memoriam gratiarum actionem creationis 〈◊〉 sui quam totius mundi quam Deus complevit die septimo alioqui enim vim non haberet discursus argumentum Pauli ut patet exdictis Howbeit scripture bee sufficient for confirmation of this truth I will adde for superaboundance some footsteps of the first institution which were found among the Gentiles Whence came the name of Septimane weekes to be receaved among the Ethnicles of old Not from the Jewes for they abhorred their customes and derided their sabbaths Not from Astrologians for distinction of dayes by weekes was more ancient then the imposing of the names of the planets upon the dayes of the weeke Or Ptolemâ—â— his time who wrote about the yeare of our Lord 140 as Rivetus proveth by the testimonie of Georgius Syncellus and Philoponus The ancient Greek Poets cited by them for the name of weeke I omit I onely adde the testimonie of Scaligâ—r 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex diebus dicitur septimanâ— res omibus quidem orientis populis ab ultima usque antiquitaâ—e usâ—ata nobis autem Enrop eis vix tandem post Christianâ—smum recepta Hee saith from the upmost antiquitie his systeme of dayes in a weeke was in use among all the orientall nations But that was the part of the world which was first planted and where the holy Patriarches lived Whereas he saith this colection or distinction of dayes in weekes was not receaved in Europe till Christiani 〈◊〉 entred testimonies of Ethnick Poets alledged by â—â—vetus make good that the name of weekes was more ancient even among the Latines I adde also that place in Genes 29. 27. where Laban saith to Jacob Fulfill her weeke Whither he meant a weeke of dayes or as others interpret a weeke of yeares it is all one For seven yeares was never called a weeke of yeares but where seven dayes was called a weeke of dayâ—s Whence then could this so ancient a circuit or circle of dayes come but from the Patriarches who observed that circle because of the seventh-dayes-sabbath or from the first weeke of the creation it selfe Wee have not onely the traces of weekes among the ancient Ethniks but also of the seventh day in speciall I pretermit the testimonies cited by Rivetus out of Homer Linus and Callimachus who make mention of the perfiting of the worke of creation the seventh day I content mee with the testimonies alledged for observation in some sort of the seventh day by Casaubon commencing upon that place of Suetoniâ—â—â— Diogenes grammaticus disputare sabbutis Rhodi solitus vententem ut se extra ordinem audiret non admiserat ac per servaluâ— suum in septimâ—â— diem disâ—ulerat Where he bringeth in Lucian making mention of resting dayes granted every seventh day to children who were at schoole Vulâ—atius Gallicanus that souldiers exercised themselves upon the seventh day in archerie and armes Dampridius that Alexander Severus went up to the Capitoll upon the seventh day when hee was in Rome and frequented the temples In this same place Suetonius reporteth of Diogenes the Grammarian that if any were desirous oâ—heare declamation or discourse he differred them to the seventh day Eusebius saith That almâ—st all as well phâ—losophers as Poets understood that the seventh day was more sacred then other dayes Philâ— Judâ—eus 〈…〉 cited saith It was an holy day not of one 〈◊〉 region only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of all And in another place he sâ—ith Our law admonisheth all of duetie 〈◊〉 Grecians the inhabitants of the â—les and the continent 〈◊〉 the orientall people the Entropâ—cans and the 〈…〉 even the whole habitable world to the uttermost coasts for who doth not honour that holy day returning every weeke Buxtorsius telleth us that the Jewes at this day thinke Christians and others shall bee phnished because they keepe not their sabbath And this I beleeve they thinke not of their other holy dayes I will close this point concerning the first institution of the sabbath with pointing at the testimonies both of ancients and neotericks Tertullian reporteth that the Jewes hold that the Lord sanctified the seventh day from the beginning and that thereupon when the law was given the Lord said Remâ—mber Gen 〈◊〉 ardus in his chronologie affirmeth that the Hebrew Doctours taught so Peter Martyr citeth Rabbi Agnâ—â— Broughtoun in his concent alledgeth Rambam and Aben-Ezra Philo Judaeus his consent ye had a little before Cyprian de Spiritu sancto Chrysostome hom 10. in Genes 2. Epiphanius contra heresin Anoetâ— haeres 51. The doretus 〈◊〉 est in Genesin Augustine epist. 86. ad Casulannm Waleus in his dissertatio de sabbatho citeth Luther Calvine Zwinglius Beza P. Martyr Bullinger Zanchius Vrsinus Gualtor Aretius Bertramus Mercerus Antoniuâ— Faius Juntus Paraeus Alstedius Rivetus in his dissertatio de origaine sabbathi addeth other Neoterikes Danâ—ws Hoâ—pinianâ—s Chimnitius Gerardus Marloratus with some others and popish writers Eugubinus Genâ—brardus Cornelius à Lapide and Emanuel Sa. A diligent reader may easily finde moe affirming that the sabbath was instituted at the beginning Seeing the sabbath was observed from the beginning it was not instituted in the wildernesse but only renewed to the people of God and enjoined to them with solemnitie both because of their owne neglect or forced prophanation in Egypt as also because it was neglected among other nations who observed it not or not in the right manner but rather prophaned then sanctified it The question ariseth whether it was then onely morall or partly morall partly ceremoniall But the question should bee stated other wayes For there is a difference betweene these two questions whether the sabbath of the Jewes was partly morall partly ceremoniall or whether the fourth precept as it standeth in the decalogue was partly morall partly ceremoniall That the Iewish sabbath was partly morall partly ceremoniall is the commun and receaved opinion which for mine owne part I would be loath to contradict even taking ceremoniall for typicall and profigurative of our 〈◊〉 purchased forus by Christ. But it followeth not that the fourth precept as it standeth in the decalogue is partly morall partly ceremoniall in that scene that is typicall and prefigurative There is nothing in the 〈◊〉 precept as it was promulgat upon mount Sinai ranked among the rest of the morall precepts placed in the midst and written with Gods owne finger in â—ibles of stone that soundeth any way to typicall ceremonie At other times when the ceremonies of the law were intimated then were typicall and ceremoniall precepâ—s delivered It is true when the fourth precept was promulgated it was accommodated to the state of man after his fall â—or strangers within our gates must cease that day from all manner of workes which might give offence to Gods people which needed not to be enjoyned in the state of innocencie or if mankinde had continued in the bosome of thâ— Church and had not made defection falling in a
be observed as holy Ratio convenientiae non fuisset sufficiens nisi praecessisset mandatum divinum Rivetus in Decalogum pag. 167. Christs actions did no more consecrate the times wherein they were wrought then his body did the manger or the crosse by touch And suppose this might have beene it would not follow that all mangers and crosses are consecrated no more would it follow that every 25. day of December should bee consecrated and made holy because that whereon he was borne I put the case it were true was consecrated Verum etiam non est dies illos fuisse consecratos per actiones aut passiones quae talibus diebus acciderunt Idenim si verum esset nullus fuisset dies qui aliqua Christi actione non esset nobilitatus consecratus Rivetus in Decalogum pag. 204. As for remembring of Christs nativitie no man denieth but it is needfull and so it is wheresoever the Gospel is preached But we deny that the memorie of it must be celebrated with the solemnitie of a festivall holy day with cessation from worke with feasting or forbearance of fasting and a proper service THE V. REASON SUppose the observing of holy dayes had at the first beene a matter indifferent yet seeing they have beene abused and polluted with superstition they ought to bee abolished Upon this ground Zâ—nchâ— us inferreth Non ma è igitur f'cerunt qui omnia proâ—er diem dom nicum aboleverunt They have therefore not done amâ—sse who have abolished all other holy dayes but the Lords day If Ezekias fact in breaking the brazen sâ—rpent belandable by which he confirmeth that pule then their fact is laudable also But sure it is that in former ages holy dayes have not onely beene abused with prophane and licentious revelling and surfetting but also polluted with the opinion of worship merite necessitie and a judaicall conceat that the devill is not so bold to tempt men on these dayes as at other times And therefore saith Zanchius Magicians observe holy dayes to exercise their magâ—call feats with the greater efficacie The Lords day it selfe may bee abused but because the observation is necessarie in respect of divine institution it cannot bee removed for the abuses of men But the festivall dayes were not appointed by God The number the abuses the will-worships of feasts so increased that there is nothing so unsavourie to God so pernicious to men as to sanctifie such and so many dayes faith the same Zanchius Holy dayes devised for the honour of Christ drew on holy dayes to saints Easter brought on a superstâ—tions lent to attend upon it made baptisme wait for her moone conformed our Lords supper unto the Jewish passeover in unleavened bread It was the first aple of contention among Christians the first weapon wherewith the bishop of Rome played his prâ—ses against other Churches and after flew so many Britons with by Austin the Monke saith Doctour Ames Even in Chrysostomes time the people would forbeare to communicate at other times But at Easter they would communicate howbeit they had committed recently some hainous sinne whereupon he exclameth O consuetudinem o presumptionem O custome O presumption Because people ranne superstitiously to that holy action at Easter as if the time gave vertue to the sacrament and were carelesâ—e the rest of the yeare our reformers appointed other times free of superstition as ye may see in the first booke of discipline pag. 58 59. Therefore seeing the observation of festivall dayes is not commanded by God and it cannot be denyed but it hath beene much abused it ought not to be continued farre lesse introduced where it hath beene disused suppose it might be now used without these abuses because it may degener after the same manner as before But what if it be not nor cannot be free of abuse and superstition They say they esteeme them not holier then other dayes or place any worship of God in the observation of them but only keep them for order and policie that the people may be assembled to religious exercises and instructed in the mysteries of religion But that is false howbeit an old shift The Papists themselves confesse that one day is not holier then another in the owne nature no not the Lords day but in respect of the use and end And in this respect our Formalists esteeme their festivall dayes holier then other dayes call them holy dayes and maintaine as yee have heard before that they may be observed as holy dayes If the observing of a day holy for the honour of a saint be a worshipping of the saint the observing of a day to the honour of Christ cannot bee without opinion of worship If the observing of the Lords day as a festivall as it is in their accompt be worship the observing of their holy dayes is worship Whereas they alledge that it is not worship because they hold not the like necessitie in observing the one as the other it will not helpe them For that doth not alter the nature of worship but maketh the one necessarie because God instituted it the other arbitrarie and voluntarie and consequently will-worship The same matter forme and end is in both but God instituteâ—h the one and therefore lawfull the other is instituted at the pleasure of man so it is worship but a vicious worship Further some other Formalists have of late maintained the mutabilitie of the Lords day it selfe What our Doctour will doe now let any man judge who knoweth him to be temporizâ—r and a sceptike Master Dow p. 58. saith as other holy dayes it goeth paripassu in their canons and ancient statutes which require the same observances under the same penalty Thâ—y are not only holy dayes but also mysticall howbeit the Doctour denieth it For els he must disclaime his ancienâ—s who call them so Are they not appointed for the solemnitle of some mysterie of religion Doe they not carrie the names of Christs nativitie passion ascension c. Are they not ordered according to the knowne or supposed times when such things fell forth If it were for order and policie they were observed that the people may assemble and be instructed wherefore is there but one day betweene the passion and the resurrection fourty betwixt the resurrection and ascension and then againe but ten betwixt the ascension and whitsontide Wherefore follow wee the course of the moone in our moveable feasts and observe not a certaine day in the moneth as we doe for other If we observed dayes only for order and policie then wee would not sticke to dayes as we doe for the commemoration of Christs nativitie passion ascension c. The Doctour saith we do not observe festivall dayes as the Jewes did which were holy not only for the use whereunto they were appointed to serve as circumstances but by reason also of their mystik signification and of the worship appropriated to them which might not bee performed at
another time But that will not save the maâ—ter For a day is called mystike not onely for shadowing things to come but also for the mysteries solemnely remembred And as for appropriation doe wee not appropriat to the day of Christs nativitie a peculiar kinde of service of epistles gospels collects hymnes homilies belonging to Christs nativitie and thinke it absurd to performe the like service upon another day with the like solemnitie of cessation from worke and supâ—rstitious forbearing of fasting Wee thinke it likewise absurd to performe upon the nativitie day that peculiar service which belongeth to easter Yea the Doctour saith the commemoration appointed to bee made upon the five dayes must not bee omitted on these dayes If it bee absurd to celebrate another day after the same manner with the same service and no other service will serve on these dayes is there not a peculiar service appropriated to our festival dayes as of old among the Jewes That shift is of no weight that a minister may preach or wee may meditate upon Christs passion another day then the nativitie For that is not to celebrate with solemnitie To use another day with the like solemnitie in the place of it or both would be thought very absurd The Jewes themselves without the service appropriated to their feasts might remember these same benefites and mysteries upon other dayes but not with the like solemnitie and peculiar service And so the solemnitie is tyed to the time To observed dayes after this manner is not like the appointing of houres for preaching or prayers on weeke dayes or times for the communion according to the policie and order set downe by everie particular congregation we tye not our selves to them not any peculiar service to any of them Wee use time then onely as a circumstance and for order and not as a sacred time let be as a holy festivitie Wee observe dayes after the same manner that the Jewes did howbeit not the same dayes nor with the same kinde of worship The change of the circumstance the day and manner of wotship doth not free us of Judaizing Non sublata sed mutata est significatio dierum saith Bellarmine and so it is with the Formalists Wee doe not say that the anniversarie revolution made the Jewish festivals ceremoniall for in the revolution of time there was no mysterie but the tying of such a peculiar service to the time of anniversarie resolution with such solomnitie To performe the same duty in substance upon the morall sabbath as occasion served had not beene ceremoniall What then they say ought not Christs inestimable benefites and notable acts to be remembred I answer Yes and so they are for where the gospell is preached his acts are published Christ is set forth crucified by the preaching of the word every communion day his passion and death is and will be remembred to his comming againe The Eucharist saith Bellarmine est memoriale omnium miraculorum quasi compendium vitae passionis resurrectionis Domini In the written word sermons prayers creeds catechismes his nativitie passion ascension c. are remembred It followeth not they should bee remembred therefore their memorie should be celebrated severally with the solemnity of a festivall day For the Lord hath appointed an holy day which we call the Lords day and may call Christs day as I said before for publishing all Christs acts and benefites Pope Alexander the 3. gave this reason wherefore the Romane Church doth not observe an holy day to the Trinitie to wit because glorie to the Father and to the Sonne and to the holy Ghost and other like things belonging to the praise of the Trinitie are published daily Ecclesia Romana in usu non habet quòd in aliquo tempore hujusmodi celebrat specialiter festivitatem cum singulis diebus gloria patri filio spiritui sancto catera similia dicantur ad laudem pertinentia trinitatis The Popes ground must bee this Whatsoever is treated on or remembred in the ordinarie divine service needeth not a speciall holy day to celebrat the memorie of the same I assume The nativity passion resurrection ascension of Christ and sending downe the holy Ghost are not only remembred in privat but also in publike and in the ordinarie service specially on the Lords day If all be true that is affirmed by a councell holden at Constantinoplâ— that Christ was borne on this day the starre shined to the wisemen on it Christ fed 5000. persons with five loaves and two fishes on it that hee was baptized rose and sent downe the holy Ghost on it the light was treated on it and which Pope Leâ— affirmeth that the Lords day is consecrated with so many mysteries dispensed on it that whatsoever notable thing was done on earth was done to the honour of this day it appeareth that the Lord would have us to observe only this day as holy and sanctified by himself for the proclaiming of all his worthy acts and not to presume to institute holy festivities upon our owne heads There is no danger but the memorie of Christs nativitie c. will be preserved to the end of the world without observing such solemnities and making holy dayes which lyeth not in the power of man This pretext of remembring and putting in minde hath beene a cloak to bring in crosses images surplices and other popish garments with much other superstition and among the rest these memoriall dayes THE JVDGEMENT OF FORraine Divines I Passe by the Petrobrusians the Waldenses and Wicleffs followers and come to later times Luther in his booke de bonis operibus set forth anno 1520. wished that there were no festivall dayes among Christians but the Lords day only were observed And in his booke to the nobilitie of Germanie he saith Consulâ—â— nesse ut oâ—nia festa aboleantur solo die dominico retentâ— That is It were expedient that all feasts were abolisâ—ed tâ—e Lords day onely being retained Farellus and Viâ—et râ—nâ—â—ed all holy dayes out of the Church of Geneva as Calvine epist. 118. testifieth The same decree which banished Farellus and Calvine out of Geneva brought in other holy dayes In a nationall synod holden at Dort anno 1578. of the Belgick Almaine and French Churches we have these words Optandum forâ—t nostros sex diebus laborare diem solum Dominicum celebrare That is It were to be wished that our countrie people laboured six dayes and celebrated only the Lords day So yee may see festivall dayes are rather tolerated by them because of the wilfulnesse of the magistrates and people then commended or allowed Among the articles agreed upon and concluded concerning ecclesiasticall policie in the Palatinaâ— anno 1602. we have this following Omnes Feriâ— per annum festi dies tollendi è medio All the festivall dayes through the yeare are to be abolished Yee see where they finde the opportunity they abolished them Bucer howbeit not
or that way Howbeit the Communicants were not directed to kneel for reverence of the Sacrament dare any man say but they may easily fall upon it one of these wayes I might draw another score heere for it is enough that the Communicants are directed by the act of Perth to kneel for reverence of the Sacrament for seeing hee kneeleth in obedience to that act hee must bee interpreted to kneel for that end otherwise hee may goe to Rome and take Corpus Christi out of the popes hand reserving a secret intent to himself Therefore howbeit kneeling in the act of receiving might hee lawfull no professour in our Church can bee excused if he kneel But wee proceed and setting aside the act of Pâ—rth wee consider the act or action it self kneeling in the act of receaving eating drinking the 〈…〉 simplie We will prove it can not bee done but for reverence of the Sacrament or sacramentall elements and that by two arguments The first argument shall bee this To be tied to kneel whither by direction of others or resolution of our own mindes to kneel with reverence in any religious exercise 〈…〉 or senselesse creature can not bee done but for 〈…〉 of that creature The communicant is 〈…〉 by the direction of others or his own 〈…〉 to kneel with reverence before dead and senselesse creatures when hee is in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements Therefore he kneeleth for reverence of the sacramentall elements I say by direction of others or resolution of our own minde for we can not kneele to God in prayer but there are many things before us a house a wall a tree c. but they are set before us only by casuall position or situation â—â—â—ther can wee choose to do otherwise but wee do not lie our selfes I adde with reverence for if a person finding himselfe diseased at the hearing of the word finde himselfe eased with kneeling that can not bee called kneeling with reverence If yee bee tied to kneel with reverence when you are to do any religious exercise suppone prayer before such a creature suppone but a'tree and is not likewise tied when you pray before any other creature your gesture of adoration can not bee without respect to the tree God himself never appointed any creature to bee an object to the eyes of man when hee was to adore him upon his knees but only directed his people to kneel toward a certain place where he was present himself in an extraordinarie manner or bound himself by promise to hear them from thence Hee was present in the Ark after an extraordinarie manner sitting betweene the Cherubins answered by a lively voice out of it to Moses and vouchsafed to hear such as turned toward the Temple when they called upon him But there is no such place appointed under the Gospel far lesse any creature before which hee hath directed us to kneel Our adoration is directed to that place where wee know the manhood of Christ whereof the Ark and the Temple were types doth exist naturally or substantially that is to the heavens The sacramentall bread is not a place of Gods extraordinarie presence nor of the existing of Christs manhood substantially or of promise to hear us from thence It is idolatrie saith Perkinse to turne dispose or direct the worship of God or any part thereof to any particular place or creature without the appointment of God and more specially to direct our adoration to the bread or the place where the bread is The Theologues and ministers in the Palatinat in their admonition touching the booke of Concord teach us that it is idolatrie to worship God otherwise then he hath commanded that they are guilty of this idolatrie that direct the adoration of God to any other place or creature then God hath commanded that for this cause only these worshipped God aright who in their gesture turned their faces toward the arke where he was preferâ—â— after a singular manner because God had commanded this ceremoniall adoration promising to heare such as worshipped him after that manner But that under the new testament all ceremoniall adoration by turning us to any certaine place or thing is damned In the admonition above mentioned therefore they condemne them as guiltie of as grosse idolatrie who adore Christ in or beside or before the sacramentall bread â—s if he were corporally there as those who falling down before any common bread a stocke or stone would say they adore Christ in it Qui igitur Christum adorant in isto vel apud istum vel coram isto pane tanquam ibi corporaliter praesentem aeque crassam ac Deo displicentem idololatriam admittunt atque is qui coram quovis pane communi aut quovis trunco aut quovis lapid procidens in eo Christum se aederarit dicat They adde as corporally present because these against whom they were writing maintained a corporall presence Our doctour sayeth It is no errour to worship Christs flesh there which must bee understood as present there whither in respect of his personall omnipresence or by imaginarie uâ—ion of the bread and his bodie or that unknown manner of sacramentall presence with which they cloak perhaps a meaning which as yet they think not expedient to professe Kuchlinus disp theolog pag. 597. inferreth out of Ierem. 3. 11. and Iohn 4. 23. likewise that our adoration should not bee directed either in bodie or minde to the altar or the ministers hand Ter Simecdochen enim tollit circumstantiam omnem verti loci ad quem in terris dirigitur adoratio Dei quod ostendit Antithesis manifestè sed in spiritu veritate Yee see then howbeit wee are not tied to direct our adoration at all time to the place where the bread is as the Jewes were toward the arke because it is not alwayes fixed in a certaine place these divines condemne the like manner at whatsoever time we adore before the bread We uncover our heads say they when wee receave the elements why may wee not also kneel I answer first the uncovering of the head is a gesture of reverence only and that only among some nations but not of adoration The Jewes Turkes and Mahometans pray with their heads covered The Grecians and Romanes of old howbeit they walked in publike with uncovered heads except in raine great heat or mourning yet in the service of their Gods they had their heads covered The Europeans this day uncover their heads when they are praying Kneeling is a gesture of adoration among all nations either in civill or religious use Augustine saith Honorat emnis qui adorat no autem adorat omnes quid onorat Every one that doth adore doth honour but not every one that honoureth adoreth Contraserm Arian c. 23. I will not kneel to every one to whom I uncover my head civilly Every one that standeth with his head uncovered in presence of the king is not adoring as he is
the time or to serve God because it is a holy time After I had finished this worke of reexamination there came to my hands some unsound tractats upon the sabbath Whereupon I thought good to insert in this place as the most pertinent this short disconrse following OF THE SABBATH THe light of nature leadeth a man acknowledging that there is a God and to be worshipped to acknowledge also that timâ—s should be set a part for his worship and not onely that but also competent and sufficient times But nature cannot lead us without further direction to setle upon one of the seven dayes more then upon one of eight ten or twelve The Lord set downe one in the circle of seven to bee observed perpetually and universally by all that were to worship him In his wisedome he could best discerne what time might be spared In respect of this perpetuity and universality this determination participateth of the nature of a law morall For this cause it was placed in the decalogue among the precepts purely morall and participated with them of the same prerogatives It was delivered by God himselfe written in tables of stone and preserved in the arke as the rest were The determination of such a seventh day in particular was made also by the Lord. Both the determinations are divine positive the first unchangeable the second changeable but yet only by divine authoritie The ten precepts of the decalogue are called ten words Deut. 4. 13. that is as one expoundeth ten sentences or as Vossius addeth Soultentiae praecipientes preceptive sentences And yet there are fourteene sentences for precepts in the decalogue How then are there but ten words hee answereth there are ten chiefe and principall the rest are secundarie and like appendicles Primum istud in confesso est quamâ—is quatuiordeâ—im inveniantur sententâ—â— in decalogo quibus aliquid praecipiatur tamen decâ—m esse duntaxat primarias principes Caeteras secundarias altarum quasi appendices Vnde Moses decem verba Graci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellarunt In the fourth commandement there are three preceptive sentences The first is the principall Some reason after this manner The Lord saith not Remember thou keepe holy the seventh day but Remember thou keepe holy the sabbath-day and in the end he sanctified the sabbath-day hee saith not that seventh day from the creation howbeit it was so for the time But that seventh was to be changed and the sabbath was to be fixed upon another seventh day But to come nearer to the purpose that this commandement requireth not directly the seventh day from the creation but the seventh day in generall appeareth by the reason which enforceth not necessarly the seventh day from the creation that wee should rest the same day that the Lord rested but that wee should rest from our workes the seventh day as hee rested from his Which seventh as under the law he appointed to be saturday so under the Gospell sunday the substance of the commandement remaining See Master Cartwrights Catechisme But to come yet nearer The Lord might have created the world in six houres as easily as in six dayes Hee might have done it in a moment or have taken eight ten or twelve dayes The Lord would do neither the one nor the other but conformed himselfe to that space of time which in his wisedome he thought sufficient for man to doe all manner of workes of his owne This paterne doth not concerne his peculiar people of the Jewes onely but both Jew and Gentile and not for a time onely but to the end of the world as if the Lord would reason after this manner with mankinde What needed me to have spent six dayes in creating the world for I might have done it in one or wherefore stinted I my selfe at six I might have taken ten you may easily then consider wherefore I have done it I did it that thou may doe the like Do all thy workes and businesse in six dayes and rest the seventh The imitation lieth in this then not so much that wee rest upon such a seventh day as upon a seventh There is equitie in it indeed that seeing the Lord hath granted us six dayes to worke wee should rest the seventh but the force of the reason lieth chiefly in this that the Lord purposly tooke six dayes and rested the seventh to be a paterne to men howbeit with all in setting downe that paterne he considered that equity That the precept concerning the sabbath concerned not the Jewes onely but all mankinde appeareth also by this that it was given to Adam in the beginning Gen. 2. 2 3. Whereas some would have here an anticipâ—tion and the words to be referred to the time when the Lord rained Manna and forbad his people to gather upon the seventh day Exod. 16. as if the sabbath had never beene institute or observed before This were a strange anticipation to make mention of the blessing and sanctifying the seventh day without so much as an inckling of the proper time which is assigned by them which fell not forth till 2453 yeares or thereabout after the weake of the creation Next the words are knit together by the same copulative with the present historie Hee ended his worke on the seventh day and herested on the seventh day and he blessed the seventh day and he sanctified it The blessing and sanctifying then were not destinate to bee done 2453 yeares or thereabout afterwards but presently when he had ended all his worke of creation hee blessed and sanctified that is by blessing sanctified that is separate to a holy use as the minister blesseth when he separateth bread and wine from a common to an holy use at the Lords suppeâ— Or he blessed and sanctified that is praised it and sanctified For the originall word signifieth also praising or rejoycing as Gomarus himselfe bringeth exemple of praising out of Psal. â—8 27. And Philo Judaeus expresseth it by praising Every dayes workes had the owne commendation but now looking upon the whole frame the order and harmonie of it he rejoyced and praâ—sed it and sanctified that day After he had perfited the worke in six dayes he added honour to the seventh day following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Philo â—udaeus that is Which when hee had praised or commended incontinent hee deinzed to call it holy as Gelenius translateth Further there is no mention of blessing the seventh day Exod. 16. Gomarus alledgeth that twice as much Manna fell on the sixt day as upon any other day there is no warrant for it but onely that they were commanded to gather twice as much that day Suppose his conjectute were true that were a blessing of the sixt day and not of the seventh But as I have said there is no mention of blessing in that place But so it is thâ—t when he blessed he sanctified And seeing wee reade not that he blessed it when he ceased from raining
very well to the observation of thâ— Lords day When the universall Church observeth any thing that none might appoâ—nt but God and yet nowhere is it found written it behoveth to averre that it was delivered by Christ and his Apâ—stles Anotâ—eâ— rule What the universall Church hath observed at all â—â—mes before justly we may beleeve that it was in 〈…〉 Apostles howbeit it bee of â—uch a qualitie as 〈…〉 iâ—stituted by the Church To this purpâ—seâ—â— quoteth Augâ—stine lib. 4. contra Donatist as cap. 23 These are the words That which the universall Châ—rch 〈◊〉 and hath not beene instituted by Councels but ever maintaâ—ned is to be beleevâ—d in all 〈◊〉 reason not to have been ordained by oâ—her power then the apostoâ—ique authoriâ—â— Quod universateâ— eccleâ—â—a nec conciâ—iis instituâ—â—â— sed sempâ—r â—â—tentum non nisi authoritate apâ—stâ—ica traâ—dituâ— certissime creditur But seeing the ordinances of the Apostles were of two sorts Some were temporarie and to endure onely for a time as abstinence from bloud and strangled which was enjoyned only for avoiding the offence of the weake Jewes others were to bee observed constantly Of this sort was the observation of the Lords day Experience hath proved the perpetuall observation of it hitherto and no reason can bee given wherefore it should bee changed hereafter as I shall show It were superfluous to cite the testimonies of divines referring the institution of this day to the Apostles Walaeus hath quoted a number dissertat pag. 165. After hee hath laid downe his reasons consenting with them in judgement hee concludeth that the first day of the weeke was substituted to the sabbath by the Apostles not onely by an ordinarie power such as all pastours have to order rites meerly indifferent in their Churches but by a singular power as by such as had inspection over the whole Church and to whom as to extraordinarie office-bearers was concredit to be faithfull not onely to deliver certaine precepts of faith and manners but also of comely order in the Church Vt quis dies in septimana ex vi anal gia quarti praecepti esset servandus ne dissâ—nsio aut confusio ex eo inter ecclesias oriretur omnibus ubique Christianis constaret as that it might bee knowne to all Christians what day in the weeke is to bee observed by vertue and analogie of the fourth precept least dissention or confusion should arise there about 〈◊〉 the Churches He citeth other divines concluding likewise that the Apostles being guided by the holy Ghost substituted the Lords day in place of the Jewish 〈◊〉 bath But others referre the institution to Christ himselfe which is more likely for after his resurrection hee appeared sundry times taught the Apostles things pertaining to the kingdome of God that is the instruction and government of his Church and gave them commandements Act. 1. 23. These commandements and instructions they delivered after to the Churches and set them downe in their canonicall writes Next Christ himselfe appeared the day of his resurrection five times At the third appearance hee appeared to the two disciples going to Emaus at which time hee celebrated the holy supper according to the judgement of great divines At the fifth appearance he appeared to all the disciples save Thomas who were conveened together before Then he gave them commission to goe and teach all nations and in conferring his spirit hee breathed upon them John 20. Mark 16. Eight dayes after that is the eighth day after as Luke 2. 21. when eight dayes were accomplished for the circumcision of the childe that is when the childe was circumcised upon the eight day Christ appeared againe and Thomas was present at which time he cured his unbeliefe It would appeare their meeting was not frequent at other times and that Christ appeared purposly at that time And therefore it is likely that every eight day after ordinarily they conveened and Christ appeared unto them wherein that great divine Junius is confident Die ipso resurrectionis octavo quoque die usque dum in coelos ascendit apparuit discâ—pulis in conventum eorum venit At last upon the Pentecost which fell upon the eight day that is the first day of the weeke that yeare Christ sent downe the holy Ghost in the likenesse of firie tongues upon the Apostles conveened together There is no speciall time noted for any of Christs apparitions but the first and eighth day which seemeth to be done of purpose Therefore Cyrillus lib. 12. in 〈…〉 8. willeth us to observe that the Evangelist is noâ— content with a simple narration but addeth carefully after eight dayes and all being gathered together in one place The Lords day could not have beene observed so long as Christ remained upon the earth without his direction And this appeareth to be one of the commandements which he gave them Eusebius ascribeth the institution of this day to Christ advancing Christ above all the great poteâ—tats of the Gentiles who could not prescrive to all the inhabitants of the earth to conveene every weeke and observe the Lords day as Christ did Athanâ—sius cited by White pag. 78. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord hath changed â—r translated it meaning the sabbath into the Lords day The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may as well import that it was so called because the Lord was the authour and institutour of it as because it was instituted for the honour and worship of our Lord. As the Lords prayer is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords prayer because the Lord was the authour of it Zanchius is of opinion that when the Lord blessed the seventh day the sonne of God spent that whole day in instructing Adam and Eva exercising them in the worship of God and admonishing them to teach their posteritie to doe the like for it beloved Adam to understand the sanctification of that day which the Lord had blessed and sanctified Wee have farre greater reason to thinke being certaine that Christ was here on earth appearing to his disciples at sundrie times from the day of his resurrection till the day of his ascension and instructing them in things belonging to his Church that hee instructed them in this point also Yea yee see hee conveened with them and in a manner observed it also Whither Christ himselfe instituted the observation of this day or the Apostles by the inspiration of the Spirit the authoritie is divine For howsoever Bellarmine distinguisheth traditions in divine and apostolicall the distinction is but imaginarie saith Junius in his answer and Bellarmine himselfe acknowledgeth that the apostolicall traditions in respect of the assistance of the spirit may be called also divine howbeit they were not delivered immediatly by Christ himselfe Tratitiones verè apostolice sunt divinae saith Polanus Beza in his great annotations upon Apocal. 1. 10. calleth it Apostolicam verè divinam traditionem Atradition truely divine howbeit Apostolicall Cornelius