LORD Himselfe from CHRIST The Primitive Church seemes to beare witnesse to this calling the Prayer instituted by Christ by the same terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oratio Dominica neither can it signifie any thing but the Prayer of the Lords institution Though the Generations after weakned the Testimony by calling Churches so As being paralell in phrase with the LORDS Supper which beyond all peradventure had no other Institour but Christ The Spirit of God who directed the two Apostles Paul and John in these two titles which are neither of them used in Scripture but once a peece never vouchsafed the terme to any other thing in the New Testament but only to the Supper and the Day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He had his choyse of words and spake nothing but upon admirable reason And no other good reason can be imagined why he would match these two these only in this appellation If they both had not had the same Author and Institutour And if he had not intended to insinuate so much unto us and teach it us even by the phrase particularly giving first the terme to the Supper and when we could not mistake that matching the Day with it that we might not mistake that neither Then also once more All Times and Dayes are not equall in Religion under the Gospell The Lords day is above all other Dayes and Times in regard of its Author and Institutour No Day is equall to this in this highest dignity and prerogative whence its being His peculiar His possession wholly His sacred to Him infallibly flowes unlesse He had said the contrary having its authority and institution from the Lord himself and so being then unquestionably necessary to Religion and most properly Holy and beyond controll altogether unalterable by man None of which can be alledged with any the like pretence from Scripture for any other Day under the New Testament We are not ignorant that exceptions are made by our disputers against these things that we have represented concerning the Lords day But the speciall answer to them we reserve to its proper place where we shall by His assistance for whose Commandement Day and Honour we argue in all this take all that they say against it into consideration and give we hope a satisfactory discharge to all their objections In the meane Time upon so just an occasion in this place we thought it requisite to give our Readers a breefe of what we shall more at large then discourse of whereby we doubt not but even without the help of our solutions divers will be able by the innate light of these considerations here presented to discover the adverse exceptions to be but frivolous and no way enervating our assertions about it But we have one proofe more of the inequality of Times now XII Arg. 9. God retaines the determination of Times to himself Ergo. all not equall 9. If God himselfe retaine in His own hand even under the Gospell the determination of the Continuance and Frequency of the chiefe Time necessary and sufficient to Religion for all men for the chiefe Time and that it is not put over by Him to men the Church nor any other as hath been at large proved in the forgoing Chapter Then the fourth Commandement is unquestionably that determination expreslly for one whole Day in seven and the Lords day the first Day of the seven of the week is the particular Day and all that we have here now said of the Lords day is undeniably true unlesse our Antisabbatarians will turne Sabbatarians and pleade for the Saturday-Sabbath as still in force by the fourth Commandement from which Hold we yet doubt not but we shall beate them hereafter and all that argue for it But howsoever then still it followes most certainly that all Times and Dayes are not equall in Religion under the Gospell But that there is still as great an inequality of some Dayes though not of so many as ever there was under the Old Testament except the typicall use of the particular Dayes then appointed even upon the highest ground of Divine command which lifts up the Lords day for the whole Day in a constant weekely revolution above all other Times and Dayes now whatsoever as certainly and only necessary to Religion and sufficient for the chiefe Time unto all Christians and men all the world over and properly Holy and unalterable by man and honoured with the blessing mentioned in the fourth Commandement and needed by men as we have discoursed before XIII Objections answered And now from all this will follow a certaine and easie Answer to those places of the New Testament which seeme to favour the adverse opinion and to lay all Dayes and Times levell now As Gal. 4. Blaming the observation of Dayes and Moneths and Times or seasons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word and Yeeres And Rom. 14. making stronger Christians to pronounce every Day alike Sol. These places we say must of necessity be interpreted of the Iewish Dayes and Seasons the particular Dayes which they observed for the Weekely Sabbath and the New Moones These texts and Collections are oft earnestly urged by our disputers therefore we shal in another place more fully sift and scan them and the objections raised from them But here it was necessary to touch them in briefe and the seasons for their Yeerely festivalls the Passeover feast of Weekes Trumpets Tabernacles and their Sabbaticall Yeeres every seventh Yeere and Yeares of Iubilee every 50. Yeares of these Seasons and Dayes speakes the Apostle which the false Apostles would still obtrude upon Christians and weake ones still made conscience of Of all these Dayes and Seasons it is most true that they are all alike under the Gospell and none higher then others none of them to be observed with any religious respect to the Day any more or as Holy-Times as being made voyde by Christ and laid levell with all ordinary Dayes and Times But these cannot be extended to all Dayes and Times universally If but any one of the former positions in this Chapter be true and much lesse can they be urged against us if all our reasons here exprest be good as we beleeve them to be And specially the third and the last For which without more adoe now we appeale to the consciences of all readers Whether they will admit of our interpretation of these places or make voide even any necessity of any sufficient Time at all for Religion and so hazard the loosing of all Religion for want of a sufficient Time so much as one Houre in a Yeare or any day at all to be certainly determined for Religion Gods Worship and soules good Which whatsoever it be or by whomsoever it be determined All Dayes and Times are not equall but the determined sufficient Time must be above all other Times and the Day for it above all other Dayes And if they grant such a determination necessary then whether
windowes open toward Jerusalem Also his setting himselfe to seek the Lord by fasting though alone c. 9. Can it be reckoned lesse then Solemn VVorship We adde if many Christians all a Country or Kingdom over should agree to fast and pray upon one particular day every one in their Chamber apart alone this were without doubt a very Solemne service and worship yet Solitary and private We conclude then that as there is such a Duty required of every one apart at least sometimes which we call Solemne Worship so such a Duty being performed with the whole man is worthy to be called and counted Solemne And if Solitary Worship may deserve to be called Solemne then surely Family-Worship also is justly to be counted Solemne Such was the eating of the Passeover which was ever in private houses and Esthers Fast with her maids Est 4. three dayes one after another and the Humiliation mentioned Zach. 12. every family apart and their wives apart which seemes to be a Solitary VVorship yet Solemne undoubtedly So that all Solemn VVorship is not Publike But if any one would yet list to wrangle about the word Solemne let him but give us another fit word to describe such Solitary or Private VVorship of the whole man tendred unto God so seriously and it shall serve our turne sufficiently for the end we intend it for as we shall see hereafter Mean time we say that conjoyned VVorship XIV Family Worship proved a duty where it is possible to to be performed is also a necessary duty even so far forth Morall-Naturall and that in both the kindes of it Domesticall and Congregationall For in the second place The Honour of GOD and Good of Soules doe also require Family-VVorship from all such joyntly as live in Families where they have any to joyn with This appeares 1. Because it being God that hath placed men in a Community setting the solitary in families as the Psalmists phrase is Psal 68. it cannot be justly conceived that He should doe this meerly for their worldly conveniencies but rather chiefly that they should improve their society one with another to His Glory who is the Lord of them all together as well as of every one of them single and so that they should worship Him joyntly together as well as each of them solitarily and apart To which tends undeniably the forenoted charge given Deut. 6.6 7. These words that I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in the house Deut. 11.18 and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up For though it comprehend plainly Ejaculatory Worship in part as we have noted before yet it reaches further specially being added immediately unto the great Commandement ver 4. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy might And indeed how can any man love God with all his heart and soule and not be willing to joyne others to himselfe and himselfe to others as much as may be in the worship of God And how doth the Master of a Family love God with all his strength that imployes not his authority over all his Family to call them to worship God even in the Family with himselfe at least some times I say at least some times for we yet are but upon the Duty the consideration of the Time is to come afterward Therefore also we finde it a part of the unhappy character of Pagans Jer. 10.25 Whereas some to elude the strength of this Text for Family-Prayers alleadge that Psal 79.6 the words are the Kingdomes that call not upon thy name and so by Family here is meant no more then there by Kingdoms I answer The parallelling the two plates proves the thing more clearly for as the Kingdome is not said to call upon Gods name unlesse the King command publike meetings to that end and that is counted a Heathenish and ungodly Kingdome so is it with a Family where by the authority of the Governour there are no joynt meetings to pray to God devoted to the wrath of God The Heathen that know Thee not and the Families that call not on Thy Name And indeed how hath the Family that knowledge of God to be 1. Their great Lord and Master 2. The Author of their Peace among themselves that the Governour is gentle to the inferiours and the inferiours dutifull to the Governour and Superiour 3. The Author of all Blessings to them all Of health and strength to follow their businesse of successe and comfort in them How I say have they the knowledge of God if they agree not together to joyne in Worship of Him their Lord and in tendring Prayers and Praises for such things as they expect and receive from Him 2. The Good of soules calls for this also Every one needing helpe from others and all being helped by the Solemne services joyntly presented to God in the Family 1. In minding one another by mutuall testification of the common Allegeance and Homage they all owe to Him their great Soveraigne and so preventing the forgetting of Him 2. Withall affecting one another by example of reverence and devotion 3. They being also infallibly taught and minded of and provoked to some particulars of Duty and furnisht with some matter of comfort by every such service performed joyntly supposing that every ones heart joynes faithfully in it which before they were either ignorant or forgetfull of or backward to or should have missed if they had beene wholly and ever alone As reason cannot but insinuate and experience continually shewes It remains then that Domesticall and Family-Worship is a Necessary Duty and as farre as it is Possible even Morall-Naturall XV. Publike Worship proved a Duty 3. So is also Ecclesiasticall or Congregationall VVorship which is usually called Publike VVorship Even for the Reasons forenamed Gods Honour and Soules Good He is Lord of all societies and the Author of them as well as of Families And so is to have a tribute of VVorship and Glory from all joyntly The Lord having universall Dominion over all flesh should publikely be worshipped by societies of men G. Irons p. 261. as well as from any severally And Love to God cannot but promote this as much as is possible And the mutuall blessings expected and received by greater Communities as well as Families doe require the like according to just conveniences Which is so assuredly of the Law of Nature that all Nations that have ever been heard of have had their joynt Publike Solemne Worship And have had Persons set apart purposely for it Priests or Ministers for the more compleat performance of it Finally both Reason and Experience declare that the good of Soules both calls for publike Congregationall VVorship as also commends it as exceeding profitable and advantagious Not only in that
himselfe to be determined unto by some vow of his owne or Gods command or some Superiours whom he dare not disobey So that whatsoever is left indeterminate to such is to be reckoned as nothing as never any of it imployed for God and the soule Therefore the determination of the Continuance and Frequencie of Time for Religion is so Profitable that it cannot be too large or too frequent if it leave but enough for bodily necessities and and other necessary worldly occasions Religion also being the chiefe and most necessary businesse as hath beene said 2. But now for the Quando XIX 2. The season or order of beginning hath of it selfe no substantiall profitablenesse toward Religion though accidentally it may have some or Season of Beginning what day of any number of dayes or what houre or part of any day there being no validity or efficacie in it indeterminately and voluntarily applyed to Religion as we have also shewed unlesse meerely by accident A determination of it is no further profitable then as it may Accidentally serve to secure the other respects of Continuance and Frequencie before determined As if some hours foure or six of a day were determined It is profitable that the beginning be determined somewhat early that so interruptions may not prevent the observation of so many hours Also if a whole day be determined as for solemne humiliation once a quarter It is profitable to determine some particular day some while at least before hand least interruptions of busines not so well ordered as might have been upon foresight of such a day determined do disturbe the orderly and religious observation of it even by himselfe alone Also so farre as in any other accidentall respect a man can foresee any helpe on such a day or houre or the freedome of his owne spirits or better disposition of body or the like it may be profitable to him to determine such a season of beginning for himselfe Otherwise it is not ordinarily profitable at all what particular season whether it be this day or that the first or third or seventh or tenth of that revolution or this or that houre or beginning of such Continuance that is before determined God nor the Soule gaine not nor loose not either way XX. The Quando season or order of Time that is the particular dayes may be accidentally profitabâ—y determined namely to preserve the memoriall of some worke of God on such a day and accordingly to helpe to affect with thankfulnesse specially when appointed by God to that purpose But we must not forget that in Religion or toward it that is toward some particular Consideration in Religion there may be some Accidentall profit in some determination of the Quando or Season of Beginning some solemne Worship like unto which there is nothing for study or any civill businesse which we toucht in the beginning of the foregoing Chapter Namely some Memoriall of a speciall worke of God done upon that season that day Of which sort God instituted divers under the Old Testament undeniably and we say he did also one such Day under the New Testament the first Day of the weeke cald therefore the Lords Day in stead of the Old Seventh Day-Sabbath which was in memory of Christs rest from the worke of redemption as the former of Gods rest from the worke of Creation And men also both under the Old and New Testament have instituted some particular dayes in memoriall of Gods workes as upon such dayes as the dayes of purim in the booke of Ester and the feast of the dedication mentioned Joh. 10.22 and instituted in the Time of the Maccabees as we read 1. Mac. 4.59 And no man doubts but the Christian Church hath instituted divers such dayes of memoriall Our Adversaries affirming it even of the Lords Day it selfe But that we shall dispute with them about in due season Now for the profit of these institutions so farre and so long as God commanded or commands yet any there is no doubt some profit in that by a spirituall blessing even upon that day above another not commanded by him All his Ordinances being ever accompanied with a blessing unto and upon the right observers of them and accordingly at the very first institution of the Seventh Day Sabbath God is said to blesse it as well as to sanctifie it Nay first to blesse it then to sanctifie it though it was doubtles the same act as of purpose to secure the blessing to the observers of its sanctification Gen. 2.3 And withall it may serve in a degree to quicken not the memory only but the affections also toward God for such a benefit as the Worlds Creation and so for the other benefits of which some other dayes were appointed memorialls Gods command certainly make these memorials lively and operative for these purposes so long as he would have them to be so used XXI How far and in what case the Quando or particular day appointed by man only for a memoriall of any worke or benefit of God may be Profitable As for dayes instituted by men for memorials some little profit there may also be in determining the particular day in a revolution as somewhat serving to quicken and affect the mind with the occasion But then this must also be where it is certaine and clear that the day determined is answerable to the day of the benefit Or else if that be doubted of it is like to affect but very little indeed And the services also of the Day must be specially and affectingly applied to the occasion of the memoriall Or else again there will be very little if at all any profit by the determination of such a particular day Likewise it is to be remembred that upon the particular Dayes which God instituted under the Old Testament XXII The Quando or particular dayes appointed by God under the Old Testament were ordained by Him partly for a Typicall signification and so also had an accidentâ—ll profit But it is not 〈◊〉 with any under the New Testament appointed by God and much lesse of any appointed by Men. He was pleased to put some particular typicall signification relating to Christ the body of all those shadowes as the Apostle generally tells us of them all Col. 2.16 So that He made them for the time being for that infancie of the Church yet more profitable in this consideration of being Documents of some of the Mysteries of Christ In which use no Day appointed by Man of old ever did or could serve for any Profit Neither doth any Day now either of Gods or much lesse of Mans appointment God having put an end to all Typicall uses by the comming of Christ in the flesh and His suffering and resurrection But we say before His comming even the Quando or seasons of Times determined by God had some profit in them in those two Considerations and the Lords day hath still as a memoriall appointed by
Sabbath he promises in Gods name That they should be made joyfull in Gods house of Prayer and their services accepted by Him v. 3 6 7. So that spirituall comfort in God and His gracious acceptation of their services is the blessing promised to the faithfull observance of this Time appointed by God for the chiefe solemne Time of His Worship Neither can this be eluded by our Disputers as they offer to Except 1 throw off all the places of the Old Testament by saying that this Except 2 was typicall of Christ and our spirituall rest in Him from sinne or else that it belonged only to the seventh-day Sabbath which the Jewes observed and so either way and both wayes we have nought to doe with it For we have proved sufficiently Solut. that a solemne proportion of Time determined for Religion for the necessary and sufficient chiefe Time as the Weekly Sabbath then was undeniably is no typicall matter but a substantially-necessary thing to Religion and that there is need of a Blessing upon such Time whatever the proportion be unlesse it were all our Time or else it will not be sufficient And so the Blessing here cannot be to the Sabbath in any typicall respect but as that proportion of Time determined by God for the chiefe Time for Religion His worship and mens soules Inst And though they may happen to object the mention of Gods accepting of their burnt offerings and sacrifices upon His Altar which Sol. if referoed to our Times must needs be meant typically 1. This will not hurt our interpretation of this place since the difference is apparant enough between His calling for the observation of that which is so substantially necessary in the kind of it to Religion that is either this Proportion determined for the chiefe Time or some other and that which is plainly a figure and a type as all burnt offerings and materiall sacrifices were Of which kind there are now none such under the Gospel So that in this the Prophet only speaks in the language of the present time that while sacrifices were offered and burnt upon Gods altar by the conscientious observers of His Sabbath according to His command those services should bee accepted and after they were ceased their spirituall services of prayers and thanksgivings which are in stead of them under the Gospel Like unto that of David Psal 51. who first saith God would have no sacrifices from him but a broken and contrite heart yet afterward he saith God would accept young bullocks from him Sol. 2. v. ult And as for the seventh Day they urge so much we deny the emphasis to lie at all upon that though it were the particular Day then to be observed but wholly upon the Proportion though taking in that seventh Day because then in being and then only commanded by God But we have shewed our grounds of difference enough between these two in point of substance and necessity to Religion one Day in seven and that seventh Day And what needs more to be said we shall adde when hereafter we shall come to shew as we have promised it and are forced to repeat it oftener then we would that the seventh Day was not directly commanded in the words of the fourth Commandement nor at all as the substance and particular matter of them But only within the generall scope as then appointed by God elsewhere and so our Lords-day comes equally within it and is now become successour to it in the particular title to the Blessing as we shall see So that this place stands good for our having a Blessing on Gods determined Time His Sabbath observed both by Jew and Christian The other place is Isa 58. Where LXXIII Another text Isa 58.13 expounded after he had called to a most carefull observation of the Sabbath both negative and affirmative and that both outwardly in deed and word and inwardly in thought v. 13. he promises in Gods name a remarkable spirituall Blessing v. 14. Then shalt thou delight thy selfe in the Lord that is God will so afford thee His divine Blessing upon thy conscionable imployment with joy and cheerfulnesse calling the Sabbath a delight of that Day of Gods solemne appointment for the chiefe Time of His worship that all the week after thou shalt find a delight in the Lord thou shalt have a heart oft to think of Him even in the midst of thy worldly businesses and to redeeme Time also ever now and then from thy worldly businesses to converse voluntarily with Him and be glad of all opportunities so to doe not willingly missing any time any day when thou canst have freedome to converse with Him and attend upon Him And that this is the meaning of this Promise and Blessing understanding it Evangelically and not to an absolute perfection of delight in God in this world which is not to be found in sinfull man We desire no other proofe than the Consciences of Christians that keep the Lords day as Gods Sabbath by Him commanded and their very manifestation of it in the eyes of their very adversaries Namely that such as delight in the strict and exact observation of the Sabbath doe answerably delight or seem at least to delight in conversing with God at other times and every Day gladly wait upon God some time morning and night even they and their families too and at extraordinary times they delight to heare and pray publikely and to converse with Christians in a spirituall manner privately and to attend upon God by themselves alone when they can get leisure Which is unlesse men will say that all such are wilfull and grosse Hypocrites a reall Comment upon this Promise of the Prophet of delighting in God increased in men by the Sabbaths observation And on the contrary it is more then evident that the most of those that make no conscience of the Sabbath of the Lords day doe expresse very little or no delight in God or any true spirituall converse with Him at any other Time They care little for any other Opportunity of hearing His word they worship Him not at all or seldome or very slightly with their families and lesse perhaps if the truth were known in their own solitary devotions In a word the one sort though Gods commandement and indulgence together satisfie them that one Day in seven is ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe Time for God and their soules yet they cannot satisfie themselves their consciences towards God nor their longings after Him unlesse they besides both daily and extraordinarily redeeme what Time they can possibly or at least conveniently redeeme to waite upon Him and satiate their soules more and more in enjoying a spirituall converse with Him like a friend or lover whose felicity is to be with the party loved as much and often as may be The other sort though they have no ground to think that Time sufficient not regarding the Commandement yet they hardly or not at
over as neer as may be One and the selfe-same particular Day for the chiefe Time to Religion among all Christians hath been declared in the former Chapter To which may now be added That we remember not to have ever read or heard in any Religion but those that professed the same Religion observed the same particular Dayes for the chiefe solemne Times belonging to their Religion It was ever so in the Jewish Religion and is so still and the like was done by all that became proselites to their Religion Also all Christians at this Day doe and have ever done so farre as any records lead us observed actually the same particular Day for the chiefe Time to Religion the Lords day the first Day of the Weeke even those that joyned some other dayes with it as some did a while the Old Sabbath and others other Dayes yet this was ever the chiefe Day as is learnedly shewed by a late Author in his elaborate collections from Antiquity expresly concerning the Lords day Neither did ever the Church of Rome as presumptuous as she hath been in other matters even to controll the undoubted Lawes of God and Christ as about incestuous marriage and the Cup in the Lords Supper dare to try or practise her authority upon the Lords day in changing it to any other Day Which is also so much the more remarkable because of the impetuous fiercenesse of the Romish Victor even in the second Century after Christ and hard after the Apostles Times about the particular Day for Easter mentioned before And that in the very Councell of Trent some alledged upon some occasion that the Lords day stood but by the Authority of the Church Yet for all that The Romish Church never durst venture upon it to alter it to any other The more impudent slander therefore we esteeme it to be and without all shadow or colour which Barclay as the Translator of Doctor Prideaux his Lecture quotes him with an accent of credulity reports that Master Calvin should consult of changing it into Thursday To which we only say thus much If to accuse without proofe shall be sufficient who can be innocent And the World hath been enough abused with notorious untruths concerning that man of God both since he is dead and even when he was alive which also have been sufficiently refuted by undeniable proofes Therefore we wish also the relatour of this sleevelesse tale to consider whether he be any better then the delatour If those sentences of Solomon be true Prov. 10.18 and Pro. 17.4 But we have somewhat more to say in the matter in hand that is the very Professours of the Mahometane Religion though some of them differ among themselves even to an abhorring one of another in some other matters as the Turkes and the Persians Yet they all agree in the keeping of the same particular Dayes for the chiefe Times of their Religion namely the Friday as we noted before And so it was also among the Heathens they had multiplicities of Religions But we find not among those that professed the same Religion with others any disagreement or variety about the particular Dayes of their chiefe Times of solemne Worship So that it seemes a kind of consent in Nature and very agreeable to say the least of it to the very Law of Nature that it should be so Which makes us the more admire at some at least of our Adversaries disputing as if the present Church had power to alter the Lords day to any other day of the Weeke And what Church they meane Nationall or Vniversall which to be sure will never meate so much as representatively if we include all Christians of Europe Asia Africa and America within the universall Church Or what they intend by it And whether they would be glad to see any Nationall Church or all the Westerne Churches together to take in hand such a thing to shew their authority as Lords of the Lords day and silence all future disputes by whose authority the particular Day stands What ever their thoughts be We for our parts hope we shall never live to see any Nationall Church much lesse ours and least of all many Nations to rush upon so desperate an adventure And so we conclude this argument with this note That as we suppose the ground that hath made all the World thus consent in the same particular Dayes according to their severall Religions was immediately their perswasion That those Dayes are determined to them by their gods and that it was so delivered by those that commended to them those particular Dayes So this perswasion was built upon another originall principle that the determination of them did properly belong to their gods LXXVIII Arg. 4. from the consent of the heathen And this may make up another argument briefly of great probability at least not only for the particular Dayes but also and principally for the chiefe Time to Religion namely The universall consent of Heathens and misbeleevers whose practise is by some of our adversaries delivered us as the best Comment upon the Law of Nature or Morality of the fourth Commandement practising and observing their chiefe Times for their Religion as determined to them by their gods and so owning the determination of them to belong to their authority only This we say hath not only seemed reasonable to the Mahometans as we shewed but to the very Heathen of old Among whom as their Priests or Law-givers the immediate institutours of their Religion feigned the other matters of their Religion and Worship to be prescribed by their gods in Oracles Visions Dreams and the like according to that naturall principle which is the generall affirmative part of the second commandement God every God is to be worshipped with His own prescribed Worship So according to the generall meaning of the fourth Commandement or at least according to part of the generall meaning of that second forementioned They ever ascribed the institution of their chiefe and ordinary Holy-dayes and solemne Times for their Religion and the service of their gods Dij miserati laboriosum a natura genus humanion remissiones laborum ipsi constituerunt de leg 2. LXXIX The 5. generall Arg. from confession of the very adversaries C. D. pag. 21. unto their gods themselves Hear Plato speake for them all The Gods compassionating the laboursome life of mankind themselves appointed remission of their labours that is Dayes or Times of remission from their labours which were their Holy-dayes Specialties of these may be found in other Authors But now after all what will our Readers say if some of our greatest adversaries in this question have themselves confessed as much as will necessarily inferre All this determination about the chiefe Time and particular Day for it to belong to God without peradventure or long dispute Heare them speake Thus one delivers his opinion Men may by the Light of Nature from the Creature climbe up to the knowledge of the Creator
* When without all controversie God determined to the Iewes the chiefe solemne time the weekly Sabbatâ— yet He did not the hâ—ures of publike morall worship much lesse the continuance on week-dayes And it was so even of old when that Law of Tithes was undeniably in force So there is no manner of necessity or reason to inferre That if it please God and it appeare necessary to us for Him so to doe to determine one thing a chiefe thing the chiefest in the kind Therefore He must also doe all of the kind Or that because He hath not determined all of the kind or not this or that Therefore we have no need that He should determine at all any of the kind not so much as the chiefest For 3. We adde that Gods not determining the Continuance of Sol. 3 the Time for the Publique Worship on the Solemne Dayes nor yet of Family or Solitary Worship on the Work-Dayes is so far from arguing that He hath not or need not for our sakes determine the chiefe solemne Time for Religion His own Honour and mens soules generally that it rather strongly confirms that He hath and that we needed He should As being the only certaine and sufficient obligation to hold men to necessary sufficient just and profitable attendance upon God and their soules and to supply the defects that are or may be in scanty performances on the Week-Dayes and to scoure off the rust and filth then contracted by much handling of worldly matters and to make up a full advantage beyond that which the nature of the Publike Services whether shorter or longer could of themselves meerly reach unto God we say saw it necessary and we can by His shewing see it too that He should not leave all Time to mens determinations and yet convenient He should leave some undetermined strictly Therefore accordingly so He hath done determining the chiefe Time with the particular Day for it expresly in His Word and somewhat of each Day by the very Law of Nature as we have shewed and leaving the rest undetermined to all men in regard of any strict determination and referring it to the various occasions and affections of every one for themselves apart and of superiors for themselves and their inferiors both ordinarily and extraordinarily according to generall rules of the Scripture speaking of His Honour and the good of soules And all this most wisely and graciously as we trust hereafter every Conscience that duely waighs the premisses will confesse with us Unto which acknowledgment yet all our following Discourses will not be unprofitable for the fuller removing of all objections and scruples in any part of the whole Question and the setling of mens judgements in all the maine matters belonging to this great Controversie as we hope will appeare in the sequel CHAP. XI Two Corollaries from the former Discourses about Solemn Time 1. All Times and Dayes are not equall under the Gospel 2. Time and Place are not equall circumstances in Religion IT is found by experience That Truth sometimes is as much or more prejudiced by some common Sentences which have some shew of probabilitie or veritie in them as by the strongest Argumentations against it Because these are only confined to the Discourses and Writings of learned men and are formally and sufficiently opposed by the Patrons of Truth But those are usually tossed up and down among all sorts and passe for the most part without examination and so doe great hurt insensibly Therefore it is that those who would effectually vindicate an opposed Truth must as well take some paines to encounter such common sayings even distinctly and expresly as any other contradicting Arguments applying to them without feare of being counted Tautologists such Reasons as are laid down even in other places with the addition of any other that are particular and proper so to discover fully the falsitie and danger of those vulgar Conceits and Expressions I. Two Corollaries from the former Discourse The thought of this hath made us esteeme it necessary to bestow this Chapter entirely upon the examination of two common Assertions which serve our Adversaries at every turne almost 1. That all Dayes and Times they say are alike and equall under the Gospel 2. That Time and Place are equall circumstances in Religion Which have been so commonly agitated not only in all Writings of theirs in this Subject though without any judicious and exact scanning but in vulgar discourses that they are grown to be in a sort Proverbs among them Insomuch as we find that the latter of these hath in some sort tainted some even of those who yet are Orthodox in the maine about Solemne Time so that even they speak the same language now and then of an Equalitie of Time and Place All which constrained us to take in hand a Particular Consideration of both these forementioned Assertions And though we must of necessity say over some of those things we have spoken already and touch some others beforehand whose proper place to argue fully comes hereafter yet we rather choose to doe so though some should call it tautologizing than for want of a formall setting our selves against those fallacious Principles to leave such prejudiciall conceits in the mindes of any Readers To begin with the first then Our Position is II. The first All Times and Dayes are not equall All Times and Dayes are not equall under the Gospel The Contradictory whereunto had wont to be exploded as an Anabaptisticall fancy But now of late among the Disputers concerning the Sabbath and Lords day it hath gotten some more venerable fautors And which addes to the strangenesse even those that cry it down in the Anabaptists say as much as they in sense and neere their very words So that there is little or no difference between them and the other whom they would seem to oppose Except it be that our Disputers give somewhat more to the Churches power about Times and Dayes than the Anabaptists allow But that we may refute both the one and the other III. The question stated by shewing in their erroneous expressions or meanings We will first a little state the Question now before us and then declare our Grounds opposite to their Assertions and finally give a touch of Satisfaction to their chiefest strength from the New Testament which may seem to favour them But all briefly 1. It is true That all Times and Dayes in themselves 1. Our consent as Times and Dayes materially considered are equall and of the very same nature One not more excellent more holy more necessary to be observed to Religion than another that is antecedent to all determination of God or in sensu diviso So that the learned Bishop speaks right in this Every day of the week had one and the same efficient cause namely Divine creation B. of E. p. 34. And all times and things created by God were very good But if they so state the
is in a manner acknowledged by one that yet makes exception to this Distinction Primr p. 5. It must saith he be the revealed will of GOD that matches Positive with Naturall Lawes and marks them with the silver stamp of Immutabilitie So we say it must be and so it is for XXII 2. His wil hath done so in severall Ages Secondly the same Will that was pleased to make Positive Laws universally and perpetually obligatory to the World of the same Age may no doubt make Lawes universall and perpetuall for both Ages of the World But God hath done the former as will appeare by these instances 1. For the old World even beginning with Adam and ending with Christ as Divines commonly make the period the Law of Sacrifices was an universall and perpetuall Law the practice whereof we find in the very beginning in Cain and Abel without doubt not without some Divine command to their Father and all succeeding Generations even of Heathens practised this 2. To Noah was a Law of this kind given for himselfe and all his Posteritie as cannot be denied Gen. 9. To abstaine from eating blood though afterward it was more specially renewed and applied to the Jews and the Gentiles lost it as they did other things even of the Law of Nature as we touched before 3. In the new World beginning with Christ At least for this Age. and continuing till the day of Judgement the two Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper are unquestionably Positive Lawes yet universall as soon as the Gospel comes to any and perpetuall and so may be termed Morall from the time they were given to the worlds end 4. Nay we have a Record of a Law Morall-Positive given to Adam even before his fall reaching to all his Posterity to the worlds end viz. The not eating of the fruit of the tree of Knowledge For that it bound all men appeares by too wofull experience all Mankind being sinners for breaking of it in and with Adam Therefore since God hath done thus from the beginning to give Positive Lawes and yet make them Morall Universall and Perpetuall we can see no reason but that there may be some other such for both Ages of the World Only we must looke that we pitch our mark aright upon those that are indeed so To which therefore we say further Thirdly that not only there may be XXIII 3 There are such still in force Confessed by the Adversaries themselves XXIV 1. in Sense C. D. p. 8. but that there are some other such Positive Lawes delivered in Scripture that from the time they were first given bind all Posterities in the Generations succeeding even in all Ages and this by the confession of the Adversaries themselves 1. in sense and 2. in plain words 1. In sense To which purpose let those words of one of them be considered That however all the Precepts of the Morall Law he meanes it of the Decalogue belong to the Law of Nature as being agreeable to Reason which is the rule of humane actions and are in that respect of perpetuall observation yet all of them are not of the same ranke nor belong in the same degree and manner to the Law of Nature Something 's there are which we by the instinct of Nature presently see to be good or bad c. Others there are that require more consideration of Circumstances and use of Discourse to apprehend and judge of them And lastly there are some to the knowledge whereof Humane Reason stands in need of Divine instruction And these two latter sorts specially the last though they in some sort belong to the Law of Nature and were haply at our first Creation written in the Tables of mans Heart in more plain characters and more easie to be read then now since the fall they are may in respect of the other be termed Morall not in regard of Nature dictating but in regard of Discipline informing Nature He speaks here of the last sort of Laws under the Title of Lawes of Nature which is more then we will say But afterwards qualifying the speech and calling them Morall not in regard of Nature dictating but in respect of Discipline informing Nature he saith the very same that we doe For Morale Disciplinae and Morale Positivum are one and the same Divine Instruction or Revelation contra-distinguished to Nature and Divine Imposition is altogether the same in point of Lawes Tract of Sab. pag. 3. To which purpose see another of their own Mr. Brerewood by name who being dead was forced first to speak against the Morality of the fourth Commandement yet this Distinction he acknowledgeth and applies to the fourth Commandement Morall is that which belongs to Manners 1. by the instinct of Nature as belonging to the inward Law written in our hearts Or 2. by Instruction of Discipline as being of the outward Law appointed by GOD as that of observing the seventh Day so that it may be termed Naturall which is more then we yet say as being not of the Institution of Nature but of the Discipline of Nature c. XXV 2. In expresse words Bp. of E. p. 27. Namely 1. Against Polygamie Proved Positive yet Morall Secondly in the very words the learned Bishop speaking of Lawes Positively Morall saith Some are common and generall to all Mankinde as the Law of Polygamie and Wedlock within some degrees mentioned Lev. 20. And that the Law against Polygamie published by Adam or by GOD himselfe to Adam at the first beginning For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and cleave to his wife and they two shall be one flesh Gen. 2. was indeed but Positive may be sufficiently concluded by that that many even of the holiest men after Abraham were Polygamists Of whom it were a wild sentence to say they lived continually in a breach of a Law of Nature Can it be supposed that those holy men who had the light of Divine revelation often should generally have wanted light about a Law of Nature or much lesse that they could have lived in a Practice against any light they had Divines also generally acknowledging the Negative part of the Lawes of Nature to binde ad semper and to be perpetually indispensable It was then a Positive Law yet Morall and therefore though ignorantly yet they sinned in breaking of it as appeares by what Malachy writes Mal. 2. And our Saviour specially argues from the institution of Mariage in the beginning Mat. 19. Again for the Lawes against incestuous mariages XXVI 2. Against incestuous Mariages proved Morall though Positive wherein we have at once many instances of Lawes Positively Morall That they were and are Morall appeares by Gods counting the Transgressions such Abominations when he speaks of them and saying that for them the Land of Canaan did spue out her Inhabitants though Gentiles And that they were yet but Positive appeares also by the speciall instance of Cain and Seth
take away some particularity circumstance about them and namely the individuall object of them and to abrogate and abolish that yet he vouchsafed to continue the Substance of those Lawes still under the New Testament and for that purpose himselfe ordained new Particularities new Individuall Objects whereby those Lawes should subsist and made only a change in the Circumstances and no diminution nor alteration at all of the Substance of those profitable Lawes Of this I have a double undeniable instance to produce one of the Ministery the other of the Sacraments 1 It cannot be denyed XXXI 1. In the Ministery but it is a Substantially Profitable Law for all men in all Ages That there should be some men set apart to minister between GOD and his People and the People submit to them being appointed of GOD to that office and depend upon them so far as GOD ordaines Accordingly besides Melchisedek mentioned to be a Priest of the most High GOD Divines generally hold that before the Leviticall Law was given every Father of a Family had the office of a Priest or Minister of God to his Family even from Adams time in Abrahams time Gen. 14. GOD as soon as ever he took Israel to be his people had first the first-borne to be his Priests Exod. 24.5 Num. 3. c. and afterward the Tribe of Levi and the Family of Aaron besides also his raising up extraordinary Prophets for part of that office But these Levites and Aaronites though he hath under the New Testament taken away from being Hereditary Ministers of his and so abolished their Order yet hath he not left his Church without Ministers But Christ himselfe upon Earth chose and sent some in that imployment and appointed them to send others in succession which accordingly they did as the Acts and Epistles shew and likewise continually gives gifts to men to that end Ephes 4. and so upon those who are according to his Word ordained to that Office lies the Substantiall Duty of GODS Ministers even the same for substance that was from the beginning namely to teach and pray and judge the People in things pertaining to GOD according to his Word And Gods people are bound to submit to them and depend upon them answerable to the rules of the Word as well and as much as they of old were to his Ministers in those times And all this because of the substantiall profit of those Lawes for Gods honour and mens soules as the termes of Embassadors Watchmen Shepheards Husbandmen Builders Fishers and the like doe abundantly testifie So that a substantially profitable Law appeares to be perpetuated even where God makes some change about it And if we consider that God did once speak to his people generally by his own Majestick voyce Exod. 20. and oftentimes of old to Particulars by Dreams and Revelations and by apparitions of Angels There was no necessity neither on Gods part nor Mens that such Lawes should be made or any such Office of Men establisht But it was only the pleasure of God and a Positive Law of his desired also by the people as we find Exod. 20. after they had heard that dreadfull voyce and in answer thereunto He promised a succession of Prophets Vide Calv. in locum and specially Christ the great Prophet Deut. 18. Yet for the substantiall profitablenesse of it perpetuated by God throughout all Ages and acknowledged and practised even by all the Heathens Yet by no Argument can it be proved Morall-Naturall as I suppose XXXII 2. In the Sacraments 2. The other Instance is yet more if need be undeniable for a Positive Law to be perpetuated because substantially-profitable for all men in all ages And that is the Law of the Sacraments of being Seales for confirmation of a Covenant between God and men Of this it cannot be said there is any necessity in regard of God who knowes all mens hearts before and without this nor yet absolutely in regard of Men For all Orthodox Divines hold men may be and are saved without them if they be not willing contemners of them They are then necessary only necessitate Praecepti not Medii And the nature of them is such as that God himselfe must appoint them or else they are so far from being necessary or profitable to advance his honour and Soules good that they are unlawfull to be used Men may not make or appoint Religious seales of the Covenant between God and them The using then of any such comes from Gods Positive Law Yet because in his Wisdome and Grace he saw it would be profitable for his Church to have such Seales of the Covenant between him and them And accordingly we are able to discourse of a substantiall profit of such seales of Gods appointment to strengthen our faith and engage us the more solemnly and strongly to him and that from time to time Therefore God not only gave to Adam in innocencie the Tree of Life for a Sacrament as Divines generally hold But after his fall Sacrifices which had certainly the nature of Sacraments seals of Gods covenant And now under the New Testament though he hath abolished the old seales of Circumcision and the Passeover and Sacrifices yet he hath not abolished the Law of Sacraments of Seales in generall though also that Law be no where expresly laid down in the generall but under the particular Seales of each Age But hath only changed the former Individuall Objects and set up himselfe new ones Baptisme and the Lords Supper Unto the Lawes of which even the generall Lawes of Seales to be gathered from the Old as well as the New Testament All his people are still bound because of the substantiall profitablenesse as well and as much as they of old were Though not to the specialties which appear peculiar to the old Seals Still then we find God Perpetuating Substantially-Profitable Lawes even although he change some circumstance about them We will therefore conclude this discourse and this Chapter with this Epiphonema from both our Rules That XXXIII An Epiphonema for conculsion as we being Subjects of the great Lawgiver dare not pleade our selves loose from any Law of his which we shall find in his Word and specially not from any such substantially-profitable Law without we can be sure he hath discharged us of it according as we have discoursed of expirations and repeale So upon this supposition We shall not need be overcurious in distinguishing Morall-Naturall from Morall Positive for both will come to one effect to us CHAP. III. Every Law of the Decalogue is a Morall and Perpetuall Law WEE have one Rule more to adde I. The third Rule Every Law of the Decalogue is Morall to know a Law to be Morall though but Positive and that is Every Law of the Decalogue or every one of the tenne Commandments is a Morall and Perpetuall Law This Rule we finde doth not passe currant with the contrary
waite upon God and the whole body also in a due and serviceable proportion that so he may by such Solemne Worship of God have a full draught as I may say out of the Fountaine of Gods Goodnesse and satisfie his soule with a more compleate fruition of His Divine Grace Or rather to speake according to the unhappy condition that all mankind are now naturally in by reason of sinne and corruption to seeke to recover his lost happinesse in God by seeking Reconciliation with Him and the regaining and so retaining of his Favour in the use of such Holy meanes as himselfe hath appointed to this end namely the Ordinances of His Worship These things the Law of Nature teaches and commands to all men universally without exception or exemption of any And they must be Brutes or Atheists or both that deny them Moreover X. Solemn Worship distinguished into Solitary Conjoyned and that into Domesticall and Ecclesiasticall in as much as Worship may be presented to God either by any one single person alone or by divers joyning together in the tendring of it which usually though not so properly is exprest by the termes of Private Worship and Publike we had rather say Solitary and Conjoyned and then divide the latter into Domesticall or Family-Worship and Ecclesiasticall or Congregationall It is further considerable what of any of these is to be acknowledged a necessary duty for all men even according to the Law of Nature And for this we say 1. Generally and briefly How far each of these is a Necessary Duty That as far as any of them are possible to be performed all mankinde stand bound to tender them respectively that is so much and so often as they have no just and necessary impediment 2. Particularly for each of these severally 1. Every one is bound to tender to God solemne worship by themselves alone 2. Every one that lives in a family where he may have others to joyn with him in solemn worshipping of God is bound to that also to joyn them to him and himselfe to them in presenting some solemne worship to God 3. Every one also that lives in a convenient nearnesse with others with whom he may joyn in an Ecclesiasticall or Congregationall assembly to worship God solemnly together stands bound in like sort hereunto and may not alwayes absent himselfe from them but some time or other it is his duty to joyn with them in such solemne Worship even notwithstanding any danger of Persecution and that the place of such Worship be but a private House or Chamber or a Field or a Wood or a Cave as it fared with the Primitive Christians And of each of these we conceive proper Reasons to evince the necessity 1. For the first of these Solitary Worship XI Solitary Worship which is not owned as Solemn by our Adversaries ordinarily called Private Worship A man would think none should offer to deny it But in our Disputers books I am sure it is very â—â—intly and seldome acknowledged and the second lesse rather then more And by their language neither Solitary nor Family-Worship is owned under the notion of Solemne Worship For as much as it is usuall with them that when they any where name Solemne Worship they adde Publike to it As being afraid left if they should grant any other Solemne Worship to be a Necessary Duty besides Publike whereby they mean Ecclesiasticall as appeares by their Discourses upon it It would inforce as indeed it will as we shall see a necessity of a solemne time for it as well as for the solemne Publike Worship And then their generall Moralitie of the fourth Commandement which they have devised to be only for the Publike Worship will be found too scanty and their whole Cause be endangered to fall to the ground as we shall make it appeare hereafter Therefore we must needs take a little more paines to prove both Family-Worship and even Solitary Worship to be necessary duties and part of our homage to God and even to be Morall-Naturall and withall to deserve the name of Solemne Worship And afterward we will say somewhat also of the necessity of Publike Worship likewise and so conclude the whole Chapter XII Solitary Worship proved a duty three wayes 1. Now for Solitary Worship such as is performed with the whole man setting himselfe altogether apart from all worldly businesses and distractions to attend upon God immediately and tender both Soule and Body to Him That this is a necessary duty appears from the grounds before laid in a threefold respect 1. That it is altogether unreasonable to imagine that God should lose any of his honour from any man single because there is no other company to joyn with him in the solemnity of Worship 2. It is also unreasonable to think that a man is not bound to seek the recovery of his soules lost happinesse in his enjoying God and conversing with Him in duties of Worship to be performed both with Soule and Body because he is alone and hath none besides himselfe that will have any regard to further him and themselves together in conjoyned Worship 3. Otherwise it were not absolutely a Morall-Naturall duty to worship God solemnly that is with the whole man at all For every such duty which we by the Law of our Creation owe absolutely to God cannot but be perpetually possible and universally to all He being perpetually existent and present with us and we with Him But solemne Family-Worship and much more solemne Publike or Ecclesiasticall Worship is not universally and perpetually possible to all And so no other solemne Worship is possible to them but only Solitary And if that be not to them a Morall-Naturall duty then none is absolutely so For it is cleare a Christian may be and many are forced to live many yeares in such a place among Turks or Pagans as a Captive or the like where there is no possibility at all of having any other to joyn with him in the worship of God no not secretly much lesse publikely So that though we deny not but Publike that is Ecclesiasticall or Congregationall solemne Worship is so far forth Morall-Naturall as it is Possible Yet we maintain that Private that is Solitary solemne Worship is more Morall and Necessary yea firstly Morall being not only Necessary as the the other is when it may be but certainly Possible for every one of Mankinde to performe which the other is not at all times and in all places when a man will And now that such Solitary or Private VVorship deserves to be called and counted Solemne VVorship XIII Well called Solemne appeares from the description of Solemne Worship forementioned against which no just exception can be taken As also by the instance of Daniels prayers which though performed by himselfe alone in his Chamber yet cannot reasonably be denied to have been Solemn VVorship being three times a day constantly and on his knees and his
occasionally and the Lords Supper seldome oftner then once a moneth in any Church which would so far forth prejudice the good that might have been gotten by that which is so omitted Or else very much scanty each of them and so weaken the good to be received by every one of them singly and jointly XXX 2. With respect to mens worldly businesses But withall on the other hand the considerations of mens worldly callings and necessary businesses would suffer no lesse if not more sensible prejudice by dividing the Time between more dayes then if it were all put into one It would hinder journies and day-labourers and all men of much businesse exceedingly For the publike worship being then to be waited on it could not be in most places of the country particularly and for the sake of weaker bodies till about nine a clocke in the morning or toward three in the afternoone if the beginning were not in the morning and this would marvelously disappoint travelling and indeed every worke which could noâ— at the clocke striking as one may say be laid downe and the â—â—r those that dwell a mile or two from Church as much Time would be spent in going to the publike worship and home againe if not more then in the worship it selfe and so it would be a most greivous interruption and hindrance to all their worldly businesses Neither doubt we but if the consent of men were asked one by one the most part by farre both of good and bad the willing and unwilling those that love the service of God and the businesse of their soules and those that love it not All would give their voyces to have the whole Time how much or how little soever the porportion were for houres upon one Day in such a revolution rather then upon more frequent Dayes with a shorter Continuance that so they that love Gods worship and their soules good might have more full scope for that And they that love the world better might have the lesse interruption in their worldly businesses and more freedome to follow them From which discourse before we passe to another Consideration XXXI A consequence from thence Let us make bold to put the reader in mind of a consequence that we suppose will undeniably follow if these premises stand good namely That unlesse fourteen or sixteen houres be too large a proportion to be determined for Gods Honour and the good of all mens soules within the revolution of seven Dayes then the dermination of one whole Dayes Continuance for so many houres in such a revolution will prove so substantially a profitable determination for all men in all ages As they will find it a very hard taske that will afterward goe about to prove either that this determination was not from the beginning considering what is said at least towards it Gen. 2. Or that it is not perpetuall since there is certainly no expresse repeale of such a proportion of Continuance within that revelution And whether now under the Gospell such a proportion be too large in the whole as we wish the readers conscience to bethinke it selfe seriously even now that he is upon this discourse So we shall give him a further occasion to resolve in a Chapter or two after Meane Time we have one Consideration more yet to adde about the kinds of determination of these respects of Time and which is the last of this sort 8. XXXII How the determination of the Quando or season is profitable As a joynt determination of the Continuance and Frequencie so largely as hath been said must needs be Profitable for all men alike because all men are a like concerned in the Worship of God and care of their soules good To which tend all the determinations of Time religiously so it cannot be denied but upon the supposition of such a determination there will be at last a Profitablenesse accidentall not only of some Quando season or order of beginning but of the same for all that live neere one another at least so farre as to secure the helping one of another in family or publike Worship and to prevent hindring one another even in solitary Worship or the admitting of hindrances one from another Only it is to be observed withall that as all accidents are in Nature after the substances to which they are accidents though they are oft together for Time And againe all separable accidents may be after in Time So this accidentall determination of the Season or order of Time for Religion is in Nature after the substantiall determination of the Continuance and Frequencie even though possibly it was in Time determined together as the Seventh Day from the Creation together with one Day of seven Gen. 2. Supposing we say the particular Day determined to Adam the same moment with the other yet was the determination of it after it in Nature as being but meerely accidentall to the businesse of Religion for which infallibly the determination of one Day in seven was made And if what we have discoursed of the alteration of the order without prejudice to Religion be good it might possibly be determined some while after in Time But however it must not be forgotten that the particular order or season of beginning this or that Day is only accidentally and in no sort substantially profitable to Religion as hath been proved before XXIII For the manner of Determinations And so we come to the third and last main Consideration about the Profitablenesse of determinations of Time for Religion namely about the manner of determination of any of the respects of Time or all of them 1. No Exclusive Determination is profitable 1. Here is specially to be noted That no Exclusive Determination for the generall businesse of Religion can be conceived to be Profitable That is It cannot be profitable to have a Determination of so much Continuance at once and never longer as well as not shorter and of so frequent a revolution and never oftener as well as no seldomer and at such a season or in such an order for beginning that is on such a particular Day or part of the Day Evening or Morning this or that Houre and never sooner as well as no later never at any other Houre or on any other Day This we say cannot be profitable to Religion because Religion in both the intendments of it Gods honour and the good of mens soules is every mans chiefest and most important businesse of all other all the time of his life The attendance therefore upon this must never be forbidden strictly which is in the nature of an Exclusive Determination in any respect But it is ever lawfull not now to say necessary to prosecute the businesse of Religion both voluntarily without determination of the Time beforehand as also to determine Time for it where the necessities of a mans worldly condition and worldly imployments can and doth admit it It is true that if
authority 3. Also if any want Authority to secure themselves in the Time determined or to awe unwilling inferiours as also to awe and satisfie their minds somewhat by the cleare equity and reasonablenesse of the proportion determined and distributed between the Continuance Frequencie The determination in all probability cannot be profitably even though it should be wisely determined For it would never be constantly observed by any whom it was made for If inferiours made it to themselves they would be oft taken off by the command of untoward superiours And they would not know what to doe because they are not Masters of their owne Time Againe It is certaine before hand that all unwilling Inferiours would despise it and neither observe it themselves nor suffer others that they had under them to observe it if they stood in no Awe of the Authority commanding And such a thing foreseen concludes any determination or Law to be so farre forth altogether unprofitable Likewise what ever wisdome or worldly Authority such should have as made that determination if they made it not with such cleare evidence of equity and reason on both sides that so much and so often were necessary and no lesse nor no seldomer and againe that so much and so often were ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe solemne Time and no more at once nor no oftener were requisite the unwilling would be sure not to regard the determination when they were out of sight and hearing as not holding themselves bound to so much or so often and so it would be still unprofitable in reference to such And on the other side the conscientious would be doubtfull whether so much and so often were ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe solemne Time and so neither would attaine a sufficient Profitablenesse to them 4. Most of all Such a Determination in all probability XXXVIII 4. Or all these will not be profitable if made by such in whom there is a want in all these respects of Wisedome Willingnesse and Authority sufficient for such a Determination of such consequence and importance as this is of And now whether any man or number of men even within the Church may not be found wanting in some or all of these requisites to make such a Conclusive Determination of the Continuance and Frequencie of Time jointly to make up the ordinarily sufficient and necessary chiefe solemne Time for all men as we shall discourse in a following Chapter shortly So we referre it to the Readers conscience in the mean while And goe on to adde the other Consideration opposite to this Namely 4. That that cannot but be a singularly profitable Determination XXXIX When all these meet the determination Conclusive is very profitable which is made Conclusively in both the respects of Continuance and Frequencie jointly by such whose Wisedome Affection to Religion and Authority is every way undoubted For hereby all scruple and pretence of scruple will be taken away about the necessity and sufficiency of this Time so determined for the ordinary chiefe solemne Time for Religion and the Vnwilling will be as much awed as by any other Law whatsoever and the Willing have a full and free liberty to attend it rejecting all unnecessary Interruptions from whomsoever Now all this is unquestionably true of God who did determine in this sort conclusively the Continuance to be a whole Day and the Frequencie jointly that it should be one in seven in the fourth Commandement undeniably to the Jewes as the necessary and ordinarily sufficient chiefe solemne Time of Worship Therefore also we can think no otherwise but that this Commandement in this regard is a substantially-profitable Commandement for all men in all ages to be bound unto And because we find not any certain Repeale of it afterward we cannot but think according to our Rule formerly laid down about such Lawes substantially-profitable that it is Morall and Perpetuall Neither doubt we but the consciencious Reader will be of the same mind too if we can prove as we even now intimated that no man or number of men to whom this may be supposed to be left by God under the New Testament can make the Determination in any proportion so profitable for Religion Gods honour and the good of all mens soules and consciences But of that as we said hereafter We have yet some further Considerations to adde about the profitablenesse of the manner of Determinations The next is XI A remisse determination is profitable for tryall of affections 5. A Remisse Determination namely of the Continuance or Frequencie of Time for Religion may also be profitable partly to recommend the importance of Religion to be attended as a chiefe businesse and particularly in such and such Duties which are named as being of chiefest importance to Religion and partly withall to intimate a mind in the Superior that makes it to try the affections of Inferiors to the businesse of Religion generally or any particular businesse of Religion which such Determination may particularly concerne by intimating somewhat generally about the proportion of Time for it but referring the speciality of it to their minds As we thus find God making a Remisse Determination of the Continuance for Prayer Col. 4. Continue in Prayer which implies some convenient proportion of Continuance to be ordinarily allotted to it but leaving the specialty of it to mens own affections which accordingly are exceedingly tried by such continuance voluntarily prolonged They whose affections are strongest to the duty and the businesse of the duty conversing with God and wrestling with Him for all manner of blessings doe undoubtedly continue longer and those whose affections are weaker doe continue lesse while Understanding this of the right praying of the heart and soule and not the lip-labour of the tongue or the outward continuance upon ones knees suppose even in secret where the mind is distracted by many fancies For so a man may continue a long while about the duty and yet continue but a little while in the duty Pray but a little while for want of godly at least strong affections But if a man pray all the while he is at prayer It is undeniable that he hath the strongest affections that continues longest So also God hath bâ—en pleased to give out a Remisse Determination for the Frequencie of reiteration of Prayer Praying alwayes Eph. 6.18 Of Meditation Thou shalt meditate therein day and night Jos 1.8 And of the Lords Supper often by those phrases Doe this as oft as you drink it in remembrance of me And as oft as you eat this bread and drink this cup 1. Cor. 11.25 26. Where the two former for Prayer and Meditation imply a very often reiteration yet not prescribing exactly the number how often and the other for the Lords Supper intimating some Frequencie yet not determining specially so or so often So in each leaving the specialty to mens affections and occasions And no man can deny but here also
it is a singular proofe of mens affections to God in His sight when they look up to Him and meditate of Him very frequently They doing it most often that have strongest affections because also it may be done suddenly in the midst of worldly businesses many times and in divers worldly businesses a man may continue a remarkable Time in Ejaculatory Prayers and Meditations and not hinder himselfe a jot which now he that hath present and strong Affections for God will not faile to doe And he who doth it but seldome doth hereby discover at least to God who searches the hearts that his Affections are but weak and faint to God-ward And so it is for the Lord Supper he that comes oftenest as a man ought with spirituall remembrance and inward celebration of Christs Death and spirituall hunger and thirst after the benefit of it to be anew sealed to Him by the Sacrament manifests unquestionably most spirituall Affection to Christ And he who comes seldomer shewes his Affections to be more sleight and slack understanding it still where there is no just present impediment And for the tryall and discovery of such variety of Affections towards Him besides other Reasons which His infinite wisedome may have God is pleased to make these Determinations remisse and no more And for the purpose of such Triall from which a mans own conscience upon examination may gather profitable admonition and comfort such Remisse Determinations are specially profitable as we have shewed XLI Supposing the former determinations made eâ—se not But we must adde withall to this Consideration that to the main and generall businesse of Religion Gods worship and the Soules good such Remisse Determination of the Continuance and Frequencie of Time for it if there were no other Determinations none strict and even conclusive to make up the ordinarily sufficient chiefe solemn Time of Worship it could not be profitable because in no wise sufficient for persons so unwilling and so unwise and so liable to Interruptions from worldly businesses and other mens importunities as even the best men and much more the ordinary sort of mankind are all their life long As will appeare more fully in the next Chapter in which we shall discourse at large of the necessity even of such a Conclusive Determination to Religion But upon the supposall of such a Conclusive Determination for the chiefe solemne Time for Religion other Determinations made but even remisse may stand in good stead and prove very profitable oftentimes even beyond ordinary expectation as experience shewes in those that are willing to take the advantages of them as was intimated before XLII Particular determinations for particular ends may be removed 6. Furthermore it is also to be observed that as we said before in point of Learning Determinations of Time for particular intendments toward Religion although withall of some use and profit for the generall businesse of Religion may so grow out of date upon those particular intendments being satisfied and so the speciall and principall reason of those Determinations being ceased that it may be convenient to remove and take them quite away partly as burdens not so sutable to the state of the New Testament but specially lest their Perpetuity should ecclipse the glory of Christ of whom they were shadowes as well as other Ceremonies And accordingly so we find in the Epistles of S. Paul Rom. 14. Gal. 4. Col. 2. a Repeale of all the Jewish Festivall-Dayes New Moones and others including also the Jewish Quando or particular Day of the seven which was for the Weekly Sabbath Their main intention being for particular ends and purposes typicall The Apostle saying of them all Gal. 4. That they were weak and beggerly elements And Col. 2. Shadowes of good things to come but the Body was CHRIST And so Christ being come and the Church come of age out of her state of infancie God thought it not fit to continue these any more nor any thing in the stead of any of them except only of the Seuenth-day Sabbath because it was a Circumstance which did belong to the Substantiall Determination of one Day in seven in the fourth Commandement which was the Conclusive Determination for the chiefe solemne Time Therefore in stead of it He set up a new particular Day the first of the seven as that was the last called in the New Testament by the name of the first Day of the Week and the LORDS-Day This we say was done because the Substantiall Determination of one Day in seven could not be observed without some particular Day also determined for it But the others God wholly took away as being no way proportionable in Profit with that and as being willing to leave His Christian Church now come to age at some more liberty then before to present Him with voluntary Determinations of Times of attendance publikely as all Churches have had some of their own even those that have rejected the name of Holy-day or Festivals yet have they had sometimes even weekly Dayes wherein they have had Publike Prayers or Preachings or both And also privately each one hath more to shew his free affection when so many Dayes were not expresly determined by God as there were before Yet still He would not take away that Conclusive Determination of one Day in seven for the most singular and substantiall profit of it which we have partly shewed already and shall doe more in the following Chapters As also we shall hereafter further discourse upon those places of St. Paul which our Anti-Sabbatarians doe so earnestly urge against the fourth Commandement for one Day in seven to include that also though there be not the least intimation of any such thing there further then concernes the particular Day then observed as we shall shew Mean time in this place we held it necessary to touch the remarkable difference between the Determination of one Day in seven as the Conclusive Determination for the chiefe Time for Religion and all the rest and how conveniently they being repealed it may be perpetuated as also that It being perpetuated their repeale brings not any prejudice to Religion there being such reason for it but a benefit rather which cannot be conceived of that for one Day in seven XLIII A reservation for necessary interruptions may be profitable in any such sort 7. And now in the last place to shut up these Considerations of the Profitablenesse of the Determinations of Times for Religion That which we have divers times insinuated already we now assert the Profitablenesse of Namely Of a Reservation for necessary Interruptions both ordinary and extraordinary This we say may well be conceived profitable to be adjoined to all kinds and manners of Determinations for Religion for that by this meanes both they will be the lesse burdensome by much though they be otherwise large for the proportion and strict for the manner of Determination and scarcely liable to a pretence of burden as
further in any certain Determination of any more distinctly then we formerly asserted in the explication of this first Position XII 2. It is Morall by the first Commandement But we think good first to interpose our second Position noted in the Title of the Chapter That the Determinate Solemn Time forenoted and argued to be Morall-Naturall is within the compasse of the first Commandement To prove which we propound this ensuing Argument XIII Argum. That which requires that we give not God too little Time at once or too seldome Time in a revolution comprehends under it such a Determinate Solemn Time as hath been mentioned both for Continuance and Frequencie But the first Commandement requires that we give not God too little Time at once or too seldome Time in a revolution Ergo. The Major is cleare from the former grounds in that the Sin and the Duty must needs come both under the same Commandement The Minor may be two wayes confirmed 1. 1 Confirmation That Commandement which requires an acknowledgement that the Lord is our God and the soveraigne Lord of us and all our Time requires that we give Him not too little Time at once or too seldome Time in a revolution But the first Commandement requires that acknowledgement that the Lord is our God and soveraigne Lord of us and all our Time Ergo. The Major is certain because the sin of giving God too little Time at once and too seldome Time in a revolution is contrary to the forementioned acknowledgement The Time being therefore too little and too seldome for Him and His worship because He is the supreme Lord of us and all our Time and as we said before the Sin and the Duty must needs be both under one Commandement The Minor cannot be denied in that the affirmative part of the first Commandement being expresly to have the Lord for our God This necessarily includes the acknowledgement of Him to be our absolute Soveraigne and Lord of all our Time and whatsoever else we can call ours or else some other must be acknowledged Lord of it either our selves or some other creatures and to affirme that were to make such creatures our God Therefore the owning the Lord to be our God requires and comprehends such an acknowledgement and such duty and forbids such sin 2. The second confirmation of the Minor of the first Syllogisme XIV 2 Confirmation may be thus conceived That Commandement which requires the acknowledgement that God is our Happinesse requires that we give Him not too little Time at once or too seldome in a revolution for attendance upon Him and converse with Him But the first Commandement requireth that acknowledgement that God is our Happinesse Ergo. The Major is manifest from the former grounds again because the sin of giving God too little Time or too seldome Time is contrary to that acknowledgement of Him being our Happinesse For what ever a man counts his Happinesse he doth and can doe no otherwise then devote much and often Time to it to attend and enjoy it being carried to his Happinesse with all his strength And Love which is the immediate off-spring of such accounting any thing our Happinesse both commands a mans Time and all else of him in thankfulnesse and kindnesse and wisedome for the service of and converse with that object loved Neither can love afford to offend in giving too little or too seldome Time But it is a sin against love and a manifestation of the want of love so far forth to scanty or abridge Time either for Continuance or Frequencie The Minor is no lesse easily proved Because that is plainly our God which to serve and enjoy is our happinesse As for that reason mainly Money is called the covetous mans god Honour the ambitious mans god Pleasure the voluptuous Epicures and he whose happinesse it is to pamper his belly is he that makes his belly his god In like sort we have not the Lord to be our God which the first Commandement requires unlesse He be our happinesse or which comes to all one unlesse to serve and enjoy Him be our happines As then Prophanenesse Covetousnesse and Worldly-mindednesse are sins against the first Commandement undeniably and they so take up the Time for our own carnall selfe and the creatures as that they are the causes and the only causes why any gives God too little or too seldome Time so they prove that the sin of giving God too little or too seldome Time comes under the compasse of the said first Commandement and consequently that that first Commandement requires such a determinate solemne Time as we have spoken of XV. A Consequence thereof for Continuance and Frequencie both And this which we have now asserted considered by it selfe we conceive that every one even our very Adversaries will and must grant us But when we shall come to make our Inference from it Namely that not only a Remissely determinate Time for Religion but even an Initiall determination both of some solemne Continuance of Time and some solemne Frequencie of Revolution being commanded in the first Commandement both singly and jointly it will thence follow that nothing is left for the fourth Commandement but only the precise and conclusive determination of a whole Dayes continuance in the revolution of seven Dayes as the chiefe Time for Religion and so if the Commandement be not in force now for one Day in seven it is altogether void and there are not now ten Commandements but only nine When we say we shall thus urge them from hence as we suppose we may most justly and strongly they will interpose some Exceptions against this Position of ours concerning the first Commandement including such Determinations of Time as we have named of which kinde we have already met with some from some Discourses We shall therefore in the next Part where this application is properly to be made propound such Exceptions as we can conceive may be made against it and accordingly as we hope sufficiently satisfie them And then so many as dare not directly take away the fourth Commandement wholly will be forced to yield it in force as we contend for one Day in seven even from this very Argument besides all others Mr. Broad indeed hath ventured to be so audacious as to reject this Commandement wholly and one or two more of our Disputers doe now and then speak very broadly towards it as shall be noted in due place But we suppose the most even of those that as yet consent not with us for the perpetuity of one Day in seven are not yet grown to that confidence but that they will rather yield to our assertion of that then altogether to throw away the Commandement For their sakes it is and for other conscientious Christians who count themselves bound to cleave to the whole Decalogue for the Reasons before alleadged in the 2. 3. 4. and 5. Chapters that we take paines to maintaine that
thing could be added to it That then all our Time is not so taken up with His immediate worship even upon Earth no reason can be sufficient but His own will declared to be otherwise then to require the whole from us His will alone is that which abates of the necessity of any one minute or moment of Time in our whole lives from our particular attendance upon Him and that makes any jote lesse then all to be in His acceptation sufficient His will then we must seek further after in some of the other Considerations For here we are undeniably at a losse and can make nothing of our thoughts towards a Determination 2. Take we a view then in the next place XLIX 2. Not the nature of the Soule of the nature of the Soule the prime subject of Worship and secondary end of all Religious Time for whose benefit properly it is to be imployed And this we say both Scripture chiefly and Nature also at least not reasonably contradicting proclaime to be infinite in duration appointed to an Eternity of happinesse or misery and its necessities to secure this happinesse and avoid this misery considering what corruption it hath are next to infinite Which way then can that which is infinite or next to infinite afford a direction to judge any proportion definite to be sufficient for it Or measure so much as necessary and leave any out of all the Time that any Soule hath in this life And if the inevitable necessities of Nature for eating drinking and sleeping c. be pleaded yet we doubt not whether the Soule would not or should not grudge even at these as endangering to hinder that which is of more importance than meat or drinke or sleepe or even than the bodily life and subsistence it selfe Not that we imagine or dreame that God hath not allowed even by the light of Nature and much more by Scripture sufficient Times for all these bodily necessities But yet we know that both God sometimes commands to fast and forbeare all meat and drinke for a space and so to watch even whole nights for the good of Soules our own specially but also even of others As likewise that when a Soule growes extraordinarily sollicitous of its own salvation and sometimes even of others It cannot afford to eat or drinke it cannot sleep ready sometimes even to starve it selfe or kill it selfe with over-watching but that it is forced up doe otherwise even by Gods command urged upon them by friends and the feare of prejudicing their very salvation if they should be causes of their own death And moreover it is usuall with many Christians to think much and repine at all the Time wherein they are not spiritually imployed for their soules even though they cannot deny but God hath not only allowed but even commanded them to imploy houres and dayes many and many upon worldly businesses which command and allowance of His is the only thing that satisfies them or else they could never so far forth as they think of their soules be willing to allow any Time at all to any other thing And therefore there is no manner of help from hence for any shareing of Time between the soul and worldly occasions The rather because a soul awakened with sence of its own good becomes apprehensive 1. That there are yet manifold things in Religion which are greatly necessary for it to know what ever knowledge it hath already attained to and these call for a great deale of Time to learne them 2. And how forgetfull they are from Time to Time of the things they have learned and that calls also for much Time to preserve them in memory and recover any they have lost 3. Withall the faintnesse of their godly affection 4. And the strength of their corruptions which require still much and often Time to strengthen the one and combate and mortifie the other 5. And finally their being assaulted daily and hourely with temptations and afflictions and their peace and comfort further wasted by sins and corruptions which makes them stand in need of Time Yet more to regaine that peace and comfort when it is gone or wasted and to enjoy spirituall refreshings in the bosome of Gods love All this together cannot but make a soul think no measure of Time lesse then all necessary and sufficient for attendance upon Him whom it is bound to love with its whole self mind heart strength and so to worke upon it self that it may love Him and be sure of His love And when it hath once attained to this love of Him above all other things and to an assurance of His love to it it cannot but still think all Time is little enough and too little to serve Him in thankfulnesse for His love and to enjoy His love and its own happinesse in attendance upon Him and converse with Him It must then again be Gods will declared that men should spend their Time in this world otherwise then wholly upon the immediate care of their soules in His immediate service that must discharge any proportion at all from being necessary to the soules good See Sect. 71. and so His promise of blessing upon some proportions of Time orderly observed for the chiefe Time together with other Times to be redeemed as they can that makes any proportion to be sufficient for the chiefe Time But for this we must still seek further For we have yet met with no manner of intimation of Gods will how to regulate or determine our proportions 3. To come then to the third consideration that is L. 3. Nor the nature of the duties themselves of the nature of the duties of Worship in the varieties of which of some or other of them the chiefe Time we are discoursing about is to be imployed And they are all except the Sacraments apparantly indefinite and so still uncapable to direct to a definite determination of Time necessary and sufficient to be allotted to them either for Continuance or Frequency Indeed the Sacrament of Baptisme is in it self soon dispatched and in the nature of it not to be reiterated to the same person And the Lords Supper also is soon dispatcht by each particular Communicant But then it as well as any of the other duties of Prayer Preaching Reading the Word Praises Singing Meditations Conferences Catechisings is capable of a Daily Frequency And all those may be reiterated oftner even every new minute after an interruption and that every Day of ones life We meane the nature of them admits it possible and no way forbids it Again they may be prolonged any of all these and much more divers or all of them one after another divers houres even a whole Day unquestionably and any one of them a whole life together if the bodily spirits could hold out so long and no necessary interruption did call off On the other side they may any of them be suddenly dispatched If a man did preach
Law of Nature that is of things which in a Rationall and Ethicall Consideration according to the Light of Nature may be and are to His honour either constantly or accidentally as Prayer to Him Swearing by His name 2. Or by positive Law in Scripture and calling Him to witnesse or appealing to Him 2. Or by Positive Law in Scripture which is the only way now Or of old by Dreams and Visions and the like altogether by vertue of His divine institution and appointments As the use of Water in the Sacrament of Baptisme and of Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper which being things of common use for worldly purposes have no other aptitude to be immediately to His honour But from His owne Command 7. These things thus premised VI. The question stated first by us we shall briefely state our question thus We say the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Religion together with the particular Day for it is a part of worship and not a meer adjunct and circumstance only Hereby we mean that that Time observed for Religion is a part of our speciall homage to God and an immediate honour to Him And that it ought to be presented with such intention as being specially commanded by God partly in the Law of Nature namely the Continuance and Frequency being to the honour of God only in a Rationall and Ethicall Consideration and partly in Scripture as hath been shewed Chap. 10. And accordingly is specially acceptable unto God and such speciall acceptation may be and ought to be expected from God And so the Duties of Religion are then doubly worship and doubly acceptable both in reference to the Duties themselves and to the Times wherein they are performed Only still it must be remembred that all our acceptation is in and through Jesus Christ We say they are doubly Worship and doubly acceptable or trebly or foure fold as filling up together the whole Continuance commanded of a Day and answering the required observation of such a frequent Day and being presented upon the appointed particular Holy Day Like unto which there is now no other Time under the New Testament in this compleat sort Worship or so greatly acceptable Though there be some other Times that may have a little share also as we shall see anon In the meane time all our indeterminate and voluntary Times in any respect so far as they are voluntary are meere Circumstances of VVorship and no way to any speciall or immediate Honour to God in their observation nor any matter of speciall acceptation and so not to be presented with any such intention or expectation This is our opinion and meaning VII 2. By others 8. But now on the contrary others deny that under the Gospel any Time or Dayes at all are parts of Worship or that the Worship of God consists now at all in the observation of them Thus one resolutely O.R. p. 202.2 We deny that the worship of God can be placed in the observation of any Day unlesse we speak improperly Yet we acknowledge That in the Holy-Dayes there is a kind of worship of God as far as they are instituted to the Honour of God alone and the faithfull are congregated to them to holy performances But this is very improper indeed For besides that by being instituted to the Honour of God alone he meanes not that the Dayes instituted or observed are any speciall or immediate Honour to God positively but only that negatively they are reduced to His Honour when they are not instituted to the Honour of Creatures Saints or Angels among Orthodoxe Christians though they are among the Idolatrous Papists But besides this we say If the Faithfull congregating can make a Day a part of Gods worship then any Day or every Day of the Week or Yeere may be a part of Worship when the Faithfull meet to that purpose which no man affirmes p. 204.1 But heare him once againe The worship of God ought to be the end of the indiction of such Dayes But the Dayes themselves are no part of worship but an adjunct only or circumstance of worship If any man shall say The learned Professour speaks it only of the Holy Dayes appointed by the Church We answer VVe know he doth so But then he must remember that he makes the very Lords day to be of Ecclesiasticall constitution only which cannot make a thing a proper part of worship and so the same is appliable to the Lords-day also But he is not alone in this Assertion his Fellow Professour is of the same mind which we wonder at for the Lords-day when he puts this difference between the Jewish times and ours That the very Dayes D. Wal. de Sab. p. 93.95 and the Rest upon them was a part of worship to the Jewes But ours only a necessary circumstance thereof Another followes thus To speak properly a Day makes no part of Gods service Primr p. 250. 278. under the New Testament but is only an accidentall circumstance thereof And again Times appointed now make no part of Gods service and are not appointed but relative to the publike exercises p. 287. c. VVe need say no more for the stating the Question The difference is apparent They say The Time is only a necessary circumstance VVe say it is more than so a speciall part of worship VVhich thus we come to manifest by these ensuing Arguments That Time which the Lord requires out of all our Time VIII Arg. 1. It is Gods portion Ergo a part of worship as His peculiar portion is a part of worship But the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Religion together with the particular Day for it is that Time which God requires out of all our Time as His peculiar portion Ergo It is a part of worship The Proposition is made good by instances of other things which being challenged by God as His peculiar portion became thereby parts of worship parts of the speciall Homage due to Him immediately tending to His Honour As 1. The Place which God did peculiarly chuse out of all the Tribes to set His name there as the Place often is the Lords House the Lords Temple was by vertue of such Divine challenge of it a part of worship sc of the Ceremoniall worship undeniably and the presenting there their services was a speciall part of the Jewes homage to God and an immediate honour to Him as also a matter of speciall acceptation with God even so far as that no other legall services were otherwhere acceptable at all except upon extraordinary command as Elijahs was 1 King 18. And if it were so with Place then there can be no reason but it is so with Time now though not now in a typicall respect but morall whether naturall or positive it is all one 2. So was it also of old with the Tithes which God challenges as His peculiar portion out of every mans substance Lev. 27.30
32. It is said They are the Lords His part His tribute And so the payment of them was a speciall Homage to Him an immediate Honour a part of worship And that which is specially to be noted antecedent to any particular use which He meant to put them to and whereto He did afterward apply them sc the maintenance of His Priests Levites For this we read not of till Num. 18. which was divers yeers after Whereupon it is there and elsewhere said That the Lord is the portion of Levi that is Levi should enjoy the Lords portion of Tithes as also of Offerings But this use of them was secondary and we doe not say that in this considration the payment of them was properly Worship For it was not immediately to Gods honour but only mediate in as much as those Levites that were maintained by them were Gods Ministers That which made them Parts of Worship was antecedent as we said to this Namely Gods challenging them as His portion His own primarily and originally though now making the Levites His receivers Hence the witholding them is called robbing of God not defrauding or robbing the Levites Mal. 3. And if we understand aright This is that Sacrilege mentioned Rom. 2. where after the Apostle had twice said Thou breakest the same Commandements thou teachest others not to break Stealing and committing Adulterie he adds Thou that abhorrest Idols or Images dost thou commit Sacriledge Dost thou break the same Commandement viz. the second robbing God of part of His Worship by detaining His portion of Tithes However to be sure they were His portion formerly and so a part of His worship 3. And so was that share which God reserved to Himselfe out of the Midianites spoiles The Lords Heave-offering v. 29.41 Num. 31. which is called the Lords tribute the Lords portion And was His a part of homage to Him a part of His worship on that occasion antecedently to the speciall use He afterward allotted that also to be disposed of by Eleazar the Priest as we there read Now if these things by this meanes became parts of Worship So is it in reason with that Time which God challenges as His tribute or peculiar portion out of all our Time It must be a part of Worship in that it is His allotted to His Honour antecedent to any particular uses which it is put to to any particular Duties of Worship which yet become the imployment of it Namely one or other of them or more than one even all the varieties of Duties doe actually imploy this Time unto Gods Honour But antecedent we say to any particular Duties the Time being Gods His portion is to His Honour immediately and a part of Worship and consequently calling for some particular Duties of Worship to help imploy it to Gods honour In a word Though it cannot be actually imployed to Gods Honour without some particular Duties yet hath it a distinct consideration abstracted from the Duties As requiring and calling for and even commanding as we said formerly of Solemne Time in generall Duties to attend it some or other And so is distinctly by and of it selfe to the Honour of God immediately as well as the Duties themselves though not actually separated from all For that is a contradiction in Religion to say That a Time can be to Gods honour and not be imployed in some Religious Duties or other But we have said enough as we conceive to illustrate and evince the Proposition of our Argument That the Time which is Gods portion is a part of VVorship The Assumption That the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Religion is the Time which together with the particular Day for it God requires out of all our Time out of all mens Time as His peculiar portion that is above all other Time hath been proved abundantly in the foregoing Chapters 9. 10. And this we also conceived to be meant in those words of the fourth Commandement The seventh Day or a seventh Day one Day of seven is the Sabbath or a Sabbath of the Lord thy God or to the Lord thy God namely That he being the Lord of all thy Time as of all things else that are thine hath reserved to Himself and challenges for Himself while He allowes thee six Dayes mainly for thy woâ—ldly businesse this proportion of Time of one whole day of seven The Lords Day if from Divine Authority must needs be a part of worship and more holy then other Dayes G.I. pag. 16.9 as his peculiar portion to be sanctified imployed to His immediate honour And like to this as we conceive is the meaning in the New Testament of the terme of the Lords Day it is the particular Day which he hath taken and challenges to Himself as His peculiar portion out of all the Dayes of the Weeke to be sanctified wholly to His honour whence the conclusion followes inevitably That this Time in all the respects of it is a part of Gods worship a part of the speciall homage and tribute due to Him from all men and specially accepted by Him We proceede to another Argument IX Arg. 2. It is the observation of a morall Commandement of the first tab e. Ergo. properly respecting the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Continuance and Frequency jointly Thus The obedience to and observation of a morall Commandement of the first table is a part of Gods immediate worship But the observation of the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Religion is the obedience to and observation of a morall Commandement of the first table Ergo The observation of this Time is a part of Gods immediate worship Both the Propositions are confessed and granted by our Disputers Prim. p. 2. Therefore they must own the child issuing from such Parents The Major is thus expressed Whatsoever is morall is universally an essentiall part of Gods service The Minor thus The morall substance of the fourth Commandement is to have a Time regulate frequent c. And generally they all speake of a sufficient Time as morall naturall It is then a part of worship a proper and essentiall part of it by their own sentence But we will a little further prove and illustrate it also by our own grounds and not depend upon them 1. For the Major we say That the Commandements of the first Table do all of them plainly concerne the immediate worship and honour of God and all the objects of those Commandements namely the things and actions outward or inward commanded in them are matters of Divine worship Therefore the obedience to those Commandements the observation of them must needs be a part of worship of our Homage to God and redound to His immediate honour For 2. Whatsoever is to be presented to God by vertue of a morall Commandement of the first table is to be Presented to Him by all men as a speciall homage they all owe to Him as when a Landlord keeping court requires all his