And therefore the Apostles did imply a nullity of the one by the bringing in of the other according to the nature of the Commandement and the Prophecy of Isaiah 65. 16. So that if you thinke it meet to retaine the Lords Day in our Church as you do in your premonition then must you grant the order to be changed For it was never the Apostles meaning nor in their power when God by a perpetuall Law from the beginning had given us sixe Dayes for labour and destined the seaventh to an holy Rest to have turned it into five Dayes labour and two Dayes Rest. For amongst the Iewes when Holy-dayes were so frequent there was never any weekely Holy day ordayned to go cheeke by jole with the Sabbath but either Monethly or Yearely So that as Moses his Serpent eate up the Sorcerers so hath our seaventh Day eaten up theirs * As the Apostle sayth in another case 2 Cor 3. 10. Even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the glory which excelleth Generatio unius est corruptio alterius Our new Heaven and new Earth have given us a new Sabbath and new Rest. For old things are passed away and all things are become new 3. To your third reason I answer That Paul in like case speaketh in divers places of Ministers maintenance and yet saith never a word to cleare the controversy of Tythes whether they bee or bee not Iure divino but he preacheth the substance to wit a meet maintenance to be necessary So in Pauls discourse of times and Dayes as also of other things although he satisfy not our Fancies who cannot see afâ—rre of yet doth he answer the will of the Holy Ghost who for reasons whereof wee are uncapable spareth to doe what wee expect And indeed the reason of Pauls not Preaching the Sabbaths alteration might be because it was neither safe nor convenient For it must needes have given great offence to the Iewes seeing it had a place amongst the morall Commandements who were so precise in the punctisioes of times as that they would have beene of your opinion that either their seaventh Day or none was morall and so would have taken advantage to vilifie his doctrine as if he had gone about to overthrow as well the Morall as Ceremoniall Law the sun shine of the Gospell being too bright for their weake Eyes to behold all at once And therefore the Aposile condescending to their infirmities chose rather to insinuate the Lords Day tâ—citly by his practice then by his doctrine For so iâ— behoved him in those times wherein hee became all to all that he might win some And therefore did he take occâ—â—â—on on the Iâ—â—ish Sabbaths to Preaâ—h the Gospell in their Synagogues when yet wee see how that privately hee sanctified the Lords Day with Châ—istians Therefore I conclude that this Scripture is nothing concerning the Weekely Sabbath whereof he writeth nothing at all directly for the reasons aforesaid but of the Iewish Ceremoniall Sabbaths which hee must needs cry downe if he set up Christ. The shadow must vanish when the substance comes in place And of this the converted Iewes were mostly as well perswaded without offence as the converted Gentiles But of this sort was not the Weekely Sabbath as I have proved elsewhere and as further is evident from the 92. Psal which is dedicated to the Sabbath Day but none of the rest of the Psalmes to any of the legall Ceremonies from which I may thus reason That seeing the Booke of the Psalmes was ordained for the consolation of the militant Church unto the Worlds end as may appeare by the Apostles exhortation it seemeth not consonant to reason that a part of Gods perpetuall worship should be dedicated to a temporary Ceremony To your fourth and fifth I answer that how the Sabbath is said to be shadowish wee have shewne before and shall have more occasion hereafter to enlarge it Amongst those two or three which justifie the morality of the Sabbath I would have you take in D r. Andrewes in his exposition of the fourth Commandement and M r. Hooker in his Eccles Pol and Bishop Hell whom I have already alleadged Broad 2. The Sabbath was a shadow from the beginning FOr Gods very Resting was Typicall as appeareth Heb 4. 4. observe that the Apostle there speaketh os the seaventh Day as rested upon by God and not as sanctified by him or enjoyned to be sanctified by Man so that the seaventh Day then became a Type when God rested therein the seaventh Day in order if not in time before it was sanctified was Gods rest and Consequently a shadow of the Rest remaining to the People of God Consider further that it doth not appeare by the Scripture when the Sabbath became a shadow and which was the first Sabbath that was such if the first of all were not Againe that all other shadowes and Types were such from their first institution If any thinke there was no shadow or Ceremony of Christ before Sin Ans Suppose that before there had beene no shadow or Type at all yet might the Sabbath bee a shadow or Type from the beginning thereof for it is very profitable that Adam fell the Day before Againe though there were no Ceremony of Christ before Sinne yet might there be a shadow of things to come that now shall be exhibited by Christ which had not Adam sinned God would have exhibited by himselfe There were it seemes three Types or shadowes in the beginning Paradice the Tree of Life and the seaventh Day Gods Rest of the comfort of all which Adam for his Sinne was deprived But afterwards God being mercifull to the posterity of Abraham they had the same Sabbath Mannah for the Tree of Life and the Land of Canaan for Paradice which was as it were another Paradice and a figure
also of the Kingdome of Heaven Answer In the 4. of Hebrewes it is beyond the Apostles scope to treate upon the sanctification of the Sabbath for that there he only disputeth upon the typicall use of it So that thence I easily grant you the significary or typicalnes of the Sabbaths rest even from the beginning so you take it not in a Iewish sence as abrogative by Christ his first comming for though Christ then came to destroy the ceremoniall Law yet came hee to fulfill the Morall Law in which the Sabbath hath his seate and whose typicalnes doth not so properly relate to Christ or to our present Rest in him as to our Rest in Heaven * As appeareth in the 4 Hev where by Gods 6 Dayes worke and reâ—ting on the seaventh i signified the travell of Mans Life and his Rest in Heaven if he be of the People of God and thus hath eveu Christ himselfe rested before us as is there also specified is partaker as well as procurer of the benefit of this Type which in Innocency wee were capable of without him although that now our capacity and interest in that Rest being lost and only recovered in and through Christ it may by accident referre to Christ as the Tree of Life is made to doe because he is become our Intermedium to that Rest which yet at first it signified without him and thus is Marriage made a Type of Christ and his Church which in Innocency was properly a Type of the Vnion and Vnity betweene God and his Church immediately till sinne made a divorce and therefore are they not as other Types occasionally taken up and occasionally laid downe but begun as I may say before Christ and shall end after him that is when hee shall give up his Kingdome into the hands of his Father to whom the Creation being appropriated this Type of the Sabbath being grounded thereupon must needs begin and end in him Yet so as that by reason of Christs intervention and the new Creation which he hath made it is by accident of use also towards him because that in and by him only wee now enjoy this Rest and are given in Marriage unto God So that if wee can here prove our Rest and Marriage unto him by Fayth then are wee inchoatively possessed of our everlasting Rest and Marriage which shall be consummated with God in Heaven * whereof these two Institutions in Innocency were figures Touching the time of Adams Fall for my part I cannot thinke it was before Gods seaventh Day and my reason is from Moses his method for he putteth it after and yet I doe beleeve hee never kept Sabbath in Innocency but fell before his owne seaventh Day Touching Adams deprivation I answer That although it be evident by Scripture and the fiery Sword that Adam was deprived of Paradice and the Tree of Life as being properly annexed to the Commandement concerning the Tree of Good and Evill yet doth not the same appeare concerning the Sabbath for that it did partake as well of duty as of commodity and was a coadjutor to the Law of nature besides we see it renewed in its proper kind and upon its primitive reason which the other are not but exempt by a fery Sword also wee see the Scripture saith the Sabbath was made for Man which indefinitely signifieth all Mankind though properly the People of God For God having still a People he hath for them a Rest in Heaven towards which the Sabbath is as helpfull as the Sacrament of the Lords supper is to our Faith in Christ. For as one sayth Even now in this marveilous light of the Gospell wee have our divine Ceremonies and Sacraments God reserving the greatest for the Kingdome of glory Broad 3. The Sabbath was a shadow of our blessed Rest in Heaven SAint Paul saying Coloss 2. that Meate Drinke Holy-dayes and Sabbaths are a shadow of things to come doth not there tell us of what things to come they are a shadow And the only place in my knowledge whereby wee may gather of what the Sabbath was a shadow is Heb 4. by which Chapter it appeareth that the Sabbath was a shadow or Type of the Rest in Heaven The Rests or Sabbaths mentioned in that chapter are three one the first seaventh Day verse 4. another the Land of Canaan verse 8. a third the Kingdome of Heaven verse 9. of the latter Rest the two former were shadowes Some tell us of a legall spirituall and Heavenly Sabbath and the legall with them was a Type of both the other which I dislike not Answer You may well imagine of what things to come Paul meaneth in that 2. Coloss if you consider the context for after he had handled Circumcision both in its Type and Antitype then he concludeth of other things of that nature in these words let no man therefore condemne you in Meat or Drinke c. As if he had said like as Circumcision so all things of that nature and institution are extinguished through Christ the substance of these shadowes and the end of these Ceremonies Amongst whichby an Argument ex non concessis you would draw in the Weekly Sabbath to bee one as if the Iewes had not other Sabbaths which more properly are to bee reckoned in that number and yet confesse it to signifie our Rest in Heaven and to have none other signification but that which signification is still in force also as wee see in the 4. of Hâ—b which properly is true of none of the abrogated Shadowes Which signification I say is still in force and consequently the Sabbath for how should it be other seeing that they are Christs owne words Math 5. 18. That till Heaven and Earth passe one jot or one tittle shall in no wise passe from the Law till all bee fulfilled Now how can the Sabbath be abrogated seeing by your owne confession it signifieth our Rest in Heaven which is not yet fulfilled nor will not be till the second comming of Christ. whereas the Iewish Types therefore vanished at the first comming of Christ because they received the fulfilling in him properly and adequately But perchance it will be objected Obâ— That the abolishment of all the signes of the Old Testament was by this that Christ hath actually acquired all the benefits figured by them though the Elect inherit them not yet totally and perfectly and thus he hath also acquired the benefit of the Sabbaths signification for us though not yet accomplished it to us I answer 1. It is true that the benefits of both are acquired by Christ Answ. but in a different kind For the Iewish Types were since the Fall created de novo for his sake to shadow him forth and so he properly accomplisheth and soe abolisheth them Coloss 2. 17. * Whence D. Taylor observes in his Christ revealed pag 4 But this of the Sabbath was created in the beginning and was since then things so falling out by the Fall only
Supposing that the number of seaven bee mysticall it followeth that wee are freed from it and not from the seaventh day onely for what have wee to doe with the Iewish darke mysteries in this cleare Sun-shine of the Gospell The weeke by this Doctrine should rather bee a mystery or shadow then the Sabbath for the Sabbath was but one day of the seaven as the first was or any other Indeed the Sabbath was the last of the seaven but what of that Saint Paul tearming the Sabbath a shadow joyneth it with the Holy-dayes and new Moones if now they will have the Sabbath be a shadow in regard it was the last of the weeke the New-moone maysome say was a shadow in regard it was the first of the Month and the holy-dayes in regard they fell at other times 3. If the number of seaven or last of seaven bee mysticall must it not bee so from the beginning And thus must the Sabbath bee a mystery or shadow from the first institution as all other shadowes were Secondly in respect of their strict rest but I know nothing of any moment God himselfe rested strictly for hee rested from all his works Gen. 2. 2. unlesse Gods example teacheth us to rest strictly it teacheth us nothing which they bring for proofe hereof and why of the strict rest and not of the whole Certainely wee shall rest wholly in Heaven And if the Sabbath was ceremoniall in respect of the strict rest then it seemeth hee that laboured all day or a good part thereof brake the morall part and so sinned Moreover the holy-dayes joyned with the Sabbath Col. 2. may seeme to want the ceremony seeing no such strict rest was in joyned in them as was shewed before Chap. 2. 3. in respect of the sacrifices offered therein Ans. First If sacrifices offered on such a day made the day a shadow then every day of the weeke was a shadow as well as the Sabbath for sacrifices were by the Law to bee offered every day Secondly Then shall wee have three Sacraments for the administration of the Lords supper is as well a part of sanctifying the Lords day as the offering of sacrifices was a part of sanctifying the Sabbath If then the sacrifices made the Sabbath a ceremony like to themselves the Lords supper maketh the Lords day a Sacrament like to it selfe also Thirdly If a ceremoniall duty enjoyned on the Sabbath made it partly ceremoniall a morall duty enjoyned on the holy-dayes made them partly morall And thus should the feast of Passeover bee partly morall as well as the Sabbath Answer I grant you that the Sabbath was a shadow or signification of the blessed rest to come and that not as it was a seaventh day * In respect of any mystery contained therein but as the seaventh day was a Sabbath But hence you would deduce a wrong conclusion that therefore it is as was the Iewish shadowes abrogative in the comming of Christ and that wee are not bound to darke mysteries say you in this cleare sun-shine Ans. Wee are not bound indeed to any mystery but to the duty contained in the number of seaven Yet to the signification of the Sabbath wee are bound which is not darke but cleare for so the Scripture hath made it to bee in the fourth Hebr. And although this Sabbath was shadowish yet was it neither of like nature with their other Sabbaths nor yet with other things whose signification reached to Heaven as well as it First I say it differed from other Sabbaths because it properly signified our rest in Heaven as wee see in the fourth Hebr. where it alone is mentioned and they properly our rest on earth by Christ and therefore were they so many and it but one and the same from the beginning to signifie that our rest here was to bee with manifold intermissions and in great variety Secondly I say it also differed from other things whose signification reached to Heaven as well as it For mostly they had a double signification the one proper and proximate as Iewish types signifying the rest and flourishing prosperity that the Church should have in the time of the Gospell the other Analogicall and remote intimating that in the end Heaven should bee the accomplishment of our Gospell graces and benefits like as in the mid way they were the accomplishment of their types and shadowes * For all the Iewish types being ordained for Christ must bee fulfilled in and by Christ in the time of grace which is his time of regiment by administring grace as now hee doth being our high Priest entered into the holy of holies with blood to make intercession for us and by compleating grace which hee shall doe hereafter when asking hee shall come in glory to set us at liberty from all our enemies in that great Iubilee when the day of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and then after that wee have done our part and Christ his wee shall a compleate Adam in soule and body and cloathed with perfect innocency enter into our Masters everlasting rest and joy But the Sabbath had precedency of these having for its signification properly and adequately one rest in Heaven and the other abrogative Sabbaths subservient to it for the abrogative part as appeares by the significant difference of rest that was imposed upon them in the wildernes as I have else where observed more at large it being Catholicall and the Churches inheritance beginning with it and ending with it and they being that Churches inheritance in like manner receiving their beginning and ending with it If it bee objected that the Sabbath is as much fulfilled on earth as many other Iewish types for many of them have not their perfect signification accomplished here but in Heaven as the Iewish circumcision shall not bee perfected till wee bee in the Kingdome of Heaven and our everlasting rest hath its inchoation here in the soules of Gods elect what difference then Ans. The difference consisteth in the immediate object which the types primarily and principally eyed For the Iewish types primarily eyed the happy estate of the Church on Earth under the time of the Gospell thereby to invite and bring their soules into a Gospell state by beleeving so that though they are perfectly fulfilled in Heaven yet they are properly fulfilled on earth and secondarily or remotely its perfection in Heaven For the time of the Gospell was as I may say properly their Heaven as it may appeare in that it is said the Prophets and righteous men have desired to see to wit looking through their types and shadowes the things that you see c. Matth. 13. 17 these being their primary and proper object and as may appeare in the second place by the faultines of their covenant Hebr. 8. 7. and the faultlesnes of the Gospell covenant But this type of the Sabbath contrarywise primarily and principally eyed the happy estate of the Church in Heaven Hebr.
in stead of joy in the holy Ghost bringing indeed meat to their nests but through hast or lazines eating none themselves or like Taylors make cloathes for other men to weare so they never assaying their owne points how they fit or may fit their owne Spirits but thinke it is their duties to teach and other mens duties to doe And let mee also admonish the People that they take not scandall or offence by carping or misprision at the Ministers absence in time of publicke prayer as the Pharises did here at Christs Disciples but rather judge them necessitated to it But it will bee said Obj. that it is beyond flesh and blood thus to spend a whole day in heavenly mindednes It is indeed hard to flesh and blood Answ. but where the Spirit is there is liberty A Gentleman that handles a flale for novelty sake thinks it an hard thing to thresh an houre together but the Country Husbandman that is called to it and by frequent use hath made it another nature to him thinks it no hard thing to thresh a whole day together So flesh and blood wanting the skill to handle spirituall tooles and feeding on spirituall things with a forced and not a naturall palate digesting divine truths but as other truths of other arts onely into a notionall meditation to improve his understanding or outward practice a little to such a man it must needs bee hard But hee that is begotten of God and hath a new nature put into him hee is skilled in the way of the Lord and findeth such sweetnes in digesting divine truths into his Spirit and in renewing and maintaining his spirituall acquaintance with God in giving and receiving and in the variety of Gods spirituall ordinances as that it is not hard to him for when flesh and blood knowes it shall have no liberty it will looke for none and then the Spirit easily beareth rule I wish by the way that such men as talke of keeping every day Sabbath to cry downe the weekely Sabbath â—thereby doe know their owne meaning whilest withall they say to spend a whole day in heavenly mindednes and spirituall imployments is an heavy yoke and implyingly make it part of our Christian liberty to bee redeemed unto earthly mindednes and not unto heavenly whereas it is both the best and cheifest part of our Christian liberty to bee redeemed and inabled unto heavenly mindednes and to a willing powerfull spirituall performance of holy things in this time of the ministration of the Spirit being delivered from the ministration of the dead letter which embondaged them to the outward and carnall part and unwilling weake performance of them through the weakenes of the flesh For the Spirit is therefore a free Spirit not because hee freeth us from the Law but because hee sets us free to the performance of it Thus David looked to bee a free man and set at liberty not from obeying but to obeying and doing the commandements Psalme 119. 32. I will run the wayes of thy commandements when thou hast enlarged my heart I wish wee were lesse guilty of this Iudaisme in our dayes viz. making our holines consist rather in rest then in resting to bee holy Sure I am those that walke the most exactly and strictly in this way of heavenly mindednes on that day find the benefit and sweet thereof to their soules and good reason For that promise Isaiah 58. 14. Then shalt thou delight thy selfe in the Lord is not onely made to but also to bee fulfilled by the performances of the duties injoyned us in the foregoing verse of not doing our owne wayes not finding our owne pleasure not speaking our owne words the Spirit of God working this unspeakable delight and comfort in the soules of them that so walke Now I come to speake to your answer to the second objection and therein to shew you when wee are said to breake the morall part of the Sabbath which is when wee either doe our owne works or Gods worke to our owne ends For had rest beene properly or onely the morall part of the Sabbath then had the superstitious Iewes kept it none better But a man may rest and not keepe the Sabbath and a man may worke and not breake the Sabbath And indeed that man that both resteth and worketh to wit from his owne works to doe the works of God is the onely true Sabbath keeper And therefore as wee are advised in another case that whether wee eate or drinke c. So in this case say I whether wee rest or worke let it bee done to the glory of God else our rest is but the rest of brute beasts and our works the works of prophane Men and Hypocrites So that on the Sabbath our rest must give place to all Gods good works and on the contrary all our works must give place to Gods rest For whether wee rest or worke it must be unto God and not unto our selves for so onely wee fulfill the Sabbaths signification Lastly for answer to that which you say in proofe hereof how that those Lawes are onely to bee tearmed morall c. I aske you what prayer or Almes c. is there commanded in the third commandement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine and yet this you cannot deny to bee a morall Law If you say there are then I answer no more then in the fourth commandement where wee are to keepe holy the Sabbath or to sanctifie it with an holy rest by which is not meant a bare rest no more then by an holy convocation is meant a bare meeting together but it is meant in regard of the holy duties that were to bee done thereon of praying praysing God reading Moses Law sacrificing c. And why is not remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath-day as well morall also as thou shalt not make to thy selfe any graven Image in the sense in hand And whereas you say that time and place are circumstantiall implying them thereby to bee indifferent things I answer that in themselves they are so but if God please to alter their natures hee may Thus hee disposed of the Temple for a time and the Sabbath for ever to bee his proper ordinances Consider how inconsistent you make it for resting to bee the sanctifying of the Sabbath and yet the Law of the Sabbath to bee but circumstantiall to other duties Broad ARG. II. BY Sabbaths Col. 2. 16. the weekely Sabbaths are to bee under stood by ordinances then in the 14. verse the Law of these Sabbaths must needs bee meant as well as the Lawes of new Moones and Holy-dayes and now these ordinances that is precepts of the Sabbath new Moone and Holy-dayes are here said most manifestly to bee blotted out Though Saint Paul here saith that the precept of the Sabbath is blotted out Obj. yet his meaning is not that it is wholly blotted out but onely in part So any one may
It is a signe betweene mee and the children of Israel for ever For in sixe dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth and in the seaventh day hee rested Now wee know it was never the property of the Iewish types to looke backward to the state of innocency but forward But you will say that the first institution of the Sabbath was but a prophecy or fore-runner of the second To this I answer That it is very ill likely that any thing that was proper to the Iewes as a ceremony and not common to the whole Church of God for whose sake the World was made was prophecyed or fore-ordained in innocency For all the things that are made use of in Scripture from the state of innocency are spoken of as appertaining to the whole Church of God and not proper to any one People or time And so is the Sabbath made use of in the fourth Hebr. to signifie an everlasting rest to whom but to the People of God But you will aske mee how I know that this Law of the Sabbath was given in innocency and not after the fall I answer that this one reason may serve for all Because that whatsoever Moses maketh mention of before the fall wee have good reason to thinke it to bee done in innocency and to allow as well his Method as his matter in that particuler But hee placeth the Law of the Sabbath before the fall Ergo c. Besides your owne Hypothesis stoppeth this objection For if Adam should have kept the Sabbath had he continued in innocency as you suppose hee should its like it was revealed to him in that state And the rather was the Sabbath given in innocency that it might bee understood to bee equall with the Law of nature and to appertaine to the whole Church of God which afterwards was to bee of a double condition and so the Sabbath serves for a double end answerable to these conditions to wit in memoriall of the creation as it is in the 20. Exod. 11. and also in memoriall of our redemption as in the 5. Deut. 15. and as is the Sabbath such is the Law of a double obligation to us in respect both of our creation and redemption Note It is very observable in those two places how an order is kept which giveth authority to our second Sabbath and to the reason thereof for in the first giving the Law Exod. 20. the Sabbath is inforced by the creation and in the repetition or second giving of it in the 5. Deut. it is altogether inforced upon the redemption the creation not being once named or mentioned there in the Law of the Sabbath or fourth commandement lively intimating the subsistence of the fourth commandement under the Gospell and the binding authority of it in our dayes by the incorporation and addition of the reason of our new creation or spirituall deliverance by Christ into the commandement in stead of the old reason which is utterly omitted as if it were forgotten or at least overtopped and triumphed over by us that are the second generation of Israel * Answerable to that 65. of Isaiah 17. I will create new Heavens and a new Earth the â—ormer shall not bee remembred nor come into mind I wish our Antisabbatâ—rians to consider well that such a repetition of the fourth commandement not seorsim or by it selfe but together with the whole Decalogue in its proper place with such a materiall omission and addition or alteration cannot but bee significantly and doctrinally meant by the holy Ghost there But some argue from this connexion of the Sabbath to their deliverance out of Egypt that the Sabbath was therefore given to them for a memoriall of a particuler benefit to them and so belonged to the Ecclesiasticall Government of the Iewes and therefore though it were not typicall yet for that cause it ought to bee done away To whom I answer that upon the same reason they may as well abolish the whole Law and turne Antinomians if they ponder it connexed with its preface I will borrow Master Richard Bifield to conclude this point pag. 88. who saith that the Sabbath in those places of Exod. 31. 13. and Exod. 20. 12. 20 is called a signe in two respects First in that it is an Argument and Document betweene God and Israel and so betweene God and his People for ever whereby they may know that God hath sanctified them Secondly it is a signe not of any future thing but of a thing present as every adjunct that is a visible concomitancy is a signe of the subject present For in the observation of the Sabbath there is a publicke profession of that communion which intercedeth betweene God and us As then every solemne profession is a signe of that thing of which profession is made so also is the Sabbath called in this respect a signe Broad ARG. IV. GOd resting on the seaventh day it became his Sabbath or Day of rest as wee tearme that a mans birth-day wherein hee was borne and as the other dayes of the Weeke were Gods working dayes This his resting as I have shewed before Chap. 5. was typicall and it was the reason why God did sanctifie the day and commanded men to sanctifie it as appeareth by Gen. 2. 3. and Exod. â—0 11. Hence I thus reason such as the foundation is such is the building The foundation Gods resting on the seaventh day was typicall The Sabbath doctrin is builded on the sands and therefore his sanctifying it presently and mans sanctifying it afterwards was no lesse Finally consiner whether more then this may bee not spoken of Sion and the Temple then is spoken of the Sabbath This is my rest for ever Psalme 132. 14. My house shall bee called an house of prayer for all People Isa. 56. 7. I doe not know where the Sabbath is tearmed Gods rest for ever and for all People Answer My former Arguments have beene sufficient to give this its answer for I have alwayes granted the Sabbath to bee typicall from the fourth Hebr. Your comparison of the Sabbath with those phrases belonging to the Temple and Sion in holy writ is a meere flourish and readily answered out of the fourth of Hebr. where the typicall rest of the Sabbath is extended farre beyond the typicall rest of Canaan wherein Sion was for the holy Ghost saith there that the Sabbaths-rest still remaineth to the People of God implying the contrary of the other rest Broad CHAP. VII THE chiefest Arguments of the adverse part answered I come now to answer the chiefest Arguments of the adverse part I say the chiefest for with a cloud not of witnesses seeing they prove nothing but of Arguments such as they are whereby some go about to obscure the light I will not at this time have any thing to do hoping that as a mist it shall of it self vanish away from before the eyes of all those that read this Treatise with understanding ARGVMENT I. ADam
should steale a loafe of bread for pure need he was not so great a sinner as he that through contempt or wilfull neglect omitted or carelesly performed the Sacrifices of the Law or other Ceremonies Broad Againe Touching Gods gracing of the fourth â—ommandement above the other temporary Constitutions He would needs know a reason why God should grace the Commandement of the Sabbath above the other temporary Constitutions Answ. The reason happily was because the Sabbath served more then any of the other I thinke I may say then all the other Ceremonies to the furtherance of the Morall Law True that on the first and last dayes of the Passeover the Israelites were to have holy Convocations as well as on the Sabbath but this Feast as other came but once in the yeere whereas the Sabbath was once in the weeke Answer If the Commandement of the Sabbath had had its beginning with the rest of the Ceremonies you might have had some colour for what you say But seeing it was first set on foot in Innocency and afterwards revived as an equall among and contemporary with the Morall Lawes why now it should only be preferred to be the Master of the Iewish abrogative Ceremonies and so Moses his tale of ten Commandements brought by us into the number of nine I can see small reason to perswade And I know no use the Sabbath was of then for advantage to the Morall Law * In confâ—ssing the Sabbath to be of such furtherance to the Morall law he must needs imply against himself that the Sabbaths Rest was a significant medium to the sanctification of the Sabbath and not the sanctification it self properly and only but it is of the same use to us now especially if it should have been usefull as it should in Innocency So that if the Sabbath faile which is the sinewes of Religion then farewell the power of Godlinesse For doubtlesse it was the very reason why it was given of God as a perpetuall and absolute necessary Concomitant and Appendix to the Morall Law superadded by him in the time of â—nnocency to the Law of Nature as I have said before that it might be a perpetuall help thereto and therefore as it begun with it so it shall end with it Broad Not to stand longer hereupon Consider that the Sabbath was instituted for divers weighty purposes as no other Ceremony the like whereof before Chapter 4. Secondly that it concerned all the Israelites generally both Priests and People and also very often as few Ceremonies the like Thirdly that as soone as it was instituted it was prophaned the like whereof I doe not finde did befall any other Ceremony And if this last consideration did minister sufficient occasion unto God to grace the Sabbath above other Ceremonies seeing the people had already disgraced it more then the other and thereby bewraied what they were likely to doe in time to come how much more the two former considerations concurring herewithall This much to give him and others satisfaction if it may be Answer You say very true of the Sabbaths super-excellency above all other Ceremonies and let me adde one which is That as it was before them in dignity time so shall it be after them to the end of the world But for your third reason of the prophanation of the Sabbath as soone as it was instituted which you say you finde not to befall any other I answer that you need not goe farre to seeke one for their gathering Mannah was prophaned with covetous gathering and disobedient keeping of it before the Sabbath And you may as well say that therefore it was commanded to be put into a golden pot and laid up before the Testimony as that because the Sabbath was prophaned therefore it was put among the ten Commandements Besides offering of incense was prophaned in the very first exercise of Aarons Priesthood by strange fire Levit. 10. 1. Broad Now out of that hath been here said an answer may be taken also unto these words of the Prophet Isaiah 58. 13. 14. No more can be gathered from that Text then from the placing of the fourth Commandement among the morall Commandements in the Decalogue which is that God much respected the keeping of the Sabbath And this I acknowledge but this he did likewise the paying of tythes and offerings Mal. 3. and doth the partaking of the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11. Broad ARGVMENT 3. SOme of late would fetch an argument from Christs words Matth. 5. 18. where by the Law they understand the Decalogue only Answ. Then shall the word Law be taken in one sense vers 17. and in another vers 18. for by the Law in the 17. vers is meant * The five bookes of Moses Gen. Exod. Levit c. the whole Law of Moses as likewise Matth. 11. 13. It is altogether improbable that where there is a distribution of Scripture into parts by the Law should be signified the Decalogue only Againe when Christ cometh to instance afterward in many particulars of the law some of the instances are taken out of other places as vers 33. 38. 43. If it be said these particulars may be referred to some Commandements in the Decalogue Answ. So it would be said if Christ had instanced in any Ceremoniall precept throughout the whole Law The instances as also that which is said vers 16. and 20. doe shew that Christ spake of the Law Morall or that which is to be kept of Christians but seeing the instances are taken out of divers places it cannot be gathered by them nor by ought else here what is morall in Moses law * Five books and to be kept of Christians and what not were it that by the law the Decalogue is only meant yet seeing no more is said of the law vers 18. then is said of the Law and Prophets If every tittle of the Decalogue in their meaning be perpetuall then are we to blame that we keepe not the Iewes Sabbath and forbeare all worke therein This text might better have been urged by the Sabbatarianis heretofore vers 17. the meaning cannot be that every thing that is enjoyned in the Decalogue is perpetuall for then it should follow that every thing enjoyned likewise in the Prophets is perpetuall and to be observed of Christians Now that no more is said of the law vers 18. then is said of the Prophets vers 17. is manifest for there Christ saith that he came to fulfill the Prophets which is as much as one tittle of the Prophets shall not passe till all be fulfilled That Christ spake thus as it were vers 17. The Law and the Prophets shall be fulfilled in part and thus vers 18. The Law shall be fulfilled wholly is not to be imagined It would aske a long discourse to shew Christs meaning Let it then suffice to have shewn that this Text maketh nothing for the perpetuitie of the fourth Commandement Answer It is true that
the Parliament sedente curia should alter the law or the King by a non obstante should for this cause publish an alteration or by his and the Courts example should change the day from Friday to Saturday in memory of that Deliverance Friday being made thereby rather a Day of Feasting then Fasting I thinke no wise man will say that the law was repealed or suffered any detriment by this So c. Christ came not to give new lawes but to renew the old upon a new condition and in this sense was it a new Commandement to love one another And thus is the Lords Day a renewed Sabbath not given as a new law but altered by example For ours is a new Sabbath as the Covenant is said to be a new Covenant which is only in exhibition not in substance For there was nothing but by the coming of Christ it was ground under one of these two wheeles either it suffered abrogation or qualification But the Sabbath suffered not abrogation Therefore Qualification And which was proper to Christ who though he came not to give new lawes yet he was to qualifie and renew the old upon Evangelicall tearmes Broad 2. Opinion By this first opinion though the fourth Commandement bindeth to keep the Sabbath yet not the seventh Day but others teach that it bindeth to keep the seventh day as heretofore it did Those have then to prove that the Lords-day is the seventh or last of the weeke Now how can they prove this They deale wisely herein for they have not the least shew of proofe Nay I know not any that hath so much as gone about it hitherto and to save their pains hereafter I would have them know that the Scriptures Fathers and Reason are against them in this matter 1. The Scriptures are against them for they terme the Lords-day the first of the weeke in two places Act. 20. 2 Cor. 16. It is imagined that Christ before his Ascension or the Apostles presently after commanded to keep the Lords-day for Sabbath which if Christ or his Apostles had done and it had been needfull that the Lords-day should be the seventh day Either the Sabbath was not so soone changed into the Lords-day or it was not then needfull that the Lords day should be the seventh day doubtlesse order should have been taken for this also and then Saint Paul would not have tearmed it the first of the weeke well-neere twentie yeeres after this time writing especially unto the Gentiles 2. The Fathers are against them for they tearmed Wednesday the fourth of the weeke Si dies observare non licet Origen Nicephorus have the like saying menses tempora annos nos quoque simile crimâ—n incurrimus quartum Sabbati observantes parascenem diem Dominicum c. Hieron in Gal. 4. 3. Reason is against them for if the Iews Sabbath untill the change were the seventh day how should the next day be the seventh also Consider that the name seventh hath reference to other dayes going before Either there must be once two seventh dayes together or there must be one monstrous weeke consisting of eight dayes or else one day must be in no weeke Answer It is not needfull to prove the Lords-day to be the last day of the weeke It is enough to hold correspondencie with the Commandement if we prove it to be the seventh day not in order but in number For though the Commandement bindeth perpetually to the number it was and is the present condition of the Church in regard of our benefit from God and Gods Covenant to us which bindeth us to the order first or last In which adjournment we as is requisite retain and observe the scope and equitie of the Commandement since God hath afforded us sixe dayes for the dispatch of our own businesses that we should willingly dedicate the seventh to his worship For the altering of the circumstance of time doth not abolish the substance of the Commandement This difference is evident and usuall in other matters as for instance It was one thing to have the Tridentine Councell translated to Bolonia and the ending of it was another thing So there is a difference between the adjourning of the last to the first and the dissolution of the Sabbath day And although the Sabbath be now the first day of the weeke in one respect to wit according to order yet it remaines still the last in another respect to wit as they are seven in number And that it was thus even in the Christians account the last as well as the first appeareth in the 1 Cor. 16. where Paul biddeth them that every first day of the weeke every one should contribute as God had prospered him to wit in the sixe fore-going work-dayes And as touching your reason I answer that every thing must have a time of institution and beginning Had God made Adam the first day then had he kept Gods seventh day Sabbath but God making him the sixth day and he being first to spend sixe dayes in one kinde of imployment and the seventh in another thereupon it is more then likely he was to keepe the thirteenth day from the first day of the Creation as his first Sabbath and not the fourteenth day as his second * Had Adam kept Gods seventh day Sabbath then had he kept a Sabbath in Innocency for it was instituted before his fall Againe if to be God did raine Mannah on the first day according to the computation of the Creation then they kept that seventh day Sabbath But if he did not begin to raine Mannah on that day but on some other in the weeke then was that computation broken and yet the Sabbath rightly kept So had Christ risen on the last day of the weeke but then had not Isaiah his prophecie been fulfilled 65. 17. then had we observed that day but the Sonne of man as you say being Lord of the Sabbath its fit the Sabbath should waite on him and not he on the Sabbath and therefore as he chose the first day to rise on as likewise the morning and not the evening to rise in so have we done well after Saint Pauls rule in imitating him as he imitated Christ in keeping the Lords-day Sabbath ever since which as I have noted before was not darkly prefigured in the keeping the first and seventh day in the time of the Passeover As like wise to being the Sabbath in the morning and not in the evening which yet cannot be done without some losse of time being that the Iewes Sabbath ended at the evening for if we change the day because of Christs resurrection and by Pauls example why not then the terminations of the day according to the time of Christs resurrection and example of Paul in his practice at Troâ—s I speake this as an argument against some that are of opinion the Sabbath still beginneth at evening as in the time of the Iewes and first
a yeare is as well the substance of the foresaid Law as the keeping of the Sabbath once in a weeke is the substance of the fourth Commandement and the worshipping of God was one end of the feast as well as of the Sabbath Yet Christ hath blotted out that whole Law The like may be said of that Law Exod. 23. 10 11. By this opinion not the substance but only the circumstances of the fourth Commandement are mentioned in the Decalogue which circumstances also are not to be observed Answer That in the fourth Commandement is both substance and circumstance is evident By substance I understand the sanctifying the seventh day not as it is last in order but as it is opposed to all other numbers by circumstance I understand the order and the reason * For the reason did as well bind to observe the order as to establish the Commandement it selfe til I there was a new reason of a new order but never of a new commandement Which two that I may use your phrase in the conclusion of your seuenth Chapter have been manifested to have been circumstantiall by the event I say the very reason of the Commandement as it did bind the order was circumstantiall and changable Wee see how it received an addition in that their remembrance of their deliverance out of Egypt which was a Type of our spirituall deliverance was made a reason of this fourth Commandement as well as the Creation And so is now our redemption it selfe by Christ and yet nothing of the substance abolished or altered but the maine duty of sanctifying the seventh day is still observed And the reason as I conceive why this Commandement was more circumstantiall then others was because it was preter-ordained to the Law of Nature for the continuall use of the Church in all states and conditions And therefore was it to be brought to the state and made sutable to the condition of the Church * In regard of the circumstantiall parts of it the morall part fitting all states as an help of their obedience and not the condition of the Church to be brought to it as were also the Sacraments and yet so as that God hath himselfe ever ordered these changable circumstances in it either by the doctrine or example of his Prophets or Apostles notvery darkly Indeed as touching the seventh day to be any other then the last in the time of the Prophets is not to be imagined because then that order was in force but now in the Apostles time the event doth cleerly manifest the contrary in the practice of the Apostles which giveth sufficient authority for ours * It is altogether an unlikely thing that the Church without a pregnant Commandement which there is none in scripture would take upon them to abolish the fourth commandement enjoyning a duty upon an universall and perpetuall benefit and yet of their owne authority bring up a custome equivalent And whereas you say that no other Commandement is to be interpreted with circumstances and substance I answer That beâ—ides that circumstance of the Israelites deliverance prefixed to the whole Law me thinks you should acknowledge this to be true in the fifth Commandement where there is a promise made of a reward in Canaan to them that keep it which yet is a changable circumstance * And in answer to your marginall note if it were not a changable circumstance you mâ—y imagine what absurdity would follow in respect of the precise meaning For though in that respect it be void yet it is still of force and use according to the present state and residence of the Church as appeareth in the 6. Eph. 2. And notwithstanding the cessation of the Egyptian Deliverance and the precise meaning of this promise in the fifth Commandement and their alterations into a more spirituall proper meaning for the present Church yet do the Commandements themselves for their substance remaine to this day the same For the change of significant circumstances may be upon good grounds without impeachment to the being of the law as the Israelites supposed changing the gesture from standing to sitting when they were a Sedentary Church did no whit abolish the Passeover And thus did David change the order that God had appointed among the Levites how that till thirtie yeeres old they were not to officiate when the reason of it failed and the Arke had rest then without prejudice to the Ordinance he ordained that they should officate at twentie as is 1 Chron. 23. As a man may alter his temperament and yet continue a man still so long as for substance he remaineth the same in soul and body So if so be the Sabbath had been changed from being kept every seventh day to every sixth then the whole frame of the fourth Commandement had suffered shipwrack But in the change of one seventh day to another upon such a ground and reason the substance suffereth not For as Bishop White observes pag. 136. against T. B. who affirmes that in all Divine lawes whensoever any part is taken away the whole is abolished That if by part he understand such a part as is substantiall and constituent his position is granted but if he understand a circumstantiall or accidentall part the position is false For saith he the Law of Prayer or Divine worship is still in force as it was in Davids and in Daniels time in respect of substantiall actions but many circumstances of time place and gesture are abolished in the time of the Gospel as Daniels praying with windows open toward Ierusalem c. And therefore a little to vary the words and sence of his conclusion against T. B. the substance of the fourth Commandement may be continued and yet the Circumstance altered As touching your following instance of the three feasts a yeere I see not that it holds good Analogie with the Sabbath But your marginal instance of the â—arths seventh yeere Sabbath is proper In which Commandement I say there is both circumstance and substance The substance is the Law it selfe of resting the seventh yeere in opposition to the other sixe But the precise order is added by the God of order for the better execution of this Law without confusion which must needs follow if it were left arbitrary Like as in the Law of Tythes God chose to himselfe one in ten which for orders sake and that they might have a rule to walke by he appointed to be every tenth as it passed under the rod. And so of the Sabbath wherein for order sake God did not only appoint the seventh day to be the last but also gave a computation from Mannah that so they might also know which should be that last and so avoid confusion Which yet doth nothing hinder but that the same God may upon occasion appoint another order by his Apostles as he did that by Moses and not harme the Law it selfe or the substance of the Commandement in so doing
to celebrate both the death and resurrection of Christ the one by the Sacrament and the other by the Sabbath as appeareth Acts 20. 7. And therefore Saint Paul when he speaketh of it still mentioneth it as a thing granted and not doubted of although the Ceremoniall or Iewish temporary Sabbaths as like wise the Ceremoniall meats were which maketh the Apostle so often and so largely handle that point Thus Eatonus pag. 69. Nullum praeceptum de ritu aliquo Iudaico abrogando à Domino nostro Apostolis Discipulis suis relictum legitur Nusquam dicitur Pascham non comedetis non circumcidemini similia Solum enim controversia in Ecclesiiis de illis orta est ex occasione ista Apostoliritus illos prohibuerunt iam autem cum in confessâ— est diem nostrum dominicum à nullo Christiano impugnatum fuisse non mirandum est si nullum de illo observando vel abrogando Sabbato Iudaico mandatum expressum reperimus Est tamen generale mandâ—tum de illo observando comprehensum in illo Apostoli Estote imitatores mei sieut ego sum Christi And thus much may serve for answer both to your opinion and reasons as also for the remainder of your Treatise excepting some short observations for what followeth hath been mostly spoken of before both by you and me Broad CHAP. III. The former Opinion confuted 1. CHrist did not command us to sanctifie the Lords-day Such as would have us beleeve that our Saviour Christ himselfe enjoyned the Lords-day goe about to prove it by his practice 1. Because he appeared to his Disciples on the first day as they were assembled together Iohn 20. Answ. This assembling was for feare of the Iewes and it was a very strange kinde of teaching them by his practice to observe the day not to come unto them till late in the Evening about halfe an houre before the end thereof for the night following belonged unto the second day other wise either that first day had two nights belonging to it or else I cannot see how Christ lay three dayes in his grave Answer Had this record of the Apostles being assembled and Christ appearing at this time been alone recorded there might have been some probable conjecture that it might be but accidentan although the Text is very exact and expressive concerning the time for having in the first verse of the 20. Iohn spoken of the first day of the weeke the 19. verse reduplicateth that with a significant explanation as if the Evangelist would be loth to be mistaken in that point of Time saying The same day then at night which was the first day of the weeke c. But being seconded with the like afterwards it argueth it to be ordered by God of a purposed providence especially if we take along the event and succeeding practice of the Apostles and Church ever after which to all sober minds putteth it past doubt And as touching that you say their meeting was for feare of the Iewes happily the privacy of it was so but why they should feare the Iewes more on that day then on any other I see no reason and therefore can it be no reason of their then assembling And now concerning Christs appearing to them at the Evening of the same day it is so farre from lessening the authority of this institution as that being compared with Gods institution of the first Sabbath which according to your own confession was about the end thereof it giveth much force thereto And although I meane to be briefe in what followeth yet I must needs by the way shew you M. Breerewoods refutation in this point by M r. Richard Byfeild pag. 211. Saith he there Concerning the authority that translated the Sabbath you say it is certaine that the translation thereof was actually and immediately prescribed by the Church deale ingenuously and shew me where if in Scripture then I answer that it was not immediately prescribed by the Church for the Apostles were not Authors of the institution but ministers of Christ and pen-men of the holy-â—host If in Ecclesiasticall writers I answer they all referre us to the Apostles and the Scriptures This opinion therefore is so farre from certaine that it is certainly false You say againe That certainly Christ never gave his Apostles particular charge of instituting a new Sabbath either while he conversed with them on earth or afterwards by Revelation How know you this The Apostles delivered many things that the Evangelists did not set downe not themselves expressely say that they received them from the Lords mouth That they concealed Christs command from the Church that is this particular expression in so many words that Christ commanded it this maketh to prove that it was given them in charge by Christ for else when the Apostles enjoyned it they would have said of that their injunction as of other things 1 Cor. 7. 6 12 25. We speake this by permission and not by Commandement We have no Commandement of the Lord but we speake our iudgement Herein speak we not the Lord. This institution then to use your owne language of a new day of solemnity instead of an old Sabbath was of the 〈◊〉 and necessity of the Apostles Commission not of the libeâ—ty The Apestles did nothing in ordering the Church but from and by Christ either by precept or example or divine inspiration And it is more then probable they had speciall warrant from Christ in expresse change when we compare together their precept and practice with these two Texts Matt. 28. 20 Acts 1. The first enjoyning the Apostles to teach what he commanded and to teach and baptize in which Ordinances teaching such things he would be with them to the worlds end â— The later declaring that Christ spake the things pertaining to the kingdome of God to his Disciples in these forty dayes before his ascension * Besides this in the 2. verse of 1 Acts it is said untill the day that hee was taken up after that he through the holy Ghost had given Commandements to the Apostles whom he had chosen For all that you say therefore it is certaine the Sabbath was translated by the same authority that first commanded it Broad 2. Because after eight dayes he came to them againe Iohn 20. 26. Ans. This were more strange for how can they prove that a weeke is meant thereby A weeke after is but seven dayes and should thy friend departing from thine house on Sunday at night promise to come again after eight dayes wouldst thou expect his coming upon that day seven-night either it was not a weeke or Saint Iohn dreamt not of such a collection for otherwise he would have said so plainly Matthew and Marke have the like phrase Matt. 17. 1. Mark 92 compared with Luk. 9. 28. and seeing by after six dayes they meane on the seventh it is some likelyhood that Iohn by after eight dayes may meane on the ninth this is more
an opposer of the Sabbath and therefore it must needs be upon the first day of the weeke or Lords-day Again in the same place he quarrels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 1 Cor. 16. 1. to intend the first day of the weeke under some authorities quoted to countenance his acceptation But Bishop White being in print before him might have given him better satisfaction saving that it seemeth he loves to vary who pag. 196. saith In the holy Gospel this day is styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first day of the weeke following Matth. 28. 1. Mark 16. 2. Iohn 20. 1. likewise Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. Besides his quotation of sundry authors to confirme this translation which phrase is an Hebraisme thus to expresse the first day by one day and so used in the 1. Gen. and the word Sabbath for weeke Levit. 25. 8. Luke 18. 12. as M r. Sprint affirmeth pag. 101. And sure I am the same phrase is used by the Evangelists to signifie the day of Christs resurrection to be on the first day of the weeke Moreover pag. 211. Bishop White in positive tearmes upon the argument in hand saith That the Apostles themselves at some times observed the Lords-day and brings with a for it is written these very places to prove it Acts 20. 7. The first day of the weeke c. and 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Concerning the gathering for this Saints even as I have ordained in the Churches of Galatia so do ye Every first day of the weeke c. In that you say Every Apostolicall Ordinance doth not bind I grant it if the Ordinance be circumstantiall proper either to times or persons it cannot be properly said to be cominon but if it have for substance a Morall Law for order a Prophecy for confirmation an Apostolique ordinance and example me thinks this might be very well allowed to be binding And all this is as hath been proved true of the Christian Sabbath Some ordinances I confesse there are of the Apostles that are not of perpetuall obligation for that they were done only occasionally and to an exemplary end for to authorize their successours the Governours of the Church to order things of an indifferent nature to the benefit of the Church all which things the Church had and hath authoritie as well occasionally to abolish as occasionally to institute but this Ordinance of the Sabbath is beyond the authoritie of the Church to abolish or alter as much as it is to adde or detract from the new Testament And therefore is it not of those sorts of Apostolique Ordinances which bind not in perpetuum For the foundation of it is so laid in Scripture as aforesaid as neither time nor authoritie can expire nor alter it Broad 2. Because the Disciples at Troas being come together to breake bread on the first day of the weeke Saint Paul preached to them Answ. Granting that the Disciples assembled every first day and also by Pauls own ordinance neither of which can be proved yet doth it not follow that they kept it Holy-day and abstained altogether from works of their Callings Saint Augustine saith Tom. 2. Epist. 118. that in some places they communicated every day and in others on the Sabbath and Lords-day Socrates saith Hist lib. 1. cap. 21. that in all Churches of Christians two excepted they communicated every Sabbath-day Sozomenus saith Lib. 7. cap. 19. that at Constantinople and almost in all other places they came together on the Sabbath and the day following that is the Lords-day yet no man I trust will hence inferre Certainly such as communicated every day did not keep every day Holy-day that these who met and received the Communion both on the Sabbath-day and the Lords-day kept them both Holy-dayes and forbare worke altogether Adâ—e that in likelyhood they came together at Troas late in the Evening about that time of the day Consider that many Christian servants had heathens to their Masters who would not suffer them to keep the Lord-day Holy-day Againe this had beene 2 meanes to bewray Christian Masters wherein Christ did institute the Sacrament otherwise Saint Pauls preaching till midnight should have been very long and this they might well doe though they kept it not Holy-day The Disciples at Troas assembled on the first day to breake bread ergo Saint Paul ordained that all Christians should assemble on that day to breake bread is a likelier inference then this ergo Saint Paul ordained that all Christians should keep that day Holy-day If any thing may be inforced from their meeting at Troas this may as well or rather better that the Lords Supper must be celebrated every first day Answer That on that day the Disciples abstained from the workes of their callings exercised on the other sixe I have even now more then probably proved by a just and proper deduction or collection from 1 Cor. 2. 16. I have also quoted the authority of Ignat ad Mag. and Aug. serm de temp 251. And is it probable that the lewes were to abstaine from workes on their remissest Holy-dayes and that we must make a worke-day or a mixed day of our Caâ—itallest And as for the time of the day when they metâ— though it might bee in the Morning for ought the Scripture saith to the contrary it is not so materiall to us to know considering the Natures of those Times It sufficeth that that was the only day being also paralel with consonant places of Scripture of the same nature that they imployed solemnely in their sacred affaires And if there were diverse observed as you say it was because for a time Christians were diverse consisting of Iewes and Gentiles As touching your conclusions whereby you argue hence rather the practice of the Sacrament then the Sabbath I answer That if it was an ordinance yet it was but temporary for from those words of Christ So often as ye shall â—at it the times of celebrating the Sacrament are at the disposition of the Church and it was in the Churches then occasionally celebrated for the Christian Sabbaths sake as a means of its sanctifying and not the Sabbath for its sake whereas the time of the Sabbath and Lords-day is by Precept and practise determined Broad 3. Because Saint Iohn telleth us that he was in the spirit on the Lords-day Answ. I acknowledge that whereas Christians in many places used to assemble on the first day of the weeke Christ hereby may seeme to approve of their meetings on this day and this is the most that can be gathered from Saint Iohns being in the spirit Now whereas from the name Lords-day some would inferre that therefore the Lord himselfe enjoyned it Let them consider that this name might well be given because that upon occasion of Christs Resurrection the Churches held their meetings therein Psal. 74. 8. The Synagogues in Canaan are called the Synagogues of God and yet we finde not that God
have been called to liberty onely use 〈◊〉 liberty for an occasion to the flesh The end of the second Treatise Answer Weigh well the truth of that which the same man * Amâ—s Medul pag. 364. speaketh concerning this unlawfull liberty which you strive so much to maintaine by good Scripture misused Saith he there Experientia docet licentiam rerum sacrarum non curantiam magis magisqâ—â— invalescâ—re ubi dieâ— dominicae iâ—stâ—ratio non habetur Take heed of walking in the Broad way Broad A question whereabout I will not contend onely I thinke good to shew mine opinion therein The Sabbath as it is said before chapter the third A Iew sleeping in the night and were it pâ—rt of the day sanctifiâ—d the Sabbath for that time was sanctified by abstaining from all works which in the time of the Law was an holy duty as was the abstaining from leavened bread the offering of sacrifices c. and some that only rested from worke sanctified the Sabbath as did little children their cradles A childe of twenty dayes old did prophane the Sabbath no man will say so and of necessity every one prophaned it or sanctified it there is no meane Quest. Was the Sabbath sanctified by offering sacrifices praying hearing the Word and the like holy Duties or not Answ. It was not for proofe hereof I propose this briefly to be considered God first sanctified the seventh day that is consecrated it to an holy rest after he commâ—nded man to sanctifie it thâ—t is to spend it in holy rest as for morall duties they were enjoyned in other Commandements on very day See befâ—â— 1. God commanding to sanctifie the Sabbath and coming afterwards to shew his meaning requireth onely to rest from worke Remember to sanctifie the Sabbath that is God himselfe being expositor Remember to doe no worke on the seventh day Exod. 20. 8 10. See before Chap. 3. 2. God sanctified the seventh day because therein he had rested and was refreshed Gen. 2. Exod. 31. not because he had instructed Adam and Eve therein or that they had called on his holy name 3. As God commanded to sanctifie the seventh day so the yeare * Neither was the Temple which yeare was not yet sanctified by the sacrifices prayers c. in the same see Levit. 25. 4. God requireth in the first place to worship him then for the better performance of this duty in the second place he requireth Israel to sanctifie the seventh day that is to doe no worke therein whereby the day became fit for this purpose The sanctifying of the Sabbath then The order of the Commandements sheweth this and Nature teacheth the same Nature â—eâ—cheth in the first place to worship God and after to have seâ— times for the perâ—â—â—mance of this duty as the sanctifying of the Tabernacle in order went before the worshipping of God therein I meane before praying hearing the word and such like duties for the sanctifying of the Sabbath was it selfe a part of the Ceremoniall Law 5. Were the Sabbath sanctified by praying hearing the word c. it would follow that God more respected the sanctifying the Sabbath then he did praying preaching c. 6. The Sabbath was prophaned onely by working as is shewed before Chap. 3. Wherefore it was sanctified only by abstaining from worke 7. Suppose that Adam had continued in the state of Innocency Nature then would have taught him to set a part some times and places for holy Convocations I demand now how Adam sanctified his appointed times by preaching hearing of the word c. or not If not why then did the Israelites If yea then why had he not as well sanctified his appointed places by the same holy Duties I dare affirme that when any goeth on the Sunday to the Church to pray and heare a Sermon if therby he sanctifie the Sunday that thereby he sanctifieth the Church also This I will maintaine though as I said I will not contend about the question for we have nothing to doe with the Iewes Sabbath nor with their sanctifying it Answer How in what sense Rest is said to sanctifie the Sabbath we have at large spoken of it before Yet here I will briefly answer one question with another I aske how the vessels * What I sâ—y of these may be inâ—â—aâ—â—ed in oâ—her thiâ—gâ— of the Temple were properly said to be sanctified whether by being not imployed about prophane uses or rather in a relative sense by being imployed about holy Sure you will say by being imployed in Gods service about holy uses So the Sabbath was not properly sanctified by resting from prophane but by being imployed in holy businesses For God hath appointed it to be a day of blessing now sure it is not our Resting but our imployment in holy services and use of the meanes that makes it so And so had God appointed it to be to Adam in Innocency for no doubt but Adam being enjoyned labour which necessarily took him off from immediate contemplation his spirituall life should have been upheld by due use of meanes * And therefore had he a Sacramâ—nt instituted to wit the tree of life and also a Sabbath as well as his temporall but what those had been besides prayer and meditation and praise and such like meanes whereby he might enjoy spirituall commuâ—ion with God I will not take upon me to determine Now as for that which you urge so strongly of sanctifying the Places as well as the Time I answer That what Places God hath ever specially and solemnly appointed for his speciall and solemne worship they have been as well sanctified by that worship as the Time so appointed and so was the Temple in Ierusalem For as it is the use unto which Christ hath appointed the bread and wine in the Lords Supper that sanctifieth the bread and wine so was it the use unto which God appointed the Temple that sanctified it God appointeth one time universally for all people not so of Place Because an appointed Time may be Catholicke as is the Church which an appointed place cannot For first it would be of infinite inconvenience for the Catholicke Church to repaire to one particular Place as all Israel did to Ierusalem and secondly it would contradict the nature of the Church and make that particular which is Catholicke But I will conclude with D r. Ames opinion in this matter of Rest Medul pag. 367. Quies ista quamvis in se absolute considerata non sit neque unquam fuer it pars aliqua cultus prout tamen à Deo imperatur tanquam necessarium quid ad ipsius cultum ad illum etiam refertur eatenus est pars observantiae illius quae pertinet ad religionem cultum Dei Sanctificatio huius quietis ac diei est applicatio nostrum ipsorum singularis ad Deum eo die colendum quod innuitur illis ipsis phrasibus Sanctificavit illum diem Sabbatum est Iehove Deo tuo Pray for the Author Praise God the Giver FINIS