go out to seek for it 2. If it were not lawfull to go out on the Sabbath day how was it that some found in the Wildernesse a man gathering sticks and yet they blamelesse They went out else had they not found him Num. 15. 32 33. Yea if it so fell out upon the Sabbath day there were causes of going out of their houses Deut. 23. 10 12 13. 3. Though this gathering of Mannah seem to this man to be done without paines it s not so for it was not at their doores as he saith but on the outside about the host on the face of the Wildernesse Exod. 16. 13 14. so as they must go abroad for it neither was it without paines to gather an Omer for every one of such a small thing as it was like to Coriander seed Vers 31. 4. But grant it had been so yet know that to labour for food was in the nature of a weekly servile work so that here is prohibited the six dayes labour for bodily necessaries which they had then no need to do II. He saith that the Israelites were to prepare their Mannah to bake and seeth what they would on the sixt day that so they might prevent that labour on the Sabbath day Exod. 16. 23. So they might not belike dresse and make ready any food on the rest day Answ 1. The words in Vers 23. do not undeniably imply that that which remained over and above their baking and seething was baken and sodden with the rest but rather the contrary as thus bake what you will bake and seeth what you will to day and that which remaineth over to wit not baken nor sodden lay it up for you to be kept untill the morrow for Moses said nor seeth and bake all and so reserve some for to morrow but bake and seeth what you will of it which implyeth that some was not baked and sodâ—en 2. Albeit he seemeth necessarily to inferre because Moses said next day eate that to day to wit which was reserved and had no wormes in it nor stanke Verse 24 25. that it was baken or sodden over night But if it had been so the miracle had not been so great for that which the people did reserve without warrant and had wormes and stank was as they gathered it and not either baken or sodden for any thing that can be gathered out of the text Again the only bare mentioning of eating doth not inferre their not baking or seething more then the bare naming of the peoples baking and seething will inferre their not before grinding of it of which not a word there in the text It s most like that which remained over was ground with the rest either in Mills or beaten in Mortars as they used to do Num. 11. 8. and so the Meal thereof was reserved to be baken or sodden the next day which if so they abstained from no other work then servile as we do from carrying our Corn to the Mill to be ground of the Millerd which is his weeks dayes labour 3. But grant all this to be so yet this was but for the time of the Mannab let him prove that it was so in Canaan my instances before do shew the contrary Nor was this preparation but about the Mannab because it required such labour in the Mill and Mortar to make it ready a servile work not fit for the Sabbath being so much for so many Thousands III. He alleadgeth Exod. 35. 3. That they were prohibited to kindle a fire throughout all their habitations on their Sabbath day Exod. 35. 3. Answ 1. Consider that this Commandement was given some space of time after the giving of the Law in which space they making a fire they offended not and therefore this strictnesse was not from the nature of the fourth Commandement it self 2. This inhibition must be understood of kindling a fire for work forbidden to be done on the Sabbath day for else there is no Coherence of this Verse with the former in which Moses doth tell them that God would have no six dayes work done on the Sabbath to wit servile Therefore for this end not to kindle a fire 3. Some hold this Commandement to concern only making of fire for the furtherance of the Work of the Tabernacle For therefore is here the Sabbath mentioned to shew that the Work of the Tabernacle should give place to the Sâ—bbath 4. Learned men both Protestants and Papists hold that to kindle a fire was not simply forbidden for being a negative precept it should not have admitted at any time the making of a fire in any of their habitations Is it like that in Winter they never made fire on their Sabbath The season was sometime cold in that Countrey as we may reade John 18. 18. And what a Feast was that to which Christ went on the Sabbath day Luk. 14. 1. may it be supposed there was no fire Lastly note that had this been a durable precept these words had been added to it a Statute for ever throughout your generations as we may see of forbidding work in Levit. 23. 31 and it was usuall in a durable Law to adde the word Exod 12. 14. 17. 24. for ever for which many other texts may be produced which is wanting here as but temporary IV. He bringeth forth the punishment of him that gathered sticks on the Sabbath day Num. 15. 32 36. Answ 1. That here one was found gathering of sticks upon the Sabbath day and brought before authority for it and his sentence was to dye and he was stoned to death cannot be denied But that it hence is to be collected that therefore it was an exact strictnesse imposed upon Israel by the fourth Commandement not so much as to gâ—ther sticks upon the Sabbath day rest to be proved For 1. The fourth Commandement it self is affirmative and not negative and therefore necessarily inferreth not the forbidding of such an act for ever to the Israelites 2. The words in the directory Thou shalt do no work are with a restriction as I have proved 3. It is manifest that the most zealous for the Sabbath have had meate dressed then flesh-meate and whither that Nehe. 5. 58. could be without fire and fire without wood stickes or bones or some other fewell let any judge 4. There was no prohibition for such a work before set down expressely and therefore they knew not what to do till they asked Councell of the Lord concerning him 5. This mans sin was great before God it appeareth by the greatest punishment inflicted upon him as was stoneing to death in Israel but how came it to be so not simply in breach of the fourth Commandement but it was as learned men hold a presumptuous sin a great sin for such a one despiseth the Word and reproacheth God Num. 15. 30 31. Now that he sinned presumptuously it is so to be judged 1. By the Connexion of the Story for Moses having set down a Law
not then to have done and therefore was diswaded from it but goe hee would his way was over a bridge on which when he came a puffe of wind blew his hat into the river which he seeking to recover by going into the river both he and his horse were drowned nor could he be found till fishes had foulely devoured his flesh The Magdeburgenses report that a husbandman grinding his corne on the Lords day the meale was set on fire And it is knowne to many that a Millers wife setting her Mill on going and she busie in her Mill on the Lords day in the morning the Mill-house fell upon her and kild her of which by the fall of a Stone there but a few dayes or but a week before shee had a faire warning given yet not making good use of it she there ended her dayes Fourteene youths adventuring to play at foot-ball upon the river of Trent on the Sabbath day when it was as they thought hard frozen meeting together in a shove the Ice brake and they were all drowned I might here rehearse many more casuall judgements of many sorts which have hapned upon such as have prophaned this day Fires have beene kindled it not being known how in time of peoples ryoting on this day which burnt downe many houses Some in one place some in another on this day some going out to swimme have beene drowned Some riding to merriments which commonly neglect divine service have fallen from their horses and broken their necks More of this kinde might be rehearsed but let mee conclude with the words of the Authour of the Practice of Piety If these be not sufficient to terrifie thy heart from the wilfull prophanation of the Lords day proceed on in thy prophanation it may bee the Lord will make thee the next example to teach others to keep his Sabbaths better CHAP. XXVII Of objections which may be or are made against the produceing of Judgements in this case with answers thereto AS mens understanding leadeth them so are their hearts affected more or lesse seeme the thing never so dreadfull or terrifying to our common apprehensions as I finde in this particular case Some reject these and other like relations as fabulous and so give no credit to them holding them perhaps for Piae fraudes as formerly were the Popish legends to move feare in peoples hearts with telling of tales These fore-mentioned examples are none such it is a foule sinne to bely God nor need his cause any lies to strengthen it we live now in a clearer light than to be led away altogether with fabulous relations Others because some of the judgements seeme casuall and so commonly held in this very respect make a tush at the allegation of them But however some be apprehended as casuall many being immediate from God none but the Heathen Philistimes Priests will judge them meere chances And for such as be casuall let us consider that a Sparrow cannot light on the ground without the will and providence of our heavenly Father And are the haires of our head numbred Certainly then things which seeme most contingent and such acts as these judged so casuall must needs fall out by the will of God and the guidance of his speciall providence and his divine hand And therefore not to bee lightly passed over with a tush and slighted as a meere accident without due observation and use Some think that there is not much heed to be taken of these judgements concerning this day for that the selfe same may bee found to fall out at other times and other holydayes And therefore nothing can be concluded more peculiarly for this day than for any other from these judgements No doubt but it may so happen and fall out that a Drunkard may fall from his horse and break his neck aswell on any other holy day as on the Lords day A Cudgel-player may on another day be hurt and have his eye struck out as well as on this day One may kill another houses may bee on fire and men by swimming may bee drowned aswell at other times as on the Lords day The like accidents may fall alike at all times for God though he punish the prophanation of his owne day with his judgements yet he reserves not any speciall judgements to be inflicted upon Sabbath-breakers as peculiar to them for that sinne For if so men would not thus dispute the case and sleight the argument for the judgement would clearely decide the controversie and put men to silence But as I have said the same punishments may light upon all sorts of offenders alike at any time Neverthelesse wee may not neglect to take good notice of Gods hand not only in generall to conceive where such hurts and harms happen that there is sinne which hath procured it upon such persons as vaine and ill disposed for we are to judge otherwise of afflictions on the Godly which happen upon a Job for triall but also to endeavour to finde out the sinne in particular in a sober search and godly humility And thus much must we doe for the work of Conscience which stirreth not upon an only generality but upon knowledge of this or that particular sinne applyed home to our selves upon the breach of some precept Thus shall we instruct our selves by observing judgements to take heed of particular sinnes Now to finde out the sinne and the sinner in his sinne which God pointeth out by his hand upon him 1 Enquire into the transgression of the Law for by it commeth the knowledge of sinne which is the transgression of the Law upon this ground we cannot misse of the sinne 2 In the next place ponder seriously all the concurring circumstances concerning the punishment happening And here note 1 The notorious qualities of the person upon whom the judgement lights whether he be a common swearer drunkard fornicator a despiser of holy duties or grossely carelesse of them 2 What evill he was saying or doing when the punishment befell him 3 Where hee was in what place prohibited 4 His intention discovered to be nought ungodly or unjust 5 How he did or speake in an evill manner Lastly the time is very considerable when any such thing was done at what time the judgement hapned By all these concurring circumstances duely weighed with mature deliberation the divine hand may be observed very usefully even in common and such as be called casuall accidents As for instance A May-pole set up on the Lords day falleth and killeth one one is set up upon a holy day in time of divine service which killeth another as instances may be given The first hapneth for the prophanation of the day because they brake the divine ordinance of God who hath appointed the observation and keeping holy of the day The other for the prophane contempt of Gods divine service on that other day To play at foot-ball on the Sunday the example is fearfull of fourteene drowned together playing on the ice
men for profanation of the Sabbath and the contempt of that his holy institution Here I might annex the Patriarch Noah his observation of the number of seven againe and againe in sending out the Dove Gen. 8. 10. 12. and likewise being come out of the Arke in his sacrificing an acceptable offering to God on the seven and twentieth day of the Month in which hee came forth Gen. 8. 14. 20. 25. like enough to bee the observation of the first Sabbath in the new world so let me conceive it till any can shew me plainely the contrarie Howsoever it was we see the number of seven was observed herein by him as being mindfull of the seventh day of Gods resting and sanctifying it for a Sabbath For I would faine know why the number of seven should bee so observed of God and holy men not only by Noah but by Abraham in some cases except it were to minde them of Gods seventh day the first time of the mention of seventh which God so blessed and sanctified in making the seventh day his resting day As for the conceit of perfection in the number of seven I conceive it to bee without ground of Scripture except with relation to Gods seventh day blessed and sanctified 4 Saint Paul in Heb. 4. speaketh of Gods rest on the seventh day when God finished his work and of the participation of that rest as Bishop Lakes saith two wayes Typically and Spiritually the first by Ioshua giving the Israelites rest in Canaan and the second by Christ a rest from sinne here and a spirituall blessednesse hereafter The Apostle telleth us that an entrance was made into the seventh daies rest instituted by God when hee had finished his work and rested thereon into which man entred and rested as also did the Israelites into the Typicall rest by Ioshua and so doe the Israelites of God into the spirituall rest by Jesus Christ Now as wee Christian beleevers doe partake of our rest and as the Israelite beleevers enjoyed the Typicall rest so did the holy Patriarches and Fathers enjoy the seventh day Sabbaths rest and kept that rest for to what purpose else is that first rest mentioned 5 Genebrad in his Chron. saith that the Hebrewes held that Noah and the rest of the Fathers did keep the Sabbath once sanctified by God and citeth Rabbi Iohai Pater Rabbi Simeonis Rabbi Moses Hadarsan and Rabbi Salomò Aben Esra on Exod. 20. is also of this judgement 6 It is most cleare that God gave to the holy men of God his Lawes to live by his Charge his Commandements his Statutes and his Lawes and they observed them so it is said of Abraham the prime Patriarch who also was acquainted therewith Gen. 26. 5. The godly were followers of good things walking with God Gen. 5. 22. and 6. 9. They vexed at the sinfull courses of men 2 Pet. 2. 8. 9. They preached against their impieties Iude 14. 15. 1 Pet. 3. 20. and God threatned destruction to the world therefore Gen. 6. 3 7. and accordingly did destroy them Gen. 7. 19. Now if God gave his Lawes and reproved sinne and punished sinne would hee amongst these his Lawes the particulars whereof are not mentioned suffer his first institution his blessed and sanctified seventh day Sabbath to bee unthought of and to bee neglected May wee reasonably think that the godly having received other Lawes and observed and kept them as the Text sayth they did that they would carelessely omit to observe this institution of the Sabbath amongst those his Lawes Statutes and Commandements 7 Before any feast mentioned by Gods appointment Moses and Aaron and the Elders of the people Exod. 3. 18. could speak of a feast to be kept unto the Lord before Pharaoh Exod. 5 1. on which they were to offer sacrifices unto the Lord verse 3. Now what Festivall day could this bee but the seventh day Sabbath for as yet no other Festivalls were instituted Therefore how ever it was that in Egypt perhaps in time of their cruell bondage and only towards the end of it they could not observe the Sabbath this hinders not to apply it to the Sabbath because Moses spake to Pharaoh in the terme of a Feast and Sacrifice because it was better understood of Pharaoh than if peradventure hee had mentioned the name Sabbath which they might keep in Egypt in the dayes of those Kings which knew Ioseph before the extremity of their bondage 8 The fourth Commandement and all words thereto added telleth us that the Sabbath day was kept holy before the time that it was written in the Tables of Stone First the prefixed Memento telleth us so much that it was before observed and God would still have it carefully kept for the Memento hath respect unto the time past Secondly the manner of this delivery of this Commandement may perswade us to this for the other Commandements are uttered imperatively so as they inforce the dutie as in the fifth Commandement Honour thy Father and Mother the duty charged is Honour and in the other Commandements the sin is forbidden as Thou shalt not take my name in vaine Thou shalt doe no murther and so of the rest But now in the fourth Commandement the Lord falleth not upon the maine of the precept as to say keep holy the Sabbath day but the imperative speech is laid upon the word Remember saying Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy cleane otherwise than in any other of the rest of the precepts and the reason hereof is for that hee had before instituted it and it had been before observed of the Israelites as in the next reason is clearely proved Therefore hee sayth not keep holy the Sabbath as now instituted but thus Remember to keep holy the Sabbath as if hee had said as it hath been before observed of you and still to bee kept holy Thirdly all the principall words annexed to the Commandement tell us of no new thing then imposed but what was well enough known and made use of before as first six dayes for labour they were allowed before Exod. 16. 4. 5. Secondly the seventh day to be the Sabbath this also in plain words Moses had taught them Exod. 16 23. 26. Thirdly of the Lord their God which they knew from Abrahams dayes Gen. 17. 7. and by Moses in Egypt Exod. 6. 7. Fourthly That in it they should not doe any manner of work this they were forewarned of Exod. 16. 29. and some were reproved for offending vers 28. Fiftly that in six dayes God made heaven and earth c. This was evident of old time unto the Fathers Gen. 24. 3. 7. And lastly that hee rested the seventh day blessed and hallowed the Sabbath Gods owne words of the institution Gen. 2. 2. 3. So that we see it clear from the fourth Commandement and the words thereto annexed that this Law was known practised before it was given in Horeb. 9 And lastly to make up all sure Moses telleth us in
plain words that the seventh day Sabbath was kept Exod. 16. 30. and that the people rested on the seventh day which he saith was a Sabbath to the Lord verse 25. the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord verse 23. Now this Text being so cleare that it cannot be denied except one dare say Moses lyed Some have endeavoured to darken the truth and to becloud the antiquitie of the Sabbath in the former institution and use thereof by being pleased to vent their erroneous conception and to say but without any ground of reason that this Chapter Exod. 16. speaketh of the first institution of the Sabbath But for answer hereto I doe deny that any such institution can here be proved and to make this cleare looke into the Text and observe two things first what God spake secondly what God did to finde an institution first God himselfe spake of giving of Manna also of gathering a certaine rate every day and on the sixth day twice as much verse 4. 5. 23. but in all this chapter God speaks not so much as one word of the seventh day Sabbath nor doth he say that hee blessed or sanctified it nor doth Moses write any such thing of God in this chapter as he speaketh of Gods resting blessing and sanctifying it in Gen. 2. 3. as hee should have done if any anticipation were there with relation to this place secondly what God spake in verse 28. is implicitly of the Sabbath first wrapping it up among his Commandements and Lawes given before this time to them and their Fathers so farre is he from instituting a Sabbath in this place Secondly he reproveth them for the breach of it as already commanded before with other his Commandements and precepts there mentioned Now if God spake no words of the Sabbath but what the people were to doe in six dayes and especially on the sixth God passing by the very naming of the seventh day and where he speaketh of it implicitly it is only by way of reproofe to the people for transgressing and breaking of it How can here be the institution of the Sabbath seeing God doth not so much as name it but reproves the breach of it which implyeth it to have beene before this time else should he have reproved them for a transgression and a sin whereof there was no Law Next let us see what Gods acts were whether they will afford an institution First hee gave them the Manna vers 15. but this blessing was only on the six working dayes what is this to the institution of the Sabbath truly no more than his six dayes work in the Creation for the institution of the seventh day for a Sabbath Secondly he preserved the Manna gathered on the sixth day in the morning from breeding of wormes and from stinking being kept over night to bee eaten on the seventh day what is this to the institution of the day The blessing was not the blessing of the day but of the eating of the Manna on the Sabbath day for which cause God did preserve it that they might keep the Sabbath before this time blessed and sanctified Gen. 2. 3. Thus we see that neither by any words of God nor by his deeds can here bee proved the seventh dayes institution for the Sabbath Secondly let us see what may bee gathered from Moses for institution of the Sabbath here in this time True it is that hee nameth the seventh day three or or foure times in this Chapter which he saith was the Sabbath but not as an institution neither could Moses institute the Sabbath for what God here did not he could not doe but he mentioneth here the Sabbath 1 As a reason why hee approved the peoples act in gathering on the sixth day two Omers because the next day the morrow after was the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord Exod. 16. 23. Here is no institution nor reason alleadged for it as in Gen. 2. 3. but it is brought as a reason for a thing of another nature to approve of the collection of a double rate of Manna on the sixth day 2 He nameth it againe in verse 25. but occasioned by the Manna which was that they should eat the reserved Manna for that none was to be found that day in the fields because it was the Sabbath day on which they were to rest So here is a reason why they should not goe and seek Manna but to eat what was gathered before but no institution of the day but an appointment of the meanes used for to rest on the day formerly instituted 3 Hee mentioneth it againe in verse 26. to the same purpose to keep them within on the seventh day Sabbath because six dayes the Lord would give it them to gather but on the seventh day Sabbath there should none be found which words make no institution but are an information for the preventing of the breach of the Sabbath 4 He nameth it in verse 29. upon the Lords reproving them for the breach of the Sabbath by some going forth to seek Manna contrary to so much fore-warning given by Moses whereupon Moses dealeth a little more roundly with them as a man having authority saying See for the Lord hath given you the Sabbath therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two dayes abide yee every man in his place let no man goe out of his place on the Sabbath day In these words Moses first commands every man to abide within and that none should goe out to seek it on the seventh day These be the only words of any Command about the Sabbath in this chapter which doe not institute the day but serve only to prevent the peoples sinning any more in going out to seek it as they had done Secondly Moses giveth two reasons for his so strict a charge laid upon them which he would have them to see and consider of for the better restraining of themselves from the breach of the Sabbath The first is from Gods grace and favour that he had given them the Sabbath And the other is that he allowed them on the sixth day the bread of two dayes Where out of these words let us observe two things The first is that the mentioning of the Sabbath commeth only in still occasionally concerning the Manna and not of purpose to institute a Sabbath but wholly in all the foure places it is spoken of either of gathering the double rate of Manna or of the eating the Manna reserved or of gathering Manna on every of the six dayes or of tarrying within and not to goe out to seek it when it was not to be found and all this to this end that the Sabbath might be kept more carefully of the people as the event plainly sheweth For upon these considerations about the Manna the people harkened to Moses and did rest on the seventh day verse 30. The second thing wherewith I will and may conclude my answer is that which may satisfie
from God against presumptuous transgressions Num. 15. 30 31. He bringeth this for an instance thereof immediately Verse 32. 2. Because he sinned against two accessory precepts concerning the Sabbath The one that none should go out on that day about worldly businesse as to labour for food Exod. 16. 29. The other that none should kindle a fire then Exod. 35. 3. Now Contrary to these this man went out into the Wildernesse to gather sticks no doubt to kindle a fire Therefore he sinned against the first in going forth about such a businesse and in his intention to kindle and make a fire against the second therefore his sin was great while these two accessory precepts stood in force But these being not perpetuall this punishment on him proveth not the point of such a precise strictnesse of the fourth Commandement to be ever observed of the Israelites V. And lastly He bringeth in the holy women followers of Christ who would not annoint Christs body on the Sabbath day but rested from that work as the Text saith according to the Commandement as thinking themselves bound to so precise an observation by the Commandement Answ I These words according to the Commandement may be thus expounded that is as they understood it by the Jewes interpretation superstitiously For these godly women being trained up by the then Doctors of the Church observed the Sabbath as they had learned it from them And albeit the work was to the honour of Christ yet for that it was not of necessity to be done on that day nor at all in respect of Christs body but only a Custome for an honourable buriall therefore they did rest from doing that work on that day II. Take the rest according to the true meaning of the Commandement which imposed rest this their rest was according to the Commandement and in that they did not this work it was according to the Commandement forbidding servile work as the words in the Directory are to be understood For they could not annoint him but they must first buy their spices and oyntments which they might not do buying and selling on the Sabbath being forbidden That they could not buy them on the Fryday as we speak is evident For it was late ere Christs body was taken from the Crosse at even Matth. 27. 57. then they did awaite to see his buriall Luk. 23. 55. in which space the Sabbath was come on for they reckoned from the Evening to the Evening and therefore stayed they till after the Sabbath to buy them Mark 16. 1. Thus we see his proofes no proofes to argue any precise strictnesse in the words Thou shalt do no work more to them then to us by the Law SECTION XXI Of the reason added unto the Directory with the Conclusion THe Lord himself addeth a reason unto his former words why he giveth us Six dayes and reserveth the Seventh to himself for that in six dayes he made all things and rested the Seventh day In which words he layeth down as an unalterable ground of apportionating time between God and us which is his own example of working six dayes and resting the Seventh in the beginning of the world which as they be past and irrevocable so is this portioning of time between him and us to be perpetuall else were his example thus propounded in his Donation and reservation to no purpose He in this dividing of the dayes of the week thus between him and us reflected upon himself looked onely to what himself had done and so gave so many dayes to us and reserved onely one to himself Now what can be more permanent than Gods own self in his own irrevocable Acts from the worlds beginning to be laid for the foundation of this his thus apportioning the week to us The Lord our God having thus laid down before them his unchangeable reservation of the Seventh day for himself after his irrevocable gift of six dayes to us he concludeth with these words Wherefore the Lord blessed the Seventh day and sanctified it It s agreed on all hands that here are the words of the Institution of the Sabbath not one of the late Writers gainsayeth this that I have read or heard of The main of the Controversie is that here is say they the first Institution the ground of the Prolepsis in Gen. 2. 2. and we say they be a repetition of the Institution laid down before in that place of Genesis where no Prolepsis is For as the Lord here in the former words repeateth what he did in six dayes and that he rested the seventh day so he repeateth his Institution of the Sabbath then what he did with the day on which he rested that is because he had finished all his work in six dayes and rested the seventh day he blessed and sanctified it to shew them here by this 1. The Antiquity of the Sabbath day from the beginning 2. The Stability thereof also grounded so upon Gods rest not alterable 3. Why he charged the Commandement of keeping holy the Sabbath day upon them among the other Precepts and that also with a Memento above any of the rest For in the repetition here of the Institution the Lord keepeth the word Sabbath in the Commandement saying He blessed the Sabbath day and not as commonly we read it he blessed the Seventh day lest any should make that individuall Seventh day on which God rested to be of the substance of the Commandement which God in his wisdom let it be well observed left out in the Precept and here again in the repetition of the Institution and onely nameth the Sabbath what Seventh day soever it be either that for the time or another in the room of it which Sabbath is the blessed and hallowed day of the Lord and so to be accounted of for ever as appeareth by all that hath been said if men be not disposed to wrangle against the truth From all which is before delivered it s very apparent that this fourth Commandement is no way Ceremoniall True taking it in an indefinite notion commanding the sanctifying of one day in seven but a permanent Law to the worlds end and not Ceremoniall as in the following Sections I shall make it manifest SECTION XXII The Arguments to prove it Ceremoniall answered MEn disposed to wipe out this Commandement out of the Decalogue fain would make it Ceremoniall but their arguments brought for this purpose are of no validity They say it was Ceremoniall I. For the exact strictnesse of it which they have imagined but I have proved it to be onely an imagination For that strict observation which was kept was but for a time and from accessory Commandements not from the fourth Commandement it self II. In their keeping of that seventh day But the Seventh day is not of the substance of the Commandement and a seventh day is proved to be perpetuall Nor was the seventh in the first Institution Ceremoniall And the Church observeth still a Seventh day III.
1 Pet. 4. 17. it is used for any kinde of punishment which God infflicts upon men for sin In this later sense the evill befalling the Sabbath-breakers is a judgement and a due deserved punishment as the word is expounded by the learned in Gal. 5. 10. Shall not fire from heaven thundering and lightning by which some have been killed be held a judgement was not the fall of Paris-gardens Scaffold which hurt and kild so many a judgement These and other evils hapning such as be before mentioned have been held to be judgements and why any should deny them to be so now they give no reason nor indeed can they if they take the word judgement aright as in this case some Opposites doe who affirme that irreligious contempt of Gods ordinances appointed on this day by the Church and law of the Land may pull down Gods judgements yea that if this day were changed into another there would be as exemplarie judgments of God from heaven against this kinde of ungodlinesse of men as ever were in any ages upon the Lords day It is no shame we see to call them judgements And we may without shame say that these evils befell them for prophaning the Lords day and not keeping it holy Our Church in the Homily and in the fore-mentioned exhortation the Fathers in that Synod and learned men have averred as much whose affirmation may be opposed to any private mans negation if we had no reason to strengthen the assertion But is it not granted that the prophanation of the day is a grievous sin And doth not the fourth Commandement impose a morall dutie which is to keep holy the day of rest The sanctification of the day is imposed upon us and this are we pressed to remember Let the day be what it will appointed by divine authoritie as our Lords day is acknowledged to be wee are to keep it holy To keep the day set apart by a divine institution holy is the maine substance of the fourth Commandement and a morall dutie And therefore the not keeping holy the Lords day but polluting it is a sinne against the fourth Commandement and the breach of a morall dutie and therefore for this did the evills befall those that prophaned the day But some will peradventure say that it was the prophanation and irreligious contempt of Gods ordinances appointed upon this day by our Church and the lawes of â—he land sinnes highly provoking Gods wrath 〈◊〉 brought such evils upon them It may be so for vaine and prophane enough are 〈◊〉 persons with whom the Lord is displeased who may adde one sinne to another to the prophaning of the day an irreligious dis-regard of holy duties with disâ—bedience to Authoritie but this sinne maketh not the other to â—â— no cause of the evills hapning to them but serveth rather the more to aggravate the other sinne and so more speediâ—y to hasten their judgement And to this some it may be will adde an other cause to wit the licentiousnesse of such as have bin punished swarving from those dirrections limitation prescribed to them I will not deny this neither for certaine it is that almost all the instances which lately have beene given are of those which have runne out beyond their bounds in the Declaration and no marvell for such as care not for Gods Commandements will easily transgresse the limits prescribed by man But yet here is no discord in the assignment of the cause of their punishment the prophanation of the day for in one and the same action where God is dis-obeyed the Church dis-regared and authority neglected and for all this together the parties punished yet the principall cause is the sinne against God as in this cause it is cleare enough Neverthelesse some cannot peradventure be satisfied with all this that it is lawfull to apply these judgements to particular persons except certaine rules be observed herein such as themselves lay downe for guidance in the same These rules I will write downe and then give answer to them as I may The rules which I finde laid downe for this purpose are these following 1 Rule We must have either extraordinary revelation of the punishments for the sinne of which now there is no expectation in the wise or immediately by the word wee must find those particular sins threatned with those particular judgements which we see to be executed upon them Sometime we finde in Scripture particular judgements threatned for some particular sinnes which some have committed and beene punished for But there be above a thousand sinnes mentioned in Scripture and five hundred of them without any particular threatning added This rule is not alwayes observable Wee see severall kindes of punishments inflicted for some particular sinnes which were not threatned before to light upon the offenders Uzziah for attempting to offer incense was smitten with an incuble Leprosie Nadab and Abihu were burnt with fire from heaven for their sinne Ananias and Saphira for their lying to the Holy Ghost kild immediately in the place Jeroboams arme withered for stretching it out against the Prophet Amaziah for silencing a Prophet given over to seck his owne overthrow Judas for betraying Christ left to be his owne executioner Herod eaten with wormes for his finne yet none of these particular judgements were threatned for these particular sinnes What therefore though we have no threatning that God would punish prophanesse on this day with such particular judgements as have befallen them must we not think those evills to have happened to them for that sinne A sinne deserves punishment but what way and how God will punish that hee reserves to himselfe and seldome hath revealed it though sometimes as we see by Nathan to David 2 Sam. 12. 11 12. and by Moses to the Israelites against Korah and his company Numb 16. 30. 2 Rule That which we suppose to be punished must bee truly and indeed a sinne and not a point disputable but recreations on the Lords day whether lawfull or unlawfull are disputable and therefore without unsufferable arrogancy we cannot apply the evils happening as judgements for sin No truth is so cleare but by agitation siding and exercise of wit may become disputable This might bee shewed in many things evident enough till they come into question The morality of the fourth Commandement was heretofore very manifest and the keeping holy the Sabbath day was of the morality and the not-keeping holy the Sabbath day but polluting it was a sinne The Lord in the old Testament threatned to punish and did severely punish the breach of that Law and the same sinne hee yet punisheth in some though not in all that prophane the Lords day observed of us Christians as our Christian Sabbath as hath been proved If these judgements come not for the prophanation of the day as before I shewed it hath been acknowledged wherefore hath God so long and so often laid his hand on many If God be not provoked to anger hee
thankfulnesse to the uttermost of our power withall our hearts mindes soules and strength to serve him and to take the benefit of such times as bee set apart for his glroy and worship and to be taken up therein with spirituall delight in such service to the Lord our God For grace is more binding by the Gospel upon the regenerate than the Law can bee forceable upon naturall men If therefore the Law doth not admit of idle sports on the Sabbath then much lesse the Gospel which doth more enlarge our hearts with the love of Christ and more forceably takes us off from making any provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof if in truth it be powerfully in us 6 All sports and pastimes on the Lords day are to be forborne whilst the lawfulnesse and unlawfulnesse is in question by the most judicious and greatest Divines at home and abroad and the same not decided for lawfull by any of the Fathers Councells or Synods but rather held unlawâ—ull for in such a case to forbeare is safe without sin but if any one shall sport play or use pastimes on this day must either side with the one sort or with the other and yet unresolved because the controversie stands undetermined by some indifferent Umpire or he doth presume of his own knowledge to be able to judge in such a doubtfull case to lead his conscience to doe such things which is both too high a conceit and very dangerous or else is daringly over-bold in love to sports and pastimes to follow his pleasure and will whilst his conscience must needs remaine in suspence and doubting which is no little sinne Rom. 14. 23. and is no small signe that such a one is a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God in that he dareth to attempt the wounding of conscience and the breaking off of his sweet peace between God and him by so short a time of carnall delights For acts in doubtfull cases cannot be without sinne and to sport with sinne is folly which without pardon is the soules deadly wound and destruction of the whole man 7 Nothing is more warrantable to be done on this day and on this our day under the Gospel than was on their day under the Law understanding the Law in its originall and set apart from the accessory precepts added thereto and durable only for a time But under the Law no sports or pastimes for corporall pleasure were allowed on their Sabbath day and therefore to be forborne on this day For concerning sports on their Sabbath wee read not in any place of the old Testament either for allowance or practice thereof Indeed we read in Exod. 32. 6. 18 19. of eating drinking and rising up to play singing and dancing but it was upon a day made for the service of the golden Calfe and honour thereof but condemned by S. Paul 1 Cor. 10. 7. and greivously punished by the command of Moses Exod. 32. 28. we also read but when there was no King in Israel Iudg. 17. 1. 18. 1. 19. 1. 21. 25. and when every one did that which seemed good in his owne eyes that the daughters of Shilo on a Festivall day of the Lord came out in dances Quod erat saith Peter Martyr on this place Die Festo abuti Neither doe wee read that it was a mixt dancing of men and women together as our dances pleaded for commonly be contrary to all the instances in holy writ We may also heare what that learned Bishop White telleth us how the Rabbins out of the Page 138. Talmud affirme that it was permitted yong people to recreate and sport themselves upon some part of the Sabbath with running leaping or dancing provided that it bee in honour of the Sabbath Note this well then not for meere ☜ corporall recreation as our youths use their sports But what credit can be given to these late Rabbins For it is well knowne that the Jewes in the time of the Fathers became prophaners of their Sabbaths by revelling and the like as learned Doctor Prideaux witnesseth and therefore their example not to be imitated or regarded 8 Needlessely to doe on the Lords day what may if out propably hazard sinning and so the provoking of God to anger is a great presumption that the hearts of such are not possessed with that holy feare which maketh men ever jealous of their doings lest peradventure they should at any time offend God But for such to sport on the Lords day as have vigour strength and health to expresse the bodies activity in their pleasurable delights for of such the controversie only is it is needlesse whether you respect their bodies or their mindes and spirits And therefore of such are sports to bee forborne this day 1 They are not needfull for the body If the body hath lost any strength by weekly labour stirring sports and pastimes which are commonly performed with violent motion cannot repaire the lost strength First they are not the ordinary meanes appointed by God for recovery thereof but wholsome food quiet rest moderate sleep good physick and the like as the cause shall require Secondly sports and pastimes are commonly so violently pursued as mens bodies grow thereby the more weary and so in stead of repayring decay their strength Thirdly for ordinary and common refreshment for the reviving of the body to returne with more lightsomenesse and alacrity to work God hath given the painfull labourer rest and sleep in the night for every dayes labour a nights rest for six dayes six nights as in his wisdome he thought fit and sufficient according to that in the Psal 104. 22. 23. Man works on the day and rests at Evening But now for bodily strength if weakned by labour in the weeke before to refresh it for the weeke following a man hath first the Saturday night then the whole Sunday from servile labour and lastly Sunday night two nights and a day for corporall rest so that to an healthy body apt for labour recreations sports and pastimes this day are needlesse for if every nights rest in the week day can by Gods blessing preserve strength recover the decay of it and make it apt for new labour then much more two nights and a day if we pray for a blessing thereon Fourthly The persons addicted to sporting may be reduced to three sorts either to industriously-painfull or to slack-handed idle and lazy in worke or to the holy day persons such as either have little or nothing to doe living idlely like Droanes in an Hive upon the sweat of other mens brows inordinate livers not worthy to eat These last neede no recreations but rather a whip for correction The second sort are either rich mens children 2 Thess 3. not wearied with worke whose labour is rather a loytering than painfull diligence or slouthfull servants sports and pastimes to these two rather increase in them idlenesse than a will to work for these