Antient Fathers whose Credit and Authority I see no cause to doubt have positively declared that it was the first day of the week that John called the Lord's-day The first I shall mention is Ignatius Epist ad Trall Magnes who was John 's Disciple and writes thus Let every one that loves the Lord Jesus Christ keep holy the Lord's-day which was consecrated to the Lord's Resurrection Ignatius saith my Author was not only contemporary with St. John but was his Disciple or Scholar now John according to the best account we can have from Chronology Dr. Wallis Christ Sab. Part. 1. p. 48 49. wrote his Revelation in Paâ—â—os whither he was banished by Domitian in or about the year of our Lord 96 after which he wrote his Gospel and dy'd anno 98 or 99. and Ignatius dy'd a Martyr under Trajan in the year 107. How long before his Death Ignatius wrote his Epistle to the Magnesians Dr. Young cites the same Passage also of Ignatius p. 53. we are not certain nor is it material In that Epistle to the Magnesians even according to the genuine Edition published by Bishop Vsher out of an antient Manuscript not that which is suspected he doth earnestly exhort them not to Judaize but to live as Christians not any longer observing the Jewish but the Lord's-day on which Christ our Life rose again It is manifest therefore saith he that within eight or ten years after John's writing the Lord's-day did not signify the Jewish Sabbath but the first day of the week on which our Saviour rose again Why should any longer doubt in this matter besure Ignatius well knew what day it was that John called the Lord's-day who for some years conversed with that beloved Apostle and Disciple of Christ I might to this saith this Author add the Testimony of Polycarp Polycarp who was also a Disciple of John and collected and published these Epistles of Ignatius and knew what St. John meant by the Lord's-day He proceeds to Justin Martyr Justin Martyr an 129. his second Apology who saith He was not converted to the Christian Religion till about the year 129. about thirty years after St. John 's Death yet he lived so soon after that he could not be ignorant of the Christian Practice and what they understood St. John to mean by the Lord's-day and how that Day was observed On that day commonly called Sunday there is held a Congregation or general meeting together of all Inhabitants whether of City or Country and there are publickly read the Memorials or Monuments of the Apostles or Writings of the Prophets Again the day called Sunday we do all in common make the meeting-day for that the first Day is it on which God from Darkness and Matter made the World and our Saviour Christ did rise from the dead c. In which places saith he tho it be not called Dominica * The Lord's but Dies Solis †Sunday because speaking to a Heathen Emperor yet it was then solemnly observed 'T is manifest therefore that the Lord's-day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominica or Dies Dominicus was the known name of a Day so called when John wrote his Revelation that it was a day of Religious Worship contradistinguished to that of the Jewish Sabbath and so observed and so called by Ignatius within eight or ten years at most after John's writing that Book which he would not have done if he had not thought it to be so meant by his Master St. John And in what manner it was observed in their solemn Religious Assemblies Justin Martyr tells us He also adds Clemens Irenaeus Origen Tertullian c. To which I might add Pliny that liv'd under Trajan who tho a Heathen could observe how these morning Stars used to meet early on this day Warren on the Sabb. p. 195 196. and sing Hymns to Christ and not only sing his Praises but celebrate his holy Supper on the Lord's-day And 't is known to have been the common Question put to the Christians by the Pagans Dost thou observe the Lord's-day The usual Answer was I am a Christian I dare not intermit it O blessed Souls saith my Author because they were Christians they durst not intermit the Lord's-day tho they lost their dearest Lives for keeping it The learned Dr. Du-Veil cites not only Ignatius and Clemens On Act. 20. p. 150 151. but Theophilus Patriarch of Alexandria to the same purpose also Sedulius and divers other Antient Fathers as Austin Maximus Isidore and Gregorius Turonensis who speaketh thus This is the day of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ which we properly call the Lord's-day Eusebius saith We keep holy the Lord's-day Dr. White cites Ignatius his Epistle ad Magnes Ep of Ely on the Sab. p. 74. Instead of the Sabbath let every Friend of Christ keep holy the Lord Christ's Day in memory of his Resurrection Note there is a Treatise of Ignatius that is excepted against called his Epistle to the Philippians as spurious see Mr. Perkins Prep to the Dem. of the Prolem This was also approved by Dr. Twiss after compared with the Latin Translation and two Manuscripts at Oxon. the Day wherein spiritual Life received beginning and Death was vanquished This Encomium saith the Doctor which this holy Martyr Ignatius hath stampt as an honourable Character upon the Lord's-day declareth what Esteem the Primitive Church entertained of this day Moreover Theodoret has this material Passage that they did no longer keep the Sabbath but led their Lives according to the Lord's-day in which our Life arose meaning our blessed Lord. Dionysius See Mr. Warren 's Jewish Sabb. p. 22 23. Bishop of Corinth saith We have spent holy the Lord's-day or passed thro it to the end Tertullian who flourish'd about the year 200 saith On the Lord's-day we hold it lawful to feast * Or unlawful to fast because it is a day of Joy and Gladness so that in his time the Title of Lord's-day was appropriated to the first day of the week Origen saith Origen an 226. The Lord rained Manna from Heaven first upon the first-Day which is the Lord's-day Alsted and upon the Sabbath none Let the Jews understand that even our Lord's-day was preferred before the Jewish Sabbath Chron. Patr. Athanasius 's Testimony is also full Athan. an 326. The Sabbath was of great esteem among the Antients but the Lord hath changed the Sabbath into the Lord's-day not we by our authority have slighted the old Sabbath but because it did belong to the Pedagogy of the Law when Christ the great Master came it became useless as the Candle is put out when the Sun shines He affirmed also that the Sabbath and Circumcision were both of them legal Observances Moreover I might cite Austin Ambrose Hierom and many more who all testify that the Lord's-day was the first day of the week and observed as the special Day in God's
in the Regions and Climates aforesaid there be no such particular day as is expressed in the fourth Commandment yet there is a sufficient and equivalent space of time which may be measured by hours My answer is That the Law of the Decalogue requireth the keeping holy of such a Seventh-day as is distinguished from the day before and the day after by a new return arising presence and going down of the Sun But Time and Hours in general do not yield or constitute such a Day And saith another Author Mr. Ironside p. 133 There is no moral Law of Nature in Scripture but is it self possible to all in all parts of the World in regard of the thing commanded But a natural Sabbath-day as made to consist of 24 hours or of a Day and a Night is absolutely impossible for some men in some parts of the World to be observed If it be objected That this makes equally against the first Day as against the Seventh I answer We do not say the observation of the first Day is a moral Precept but merely positive No doubt but the Seventh-day was instituted for Israel whose Habitation was fixed in the Land of Canaan See a late Author on the Sabbath T. C. recommended by Dr. Bates and Mr. How c. 10. p. 40. The day of God's Rest saith he which is the seventh Day from the Creation is the same universal Day with all People but it can't be the same Day of the week with all People If the Day of God's Rest be Saturday with some it must needs be Friday or Sunday with others So likewise the time of Christ's coming to Judgment if it be saith he on the Saturday with some it will be on Friday or Sunday with others This he proves because the Earth is not plain but round The Jews saith he neither did nor could keep the very Seventh-day on which God rested in all places but as we according to God's Command work six days and rest the Seventh so did they And as Sunday with Christians was ever the day following six days of labour so was the Saturday with the Jews If this be so it can't be deny'd that the Seventh-day of God's resting cannot be kept by all nor do any know they do keep it Ninthly Christ Lord of the Sabbath can dispose of it as he pleases The morality of the fourth Commandment consists not in the precise Seventh-day Sabbath because of Christ's Lordship over it as Mediator That Commandment over which Christ was absolute Lord as the Son of Man cannot be moral for a moral Precept is part of God's Eternal Law Ironside p. 53 54. over which the Son of Man can have no power saith a Learned Author being made under the Law But Christ as the Son of Man Mat. 12. 8. was Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2. 27. as himself twice has told us Object So it is said he is Lord of the dead and living Answ This saith our Author is to play with the ambiguity of the words 'T is one thing for Christ to be Lord of the Church to guide govern perfect quicken raise and glorify her Eph. 1. 20 21 22. and another to be Lord of a Law or Constitution to moderate dispense with order alter and abolish it for in what other Construction can any one be said to be Lord of a Law Obj. Christ can't be said to refer to this because he had not then abrogated the Sabbath Answ 1. I have shewed that spiritual Rest signified by the seventh-day's Rest was given to all them that believed in Christ so that the Antitype being come the Type was a flying away and was in a dying state at that very time tho all typical Ordinances were not utterly abolished till his Death and Resurrection 2. 'T is as if our Lord should have said you magnify the Sabbath as if that was one of the greatest Commandments and the main end of Man's Creation but you must know the Sabbath was made for Man and not Man for the Sabbath as were all legal Rites and Ceremonies And if it be thus I that am the Messiah am by my Office Lord of the Sabbath and I can and will abrogate it and appoint another day in its room Certainly Man was made to discharge all pure moral Precepts they being originally stampt on his Heart as Christ who was made under the Law was ordain'd to keep the Law for us and not the Law made for him Man was made in the Image of God and under a holy Law and Covenant of perfect Obedience to serve his Creator and by the observation of that holy Law written in his Heart as the Law of his very Creation he bore the Image of God in the World Mark 2. 27. serving him in Righteousness and Holiness to the Glory of his Name and for this he was made yet Man was not made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath for him i. e. for his good in respect to his Body and Soul 1. As to his outward Rest c. 2. As a help to discharge all Duties of instituted Worship the better for the good of his Soul 3. And chiefly to point out or shadow forth to him the true Rest by Jesus Christ and so that typical Sabbath was to remain no longer than till that true Rest was come and finally established for then it could be of no further use to Man for which end it was chiefly appointed for him Object I know some object from these words the Sabbath was made for Man that therefore it was for every Man Answ The Woman was made for Man also but must every man have a Wife therefore God ne'r design'd that for such to whom he hath given the Gift to live without marrying So neither were all Men to have this Sabbath no none but they to whom it was given tho it was made for Man yet not for every Man in the World but only for the whole House of Israel and the proselyted Stranger within their Gate as I shall shew in the next place Tenthly The pure Morality of the fourth Command consists not in the observation of the precise Seventh-day Sabbath The simple Morality of the fourth Command lies not in one day in seven because it lies not in one day in seven but in a sufficient time for Rest and the Worship of God tho I do assert and stedfastly believe that by a positive Precept contain'd in the fourth Commandment one day in seven God will have observed to the end of the World which I think is the sum 〈◊〉 what the Learned mean by a Law positive â—â—ral Not that precise day for mind the words Exod. 20. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy In this Clause it does not directly point at one peculiar day more than another the Light of Nature requires a time and God positively lays claim to a seventh day or one day in seven perpetually to be observed as a day of Rest
Prophecies of him to that time for the Work of Redemption could not be finished till he rose from the dead Take what the Doctor further saith to this It remains saith he only that we enquire into Christ's entrance into his Rest both how and when he did so even as God entered into his on the Seventh-day For this saith he must limit and determine a Day of Rest to the Gospel-Church Now this was not his lying down in the Grave His Body indeed there rested for a while But that was no part of his mediatory Rest as he was the Founder and Builder of the Church For 1. It was part of his Humiliation Not only his death but his abode and continuance in the state of death was so and a principal part of it For after the whole human Nature was united to the Person of the Son of God to have it brought into a state of dissolution or to have the Body and Soul separated from each other was a great Humiliation And every thing of this nature belonged to his Work and not to his Rest 2. This separation of Body and Soul under the Power of Death was penal a part of the Sentence of the Law which he underwent And therefore Peter declares that the Pains of Death were not loosed but by his Resurrection Acts 2. 24. This therefore could not be his Rest or any part of it 3. Nor did he first enter into his Rest at his Ascension then he indeed took possession of his Glory But to enter into his Rest is one thing and to take possession of Glory another And it is placed by the Apostle as the Consequent of his being justified in the Spirit 1 Tim. 3. 16. But this his entring into Rest was in and by his Resurrection from the dead For 1. Then and there he was freed from the Sentence Power and Stroke of the Law being discharged of all the Debts of our Sins which he had undertaken to make satisfaction for Acts 2. 24. 2. Then and therein were all Types all Predictions and Prophecies fulfilled which concerned the Work of our Redemption 3. Then and therein his Work was done which answered to God's Creating-work 4. Then and therein he was declared the Son of God with Power Rom. 1. 4. Thus did the Author of the new Creation P. 286. Sect. 24. the Son of God the builder of the Church having finished his Work enter into his Rest And this was on the morning of the first day of the Week And hereby he did limit and determine the Day for our Sabbatical Rest under the New Testament for now was the old Covenant utterly abolished and therefore the Day which was the Pledg of God's and Man's Rest therein was to be taken away and accordingly was as we have proved And this is that which the Apostle affirms as the substance of all he hath evinced P. 287. Sect. 25. namely that there is a Sabbatism for the People of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is framed by our Apostle from an Hebrew Original with a Greek Termination and he useth it as that which is comprehensive of his whole sense which no other word would be for he would shew there is a Sabbatical Rest founded in the Rest of God God-man remaining for the Church and therefore makes use of the same word whereby God expressed his own Rest when he sanctified the Seventh-day for a day of Rest thereon Again he further proves that the Apostle asserts an Evangelical Sabbath or day of Rest to be constantly observed in and for the Worship of God under the Gospel Thus far and to this effect speaks Dr. Owen 'T is my Brethren the Apostle's business in this Chapter as the Doctor has proved to shew an Institution of the first day of the Week and this upon the great Work of Redemption and Christ's resting from his Works as God did from his as also the manner of his entering into his Rest which was not till all our Work was done by our Surety and our Burden was born by him for us for till then we could not enter into his Rest And being in his Rest he has appointed this Day as a Pledg thereof that we may begin with God give him the first Day and so seek first the Kingdom of God First as to the early days of our Life first in the Day and first in every day of the Week Brethren we have Rest before we work or labour for it and so work from Rest Life and Peace and not work for Life or to enter into Rest that way as they were to do under the old Covenant Remarkable is that passage of Paul As many as walk according to this Rule that is the Rule of the new Creature or new Creation Peace be on them And as in matters of Worship so in respect to the new Day of Worship the Apostle pronounceth Peace to such c. And thus I have shewed how the first Day was confirmed by the miraculous effusion of the Spirit and also the Foundation and Institution of this Day as here laid down by the Apostle Fourthly The first Day made by the Lord for a Day of Rest Joy and Gladness in God's Worship My fourth Argument to prove the Institution of the first Day of the Week shall be taken from Psal 118. 22 23 24. The Stone that the Builders refused is become the head Stone of the Corner This is the Lord 's doing and it is marvellous in our sight This is the Day the Lord hath made we will be glad and rejoice in it 1. Pray observe that our Lord became the Head-stone of the Corner on the day of his happy Resurrection on this day the Gospel-Church took its beginning On this day he entered into his Rest and was invested with actual Victory over all his Enemies and clothed with Soveraign Power and Authority as King and Law-giver 2. Well and what saith the Holy Ghost This is the Day the Lord hath made 1. He speaks as all Expositors note of the particular day of Christ's Resurrection 2. And that this is the Day which the Lord hath made How made God created that and every day of the Week at first But this Day is constituted or made for some special end and use above any other day in the Week Nothing lies more plain in the Text than this 3. The Lord hath made it i. e. instituted or appointed it to these great Ends not the Apostles not the Church not Man but the Lord himself hath made it 4. And then the Gospel-Church and all Gospel-Believers signified by this word we resolve upon this Great Authority to observe it we will rejoice and be glad in it Here it is foretold that God hath singularly made created or instituted this Day for us to meet together and to worship him with joy and gladness of heart and accordingly we have proved it was confirmed I challenge any man to shew us a
Reason why any day besides this can be here intended Obj. The Prophet alludes to the general Gospel-day or else only to that very precise day on which Christ rose not that that day should successively be kept Answ We deny not but that the general Gospel-days of Grace came in with this day but in the days of the Gospel this Text also shews God hath made or appointed a particular Day to be observed with rejoycing and gladness of Heart not the seventh but the first Day For it is evident this day was the day when our Lord was made or became the Head-stone of the Corner viz. the day of his glorious Resurrection Where is the general Day of the Gospel called a Day made Is not this as much as that at the beginning the Lord blessed and sanctified the seventh day 'T is not there said he sanctified it for men successively to keep Now 1. Here is expressed a particular Day and what day 't is the Verses going before shew 2. 'T is a day made or instituted for singular use 3. It is a day made by the Lord to that end 4. For us to worship God in or to rejoice in before him with gladness of our Heart God meeteth him that rejoiceth and that remembers him in his ways 1. God hath made or instituted this Day for singular nay for the highest and chiefest End and Purpose 2. And what day have we cause to rejoice in keep and observe like this day For has not Redemption-work the preference of Creation-work The Glory of Creation-work was mar'd by Sin but Redemption-work Redemption-Grace restores the Image of God to us again and puts us into a far better condition than we were in at first In Redemption-work the glory of all God's Attributes shines forth so they did not in the first Creation The day of Christ's Resurrection is the day of our deliverance from Sin the Law Wrath Death Devils and all Enemies for ever This is the Day the Lord has made more honorable and glorious and more to be remembred than God's creating the Heavens and the Earth Are there any dare say that the first Creation ought more to be remembred than the second or the new Creation Or doth the Covenant of Works excel the Covenant of Grace or the Law the Gospel Did God's finishing his Work call for a day of remembrance and doth not Christ's finishing his Work call for the same Certainly it doth and therefore this is the day the Lord hath made and we will rejoice and be glad in it◠And doth not the Apostle say Heb. 4. 9. upon the same foot of account There remaineth 〈◊〉 Rest i. e. a day of Rest to the People of God This is the day in which Christ our Surety received for us our free Justification i. e. our discharge from the Curse of the Law from Sin and Eternal Wrath. On this day Christ made an end of Sin finished Transgression and brought in everlasting Righteousness therefore this is the day the Lord hath made and we will rejoice and be glad in it 1. The Lord made and created the Seventh-day and afterwards made it a Sabbath to answer the end and design of the old Creation and old Covenant So the Lord created the first day and when the new Creation was brought in he made it for a day of sacred Rest and for his solemn Worship answering the end and design of the new Creation 2. The Seventh-day Sabbath was made for Man under the legal and typical Church of Israel so the first-day was made for Man the new Man or for all the true Israel of God under the Gospel or for the Gospel-Church 3. God made the Seventh-day an honourable day answering his design in the first Creation and Christ has made this day a more honourable day answering his design in Redemption or new Creation 4. God made the Seventh-day a day of Rest because in it he ceased for ever from first-Creation Works and took complacency in his Works So the Lord Christ hath made the first day a day of Rest because in it he ceased for ever from the Works of Redemption never to die or offer any more Sacrifice for Sin and took complacency in his Work This is therefore the day the Lord hath made and we will rejoice and be glad in it How made saith one not by Creation for so it was made before 5. And as the seventh Day was instituted and confirmed before the Law was given to Israel Exod. 16. so the first Day was confirmed Act. 2. by the mighty effusion of the Spirit before any other Gospel-Precept was confirmed after the Resurrection of our Lord. It is called Dies Dominicus p. 71. saith Dr. Young Dominicum because as Austin notes the Lord made it this saith he perhaps will be of no great weight with some since the Lord made all days but he seems to have made this day after a special manner namely by his Resurrection from the dead the Commemoration of which Benefit exceeded the Memory of the old Creation or else because it was destinated for worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ c. Thus it was prophesied what Day Christ would ordain for his Service under the Gospel and which Believers should observe with Joy in his Worship Psal 118. compar'd with Acts 4. must needs saith Mr. Warren be meant the day of Christ's Resurrection and doth not the Spirit speak expresly this is the day the Lord hath made it is a day of the Lord 's making and will he that is Tillam make nothing of that what else can be made of it but a Prediction of a Divine Institution which is equivalent to a Precept especially when 't is expounded by an Apostolical Practice as this hath been what can a day made long before in respect of Creation be stiled the day which the Lord hath made then in respect to a Divine Institution an Institution then it is and that on the occasion of Christ's Resurrection Fifthly My next Argument to prove that the Lord hath appointed the first day of the Week as a day of Rest and solemn Worship shall be taken from those clear Examples we have in the New Testament of the Disciples and Churches of Christ meeting together in God's Worship upon this day 1. Let this be considered That that day which the Saints and Churches in the Apostles time observ'd must be the precise day in every week which ought to be kept till our Lord comes again And 2. That an Apostolical Precedent or Example is equivalent or of like Authority with an Apostolical Precept so that had we no more than this it would be a sufficient warrant for the observation of this day Now as the observation of the first day as I have proved hath its Rise Foundation and Institution from the Resurrection of our Lord from the dead so we find on that very day the Apostles were assembled Joh. 20. 19. tho Thomas was not there and our
World and gave the Ten Commandments as well as he gave forth all the Ceremonial Law the three Persons being the same one God yet Christ is contradistinguished i. e. referring to his Human Nature or the Anointed of God as Mediator or God-man And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord in the New Testament is commonly and peculiarly applied to our Lord Christ as 1 Cor. 8. 6. But to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ c. So Eph. 4. One Lord one God and Father c. and to this Lord doth the Day here refer Iâ— the fourth Commandment that which is called the Sabbath of the Lord thy God speaking of Israel is meant of God indefinitely and not of one Person contradistinguished to the other Two The Work of Creation is commonly ascribed to God the Father and so the old Seventh-day Sabbath is properly the Father's Day not Christ's tho all the three Persons created the World 6. This day is called the Lord's Day in a like sense as the Holy Supper is in some places called the Lord's Supper 1 Cor. 10. 21 22. ch 11. 27. in which places is meant the Lord Christ God and Man This may answer their common Objection viz. Object It might be called the Lord's Day in respect of God the Creator not of Christ the Redeemer and therefore may be meant the Seventh-day Sabbath Besides the World was made by Christ and he gave the Law on Mount Sinai I further tell them this Name or Appellation Christ refers to our Lord as Mediator or as he is God and Man But the second Person was not God and Man when the World was made or when the Law was given on Mount Sinai Tho the second Person or Christ as God created the World and with the Father and Holy Ghost is that one God that gave the Law yet Christ the Anointed or as Mediator God in our Nature actually existed not till the fulness of time was come 2. And why may not they call the Lord's Supper and the Lord's Table so with respect to God the Creator or Christ as Creator 3. Consider that in the New Testament Christ as Mediator is actually exalted to be Lord of 〈◊〉 of all Persons Men and Angels and of all things For to this end Christ both died and rose again and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living Rom. 14. 9. 4. So that as the term Lord is peculiarly ascribed to Jesus Christ as Mediator so certainly is the day here called his Day And as the Supper is called the Lord's Supper because he instituted it and it wholly refers to Christ so the first day is called the Lord's Day because the Lord Christ instituted or appointed it as the special Day of his Worship and as it refers to his glorious Resurrection Object If the Scriptures be the Rule to judg whether that day be not the Lord's Day which and which only as distinguished from other days of the Week the Son of Man is Lord of Answ 1. Christ is Lord of all days no doubt because he is Lord of all things but the Seventh-day Sabbath is no where appropriated to Christ as Mediator nor ever called the Lord's Day 2. When 't is said in the New Testament that the Son of Man is Lord also or even of the Sabbath-day he shews that it was in his power to dispose of it for he gives this as a reason for his doing that which the Pharisees counted Sabbath-breaking and by which he oftentimes offended them And so it is far from being a reason of his establishing it to abide a Sabbath in his Kingdom-state And as one well observes it seems plainly to mean that that being a positive Law belonging to Moses our Lord had power to change it or dispense with it as well as other Positive and Mosaical Laws As it is said Eph. 1. 22. He hath made him Head over all things to the Church not Head to all things So he is Lord over all Days but all are not separated to his Worship As it is said Joh. 17. 2. Thou hast given him Power over all Flesh So it may be said thou hast given him Power over all Days that he may sanctify one to his own peculiar service and use and leave the rest common to us to work in 7. There is On the Sab. p. 223. saith Mr. Shepherd no other day on which mention is made of any Work or Action of Christ which might occasion a holy day but this only of his Resurrection which is exactly noted of all the Evangelists to be the first day of the Week and by which work he is expresly said to have all Power given him in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28. 18. and to be actually Lord of the dead and living Rom. 14. 9. And therefore why should any other Lord's Day be dreamed of Why should Mr. Brabourn imagin that this day might be some superstitious Easter-day which happens once a year The Holy Ghost on the contrary not setting down the Month or Day of the Year but the Day of the Week wherein Christ rose therefore it must be meant of a weekly Holy-day here called the Lord's Day 8. This was the day in which Christ ceased from his Wâ—â—k and rested as the Father ceased from his Work and rested on the Seventh-day and therefore this is his Day as the other was the Father's Day there being a day remaining to him and to us thro him from the same foot of account in the times of the Gospel as we have proved 9. That 't is this day which is called the Lord's Day because of his frequent appearance on it after his Resurrection and because after his Ascension he crown'd it with that miraculous effusion of the Holy Spirit to put a Glory upon it and to confirm it as that day appointed for his People to wait upon him in 10. John Owen on the Sab. p. 292. in calling it the Lord's Day did not surprize the Churches with a new Name but denoted to them the time of his Vision by the name of the Day which was well known to them And there is no solid reason why it should be so called but that it owes its preeminence and observation to his Institution and Authority And no man who shall deny these things can give any tolerable account how when and from whence this day came to be so called it is the Lord's Day as the Holy Supper is called the Lord's Supper by reason of his Institution 11. Because as I have proved the Lord hath made it therefore it is called the Lord's Day This is an Argument saith a Reverend Author * Mr. Will. Fenner on the Sab. p. 81. used by the Church of God in all Ages for twelve hundred years St. Austin used it in his time The Psalmist prophesieth of the Resurrection of Christ â—sal 118.
sixteenth year after Christ he lays it positively down that the Sabbath was now abrogated with the other Ceremonies which were to vanish at Christ's coming Let no man judg you c. the Sabbath saith he is well match'd with Meats and Drinks New Moons and Holy Days which were all Temporary Ordinances and to go off the stage at our Saviour's entrance And that Paul means the Seventh-day Sabbaths he cites Ambrose Hierom Epiphanius Chrysostom Augustin and their particular Books that they understood Paul thus in Col. 2. 16. as he did Praefat. in Galat. Apocal 10. take what Hierom saith as follows There is no Sermon of the Apostles saith he either delivered by Epistle or by word of Mouth wherein he labours not to prove that all the Burdens of the Law are now laid away that all those things which were before in Types and Figures namely the Sabbath Circumcision the New Moons and the three Solemn Festivals did cease upon preaching the Gospel In the Context and from these Verses the weekly Sabbath no doubt is included For 1. It is part of the Hand-writing vers 14. 2. It is a Shadow c. vers 17. 3. They are commanded not to submit to the Censures of men herein vers 16. And whereas it is objected Object The Apostle doth not mean the Weekly Sabbath 1. It is certain that the primary and almost constant use of the word Sabbath Answ is to denote that weekly Day of Rest which God commanded the Jews to observe Read Mr. Baxter on the Subject and whereas it is applied to any other Days 't is in allusion to this because of the Rest from servile Work upon them in which respect they were like to the Weekly Sabbath as appears Levit. 16. 31. and Chap. 23 24 32 39. which are all the places where the word Sabbath is expresly applied to any other days And therefore the primary and almost constant use of the word ought not to be forsaken 2. Wherever the word Sabbaths is used absolutely as here without any expression in the Text to limit it 't is to be understood of the Weekly Sabbath The reason of which Rule is obvious because otherwise the Scripture would be of doubtful Interpretation and as 1 Cor. 14. 8. the Trumpet would give an uncertain sound 3. Therefore as I said wherever the word Sabbaths is used as here with distinction from Holy Days or Feasts and New Moons it must mean the Weekly Sabbaths otherwise the Apostle would be guilty of an unnecessary Tautology it being certain there is no other Day called a Sabbath in Scripture but what is included in those two words Therefore I conclude by Sabbaths in this Text not only may but must be understood the Weekly Sabbath and consequently it proves not only that Christians are not bound to observe the Jewish Sabbath but that they ought not so to do Take here what Mr. Baxter saith on this Text Baxter on the Lord's Day P. 167 viz. How plainly and expresly Paul numbereth Sabbaths with Shadows that cease see Col. 2. 16. to pass by other Texts and what violence mens own Wits must use in denying the Evidence of so plain a Text. The Reason that he saith not Sabbath but Sabbaths is against themselves the plural Number being most comprehensive and other Sabbaths receiving their name from this And the word Sabbath is always used in Scripture for a Rest which was partly Ceremonial See what Dr. Young in his excellent Dies Domin saith c. III. Moreover can any serious thinking Christian suppose that Paul the great Apostle of the Gentiles would thus write of Sabbath Days New Moons Times and Years without exception if the Seventh-day Sabbath had remained as the Sabbath of the Lord and the Day of Gospel-worship What speak thus without restriction or intimation and yet not include the Seventh-day Sabbath Had not that Day been comprehended and meant by Sabbath Days sure he had let this Church have known it it behoved him to be faithful to us who was our Apostle and so he says he was and had declared the whole Counsel of God Acts 20. yet makes no mention of any such Jewish Sabbath to be our duty to observe but the direct contrary that it was a Shadow and that we are not to be judged or condemn'd who regard it not any more than other Times as New Moons c. But saith the Seventh-day Sabbatarian Object The Ordinances of the Law were glorious therefore Paul could not refer to them when he speaks of beggerly Elements Thus Tillam When compared to the Ordinances of the Gospel Answ they may be called weak and beggerly as Paul shews speaking of the Law written in two Tables of Stone which he calls glorious 2 Cor. 3. 7. yet a ministration of Death and Condemnation vers 9. For even that which was made glorious had no Glory in this respect by reason of the Glory that excelleth vers 10. The Shadow seems glorious till the Substance comes but what Glory appears in it then None at all What is the Glory of the Moon when the Sun appears and shines forth splendidly So what signifies the Shadow of Rest to the true Antitypical Sabbath of Rest which we have in Christ we that believe do enter into Rest Besides St. Paul calls Jewish Ordinances Carnal Ordinances which terms as much eclipse their Glory as to call them weak and beggerly Elements Heb. 9. 10. Meats and Drinks and divers Washings and carnal Ordinances Carnal Ordinances no doubt include all the Jewish Sabbaths viz. Days Months Times and Years as well as Circumcision legal Washings and Sacrifices The Apostle calls them not only carnal weak and beggerly Elements but unprofitable There was a disannulling of the Commandment going before Heb. 7. 18. for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof Take here what Calvin saith tho I in some things differ from him For seeing in the Lord's Resurrection is found the end and fulfilling of the true Rest Instit 2. c. 8. Sect. 34. which the old Sabbath shadowed by that very day which set an end to those Shadows Christians are admonished not to stick to the shadowing Ceremony He it seems concludes that the Jewish Weekly Sabbath as well as their Fellows was a Shadow of that Rest we have in Christ Take also what another nameless Author saith concerning the Antient Fathers St. Paul sharply reproveth those who allowed yet the Jewish Sabbath i. e. they observed Days Months Times and Years as if he had bestowed his labour in vain upon them Gal. 4. 10 11. But more particularly in his Epistle to the Colossians Chap. 2. 16 17. Let no man judg you in respect of an Holy Day or of the New Moons or of the Sabbath-Days which were a Shadow of things to come but the Body is of Christ Yet notwithstanding all this care both of the Apostles in general and more especially of St. Paul to suppress this Error it grew up
future â—â—mes for he foresaw Man would fall and need 〈◊〉 Sabbath for himself and a particular day to â—orship God in Now 't is evident a Law may 〈◊〉 instituted * Tho I do not say the Sabbath was instituted in Paradise long before the time of its Comâ—encement or being in force Divers great â—en both Antient and Modern Treatise of the Sab. p. 41. as Dr. White â—â—timates affirm that God by a Decree only destin'd that day to religious Service in future time he instances in venerable Bede and before him Justin Martyr Tertullian and Irenâ—us that God sanctified the seventh day Gen. 2. by his Decree and Destination only not by any present Imposition The Arguments on which this Opinion 〈◊〉 grounded are very weighty which shall 〈◊〉 next consider'd First All generally conclude that God gaâ—â— to Adam but one positive Law and in breaâ—â—ing of that as Dr. Lightfoot and others shewâ— he broke all the ten Commandments which 〈◊〉 to the matter or substance of them were wroâ— in his Heart and that this greatened his Siâ— viz. that tho he had but one Commandment he violated it Secondly Suppose Adam had had this positive Law given to him also to keep holy the seventh day and had broke it had he thereby been guilty of the breach of all the others For I have just now shew'd that most believe him guilty of all in breaking that one Command Thou shalt not eat of the Tree of Knowledg of good and evil But being every way guilty it must be supposed he broke both those positive Commands if he had two given him and so was guilty of the breach of the fourth twice Nay if what I say be consider'd and that which I inquire about be granted he was doubly guilty of the breach of them all Thirdly The Law of the Sabbath was as it is conceiv'd that Adam should keep that day holy nay he must be so oblig'd if any Command was given to him yea and keep it more holy than any of the other six Now if so would it not follow that Adam was not perfect in Innocency Doth Perfection admit of any â—urther degree of Holiness or require more â—anctity on that day than any other Certainâ—â— while he stood every day must be kept with â—e Holiness and Sanctity Or I say what â—ason can be given that Adam who was so â—ly and perfect and capable in the same deâ—ree of contemplating every day the Perfectiâ—ns of his blessed Creator should need one â—ecial day to do this in having nothing to â—vert his thoughts nor any need of a day of â—st from toilsom Labor If so doth not what â—ey say argue some Imperfection attending 〈◊〉 how then was he created in the Image of 〈◊〉 and perfect if he was capable of keeping â—y one day more holy than the rest whilst in â—nocency If any should say he was capable 〈◊〉 rest from dressing the Garden on one day 〈◊〉 answer if the dressing the Garden was any â—nderance to him in Divine Contemplation 〈◊〉 any holy Duty it argues still he was not â—erfect nor compleatly happy Fourthly If one special day was appointed to â—orship God in and this he stood in need of â—ill it not follow by the same reason that he â—eeded to be told what special parts of Worâ—ip he should perform to God on that day â—or as I hinted before it seems strange he â—ould need a special day of Worship by a poâ—â—ive Law to be appointed him and no Duties â—f Worship be instituted sutable to such a day â—vident it is when God commanded his Peoâ—le Israel to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath he â—old them how they should do it and what â—cts of Worship they should discharge on that â—ay Fifthly It may seem strange that any wise â—an should affirm that Adam was injoyned to â—eep a Sabbath from what is said in Gen. 2. whenas we read not one word of a Sabbath there all that Moses says is that God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it Now as one observes the seventh day is three times mentioned in this Text but the term Sabbath not at all nor indeed any where else till it came to be given to the Children of Israel in the Wilderness nor can they ever prove that the seventh day mentioned Exod. 16. or 20. waâ— the precise seventh day immediately succeedinâ— the six days of the Creation but more 〈◊〉 that hereafter Sixthly Since we read of no day call'd 〈◊〉 Sabbath till near two thousand years from thâ— Creation how should any before the Floodâ— or before Moses know of such a day for thâ— bear Expression that God sanctified the seventâ— day c. if that was known to the old World and afterwards which I much doubt of could not without some other Revelation discover that they were obliged to keep it as a Sabbath in religious Worship tho it is said God sanctified the seventh day yet it is not said that Adaâ— also sanctified it nor can they tell how Adam should know that God then sanctified it for being not created till the sixth day how could he without some special Revelation know the next day after was the seventh day from the Creation Could he tell how long God was in making the Heavens and the Earth c. Moreover 't is worth noting how strenuously our Opponents do urge that there is no express Command to keep the first day Now may not wâ— say there is no express Command for Adam in Innocency or when fallen or for any till Moses's time to keep the seventh day as a Sabbath yet they boldly affirm it was their duty to keep it Again Should it be granted that God commanded Adam to keep that very seventh day on which he himself rested from his Work and that Adam did sanctify that one day yet it is not â—aid that he did or was bid to keep holy every â—eventh day to the world's end and that he must â—egin every such day just at the same time as God did his seventh day or just at the same time â—f the day as it was in Paradise at that moment â—hen God ceas'd to work Dr. Wallis Answ to Mr. Banfield p. 12 13. Thus Dr. Wallis who â—rther saith It is not expresly said that all Manâ—ind must for ever after observe the seventh day 〈◊〉 every week of days reckoned continually from 〈◊〉 first Creation Let me here add what another Author saith â—s to the words of the Text blessed and sanctiâ—â—ed Mr. Gilb. Ironside on the Sab. p. 20 21. That this was done saith he we all agree when it was done is the question for this Circumstance we have not expresly in the Text. Things are said in Scripture to be sanctified two ways 1. By way of Purpose and Destination only as God sanctified Jeremiah to be a Prophet to him before he was born 2. By way of actual use and imployment as when the Levites were admitted to the actual Service of the
of Nature the Waters usually are and by the Will of God were then much decreased the Dove which was sent out had found good footing on the Earth There is greater reason to believe this than to suppose it refer'd to the Sabbath * De Emendat Temp. l. 5. Scaliger saith my Author one while thought the day on which Noah left the Ark and offered Sacrifices to be the seventh day but in the next Edition he fixed that day to be the fourth day of the week Now after the Flood we find God gave to Noah and his Sons some express Laws and Commands i. e. not to eat Blood and forbidding Murder c. Now this is the time doubtless to hear of a Sabbath and of the charge about it if God had given it either to Adam before or after the Fall but not one word is mention'd for 't is not said Remember the seventh day c. or ye shall observe my Sabbath Gen. 9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Now from Shem Ham and Japhet both Jews and Gentiles proceeded even the whole World and to me it seems not probable had the Sabbath been commanded that Jehovah should not at this time have given them a charge about it there being then so few positive Laws instituted here is Blood forbid to the whole World and Murder but not one word of a Sabbath or seventh day to be observ'd Seven Precepts given to Noah but no Sabbath The Rabbins speak of seven Precepts given to Noah and his Sons but exclude the Seventh-day Sabbath out of that number If we have it not mentioned here besure we shall not meet with it till we come to Moses but here we have it not nor indeed was it possible for some of them to keep that precise day being scatter'd to the furthermost ends of the Earth We read of Abraham that he kept all God's Commandments yet he kept no Seventh-day Sabbath he built an Altar and sacrificed which were mere positive Precepts and 〈◊〉 the Seventh-day Sabbath is not mention'd â—or commanded him nor a hint given to remember him to keep it Job liv'd also Job liv'd 't is thought about Abraham's time it is concluded about Abraham's time which may be gather'd by the number of years he liv'd which was about two hundred years which few attain'd to after Abraham Joseph liv'd but a hundred and ten 'T is said Job liv'd a hundred and forty years after his sore Trials were ended Job 42. 16. the Jews speak of his living in all two hundred and eighty years â—ow as one observes when he pleads his Inâ—â—grity and Innocence even to very minute Particulars he neither alledges his strict observation of the Seventh-Say Sabbath nor apologizes for the neglect thereof nor do this Friends who rak'd up every thing against him speak a word about this nor of the Sabbath throughout the whole Book which treats in a manner wholly about Worship and Devotion towards God the Sabbath therefore no doubt had not â—â—â—ap'd as he minds if it had been known 〈◊〉 been a Duty in his days As to Isaac he was a most devout Man and 〈◊〉 Life was taken up in a continual course of â—â—ety his custom was to go into the fields to meditate but it is not said he did it on the â—eventh day or that he kept this day as a Sabbath Jacob was a Man that fled from Idolatry 〈◊〉 God's Command and liv'd a godly Life and tho we read of his performing many Acts of Worship yet nothing of his keeping the seventh day as a Sabbath no tho we read of his hard Service when he kept Laban's Sheep both in Winter and Summer which might have caused him to complain of his being incommoded from a strict observation of that day had he known it as his Duty but in all his Complaints not one word of this We know among us how Shepherds are hindered in Sabbath-Observations of which many have complained or may have occasion to do Moreover during Joseph's being in Pharaoh's Court nor before do we read of his observing this Sabbath and when Jacob came into Egypt we read 〈◊〉 of his observation thereof nor of the Egyptian keeping of it or had they forgot it besuâ— there would have been some notice taken of Jacob's keeping it nor would he have avoided iâ— that he might please Pharaoh and his Servants Nor can it be thought on any good grounds that the Children of Israel kept the Seventh-day Sabbath under their Taskmasters in Egypt thâ— some would infer they did from these words that you make the People rest from their Burdens Exod. 5. 5. they would have these words to mean you make them keep a Sabbath where as no such thing seems to have the least countenance because Pharaoh's Officers complain not of their resting or being idle on one day only but two days together see Exod. 5. 14. Wherefore have you not fulfilled your Task in making of Brick both yesterday and to day as heretofore Now since there is no mention that any 〈◊〉 the Patriarchs kept the seventh day as a Sabbath we infer this as the first reason why they observ'd it not Secondly Let it be consider'd that we read 〈◊〉 many positive Commands given to Noah to Abraham Isaac and Jacob but none to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath nor no reminding them of any former Institution or Precept to observe it wherefore we may conclude they kept it not Thirdly The Patriarchs not commended for keeping the Seventh-day Sabbath We read how the faithful Patriarchs were commended for doing whatsoever God commanded them but not of any of them being commended for keeping the seventh day as a Sabbath yet after Moses's time when the Sabbath was instituted and given by God's express Command to Israel he took we find as much notice of their observing his Sabbaths as of any other Duty injoined on them and this to their great Commendation Therefore had the Patriarchs been oblig'd to keep it no doubt they had as faithfully discharged their Duty therein as any of God's Servants did in after times and God besure would have left something on Record to their Commendation Fourthly The old World not charg'd with Sabbath-breaking We read of divers Sins the old World was guilty of which provoked God and brought the Flood upon them but not one word or hint given that they were guilty of Sabbath-breaking Now if it had been known either by the Light of Nature or by any positive Precept given to Adam and handed down to them by Tradition or otherwise they being so universally corrupted and polluted no doubt had profan'd that day and if so the sacred Record had mention'd that great Sin doubtless as well as others Fifthly Sodom not charg'd with Sabbath-breaking Moreover we read of the crying Sins of the People of Sodom c. and no doubt but they had violated all God's Commands or whatsoever were their known Duties but nothing of breaking
of God's holy Nature and therefore commanded whether written in the Heart of innocent Adam or in God's Word or Law and doth universally and perpetually oblige the whole World to conform thereunto Now having let you know what is to be understood by a simple Moral Law I shall shew that the Law of the precise Seventh-day Sabbath is not a Law of this nature i. e. a pure moral Precept universally and perpetually obligatory on all Men tho I deny not but there is that in the fourth Commandment which is moral in the sense I have given viz. 1. A time Three things contain'd in the fourth Commandment a sufficient time to be set apart from all worldly Business for Rest and the Worship of God and this is all I can find simply moral in the fourth Commandment 2. There is something more contained in it which God by a positive Command requir'd from the Soveraignty of his Will as that which he sees just and reasonable namely that one day in seven be set apart as a day of Rest and for his Service and that this should be perpetual to the end of the World I know Divines call this positively moral and tho I cannot see reason so to call it yet I grant as much I think as they mean thereby 3. God did also command the whole House of Israel under their Legal and Typical Church-â—tate to observe the seventh or last day of the week in remembrance of his finishing the Works of the first Creation And now that the precise seventh Day was a â—hadow or a sign I have and shall prove and 〈◊〉 was only a Law to the Israelites during that Typical Dispensation and their Political Church-â—tate which Christ nailed to his Cross and â—uried with all other Shadows and Legal Ceremonies But before I proceed I might give you the Observations of divers Expositors on the order and manner of the Expressions in the fourth Commandment As first the essential part Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy not the seventh day True in the next words God declar'd that the seventh Day should be the Jews Sabbath whom he took into a Legal and Typical Covenant and Church-state to be his own People The seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God not thy God in Christ upon the terms of the new Covenant no no but thy God in a legal and external Covenant And so their Sabbath was given to them upon the terms of the Law of Creation or the Covenant of Works which is a legal relative and external Covenant God enter'd into with the whole House of Israel or Nation of the Jews even them and all their natural Seed as such My Brethren upon this foot of account was the Seventh-day Sabbath founded not in Christ or on a new Covenant bottom nor given to New-Covenant Children as such but it waâ— bottom'd upon the Covenant of Works and only given to that People whom God brought out of the Land of Egypt and redeem'd from Egyptian Bondage And when he enters into that Covenant with them he positively says therefore he gave them his Sabbaths Deut. 5. 1. which was a shadow of a far greater Work than that 〈◊〉 Creation and of a greater Redemption thâ—â— that out of Egypt I heard lately of one 〈◊〉 said this was his chief reason of observing 〈◊〉 Seventh-day Sabbath because it was given 〈◊〉 God's Covenant-People c. not being able to discern between that legal and typical Covenant made with the whole Nation of Israel which took in their fleshly Seed as such anâ— the Covenant of Grace Moreover Expositors observe concerning the close of this Commandment ver 11. Wherefore God blessed the Sabbath-day and sanctified it that 't is not said the seventh day here but the Sabbath-day One day in seven and not the precise seventh Day from the Creation is by a positive Command in this place intimated to be God's Will and Pleasure to be observed to the end of the World But the precise Seventh-day Sabbath given to Israel I shall prove is not the moral part of the fourth Commandment but a shadow of what was to come and principally refers to Christ and to that spiritual Rest Believers enter into when they first close with him I know Divines call one Day in seven a moral positive as I just now told you by moral they 〈◊〉 as I conceive that which ought perpeâ—â—ally to be observed but that Day which God from the Soveraignty of his Will commanded the Jews was 't is plain the seventh and when Christ came who has given us the true Rest and rose from the dead he appointed as I shall hereafter prove the first Day of seven upon the account of his finishing his Work i. e. the work of Redemption as God commanded the Israeâ—â—tes to keep the seventh-day because on it he â—ested when he had finished his Work viz. â—hat of Creation Now then tho there is something naturally â—nd simply moral in the fourth Commandment â—nd tho God doth here intimate from his own â—rerogative or Arbitrary Will that he will â—ave one day in seven perpetually observed as a â—ay of Rest and sacred Worship yet that â—art of it that speaks of the seventh-day was â—erely positive and typical and so ceased with â—he Covenant of Works Indeed Dr. Owen has excellently shewed how his Commandment is of a mixt or compound â—ature partly simply moral partly positively â—oral and partly typical or Ceremonial the â—â—st he refers to the precise seventh day when he says P. 120 121. It was instituted for an outward present religious Observation to signify and represent something to come And such saith he were all the particulars of the whole System of the Mosaical Worship whereof the Law of the Sabbath was a part And in â—rief the whole Law of the Sabbath was as 〈◊〉 its general nature positive and arbitrary â—nd so changeable and particularly ceremoâ—ial and typical and so is actually changed and abolished Now to proceed The precise Seventh-day Sabbath cannot be a simple moral Precept and therefore in that lies not the Morality of the â—ourth Commandment In order to prove this â—et me lay down this Proposition viz. If the Law of the observation of the precise seventh Day hath not in it one Character of a Law that is simply moral then the Morality of the fourth Commandment doth not confist in the observation of that precise Day but that it has not one Characteâ— of such a Law I shall endeavour to prove First That the precise seventh Day is not the Morality of the fourth Commandment proved largely A simple moral Precept that I meâ— which is naturally moral obliging all Mankiâ—â— for ever as to the very matter of it or this it self as so considered abstracted from 〈◊〉 positive Command is naturally holy as â—â—sulting from the Nature of God But the seventh Day in which our Brethâ—â— place the essence or substance of the fourâ— Commandment or the
Dr. Owen p. 214. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of the Sabbath or Sabbath-days which were a shadow of things to come but the Body is of Christ From hence they affirm saith he it will follow that there is nothing moral in the observation of the Sabbath seeing it was a mere Type and Shadow as were other Mosaical Institutions and also that it is absolutely abolished and taken away by Christ And if they mean no more but that precise seventh Day they were certainly right Nay Dr. Owen himself as I conceive determines the matter so as to make that precise day refer to Moses and his Oeconomy But indeed I see some learned Men have wrote very darkly because they strive to preserve a Sabbath in the Gospel-day or a day of Rest and of solemn Worship and that tho not simply yet positively moral from the fourth Command and if by moral positive they mean one day in seven which God from his Soveraign Pleasure will have perpetually observed as a day of Rest and solemn Worship I am of their mind Quest But since the Jewish seventh Day was a Sign and a Shadow what was it a Sign and Shadow of Answ Before I give a direct Answer to this let me premise one thing which in a special manner we ought to regard viz. that the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath was bottom'd upon the Covenant of Works in that Ministration of it given to the whole House of Israel as suting with their Ecclesiastical Political and Typical Church-state And this Dr. Owen has fully proved Dr. Owen on the Sab. p. 221. speaking of that Covenant Now saith he this is not absolutely and merely a Law but as it contain'd a Covenant between God and Man A Law it might have been and not a Covenant which doth not necessarily follow upon either its instructive or preceptive Power Yet it was originally given in the Counsel of God to that end and accompanied with Promises and Threatnings whence it had the nature of a Covenant By virtue of this Law as a Covenant was the observation of a Sabbath prescribed and required as a token and pledg of God's Rest in that Covenant in the performance of the Works whereon it was instituted and of Man's Interest in it Again he saith Seeing therefore that the Moral Law as a Covenant between God and Man requir'd this sacred Rest we must inquire what place as such it had in the Mosaical Oeconomy whereon the true Reason and Notion of the Sabbath doth depend for the Sabbath being originally annexed to the Covenant between God and Man * The Dr. takes it for granted which I deny that the Sabbath was given to Adam the Renovation of the Covenant doth necessarily require a special Renovation of the Sabbath and the change of the Covenant as to the nature of it in like manner doth introduce a change of the Sabbath c. 1. From hence note that Dr. Owen saith the Law given Exod. 20. was a renewal of the Covenant of Works 2. That the Seventh-day Sabbath was given as a Token or Pledg of that Covenant and Rest 3. That the Seventh-day Sabbath of Rest was not a Type of our Eternal Rest in Heaven but a Type or Shadow of that true Spiritual Rest we enter into under the New Covenant when we believe in Christ and so this Rest is the Antitype of the Jewish Seventh-day Sabbath My Brethren this is that Rest of God which he referr'd to and in which he takes up his delight and complacence Moreover God shewed his People Israel by their Sabbath how impossible it was for them by the Covenant of Works to enter into this Rest where they should utterly cease from sin it was a sign between God and them that they should perform the whole Obedience due under the Covenant of Works signified by that Obligation that in six days they should labour and do all they had to do and then rest denoting that the whole Law must be kept or no rest the man that doth them shall live by them or have Life Rest and Peace on that Condition This I say did signify Man's working for Life before he could enter into Rest for if they could do all they had to do or God required of them or answer all the Demands of the Law then they should have Rest Peace and Justification thereby Here you have the Six-days Labour and the Seventh-day's Sabbath it being an Epitome of the Covenant of Works For their Sabbath as Calvin shews in the tenor of it put them upon the highest Acts of Obedience even to live and sin not or cease from all Iniquity in Words Thoughts and Actions Now if this did not tend to Bondage and so was a Law against them and contrary to them nothing could but now in Christ who hath kept the Law perfectly for us or has done all we were to do and suffer we come to have true spiritual Rest and Peace And Our Lord no doubt alludes to this Ma◠11. 28 29. Come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Brethren mind those two words labour and heavy laden On the Jewish Sabbath no servile labour was to be done nor any burdens to be born signifying that Believers in Christ cease from labouring for Life and must not bear any burden of Sin either in respect of the guilt or fear of the punishment Christ having done all and born the burden of all our sins in his own Body on the Tree so that we must cast our Burden on the Lord and he will sustain us And so we begin our Sabbath after all our Works are done and Burdens born by our dear Lord and blessed Surety on the first Day of the Week as he has directed us and from hence we work not for Life and Rest but from Life Rest and Peace Therefore to answer that Question what was the Jewish Sabbath a sign of you have in part heard but shall yet more fully hear 1. I affirm that it was a Sign of the Covenant of Works in that Ministration given to Israel written and engraven in Tables of Stone How often is that Sabbath called a Sign between God and them Exod. 31. 13. Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep it is a Sign between me and you throughout your Generations Again vers 17. 'T is a Sign between me and the Children of Israel Ezek. 20. 12. Moreover also I gave them my Sabbath to be a Sign between me and them that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifieth them But still it is enquired what was it a Sign of Some say that Israel were in bondage in Egypt others that God created the World in six days Answ I answer but remotely if at all it was a Sign of either of them for they are laid down as the Reasons why God gave Israel their Sabbath and not as a Sign of those things But let it now be well considered that God
and solemn Worship And tho the last of seven was that precise Day injoyn'd under the old Covenant upon the People of Israel yet that Sabbath was not to continue longer than till the Antitype came and it being a sign and shadow it is as I have proved done away Dr. Owen Pag. 301. speaking of the Seventh-day Sabbath saith That Day was not directly nor absolutely required in the Decalogue but consequentially only by way of appropriation to the Mosaical Oeconomy whereunto it was then annexed The Command is to observe the Sabbath-day God blessed the Sabbath-day And the mention of the seventh Day in the body of the Command fixes the number of the Days in whose Revolution a Sabbatical Rest returns but determines not an everlasting order in them seeing the order relating to the old Creation is inconsistent with the Law Reason and Worship of the new And if the seventh Day and the Sabbath as some pretend are the same the sense of the Command in the inforcing part of it is but the seventh Day is the seventh Day of the Lord thy God which is none at all So as he and all learned Men generally say 't is not the precise seventh Day but one day in seven which is perpetually obligatory in the fourth Commandment Mind the words again wherein the substance or the essential part of this Command is expressed Six days shalt thou labour but a seventh is a Sabbath 't is not in the original the seventh but seventh denoting not a monthly or yearly but a weekly Sabbath the Phrase is exclusive Mr. Warren p. 48. as one observes implying thus much i. e. Thou art not bound to keep the sixth day or one in six or the tenth or one in ten but the seventh that is one in seven or one in a week The term seventh is opposed to all other numbers either ninth or twentieth as also to the six working days which clearly intend such a number as six in seven so the seventh as one in seven Suppose I give or lend a poor Man seven Pounds on condition that he improves one Pound for me now by the seventh is intended one in seven so doth God here intend one day in seven for a holy Rest to himself Tho I deny not the last of seven or one after six working days was given to the People of Israel yet it was a sign they should keep the whole Law and was a shadow of that spiritual and antitypical Rest we have in Christ and so was upon a special occasion imposed on them with the greatest strictness and severest Penalty But let it be considered that which is signified in the fourth Command as perpetually obliging us is that we observe one day in seven as a day of Rest to the Lord. Let me give you one parallel case more viz. the Law of Tithes Now God required the tenth of their Increase but will any Man say God intended any one precise tenth No begin where you will the tenth Sheaf or Lamb is the Lord's So here God will have one day in seven but the reason why he fixed on the last of the seven under the old Covenant I have shewed and shall further shew why he chuseth the first of seven in the new Covenant neither being expressed in the essential and first part of the fourth Command Had God chose now one in six or one in nine he had altered as one observes the substance of this Command It is needless to recite the words of all * Owen Twiss Shepherd Walker Palmer Hughs Dod Wallis Durham B. of Dorchest Weemse Baxter Bunyan c. those who hold that one in seven not the precise last day of the seven is perpetually to be observ'd and that the old seventh Day is abolished but I shall observe what Mr. Warren saith viz. Thus I grant the time of Worship a Sabbath it self being an inseparable Adjunct of solemn Worship is perpetual but the old Day the seventh from the Creation was made mutable and we have a Sabbath still a literal Sabbath but the old Sabbaths and old Sacrifices being Twins tho both honourable and serviceable in their Generations as they liv'd together and dy'd together let both together in God's Name be buried in the Grave of Christ so as never to rise up again but let our Gospel-worship and Gospel-Sabbath take life from our Saviour's Resurrection which brought with it a new Creation a new World making all things new But to wave this a little 't is well observ'd by Dr. Wallis He 'll say perhaps i. e. Mr. Banfield the Jews observed such a seventh Day from the Creation and that was their Sabbath But that is more than he or I know or any Man living They had I grant a circulation of seven days but from what Epocha we cannot tell And when Moses tells them on the sixth day To morrow is the Rest of the holy Sabbath it seems to be the fixing of a new Epocha from the first raining of Manna and then all his Arguments from the continual observation of the Sabbath from the Creation till that time are at an end i. e. whether this from the first raining of Manna be the same with that from the Creation And there is six to one odds that it is not 1. Observe Mr. B. of Dorchest p. 31. that at the opening and giving forth of the Command Exod. 20. 8. 't is said Remember the Sabbath-day that is the day of holy Rest of God's appointing 2. In the Conclusion of the Command v. 11. Wherefore the Lord blessed and sanctified the Sabbath-day 't is not expressed the seventh day but the Sabbath-day of holy Rest this is evident that neither in the opening nor shutting up the Commandment where we have the moral substance of it is there mention of any particular Day at all 3. What intervenes and comes in by way of explication or inforcement of Obedience between the opening and shutting up of the Command ought to be observed as 1. In what Revolution of time God had appointed this day of holy Rest to be observ'd and that is one whole day of seven of every seven days six for Labour one for Rest not one in ten or one in twenty but one in seven one day in every week 2. I observe the inforcement of Obedience to the Command from God's resting the seventh day Here I acknowledg the last of seven is mentioned but not as any branch of the unchangeable moral substance of the Command nor the observation of it directly but only consequentially being instituted before as is acknowledged by all And it must be owned that the last of seven here mentioned had first of all the honour to be the day of God's appointing and accordingly was observed till the time came that another day the first of seven was to succeed in the rome of it Note 1. As was said before neither in giving forth nor shutting up the Commandment is there any mention of
continue any longer And thus I close with the fourth general Argument viz. It is not the Duty of believing Gentiles to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath from the Law of the Decalogue given by Moses Exod. 20. Fifthly No Precept to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath in the New Testament It is not their Duty to keep it by any Precept given by Christ or Precedent we have in the New Testament 1. That which is urged concerning Christ's not coming to destroy the Law c. we have answer'd as also that of Paul we do not make void the Law through Faith That Text also we have answer'd and turn'd the Sword against our Adversaries which says the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath and the Sabbath was 〈◊〉 made for Man 3. And also their great Proof in that of James if ye fulfil the Royal Law Jam. 2. 8 10. This I have given a full Answer to in this Discourse 4. I proceed to another pretended Argument viz. Pray that your flight be not in the Winter nor on the Sabbath-day Mat. 24. 20. Answ This Text some learned Men have not I am satisfied given the right sense of But let us premise three things 1. That Christ gave the old Names to Jewish Ordinances very often and so did his Apostles 2. That our Lord well knew how superstitiously zealous the unbelieving Jews were and would remain for their Sabbath Now pray mind the scope of this Text Christ shews how sudden their flight would be when Jerusalem was to be destroyed ver 16 17. and v. 19. he saith Wo to them that are with Child and them that give suck in those days But pray that your flight be not in the Winter nor on the Sabbath-day for then shall be great Tribulation 3. It is evident there is the same reason they should pray that their flight be not in the Winter as not on the Jewish Sabbath-day Why not in the Winter because of the difficulties of the Ways they might be deep and unpassable then whereby their Escape might be hinder'd Why not on the Sabbath-day because say some their Consciences would not admit them to fly then further than a Sabbath-day's Journy It is strange to me that our Lord should tell them a little before that it was lawful to save the Life of a sorry Animal a Brute on the Sabbath-day and bid a Man take up his Bed or bear a Burden on the Sabbath and now hint that it was not lawful or that they would so think to save their Lives by flying on the Sabbath-day believe this who will Was it not lawful to pull an Ox or Sheep out of a Pit on the Sabbath-day or for Men to carry their Goods out of their Houses on the Sabbath-day if a Fire should then happen I do not think they were ever so superstitiously blind Nay to preserve human Life our Lord shew'd was much more lawful on that day than the Life of Beasts But say some it would be grievous and uncomfortable to them to fly on that day in which they used to find so much delight Answ Our Lord gives a direct contrary Reason i.e. for then will be great Tribulation the unbelieving Jews should they fly on their Sabbath would severely handle them may be knock them on the head on this account our Lord bids them so to pray therefore this could not be the meaning of it Moreover he knew his own Disciples before that time came would be convinced that the Jewish Sabbath was ceased with other Legal Rites Therefore this I take to be the direct meaning of our blessed Lord viz. Because on the Jewish Sabbath-day the unbelieving Jews among whom you will remain or many of you when the Destruction of the City comes may be so strict and superstitious as to keep watch and ward at every Gate and Way that you will not be able to escape at least not above one of their Sabbath-day's Journey therefore pray your flight be not on that day This is all I can see in this Text. Both David and Elijah were fain to fly on the Sabbath-day See Pet. Heylin p. 137. Besides some learned Men from this Passage argue for the Christian Sabbath as 't is not unknown to our Opponents as Dr. Twiss and many more and that our Lord alludes to that Sabbath that he knew his Disciples would observe after his Death but I rather adhere to the former Exposition Obj. But the Women rested on the Sabbath-day according to the Commandment Luke 23. 56. Answ The Men themselves I mean the Disciples before our Lord suffer'd were so ignorant that they knew not their Lord should die and some a great while after did not know that they should preach to the Gentiles and is it any wonder that these good Women should not know so soon that the Sabbath was abrogated Some after that were zealous for Circumcision c. and is that an Argument that Circumcision is our Duty Besides no new day for solemn Worship was then appointed nor till after our Lord rose from the dead Object Paul as his manner was and other Apostles observed the Jews Sabbath-day they preached in the Temple and Synagogue of the Jews on the Sabbath-day Answ 1. They never taught the Jews nor Gentiles to observe the Seventh-day Sabbath 2. No one Church as we read of ever met to celebrate any Gospel-Ordinance on the Jewish Sabbath-day 3. There is not one word of any Saint that ever kept it 4. All that is on Record is that the Apostles preached to the Jews on that day Why so because they could not preach to them but when assembled together and having a Commission first to preach the Gospel to them they went into the Temple and into their Synagogue and preach'd to them on that day and so did Paul at Mars-hill to the Athenians Acts. 17. 22. 16. 13. as well as to the Jews on their Sabbath 'T is said that Paul as his manner was went in unto them Act. 13. 14. and three Sabbath-days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures Acts 17. 2. Not saith one to solemnize the Sabbath after the Jewish manner from the observation whereof the Apostles Dr. Young p. 10 11. because of the Authority committed to them by Christ were far enough especially when Paul himself did most severely reprove the Colossians and Galations because some among them stood for the Sabbath and other Feasts of the Jews but because they then had a fit occasion of communing with the Jews met together that after the readings of the Law were over they might preach the Gospel with more fruit in such a concourse of People which upon other days they could not so easily obtain and for no other end as from the alledged Testimony is evident Which things let the Reader seriously weigh for at any time or in what place soever they could they preached the Gospel to the Jews therefore on the Sabbaths as well in their
Mistake lie at their door for certainly a mistake it is and that the morrow after the Sabbath could not be the Passover is clear because 2. It must be such a Morrow after the Sabbath as never falls upon the weekly Sabbath the reason is plain because it is the beginning of Harvest when they put in their Sickle to the Corn or their Harvest Levit. 23. 10. Which the are expresly forbidden to do upon their weekly Sabbath Exod. 34. 21 22. Six days thou shalt labour but on the seventh thou shalt rest both in earing Time and Harvest And see how this is coupled with the Feast of first Fruits in the very same place Thou shalt observe the Feast of Weeks c. 3. Observe it if the morrow after the Sabbath Levit. 23. had been the Morrow after the Passover this would often have fallen on the weekly Sabbath for the Passover being fixed upon the 15th of Nisan whenever this 15th of Nisan fell upon the Friday the morrow after it must be Saturday and so they must begin to reap their Harvest on the weekly Sabbath against the express Command of God The Hebrew Doctors foresaw this Inconvenience and had no other way to salve it but by affirming that this reaping did drive away the Sabbath and that it was lawful on the Sabbath-day A most impious Opinion for it crosses the very Letter of God's Law in â—aring-time and harvest thou shalt rest 4. The morrow after the Sabbath at the beginning of their Account must be such a Morrow as concludes it Levit. 23. 15 16. therefore it could not be the morrow after the Passover-Sabbath or any Festival for there was no such Sabbath at the end of any Account whatsoever 5. The passover-Passover-Sabbath was fixed to a certain day of the Month namely the 15th of the first Month Numb 28. 17. and thus all their other Festivals had their fixed days But this Feast of Pentecost is no where affixed in all the Books of Moses to any certain day of the Month Nor indeed could it be unless God should make a Ceremonial Law to cross the Law of Nature or rather limit the course of Divine Providence to ripen their Corn just against such a day of the Month which as Dr. Vsher observes is a very great presumption that the Feast of Pentecost was a moveable Feast but immoveable as to the day of the Week so varying that it might always fall upon the day immediately following the ordinary Sabbath 6. The Antitype is the best Key to unlock the Type And this is clear in the New Testament for that Christ was our first Fruits in reference to his Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 20. St. Paul assures us and that he rose from the dead on the morrow after the weekly Sabbath all the four Evangelists do inform us And Tho. Tillam has granted that these things must be punctually fulfilled by Christ as well in the Time * Truth or Antitype as in the Type From his own Grant therefore I conclude that the Day of first Fruits was the first day of the Week and therefore was the Day of Pentecost to the everlasting honour of that Lord's Day and the Glory of God the Holy Ghost who sanctified it by his Presence and Power sending down a new supply of Tongues from Heaven as if all the Tongues upon Earth were not sufficient to sound forth the Praises of this Redeemer and spread the Gospel all over the World on the first day of the Week as an earnest whereof there was a glorious beginning made on this Day The Gospel was now published to some of all Nations there being a great concourse even of every Nation under Heaven met at Jerusalem Acts 2. 5. and at this Meeting three thousand Souls were converted and baptized ver 41. A double Baptism was indeed dispensed this Day the Apostles were now baptized with Fire and three thousand Converts with Water which was such a Solemnity as the Church of God never saw the like to that day nor since Our Adversary Tillam Confesses Pag. 81. that this was the most glorious Sabbath that ever the Church enjoyed only he perswaded himself and others it was the Saturday-Sabbath but herein he befools himself and deceives others 5. 'T is strange indeed any should once suppose the Feast of Pentecost could ever fall on the Seventh-day Sabbath because as the Wave-Offering was to be offered the morrow after the Sabbath so from that very day inclusively they were to count seven Sabbaths and then the morrow after the last of the seven was the fifth day i. e. Pentecost I need not say any more to this To conclude after all attempts to the contrary the Glory of the Spirit 's Mission rests on the first day of the Week This day the Church of Christ was visited from on high the Promise of the Father was sent the blessed Spirit came the Disciples were assembled Peter preached and three thousand were converted and baptized and all this is written Why the Church assembled as Mr. Sprint argues Why on this Day Why the Holy Ghost Why preaching why conversion and administration of the Sacraments Why the Promise of Christ accomplished all on this Day but still to declare the Will of Christ in appointing blessing and sanctifying of this Day to his Church and making it a day of publick solemn Worship as a Day in all its Prerogatives above all other Days A Day of Christ's Resurrection by which we are justified in which he ceased from his Work as God did from his on the Seventh and so hath the same reason for a Day of Rest the Day 〈◊〉 the Holy Spirit 's descension by whom we are sanctified a Day of assembling and preaching on which Sinners were converted and Believers edified by which the whole Trinity is glorified And where is he now who said none can prove one whole first Day was kept in religious Worship in all the New Testament Was not this first Day so kept and established for us to observe and keep from morning to evening SERMON II. The Institution and Foundation of the first Day proved from Heb. 4. 8 9 c. That it is the Day which the Lord hath made for Divine Worship That the Disciples and Primitive Churches assembling together upon that Day is a full proof of the same MY Brethren I have endeavoured to prove that the first Day of the Week our Lord Jesus Christ hath appointed to be the special Day of Rest and for the Worship of God under the Gospel First By virtue of his Command who was with his Disciples forty days giving them Commandments c. before his Ascension which are not expressed Secondly Because Pentecost was the first day of the Week when this Day was confirmed by the miraculous effusion of the Holy Ghost But to proceed Thirdly My next Argument shall be taken from Christ's Resting or ceasing from his Works upon that day as God did from his And this indeed
Bread What is Paul so thoughtful of eating and drinking to refresh his Body with them as to stay seven days for that No no it was a better Feast he hunger'd after See Mr. Warren p. 201. to break Bread saith the Text to receive the Eucharist says the Syriac Translation that is to receive the Lord's-Supper upon the Lord's-day 3. But why must Paul break the Bread to them ver 11. had it been common Bread no doubt but good Manners had prevented that and not put him upon any such Service as to cause him to carve for them all 4. We know the celebration of the Lord's-Supper is call'd breaking of Bread Acts 2. nor is there reason to conceive it was any other sort of breaking of Bread but that this is meant here That it was no festival Day not the first day of unleavened Bread Mr. Hughes has proved But there is reason Hughes on the Sab. p. 160 162. saith he to believe this was sacramental Bread for the Church came together to break this Bread so they were never said to do in breaking any other kind of Bread and Paul brake that which was properly Bread among them but for breaking of Bread to the hungry it is not always meant of Bread literally but of means whereby they may procure them Bread and Necessaries Neither saith he did the Church purposely come together for this but rather sent it from House to House Nothing hinders then but that this Bread broken put synecâ—ochically as a part for the whole doth note the Lord's-Supper Take what Dr. Du-Veil has said To break Bread Du-Veil on Acts 20. 7. to wit that was consecrated to be a Symbol of the Body of Christ offered for us upon the Cross Hence the Syrian render it That we might break the Eucharist The Arabick that we might distribute the Body of Christ The Ethiopick To bless the Table All understood it of this holy Rite by which the Lord Jesus would have the memory of his bitter Death to be celebrated by his Disciples Compare this with what he says on Acts 2. 42 46. Object Again it is objected That they did not break Bread on the first day because Paul continued preaching till midnight Answ 1. It was principally to this end they came together on the first day which shews it was their usual Practice so to do 2. They might break Bread first and did no doubt and then Paul might renew his Speech and continue preaching till midnight The order of words in a historical Relation are not always to be followed 3. They did break Bread and if it was after midnight yet that extraordinary occasion of Paul's preaching being ready to depart might be by the Lord dispensed with tho the proper season to administer that Ordinance be on the first day of the week For who will say that Ordinance upon an extraordinary occasion may not be administred on another day of the week so that tho this should be granted I see not how it hurts our Cause Object The Greek reads it first of the Sabbaths and say what you will 't is doubtful what day this was Answ Dr. Wallis has said enough to clear this to all that are willing to be satisfied Dr. Young's Lord's-day p. 69. yet I shall add another learned Writer Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. in which place he shews 't is the same called by the Evangelists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Mat. 28. 1. Mark 16. 1. Luk. 24. 1. John 20. so in those places una Sabbatorum must be expounded by the Lord's-day saith Chrysostom †Hom. 45. in 1 Cor. whose Interpretation Hierom allows and expounds the reason thereof ad Hebidum quaest 4. because saith he every week is divided into the Sabbath into the first and second and third and fourth and fifth and sixth days which the Heathens call'd by the names of their Idols and Elements and therefore in those Fathers opinion una Sabbatorum by Enallage of the plural number for the singular for it 's seldom read in the singular number in the Old Testament which the Writers of the New Testament do imitate and prima Sabbatorum are all one for the name of Sabbath among the Antients denoteth not only the last day of the week but the whole week The Hebrews called the whole week Sabbath And in this sense is the Pharisee to be understood about the Sabbath he glories of fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi twice a Sabbath There by Sabbath we must of necessity understand the whole week by an Hebraism and not the last day thereof For the Pharisees as most learned Searchers of Hebrew Antiquities have often observ'd which thing Epiphanius put us in mind of instituted two Feasts every week Cont. Haer. l. 1. c. 10. namely on Monday and Thursday therefore the Lord's-day was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or una Sabbatorum as in the Evangelists and Apostles so in the Writers of the following Age. He that will look into their Writings shall find Examples enough Thus this place doth sufficiently tend to prove with 〈◊〉 other Text before mentioned that the first day of the week the Gospel-Churches did observe as the special day of sacred Worship and that it was the first day of the week the generality of the Antients both Greek and Latin it is evident do agree Moreover here are many things worthy of our Consideration 1. That this meeting was for publick Worship as preaching breaking of Bread c. 2. That the Holy Ghost on purpose records the precise day Paul having waited at Troas the six former days till this day the first day of the week came tho no doubt they might have some other private occasional meetings on other days before for Paul besure was not idle 3. That their coming generally then together was not new nor occasional but their common practice or usual day of assembling together to preach and administer the Lord's-Supper 4. It is clear that by a special applying of these Exercises to that Day and by mentioning that Day to this end it was their most solemn Day in season to meet upon and that the old Sabbath was not but was abolished with the Covenant of Works 5. Nor is it likely that Paul would have stay'd there who was ready to depart had not that day been the day of solemn Worship when perhaps many in the adjacent places came together Nor would they have slipt over the seventh Day without any notice taken of that for it necessarily shews they had no regard to the old Sabbath which the Disciples would besure never have done if there had been so great a Sanction for that day as for the first day of the week 6. As Dr. Owen notes On the Sab. p. 390. the Disciples came together without an extraordinary warning or being sent to or call'd together in answer to their Duty which they were accustomed so to do Such saith he is the account
a Lawgiver abode no longer than till Christ put an end to his Ministration See Isa 33. 22 and Christ as Mediator is our only Lawgiver under the Gospel yet hath not commanded us to observe the Seventh-day Sabbath then 't is not our duty to observe it but Moses as a Lawgiver abode no longer c. Ergo. Arg. 9. If all Sabbaths given to the Jews without exception were shadows of things to come whereof the Body is Christ then was their weekly Sabbath a shadow but all their Sabbaths without exception were shadows c. Ergo. Arg. 10. Whatsoever Practice it be that opens a door to Judaism and genders to Bondage can be no Truth of Christ but the observation of the old Seventh-day Sabbath opens a door to Judaism c. Ergo * They plead for the Law as given in Horeb with the Statutes and Judgments Arg. 11. Whatsoever Principle and Practice reflects upon the Honour of Christ as Mediator King and Lawgiver to his Church who was more faithful than Moses can be no Truth of Christ but the Principle and Practice of the old Jewish Sabbath reflects c. Ergo. evident 't is Christ hath nowhere taught or commanded it so that if it be our duty we must go to Moses's Law for it and 't is foolish to say Christ as Mediator gave the Law of the Decalogue tho as God he gave not that only but the whole Ceremonial Law also Arg. 12. That Principle and Practice that has many evil and dangerous Consequents attending it is no Truth of God but the Principle and Practice of some who keep the seventh Day is so attended c. Ergo. To conclude Let no Christian any more doubt that the Lord's Day is that day we ought to observe to him in all Sacred Devotion and Piety Consider 1. God hath built all things upon Jesus Christ and so this Day of Rest wherefore it stands as fast as its Foundation 2. God the Father declared Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee that is from the dead and this was on the First-day of the Week 3. This was the First-day of Christ's Kingdom 4. This Day Christ rested from his Work therefore this day remains as a day of Rest to us 5. This Day our Redemption was finished and Christ received our discharge from Sin and Wrath for ever 6. On this Day the Typical Sabbath was ceased and all Shadows of the Law vanquished 7. In him whom the old Sabbath shadowed forth must we seek our Rest and a day of Rest we in him being freed from all legal Labour servile Fear and from the burden of all Sin and Misery 8. On this Day the Disciples met and Christ preached Peace to them and on this day millions of Souls have been converted 9. On this Day John saw Jesus Christ walking in the midst of the seven Churches in Asia 10. This Day was confirmed by the miraculous effusion of the Spirit 11. On this Day the Gospel-Churches met together to break Bread and to discharge all parts of Gospel-Worship 12. This is the Day when preaching the Word is in season 13. On this day Collections were made for the Poor in all the Churches of the Saints 14. This is the Lord's Day all other days he allows us to do work upon but this is wholly his own Day he lays claim to this only O give it wholly up to him 15. This Day all the Godly have observed in every Age of the Church to these present Times 16. For profaning this Day God hath inflicted many sore and fearful Judgments And thus I shall close what I shall say at present for the observation of the First-day of the Week as a Day of Rest and solemn Worship When the Lord's Day begins 1. Some think we ought to begin it at the time when the Jews began their Sabbath When the Lord's Day begins others from Midnight to Midnight others from Morning to Evening Take what Dr. Owen saith to this which I think is very full and clear Some Owen on the Sabb. p. 323. saith he contend that it is a natural Day consisting of 24 hours beginning with the evening of the preceding day and ending with the same of its own and accordingly so was the Church of Israel directed Levit. 23. 32. Altho that doth not seem to be a general direction for the observation of the weekly Sabbath but to regard only that particular extraordinary Sabbath which was thus instituted namely the day of Atonement on the tenth day of the seventh month vers 27. However suppose it to belong also to the weekly Sabbath it is evidently an addition to the Command particularly suted unto the Mosaical Pedagogy that the Day might comprize the Sacrifice of the proceeding Evening in the Service of it from an Obedience whereunto we are freed by the Gospel Neither can I subscribe to this Opinion and that because in the Description and Limitation of the original Seven Days it is said of each of the Six that it was constituted of an Evening and a Morning but of the Day of Rest there is no such description it is only called the Seventh-day without any assignation of the preceding Evening unto it 2. A Day of Rest according to Rules of natural Equity ought to be proportioned to a day of Work or Labour which God hath granted unto us for our own use Now this is to be reckoned from Morning to Evening Psal 104. 20 21 22 23. Thou makest darkness and it is night c. Man goeth forth to his labour until the evening The day of Labour is from the removal of darkness and the night by the light of the Sun until the return of them again which allowing for the alterations of the day in the several seasons of the year seems to be the just measure of our Day of Rest 3. Our Lord Jesus Christ who in his Resurrection gave beginning and being to this especial Day of holy Rest under the Gospel rose not until the Morning of the First-day of the Week when the beamings of the light of the Sun began to expel the darkness of the Night or when it dawned towards Day as is variously expressed by the Evangelists This with me determines this whole matter 4. Meer cessation from Labour in the Night seems to have no place in the spiritual Rest of the Gospel to be expressed on this Day nor to be by any thing distinguished from the Night of any other day in the Week 5. Supposing Christians under the Obligation of the direction given by Moses before-mentioned it may intangel them in the anxious scrupulous Intrigues which the Jews are subject unto about the beginning of the Evening it self about which their great Masters are at variance which things belong not to the Oeconomy of the Gospel Upon the whole matter I am inclinable to judg and do so that the observation of the Day is to be commensurate to the use of our natural