of the yeare and that in the most necessary times and businesse that belong to mans life they must rest because God hath commanded it preferring his worship and the obedience to his commandements before all their owne priuate gaine and commoditie whatsoeuer And Master Caluin vpon this place saith Whereas the Lord doth expresly bid vs rest in the time of earing and haruest Caluin in Exod 34.21 it is not as though he did giue vs libertie for all the yeare besides but hereby doth more restraine vs because no necessitie ought to interrupt this holy obseruation otherwise it might seeme to haue some honest pretence if because of continuall raine or other vnseasonable weather the time of sowing were not so commodious that husbandmen might bee exempted from this lawes least by their resting a dearth should follow And so also might they thinke for gathering in the Corne least it should rotte vpon the ground Atqui Deus nullam dispensationem admittit But GOD admits no dispensation but that the seuenth day should bee kept Etiam cum periculo communis iacturae Euen with the danger of some common losse So that whatsoeuer our corrupt reason and the diuell might minister vnto vs for the dissuading of vs from this obedience yet if our care be vnfainedly to please GOD indeede and that wee would haue the testimonie of a good conscience in the things that wee doe before God not seruing him in hypocrisie after our owne harts lusts deceiuing our selues whatsoeuer we imagine to the contrarie we had need to haue at least as euident and plaine places of the scripture for the iustifiyng of our manifold businesse and great working vpon the Sabbath which is too common euery where as this one is euident and pregnant against them vnlesse we will haue it appeare that we make no conscience of our doings at al or rather that we do wittingly and willingly transgresse the knowen trueth and destroy the lawe of God Psal 119. part 17. as the Prophet speaketh For no doubt vpon this ground and the persuasion of this lawe that worthie and thrise noble Nehemiah dealt so zealously as it is written of him in the 13. chapter of that booke when hee saw men worke vpon the Sabbath in the time of haruest according to that wicked custome that had growen vp in the time of the captiuitie and did so mightily set himselfe against that manifest breach of the Commandement though it was not so taken before that through Gods good hand vpon him he preuailed in the end Nehem. 13.15 In those daies saw I in Iudah them that troad winepresses vpon the Sabbath and that brought in sheaues and which laded asses also with wine grapes and figges and all burthens and brought them into Ierusalem vpon the Sabbath day 17. Then reproued I the Rulers of Iudah and sayd vnto them what euill thing is this that you doe and breake the Sabbath day did not your fathers thus and our God brought all this plague vpon vs and vpon this citie yet you encrease the wrath vpon Israel in breaking the Sabbath In which words as it is euident that he speaketh against working vpon the Sabbath in the haruest time for he nameth such things as are proper vnto haruest as the bringing in of sheaues figges and grapes which were their fruite and the treading of winepresses so he chargeth them that thus to doe was an euill thing worthie of reproofe nay of punishment as he afterward threatneth it he sayth that they breake the Sabbath in so doing and did encrease the wrath of God against Israel euen as it was the cause that he had taken such punishment vpon their fathers alreadie Where it seemeth he had respect vnto the prophesie of Ieremie who had long before threatned destruction vnto Ierusalem Ierem. 17.27 for the polluting of the Sabbath and namely in this of open carrying and recarrying of things into Ierusalem When he sayth But if ye will not heare me to sanctifie the Sabbath day and not to beare a burthen nor to goe through the gates of Ierusalem in the Sabbath day then will I kindle a fire in the gates therof and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof and it shall not bee quenched And Master Caluin writing vpon this place sayth Caluin in hunc â—â—â—um Hoc emphatiè additur There is a great emphasis in this that he speakes of the gates of Ierusalem for it was not lawfull to doe any of those things in the fields and solitarie places it was therefore a great contempt to come so openly into the citie But to returne to the scripture alleadged before What can bee spoken more plainly then this for the ouerthrow of all such vaine excuses as men doe forge in their owne braine and for the establishing of this doctrine that to rest vpon the Sabbath is so necessarie that the imagined necessitie of haruest will not excuse our working before God neither will it goe for payment before him Which wee may assure our selues that those men did wel vnderstand out of the scriptures who in their Councell so decreed Instituimus We ordaine that vpon the Lords day Cabilonens concil cap. 18. nullus penitus praesumat no man at all presume to doe any worke of husbandrie that is to say not to plow to reape corne or what soeuer pertaineth to the husbanding of their ground For as Irenaeus sayth Non vetabat lex Iren. contra haeres lib. 4. cap. 20. The lawe did not forbid those that were hungrie to take meate and to eate of such things as were at hand metere auteÌ„ colligere in horreuÌ„ vetabat but it did forbid to reape and to carrie it into the barne And here that I might make an end of this place before I go any further this may most certainly be gathered from it that if the rest of the Sabbath will not beare this working no not in haruest without the breach of it then much lesse will it suffer the ordinarie keeping of Faires and Markets vpon that day 4 No faires to be kept vpon the Lords day the buying and selling of wares the carrying and recarrying of them for we see how all these abuses being among them this godly gouernour Nehemiah in the wisedome of the spirit espieth them and in the zeale of the same can in no wise winke at them for thus it is written of him in the same place as wee haue alreadie heard in part vers 15. In these dayes saw I in Iudah those that trode Winepresses on the Sabbath and I protested to them in the day that they sold victuals 16. There dwelt men of Tyrus also therein which brought fish and all wares and sold on the Sabbath vnto the children of Iudah euen in Ierusalem 19 And when the gates began to be darke before the Sabbath I commanded to shut the gates and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath and some of my seruants set I
God except we cast from vs these worldly cares which presse vs downe ouermuch then I doe further adde that surelie here we haue neede of faith to beleeue That godlines hath the promises of this life as well as the life to come 1. Tim. 4.8 and that if wee will first seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnes all needefull things shall be giuen vnto vs. Matth. 6.33 And therfore if we rest vpon the seuenth day because the Lord hath cōmanded it he will so blesse multiplie the things that we haue that we shal receiue from him our daily bread vpon that daye as well as vpon any other For if the seruant that hath trauailed al the dayes of the weeke in his masters seruice may looke for his ordinarie foode and wages vpon the Lordes daye though he rest thereon then may we much more looke for this iust and mercifull dealing from God And that we might beleeue it the rather let vs remember the promise which the Lord maketh to the Israelites in the like case when he commanded them to let their ground rest from plowing and tilling the seuenth yeare as it is plentifully recorded by Moses Sixe yeares thou shalt sowe thy fielde and sixe yeares thou shalt cut thy vineyard Leuit. 25.3 and gather the fruite thereof 4. But the seuenth yeare shall bee a sabbath of rest vnto the land it shall be the Lords sabbath thou shalt neither sowe thy fielde or cut thy vineyard 18. Wherfore ye shall obey mine ordinances and keepe my lawes and doe them and ye shal dwel in the land in safetie 19. And the land shall giue her fruite and yee shall eate your fill and dwell therein in safetie 20. And if ye shall say what shall we eate the seuenth yeare for we shall not sowe neither gather in our increase 21. I will send my blessings vpon you in the sixt yeare and it shall bring forth fruite for three yeares 22. And ye shall sowe the eight yeare and eate of the olde fruite vntill the ninth yeare vntill the fruites thereof come yee shall eate the olde Where wee see how the Lorde doth aboundantly promise to supplie the want that might haue seemed to come vpon them by resting the seuenth yeare with a treble blessing vpon the reuenewes of the sixt which thing also he did most plentifully performe so long as they obeyed euen so no doubt the Lord will increase the wages of a poore man earned by his faithfull labour in his calling vpon the sixe dayes that it shall suffice him for the seuenth also so that for want he shall not neede to worke vpon it Caluin in Leuit 25.20 And here I must say as Master Caluin doth Nunquam Dei praeceptis morigeri erunt homines Men will neuer be obedient vnto the commandements of God till their distrustfulnes bee corrected and men are alwaies wittie enough to pretend many things why they should not obey but here was a speciall promise that no lacke should come to the Iewes by resting vpon the Sabbath whereof he had giuen them a sure pledge long agoe in the desert when on the day before the Sabbath a double portion of Manna was giuen to all that gathered And wee haue not seene men that haue been painfull indeed driuen to that necessitie that for the supply of their want they haue been compelled to labour vpon the seuenth day But contrariwise wee may many times obserue how they that are so wordly vpon the seuenth day doe not so greatly prosper but though they gaine one way they lose another But bee it that it were not so and that they alwaies gained be it neuer so much yea the whole world if it were possible and in the mean season lose their owne soule through their disobedience what will they giue for the redemption of it This ought to serue vs as Master Caluin setteth it downe in his sermons very largely and very pithily whose words therefore though they be many I will recite as a principle Caluin vpon Deut. 5. Ser. 35 to stir vp vs to follow that which God hath cōmāded vs. For the chiefest thing which stayeth vs from ordering our life to the obedience of God is this that being too much wedded to our selues we thinke this shal be against our profite and wee will alwaies prouide howsoeuer the case stands for our commodities in those things which appertaine vnto the world Behold how men cannot followe God but rather forsake him draw cleane backward from his law for that they thinke if they serue God they shall neuer thriue Now this is so wicked an vnthankefulnes that it serueth to aggrauate an hundreth times more our rebellion what must we doe then Let vs note well that wee shall not bee able to serue God with a franke and free courage except we be resolued that he prouideth for our whole life and that he will not forget vs as it is spoken in the person of Ioshua Iosh 1.9 Heb. 13.5 For the Apostle to the Hebrewes applieth this doctrine to all the faithfull yea to draw them from ouermuch care and carking he sayth Thy God will not faile thee he will not forget thee So that if once we can bee perswaded that God watcheth ouer vs and that he will liberally prouide for our necessities it is certaine we shall not be so busied in our earthly affections and we shall not bee so easily turned from seruing of God we shall not be hindered to meditate and thinke on the heauenly life we shall so passe through this world as to vse the creatures thereof as if wee vsed them not because wee knowe alwaies that wee ought to make our race further Obiection Many also take great libertie to themselues vpon that text where there is mention of a Sabbaths daies iourney Answere Act. 1.12 concerning which first of all it is not agreed vpon how farre that was Master Caluin vpon it sayth it was but two miles and of that iudgement are most of the Latin interpreters Doctor Tremelius in his notes vpon this place sayth it is but one mile Test Syria that he proueth both by the Syrian paraphrast out of the Iewes Talmud other Rabbins So that by this rule mens iournyes must be shortened a great deale lesse then they be except they haue better proofe Besides Master Caluin sayth in the aboue named place that there was no such thing prescribed in the law Hierom. in resp ad Algas quast 10. And S. Hierome sayth plainly it was but a tradition of theirs and especially of two Rabbins Atriba and Simon Heli. Therefore let vs not shut our eyes against so plaine a trueth and to day when we heare the voyce of God let vs not harden our hearts but subscribe vnto the veritie of it by our practise and let vs be willing to rest from al earthly affayres vpon the seuenth day and not to entangle our selues with any thing according
the shaddowe which none other are bound vnto but they So that the Iewes hauing these reasons to moue thē to this rest besides the aboue mētioned were more seuerely tied vnto it thē any other people but yet so that it was required at the handes of all men long before these causes were annexed vnto it and therefore though these be remoued and taken away yea and the people to whome they onely appertained yet notwithstanding the Sabbath and day of Rest is not gone with them but is still in his first vertue and ancient strength which vpon good groundes it had in the beginning which I doe therefore speak least that men might ignorantly imagine that because the Sabbath and rest was a figure and shadowe of another thing to that people that now the bodie being come Which being taken away yet we are still straightly bound to rest vpon the sabbath and therefore the shadowe remoued the sabbath should be no more and the rest should haue an end seeing that the sabbath of rest was for many hundreth yeare before the Iewes were much more before it was made a figure vnto them The which thing that it might not seeme strange vnto vs we may consider the like almost in euery morall precept which though euery one of them was from the beginning yet as they were giuen to the people of the Iewes had certaine things added vnto them as accessory helpes to keepe them in the better obedience of them which now being taken away againe the first commandements themselues haue lost nothing of their former authoritie but doe binde as much as euer they did Thus all kings and princes are still bound to prouide that the true religion of God be publikely professed in all places of their dominions farre and neere though they be deliuered from this rudimentall instruction of writing the Lawe of God vpon the borders of their coasts Iosh 8.32 which the Iewes were precisely tyed vnto that they might be holpen in the other Thus all householders must have a care still of instructing their familie in the feare of the Lord that it may bee saide of them as of Abraham Gen. 18.19 Hee commanded his sonnes and household after him to keepe the way of the Lorde and to doe righteousnes and iudgement and that they may say with Ioshua Iosh 24.15 I and my household will serue the Lord though they be deliuered by Christ from the Iewish ceremonie of writing the Law Deut. 6.8 vpon the poastes of their dores and vpon their gates Thus euery Christian is still charged to meditate vpon the law of God day and night Psal 1.2 Colos 3.16 and to haue Gods worde dwelling in him plenteously in all wisdome though that be taken away which was vnto the Iewes a childish instruction of this commaundement which they were bound vnto to further them in the obedience of the other namely Deut. 6.8 of hauing it written vpon their bracelets and vpon their frontlets The like mighty be said of many other things though the ceremonie of singing in such musicall times and playing vpon instruments in the Temple to serue God by them as were vsed in the Law appoynted by the Prophets Dauid and Nathan be taken away vnder the Gospell as meerely Iewish which did signifie vnto them the glorie and acceptation before God of the spirituall worship commanded yet the truth of this which was before remaineth still Colos 3 1◠that we should teach our selues in Psalmes and Himnes and spirituall songes singing with a grace in our hearts to the Lord. Though the fruitefull and pleasant Land of Canaan be taken away which was specially ment vnto the Iewes in the promise ioyned to the fift Commandement yet the promise of long life here in the earth is not taken away from obedient children but is as large and as sure as euer it was and now the whole world is blessed vnto vs in stead of it By all which wee see that it hath been an vsuall thing vnto the Commandements that were before the Iewes to adioyne certaine things to further them in the better keeping of them which onely agreed vnto them which when they were taken away with that people to whom onely they were ment that yet the first Commandements did not only not dye with thē but being reuiued as it were doe continue to this day as those which haue lost nothing of their vertue nor suffered any ecclipse by taking away of the other And it is no good reason to say this commandement had such a ceremonie ioyned vnto it therefore the whole Commandement is ceremoniall or the ceremonie of this Commandement is ended therefore the Commandement is taken away for then all the forenamed things which are so commended to vs in the new Testament should be disanulled which no man will say because all the Iewish ceremonies belonging to them are quite vanished and as it were melted away like snow before the sunne All which is most true in the sabbath of the holy rest wherein we haue seene that the rest was commanded at the first and we say it is still required notwithstanding we grant that in respect of the Iewes in time was adioyned vnto it the remembrance of both their deliuerances The one from Egypt by Moses which was past the other from sin by Christ that was to come in respect of which as it was a monument of a thing already performed so it was a figure of another thing promised and hoped for and therefore though the ceremonie of the rest be ended and the figure of it be taken away with that which was the substance of it and the shadow of it bee ouershadowed as it were with the body which was Christ yet there is no reason why the rest it selfe should bee taken away which was commaunded long before any such type or figure or shadow was adioyned vnto it Insomuch that we still keepe the rest of the sabbath but not to that ende that the Iewes kept it not as a badge of our deliuerance from Egypt in the which wee neuer were nor as a token of our freedome from that bondage wherewith we neuer were oppressed neither as a figure of our redemption to be wrought by Christ which in his worde most clearely wee see is alreadie performed nor that in it wee might as in a shadow obscurely and darkely behold our eternall resting and ceasing from sinne which he hath already purchased vnto vs in his death and hath in his Gospell most liuely poynted out before our eyes but we doe obserue the rest and confesse that it most neerely concerneth vs because of the first institution that we resting from our ordinarie businesse might bestowe the daye in the holy seruice of God in the which we cannot in any acceptable manner be occupied at all vnlesse we rest from the other according to the Commaundement Bulling in Rom. 14.5 Euen as M. Bullinger also doth very excellently set it downe The
worke but the seuenth daye is the sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke that is any of that worke which thou vsest to doe vpon the sixe dayes which is also proued by the example and patterne of Gods Rest who in sixe dayes made the Heauen and the earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seuenth day from which time he hath not rested from doing euery thing for he preserueth and gouerneth the things that hee hath made but hee resteth from such workes as he did vpon those sixe dayes namely of making new kindes of creatures or framing any more worlds which example of his must be our imitation for he rested for our sakes to teach vs that though we haue our seuerall callings wherein we must be diligently occupyed in the sixe dayes yet we must rest vpon the seuenth and rest from those things which we vsually doe vpon the sixe dayes by vertue of our calling for so hee rested himselfe Therefore whereas one man is occupyed in this thing and another in that and euery man hath or ought to haue some speciall businesse to attend vpon in the sixe dayes and being in an honest calling hee should labour in it diligently that he might not eate the breade of idlenes he ought vpon the seuenth day to put himselfe apart from all those affayres and as though they did not appertaine vnto him to haue no dealing with them And this is that which TertulliaÌ„ saith speaking of the seuenth day Tertul. aduers Marcion lib. 3. In it thou shalt not doe any worke Quod vtÃque tuum What worke saith he thine owne worke Consequens n. est vt ea opera sabbatho auferret quae sex diebus suprà indixerat for it must needes follow that he should forbid those workes vpon the sabbath day which he had before appoynted for the sixe dayes and therefore hee further addeth Tua id est humana quotidiana I say thine owne workes are forbidden that is worldly and dayly businesse So that here wee neede not to descend further into particulars or to vse many words for the opening of this matter it doth so plainely offer it selfe vnto vs that it may bee both seen and felt of vs and here needeth no great capacitie for the conceiuing of this poynt For if we liue not altogether in idlenes vnprofitably spending away the time and our selues and be as it were an heauie and vnprofitable burthen vpon the earth whereof there be two many in the world and it is one of the greatest sinnes of our time if I say we can but tell what is our daylie businesse and wherein we are or should be occupyed euen these are the things that be ment in this commandement that we should rest from So that here we had neede rather of a good conscience that might moue vs in the feare of God in a carefull obedience to his commandements to enter into this rest which we haue seen so many waies commended vnto vs and that euery one must examine his owne proper workes and so hee shall easely discerne what be the very special things from which he must rest as though they did not belong vnto him at all Thus shall the labourer perceiue that vpon this day he must rest from his dayes labour whether it be digging or thrashing or hedging or any thing else and the artificer from his dayly crafte and trade of making such things as bee incident to his calling and the husbandmen from sowing and tilling and manuring the earth and gathering the fruites of it and such like yea euen in the time of haruest as we haue seene Exod. 34. To this end besides that that hath been alleaged heretofore for this purpose I may put you in minde of one of those worthie Lawes which Charles the Emperor deliuered vnto his visiters whom he sent with his authoritie to reforme the Church Item we decree Centur. 8. Eccles luster c. 6. that as God hath commanded no seruile worke be taken in hand on the Lords day as also the Prince my father of blessed memorie gaue charge by his Synodall edict to wit no kinde of husbandrie neither cutting of vines nor tilling the ground neither reaping nor mowing nor hedging neither rooting or felling of trees nor digging in rockes nor building nor gardening nor hunting The women likewise to forbeare al Manuall worke as weauing sowing embroydring kemming of woll dressing of flaxe shearing of sheep and washing of clothes c. The Marchant and chapman must rest from buying and selling of wares making of bargaines vpon this day yea euen from buying of victuals fish or flesh meate breade or drinke for the sixe dayes are giuen them to make their prouision in as it hath been alreadie declared vnto vs out of Nehemiah 13. And whereas this abuse was common among the Iewes in the time of their captiuitie by reason of the great ignorance and because they were mingled with the heathen after their returne vnder Nehemiah when things began to be reformed they bound themselues by couenant to redresse this fault also for this was one article in the couenant Nehem. 10.31 That if the peâ—ple of the land brought ware on the sabbath or any victuals to sell that they would not take it of them on the sabbath and on the holy dayes Wolph lib. 3. in Nehem. 10. And M. Wolphius very excellentlie vpon this place Ijs vtuntur verbis They vse such wordes as doe somewhat declare that this custome had been among them that if other forraine people who had no conscience of the sabbath had brought any corne or wares vpon the sabbaths they preferring their owne commoditie and lusts before the obseruation of the sabbath they did not sticke to buy all that of them whatsoeuer it was By what meanes both the religious obseruation of the sabbath and the number of them that offered sacrifices and heard the word of God was greatly decayed because they were occupied about other things And whereas they speake of the people of the land thereby meaning other nations they secretly preuent their obiection who might reply that the strangers in no case were to bee tyed vnto the Lawes of the Iewes and that this delay was to their hinderance if they might not be ridde of their wares before the day following and that many of them did offend of ignorance and that if they should be thus hindered it would come to passe in time that they would bring nothing and by that meanes the Citie should want victuals and things necessary all which did cary with it a very probable shew of reason Nehemias aliam rationem init Nehemias he taketh another course sheweth that the ancient lawes of our forefathers yea of God and for religion ought to be so esteemed of vs that we should not suffer them to be broken for any strangers sake And the same Wolphius doth further adde That this people doth promise
signe which was giuen to the ende this might restraine them so much the more and that they should be admonished by this meane to obserue the Sabbath day with all reuerence Ionah 3.7 And thus as in the daies of Ionah when the King of Niniue proclaimed a fast he sayd Let neither man nor beast bullocke nor sheepe taste any thing neither feede or drinke water but let man and beast put on sackcloth that by the sight of it they might be taught the greatnes of their sinnes and be the rather moued thereby to a more earnest repentance for the same Exod. 19.12 And as in the giuing of the law when the Lord would strike into the hearts of all the people a reuerence of his maiestie that they might the more obediently receiue his worde and content themselues with that manner and measure of reuealing himselfe vnto them that hee was then purposed in his wisedome to vse towards them and knew to bee most expedient for them and therfore would not haue them come neere the mountaine to gaze and too curiously to search after that which was not lawfull for them to know and therefore commanded Moses to set vp markes vnto the people round about the Mount charging them also not to breake out beyond them vnder the paine of a most execrable death and therefore would haue the very beast that should touch the mountaine bee stoned or striken through with darts to moue the people vnto a deeper consideration of it for whose sake onely euery thing there was then done Euen so here that all men might most carefully obserue that rest vnto the Lord which is so acceptable vnto him hee commaunded the bruit beasts and vnreasonable creatures to rest not that he had any care of them in giuing his law to whom it doth not appertaine but hauing a singular regard of his people and therefore taking away from among them all things that might bee any occasion to withdraw them from the obedience of this rest euen the working of the cattell and giuing vnto them all the good meanes that might make for their better proceeding herein euen the resting of the oxe and the asse For which cause also he commanded that the strangers And the strangers that be of another religion borne out of the stocke of Israel nor of the linage of the Iewes yet now adioyned vnto that people and being vnder their gouernment should howsoeuer in other things they knew not the true God of Israel neither did serue him according to his word yet in this should at leastwise bee subiect to the outward discipline and order of the Church and haue their rest common with them that thus the Church whom the Lord especially regarded whither soeuer it did looke and cast her eyes might haue nothing as a snare to entangle her by beholding the strangers and cattle to worke when themselues did rest And for the same cause he bound the strangers as well as his owne people to the outward obseruation of other lawes and statutes so farre forth as did make for the vniformitie of the Church and edification of it in godlines by their example Whereunto agreeth that Caluin vpon Deut. 5. serm 35. and is almost the same in words which Master Caluin writeth in his sermons of this matter For wee know sayth he that if things contrarie to the seruice of God be permitted although one shall happilie say these which offend are not of our societie and companie we shall notwithstanding by their euill examples be induced to follow them if the strangers had beene permitted to labour among the Iewes what might haue happened thereby The Iewes would haue had dealings with them and so haue defiled themselues they would haue made small difference between this day and others For when examples are set before our eies we are easily led away to that which is euill And in the same place a little after hee thus concludes So then to the ende all such occasion of transgressing against this rest might be remoued and that this day might bee obserued with greater reuerence as God willed that the beasts and cattel should rest so commandeth he that the strangers doe the like although they were of another faith and religion And as the Passeouer though it were a Sacrament only belonging vnto the Iewes and the difference of meates and of cleane and vncleane thinges was proper vnto them yet the Lorde would haue the strangers that dwelt among them be subiect to the same lawes for the good of his people and so that otherwise he would not haue them to haue any dealing with them for he threatneth to cut them off from his people which appeareth as in other places of the Scripture so Exod. 12.19 and Leuit. 17.12.15 All which doe euidently declare that the Lorde would haue this holy Sabbath of rest without all interruption and gainsaying to be duely obserued on all sides when vnto the particular commanding of all estates by name to rest he hath adioyned the beasts and the strangers vpon whom be layes the like charge The ground also had her Sabbath rest And to make an end of this matter that the excellencie and dignitie of this rest nay the necessitie of it may be knowne farre and neere to be so great as it is indeed the Lord did commaund the ground to keepe her sabbath and rest and so vpon it did engraue the liuely image of this true rest that by this babish instruction meete for the time they might learne of what moment waight the Sabbath was when as thus al creatures should stoup and doe homage vnto it yea the very insensible ground should not bee free from the subiection of it as it is at large in many wordes set downe by Moses Leuit. 25.3 Sixe yeares thou shalt sowe thy fielde and sixe yeares thou shalt cut thy vineyeard and gather the fruite thereof 4. But the seuenth yeare shall be a Sabbath of rest vnto the land it shall bee the LORDS Sabbath thou shalt neither sowe thy fielde nor cut thy vineyard that which groweth of it owne accord of thy haruest thou shalt not reape neither gather the grapes that thou hast left vnlaboured for it shall bee a yeare of rest vnto the lande All which thinges thus at large vnfoulded and layd forth before our eyes may determine and make an ende of this matter if vnto them I doe adde this one thing that whereas men might haue gone about to withdraw their obedience from this rest defrauding the law as it were vnder a vaine pretence of resting themselues whiles in the meane season they did abuse the labour of their seruants their cattel and the strangers to the doing of many of their owne works vpon the Sabbath contrarie to the true intent of the law giuer hee is not contented to haue in most plaine wordes forbidden them to worke themselues but because whatsoeuer they doe by others they are said to doe
yoke of bondage lieth still vpon our neckes that was vpon them and the freedome purchased by Christ is of none account the libertie proper to a Christian man nothing worth the Gospell hath no preferment aboue the lawe Answer We are not bound to rest for those ends and purposes for which they did For answere vnto the which we must consider that first of all wee are deliuered from that manner of keeping the Sabbath which the Iewes were tyed vnto at that it might put thē in remembrance of that great rest which the Lord bestowed vpon them from the continuall and intolerable worke in Egypt by the hand of Moses and that thereby their hope might bee nourished of the Messiah to come by whom they should haue a perpetuall Sabbath and rest from sinne in the kingdome of heauen begun hereupon earth vnto the which ends they were bound to haue a principall respect and so to keepe the Sabbath as they might most profite in these euen in thankfulnes for the benefit receiued and in hope of that that was promised neither of which because they can appertaine vnto vs for we haue not been in Egypt and therefore cannot remember our deliuerie from thence and Christ Iesus is alreadie come and hath entered into his rest and therefore we neede not to hope for it that though we be bound to the same rest with the Iewes yet our condition is more easie and tolerable in that we bee freed from these appertenances and these other burthens are not layd vpon vs. The which we shall be so much the rather perswaded of if we looke into that libertie 2 We haue also more libertie then they in the manner of sanctifying the day which is brought vnto vs by Christ concerning the sanctifying also of the day of rest which consisteth in such a multitude of purificatiōs washings and clensings and in such a great number of sacrifices and oblations al which were doubled vpon the Sabbath and therefore the obseruation of the Sabbath was more laborious and painfull vnto them and sooner might they offend in it in stead of which we haue fewer things to doe and they be more simple plaine and easie as the hearing of the word receiuing of the Sacraments and prayer And generally as our estate is better then of the Iewes in regard of the whole worship of God which is now more euident shorter not so compound more significant and with lesse difficultie so vpon the Sabbath because the whole worship is to be performed in consideration of that also great are our priuiledges aboue theirs as in all other things so in the obseruation of the Sabbath Hebr. 1.1 Moreouer whereas God in old times spake sundrie times and in diuers manners vnto them and therefore their knowledge of the law was not so great as ours in these last daies wherein he hath spoken vnto vs once by his sonne neither were their graces and gifts so many and excellent ordinarily Act. 2.20 as they be now when God hath powred out his spirit vpon all flesh and therefore they being like vnto children 3 And we are set free from al the childish rudimēts annexed vnto this day and we vnto men growne they stoode in need of many moe helpes to further them in the obseruation of this commandement then we doe and which though they were bound vnto yet we are freed from As they were commanded to let their ground rest euery seuenth yeare and that is called her Sabbath with many other such like things Therefore as we haue great freedome in all other commandements aboue them so in this For must wee not needes confesse that though wee are still bound as the Iewes were Psalm 1.2 to meditate vpon the law of God day and night yet for so much as we are not commanded to carrie it about in the skirts of our garments Deut. 6.8 and vpon other bracelets as they were and though we be not exempted from teaching our children no more then they yet because we are not charged with the writing of it vpon our gates vers 9. and the posts of our doores as they were must wee not acknowledge I say that euen in those things that we are bound vnto in common with the Iewes wee haue more libertie then euer they had So is it in the Sabbath though wee be bound to keepe the rest yet because we are freed from many rudiments of it which as childish instructions to further them in it they were bound vnto as wee haue seene in the former part of this treatise wee must thankfully professe that the Lord hath dealt more liberally with vs then with them Therefore euen as the childe which is set to reade must name euery letter apart and distinctly by it selfe and spell euery sillable that so he might bee holpen forward to reading which when hee hath attained vnto though still he be bound to reade yet he is freed spelling naming euery letter as he had wont to doe and that were a great bondage and wearisomnes to binde him vnto it still nay it were altogether ridiculous and childish in him indeede So now though we bee charged to rest vpon the Sabbath yet when wee are not ouercharged with those Iewish ceremonies which they being children had giuen them as furtherances vnto thē let vs not complaine before we haue cause Galat. 4.3 neither murmure against God because we cannot bee so licentious as we would seeing we bee at such libertie as we be and as it pleaseth the Lord to bestow vpon vs and let vs be so much the more carefull to rest by how much we haue but this one thing to attend vpon and are made free from many other which might hinder vs. Vnto all which if I shall adde this in the last place I will make an ende of this matter that besides these great priuiledges which we haue spoken of Christ Iesus in the Gospel hath offered vnto vs somewhat more euen in this commandement that we haue now in hand 4 And from the obseruation of many other Sabbaths which they had That though wee bee restrained vpon this day from worke both hand and foot as the Iewes were yet haue we libertie to work vpon many other For they were bound vnto a great many of other dayes which had the nature of the Sabbath and therefore are so called many times and vpon the which they might not worke which as it appeareth in many other places of the scripture so especially in Leuit. the 23. where they are reckoned vp in order beginning with the Sabbath vnto which is adioyned the Passeouer the feast of the first fruites of trumpets and of tabernacles and euery one of these had more daies then one proper vnto them as appeareth in that chapter most largely besides the first day of euery new Moone from all which wee are now freed as appeareth by the Apostle Coloss 2.16 Let no man condemne you in respect of
stande still in his proper force and that it appertaineth to vs Christians now most euidently appeaâ—eth by that authoritie and credite which it receiueth â—rom the Gospell and newe Testament also in which it is so highly commended vnto vs that I might not in this place speake of the manifold other testimonies that it hath in the old And by name we may see how our Sauiour Christ all his Apostles establisheth it by their â—ractise for they vpon the Sabbath ordinarily enter into â—he Synagogues of the Iewes and preach vnto the peoâ—le doing such things vpon those dayes as appertaine â—o sanctifying of them according to the commandement Obiect Against which lest we might except that our Redeemer Christ Iesus being made vnder the law as the Apostle sayth came to fulfill the whole law for vs Galath 4.4 and therefore he indeede submitted himselfe vnto the obseruation of the least ceremonie therof al his life long till at his death he cryed out It is finished Ioh. 19.30 Math. 27.51 when the vayle of the Temple rent in twaine from the top to the bottome to shew that all types and figures were abrogated and taken away and therefore that his obseruation of the Sabbath maketh no more for the certaintie of it then his obseruing of Circumcision keeping the Passeouer and offering vp of â—â—crifices doe make for their continuance now vnder the Gospell Answer Wee must further consider that the Apostles themselues long after Christs death and after they had receiued the holy Ghost Iohn 16.13 euen the spirite of truth that should leade them into all trueth doe by their practise and writings shewe that the Sabbath stoode vpon a surer ground then the whole ceremoniall lawe and therefore could not with it bee taken away Acts 13.14 Paul and Barnabas as it is in the Acts comming into Antiochia went into the Synagogue vpon the Sabbath day and sate downe and after the reading of the Lawe and the Prophets the rulers of the Synagogue sent vnto them saying Yee men and brethren if ye haue any worde of exhortation to the people say on then Paul stoode vp and beckened with the hand and sayd Men of Israell c. going on forward with that notable sermon that is set downe there and when hee had ended verse 42. as it is in the same chapter The Gentiles besought them that they would preach those words vnto them the next Sabbath day which also they did And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole citie together to heare the word of God verse 44. Moreouer the same Apostle at Thessalonica Acts 17 2. went into the Synagogue of the Iewes and three Sabbath daies disputed with them by the scriptures And thus hee did not once or twise but continually and ordinarily shewing the ordinary continuance of the Sabbath and the sanctifying of it as the Euangelist precisely noteth saying Paul as his manner was went in vnto them Now though we are to presume that Paul neither taught nor practised any thing contrarie to the rest of the Apostles but that they agreed in one vniforme order of doctrine and gouernement of the Church as who had receiued of one and the selfe same spirite and therefore this might bee sufficient to shew their consent herein Yet notwithstanding wee may reade how in the last booke of the Bible and by the last Apostle I meane who liued longest the same thing is confirmed where he is so farre from teaching that the Sabbath for the space of 97. yeares after Christ was taken away about what time it is thought that hee wrote that booke that â—â—e plainly auoucheth the coÌ„tinuance of it in the Church â—y this new and honourable name Reuel 1.10 The Lords day where â—â—ne of purpose noting the time that he receiued those Reuelations in calleth it by that name that was best known to the Church at that time otherwise he should not so fitly haue expressed his mind to those to whoÌ„ he wrote which day thus called all writers doe agree vpon it new and old yea the Papists themselues to bee this very Sabbath which wee obserue Thus it is sufficiently proued that the Sabbath was none of those Ceremonies which were iustly abrogated at the comming of Christ as being appoynted of God for no further time but that it coÌ„tinued in the practise of the Church when all other ceased yea was kept faithfully in the Church by al them who had with one consent shut out all the rest And that it is so commanded in the first booke of holy scriptures Genesis where is shewed what was from the beginning that it wanteth not his due praise in the last booke of the same Reuelation where is a prophesie of things to bee fulfilled vnto the ende and therefore wee must hearken vnto the trueth of this doctrine so much the rather least that fearefull iudgement doe fall vpon vs which the Lord Iesus himselfe threatned to bring vpon them that shall diminish any thing contained in this booke and therefore which shall in whole or in part take away this day which is so honored there when he sayth Reuel 22.19 If any man shall diminish of the words of the booke of this prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy citie and from those things which are written in this booke But that I might not seeme tedious vnto you we shall further heare in one word that the Sabbath still bindeth vs and that it ought to stand in his greatest force That two ends of ordayning the Sabbath sheweth the continuance of it that euer it had and that we haue as great neede of it as euer any people had in the world and that our posteritie shall haue so likewise and therefore cannot be without it if we consider the principall ends of the first instituting and ordaining of it by God vnto Adam in Paradise A day of rest is necessarie Commanding him to rest vpon that day and to keepe holie the day of rest And first of all to rest because he was not of an infinite nature though perfect and therefore could not be occupied wholly about many I doe not say contrarie but sundrie and diuers things at once as about the busines of this world and the worship of God wherefore being bound by his calling to dresse and keepe the garden Gen. 2.15 verse 3. and yet charged to keepe holie the seuenth day meditating vpon the wisedome and mercie of God appearing as in all the creatures so especially in himselfe and thus beholding the inuisible things of God in them Rom. 1.20 giuing thankes to God for them praying for the continuance of them teaching them to his posteritie c. it was needfull that the seuenth day should bee vnto him as it was indeed a Sabbath day that is a day of rest resting from all his other necessarie businesse that so he might
Lords Supper Why then might not the day be changed nay 1. Cor. 10. was it not the great wisedome of God to change the day with all these to shewe that there was a thorowe change indeede in the whole gouernmeÌ„t of the Church of the Iewes wheÌ„ the day it selfe vpon which all the other things were practised was changed together with them And whereas all other things were so chaÌ„ged that they were cleane takeÌ„ away as the Priesthood the sacrifices and sacraments this day was so changed that it yet remaineth which sheweth that though all the other were ceremoniall and therfore had an ende this onely was morall and therefore abideth still So saith Master Gualter Gualt in Mal. 3. Homil. 23. The Primitiue Church thought it did abolish the Iewish Sabbath Olim illud sacruÌ„ non aboleuit yet it tooke not away the holy day of rest but did translate the obseruation of it vnto the day following therefore there is the same vse of it now which was of the Sabbath in times past among the true worshippers of God Why the Apostles changed the sabbath of the Iewes into this day that we now keep rather then any other When thus it seemed good to the Apostles vpon these waightie considerations being herein gouerned by the holy Ghost to change this day they were directed by the same spirite aduisedly to chuse this day which we now keepe and must keepe to the end of the world rather then any other vpon speciall groundes and most singular reasons laide open to the Church who seeing into them and being perswaded by theÌ„ gaue their free consent vnto it For seeing that our God and sauiour Iesus Christ taking vpon him the wonderfull worke of our Redemption did finish and make an ende of it vpon that day when he did most victoriously rise from the dead and so declare that he had conquered all and that he dying in the state of a condemned sinner for vs taking vpon him all the punishment that was due to vs euen to the ransaking and confounding of all the partes of his soule and bodie Luk. 22.41.44 with droppes of water and blood trickling down from him when hee kneeled vpon the colde grounde and to the powring forth of that lamentable crie with great anguish My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And being thus caried to the graue Math. 27.46 and put vnder the ground as a man forlorne and cast away death holding him fast and chayning him vp as it were for the space of three dayes and three nights hee did notwithstanding all this at the time appoynted Act. 2.24 euen vpon this very day loose the sorrowes of death because it was vnpossible that hee should be holden of it and rising vp with wonderfull great glorie dâ—d shew that all things were ended and that hee had redeemed mankinde and all the Creatures into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God Rom. 8.21 according as it is set downe in the Gospell When the first day of the weeke began to dawne Math. 28 1. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the sepulchre and behold there was a great earthquake for the Angell of the Lord descended from heauen and came and rolled backe the stone from the dore of the sepulchre and sate vpon it and sayd to the women feare ye not for I knowe that you seeke Iesus that was crucified he is not here for he is risen as he said Now that it might appeare that all the Ceremonies of the Iewes were at this time ended in him that was the fulfilling of them and that all those shadowes were taken away by his death who was the substance and bodie of them Because Christ did rise from the dead on that day they did make choyse of that day specially vpon which he rising againe from all things which he suffered did declare that he had ouercome and ended them indeede And besides that it might be an effectuall teaching to the Church that al the libertie and freedome from sinne from hell and death and from the eternall wrath of God is purchased vnto them by the accursed death shamefull sufferings of Christ Iesus vpon the Crosse by none other and that all glorie happines and life commeth vnto them from his righteousnes and glorious resurrection they did preferre this day aboue any other as most worthie in the which he hauing before suffered all these intolerable things for them and being pressed downe with them euen vnto death did afterwards recouering himselfe as it were and gathering new strength like vnto the most victorious lyon of the tribe of Iuda did I say Reuel 5.5 Rom. 1.4 mightilie raise vp himselfe in glorie for their sakes by the inuincible power of his Godhead Chrysostome among the sundrie names which he reckoneth vp that this day had in the Primitiue Church sayth it was therefore called the Lords day Chrysost serm 5. de resur Quia solemnis erat memoriae resurrectionis Christi because was solemnely appoynted for the memorie of the resurrection of Christ August epist ad Ianuar. 119 cap. 13 ad Casul 86. Whereunto agreeth S. Augustine The Lords day was declared vnto the Church by the resurrection of the Lord vpon that day And in another place The Apostles did appoynt the Lords day in stead of the Iewish Sabbath Idem de temp serm 251. Quia in eo redemptor noster à mortuis resurrexit because vpon that day our redeemer did rise from the dead which also therefore is called the Lords day So that not so much the Apostles as Christ himselfe brought in this chaunge and was the author of this day And this is that which one sayth Wolph chronol lib. 2. cap. 1. Nouum Christus Sabbathum substituit Christ did appoynt the new Sabbath when our last enemie death being ouercome he made an end of the labors of our redemption which in his humanitie were to be borne and the next day with the new man restored he brought out of the graue a new time the time of our redemption and of the new Couenant and did prepare an euerlasting Sabbath into the which himselfe then entered for vs also at the time appoynted by vertue of his resurrection to be entered into therefore as in the time of the Creation that day which was first of the Creation finished was made holiâ— for the worship of God so now in the time of the redemption that day which is first after the finishing of it is to bee accounted holie of vs. August de teÌ„p serm 251. It appeareth in the Scripture sayth S. Augustine that this day is of great account for it is the first day of the world in it were formed the Elements in it were created the Angels in it Christ rose from the dead in it the holie Ghost descended vpon the Apostles and God first rained Manna in the wildernesse so that by these and