day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him That the Collection for the poor is here enjoyned it cannot be denyed the words themselves proclaim it and that this Collection was inseparably annexed to the Lords Day because on it the Congregation was assembled not onely this Text but the Ecclesiasticall Writers give plentifull testimony from whence the conclusion in my judgement is clear and fair That the Lords Day it self in which such Collections were made was consequently by them enjoyned for where two things are inseparably united he who enjoyns the onâ—… cannot but by consequent likewise enjoyn the other As when God said Let there be light if light cannot be â—…ep from heat it was in effect as much as if he had said Let there be heat Thus mâ—…ch doth Doctor Rivet collect from these words of the Apostle And thus much it should seem Saint Augustine in his 251 Sermon de tempore gathered either 〈◊〉 this or some other passage of this kinde where he teacheth us That the Apostles not onely obsâ—…ved this day but religiosa solennitate habendum sanxerunt decreed it to be kept in a solemn religious manner from whence we may safely conclâ—…de That at leastwise in his judgement it was not onely their practice but their precept The other point remaining to be proved is That both this pâ—…actice and precept of theirs was by order from the Lord himself and that not onely by secret inspiration but by overt Acts As the Sacrament is câ—…lled tâ—…e Lords Supper because it was instituted by tâ—…e Lord and that excellent Form of Prayer whicâ—… he hath left us the Lords Prayer becaâ—…se it was coâ—…posed by the Lord so is this Day called the Lords because it was ordained by him He is that Sonne of man who is Lord even of the Sabbatâ—… As he dissolved the Sabbath of the Jewes so he appointed the Lords day of the Christians to succeed it New Lords they say new lawes which in him was verified new Sacraments new sacrifices a new Priesthood a new Pentecost a new Sabbath Thus old things passed away and alâ—… things by him became new and if all other things belonging to his service then surely the day too in which this service is solemnly to be performed that so it might be suteable to his service This blessed day was not only foreseen and foretold by the Psalmist but the making of it by the Lord This is the day which the Lord hath made let us rejoyce and be glad in it Psal. 118. 24. where no doubt he prophecies of this very Lords day here mentioned in my Text and so have many of the Fathers rightly applied it and among the rest a Athanaâ—…ius and b Ambrose and c Chrysostome this is the day saith the great Sâ— d Augustine in which our Lord was baptized in Iordan in which he turned water into wine at a wedding feast in which he blessed five loaves wherewith he satisfied five thousand men in which he rose again from the dead In which he entred into the house where the Apostles were assembled the doors being shut in which he sent down the holy Ghost upon them finally in which we expect his comming to judgement Besides all which Bellarmine in his third Book de cultu Sanctorum and eleventh Chapter is confident that he was also born on the same day which he proves by the Dominicall letter of that year falling just upon the 25th of December And shall we imagine that on this day he was born on this day baptized on this day wrought his first and greatest miracles on this day rose again on this day appeared to his Apostles and lastly on this day sent down the holy Ghost upon them the three last of which are most evident in holy Scripture and yet had no speciall designe for the sanctifying of this day in a speciall manner Moreover it may not be forgotten that upon this day his Apostles and in them their successors received from him their Benediction their Mission and Commission Peace be unto you there is the Benediction Iohn 20. 19. As my Father hath sent me so I send you there is their Mission vers. 21. And when he had said this he breathed on them and saith unto them Receive the holy Ghost whose sins ye remit they are remitted and whose sins ye retain they are retained there is their Commission vers. 22. 23. And again his disciples being assembled as before in all likelihood by his Commandment for the exercise of religious duties upon the very same day of the week following he appears to them again as for the imparting of other mysteries unto them so in particular for the â—…rengthning of Thomas his faith who at his former apparition was absent from that assembly yea after this again before his Ascension he appeared unto them sundry times by the space of forty daies speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God and good Divines are of opinion that he still appeared upon the same day as it is certain that ten dayes after his Ascension he sent down the holy Ghost the same day upon his Apostles being then again assembled being the first day of the week and the day of his Resurrection or the Lords-day on which he also by the Ministry of an Angel imparted these most divine Revelations to St. Iohn All which should argue that this indeed was the day which he had selected and sealed for the religious Assemblies of his Church in all future ages even to the worlds end Neither is this my opinion alone but Saint Cyrill in his Exposition upon Saint Iohns Gospel is of the same minde and Maldonate the Jesuite freely confesseth that some Conjecture may from thence be made Diem Dominicum aliquam ex Christi voluntate originem habuisse That the Lords day had some kinde of rise from the will of the Lord himself yet because he seeth the Schoolmen take another way he professeth himself unwilling to forsake their Company But had he been free to take his own course no doubt he would easily have found therein somewhat more then a bare Conjecture Which I am the rather induced to beleeve for that Ribera a Bird of the same Feather and Nest in his Commentaries upon the words of my Text tels us that Iustin Martyr in his second Apologie to Antoninus the Emperour teacheth Apostolos a Christo hujus diei celebritatem accepisse That the Apostles received the celebrity of this day from the Lord himself which he disproves not but rather allowes and withall addes that the Apostles themselves delivered it over and recommended it to the Church in their Constitutions as witnesseth Clemens Lib. 2. cap. 59. lib. 5. cap. 9. lib. 7. cap. 31. 37. And herewith accords the great Athanasius in the very entrance of his Homilie De Semente Anciently saith he the Sabboth was
that in the depth of popery for otherwise such a tradition could not have gotten foot and prevailed among them Neither do I alleadge this for want of true examples in this kinde there being many and me norable which are recorded by others as well of forraigne parts as our own Country in which to the honour be it spoken of the reformed Religion and our Soveraigne Princes the protectors thereof our Reverend Judges have restrained themselves and our ordinary Carryers have by publique Authority been restrained from travelling on the Lords Day though both carry with them the advantage of the publique good to the great comfort of such as without all schismaticall humour or peevish affectation of singularity heartily embrace both the Doctrine professed and discipline practised in the Church of England and their hope is that other abuses yet remaining and tending to the prophanation of that Day may in good time likewise be reformed as in some forraigne reformed Churches they have lately been Lastly for our instruction and imitation against the prophanation of this Day as well Generall Councells and Provinciall Synods have bent their Canons as Emperors and Kings and Commonweals their Laws Such were Conâ—…tine the Great the first Christian Emperour born in this Island and Charles the Great Canutus the Dane Henry the 6th and Edward the 6th three of our most pious Princes who zealously stood for the religious observation of this Day as Nehemiah did for the sanctifying of the Jewish Sabboth My Conclusion shall be That if some bodily recreations on the Lords Day for the better sanctifying thereof be thought requisite yet under correction I should conceive them more tolerable in the Paâ—…or who that Day hath spent his spirits in a faithfull discharge of his Ministeriall Function than in the people and among the people rather in Trades-men and Husband men than in Gentlemen who for the most part make every day holy-day in following their sports and in all with these limitations First That they be in their conscience fully perswaded that the games which they use be not onely lawfull in themselves but also in regard of the Day for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne that which I think unlawfull or am not perswaded in my self that it is lawfull though in it self it be so yet to me it is sinne so as it is a safe rule in Divinity Quod dubitas ne feceris that which thou doubtest of do not The second limitation is That our Recreations do not tend to the scandall of others If meat make my brother offend saith the Apostle I will eat no flesh while the world standeth lest I make my brother to offend and yet may publique Recreations one day in the week be more easily be forborn than meat whiles the world standeth My third limitation is That these Recreations tend to the better sanctification of the Lords Day in the refreshing of mens spirits Sanctification being by all Divines confessed to be the principall end thereof which being laid for a ground the consequence in my judgement is unavoidable That all our actions on that day ought more or lesse to be directed and squared thereunto according to that approved rule of the Schools Tantum destinati sâ—…mendum quantum ad finem prodest so much of the means as conduceth to the end is to be taken and no more I will shut up all with that of the Evangelicall Prophet Esay only changing the Jewish Sabboth into the Lords Day the Sabbath of the Christians If thou turn away thy foot from doing thy pleasure on my holy Day and call it a delight the holy of the Lord honorable and shalt honour him not doing thine own wayes nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thiâ—…e own words Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth and feed thee with the Heritage of Jacob thy father For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it God grant that we may so truely serve the Lord by a due observation of his Day hâ—…re that we may eternall raigne with him hereafter Part of a Speech delivered in the Starre-Chamber against the opinion of Mr. Traske By the Right Reverend Father in God Lancelot Bishop of Winchester deceased IT hath ever been the Churches Doctrine that Christ made an end of all Sabboths by his Sabboth in the Grave that Sabboth was the last of them And that the Lords Day presently came in place of it Dominicus dies Christi resurrectione declaratus est Christianis ex illo coepit habere festivitatem suam saith Augustine The Lords Day was by the resurrection of Christ declared to be the Christians Day and from that very time of Christs Resurrection it began to be celebrated as the Christian mâ—…ns festivall These two the Day and the Supper have the Epithet of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Dominicum in the Scriptures to shew Dominicum is aâ—…ike to be taken in both This for the practice If you will have it in precept the Apostle gives it and in the same word still that against {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the day of their Assemâ—…ly Every one should lay apart what God should move him to offer to the Collection for the Saints and then offer it which was so ever in use That the day of oblations So have you it in practice and in precept both FINIS in Gen. 2. 3. Loc. Com. câ—…s 2. c. p 7. In 2 â—… Gen. exerciâ—… 13. a In Gen. 2. Hom. 18. b Loc. Com. Class. 2. cap. 7. c De cult. Sanct. lib. 3. cap. 11. His accedt Robertus Loeus in effigiatione â—…ua veri Sabbatismi pag 48. Of the 〈◊〉 and time of prayer part 1a. Maâ—… 24. 20. Vide Hieron. Epist. Hâ—…bid quest 4. Ambros. Sâ—… 61. Cap. 19. In prolog. in Psalm expla. Epist. 119. Idem habet Cypri Epist. 8. Lib. 3. Idem habet Hilar. in praefat in â—…salmos salmos Revel. 19. in 2â— Gen. ever cit. 13 versus finem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Loâ—…us in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sabâ—…mi pag. 47. His câ—…usis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apo stolâ—… 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dominâ—…um 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 randum statuerent Mar. 2 27. a Homâ—…l in hoc dictum Omnia mihi tradita sunt a patre b Epist. 83. c De resurrect serm. 5. d Serm. de tempo 15 â—… To these Prerogatives some 〈◊〉 that our Saviour was likewise circumâ—…i sed on the Lords day and that on the same day the star first appeared to the Wisemen See 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 râ—…lig 2. 4. Acts 1 3. Acts 2. 1. Lib. 12. c. 58. In Ioh. 20. v. 26. In hoc dictum Omâ—…ia mibi c. â—…ist 119. Lib. 2. cap. 17. In cap 16. Apol. Piscator etiâ—…m Dominicum diem ab ipso Domiâ—…o instiâ—…utum ad sanctificâ—…dum mâ—…ndatum esse affimâ—…t in Aâ—…o 1. 10. 1 Cor. 11. 23. Lact. 7. â—… Caâ—… 33. â—… 78 79. Serm. de temp. 154. Super ex Hom. 7. Deviâ—…a Conâ—…tan p. 4. 18 In epist. ad ubique Orthodox in Hom in hoc dillum om nia mihi tradita sunt Serm. 5. â—…e resurrect Ex H. Wolphii 〈◊〉 de Temp. lib. 1. cap. 2. 2. 5. Serm. 251. Io. 4. 24. 2 Chron. 28. 9. Aâ—…ol 35. Leo Constit 54. In Deut. 5. Serm. 34. The same in effect he hath in his Book De dâ—…cem Chordis cap. 3. De temâ—… Scrm. 251. Epistol. Lib. 11. Ep 3. Serm. de festis pag. 10. Edit. Colon an 1604. Loâ—… com â—…lass 2. cap. 7. 〈◊〉 de vita Const. lib 4. c. 18. 19 23. Rom. â—…4 23. 1 Cor. 8. 13. cap 48. v. 3 14.
A SHORT But Cleare DISCOVRSE Of the Institution Dignity and End of the Lords-Day Upon Occasion of those words of St. IOHN I was in the spirit on the Lords-Day Written by George Hakewill Doctor in Divinity and Arch-Deacon of Surrey LONDON Printed by Iohn Raworth for George Thomason and Octavian Pullen MDCXLI REVEL. 1. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lords-Day THey are the words as ye see of Saint Iohn the holy Evangelist the blessed Apostle the beloved Disciple the glorious Confessor the soaring Eagle the Sonne of Thunder the Divine by an Excellency and the Pen-man of this most Divine and excellent Book of the Revelation And here he makes known unto us the place where the time when the state in which he was when the high and deep mysteries of this Book were made known unto him The place where it was in the Isle of Patmos whither by Domitian the Emperour he was banished for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ as it is in the verse going before my Text The time when on the Lords Day the best Day of the week shining among the other dayes velâ—…t inter ignes Luna minores as the brightest Moon when she fills-her circle with light among the other Stars The state in which himself then was in the Spirit in Spirituall exercises in Spirituall meditations and by means thereof in Spirituall raptures and elevations in Spirituall exâ—…asies of the soul above the ordinary pitch of humane condition Wee have here presented to our consideration these foure things First That there is a certain time a certain day which may deservedly be called and is indeed the Lords day The second That thâ—… dâ—…y here spoken of is that particular day and why it is â—…o câ—…lled The third Is the great priviledges and speciall prerogatives of this day beyond and above all other The fourth Is the duties which belong to us upon this day it is to be in the Spirit as St. Iohn was though not in Spirituall Trances yet in Spirituall Exercises and Meditations For the first of these it is certain most certain That there is not nor ever was any Nation under the Cope of Heaven since the first Creation which acknowledged a Deity but withall it acknowledged a Divine Worship and Service due to this Deity and that not onely inward in the minde but outward in sacred and solemn Rites and Observances as being both the kindely effects and lively characters of â—…he in bred Notions and Motions of the Soul And to this purpose they had not onely Temples and Altars and Sacrifices and forms of Invocation but Festivall dayes set dayes or dayes set apart as for the publique and Civill affairs so likewise for the religious Rites and Ceremonies And this they had partly from the dictate of reason which tells us That every action requires as a place so a time suteable thereunto partly from experience which teacheth us That that which is left at randome and hath no day prefixed is seldome performed as it should be on any day and partly from those broken remainders of the Image of God left in them and an imitation of the Church of God though from it in the main points of his Worship they had much degenerated It may be well thought that the first man created immediately by God himself even in the state of Innocency had both a certain place and time for the Worship of his Maker Howsoever sure it is that before we reade of the fall of man we reade of a Seventh day blessed and sanctified by God himself Gen. 2. 3. sanctified that by man it might be kept holy to his glory and blessed that man by keeping of it holy might receive a blessing from God When Enos was born of Seth the sonne of Adam it is said That men then began to call upon the Name of the Lord Gen. 4. at the last verse that is as I take it to call upon his Name in Publique Assemblies for which no doubt but they had a certain place appointed lest otherwise men might be disappointed in their meetings And most like it is that it was the same day which Abell and Seth and Adam observed before them and the rest of the Patriachs after them that day in which God himself rested having fully finished the great work of the worlds Creation Etiam ante legem non dubito primis illis patribus doctore Deo diem hunc solennem augustum sacrum fuisse saith the learned Mercerus Even before the Law I doubt not but this Day by Gods teaching was solemn and sacred to those primitive Fathers And Peter Martyr Nec ejus observatio coepit lege data in Sina sed ante celebrabatur Neither did the observation thereof begin with the giving of the Law in Sinai but it was celebrated before Of the same opinion is Rivet who likewise answers all the arguments brought to the contrary which together with them I the rather embrace for that before the giving of the Law in Mount Sinai we have an expresse and severe charge for the keeping of it in gathering Manna Exod. 16. and upon that occasion two such miracles shewed to ratifie and magnifie that day as seldome shall ye reade of more remarkable thorow the book of God whereof the one was that the Manna fell in great plenty upon all the other dayes of the week but upon the Seventh none at all The other That being gathered on the Sixth day it remained sweet till the Seventh and not so on any other day of the week besides Either of which miracles were doubtlesse as great or greater than that fabulous one of Plinie seconded by some of the Jewish Rabbins of a River in Iudea which is said to runne the sixe first dayes of the week and on the seventh to dry up so as we shall not need go seek out that River to authorize that day Yet after all this was this very day again for the better observation of it proclaiâ—…ed in Mount Sinai and that in a dreadfull and glorious manner Exod. 20. having a more solemn entrance into it and more weighty reasons to hedge it in and confirm it than any other of the Commandements And besides all the rest are negative onely the first of the second Table and this last of the first Table are affirmative nay this onely is both affirmative and negative standing in the midst of the two Tables to shew that they both depend upon the observation of it which I conceive to be the reason that in some passages of Scripture the keeping of the Sabbath day is put for the whole body of Gods Worship and pressed with more earnestnesse both in the following Chapters of the same book and in the books following of Moses and the Prophets than any of the other Precepts so as till the coming of Christ and at his coming too nay for a while after his death and passion resurrection and ascention that
the mother Synagogue as St. Augustine speaks might be buried with the greater honour it was dâ—…ely and constantly observed by the Church of God But when the fulnesse of time was come for the abrogation of it yet the equity of the Commandement which Divines do call the morall part thereof remaining still in its full strength and vigour required not onely some certain time to be set apart for the publique Worship of God but at least one day in Seven which is not onely the judgement of a Chrysostome and b Peter Martyr and c Bellarmine and Doctor Fulke in his answer to the Rhemtsts commenting upon the words of my Text and other grave Divines but of our profound and judicious Hooker writing purposely against the Schismaticks of our time so as we need not suspect him of Puritanisme Wee are bound saith he in the 5th Book of his Ecclesiasticall policy and seventeenth Paragraph Touching the manner of celebrating Festivall dayes We are bound to accompt the sanctification of one day in seven a duty which Gods immutable law doth exact for ever although with us the day be changed in regard of a new revolution begun by our Saviour Christ yet the same proportion of time the same proportion of time continueth which was before by way of a perpetutuall homage a perpetuall hâ—…age never to be dispensed withall nor remitted Then which I see not what can be spoken more plainly or more punctually which is the rather to be marked for that the Author being a man of admirable learning and of a deep judgement and by reason thereof making many doubts to himself which the ignorant by reason of their shallow and narrow capacities hardly discern and easily swallow is notwithstanding in the point so positive and peremptory as you see Whereunto we may adde the testimony of our Homilies allowed to be read in our Churches by publique authority making also one day in the week by the morall part of the Commandement to be consecrated and that not in part but wholly to heavenly exercises of Gods true Religion and Service And truely this our Churches resolution therein to me weighs more than the opinions of many others to the contrary though I will not censure much lesse absolutely condemne them My conclusion shall be That as the tenth part ad minimum is Gods portion for the fruits of the earth so the seventh part of his proportion for time and both of them not onely under the Leviticall Law but under the Gospel the number of seven is sacred as Philo in his book de opificio mundi hath learnedly shewed but for proof thereof I will go no further then this very book of the Revelation wherein we read of Seven Angels and Seven Trumpets and Seven Vialls and Seven Seales and Seven Stars and Seven Candlesticks and Seven Churches and Seven Spirits before the throne of God all which seems to imply the number to be Mystical and sacred and consequently most properly due to religious exercises in publick consisting in the sacred Service of allmighty God All which notwithstanding some such are found professiâ—…g themselves Christians as Anabaptists and 〈◊〉 who not only deny any set time to be appropriated to Gods service by the law of Christ but further affirme that no such time is now by Christians living under the Gospell in any sort to bee observed And to this end they wrest those passages of the Apostle Gal. 4. 10. Rom. 14. 5. Col. 2. 16. they wrest them I say the only scope of the Apostle in those passages being to cry downe the Ceremomall use or Superstitious abuse of dayes as well among the Iewes as the Gentiles not to make holy dayes set apart for Gods Service unlawfull nay it is certaine that in other places hee mâ—…kes theâ—… lawfâ—…ll and this day here spoken of in my Text in paâ—…ticular aswell by his practice as his precept wâ—…ich will appear in my second generall part which offers it selfe in the next place namely that tâ—…e day here spoken of in my Text is that particular day which is now by us Christians in a speciâ—…ll manner set apart for the service of God In the handling whereof wee have two things to be considered first the severall names of this day and then why it is termed the Lords day This day is sometimes called the Sabboth sometimes Sunday sometimes the first day of the week sometimes the Eighth day and sometimes the Lords day as here in my Text The name of the Sabboth I must confesse in the ancient Councels or Fathers wee shall hardly find applyed to this day unlesse withall they adde Sabbathum Christianorum the Sâ—…bboth of Christians For when they speak of the Sabboth absolutely without any addition they alwayes understand the Saturday the Seventh day the Sabboth day of the Jâ—…wes which except it bee heedfully observed of those who are conversant in their writings it may be an occasion of much errour and mistake Which notwithstanding I make no question but this day may without any just suspition of Iudaisme be called the Sabboth and that for these Reasons First because our Saviour himselfe as I conceive hath so called it pray that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabboth day where he speakes of the destruction of Hierusilem which fell out about forty years after his Ascention whereas the Sabboth of the Iewes was abrogated by his resurrectioâ—… and consequently it cannot well bee understood but of the Sabboth of Christians the day here spoken of My second Reason is for that Sabbath signifying Rest the word in regard of that signification is appliable to our day as well as to theirs it being a day of Rest to us as well aâ—… to them True indeed it is that the Sabbath was so called a day of rest in a double respect First because God himâ—…e upon that day rested from the workes of the Creation and then because they in imitation of God and by commandement from God were likewise to rest upon the same day whereas ours cannot be called a Sabbath in respect of the first that is Gods rest but only in respect of the second that is our rest My third reason is for that our Lords day succeeded in the place of the Sabboth and was ordained to the same generall end as our spirituall exercises are called Sacrifices because they succeed in the place of their Sacrifices so may our Lords day not unfitly bee termed the Sabbath because it succeeds in the place of tâ—…eir Sabboth Secondly this day here spoken of in my Text is sometimes called Sunday which though it be a name imposed by the Gentiles who knew not the true God giving the names of the seven Planets to the seven dayes of the week yet for distinctions sâ—…ke I see not but wee Christians may without superstition or relation to them call the dayes of the weeke by the same names that they did as well as we do the
Planets or as God himselfe calls the stars by â—…eathenish names Pleâ—…ades Orion and Arcturus with â—…is sonâ—…es Iob 38. or as S. Lâ—…ke Acts 28. â—…ells us that the ship of Alexandria in which S. Paulâ—…ailed had the signe of Castor and Polâ—…ux heathenish Gods yet it may not be denyed but the primitive Christians who daily conversed among those iâ—…olatrous Gentilâ—…s in deâ—…station of their Idolatry for the most part forbore those prophane heathenish names the first day they usually called the Lords day and the last the Sabbath and those between the first and the last feria secâ—…nda tertia quâ—…rta quinta sexta the second third fourth fifth sixth days of the week though they were not so scupulous but sometimes they were content to use the names of Sunday too as witnesseth Eusebiâ—…s in his fourth book of the life of Constantine Hunc salutarem diâ—…m saith he speaking of the Lords day quem lucis vel Solis appellamus and so it is called more then once by Iustinus Martyr in his second Apology And truly considering that upon this day the light was made which being first dispersed was afterward gathered into the body of the Sunne and withall that Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse as he is called Mal. 4. 2. rose again upon this day I see not but that we Christiaâ—…s may without any just offense name it Sunday Thirdly it is sometimes called the first day of the week thus was it constantly called by the Iewes as being the beginning both of the week and of the world thus by Moses Gen. 1. 5. thus by all the four Evangelists Math. 28. 1. Mark 16. 2. Luke 24. 1. Io. 20. 1. and again by St. Luke Acts 20. 7. and by St. Paul 1 Cor. 16. 2. nay more then so amongst all nations that keep any account of weeks and moneths and years this day is accounted the first day of the week which without doubt they borrowed either by tradition from the Patriarchs and so from Adam or from the writings of Mosâ—…s which many of them read But by the way wee are here to observe that this being the first day of the week cannot possibly bee the seventh one of the seven and the first and chief of the seven it is but the seventh if we will follow Gods account it is not nor cannot be so called so that what is spoken in the fourth Commandement of the Sabbath as the seventh day I sâ—…y as t is the seventh day cannot bee appliable to this day of ours except we should make the first and the seventh all one Fourthly it iâ—… sometimes called the eighth day for as it is the first in regard of the week following so is it the eighth in regard of that going before SufficieÌ„t warâ—…aÌ„ we have for this name Ioh. 20. 26. where though wee read after eight dayes yet by the consent of all Divines it is to bee understood of the eighâ—…h day after Christs Resurrection which must needs be the same day of the weeke with the first day of the weeke going before Nos in octava die quae et prima est perfecti Sabbathi festivitate laetamur saith S. Hillarie and St. Augustine Dies octavus qui primus speaking of this day in his Epistle to Ianuarius the the same is both the first day and the eighth day where he likewise tels us that this day was not unknown to the holy Fathers and Prophets before the Incarnation of Christ nam pro octava Psalmus inscribitur octavo die circumcidâ—…bantur Infantes saith hee for both a Psalm is intituled for the eighth and the eighth day after their bâ—…rth were children circumcised And again in his Enarration upon Psal. 89. or the 90. as we reckon speaking of the number of Fifteen made up of seven and eight Quorum primus saith he insinuat propter Sabbathi observationem Testam. vetus secundus Testam. novum propter Domini resurrectionem whereof the first by reason of the observation of the Sabbath signifies the old Testament tâ—…e second the â—…ew Testament by reason of our Lords Resurrection Hinc sunt in Templo quinde cim gradus hence it is that the ascent to the Temple was by fifteeâ—…e steps that there are fifteene psalmes of degrees that the Floud rose above the highest mountâ—…ins fiftâ—…en cubits si quiâ—…us aliis locis sacratus commeâ—…datur hic numerus and hence it is if this 〈◊〉 number be recommended unto us in any other places Whereunto hee might have added that eight persons were saved in the Arke as Saint Peter hath piecisely observed in his first Epistle and 3. cap. and in that respect in the second chapter of his second Epistle doth hee call Nâ—…h the eighth person Fifthly and lastly and chiefly it is called the Lords day as here in my Text and agâ—…in 1 Cor. 16. 1. as Beza in his Annotations on that place tells us according to an ancient â—…anuscript which himselâ—…e both saw and read where by the Lord no doubt is understood the Lord Iesus which was the usuall name given him by the Apostles both whiles he lived and afâ—…er his deâ—…th all other Lords bein buâ—… Underlings and all Kings but vassals in regard of him from him they hold their Crownâ—… and â—…o him they mâ—…st bend their knees and give an account of their kingdomes To him I sâ—…y who hâ—…th on his festâ—…re and on his thigh a naâ—…e written King of Kings and Lord of Lords being in his power and Majesty as farre above the greatest Lords on earth as they are above the meanest of their Subjects Now this day is called the Lords day or this Lords day because to the honour and service of the Lord it was both observed and enjoyned by his Apostles specially in memory of his resurrection and that by speciall order from himself of three of these namely that to the honour of the Lord it was observed by his Apostles and specially in memory of his resurrection no Christian I think makes any doubt so as neither of them will need any further proof two things then remain only to be proved the one that this day was not only observed by the Apostles but by them also enjoyned to be observed by the Church the other that both this observation and injunction were by speciall order from the Lord himselfe To prove that it was by the Apostles themselves enjoyned to be observed by the Church it shall not bee requisiâ—…e to vouch any expresse precept of theirs it will be sufficient if by necessary deduction from any such precept it bee made clear neither can wee otherwise prove many doctrinall poynts in controversie between us and the Church of Rome Now for such a kind of proof I would goe no further then that precept of the Apostle 1 Cor. 16. 1. Concerning the Collection for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Gâ—…latia even so do ye upon the first
faintly or formally but attentively and devoutly as knowing that God is a Spirit and will be worshipped by us in Spirit and Truth with a perfect heart and with a willing minde as the good King David taught his Son Solomon Withall we must remember that works of charity are not to be neglected on this day they being the marks and effects of the Spirit And that we may the better intend these Spirituall works in a Spirituall manner we are still to carry in our mindes that this Day is the Lords Day and not the devills or ours and that not a part onely but the whole day is his the devils day we make it if we employ it in sinfull acts our own if in the servile works of our particular callings or in bodily recreations which further not but hinder the practice of our Spirituall duties For sinfull acts we must be carefull that we incurre not justly the censure of Tertullian Siccine exprimitur per publicum gaudium publicum dedecus Haeccine solennes dies decent quae alios non decent Malorum licentia pietas erit Occasio luxurâ—…ae religio deputabitur Is our publike joy thus expressed by the publike disgrace Shall that be thought to become an holy Day which doth not become any day Shall wicked licentiousnesse be accounted Piety and occasions of luxury Religion If wantonnesse if drunkennesse if fighting if railing if reviling if swearing if cursing be sinnes on every day surely much more on the Lords Day Saint Hierome likewise in his Epistle to Eustochium seems much to mislike excessive Feasting and feeding upon these dayes as being the occasions of luxury and consequently of quarrelling and wantonnesse Valde absurdum est nimia saturitate velle honorare Martyrem quem scias Deo placuisse jejuniis It is most absurd to inâ—…end the honour of that Martyr with excessive Feasting whom we know to have pleased God with Fasting and if it can be no honour to the Martyr who lost his blood for the Lords sake much lesle to the Lord who redeemed the Martyr by his blood Of servile works is that noble Constitution of Leo the Empe. to be understood We ordain according to the true meaning of the holy Ghost and of the Apostles thereby directed that on the sacred Day wherein our own integrity was restored all do rest and surcease labour that neither Husbandman nor other on that day put their hands to forbidden works for if the Jews did so much reverence their Sabboth which was but a shadow of ours are not we which inhabite the light and truth of grace bound to honour that day which the Lord himself hath honoured and hath therein both delivered us from dishonour and from death Are not we bound to keep it singular and inviolable well contenting our selves with so liberall a grant of the rest and not incroaching upon that one which God hath chosen to his own honour Were it not wretchlesse neglect of religion to make that very day common and to think we may do with it as with the rest Which religious Edict of his though it were indeed chiefly bent against bodily labour yet may it well be extended against such pastimes and recreations on that Day as cannot but withdraw us from the keeping of it inviolable That unlawfull recreations may not be used on that day no Christian I think will deny since they may not be used on any dayes so as all the doubt is touching lawfull recreations whereof some also there are which I think no man will affirm to be lawfâ—…lly used on the Lords Day as Hawking Hunting and the like which are not unlawfull in themselves but unlawfull on that Day because it is the Lords Dâ—…y And for other recreations if bodily labour which on other dayes is not onely lawfnll but necessary be forbidden because it is the Lords Day methinks by the same reason even lawfull recreations should be forbidden on the same day as tending no lesse to the violating of that Day than bodily labour If on that Day I may nor sow nor reap nor carry my Corn no not in the most uncertain and catching weather though it carryes a fair shew of keeping those precious fruits of the earth from spoiling which God of his goodnesse hath sent me shall I presume to use those recreations on that Day which commonly end in the abuse of those good blâ—…ssings Manlike exercises are doubtlesse very requisite but coâ—…sidering the number of other holy dayes in our Church under favour be it spoken I see no necessity of putting them in practice on the Lords Day nor of ranking the Lords Day with-other holy dayes Some reformed Churches in other parts may perchance give way to the use of them on the Lords Day which in them is somewhat the more excusable because they have none other holy days though for mine own part I think it better if they had yet that the very same Pastors of those Churches who admitted or connived at the use of such manlike exercises as severely cryed down effeminate sports on that Day let one speak for all If we employ the Sunday saith Calvin to make good cheer to sport our selves to go to games and pastimes shall God in this be honoured is it not a mockery Is not this an unhallowing of his Name And if you please to Calvin we may adde Bellarmin the great Champion of the Romish Church who in his explanation of the title of the 91. Psalm according to their account which is a Psalm or song for the Sabbath-day thus writes Errant Iudaei qui otium Sabbati sibi datum esse existimant ad vacandum conviviâ—…s deambulationi The Jews erre in thinking that the rest of the Sabboth was given them for feasting and walking abroad wherein he seems to have followed Saint Augustine in his Enarration upon the same passage who in particular there censureth them for their dancing holding it more allowable to plough then to dance upon the Sabbath Melius est arare quà m saltarc these be his very words and then goes on Illi a bono opere Vacant ab opere nugatorio non vacant they rest from honest works from vain works they rest not Et Iudaeos imitantur Christiani saith Bellarmine and those Christians imitate the â—…ews who do the like Nay Saint Augustine in another place comes fully home to the same point where speaking of the Lords day Ideo Dominicus appellatur saith he ut in eo a terrenis operibus vel mundi illecebris abstinentes tantùm divinis cultibus serviamus therefore it is called the Lords day that abstaining from earthly labours and worldly pleasures we may wholly intend Gods service And again in severall places of that Sermon The holy Doctors of the Church decreed to transferre all the glory of the Jewish Sabbath upon this day That what they in figure the same we might celebrate in Truth Let us therefore my brethren observe the Lords
day and sanctifie it as to them of old it was given in charge touching the Sabbath From evening to evening ye shall keep my Sabbaths Let us take care that our rest be not vain but from the evening of the Sabboth to the evening of the Lords Day being free from all worldly businesse Soli divino cultui vacemus let us onely intend the service of God non foris fabulis sed intuâ—… psalmodiae orationibus studete Do not spend your time in trifles and telling of tales abroad but in singing of Psalms and prayers at home and do not think unus punctus diei ad Dei officium c. onely one little part of the day is consecrated to Gods Service and the residue of the day together with the night to your own pleasures Thus Saint Augustine and with him doth Saint Gregory accord Dominico die à labore terreno cessandum est atque omnimodo orationibus insistendum upon the Lords Day we are to rest from earthly labour and wholly apply our selves to our devotions that if any sinnes of negligence have escaped in the six dayes they may be done away by our prayers on the day of the Lords Resurrection Somewhat more punctuall is Ephraim Syrus Festivitates dominicas honorare studiosè contendite celebrantes eas non panegyricè sed divinè non mundanè sed spiritualiter non instar gentilium sed Christianorum Quare non poetarum frontes coronemus non choraeas ducamus non chorum exornemus non tibâ—…is cytharis auditum effoeminemus non mollibus vestibus induamur nec cingulis undique auro radiantibus cingamur non commessationibus ebrietatibus dediti simus verum iâ—…ta relinquamus iis quorum Deus venter est gloria in confusione ipsorum Earnestly endeavour to honour the Lords holy Day solemnizing it not in a pompous but in a Divine not in a worldly but in a Spirituall manner not as the Gentiles but as Christians let us not hang up Garlands before our doors let us not be exercised in dancing or in the setting forth of playes let us not effeminate our hearing with piping and harping let us not be clad with effâ—…minate apparell nor be girt with Girdles shining about with gold let us not be given to gluttony and drunkennesse but let us leave these things to them whose God is their belly and their glory to their shame In the same path with these great Lights of the Church doth Peter Martyr walk Vnum in hebdomada requisivit in quo reliquis operâ—…bus valedicentes uni illi tantum incumberemus he required one day in the week in which bidding adieu to all other works we should onely intend his service He who gave unto Adam a free liberty to eat of all the other trees in Paradise râ—…served to himself the Tree of the knowledge of good and evill which served much to aggravate Adams offence that having so large a scope to content himself withall he would notwithstanding fall upon the forbidden fruit which is our case if having all the dayes of the week save one granted to our use we presume to intrude upon that which the Lord hath reserved to himself for his own use It is to this purpose worth the observing that our Saviour on the very Day of his Resurrection which was the first day of the week and â—…ow the Lords Day appeared sundry times in the morning at noon and at night thereby to shew That not a part onely but the whole Day was his And again on the eighth day following which was likewise the Lords Day he appeared to his Apostles at night to instruct them and confirm their faith thereby to teach us that even then it ceaseth not to be the Lords Day And truely I see not how men can effectually profit by publike hearing who neglect private conference and meditation after they have heard Meditation being the concoction of our Spirituall Food without which the soul cannot well be nourished They who bought and sold in atrio Templi in the porch or utmost part of the Temple thereby prophaned the Temple it self and made it a den of theeves as our Saviour censures them and I doubt not but he is as tender of this Day and every part thereof as of his House or rather more tender his House being consecarted to him by men but his Day by Himself to Himself and besides in the Primitive Church he was long without an House but not without a Day from the very first infancy thereof which hath made me to wonder that they who are so zealous for the Lords House and the Lords Portion received by the hand of his Ministers should not likewise be as zealous for the religious observation of his Day especially considering that it may give men occasion to suspect though perchance unjustly that they pursue their own pomp and profit in being so hot for the one and their own ease and pleasure in being so cold for the other He who stands for the Lords House and the Lords Portion because it is the Lords cannot but stand likewise for the Lords Day because it is his his Day doubtlesse having as strong a relation to him as either his House or his Portion if not a stronger He who layes sacrilegious hands upon a part of that which is consecrated to the Lord thereby violates the whole and therefore were Ananias and his wife stricken with sudden death because theâ—… kept back not the whole but a part of that money they had received for their Land and was entirely dâ—…e to the Lord and his Church and if we perâ—…it men to detain from the Lord a part of his Day let us take heed lest thereby they be the more emboldened to detain part of his Portion both from him and us The people God knows for the most part are of themselves apt enough to take more liberty than is fit to take an Ell where there is but an Inch allowed them and having once gotten the rains loose to run away in a full carreer And if it be observed it will appear that more mischiefs have ensued upon publique Games on the Lords Day than on any other day of the week nay my self have observed more to have been drowned who went into the River onely to wash their bodies on the Lords Dâ—…y than any other day beside In Cornwall not farre from Saint Germans are in a fairplain certain stones to be seen which the neighbouring people call the Hurlers because they stand in that order and distance each from other as Hurlers use to do and the current tradition among the inhabitants there is that certain Hurlers for the prophanation of the Lords Day in that exercise were by Gods Judgement turned into those stones which Camden calls a pious errour and so I beleeve it to be yet withall from thence I observe the respect which even in regard of manlike exercises was born to that Day and