maintained by the labours of euery mans particular calling in which regard the externall condition of christians differeth not from that of Gods people in the former Testament our solemne keeping of the Sabbath is no lesse limited to certaine circumstances of time as one day of seauen then theirs was Nor is this a complying with Iewish ceremonies againe For their Sabbath was in part typicall but ours is now the true eternall Sabbath kept of christians according to Christs owne Ordinance attempering it to the condition of our present necessity who must as well worke for the good of our bodies Exod 31.13.7 as solemnely rest for our soules good And therefore Christs wisedome being the same with his Fathers and his owne in the first institution of a seauenth day keeps still the same proportion not altering the Commandement which sayth Six dayes shalt thou labour Only he hath altered the day because the typicall Sabbath must giue place to the true and eternall Sabbath which we now solemnly keepe on the first day of the weeke as it were the first fruites of our eternall Sabbatisme in heauen with Christ though our whole life otherwise is the true Sabbatisme begun Againe it is the market day of our soules wherein wee come to Gods house the market place Esay 55.2 to buy the Wine and Milke of the word without money or money worth How is that By hearing and harekning to Gods word that truth whereby wee are sanctified Iohn 17.17 and to pray vnto him thus by the Word and Prayer weare sanctified Esay 55.32 Harken diligently to me and eate that which is good and let your soule delight it selfe in fatnes Incline your eares and come vnto me heare your soule shall liue I will make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid Loe the sanctifying of the Sabbath or Lords day in a diligent vse of Gods Ordinances is the meanes whereby the mercies of Dauid are made sure vnto vs. And it is remarkeable how the Holy Ghost doth poynt out Christs Resurrection by alledging and applying this place of the Prophet Act. 13.34 as thereby not obscurely insinuating the sanctification of the day of the Lords resurrection by a diligent harkning to the word of God and reuerend vvsing of other diuine Ordinances duties of that day And were it not that the Lords day did succeede in place of the Sabbath the Sabbath day of the Iewes being abolished what time for the meanes of our sanctification saluation were left vnto vs were it not for the Lords day we should bee in a far worse case then the Iewes of old as being left without opportunity meanes of sanctification all which the Lords day ministreth vnto vs without this wee should haue no market day for our spirituall prouision merchandize of our soules wherein to buy the pearle of the kingdome and to supply all our spirituall wants And therefore the not well imploying and improuing our prouidence and diligence vpon this market day doth expose vs to that censure Why stand ye idle in the market place all the day long Such are they that eyther idle or trifle out the Lords day impertinently or such as prophane it with carnall pleasures as feasting and banketing a too common abuse especially among our greater Citizens also reuelling and ryoting playes and enterludes idle chat and communication dicing carding many such vnchristianlike prophane pastimes which Christians should beware of avoid all the dayes of the weeke yea all the dayes of their life much more on the Lords day wherein the foot of our carnall affections should be turned away from doing our pleasure on the Lords holy day calling the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourably honouring him not doing our owne wayes nor finding of our own pleasure nor speaking our own words This is to delight our selues in the Lord and so shall he cause vs to ride vpon the high places of the Earth feede vs with the heritage of Iacob for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Otherwise if the due sanctification of this day be neglected farewell all true christianity If the spirituall prouision of this day be not carefully lookt after and brought in and locked vp and fitly disposed and distributed for all the weeke we shall with the Prodigall bring our soules to feed one empty huskes And for men to heare the word that day and when they haue done to goe home and not ruminate and conferre of it but to spend the rest of this day in idle or godlesse exercises what is this but as if a man should buy prouision at the market to serue himselfe and his family all the weeke and goe presently the same day and calling idle companions together spend and squander all vpon them at one sitting and so come empty home What shall we say then of the Papists that allow of their profaine markets this day and for spirituall commodities they haue none but such as are painted or giue an empty sound as their long Latine Matiens and Masses whereby they haue quite shouldered out the preaching of the word of God a faire pretence by long prayers to keep out preaching that scarce Sermons may take place in the forenoone muchlesse any at all in the afternoone least there should not bee time enough to make vp a Sabbath for Sathan which they consecrate to him in all kind of exorbitances and profuse carnality that soe they may be vacant for theaters and dancing as Aug speaks or for Cards Tables and reuelings as Leo speakes which is to keep the Sabbath of the golden Asse as Aug. cals it yea Sabbatum Satana Satans Sabbath for if it be not lawfull to doe the workes of our calling which on the sixe dayes are lawfull With what warrant can we do those things which are sinfull and therefore on noe day lawfull as not comming within the compasse of any Calling at all And if wee do any thing to which wee haue not a lawfull calling we are out of Gods Protection according to that Ps 91.11 who cōmands his Angels to keepe his Saints in all their lawfull wayes but if men goe astray in the by paths of carnall and vnchristian courses then Gods Angell is as ready with his sword drawn to cut them off as Ex. 4.24 Num. 22.23 A third reason and motiue to stirre vs vp to the more carefull and diligent sanctification of the Lords day may bee taken from the evill fruits and consequents which we see do grow from the neglect thereof For it is easie to obserue and it is an obseruation infallible that where the greatest profanation of the Lords day raigneth there all kinde of iniquity and impiety doth most abound among such a people Now where is this profanation greater then when Prayer together with the powerfull Ministery and preaching of the word and administration of the Sacraments are most neglected and scanted what maruell then if in such
seauen was meerely Ceremoniall I would aske them how the memoriall of the Commandement could bee kept without a speciall time or day vnlesse they will say that the morality being perpetuall is not tyed to any one day But seeing the Morall Law cannot be kept by the Church in this world without time for as the Preacher saith Eccle 3.1 There is a time for euery purpose vnder the Sunne and this time of keeping the fourth Commandement is limited by God to the 7th day how can this day be separated from the Sabbath as being an inseparable circumstance of the substance of that Commandement Yea so inseparable by diuine appoyntment as Gods wisedome did best know the Sabbath cannot be solemnely kept vnlesse it be one of the seauen I say not one fixed day of seauen to last for euer from the Creation to the end of the world without alteration for so it was ceremoniall in the old Testament but the proportion of a seauenth part of our time decreed by Gods owne institution and perpetually annexed to the morality And the Lord who limited a seauenth day for rest and to bee kept holy hath noe where left it arbitrary to man to allow what day or proportion of time liketh him for that purpose beyond the number of seauen For as God hath reserued a tenth of our goods though we owe him all that we haue as sacred to himselfe and by meanes whereof hee sanctifies all the 9 parts to our vse so also a seauenth of our time though the whole time of our life is to be spent to his honour for the sanctification of our whole life And both these serue ioyntly for the more commodious compleate and solemne administration of his worship and seruice which also redounledeth not onely to our temporall but spirituall and eternall good Nor is it now in mans power to alter the Lords day into any other seauenth day of the weeke sith it is Christs owne Ordinance and therefore vndispensable Inuij Praelect in Gene 2.2 The learned Iunius on Gen. 2.2 concerning the Sabbath thus speaketh Haec lex c. This Law of the Sabbath is naturall hauing a ceremoniall designation of one day affixed vnto it This seauenth day added of God is not naturall but positiue A seauenth day is naturall and remaineth but the seauenth from the creation appoynted of God is positiue instead whereof the Lords day succeedeth in the christian Church called the first day of the weeke and the Lords day Reu. 1.10 celebrated Acts. 20.7 1 Cor 16.2 Causa mutationis c. The cause of this mutation is Christs resurrection and the benefit of restoring the Church in Christ the commemoration of which benefit succeeded the memory of the creation not by humane tradition but by Christs owne obseruation and institution who both on the day of his Resurrection Et octauo quoque die and on euery eight day vntill his ascension into Heauen appeared to his Disciples and came into their assembly And the same was done by the constant obseruation of the Apostles and Disciples and of the Church of Christ to which by the institution and example of Christ the Apostles deliuered the obseruation of the Lords day which is well set forth by Cyril lib. 12. in Iohan. cap. 58. by Augustine ad Casulanum Ep. 86. et ad Ianuarium Ep. 119. cap. 13. And therefore Chrysostome in his fift sermon of the Resurrection writteth that of old in the Primitiue Church this day was called by three names The Lords day The day of bread and the day of light The Lords day because in it being a solemne memoriall of Christs resurrection they attended to his word and worship the day of bread because in it the Sacrament of the Lords supper was administred and the day of light because on it was obserued the administration of Baptisme For the ancients called Baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illumination and the day of Baptisme diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of lights and the Baptized were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 New illuminates Wherefore sith the Lords day by Christs Act example and institution by the most constant obseruation of the Apostles and the auncient Church and by the testimony of Scripture hath bene obserued and put in the place of the Iewes Sabbath ineptè faciunt c. They doe absurdly who affirme that the obseruation of the Lords day continues in the Church by Traditiō and not by authority of the holy Scripture that by these helpes they may si Deo placet support the Traditions of men So he Thirdly where they say that the generality onely of keeping a Sabbath was Morall this generality or morality must either now bee quite lost or else doth necessarily import some speciall day for christians wherein solemly to keepe this morality vnlesse we be bound euery moment or day of our life to keepe it as well as for the Iewes of old by Gods owne limitation But fourthly they say that the vacation and abstinence from seruile labour or the ordinary workes of a manes worldly calling is not any part of the morality of the fourth Commandement but a meere ceremony and so abrogated This is a strange Paradox For then the whole obseruation of the sabbath as touching the reast of it was a Ceremony and where is then the morality of it stands not the morality of it in corporall rest and spirituall exercise Or else tell us wherein Nay certainely that cannot bee a meere ceremony which lasteth for euer But vacation and rest from bodily labour lasteth for euer euen in Heauen in the keeping of the eternall Sabboth as the. Apostle saith Heb 4.9.10 And Reuel 14.13 And in heauen there is noe pleace for meere ceremonies Therefore vacation from labour on the Sabboth is no meere ceremony but one speciall part of the moralitie commanded in the Sabbath So that to rest from labour is of the very essence of the Sabbath which is therefore called Sabbath or rest because one cheife part of the obseruation of it stands in rest Ob. But they obiect That the Commandement of the Sabbath is not morall because it bindes not to all times and to euery day as well as one in the weeke Answ Though the externall solemne rest of it binds but for one day in the weeke yet the due Sanctification of it is such as it reatheth to the Sanctification of the whole time of our life yea to the Sanctifying of our persons acsions affections c. by the right vse of the meanes as the Word and Prayer For as wee sayd before as God by reseruing and consecrating the tenth of our goods thereby sanctifies all the 9 partes vnto vs So by setting apart and hallowing the seauenth of our time to his seruice he extendeth sanctification to euery day of our life that therein wee might bee holy Againe affirmatiue precepts ceasse not to be morall because they bind not ad semper to all times it sufficeth they binde
brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage wherevpon followes Thou shalt haue none other Gods before me Thou shalt not make c. For these words I am the Lord thy God whicb brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage are a preface to the whole Decalogue or ten Commandements setting forth the Author of them vnto us not onely by his name Iehouah but by that neere relation of Confederacy or Couenant of grace made to vs in Christ saying Thy God And that this is the very Couenant of grace made to vs in Christ vnder which the Law is giuen appeareth by this that the words of the Preface containe not onely a history of that peoples temporall deliuerance from the Egyptian bondage but also and especialy the mystery of the Redemption of all the true Israel of God by Christ or their spirituall deliuerance from the bondage of sin and Satan This is a thing most cleare though few obserue it For was not the Paschall Lambe slaine and the blood sprinckled vpon all Israels doore posts and the Angell passed ouer them and Egypts first-borne were slaine and Gods first-borne deliuered And was not Christ prefigured thereby as the Lambe slaine from before the foundation of the world Yea all those passages of Gods people from Egypt to Canaan came to them in Types as the Apostle sayth 1. Cor. 10 Besides other types obserue here two notable ones which ioyntly are pregnant to our purpose first of Christs ascension secondly of sending the Holy Ghost 1. the history in Exodus well obserued makes it plaine that vpon the 40th day after their comming out of Egypt Moses Aron and Hur went vp into the Mount where Moses hands are by Aron and Hur supported while Ioshuah with Gods people fight against Amaleck Now Moses the Prophet Aron the Priest and * Hur signifieth a Prince and he was of the family and tribe of Iuda Hur the Prince for so was his name by interpretation all put together were a type of Christ who on the fortith day after his resurrection ascended into the Mount of Heauen where as our Prophet Priest and Prince hee holds vp the hands of his intercession for his Church militant while she fights with spirituall Amaleck Sin Sathan Antichrist the World the Flesh c. The other Type I note was iust 10. dayes after which from Egypt makes 50. dayes and that was the giuing of the Law in Mount Sina Acts. 2 and therefore called the Iewes Pentecost and we know that on the day of Pentecost iust 50 daies after Christs Resurrection and 10 daies after his Ascention did the Father and Christ send downe the Holy Ghost in his manifold gifts and graces to lead his people into all truth and to reueale fully the Law of Christ vnto them Now therefore the as the type thing typed are for their vse to the faythfull people of God one and the same thing So as the ancient Isralites did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke 1. Cor. 10.3.4 for they drank of that spirituall rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ So that giuing of the Law in Mount Sina being a type of the comming down of the holy Ghost bringing reuealing the Law of Christ to his Church both of them in summe and vse are to the faithfull one and the same law for though they differ in the manner of administration and in the measure of manifestation yet not in the matter it selfe Christ being the summe and matter of both And thus we clearely see that the Morall Law giuen in Mount Sina being giuen by Iehouah our God in Christ the Redeemer and that vnder the couenant of grace being giuen to the Israel of God in the old Testament to which the comming downe of the Holy Ghost in the new Testament fully answereth that it remaines as a perpetuall rule of a holy life to all Gods people to the end of the world So that here by the way an inuincible argument is hence drawne to proue the perpetuall morality of the sabbath to the end of the world against all Antisabbatarians because it was giuen vnder the couenant of grace to be kept But wee will reserue the further discussing of this poynt to the choise of all least the intermingling of it here should interrupt the maine matters in hand Obiection But the Apostle sayth The law is not of fayth How then comes the Law to bee giuen vnder fayth Answere The Law in that place is to bee taken for the first Couenant to wit of workes giuen to Adam in Paradise in the state of innocency which hath no communion with fayth belonging to the second couenant namely of grace But the Law as it was giuen in Mount Sina the literall veile being remooued was not deliuered as the first Couenant but as a rule of conuersation to the faythfull vnder the second Couenant Obiection But the Apostle calls the giuing of the Law in Mount Sina the first Couenant in opposition to the second as Agar to Sara the bond-woman to the free Sina to Sion and Hierusalem Answere The Apostle compares it so onely in regard of the literall killing sense to which the Carnall Iew was captiuated and thereby slaine while not looking vnto Christ the Redeemer that brought his people out of the spirituall Egypt and bondage they sought to bee iustified by the workes of the Law which Saint Paul beats downe the to ground in that Epistle to the Galatians But to the belieuing Iewes the Morall Law was none other but the sweete yoake and light burthen of Christ while they behold him as it were on the top of Iacobs ladder a Redeemer of his people by his owne innocent blood whereby hee expiated all their breaches of the Law fulfilling the Law for them And in no other regard doth the Law in Mount Sina and that in Mount Sion stand opposite but as the letter to the spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 while the carnall Iewes could not diserne the pith of the spirit vnder the barke of the letter or by way of comparison the one excelling the other in the manner and measure of mynifestation as 2 Cor. 3.10 Wherevpon the learned and iudicious Caluin vpon those words Gal. 4.24 fayth that the Iewes liberty was hidden vnder the vaile of ceremonies and of the whole economy or dispensation of the Law by which they were then gouerned So that in externall shew nothing but seruitude appeared Yet the seruile generation of the Law hindred not but that the godly fathers who liued vnder the old Testament had for their mother the spirituall Ierusalem which is free â—o that it was partly the Iewes blindnesse and partly the veile couering those Mosaicall mysteries which made that Law in Sina seeme to bee no other but the Couenant of workes made with Adam in his Innocency Question But here by the way it may bee
it to be a duty as one of their Disciples saide Away with this scuruy sanctification and putting all vpon an imaginary fayth and perfection in Christ it becommeth so much the more plausible to flesh and blood which is so prone and ready to listen after any doctrine that giues liberty to their vntamed lusts So that when such Disciples heare their teachers say Beleeue onely and so be merry in Christ sing care away to the duety of sanctification away with mortification Repent no more for yee are perfectly iustified God seeth no sin in you yee are perfectly saued and the like no maruell if being carnall and they hypocriticall persons they catch at such doctrines as may nuzzle them in their carnall lusts as is too apparent by the fruite which groweth necessarily from such a roote of bitternesse whereby many are defiled For perswade a man once that being in Christ and so iustified from all his sins Montanistae omnem panitentiae virtutem è medio sustulerunt Hieronead Marcellinam Et lib. 2. aduâ—rsus Iouinianum se Centuria 2. c. 5. hee hath no more neede of repentance and what a flood-gate is opened to all impiety when there is noe more conscience of sin Thus they reuiue the heresie of the Montanistes who denied repentance to be needefull This they ground vpon Heb. 6.11 Not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead works Whence they conclude that beleeuers haue no more to doe with repentances where as the Apostle there speakes of the Doctrine not of the practise of repentance reprouing those Hebrewes that they were no better proficients iâ— Christs schoole when instead of being able to teach others they were still A B C darians hauing need to be catichized in the very common rudiments knowne Principles of Religion as Heb. 5.12 Againe they say that they are as pure from all sin in Christ and as perfect in righteousnesse and holinesse as Christ himselfe is alledging that in Iohn 1 Iohn 4.17 Herein is our loue made perfect that we haue boldnesse in the day of iudgement because as hee is so are we in this world Hence they conclude such absolute perfection to bee in the beleeuer as in Christ now glorified in heauen And therefore when they say that a beleeuer is perfectly saued in this life they expresse themselues in plaine words to meane that a beleeuer is perfectly glorified in this life and that there is noe difference betweene our state here and in heauen but onely in our sense and apprehension I should not I confesse haue beleeued that euer any man endued with common sense and reason would haue so much as once conceiued much lesse uttered such a senselesse and monstrous Paradox had I not my selfe heard one of their Antinomian Ministers affirme so much to me and others together For I asking him what difference there was betweene the state of grace here and that of glory here after hee answered none at all but in our sense and apprehension And thereupon another Minister asking him whither we were perfectly glorified in this life he answered wee were whereupon I abhorring such an insolent and Luciferian speech presently auoyded his company and further speech To this height of pride are they come who teach the empty and windy faith of Iustification against Sanctification the fruit of a true liuely fayth But are wee perfectly glorified in this life so as it differs not from that in heauen but in our sense and apprehension Then when a iustified man sinneth it is but in his sense and apprehension if that or rather they are in this poynt without sense apprehension of sin Then when wee are afflicted diseased and the like it is not so indeede but onely in our sense and apprehension because a man perfectly glorified can neyther sin nor suffer any sorrow diseases or death Yea our fayth is no more the foundation of things hoped for and the euidence of things not seene we haue no longer hope of eternall life but in our sense and apprehension For wee are already possessed of the thing hoped for we are already perfectly glorified O senselesse stupidity But they vrge As he is so are wee in this world he is pure perfect vndefiled therefore are we so to Therefore say they wee are so perfect as wee cannot be more But St Paul sheweth plainely the meaning of St Iohn saying 2 Cor. 3 8. But we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory euen as by the spirit of the Lord. Now though from hence they would inferre that we haue the same image of Christs glory in full perfection yet the next words FroÌ„ glory to glory plainely shew that though the state of grace bee a glorious estate as being an initiation of glory being begun here in the soule yet wee goe from one degree of glory and grace vnto another and neuer attaine to full perfection till this mortall shall put on immortality and this corruption shall put on incorruption 1 Cor 15. Rom. 8.29 So that the image of Christ which wee beare vpon vs here is a conformity vnto Christ our Head in the participation of his glorious graces but in such a proportion as here we are capable of and as God hath distributed to euery man the measure of fayth And the state of grace is in a perpetuall growth here as 2. Pet. 3.18 Ephe. 4.12.13 Psal 84.7 The path of the righteous being a perpetuall progresse like to the morning light shining more and more vnto the perfect day Prou 4..18 But why doe I spend arguments against such as deny vndeniable Principles But thus wee see how a false and imaginary faith whereof these men doe dreame begets in them such damnable imaginations high presumptions euen to the destruction of grace while they would stretch it beyond the line No maruaile therefore if they abolish quite any further vse of the morall law syth they deny Sanctification it selfe as a duty prescribed and commanded in the law Exo. 19.5.6 So that if the Doctrines of these men might preuaile what could bee expected but a deluge of Atheisme and profanesse and all lawlesse licentiousnes and dissolutenesse to ouerflow and drowne the world For they cry downe and abolish all duties contained and commanded in the Morall Law both towards God and towards men Doe we thinke these men can be good subiects to their Prince who deny they owe him any honour in the way of duety enioyned by the commandement 1 Pet 2 17 Honour thy Father and Mother whereof one maine branch is Honour the King And if they doe not of duety honour their King on earth how shall they honour their King in heauen To instance in the fourth commandement they quite abrogate the Morall Law to beleeuers and consequently the fourth commandement which is the sanctification of the sabbath-day But they reply that the Iewish Sabbath-day is abolished
and therefore Christians haue nothing to doe with the commandement no more then the rest of the Decalogue I answere It followeth not for though the Iewes sabboth day be abolished yet there remaines a sabboth to bee kept of Christians seeing that the commandement of the sabboth is Morall and so no lesse perpetuall then all the rest For if none of the rest of the commandements be abolished then neither the fourth And so though the ceremoniall part of the Iewes sabboth be abrogated yet not the morality of it Ob. But how or wherein was the Iewes Sabbath day ceremoniall Answ In two regards first because it was appoynted them to bee a memoriall of their deliuerance out of Egypt as Deut. 5.15 where the Lord sayth And remember that thou wast a seruant in the Land of Egypt and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arme therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keepe the Sabbath day So that the Iewes were commaunded to keepe the sabbath day in a thankefull remembrance of their deliuerance from the Egyptian bondage therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keepe the Sabbath day Ob. But in Exo. 20.11 the Sabbath day hath relation to the Creation Answ True yet herein Deuteronomy Moses tells them that euen then when this commandement was giuen the Lord had a speciall respect to the deliuerance from Egypt and therefore hee sayth the Lord commanded thee as referring to the time past when the Law was giuen And in that respect the Sabboth day was to them ceremoniall Secondly in regard of some ceremonies proper as some say to that Nation being inhabitants of the Land of Canaan a hot climate as the not kindling of a fire on the Sabboth as also the not dressing of their meat in that day which was in remembrance of the Manna in the desert whereof they gathered enough for the sabboth on the day before God miraculously and plentifully prouiding it for them But in very truth so farre as I can yet conceiue till I be conuinced otherwise by better reasons then I haue yet seene that obseruance of not kindling a fire nor dressing of meate on the sabboth which was lawfull allowed vpon all other festiuall dayes was not so much proper to that people in regard of their hot Country and climate as in regard of that Mosaicall Pedagogie and dispensation vnder which that onely people and Church was subiugated and subiected so as this not kindling a fire not dressing of meate was a meere Ceremony Mosaicall a type of the eternall sabbath brought in by Christ in his resurrection which puts an end to all sabbaticall ceremonies as these are which typed the estate of the euerlasting sabbath wherein is no need of bodily prouision For in heauen there shall bee neyther kindling of fire nor dressing of meat nor the like Whereupon Isychius in leuit lib. 6. cap. 19. speaking of the Omer of Manna which euery one was to gather euery day and two before the sabboth An Omer sayth he was so much as could feede one man Hereby he would teach and instruct them of the intelligible rest and end of the world because then it was impossible to boyle or worke or gather Some againe limit the not dressing of meate ro the time of their trauell in the Desart 40 yeares during the Manna and not to extend to the Land of Canaan where the Manna ceassed And this lis not improbable sith their iourney in the wildernesse was to type out the time of out heauenly Country where all the prouision for the body should ceasse Some also restrayne the not kindling of a fire to the worke of the Tabernacle onely as Vatablus in Exod. 35.3 but I see no probabillity hereof seeing the Priests about the Tabernacle had liberty on the sabbath to performe their rites as sacrificing and the like Yet by the way the abrogation of these ceremonies ought not Christians to turne into surquedry and excesse of feasting as too many doe so abusing their christian liberty but to bee vsed with all sobriety such as may not hinder but helpe the holy spirituall dueties of this day by a due refreshing of the body for necessity not for superfluity Now these Ceremonies dying together with the whole Mosaicall economy which stood in types and Ceremonies yet the Morality remaines a perpetuall suruiuer in and with and vnder the Gospell For else if the Morality of the Sabbath were antiquated and abolished then also the whole Decalogue But the Decalogue or ten Commandements remaine still in force not onely in their curse and full rigour to all transgressing Infidels such as are out of Christ but also as a rule of holy conuersation to all true beleeuers And that the Morall Law still remaines as a rule of Christian obedience to euery true Israelite appeareth by the very manner of giuing of it in Mount Sinai For it was giuen by the Lawgiuer Christ the Redeemer of his people who sayth I am the Lord thy God which haue brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage and thereupon inferreth Thou shalt haue no other Gods before me c. Now the deliuerance out of the Egyptian bondage what was it but a type of our spiritual deliuerance from sin and sathan by Christ And therefore by his owne argument it followeth that the same Morall Law giuen by and vnder Christ to the Iewes in the old Testament is propagated and perpetuated to all christians in the new Testament and so consequently the Sabbath as touching the morality of it Thus the Morall Law is no lesse a rule to beleeuing christians then it was once to the beleeuing Iewes all one ioynt spirituall seed of Abraham to whose posterity this Law was giuen And thus also by the selfe same reason the fourth Commandement for the sanctification of the sabbath is still in force with the Christian Church as well as the other 9. vnlesse as the Papists haue by their sacrilegious practise nimmed away the second Commandement out of their vulgar Catechisme and by their corrupt glosses guelded the masculine sense of it in their Doway Bibles wee will take their part in the polluting and profaining the Sabbath by denying the perpetuall morality of it and so leaue but two Commandements for God according to the Popish acompt in the first Table or rather none at all when by this meanes there is noe day allowed for his seruice no nor meanes to teach vs the true worship of the onely true God the honour due vnto his name which meanes is the publique Ministry of his word together with publique and priuate inuocasion So that the whole worship and seruice of God and his sauing knowledge for mans saluation to speake nothing of bodily refreshing and workes of Charity for the reliefe of the poore hauing a necessary dependance as touching the externall meanes vpon the due obseruation of the fourth Commandement
expect Christs presence by his spirits influence in sanctifying his people in their holy exercises on that day Herevpon it grew a perpetuall Ordinance not first constituted by Apostolicke authority but seconded and followed by them in their practize as Acts. 20.7 and 1 Cor. 16.2 vpon which place Master Perkins iudiciously obserueth that Paul commanded nothing as an ordinance to bee obserued by the Church but what hee had from Christ But to make collection for the poore euery Lords day or first day of the weeke as a consequent or concomitant fruite of other Sabbath-duties as Preaching Prayer Sacraments was sayth he a constitution Apostolicke and so of diuine authority and therefore no meere humane institution And wee say that the ground and cause hereof was Christs Resurrection So as it is a grosse Solecime in Diuinity to admit an Institution to be Apostolicke yet to denie it to be of diuine authority Thus the first day of the weeke the Lords day grew to be the day of holy assemblies for Christians from that first day of the weeke wherein Christ rose againe and appeared to his Disciples as wee haue touched And from this spring did the auncient Fathers deriue the sanctification of this day as by so many continued streames of succession Saint Augustine sayth Dies Dominicus c. The Lords day was not to the Iewes Aug Ianuario Epis. 119. c 13. but to Christians declared by Christs Resurrection and from that began to bee kept holy And elsewhere Proepenitur dies Dominicus Sabbato c. The Lords day is preferred before the Sabbath by the fayth of the Resurrection Aug. Ca sulano Presbytero Ep. 86. not by the fashion of refection or licentiousnes of drunken mirth And againe Domini Resurrectio c. The Lords resurrection hath promised us an eternall day and consecrated to vs the Lords day And Ambros Dominica nobis c. De verbis Apost ser 15 To vs the Lords day is so honourable and sacred because in it the Sauiour as the sun arising dispelling infernall darknesse hath shined forth in the light of his resurrection And for this cause Ambros ser 61 this day of the men of the world is called Sunday because Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse arising did enlighten it But what neede we seeke a cloud of witnesses of men when we haue diuine Sarrs in Scriptures though shining in a darke place till the day did dawne which may giue vs sufficient light to direct vs to this day For first it is apparent that the seauenth day which was commanded the Israelites of the old Testament to celebrate for the Sabbath was giuen them in memoriall of their deliuerance from the Egyptian bondage as we noted before out of Deu. 5 15 And thus it was ceremoniall and subiect to be changed into another day to wit the Lords day which should succeede in memoriall of our Redemption and deliuerance from our spirituall bondage whereof that corporall was a type which Redemption and deliuerance was finished in Christs Resurrection and therefore who should haue power but Christ the Lord of the Sabbath to change the Sabbath into the Lords day Againe another remarkeable place we finde in Leu. 23.10 c. where the sheafe of the first fruits was to bee waued by the Priest before the Lord the day after the Sabbath This sheafe of the fruits was a pregnant type of Christs rising againe 2 Cor 15 20. Leui 23.11 the first fruits from the dead This sheafe was to bee waued the next day after the Sabbath and not else This was fulfilled in Christs resurrection whâ—ch was the day after the Sabbath and because this Sabbath was chiefely ment of the Passeouer which was a high Sabbath to be sure it was a double Sabbath the Sabbath of the Passeouer concurring together wherein Christ rested in the graue The very next morning was Christ the first fruites waued before the Lord when in the Earthquake hee rose from the dead the first fruites of them that sleepe This was the sheafe of the first fruites which was accepted for vs Rom 4 25 Rom 11.19 for he rose againe for our iustification And if the first fruites be holy the lumpe is also holy And the meate offring of this day was twice as much as vpon any other day euen two tenth deales whereas the rest had but one which is a matter worthy of heedefull obseruation This typed and signifyed some thing extraordinary as touching this dayes oblation And the offering was made by fire vnto the Lord for a sauour of Rest as the Hebrew hath it This prefigured the Rest of this day of the sheafe of first fruites of Christs resurrection And this rest had relation not onely to Christ who now had finished the worke of Redemption but also to all the Redeemed For from this very day of the sheafe of first fruites they were Leuit. 23.15.16 to reckon 7 Sabbaths or weekes compleate which inclusiuely containeth 50 dayes and so the seauenth first day of the weeke next after the Sabbath they must offer a new meate offering vnto the Lord. This was the feast of Pentecost which being fully come Act. 2. the Holy Ghost came downe visibly vpon the Church so fulfilling that typicall prophesie * Leuit. 23.17 or Propheticall type And this meate offring of loaues and the like being called also a first fruites vnto the Lord signifyed and prefigured that First fruits of the Church of the new Testament offered consecrated and sanctified vnto God that very day wherein the Holy Ghost descended For behold two waue loaues moulded vp of so many graines the one of the Iewes the other of the Gentiles both one offering being a collection of all the Nations vnder Heauen euen the Catholike Church representatiue were the first fruites vnto God and vnto the Lambe sanctified in Christ the first fruites These are those waue-loaues Isychius Praesbyt Hirrosol in Leuit 23 Planius ergo Legislator suam demonstran volens mentem ab altero die Sabbati numerari praecipit 50 dies Dominicum Diem proculdubio volens intelligi Hic enim est altera Dies Sabbati that are holy to the Lord for Christ eur High Priest Leuit. 23.20 and this offering became a sauour of rest v. 18. as wee shewed v. 13. noting still the rest of this day So as this selfe same day is solemnely proclaimed to bee an holy Conuocation Therein no seruile worke is to bee done this to stand as a statute vnrepealable Hereupon Isychius saith Therefore the Law-giuer willing more plainely to expresse his minde commanded them to reckon from the next day of the Sabbath 50 dayes thereby willing without doubt the Lords day to be vnderstood For this is that next day after the Sabbath For which cause sayth he the Holy Ghost came not downe in any other day of the weeke but in that day of the Resurrection wherein the sheafe of first-fruits was waued before the Lord. Thus we see
how the day of Christs Resurrection is made solemne and sacred not onely by Christ himselfe but by the Holy Ghost sent downe from heauen sanctifying this day for holy Conuocations or publicke assemblies of Gods people for his publique seruice and this to stand as a perpetuall statute to the end of the world hauing also euident and ample testimony from the Mosaicall Law and those Euangelicall types whence we conclude with M. Perkins his argument in his Cases of conscience pag. 113. That which is prefigured is prescribed But the Lords day was prefigured Leuit. 23.10 therefore it is prescribed and instituted of God A third place wee haue Psal 118.24 where the Prophet speaking v. 22.23 of Christs Resurrection he addeth This is the day which the Lord hath made we will reioyce and be glad in it This is a plane Propheticall institution of this day to bee solemnized vnder the new Testament For first the Lord hath made it that is appointed and set it a part by marking it out with a glorious worke And secondly it is so taken of the Church of God who saith We will reioyce and be glad in it which sheweth the festiuity gratefull solemnity of the Lords day And although many take this day for the whole time under the Gospell as 2. Cor. 6.2 yet none doe exclude or deny the particular acception of it for the Lords day St. Ambrose vnderstands this to be the Lords day the day of the Lords Resurrection which day saith hee on Psal 47 Titneus hath its holines from the Lords Resurrection What shall I say of Circumcision which was limited to the eighth day loking vpon Christs Resurrection which was the eighth day Circumcision being a singe of that hollines Christ brought vnto vs in the day of his Resurrection who rose againe for our Iustification But let this suffice Thus hath the Lords day not onely reall institution by Christ himselfe but also testimony from the Law and the Prophets And thus as Hugo saith The fathers of the old Testament obserued the septenary number or the seuenth of Dayes Wekes Moneths Yeares wee of the New the octonary number or the eight day to wit the Lords day for the reuerence of the Lords resurrection and of the sending of the Holy Ghost Hugo in Psal 1â—9 Ob. But here it is obiected that the Lords day hath noe diuine institution but meerely an hamane and Ecclesiasticall For else how came it to bee instituted by Constantine the Great who made a Law and prescribed limits for the keeping of it The like also did other Emperours Princes and States Councels and Synods in seuerall ages Answ This is no good argument that because pious Princes make Lawes for the keeping of the Lords day therfore it is not of diuine institution For so good Princes make Lawes against Adultery c. Therfore the forbidding of these sinnes is it not of diuine institution King Darius makes a decree that in euery Nation of his Kingdome men tremble before the God of Daniell c. therefore is not this Law of diuine institutioÌ„ Thou shalt worsbip the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue And because Tyberius Caesar would haue the Romane Senate passe a Decree for the deifying of Christ or ranking him among their Gods therefor Christ was not God whereupon sayth Tertullian Ergo nisi homini placucurit Deus non erit Deus therefore if it doe not please man God shall not be God But it became Christian Princes when they saw how subiect the Lords day was to bee profaned with all licenciousnesse and how prone carnall men were to leape ouer all the bankes and bounds which God had set to keepe them in for to helpe to make vp the breaches againe and to strengthen the diuine ordinance by their humane and penall constitutions as wee see our noble Kings of England haue done by name our pious King Charles whose raigne hath bene honoured with a religious Law for the better keeping of the Lords day if lawes were as well kept as they haue bene wisely piously and iustly enacted by our Progenitors Yet because notwithstanding all Lawes diuine and humane this holy day of the Lord is for the generality of men little regarded as not requiring the like sanctification of vs which the Sabbath did of the Iewes let vs further shew what a reuerend esteeme the ancient holy men in former ages had and what pious rules they gaue concerning the religious keeping of this day Wee haue noted some of their excellent sayings a little before wee will adde a few more And first wee obserue that they euer did vse to call the Lords day by the name of the Sabbath Obseruamus sabbatum Aug Contra Adamantum c. 15 hoc est Dominicam in signum nempe aeterni sabbati We obserue the Sabbath that is the Lords day for a signe of the eternall Sabbath The same Augustine in his 95 sermon de Tempore sayth They which in the obseruation of the Sabbath doe not apply themselues to good works and prayer which is to sanctifie the Sabbath and sanctification is where the Holy Ghost is are like to the small flies bred of the mud which disquieted the Egyptians And elsewhere vpon those words Aug de Conseusu Euang. lib 1. c. 77. Math. 24.20 Pray that your slight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath day hee sayth by winter is signified the cares of this life and by the Sabbath gluttony and drunkennesse which euil is therefore signifyed by the name of Sabbath because this was as now it is the wicked custome of the Iewes on that day to swimme in delicacies while they are ignorant of the spirituall Sabbath For the Iewes doe seruilely obserue the Sabbath day vnto ryotousnesse and drunkennesse How much better were it for their women to spin then on that day to daunce And thus while they carnally kept the Sabbath they knew it not sayth hee And Melius tota die foderent c. The men were better to digg all that day then to tread is out in daunces and measures Againe the Sabbath to wit the Lords day is more commaunded vs then the Iewes They celebrate the Sabbath seruilely but we spiritually And how spiritualy not in chambering wantonnesse not in gluttony druÌ„kennesse For these are forbidden Christians any day much more on the Lords day For it were better to plough harrow to spin card wooll which in themselues are lawfull then to doe those things on the Sabbath or Lords day which christians should blush at and be ashamed of to do at any time as to dance to reuell to heare playes to goe to masking and mumning and the like which are exercises fitter for heathen then christians for Bacchanalls then such as celebrate the Lords Festiuall How then is this day of the Lords to be kept Neyther as the Eneratites Aeriancs and Aerians who fasted all the Lords day but madly reueld on other festiuals These are
extreames and therefore to bee auoyded How then As the christians did in Iustin Martyrs dayes of old who sayth Die solis c. On the Sunday or Lords day Iustin Martyr Apol. 2. are the christians assemblies of Citizens and Countrmen where the writings of the Apostles and Prophets are first reade then when the Reader hath done the Master of the assembly the chiefe Minister vseth words of exortation his inuiting them to the imitation of things honest The richer sorte who are willing do contribute to the reliefe of the poorer euery man according to his mind and meanes and the Collecta or collections are deposited with the chiefe Minister he therewith succoureth the Orphans and poore c. This is that day wherein God created the world and Christ rose againe from the dead So hee And Saint Chrisostom vpon the Apostles words 1 Cor. 16.1 Behold sayth he How fitly the Apostle rayseth his exhortation from the consideration of this day of the weeke as being the fittest day wherin to exhort vnto almes as if the Apostle had sayd Remember what things yee haue obtained this day vnutterable good things yea the very roote and spring of our life stands in it Not that it is a fit day onely for giuing of almes but that it hath a rest and is free from worldly affaires and the mind being vacant from molestations is the apter more inclinable to mercy and it brings with it a great efficacy in the vse of the celestiall Ordinances And Saint Augustine Omni Die Dominico c. Euery Lords day come to the Church and spend not the day in pleading and brabbles and idle chat but with silence hearken to the word of God and pray for the peace of the Church and for the pardon of your sinnes c. And Bernard sayth out of Esay 58.13 He calleth the Sabbath sayth hee not onely a delight but he addeth holy and gloryous to the Lord. Nor let the Sabbath slipt away with sloth but in thy Sabbath worke the workes of God And in the Synodal Epistle of the second synod of Matiscon wee haue these words Custodite Diem Dominicum c. Keepe the Lords day which hath a new brought you forth and hath freed you from all sinnes as being that day wherein Christ rose for our iustification Let none of you bee vacant to minister fewell for suites in Law let none plead causes let none draw vpon himselfe such a necessity as to compell the cattell to beare the yoake .. Be all of you taken vp with hymmes in praysing of God being content in minde and body Let euery one hasten to the next Church their humble himselfe on the Lords day with prayers and teares Let your eyes and hands be all that day open to God For that is a perpetual day of rest that is made knowne in the law the Prophets being insinuated vnto vs by the shadow of the seauenth day Iust it is therefore that wee doe vnanimously celebrate this day by which wee are made that which before wee were not Let vs performe to the Lord a free seruice c. Not that the Lord requires of vs that wee should celebrate the Lords day with bodily abstinence but hee requireth our obedience by which trampling all terrene actions vnder our feete hee may mercifully lift vs vp euen vnto Heauen If therefore any of you shall slight or contemne this our wholesome exhortation let him know that for the quality of his demerit hee shall bee punished of the Lord and henceforth implacably vnder the sacerdotall indignation If hee bee a Lawyer hee shall bee dismissed of his pleading without recouery if a Country-man or seruant hee shall bee sore beaten with clubs if a Clearke or so hee shall bee suspended six months from his Fraternity c. And in the Councell of Dingelfing On the Lords day let men bee vacant for diuine rest and abstayne from worldly and profane businesse Hee that this day shall doe any worke about the Cart or otherwise let his oxen bee confiscate If he shall proceed on obstinately let him be made a bondslaue And Charles the great in his constitutions forbiddeth markets to be kept any where on the Lords day nor any seruile workes to be done therein We might bee infinite in such like instances of pious constitutions for the solemne and sacred keeping of the Lords day but let these suffice by the way Onely one thing remaines to bee resolued whether the fourth Commandement reach vnto seruants as well as vnto Masters of Families some would restraine the Commandement onely to Masters excluding seruants thus farr that in case a Master command his seruant any servill worke on the Sabbath or Lords day the seruant therein obeying his Master is not answerable to God as a trangressour of Gods Commandement but his Master onely is in the transgression for so commanding This is a strange piece of Logicke A Master in commanding his seruant transgresseth Gods Commandement and yet the seruant obeying his Master therein transgresseth not Doth not the case hold a like in other relations as betweene Prince and subiect spirituall Pastours and People yes say they But how Thus God say they hath commanded all men to honour their Parents the Parents of their Country stands in the first ranke-True who denies it But what followes there vpon This say they The Sonne of God hath commanded all Christians to heare the Church and vnder forfeiture of communion of Saints but they that deny the Canons of the Church or Edict of the Prince heare not the one honour not the other therefore they that transgresse eyther of these Constitutions transgresse also consequently though not immediately the commandements of God yet neyther of both are transgressed by seruants if they worke by their Masters commission and not of their owne electon for neyther doth the one Law or the other neyther the Canons of the Church nor Edicts of Princes giue liberty and warrant to seruants to bee rebellious to their Masters touching poynt of seruice that day more then others To this purpose they argue that deny the keeping of the Lords day to haue any dependance vpon the morality of the fourth Commandement Here be prege reasons which would not lightly be passed ouer Therefore a little to examine the mettle of these mens reasons first we must remember that not only on the Lords day seruants obying their Masters in deoing seruile worke therein are guiltles for so they haue euation for it by denying the Lords day to bee of diuine institution and rest therein to be any morall duty but they deny also that the fourth Commandement did binde any Iewes but onely Masters of familyes and not those vnder them For say they the Commandement was giuen onely to masters and not to seruants standing in relation to their masters in case they should impusote any seruile labour vpon them It is true the Commandement was giuen principally and immediately to masters that not onely