A Threefold TREATISE OF THE SABBATH distinctly divided into The PATRIARCHALL SABBATH MOSAICALL SABBATH CHRISTIAN SABBATH For the better clearing and manifestation of the truth in this Controversie concerning the weekly Sabbath By Richard Bernard Rectour of Batcombe Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy Exod. 20. 8. as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee Deut. 5. 12. LONDON Printed by Richard Bishop for Edward Blackmore and are to bee sold at the signe of the Angel in S. Pauls Church-yard 1641. To the right Honourable the Lords Temporall in the High Court of Parliament To the Honourable the Knights Citizens and Burgesses in the House of Commons more especially To the Grand Committee for Religion To the Committee for the Remonstrance To the Committee for Ministers maintenance and suppression of scandalous Ministers more particularly To the Knights and Burgesses of Somerset-shire or Parliament-men dwelling in that County namely Sir JOHN PAULETT Knight Sir WIL. PORTMAN Baronet Sir JOHN STOWELL Knight of the Bath Sir RALPH HOPTON Knight of the Bath Sir FRANCIS POPHAM K. Sir EDWARD RODNEY K. Sir PETER WROTH K. Mr. DIGBY Mr. POPHAM Mr. LUTTERILL Mr. BASSET Mr. SMITH Mr. PHELIPS Mr. PYNE Mr. HUNT Mr. KIRTON Mr. SEARLE Mr. JOHN ASHE Right Honourable Lords and you the Honourable Assembly of the House of Commons THere hath been no Christian Church beyond the seas departed from Rome which hath given so much honourable respect unto the Lords day our Christian Sabbath as wee here in this our flourishing Kingdome and Nation And it was our glory so to honour the Lord Christ and it will be our great unhappinesse to faile in this our Christian duty so confirmed by Scripture and the generall practice of all true worshippers of his glorious name throughout the whole Christian world the space of these sixteene hundred yeares Yet in this our time and of late dayes are stepped up among us certaine vaine men prophane enough who have attempted to deprive Christ Jesus of his glory in the religious observation of this day grounded upon his glorious Resurrection and us of our spirituall consolation in keeping an whole day set apart for his worship and service For this end books upon books have beene written and by licence passed the Presse to take away the morallity of the fourth Commandement never in any age heretofore doubted of to make also people beleeve that our Christian Sabbath hath no warrant from thence and that it is not of divine institution but alterable from that first day of the week equallizing their devised holy-dayes with it and allowing also the like vaine sports upon this day as upon the other dayes calling such as religiously set the whole day apart for holy uses Sabbatarians and Iudaizers thus reproaching and in their sense belying those that more truly honour Christ than they doe And that they might securely go on in these their prophane errours without controule and perswade the more inconsiderate sort that what they have written are truths and unanswerable they have stopped the meanes of printing sound Antidotes to their empoysoned propositions whereupon they have beene bold to insult over godly orthodox Divines with too many words of insolency scorne and much contempt which they have borne with great patience waiting the Lords leisure till he should bee pleased in his good time to give liberty for the publishing of their learned labours which have of long time lien by them And now blessed be God the time is come the way is made open by your honourable wisdomes goodnesse power and authority for godly and learned men to discover the vaine boastings and the folly of those evill ones to the view of all Some of ours proceed polemically and have made answer fully to the best esteemed of those prophane writers Some only write positively to discover the truth and to make it knowne in a plaine way that the meanest capacity may bee rightly enformed This way have I taken in this threefold Treatise humbly craving pardon for my bold presumption in presenting to your honourable view these my weak endeavours But the cause is Christs and so deserves acceptation and promotion God hath appointed you at this time as his worthiest and meetest instruments for this end I cannot therefore seek for other Patrons in exalting the honour of Christ which by these men hath been so dishonoured and his people so abused For the redresse whereof as you have nobly begun so to proceed on to do ever valiantly in the best service of your God there shall not be wanting the hearty and earnest prayers of Your humble Servant and Suppliant RICHARD BERNARD London March 26. 1641. Faults to be corrected PAge 3. line 21. for grant read ground pag. 50. l. 24. for raigne read raine pag. 57. l. 12. for no read only pag. 59. l. 12. for to read by pag. 71. l. 6. for fourtum read quartum pag. 73. l. 31. dele before pag. 78. l. 28. for John read Josua pag. 95. l. 22. set and after the word rest pag. 127. l. 21. for plaucit read placuit The rest of the escapes I pray the Gentle Reader to correct The Contents of the Patriarchall Sabbath SECTION 1. OF the first Sabbath and why called Patriarchall SECT 2. Of the conceit of an Anticipation or Prolepsis and what it is SECT 3. Arguments against this Anticipation or Prolepsis SECT 4. Of another conceit concerning Destination and what it is also confuted SECT 5. Of the true understanding of the words in Gen. 2. 3. SECT 6. That in Gen. 2. 3. is the Institution of the Sabbath SECT 7. The Institution was binding and required the observation of the Sabbath from the beginning SECT 8. The Sabbath was observed of Gods people before the Law given at Mount Sinai OF THE PATRIARCHALL SABBATH AND THE ORIGINALL THEREOF Gen. 2. 3. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it SECTION I. Of the first Sabbath and why called Patriarchall IN these words is the institution of the Sabbath before the Law given on Mount Sinai I call it the Patriarchall Sabbath because it was known and observed of the holy Fathers of Adam and of the other Patriarkes till Moses and Israel received the Law And to distinguish it from the Mosaicall and Christian Sabbaths of which in the two Treatises following Some there be and more of late than heretofore that do deny the Sabbath to be here instituted Because say some of them for they be not all of one minde that Moses delivered the words by a figure called Anticipation or Prolepsis Other some that they be words of destination that in time to come the seventh day should be blessed and sanctified to Israel for the Sabbath day and so the words not to be taken for a present Institution of the Sabbath day then So the Question is whether the Sabbath day in this place of Genesis hath its first ground and establishment and here its first institution Many of the Ancients some of the
to be his God and the God of his seed after him Gen. 17. 7. calling himself The Lord their God in giving his Law and remembring them of that their great deliverance which he had promised also unto Abraham Gen. 15. 13 14. To the second third and fifth Commandements he added reasons all which the learned take to be for the ratification of the Commandements and to urge us to keep them and so do interpret the words accordingly The words of God knit to this Commandement have no doubt been added for the like purpose even to be a Confirmation and an establishment of the Precept and the perpetuity thereof and to move us to keep it Yet neverthelesse of late divers have endeavoured to fish out of the words matter to change the nature of the Commandement from Morall as they speak to Ceremoniall and to take away so the perpetuity of the Commandement and there withall mens hearts and consciences from affecting and obeying it as being no Commandement now obliging any Christian and so do they rob God of one of his Commandements sacrilegiously But the words are so to be interpreted according to Gods intention as may uphold the nature and perpetuity of the Precept as the words annexed to the other Commandements do very forcibly as also to binde us unto a carefull keeping of the Precept as they do very effectually and do meet with all that which our corrupt nature may perversly object against our obedience thereunto In the words we are to note 1. The Scope of all the words 2. The Matter which is 1. A Directory guiding to the observation of the Commandement in Gods allowing of us sixe dayes and the reserving of the Seventh to himself 2. A reason of his thus approportionating time between him and us for labour and rest 3. A Conclusion in the last words upon which this fourth Commandement is raised As if God had said I have from the beginning blessed and hallowed the Sabbath day therefore I do command them to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy Thus inforcing the Commandement from the prime institution Note it well So as the Commandement is a binding Law from the first institution for the Sabbaths more solemn observation for ever SECTION XIII Of the scope of the words THe scope and use of the words is to take man from his own bottome For after the Lords Memento before the Commandement to forget oblivion and forgetfulnesse of it through worldly distractions He closely answereth and meeteth with mans corruption which might hinder him in submitting to this Commandement If any man should be unwilling to give God a day he sheweth his bounty in giving us fix for fear of repining If any man shall think six dayes not enough for his worldly affairs the Lord prescribeth a means which is labour by which he may finish all that he hath to do if he loyter not nor busie himself in other mens matters If any man should undervalue the seventh day as of mans devising God to prevent this contempt here challengeth it to himself and presenteth himself in his Soveraign authority over us saying it is the * This is remarkably of great force to direct us aright in our Christian Sabbath For the day of the Lords rest must be the day of our rest Now the day of the Lords rest may be either the day of the Lord our Creators rest or the day of the Lord our Redeemers rest Sabbath of the Lord thy God If any man should suppose that he might deferre off to the Sabbath day some of his week dayes works the Lord doth inhibite him from doing any such manner of work for fear of incroaching upon his Sabbath If any man should claim any exemption for himself or any under him God cometh with his charge upon parents and masters upon children and upon strangers for fear of any misapplying it onely to some or a conceit of any dispensation for other some If any man should ask an example of imitation and perhaps presume to neglect it because great men little regard it God hath given us his own example both for labour on Sixe dayes and rest on the Seventh day If any man should doubt of any good hereby and enquire and aske what good and benefit he might reap by the observation of this day more than of any other The Lord telleth him that he hath blessed the day for him And lastly if any man should leave his worldly businesse and might now follow his vain pleasures The Lord telleth him that he hath sanctified it to holy uses Thus God fortifieth his Commandement and wisely meeteth with mans corruptions to keep us in a carefull observation of this Commandement SECTION XIV Of the Directory in the words THe words are to be a perpetual direction in what space of time and what day in that space we are to take for the Sabbath day For the words of the Commandement being generall and not appropriated to any particular day or speciality of time God would not have his people either the Israelites then or the Israel of God in any age to be ignorant of the time or day but to be able certainly to determine and to be resolved of the day without any doubtfull disputation concerning the same as all might and may if we will use this Directory for our guide herein I say it s a Directory for it s not brought as a reason of the Commandement because here is no such connexion of the words to the Commandement with a For as the reasons are in the two other Commandements but here the Lord without any such connexive word presently saith Six dayes shalt thou labour c. as if he had said I will direct thee lest thou mistake the generality of the Precept in application how thou must know in what space of time and on what day in that space thou maist keep my Sabbath SECTION XV. That one day in Seven must be the Sabbath day FOr this number God exceedeth not here first mentioning Sixe and then a Seventh day and no more So as within this time limited is the Sabbath day In the beginning of time God made the mensuration of all time to be onely Seven dayes Gen. 1. 31 2. 2 which was afterwards called a week Gen. 29. 28. The Week then consisting of seven dayes must be the compasse in which to finde the Sabbath The first Sabbath was within a week to which the words of God here hath reference Whether nature doth teach to consecrate one day of seven to God as Zâ—nch inâ—â—tum praeceptum holdeth is not here to be disputed It s enough that we have Gods example from the beginning and here his Word for a seventh day The practice of Gods Church is grounded hereon which from time to time from age to age thousand of yeers have observed one day in a week for the Sabbath One Master Dowe saith in his discourse of the Sabbath that many grave and
by the light of Nature it self for the substance and will readily assent unto it for the Circumstance when natures light is holpen by due and right means and so being naturall is also perpetuall I. Naturall light will finde out the substance which is to keep holy a Sabbath day For as it acknowledgeth God and that he is to be worshipped publikely So it will enforce a time for this his worship and reason by naturall light from Common principles in all men to know and to worship God will thus proceed 1. Worship is an action and every aâ—tion must be allowed it time and a publike act a publike time 2. This time of solemne worship cannot be all the time and the whole time of mens lives for that there must be a time for other things 3. That therefore if not all then some time for such publike service is to be set apart from the rest of the time of life 4. That this parting of time must needs be a set time that the certainty of a publike service time may be publikely known else how shall they meet together Thus farre naturall light will go with an unanimous consent in all of any common Capacitie in discourse and this is the knowledge of the fourth Commandement grounded in man by his light in Nature touching the substance of the Commandement II. By the help of instruction it will readily assent unto the Circumstance both in regard of what space as also how much within that space is to be allotted unto God for his publike service For let this thing be propounded to a discoursive naturall understanding and see if it do not easily yeild That the set and lymitted space and quantity of time must be prescribed either by God or man But not by man for if left to man then 1. Either to every man severally and so tot capita tot sensus and never an agreement 2. Or to all mankinde conjoyntly who can never meet together 3. Or to some one over all the world which Monarchicall power never any had yet for I count not Adam and Noah Monarches in this sense 4. Or to some speciall persons of equall authority over all nor did God yet erect such an Aristocratie 5. Or to severall Princes in their severall Dominions and here we see a discrepancy Therefore seeing men cannot agree the discoursive naturall understanding will not leave this time to man Then will it allow it unto God as most equall to him to prescribe the same Now if it be Gods authority to set the time then will reason perswade further and think 1. That certainly God hath set down the time 2. That I am to seek and make inquiry after the time when and how much he hath appointed 3. That this inquiry must be by the best means the most sure and certain to come to the knowledge of the time determined 4. That means is and can be no other but Gods own revealed will 5. That this revealed will is known by his Word on which even naturall understanding maketh a man to rest as the Heathen did upon the Oracles of their gods Now then if mans naturall light be informed that God hath commanded a Sabbath in a week allowing us first six dayes and the seventh reserved only for the Sabbath man in his understanding will acknowledge it great reason to yeild it him Thus we see how nature informed can reach unto the Circumstance of the fourth Commandement and therefore its perpetuall IX That a perpetuall Law and precept which we are daily to pray unto God to write in our hearts and to incline our hearts to keep and to be mercifull therein unto us But thus are we to pray unto God concerning this Commandement and that by the Direction of our Church every Lords Day publikly Therefore is it perpetuall else we mock God in so praying The holy and learned Bishop Lakes understands it of our Lords day grounded upon the fourth Commandement And who can think them to be of any other minde that added this prayer to this and every one of the Commandments The Authors of the Homilies understood it so it is more then probable for that they call the Lords day our Christian Sabbath and affirm it to be the Commandment of God It hath been understood of all so heretofore till of late whose perverse answers to it are but unconscionable perversion of it and without soliditie yea some answers ridiculous and absurd X. That Law is perpetuall the breach whereof God hath punished heretofore and yet doth and lately within these few yeers with very remarkable judgements For Gods punishments he sendeth for breach of his own Laws if the Law were not in force then were there no sin and there should be no punishment this our Homily taketh notice of And albe it such judgements might fall upon other dayes yet let any sober spirit tell me why such happen on these dayes so frequently what may be the cause but sin and breach of this Commandment XI That Commandment which the Church of God hath from the beginning of it unto this day observed as one of Gods Commandments that is perpetuall But so hath this been observed For let any shew that any Church since Christ ever rejected this as none of Gods Commandments Who are they that ever durst deny it or ever attempted to expunge it out of the Decalogue The Papists make it a Commandment of God so doth our Homily our Book of Common-Prayer the Book set out by King Henry the eighth approved by one and twenty Prelates and many Doctors and by the Parliament alloweth this for a Commandment affirming that the breach thereof doth much offend God and provoketh his wrath and indignation against us Therefore it being so held to be one of Gods Commandments in all ages hitherto it remaineth in all sober mens account the Commandment of God It cannot be perpetuall say some because it is a positive precept But I have shewed 1. That it is in nature acknowledged both for substance and circumstance 2. Albeit it were positive it would not follow that therefore it should not be perpetuall For a precept may be Positivum naturale and so durable for the positivenesse taketh not away the naturality of it but it remaineth perpetuall although the precept have further revelation then the naturality thereof can extend unto For the positivenesse only accommodateth the naturalitie to some speciall certainty Again albeit the precept be meerly positive yet might it be perpetuall as the Law to Adam of not eating the forbidden fruit it was perpetuall to Adam and all mankinde as we may see in the bringing of death upon us aswell as upon Adam Also is not the institution of Baptisme and the Lords Supper positive and not naturall yet as durable as the world to the second coming of Christ For here we must know two things whether the Law be naturall or positive in which they do agree 1. The authority of both is
day were to shew their delight in the Lord count the day honourable to the Lord and learn to expresse self denyall of their own thoughts delights and work Is 58. 13 14. 6. On this day they did not fast Judith 8. 6. but made merry for it was called the day of their gladnesse Num. 10. 10. wherein they might cheerfully refresh themselves and send relief unto the poor after such former duties done towards the Evening but this mirth was for their understanding of the Word Neh. 8. 9 10 11 12. It is true that this holy day to the Lord was the feast of Tabernacles but why they might not now do so on the Sabbath day I see nothing to the contrary For the strict precepts in the Wildernesse were out of date and the Primitive Church who observed our Christian Sabbath in the roome of the Jewish did make a feast after the end of Divine service See for the observation of that Sabbath Philo Judaeus de vita Mosis de vita Contempla De legatione sua ad Cajum Câ—sarem cited by Wallâ—us de Sab. pag. 127. 134. 135. 136. See also Dav. Kimchâ—on Psa 92. cited by Goniarus in his Book de Sab. pag. 81. SECTION XXVII Of Judaizing and true understanding thereof IT pleased some to taxe others of Judaisme concerning the Sabbath day And why of Judaisme know they why Judaisme was from the Jews but the Sabbath was long before this name became peculiar to a single tribe in Israel Judah so called Seeing they fasten as they must Judaisme upon the Jews let us see after this Tribe was separated from the ten tribes of Israel how they did Sabbatize for so we shall behold their Judaisme that we may judge with righteous judgement For the better understanding hereof let us consider the Jews as before Christs coming when he was come and afterwards in the times following Of these we must have a twofold consideration as faultlesse or faulty 1. As Faultlesse this is no Judaizing for in our discourse its taken in ill part They ever held and do hold the fourth Commandment perpetuall and so ought we as is before proved They held the seventh day Sabbath from the Creatâ—on which they had a warrant from God to do till the Resurrection of Christ so farre faultlesse without Judaizing in an ill sense As faulty and thus I. Before the coming of Christ we shall read that they were 1. Observers of the Sabbath in a bare rest from servile work but then doing their own waies finding their own pleasures not delighting themselves in the Lord nor labouring for Self-denyall on that day Of this their Sabbatizing the Prophet Isaiah speaketh who herein laboured to reform them Isai 58. 13 14. 2. Great prophaners of the Sabbath as appeareth by the Prophets complaints Jer. 17. 27. Ezech. 20. 13 16 21 24 and 22. 8. By Gods punishing of them driving them out of their Land as Captives for tbe breach of the Sabbath 2 Chron. 36. 21. as God had threatned Levit. 26. 34 35. By the Story in Nebe 13. 15 18. where Nehemiah telleth them that the prophaning of the Sabbath was the sin of their Fathers and the evill of their captivity befell them for it Now who with us do so Judaize and Sabbatize both these wayes let the world judge II. At Christs coming we may read That the Jews ceasing from such former prophanesse now were become grosly superstitious not allowing such things to be done as might be lawfully done without the breach of the fourth Commandement as in former instances are cleared This foolish superstition our Saviour confuted by word and by his works And therefore none of sound judgement with us do so Sabbatize our onely care is to observe the Commandement as the godly Jews did shewed in the former 26 Section and as the holy rest requireth in keeping the day holy as set apart for holy ends without putting any holinesse in the day it self III. After Christs Ascension and his Kingdome erected the Jews did faulty in their Sabbatizing 1. In observing the Seventh day from the Creation which was at that time out of date and now not to be observed of any Christian if any do these be Sabbatarians and do properly Judaize and not others It s a foul sin to belye and slander men and to brand them with names of reproach falsly 2. In carnally keeping the Sabbath as the Imperiall Edict of Charles the Great doth speak for these kept it in idlenesse in dancing and revelling See Ignatius in his Epistle to the Magn. St. Augustine de consensu Evangelist lib. 2. cap. 77. This Jewish Sabbatizing let those be blamed for who are guilty and the fault be where it is Thus much for the Mosaicall Sabbath FINIS A Large TREATISE OF THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH THE LORDS DAY also now commonly called SUNDAY By Richard Bernard Rectour of Batcombe Wee ought to doe all things for the truth but nothing against it for hee that striveth against the truth striveth against God for God is truth Let every friend of Christ observe the Lords day Ignatius in Ep. ad Magnes In the honour of Christ his Resurrection Clem. Rom. Const lib. 7. cap. 24. LONDON Printed by R. Bishop for Edward Blackmore at the signe of the Angel in Pauls Church-yard The Contents of this Treatise Chapter 1. THe Preface shewing wherein wee generally consent and agree in one Chap. 2. Of the title of Lords day and of the name Sunday Chap. 3. Of the name Sabbath given to this our Lords day or Sunday Chap. 4. Of the Reasons why it may be so called without offence Chap. 5. In what circuit of time this day hath beene kept to wit weekly with the Reason thereof Chap. 6. Of the first day of the week that it is the Lords day and also the seventh day Chap. 7. Of the time when this first day began to be the Lords day and upon what ground Chap. 8. Of the divers opinions concerning the beginning and ending of the Lords day and wherein Conscience may rest it selfe Chap. 9. The authority is divine by which it was established Chap. 10. It is of divine authority from Christ himselfe Chap. 11. Of some Objections which may be made against it answered Chap. 12. That this day cannot be changed Chap. 13. Of the honourable esteeme of this our Lords day and that it is to be preferred before all other festivall dayes Chap. 14. This day is to be kept holy and the whole day too Chap. 15. How this day is to bee kept holy morally as the ancient Sabbath was kept Chap. 16. How our Lords day was kept in the Apostles dayes and the Primitive times Chap. 17. How our Church would have our Sunday kept holy Chap. 18. How Christian Emperours would have it kept by their Imperiall Constitutions Chap. 19. How it was to be kept by the Edicts of Christian Kings in this our Kingdome Chap. 20. How our late Soveraigne King James and now our King
Constitutions This therefore may bee used without offence nor is it fit that any scoffe at such who constantly call it so as being the most ancient name and the most common and usuall religious appellation at the first in the Primitive time This day hath also had another name given it and hath beene called Sunday this appellation is very ancient for Justine Martyr in his second Apologie cals it diem Solâ—s Lib. 4. cap. 22. Lib. 5. cap. 21. So doth Tertullian in his Apologie cap. 16. This name we may also finde in Eusebius his Ecclesiasticall History and in Socrates in the Edicts of Emperours Constantine Valentinian Valens Gratian Honorius Arcadius and Theodosius S. Augustine telleth us how it may be used in a tolerable Contra Faust 18. 5. on Ps 93. sense This name hath beene kept in the ancient Lawes of our Land in King Edgar and Canutus his raigne Thus it is called commonly in our Statute Lawes Ecclesiasticall Lawes in our Homilies and in our Common Prayer Book and in the most usuall and common vulgar speech And though it hath had a note of dislike even by S. Augustine and of later time by Beza Doctor Fulke and Doctor Anot. 1 Cor. 16. 1 In Rhem. Test Apoc. 1. Synops controvers 9. quest 8. Willet neverthelesse scruple is not to bee made of it no more than to call a place Areopagus Mars-Hill Act. 17. or the signe of the Ship Castor and Pollux Act. 28. 11. Nor more than our week dayes to call them Munday Tuesday nor our Months Ianuary February March c. which are names from the Heathen So be it that none so call the day purposely with contempt and derision of those who use the first title nameing it the Lords day as some have done not many yeers ago how ever now it passeth for currant without check CHAP. III. Of the name Sabbath given to this our Lords day or Sunday GReat offence is taken of late by some at this title Sabbath first as a new upstart name of Knox and Whitingham as also for that it is not a bare name but supposed to have in it a mystery of iniquity both which a learned man hath been pleased to utter in a D. Pocklington in his Sunday no Sabbath Sermon preached at a visitation Master Christopher Dow moderately handling this controversie in his discourse of the Sabbath and Lords day acknowledgeth to have in his reading found it to be sometime called the Sabbath or Sabbath of Christians A very reverend Learned and judicious Divine in his Antidote against Sabbatarian errours saith That to call Sunday by the name of Sabbath day rebus sic stantibus may for some respects be allowed in the Christian Church without any great inconvenience And that therefore men otherwise sober and moderate ought not to be censured with too much severity nor charged with Iudaisme if sometimes they so use it Before the dayes of Kings Henry the eighth In Pupilla ocâ—li psa 10. ca. 11. Diem Sabbati ab â—psa diâ— Saturni hora pomeridiana tertia â—sque in lunaris diâ—i diluculum â—esâ—um agitari In Emenda temp lib. 7. Synops sol 5â—â— Iohn de Burgo Chancellour of the University of Cambridge held that the Lords day might be intituled the Sabbath day King Edgar in his edict for keeping the Lords day doth there call it the Sabbath and this was in Anno. 959. almost seven hundred yeers ago before Knox was born hundreds of yeers Scaliger that man of Learning telleth us that the Habassines or Ethiopian Christians call both Saturday and the Lords day by the name of Sabbaths the one Christs Sabbath and the other the Jews Sabbath Doctor Willet citeth Damascene saying Sacratum est Deo Sabbatum speaking of the Lords day Saint Augustine calleth it the Christian Sabbath in 152 Tract de temp Ps 32. The Albigenses and Waldenses in a Catechisme of theirs give it this name In the fourteenth Session of the Synod at Dort consisting of many Learned Divines it is called the Sabbath day Doctor Heylin in his Historicall Search telleth us that the first he cap. 5. part 2. pag. 258. found was one Petrus Alfonsus who called the Lords day our Christian Sabbath who lived about the time of Rupertus many yeers before Knox and Whitingham took breath But come we neerer home it is called the Sabbath day in King Iames his proclamation 1603. In all our Letters patente till very lately in our Churches Ecclesiasticall Constitutions Canon 70 in our Homilies very often Doctor Rainolds in the Conference at Hampton Court made a motion for the preservation of the Lords day from prophanesse under the name of the Sabbath day without offence then or any exception taken against it The learned Doctor and reverend Bishop Bishop Andrewes in his speech against Traskâ— calleth it our new Sabbath some Bishops heretofore in their Articles of Visitation have called it the Sabbath day Learned men in our Church of all degrees and sorts have in their writings allowed by authority expressed the Lords day by this name without any dislike ever since the reformation in the dayes of Queene Elizabeths raign in all the time of Learned King Iames and also of this our now gracious Soveraign Learned Doctor Featley in his Handmaid to devotion oftentimes calleth it the Sabbath and in capitall letters the Christian Sabbath Master Primrose in his very lately published book concerning the Lords day calls it often the Sabbath And therefore without errour we may with the Ancients with our Kings with our reverend Bishops and learned Divines call it the Sabbath day And as no man of judgement and charitably minded will condemn them that among us call the Lords day Sunday for heathenish Solarians so should no moderate spirit brand others for Jewish Sabbatarians who call the day a Sabbath nor think a mystery of iniquity to be in it For will any say that our Kings reverend Prelates the Clergie composing the Canons the Compilers of the Homilies and learned Divines as aforesaid had in their thoughts any mystery of iniquity No God forbid of which we may well be perswaded for God prophetically speaketh of the Sabbath under the Gospel in Esai 66. 23. CHAP. IIII. Of the Reasons why it may be so called without offence AS it is and hath been so called so it is not without reason to give it this name For 1. It hath no evill in it nor any such mystery to bring any as is supposed by some into Judaisme Mosaicall bo dage or to cast a legall burden upon mens Consciences from which heavy yoak we are freed by the Lord Jesus Christ as it would appear if moderate and sober spirits might have leave to make known the truth which they hold yea they would easily to indifferent men clear themselves from Judaizing which unjustly is charged upon them What though some ignorant and rash have uttered their monstrous Paradoxes as some say they have and so passed the
bounds and limits of truth out of inconsiderate zeal are all others to be censured to be men of the same mould Brotherly love and Charitie cannot but be better Judges 2 We see it carrieth antiquity with it and hath had allowance for a long time in the Churches of Christ 3 It is our rest day and so indeed a Sabbath for the word Sabbath is nothing else but rest so the name well agreeth with the nature of the thing 4 This name best leadeth us to the duty of the day which is to cease from weekely works which are not works of piety works of charity nor works of necessity and to imploy our holy rest on this holy day in the publike worship and service of Christ and in other Christian duties as is very excellently set forth in our thirteenth Canon 5 Learned and holy Bishop Lakes saith in his Thesis that eternali rest was shadowed out in the first Sabbath which our Lords day continueth and is a fore-taste of our eternall rest and a shadow thereof as lasting as the world This being so it may well be called the Sabbath day 6 If the fourth Commandment hath any perpetuity in it for a weekly day to be kept and ours being a weekly resting day then it may be called a Sabbath the Commandment propounding such a day under the name of Sabbath 7 All holy dayes appointed by God besides the weekly Sabbath were called Sabbaths and that upon these reasons because on them they rested to perform holy duties and had a holy Convocation Now why may not our Lords day because of our rest to holy duties and for the publick assemblies on that day be so called Our Linwood out of Aquinas saith Dies Dominicus dici potest dies Sabbati quia est requies vacatio ad Deum 8 The very Gentiles gave the name of Sabbath to their Festivalls as the Learned have observed 9 Christ lesus is the Lord of the Sabbath not only as God but as he is God-man or Mediatour for so himselfe saith the sonne of man is Lord also of the Sabbath Mark 2. 28. Now this Lordship as he is Mediatour he never layeth down 1. Cor. 15. 24. 23 whilest the world doth last and therefore he claimeth and holdeth the Sabbath for his honour that all may with a Sabbath honour the sonne as they have honoured the Iohn 5. 27. Father 10 If our rest into which Christ hath brought us which is a ceasing from sinne be called the keeping of a Sabbath as it is Heb. 4. 9 10 11. Then may a certain set day be so called for that therein we do not only hear and learn how to attain to the spirituall rest but do especially on this day labour through Gods grace to expresse the performance of it in holy and spirituall exercises CHAP. V. In what circuit of time this day hath been kept to weet weekly with the Reason thereof THere is a time for all things saith Salomon and nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can be done but in time therefore must we needs have a time for the service of Christ which time is to be within the circuit of a week Saint Chrysostome telleth us from Gen. 2. 3. that God hath instructed us to set apart one day within the compasse of every week for spirituall exercises whereto agreeth our Reverend Hooker saying In his Eccl. Pol. pag. â—79 that we are bound to account the sanctification of one day in seven a duty which Gods immutable Law doth exact for ever Of this judgement saith Bishop White are divers Divines Cyted by Mr. sprim on the Sab. pag. 17. and 34. many of good note in the Church of God as Junius on Gen. 2. with others whereto may be added Learned Zanchius on the fourth Commandment who saith that one day of seven all men are to consecrate to the externall worship of God Pope Alexander said that both the old and new Testament Cyted by D. Heâ—â—inca 5. p. 2 depute the seventh day to rest Our Church in the Homily of Prayer teacheth us that Gods will and Commandment was to have a solemn and standing day in the week wherein the people should come together But what need I seek herein for consent when the whole Christian Church hath this 1600 yeers kept within this proportion of time which Custome is a Law for saith Saint Augustine Mos populi Dei instituta S. Aug ep c. 86. Majorum pro legetenenda sunt Now this observation of a day within a week is from Gods institution before the Law from the Creation who Gen. 2. having set down the dayes of a week took one within the Exo. 20. circuit of the week for his publick worship which he also commanded his people to observe under the Law both which hath been proved in the two former Treatises Now for the finding of proportion of time who can better proportion it for himself than God himself That is the fittest that can be imagined Nature cannot but acknowledge his wisdom and goodnesse in his choyce saith Master Dow. Hence is it no doubâ— that Peter Martyr said that one day of a week be consecrated pag. 24. 25. In loc Com. ca 7 to Gods worship is an ordinance of perpetuall force and Reverend Bishop Lakes confidently averreth that the seventh In his Thâ—sis part of time is Gods ordinance as everlasting as the world for saith the same Father of our Church the Lords day onely changeth but altereth not the portion of time prescribed Luther Dieterius on Dom. post Trin. Among the Scholemen Iacebus de Valen. and others Stâ—llâ— on Luke 14. Against Brab pag. 151. by the fourth Commandment by which we are guided to it Yea some have held that one day in seven is the morall part of the Commandment Sure I am there is acknowledged an equity in that Law durable for ever both for a time as also for the conveniency and sufficiency of time to which equity it is consonant saith Learned Bishop White that one day in seven be an holy day wherein Christian people ought to rest and give themselves to religious exercises who saith further that the common and naturall equity of that Commandement is morall to wit that Gods people are pag. 90 obliged to observe a convenient and sufficient time for publick and solemne divine worship and for religious and Ecclesiasticall duties And abstinence from secular labour and negotiation and keeping holy one day of every week both for mans temporall and naturall refreshing and for the spirituall good of his soul is very agreeable both to naturall and religious equity and it is grounded upon the ancient custom and practise of gods people in time of the Law And we Christians having obtained a larger measure of divine grace and our obligation to serve God and Christ upon his heavenly promises being greater than in the time of the Iews If in those former times of greater
darknesse the Lords people observed a weekely Sabbath day then surely we should be ungratefull and negligent of our own salvation if we yeld not to God a weekly day or a sufficient time for his service as well as the Iews did Thus you see how we agree in the proportion of time one day in the week according to Gods designation of time and the equity of the Law CHAP. VI. Of the first day of the week that it is the Lords day and also the seventh day AS we must have a day within the week so is it needfull to know which day in the week it is which we are to observe for the Lords day else should wee be uncertaine for one would keep one day and others another day In Scripture the first day in the week mentioned in Mat. 28. 1. Mark 16. 2. 9. Luk. 24. 1. Joh. 20. 1. 19. Act. 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. is that which is called in Rev. 1. 10. the Lords day So saith S. August the first day of the week is that day Epig. 86. qui postea Dies Dominicus appellatus est S. Cyrill affirmeth In Iohn lib. 8. cap. 58. Apost 2. the very same Our Sunday saith Justine Martyr is the first day of the week Our Homily saith the first day after the Jewish Sabbath is our Sunday It is our Lords day said the Divines in Ireland The former Scriptures are interpreted See the many Exposit cited by Master Spr. pag. 61. by all Expositors the Fathers Greek and Latine the later writers Protestants and Papists to bee the Lords day It cannot well be dâ—nyed saith B. White that the first day of every week was the Christian weekly holy day It is manifest saith Doctor Pocklington that the first day of the week is the Lords day and to strengthen more this truth learned Beza saith that he hath read in a Manuscript 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added to the Text in 1 Cor. 16. 2. so Crispine in his Greek Lexicon This first day of the week hath beene observed for our Lords day ever and no true Christian Church can be named that ever brake off the custome of this day This universall unity of so Catholique a custome is sufficient to settle any Christian in his faith of this truth that the first day of the week is the Lords day For what better Expositor than the Churches continuall practice and observation which must needs bee from a setled judgement of the truth of the time observed Our Church telleth us in the Homily that this custome hath beene kept in all ages without any gaine-saying And although this day after the Jewish account bee the first day of the week yet neverthelesse it keepeth the proportion of time in the Commandement the seventh part of a week so as it may be called the seventh day though not that seventh day I say the seventh day Let none here make a stir about the seventh and a seventh for the seventh day and not a seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord our God for the particle the and not a is to bee prefixed to seventh and not only because of the six dayes in which the world was made the dayes of the Creation as is commonly and onely so supposed to bee taken but for the donation of six dayes to us by God and that in the promulgation of this Law and Commandement as is in the former Treatise shewed Alwayes in counting of numbers we our selves in any ordinary number of seven when six is taken out doe not say there remaineth a seventh but the seventh for a should note an uncetainty but the doth not God of seventh dayes for there are no more in a week nor ever was hath given us for ever irrevocably six of them for to labour in and to doe all that wee have to doe Exod. 20. 9. These dayes we take to our selves as Gods gift from his words in the Law Now if we have six of the seven certainly knowne unto us can we reasonably say a seventh is the Lords or the seventh is his A seventh may be spoken of whole numbers where a certainty is not determined nor pitched upon nor taken out but where the number is no more but seven in a week as none heretofore nor any now count more there six being taken out for us the seventh is left as a certaine day not to bee doubted of for the Lord. So as yet the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord our God both by Gods donation of six to us and our counting our dayes to come to the seventh having taken to us the six For our first day of the week is Munday and so wee account forward to the Lords day as the seventh day and our Sabbath and resting day And most fit it is that wee should still hold the seventh day for our Sabbath * Dies dominica representat mâ—moriam Creation is mundi non minus quam Sabbagim nam die dominica incepit mundus fieri unde Iustinus Apo. 2. Et Leo Epist ad Dioscorum dicunt diem dominicam colitam ob memoriam mundi Creationis quà m ob resurrectionem Christi Bellarm. de â—â—lâ—u sanct lib. 3. cap. 110. that we might whilst we honour the Sonne in finishing the work of our redemption not forget the honour of his Father for his perfecting of the work of the worlds Creation and his resting from the same which cannot bee by observing any other day but the seventh day CHAP. VII Of the time when this first day began to be the Lords day and upon what ground THis first day observed was the very first day immediately Mat. 28. 1. Mar. 16. 2. 9. Luke 24. 1. Iob. 20. 1. 19. Ad Magnes after the Jewish Sabbath so the Scriptures confirme it to us whereto agreeth the exhortation of Ignatius After the Sabbath let every friend of Christ make the Lords day a solemne Festivall And the reason of this was because of the Lords resurrection S. Aug. ad Ian. epi. 119. 130. De verbo Apo. ser 15. Epi. 93. by which the Lords day was declared to Christians and from that time began to be celebrated and in another place it is said that the Lords Resurrection promised us an eternall day and it did consecrate unto us the Lords day And Leo saith the same Dominicum diem nobis Salvatoris resurrectio Lib. 8. c. 33. consecravit In the constitutions of the Apostles it is Ca. 50. ordained to be kept holy in the memoriall of the resurrection so a Councell held at Paris in Anno 829 ordeined the like Bishop White alleadging reasons why the Lords day was Against Brab pag. 269. 270. preferred before other weekly dayes saith that the Primitive Church could have made choyce of no other day of the week more proper and convenient for the solemne and religious worship and service of Christ Great was this work saith Athanasius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for we
doe celebrate it as a memoriall of the beginning of a new Creation Yea ob excellentiam tanti miraculi propriè In Ps 23. dies Dominica appellatur saith another And indeed the work of the day is the ground saith Bishop Lakes of the hallowing In Tâ—esis 46. 43. 45. of the day whether it be weekly monthly or yeerly as particulars evince in Scriptures and Stories now when God doth any rare great and remarkeable workes hee will be honoured with a Commemoration day for that work if the work concerne the whole by the whole Church and by a part if it concerne a part by which practice or work Gods will is understood which guideth the Church where the ☞ precept is wanting This is a sacred rule observeable in the institution of all sacred Feasts both divine and humane saith that Father Now God raising Christ from the dead upon the first day of the week this remarkable work was to have that day a day of Commemoration above and before all other 1 Because it was the first notable work of God immediately following the Jewish Sabbath which being to cease the next glorious work of God following must needs bee the ground of another Festivall and in stead of the other for it is a rule in mortality saith the reverend Father Bishop Lakes that none in reason can deny due respect unto the worke and therefore cannot deny the hallowing of the day to wit on which it was wrought 2 The raising up of Christ from the dead declared him mightily to bee the sonne of God Rom. 1. 4. God fulfilling hereby to the children the promise made to their Fathers hee being manifest thus to be the Sonne of God his begotten Sonne in the day of his resurrection as the Conquerour of hell death the power of the grave and of Satans Dominion Act. 13. 31. 32. 13. and preferred above men and Angels Heb. 1. 5. 3 This is the work above all others which the Scripture so often mentioneth for the Fathers glory in his Son in that he raised him up from the dead Rom. 1. 4. Gal. 1. 5. Act. 2. 24. 32. 3. 26 4. 10. 10. 40. and in many other Scriptures 4 This is it by which Jesus is made both Lord and Christ to sit upon the throne of David Act. 20. 30 31 36. 5 It is the work of our perfect redemption and full justification Rom. 4. 25. 6 This was the act which to beare witnesse of he principally chose his Apostles Act. 10. 41. 1. 22. which work the Apostles first taught to the Jewes Act. 2. and to the Gentiles Act. 10. and for which they first chiefly suffered 7 This is the act on which dependeth all our comfort and without assurance whereof S. Paul telleth us his preaching was in vaine and our faith in vaine 1 Cor. 15. 14. and so our Christianitie nothing worth 8 This his resurection was to his Apostles and Disciples full of comfort and that which is most joyfull to all Christians for our justification Rom. 4. 25. as also for the hope of our eternall salvation 1 Pet. 1. 3. 3. 21. for if Christ had not risen wee had beene all in our sinnes 1 Cor. 15. 17. his birth his life his suffering had done us no good Therefore from the beginning hath the Church held this ever for the most remarkable work of Christ and to keep this day Festivall on which hee arose from the dead For that it being the most remarkable work of God next and immediately after the Jewish Sabbath as I said it required a Festivall and that within the space of a week within which space God from the creation reserved a day to himselfe and it s not fit that under the Gospel so glorious a work of our redemption by Christs resurrection for the restauration of the world should be more seldome remembred upon a set day then was the work of creation of the world before and under the Law CHAP. VIII Of the divers opinions concerning the beginning and ending of the Lords day and wherein conscience may rest it selfe THere are divers opinions about the beginning and ending of this our Christian Sabbath Some hold it from midnight to midnight this is the judgement of very learned Divines some say it beginneth in the Morning and so holdeth on till the next Morning not many of this opinion as being weakest and farthest from the truth Some hold it to begin at the Evening and to end at the Evening and of this judgment are many ancient Fathers and sundry Councels And the ancient observation of the Saturday in the afternoone as a preparative thereto may seeme to confirme as much But I am perswaded if we keep the day from the Morning to the Evening the consciences of men neede not trouble them about any other curious search So that there be a religious preparation to it and a religious care in ending of it not rushing into it with unsanctified hearts nor concluding it with profanesse For the nights are given for bodily rest and the day for labour as the Psalmist speaketh When the Sunne ariseth man goeth forth to his labours and work untill the Evening Psal 104. 22. 23. When the night commeth no man can work saith our Saviour Joh. 9. 4. Now a day for labour amongst the Jewes was twelve houres Joh. 11. 9. from six to six Matt. 20. 1. 2. 8. but otherwise it was from the beginning of the Morning light Gen. 1. 5. to the darke of the Evening Judg. 10. 9. 14. 16. Joh. 8. 29. Prov. 7. 9. And wee see in the fourth Commandement that albeit as it is held a naturall day doth comprehend the night and day yet is that time only mentioned in which men are to labour and to doe all that they have to doe in the six dayes which is on the day time and not in the night And so as they do well who labour painfully and honestly in the day light and take the night for their quiet repose and rest in the six dayes In like manner do they well who religiously serve the Lord Christ in the light of the day though the night before and the night after they thankfully take benefit of the same for corporall rest Neither doe we read that any were complayned of or punished as breakers of the Sabbath but for their transgression and sinne committed in the day time Our Saviour Christ honoured this our Lords day with his visible presence among his Disciples and followers on the day time At the Sun rising early in the morning Mark 16. 2. 9. then after in the afternoone continuing till the day was farre spent towards the Evening Luk. 24. 29. John 20. 19. upon the same day at supper time yea I confesse it is probable to bee somewhat late within the Evening and that space properly called the beginning of the night but not farre within And wee read how the Jewes on the day time kept their Sabbath
and God appointed his service in the Tabernacle and the Temple from Morning to the Evening sacrifice and had no sacrifices in the night time And thus was the Lords day kept except upon some extraordinarie occasions as in Acts 20. 27. and as afterwards in the time of bloody persecution but not in setled dayes of peace Quest Here some may aske Are we then to be carelesse and regardlesse of the night before and the Evening after Answ Not so for on other dayes we begin the Morning with prayer for a blessing unlesse we look for none and end it in the Evening with prayse and thanksgiving if we be not unthankfull If thus we doe as we ought on the week dayes than much more on the Lords day set apart for holy duties The night of which day before and the Evening after are to bee more piously considered of than the like times of the week dayes Our Saturday halfe holy day our Evening Prayer as a preparative to the Sabbath teach us to enter upon the Sabbath holily and to take the nights rest not onely for repairing strength of body for labour as on working dayes but to bee more fit to doe service and worship unto God without drowzinesse of spirit And in the end of the day to behave our selves so as it may appeare wee have received a spirituall blessing that day and have increased in knowledge and other holy graces in the use of Gods holy ordinance CHAP. IX The authority is divine by which it was established THis our Lords day can have no lesse than divine authoritie for it 1 Whether it bee conceived to bee founded upon the perpetuall equitie of the fourth Commandement as is made manifest in the former Treatise and by that which is said in the first chapter of this Nor is this any new conception in these our now present dayes For of this some began to think 600 yeeres agoe as Doctor Heylin acknowledgeth but no doubt it was before for else how could the whole Church In his Hist o◠the Sabbath pag. 132. of Christ retaine the fourth Commandement in the Decalogue without application to a weekly solemne day seeing the substance of the Commamdenent is concerning the observation of a rest day for his worship and service every week whereto else could they properly and directly apply it and hold the intention of the will of God in giving his said Law And if it have no ground from the Commandement how is it that in our Homily it is said wee have Gods expresse Commandement to keep it and lest the Makers of these Homilies might be thought to mistake they often mention the Commandement now what other this is than the fourth I desire to know And let any tell me in a minde affected with the love of the truth and not in a contradicting spirit how it truly can bee said that the Church of Christ hath kept or rather not broken the said Commandement now these 1600 yeers if it hath not been observed in our weekly Lords day 2 Or whether we take the observation of this day to have its ground from Scripture as well we may for this position that Dies dominicus nititur verbo Dei was publickly maintained by a Doctor at the Commencement in Cambridge in Anno 1603. and by the Vice Chancellour so determined nor was then opposed by any other Doctors nor in the Universitie of Oxford any Antithesis put up against it Neither was there just cause why for is it not called the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. and are not also the Christian meetings mentioned on this day in Act. 20. 7. in 1 Cor. 11. 20 where it is said When yee therefore are gathered together in die Domini nostri on our Lords day as the ancient Syriack Translation hath it Sure it is that long since Clotaire Leg. Aleman tit 39. ap Brisson King of France grounded his Edict about the keeping of this day upon the Law and holy Scripture So Charles the great King of France in Anno 789 had the same ground in his regall Edict saying Statuimus secundum quod in lege Dominus praecepit And likewise Leo the Emperour of Constantinople Constit 54. called Phylosophus in Anno 886 seeking to reforme abuses upon the Lords day in his Constitution declared that what he had in that behalfe determined was secundum quod Spiritui Sancto ab ipsoque institutis Apostolis plaucit according to the minde of the Holy Ghost and of the Apostles instructed by him Now may it reasonably bee thought that such great Princes should without the advice of the Learned Clergy in those dayes lay downe such grounds for their proceedings considering how Charles the Great caused five severall Synods at one time to bee assembled about the same Scripture there is for it and so then held And therefore the keeping of this day is of divine authority 3 Or whether wee understand Divine according to that judicious man the Authour of the Antidote against Sabbath errours That which may bee by humane discourse upon reasons of congruitie probably deduced from the word of God as a thing most conveniently to bee observed by all such as desire unfeinedly to order their wayes according to Gods holy will As also it may be proved from equitie either in the Law of nature or by vertue of divine institution or by some Analogy and proportion which the Lawes given to the Jews so far as reason and equity hold alike or by some probable insinuations thereof in the new Testament whereto adde the continuall practice of the Church for as he saith Lex currit cum praxi then may it be said to be de jure divino Now all these do as he granteth and may fully be proved and easily discerned from that which hath been said in the two former Treatises and what in this is already and shall be delivered in some measure concurre for the observation of the weekly Sabbath and therefore is established upon divine authority 4 Or whether we maintaine it to be an institution Apostolicall as many do it is divine We beleeve saith that Father of our Church Bishop White that the holy Apostles ordained Against Brab pag. 189. the Sunday to be a weekly holy day and he addeth his reason because the primitive Fathers who lived some of them in the Apostles dayes and others of them immediatly after and who succeeded them in the Apostolicall Churches did universally De bap contr Donat. l. 4. c. 23 maintaine the religious observation of this day For saith Saint Augustine Quod universalitertenet Ecclesia nec Conciliis institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi authoritate Apostolica traditum rectissimè creditur Saint Chrysostome affirmeth On 1. Cor. Hom. 43. it that the Lords day was made a weekly holy day by the Apostles Who saith Bishop White at sometimes observed this day themselves Act. 20. 7. Saint Basill and Isichius numbers Against Brab
taken away and David appointed in his stead I am bound by the selfe same Law to honour David Even so is the accommodation of this fourth Commandement Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy this is the Commandement what day soever it be applyed unto The accommodation is the seventh day is the Sabbath day to keep it holy this the Commandement doth binde us unto as long as the day is unchanged and not taken away But the day being altered yet the Commandement abideth and is of forcâ— when another day is appointed in its roome as is now our Lords day And therefore the Commandement is Remember the Lords day to keep it holy From whence here note that as the taking away of Saul took not away the Commandement of honouring the King and Davids comming in Sauls stead held up the practice of the same Commandement Even so the taking away of the seventh day took not away the authoritie of the fourth Commandement and the bringing in of the Lords day in stead thereof holdeth up the practice of it and by it we are bound to observe this day as the Jewes their day And therefore may we pray as our Church teacheth us Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this Law And that without any Judaizing at all CHAP. XII That this day cannot be changed WEe have heard how that the day is of a divine institution and therefore is not subject to alteration by man The Church saith our learned Doctor On Rev 1. 10. In Cases of Consc ca. 16. In his Thesis Fulk hath no authority to change it so holds Master Perkins Bishop Lakes speaking of Christs resurrection giveth this reason saying as no man can change the work to another day so no man can therefore change the day This is an undoubted rule in Theology saith that learned man 2. What honour and dignity the Holy Ghost giveth unto a day cannot by the authority of man be taken from it to put it upon any other day but the first day of the week hath by the holy spirit this superscription set upon it The Lords day therefore it is not alterable by any to any other day to call that the Lords day 3. If the Church can change it then hath the Church authority to weaken the grounds on which the observation of the day was first setled but that she hath not or else can bring better reasons for the alteration else it were folly to alter it but there never was hitherto nor now is nor ever shall be any such reason to alter the day as there was for setling of the day to wit the blessed resurrection of the Lord Jesus of the excellent glory of which work yee have heard before Therefore the Church cannot change it into another day 4. Whosoever changeth one thing for another in matters of an high nature must have equall power with the first Institutors or receive authority so to do from them But the Church hath not such authority in her selfe or by delegation from either Christ or from his Apostles And therefore cannot change the day 5. It hath beene ratified by many Synods by ancient Councells by Imperiall Constitutions and Edicts of Kings established by the Lawes of Kingdomes and Countreys as it cannot be altered 6. The long continued custome of observing it from the first day in the Apostles time by the whole Primitive Church and by all Christian Churches since in all ages for these 1600 yeares without any gain-saying maketh it unalterable it being observed upon such grounds as is before mentioned To conclude to what purpose is it for any now to hold the change thereof when never from the beginning there was ever any one particular Church any Synod or Councell or any Orthodox writer in ancient times attempted it Nor ever durst any power on earth goe about it But all the holy Fathers and piously learned have with free consent endeavoured the setling and honouring of this day as may appeare in their writings and praises of the same as shall be manifest in the next chapter It is not therefore changeable either absolutely or practically nor have Christians at any time saith Bishop White judged it reasonable or convenient to alter such an ancient and well grounded custome which is commonly reputed to bee an Apostolicall tradition To this let me adde in the last place the judgement of that reverend Authour of the Antidote That seeing the observation of the Lords day hath beene confirmed by so many Constitutions Ecclesiasticall and Imperiall and hath withall continued with such uniforme consent through the whole Christian world for so many ages ever since the Apostles times the Church not to dispute what she may or may not doe ex plenitudine potestatis ought not to attempt the altering of it to any other day of the week CHAP. XIII Of the honourable esteeme of this our Lords day and that it is to be preferred before all other festivall dayes THere be many reasons to manifest the honourablenesse of this day and to preferre it before all other Festivalls 1. The blessed Apostle hath exalted it with the glorious title of the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. The Lord Christ his day as Bishop White speaks a title proper and peculiar Page of his book 208. to it Now things and persons named the Lords are sacred and venerable saith he in the highest degree which day was generally and religiously observed of all Christians And albeit the Apostles took advantage to goe and teach in the Jewish Synagogues upon their Sabbath yet saith Doctor Pocklington for which he citeth Eusebius and Page 11. of his Sermon Ignatius the blessed Martyrs in the Primitive Church by the doctrine and example of S. Paul and the Apostles so unfeignedly abhorred the observation of the Jewish Sabbath that they esteemed the observers thereof and the contemners of the Lords day the very sonnes of perdition and enemies of our Saviour and sellers of Christ So dis-regarded they the one and honoured the other 2. The ancient Fathers and others have given it tearmes of honour Justine Martyr called it Sunday as many others In Orat. ad Anton. after him no doubt as the chiefe of dayes as the Sunne is the most glorious to our eyes above all other planets In Cod. Just. lib. 3. tit 12. it is called venerabilis dies Solis the venerable and much honoured Sunday as Bishop White expresseth Against Brab page 197. Ad Magnes it Ignatius the Martyr who lived at least thirty yeares in the dayes of S. John and was his hearer calleth the day the Queene and Paramount of dayes Eusebius See the quotation of these in B. â—hite pag. 209. calleth it the principall and the first S. Chrysostome a royall day Greg. Nazian saith it is higher than the highest and with admiration wonderfull above all other dayes S. Basil the first fruits of dayes Chrysologus the primate of dayes A day above all
other dayes to be esteemed saith Bellarmine and Tom. 1. de cult sanâ—t cap. 10. 11. lib. 3. On Luke 14. fol. 11. cap. 6. Stella The Councell at Matiscon held it the day of our new Birth Durand saith Dominica dies primatum obtinet major est inter alios dies Rational lib. 7. de festivit Thus we see it honourably graced with very high titles which no other Festivall reached unto 3. The observation of this day is not only of Protestants but also of Papists held to be de jure divino and give reason for it as is before manifested But no other holy day so held by any learned Protestant in any reformed Church 4. Easter day that so esteemed high day about the observation whereof in former times there was such contention when the consent for the Lords day was universally agreed upon unanimously ever yet for the more honour to it it was ordeined to be celebrated on the Lords day only as we finde it to be observed to this day 5. Though the often returne of this our Lords day weekly maketh vaine people lesse to esteem it than other dayes which fall more seldome yet the truth is in the judgement of the wise thiâ— day receiveth the more glory and honour For by being our weekly holy day it commeth in stead of the Jewish Sabbath by the equity of the fourth Commandement and it is for the great honour of our Lord Jesus by the upholding of his Lordship still over the Sabbath betweene which and our weekly Sunday there is an analogy and proportion as Doctor Heylin acknowledgeth at large Page 11. which is not so in any other Festivall among Christians 6 It hath had the start before all other holy dayes to be first honoured with Christian publick meetings holy Convocations and Assemblies Act. 20. 7. 1. Cor. 16. 2. and 11. 20. 7 It was the first for the better observation whereof that had Imperiall Edicts to grace it and in those Edicts for restraint of work upon other holy daies yet the cheifest care was for the Honour of this day as doth appeare by this In Serm. de tempore 251. Page 98. 102. Clause Maxime in dominicis diebus on the Lords dayes most specially For saith Doctor Heylin the Emperours and Prelates had the same affections both sorts earnest to advance this day above all others The Emperour Leo saith he also by two severall Edicts made it singular above other Festifalls Lastly our Church in Canon 45 preferreth it above all other holy dayes in this that licensed Preachers are inioyned to Preach either in their own or in some other Church every Sunday which order is not taken for other holy dayes Thus wee see this day to have the preheminence above any other and indeed it hath before others antiquity the authority establishing it is divine the certainty of the day is without alteration and the unity of judgement with so full a Consent of all sorts in all ages as may well perswade us to give it the glory before any of the rest of the Festivalls which to equall with it is void both of reason and religion as all that which hath been said sufficiently proveth CHAP. XIV This day is to be kept holy and the whole day too AN holy day is to be kept holy none will deny it Our Lords day is an holy day and an high holy day too before all other as in the former chapter is proved and therfore to be kept holy which very tearm of holy challengeth a separation of the day unto holy uses as Gods holy daies all of them in the old Testament were observed and imployed in holy duties as the Scriptures tell us the end of the weekly Sabbath was to keep it holy as the very Commandment sheweth from the mouth of God himselfe Exo. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy and Moses the Interpreter of the Law in Deut. 5. 12. saith the same And our Lords day being our Christian Sabbath in stead thereof should be kept holy We keep holy the Lords day saith Dionysius who lived in Anno. 175. Our King and whole In an Epist to Soter Bishop of Rome State in a Statute hath delivered this as is before noted That it is a principall part of true service unto God to keep holy the Lords day Our Church in the Homily teacheth us That Gods obedient people should use the Sunday holily and carefully keep the day in holy rest and quietnesse both men women children servants and strangers as they have ever done from the Apostles dayes That the Primitive Churches Fathers and Christian Princes did in their severall times alwayes observe and cause to be observed the Lords day with all holy solemnity and godly reverence read the many learned Authours avouching the same quoted for this by Master Sprint in his book of the Christian Sabbath pag. 18. To this effect speaketh Bishop White cited before in chapter 9. affirming that the Primitive Fathers and their Successours did universally maintaine the religious observation of the day That it is to bee kept holy there bee none of sound judgement will deny it But the question is how much of the day is to be set apart unto God The wisdome of God which in mans best reason is most worthy to be our direction appointed a day for Exod. â—0 the celebration of the Sabbath we ought to rest the whole day say the Fathers in a Councell at Nice S. Chrysostome in 3. Hom. on John exhorts to destinate the day wholly to divine imployments The Divines in Ireland have held the Lords day to be wholly dedicated to the service of God And was there ever any thing counted holy as set apart for holy uses which was not wholly sacred The Temple was holy was it so in part or in the whole Set-Festivalls were holy the whole day King Edgar and Canutus enacted by Fox Acts and Mon. fol. 644. Edit 1610. fol. 715. â—echel de Decâ—et Ecclesiae Gal. their Lawes that the Sunday should bee kept holy from Saturday at noon till Munday morning Charles the great ordained to have it kept from evening to evening so zealous were those Princes in those times for the observation of this day to the honour of Jesus they held not the whole day too much S. Augustine in his Sermon de tempore 251. and one Leo the Bishop of Rome who was made Bishop there in Anno 440. almost full 1200 yeares since See Doctor Heylin Hist 119. reckon the Saturday Eye a part of the Lords day And Doctor Heylin citeth also a Synod held at Friuli in An. 791. In 2 part ca. 5. that all Christians should with all reverence and devotion honour the Lords day beginning on the Evening of the day before at the first ringing of the bell Hee telleth us also how S. Jerome relateth that the Monkes in Egypt designed the Lords day wholly unto prayers and reading of holy Scriptures Master Brerwood confesseth That it is meet that Christians dedicate the day wholly to the honour of God that we should not bee lesse devout in celebrating the Lords day than the Jewes in celebrating their Sabbath Because
hee highly pleaseth God who keepeth holy the whole day For by the judgment of the King and the whole State such a one as keepeth it is performing a principall part of the true Service of God Thirdly In prohibiting on this day all meetings assemblies or concourse of people out of their owne Parishes for any sportes or pastimes whatsoever All Beare-baitings Bull-baitings Common Plaies Enterludes or any other unlawfull exercises or pastimes Also that no Carryer Waggoner Waine-man Car-man or Drover travell on the Lords day Or any Butcher by himselfe or by any other with his privitie and consent kill or sell any victuall on this day Hereto may I adde our Common Law by which as the Sages in the Law have resolved it That the day is exempted from Law-dayes publik Sessions in Courts of Justice and that no plea is to be holden no writ of a Scire facias must beare date on a Sunday for if it doe it is an errour so a Fine levied with Proclamations if the Proclamations bee made on this day all of them are held erroneous acts And all this was for the solemnitie of the day as also the intent that the people might apply themselves to prayer and Gods publick Worship and Service Thus we see the honourablenesse of this day and the high esteeme thereof as it hath beene and still ought to bee in our Kingdome amongst all faithfull Christians CHAP. XXI What Councels and Synods have decreed touching the observation of this day IT cannot be but where Emperours and Kings have taken care for keeping holy the Lords day they had the judgâ—ment of the godly Divines in their times But to cleare more this point let us see what hath by the learned beene decreed concerning this The Councell of Carthage decreed to petition the Emperour then that there might bee no Shewes nor other See Dr. Heylin pag. 101. 111. pag. 112. Playes on the Lords day c. The Councell held at Aragon would have no sentence pronounced in any cause on the Lords day The third Councell at Orleance informeth us that husbandry reaping hedging and such servile works were prohibited The Councell at Mascon decreed that the day should be kept holy calling it the Lords day the day of our new birth the everlasting day of rest insinuated unto us under the shadow of the seventh day or Sabbath in the Law and the Prophets On this day none were to meddle in Litigious Controversies in actions or Law Suits nor prepare his Oxen for daily labour but to goe to the Church and there powre out his soule in teares and prayers celebrate the day with one accord offer unto God their free and voluntary service exercise themselves in Hymnes and singing praises unto God being intent thereon in minde and body c. The Councell at Dingulosinum in Bavaria determined that upon Sunday every one being intent upon Divine rest should abstaine from prophane or common businesses In the Councell of Angiers tradesmen were appointed to lay by their labours and among those the Miller and the Barber The Councell at Coleine decreed that the people should be diligently admonished why other holy dayes but especially the Lords day which hath beene alwayes famous in the Church from the Apostles time were instituted to wit that all might equally come together to heare the Word of the Lord to receive the Sacraments to apply their mindes to God alone to be spent only in Prayers Hymnes Psalmes and spirituall Songs And here were prohibited Playes Dances wicked Discourses filthy Songs all Luxurie and Victualling Houses were commanded to be shut up Concilium Bituriense exhorteth saying Let them practice nothing but that which savours of pietie and there are prohibited prophane Assemblies ryotous Feasts Dances Morices disguises Stage Playes and going to Alehouses Concilium Basiliense forbad Dice and Tables and would that such as did walke with chaste eyes modesty and gravitie should not goe to Dancing In a Synod held at Friuli it was decreed That all Christian men should with all reverence and devotion honour the Lords day and abstaine from all carnall acts Etiam * So S. Augu. in 244. Serm. de tempore à propriis conjugibus and all earthly labours and goe to the Church devoutly A Synode held in Aken or Aquiâ—granum 800. yeeres agoe held that in reverence to the Lords day it should no more bee lawfull to marry or bee married In a Roman Synod under Leo the fourth it was decreed that no Market no not for meat should be kept and no person should receive judgment on that day And under Alexander the third in a Councell of Compeigne it was ordained that none should bee doomed to death or condemned to bodily punishment In a Synod at Coy it was decreed that men should doe no servile work nor take any journey A Synod at Petricow in Poloniae forbad Taverne-meetings Dice Cards and such like pastimes as also instrumentall musick and Dancing CHAP. XXII What Popes the Canon Law Archbishops Bishops and other learned men have said concerning the hallowing of this day 1 Popes POpe Alexander the third saith that both the old and new Testament depute the seventh day unto rest Pope Gregory the ninth commanded a restraint from labour both of man and beast In Pope Eugenius his time the Princes and Prelates as Doctor Heylin confesseth did agree together to raise the Lords day to as high a pitch as they fairely might and a Canon was made by that Pope in a Synod at Rome 800 yeares agoe to forbid businesses and works of labour criminall causes and vaine sports on the Lords day and other Festivalls Pope Gregory in Epist 3. lib. 11. held it not lawfull for any to See Ios Bentham his society of Sects pag. 154. citing Leo the first and Leo the third their decrees for carefull observation of the Lords day bath themselves out of luxury and pleasure on the Lords day but that wee should rest from our earthly labours and by all meanes abide in prayers c. By the Canon Law grinding hath beene inhibited and by the same Lawes travelling hath beene forbidden and counted a mortall sinne See at large Doctor Heylin out of Tostatus the strictnesse of the observation of the Lords day and holy dayes let me adde one thing out of Summa Angel tit interrogationes in confessione The Priests did ask the confitents as a sinne whether they had used pastimes and dancings on the Lords day Our Linwood the Canonist de Consecr Dist 3. ca. Jemina saith Die Dominico nihil aliud agendum nisi Deo vacandum nulla operatio in illa die sancta agatur nisi tantum Hymnis Psalmis Canticis spiritualibus dies illa transigatur 2 Archbishops and Bishops ARchbishop Islips with the assent and counsell of the Prelates assembled in a Synod 1349 decreed that there should bee a generall restraint from all manner of servile work and that the Sunday should begin at the Saturday at Evening Cuthbert
Archbishop Daroberniae in a Synod Anno 747 with the rest decreed that the Lords day should bee celebrated with the reverence most meet and to be dedicated only to the service of God Our last Archbishop Doctor Abbot so honoured the Lords day as he by his Chaplains licensed divers Treatises for observation of the Lords day and when a Minister presented him with a book to bee licensed which was made for liberty on that day he took it of him and before his face burnt it in the fire For Bishops S. Ambrose telleth us it is well knowne saith he how carefully the Bishops doe restraine all toying light and filthy Dances if at other times then on the Lords day Bishop Babington on Exod. 16. saith that Drinkings Dances Wakes Wantonnesse Beare-baiting and Bull-baiting were wicked prophanation of the Lords day Bishop Downham on the Commandements saith They that keep the day for idle rest make it Sabbatum Boum or Asinorum They that defile it with drunkennesse and the like make it Sabbatum Diaboli and they that prophane it with sports make it Sabbatum aurei vituli Bishop Hooper that Godly Martyr On the ten Commandements saith The Lord sanctified the Sabbath day not that wee should give our selves to illnesse or to such Ethnicall pastimes as is now used amongst Ethnicall people c. Bishop Bayly in his Practice of Piety saith We are this day to abstaine from the works of our callings carrying burdens Faires and Markets studying any Book but Scripture and Divinity all recreations and sports grosse feeding liberall drinking and talking about worldly things Bishop White hath uttered an Against Brab holy speech who saith that all kinde of recreations which are of evill quality in respect of their object or are attended with evill and vicious circumstances are unlawfull and if used on the Lords day are sacrilegious for they rob God of his honour to whose worship and service the holy day is devoted and they defile the soules of men for the clensing and edifying whereof the holy day is appointed 3. Learned Divines NIcho de Clemangiis de novis celebritatibus non instituendis tells us that especially the Lords day and solemne Festivalls should be wholy and onely consecrated to more speciall worship and spent in duties of Devotion in lauding and blessing him for his more speciall favours Doctor Pocklington In his Serm pag. 13. hath a right speech howsoever it be that a little after he varieth saying If the first day of the week be the Lords day as he in another place yeelds it we must look to do the Lords work on it and not trench upon him by doing our own worke thereon yea he cyteth Saint Augustine for this Page 5. that men should leave all worldly businesses on Saints dayes Et maximè Diebus Dominicis especially on the Lords dayes that they betake themselves wholly to the Lords service Reverend Hooker saith that the voluntary scandalous contempt In Eccl. Pol. ca. 5. pag. 385. of the rest from labour wherewith God is publickly served wee cannot too severely correct and bridle Master Dow teacheth a cessation from ordinary labours and holds them In his dâ—scourse of the Sab. pag. 28. unlawfull on this day as they hinder a man from applying himselfe to divine duties and therein are contrary to the divine precept and the morality thereof He requireth first A morning preparation in private Secondly Warneth men that they doe not by improvidence or negligence or forgetfulnesse draw upon themselves a necessity to omit or hinder the dutyes to which this day is consecrated Thirdly that the hindrances and our defects bee supplied by private Devotions and Meditations Fourthly that it is good and commendable to spend the rest of the day in holy meditations private prayer reading and calling to minde what we have read or heard Vincentius Bellovecensis and Bellarmine have condemned Specul morale lib. 3. Concio 6. de Dominic 3. advent Stage-playes Enterludes Masques mixt-Dancing which they call lascivious to be especially on the Lords day most execrable Alex. Fabricius in his destructorium vitiorum pars 4 saith That the Sabbath by dancing is prophaned So did the godly Albigenses and Waldenses who also in a short In the History of the Walden part 3. b. 2. Catechisme upon the Commandments would have the Christians keep the Sabbath in ceasing from worldly labours from sinne and idlenesse and to doe things as might be for the good and benefit of their soules It were tedious to recite the learned in the later times teaching the holy observation of this our Lords day I will Sect. 16. cap. 24. end only with the harmonie of Confessions where it is said that the Lords day ever since the Apostles time was consecrated to religious exercises and unto holy rest CHAP. XXIII God would have our Lords day religiously observed and not to be prophaned GOd doth informe us by his word by which wee finde his institution of one day in a week from the creation as in the first Treatife have beene proved to bee sanctified to holy uses wee finde also the same established by his Law given on Mount Sinai as is manifested in the former Treatise And from the word in the New Testament we finde one day the first day of the week to have been observed and the observation continued now this 1600 yeeres So that one day in a week hath beene given to God as sacred and holy for holy rest in his worship and for holy duties to be performed publickly privately now above five thousand five hundred fourescore yeers some count 6000 a time long enough to settle this truth to observe such a day and as the holy people in the former times before Christ kept their day holily morally so should wee our day too But as God inctrusteth by his word so doth hee also by his works he is said to speak by the work of his providence Geness 24. 50. 51. And when his judgements are in the Esai 26. 10. earth the inhabitants of the world are to learne righteousnesse thereby and even in this for not observing his holy day for as before he punished his people for the prophanation of their Sabbath as the Scripture witnesseth in many places So hath the Lord punished the prophanation of our Christian Sabbath dedicated to his honour and service and hath pleaded by his punishments for the sanctification thereof and to deterre men from the prophaning of it This we must know that there is no evill in a City but the Lord doth it to wit the evill of punishment and the same commeth for sin of what nature or kinde soever the judgements be which are three fold 1 Immediate judgements wherein Gods hand is clearely seene which all will easily acknowledge with feare Such a judgement was the drowning of the old world the burning of Sodome and Gomorrah with fire from heaven So that of Nadab and Abihu with
1 Pet. 4. 17. it is used for any kinde of punishment which God infflicts upon men for sin In this later sense the evill befalling the Sabbath-breakers is a judgement and a due deserved punishment as the word is expounded by the learned in Gal. 5. 10. Shall not fire from heaven thundering and lightning by which some have been killed be held a judgement was not the fall of Paris-gardens Scaffold which hurt and kild so many a judgement These and other evils hapning such as be before mentioned have been held to be judgements and why any should deny them to be so now they give no reason nor indeed can they if they take the word judgement aright as in this case some Opposites doe who affirme that irreligious contempt of Gods ordinances appointed on this day by the Church and law of the Land may pull down Gods judgements yea that if this day were changed into another there would be as exemplarie judgments of God from heaven against this kinde of ungodlinesse of men as ever were in any ages upon the Lords day It is no shame we see to call them judgements And we may without shame say that these evils befell them for prophaning the Lords day and not keeping it holy Our Church in the Homily and in the fore-mentioned exhortation the Fathers in that Synod and learned men have averred as much whose affirmation may be opposed to any private mans negation if we had no reason to strengthen the assertion But is it not granted that the prophanation of the day is a grievous sin And doth not the fourth Commandement impose a morall dutie which is to keep holy the day of rest The sanctification of the day is imposed upon us and this are we pressed to remember Let the day be what it will appointed by divine authoritie as our Lords day is acknowledged to be wee are to keep it holy To keep the day set apart by a divine institution holy is the maine substance of the fourth Commandement and a morall dutie And therefore the not keeping holy the Lords day but polluting it is a sinne against the fourth Commandement and the breach of a morall dutie and therefore for this did the evills befall those that prophaned the day But some will peradventure say that it was the prophanation and irreligious contempt of Gods ordinances appointed upon this day by our Church and the lawes of â—he land sinnes highly provoking Gods wrath 〈◊〉 brought such evils upon them It may be so for vaine and prophane enough are 〈◊〉 persons with whom the Lord is displeased who may adde one sinne to another to the prophaning of the day an irreligious dis-regard of holy duties with disâ—bedience to Authoritie but this sinne maketh not the other to â—â— no cause of the evills hapning to them but serveth rather the more to aggravate the other sinne and so more speediâ—y to hasten their judgement And to this some it may be will adde an other cause to wit the licentiousnesse of such as have bin punished swarving from those dirrections limitation prescribed to them I will not deny this neither for certaine it is that almost all the instances which lately have beene given are of those which have runne out beyond their bounds in the Declaration and no marvell for such as care not for Gods Commandements will easily transgresse the limits prescribed by man But yet here is no discord in the assignment of the cause of their punishment the prophanation of the day for in one and the same action where God is dis-obeyed the Church dis-regared and authority neglected and for all this together the parties punished yet the principall cause is the sinne against God as in this cause it is cleare enough Neverthelesse some cannot peradventure be satisfied with all this that it is lawfull to apply these judgements to particular persons except certaine rules be observed herein such as themselves lay downe for guidance in the same These rules I will write downe and then give answer to them as I may The rules which I finde laid downe for this purpose are these following 1 Rule We must have either extraordinary revelation of the punishments for the sinne of which now there is no expectation in the wise or immediately by the word wee must find those particular sins threatned with those particular judgements which we see to be executed upon them Sometime we finde in Scripture particular judgements threatned for some particular sinnes which some have committed and beene punished for But there be above a thousand sinnes mentioned in Scripture and five hundred of them without any particular threatning added This rule is not alwayes observable Wee see severall kindes of punishments inflicted for some particular sinnes which were not threatned before to light upon the offenders Uzziah for attempting to offer incense was smitten with an incuble Leprosie Nadab and Abihu were burnt with fire from heaven for their sinne Ananias and Saphira for their lying to the Holy Ghost kild immediately in the place Jeroboams arme withered for stretching it out against the Prophet Amaziah for silencing a Prophet given over to seck his owne overthrow Judas for betraying Christ left to be his owne executioner Herod eaten with wormes for his finne yet none of these particular judgements were threatned for these particular sinnes What therefore though we have no threatning that God would punish prophanesse on this day with such particular judgements as have befallen them must we not think those evills to have happened to them for that sinne A sinne deserves punishment but what way and how God will punish that hee reserves to himselfe and seldome hath revealed it though sometimes as we see by Nathan to David 2 Sam. 12. 11 12. and by Moses to the Israelites against Korah and his company Numb 16. 30. 2 Rule That which we suppose to be punished must bee truly and indeed a sinne and not a point disputable but recreations on the Lords day whether lawfull or unlawfull are disputable and therefore without unsufferable arrogancy we cannot apply the evils happening as judgements for sin No truth is so cleare but by agitation siding and exercise of wit may become disputable This might bee shewed in many things evident enough till they come into question The morality of the fourth Commandement was heretofore very manifest and the keeping holy the Sabbath day was of the morality and the not-keeping holy the Sabbath day but polluting it was a sinne The Lord in the old Testament threatned to punish and did severely punish the breach of that Law and the same sinne hee yet punisheth in some though not in all that prophane the Lords day observed of us Christians as our Christian Sabbath as hath been proved If these judgements come not for the prophanation of the day as before I shewed it hath been acknowledged wherefore hath God so long and so often laid his hand on many If God be not provoked to anger hee
the edicts of Kings and Emperours have disanulled what Councells and Synods have decreed against and what Learned and Godly men have both written and spoken against have been before set downe to which I adde here Concilium Antisiodorense in Anno 614. a thousand yeares since at which were 45 Bishops and others of the Clergie learned men who did forbid and expell publick dancing of women Synodus Turonensis in Anno 158◠prohibited on the Lords day rioting publick Feasts Galliards Dancing Clamours Morices Hunting Hawking to serve wine or victualls in Innes or victualling houses to any but strangers the playing of Prize Comedies Tragedies and other spectacles In France in the raigne of Charles the ninth and Henry the third all dancing was prohibited under paine of imprisonment For what doth dancing produce in the rude vulgars but lascivious wantonnesse and the fruit the begeting of bastards and sometime thereupon hath ensued unnaturall murthers by Mothers thereby thinking to hide the former sin Of which there be too many examples and of which one instance before of one gotten with child on the Lords day at night after dancing 4 All sports may well be judged to be forborne on the Lords day which God hath by his hand shewed his displeasure against upon the actors on this day for the reverence we owe to God in beholding his handy work by which he lessons us and giveth us instruction if it be not to observe the day better to what then if we shall make this use of it I am sure we doe not offend Thus we see what sports are on this day to be laid aside And if so I hope well the day will be better employed of many Let it not be offensive to any that I propound these Reasons to their pious considerations to leave their pastimes this day 1 The Scripture forbidding the doing of our own waies finding our owne pleasures and speaking of our owne words Esay 58. 13. By our owne he doth meane what we do please to doe or speake without warrant from him of our owne heads from our owne worldly or carnall desires for all this is properly our owne But if we doe what God commandes Heb 4. 10. Iudg. 2. 19. and what he warrants us that is not properly our owne but Gods For in the former we doe serve our selves and are our own in this we serve God and are his This scripture is the only place in holy writt which teacheth us how to keep a Sabbath spirituall unto God by teaching first what to avoide and then what we should be taken up with on this day to wit with an honourable esteeme of the day in considering whose day it is Gods holy day then what delight we take in it as a Sabbath day and count it honourable and so doe him honour shewing that we delight our selves in the Lord verse 14. This text speaketh first of nothing ☜ proper to the Jewes but what is common to us in keeping our Christian Sabbath with them And therefore the Prophet doth mention onely the Sabbath day and not their seventh day Now Christ is still Lord of the Sabbath Matt. 12. 2. Here is nothing spoken but what is durable for ever in keeping an holy day to the Lord which is First That the day be held an holy day Secondly That it be of the Lord. Thirdly That it be a rest day Fourthly That we delight in it and esteeme it honourable Fifthly That on this day we honour him not doing what we please but forsaking our selves do what he would have us to doe and so to manifest our delight to be that day in the Lord In all which I would faine know what is there that doth not belong to us in keeping our Christian Sabbath Thirdly the scope of the Prophet tendeth as well to us as to them for as in the former part of the Chapter he had laboured to reforme the abuse in their Fasts so here the abuse in their Jewish keeping of the Sabbath externally in an outward service and rest mixing withall their own wayes pleasures and speeches but did not keep it as holy to the Lord in a spirituall manner with delight to honour God as they ought to have done Doth not this tend to the reformation of keeping our Sabbath as most doe as the Jewes did theirs externally mixt with our own wayes pleasures and speeches but not internally with a spiritually delight in the Lord Therefore this Text is fitly urged by our Learned Divines for the religious observation of our Sabbath day 2 The force of the fourth Commandement is yet of continuance and bindeth us as in the former Treatise hath been proved on our Lords day and first to a rest then to the imployment of that rest to an holy use and so to keep the day holy But sports and pastimes are not to speak properly any rest nor are they any holy duties for which we rest thereby to keep the day holy to God Therefore to be forborn this day 3 It is reasonable in all equitie to give God one day wholly to him for spirituall worship and service and for the spirituall good of our own soules for ever who hath given us six whole dayes for our own service and for our outward and worldly estate concerning our bodies which be here but for a time why should wee then grudge to forbeare sports for one day denying God his own right and our poore soules their spirituall good for to satisfie the corrupt minde with corporall delights on this day 4 The libertie of sports pleasures and pastimes on this day steale away the heart from God in time of Divine Worship The thoughts of these pleasures choak the seed of the Luk. 8. 14. On the fourth Commandement word for pleasures as well as worldly cares choak them saith Saint Luke and more too saith Learned Bishop Downham for nature saith he presseth youth more to pleasure than others to their wordly profits So that the thoughts of them doe not only hinder in time of hearing but doth quite take away the heart from after-meditation private prayer and conference without which hearing for the most part becommeth fruitlesse Now if this libertie were restrayned and they set to singing of Psalmes and other Christian and heavenly recreations as Durand before calleth them they knowing whereto they should hold they would bee more attent in the Church and better exercised out of it especially if they were made to know that not to serve the Lord God with joyfulnesse and with gladnesse of heart doth not a little anger and provoke God to wrath Deut. 28. 47. 5 If sports and pastimes have any allowance from God it is either Legally or Evangelically But not Legally for the letter of the Law bindeth strictly Not Evangelically for albeit the rigour of the Law be mitigated by the Covenant of grace and wee by Christ freed from the curse thereof yet neverthelesse we are tyed in love and in
way of a Parenthesis Argument 5. THey have no ground whereupon to settle their Prolepsis no Scripture have ever any of them alleadged but either the sixteenth of Exod. or the twentieth and eleventh verse But in neither of these can they fetch their rise for it Not out of Exod. the sixteenth for there are no words of Gods blessing and sanctifying the day mentioned in all that chapter Not out of Exod. the twentieth for the reasons forenamed in the third argument Therefore in the words Gen. 2. 3. is no Prolepsis Argument 6. EVery Anticipation in holy Story hath its ground for it within some convenient space of time Usually and commonly the thing anticipated is recorded within the same book where the Prolepsis is Sometime in the same chapter Jud. 15. 14. 17. and 2. 1. 5. Gen. 31. 21. 47. Sometime in the same verse of the chapter as in Gen. 33. 17. Sometime in the next chapter as in Josh 4. 19. and 5. 9. Most usually in the same book though somewhat farther off in chapters as in Gen. 12. 8. and 28. 19. yet the space then within a mans age Seldome in any other book though sometime as that in the first of Samuel 17. 54. and in the second of Sam. 5. 7. when there is a continuation of the story of the same person whose act is the ground of the Anticipation as is cleare in this instance of David where the Anticipation and the act of David are within the terme of his life But here is a supposed Anticipation not of a few yeares or the age of a man but the space of one world for 1657 yeares and then into another for the space of 450 and odde yeares in the whole 2450 and more yeares A monstrous birth of a leaping Prolepsis for so many generations not to be assented unto Argument 7. IN every true Prolepsis the very selfe same singular thing is to be understood in the Anticipation and that whereon it dependeth As Bethel in Gen. 12. 8. is the selfe same in Gen. 28. 19. not another Bethel But the seventh day in Gen. 2. 3. is not the very selfe same singular and individuall seventh day in Exod. 20. 11. as it was confessed but the same in likenesse saith one and in successive revolution but the nature of an Anticipation doth not admit of such a distinction And here note further that the words of Exod. 20. 11. whence they doe ground their Prolepsis have not the word seventh day in them for in Exod. 20. 11. it is said Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it But in Gen. 2. 3. it is said He blessed the seventh day so as Moses kept not to the word precisely as he ought if in Gen. 2. 3. there were a true Prolepsis Therefore there is none Argument 8 and last EVery true Prolepsis is raised upon a sure ground and not upon a meere and uncertaine supposition as is manifest in all the former instances and in any other that may be produced But this Prolepsis is grounded upon a meere and uncertaine supposition which is this that Moses wrote his story of Genesis after he heard the Law promulgated upon Mount Sinai where he heard God to blesse and sanctifie the seventh day to Israel and therefore in writing of Genesis he occasionally Pererius is of opinion that Moses wrote Genesis in Midian Euseb Casariensis holds it written before the Israelites comming out of Aegypt lib. 7. cap. 2. de Praepa Evang. inserted the words in Gen. 2. 3. by way of a Parenthesis But till they can prove this every one may see their sandy building and withall admire that any learned men dare thus to wrastle with their wits to overthrow a divine institution Thus much for this Anticipation SECTION IV. Of another conceit concerning Destination and what it is also confuted IT is cleare that there is no Anticipation in the words which some perhaps well weighing have devised another shift to darken the plaine narration that here should not be conceived a present institution of the first Sabbath and this is by interpreting the words by way of Destination which stiffely some maintaine contrary to the opinion and judgement of many learned men aswell Papist as Protestant Divines as afterwards shall be shewed For better proceeding herein to shew the error and to cleare the truth let us see first what they meane by Destination to wit Gods purpose and intention to have the seventh 1 What is meant by Destination day mentioned in Gen. 2. 3. to be the Sabbath day in actuall use after the giving of the Law upon Mount Sinai 2450 yeares after Gods creation of the world and his resting on the first seventh day this is their conceited Destination of the day Next before I come to their Reasons let us see what they yeeld us First that God bestowed a speciall prerogative and preferment 2 Our agreement upon the seventh day setting it apart from the rest of the week That this was done saith a learned Opposite we all agree but when it was done is the question Secondly it is said further that when God had ended his workes he ordained and appointed that the seventh day the day of his owne rest should bee that on which his Church should rest and follow his example and this was that great blessing and prerogative bestowed on that day Thirdly it is moreover granted that the seventh day was from the beginning the day of Gods rest and might have been imployed as the Lords Sabbath and some dayes doubtlesse were thus bestowed and perhaps this Fourthly and lastly that the cause and reason of the Sabbaths sanctification to wit Gods rest was from the beginning though the sanctification it selfe was a long time after From all this note First that the seventh day was the day of Gods own rest Secondly that this his rest was the cause or reason of the Sabbaths sanctification Thirdly that as God actually rested so he then actually sanctified the day deputed and consecrated it unto rest Fourthly that this his rest was exemplarie he ordayning and appointing that the Church should follow his example Fiftly that he set it apart from the rest of the weeke Sixthly and so bestowed upon it a speciall prerogative and perferment and a great blessing which was his appointing it the day of the Churches resting and following his example Seventhly that that day might have beene imployed as the Lords Sabbath that some dayes doubtlesse were thus imployed and perhaps the seventh day it selfe Thus farre wee accord and if well weighed it might easily overthrow their discord from us and bring them home to us for our disagreement is only in this Wee say that all this which they yeeld was for the time present by way of actuall use and employment 3. Our discord They say it was only by Destination and Gods purpose to have it so after he should give his Law on Mount-Sinai after the destruction of the
time of the institution of those Feasts the time and place appointed when they were to be kept but no such thing in Genesis touching any future time for the observation of it for then the fancied destination had been clear and the question had been ended Thirdly There was no reason for the keeping of some of those solemn Feasts as the feast of weeks or of harvest Exo. 34. 22. because in the wildernesse they did neither sow nor reap So the Feast of Tabernacles after the gathering in of corn and wine Deut. 16. 13. because then they dwelt not in houses to make them boothes to remember that in the Wildernesse they so dwelt for as yet they were in Tents in the Wildernesse nor had they fields of corne nor vineyards to gather in corne and wine Therefore there was reason for destinating the observation of those Feasts till afterwards But such sound reasons of destinating the observation of the seventh day Sabbath for so many hundred yeers are yet to seek The Passeover they kept when it was instituted and after in the wildernesse Num. 9. 1. 5. and so no doubt other holy dayes then instituted such as then could be kept 4. Argument The reason and ground of the observation of the Sabbath was not till Israels comming out of Egypt Deut. 5. 15. where it is said that Israel was a servant in Egypt and that the Lord brought him out with a mighty hand Therefore the Lord his God commanded him to keep the Sabbath day We see hence that the keeping of the day did depend on such a deliverance therefore we may well acknowledge a destination for the observation till the ground of the observation become to passe which was not till then Answ 1 It is granted before that the cause and reason for the Sabbath was Gods rest Secondly in Exo. 20. 11. It is rendered as the only reason why God then commanded the observation of the Sabbath Nor did God himself give any other reason or ground for the keeping of it holy but only his blessing and sanctifying of the day on which he did rest Therefore this was the ground of observing the day which ground was laid down at the beginning of the world as before is acknowledged and therefore there was no need of a destination to expect another ground for the observation of the day so many hundred yeers after Thirdly Concerning deliverance out of Egypt it is prefaced by God himself before all the Commandments as a strong motive from his mercy to move Israel to the observation of every Commandment and not of the fourth alone For upon the rehearsall of that benefit the Lord gave them that his whole Law consisting of ten Commandments Fourthly the former part of verse 15. in Deut. 5. is to be read as within a Parenthesis so as the beginning of the later part of it at therefore must have relation to rest mentioned in the end of the fourteenth verse and not to the deliverance out of Egypt mentioned within the parenthesis as the ground of the Sabbath for if it be marked well it beginneth with remember that thou wast a servant to move them to pity their servants as God in mercy pitied them to bring them out of Egypt with so strong an hand So thus rightly understanding the text it is altogether impertinent to be brought for destinating the keeping of the seventh day till Israels deliverance out of Egypt It is to be lamented that men of good Learning should wrong Gods word with such a Misinterpretation to uphold a meere imaginary Destination which neither Wit nor Learning can make good 5. Argu. It is as clear as the Noon-day from Nehe. 9. 14. that the weekly Sabbath was made known to the Israelites under Moses at Sinai and not before unto their Fathers And therefore the place in Genesis must be understood by way of destination Answ 1 Note well the place in Nehemiah is restrained to Sinai whereof it is said that God made there the Sabbath known to Israel yet before that Israel knew and kept the Sabbath in the wildernesse of Sin Exo. 16. 1. 26. before they came to Sinai Secondly seeing they knew the Sabbath before they came to Sinai the words thou madest known must not be interpreted of a knowledge of bare information of that which they knew not before but of a knowledge of farther ratification at Sinai for there his holy Sabbath was made known to them 1. By his own person but before in Exod. 16. by Moses 2. Now more certainly by a lively voice and Gods own writing when before it was delivered by tradition to the Patriarches and not in writing 3. More fully concerning the persons which were to observe it not only the Parents Masters and Magistrates in their own persons but their Sons Daughters Men and Maidservants their Cattell and the Stranger within the gates 4. The manner also prescribed not to do any servile work on the day These things he made known unto them and all this to all Israel at once by his voice of Majestie from heaven which was never done before nor so made known to their Fathers Lastly if any yet will conceive it of such an informing them of which neither they nor their Fathers ever knew before I desire them plainly to shew me why God should conceale from all the holy men of God from Adam to Moses his resting on the seventh day his setting it apart for a Sabbath destinating it for his Church to rest on and to follow his example in time to come Let any one give any instance at any time where God really destinated any thing time place or person for future use and did not make any acquainted with it to live in expectation of it There may be instances given to the contrary Then this will follow that God destinating the seventh day for Sabbath in time to come as they say the destination was made known to the Fathers and therefore they knew of a Sabbath before the time that Nehemiah speaketh of especially considering what an Opposite doth freely acknowledge 1. That the seventh day might have been imployed as the Lords Sabbath 2. That some dayes doubtlesse were thus bestowed And 3. Perhaps that day Could then all the Fathers be simly ignorant of the seventh day Sabbath Thus have I shewed the strongest arguments for destination that I can read of in any of the last disputers for it Now I come to the Reasons against this fained destination Reason 1. EVery History is made of things existent but if the words in Gen. 2. 3. be to be understood of what God intended to doe and not what he then did the words should not bee historically taken but prophetically interpreted But Moses wrote in Gen. 2. 3. an history as all the words before and after and the words themselves plainely laid downe in the verse fully demonstrate Therefore is there no Destination except the destinated time to come were set downe expresly in the
words historically whereby it might be understood in the history what then God did and what plainely hee appointed men to doe afterwards for so it lost not the nature of an historicall narration both in telling of the thing done and in the appointing of what should be done if it be I say with a cleare expression as is required in the nature of a Story Reason 2. THere is no Destination of that thing for future time only which hath actuall being and aptnesse in it for present imployment For future Destination is only for deficiency in these two respects But the seventh day was from the beginning the day of Gods rest and the ground of mans rest this is granted And that day had its ability and every way was as fit then for an holy Sabbath as ever it was afterwards This is true from the Adversaries grant to wit that from the beginning it might have beene imployed as the Lords Sabbath and perhaps had so it then had an aptnesse to be an holy Sabbath Therefore Destination for only time to come is an idle imagination Reason 3. IF it bee with a doubtlesse that from the beginning some dayes were imployed as the Lords Sabbaths and is granted for a truth Then without doubt was the seventh day from the beginning so imployed as the Lords Sabbaths For what day could they so groundedly take for a Sabbath as Gods onely rest-day or what day could they so properly hold to be the Lords Sabbath as his owne day which himselfe blessed and sanctified as the Text saith and is denied of none Therefore the seventh day from the beginning being bestowed as the Lords Sabbath the observers of the day held it fit for present use and conceived it not in the words of the text a future destination for so long time as is groundlessely imagined Reason 4. THat which belonged alike to all from the worlds beginning to be observed by all the same to bee passed over as not observeable of any but destinated to a peculiar sort which should bee borne after many generations is not reasonably conceived to be true but to bee held as a feigned untruth But such a thing is this imagined future destination For it put off Adam Seth all the holy men of God 1600 yeeres before the Floud Noah and Shem with the other holy Patriarchs till Abraham after the Floud and from Abraham to Moses and to Israels deliverance out of Aegypt from observing the day of Gods rest and therein the remembrance of the worke and Worlds creation alike belonging unto all as if it had only concerned the Israelites and not the holy Fathers from the beginning which none will averre I suppose Therefore this Destination is but a fiction Reason 5. THe ground of the future Destination of the observation of the seventh day being false the Destination it selfe falleth and is false as will be granted But the ground of this their Destination which some lay to build it upon is false viz. the Israelites deliverance out of Egypt for their proofe out of Deut. 5. 15. faileth them as before is made manifest Therefore there is no such Destination as is pretended Reason 6. IF God did on the seventh day actually rest and at the same time actually sanctified it as is confessed to bee for the present the Churches Sabbath Then he put Adam into the right of actuall use of the day and not destinated it only for the time to come But Gods actuall resting was the ground of his actuall sanctifying of the day and his actuall sanctifying of the day made it ready for present use neithe was there any thing that could hinder Adam from observing of it at that present for the Lords owne Sabbath And if it be perhaps said that a Father having many sonnes may determine one to be his heire yet not presently put him into the possession I answer that may be because the Father will not dispossesse himselfe of that himselfe stands in need of And also that sonne may perhaps die before him and before his other brethren Therefore is not this simily fit for this purpose neither doth it any thing weaken the argument Reason 7. THere is not the least intimation in the Text of any decree of a future Destination and deed to be done but a plaine narration of that which then was done For Moses sayth God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it Againe the words before in verse second concerning Gods ending his work and his resting on that seventh day and the reason added to the reason in the words of verse third why he blessed and sanctified it binde the act of God to be understood of the time then and not of a time foure and twenty hundred yeeres after Moreover Moses the Penman wriâ—eth the Storie of Gods resting as an act done then as all acknowledge so he speaketh of his blessing and sanctifying the first seventh day as then blessed and sanctified For he holdeth in all the same forme of speech He ended he rested he blessed he sanctified when he did the former he did the later as the words shew without any variation at the first reading of them to any indifferent judgement Lastly no instance in holy Writ can be produced to defend such a glosse and to make such a comment upon a Text so cleare as this is Let them bring forth any one Scripture to warrant such an interpretation in an Hystoricall narration Reason 8. GOds work is ever the ground of every Festivall ordained for a remembrance thereof and solemnly to bee kept of those of that time when the work was wrought and not destinated to a day observed for many ages after see for this all the Festivalls in Scripture ordained either by God or man The work of God had its present remembrance upon the institution of the day when it was to be observed for the memoriall thereof It is absurdly unreasonable to think that God working a work never to be forgotten will appoint a day to bee observed for the remembrance thereof to none then living but onely to those who should live 2400 and odde yeers after Reason 9. GOds own words in Exod. 20. 11. make Moses discourse in Gen. 2. 3. to bee understood of the then blessing and sanctifying the day For God sayth not Exod. 20. 11. Wherefore I the Lord now at this present doe blesse and sanctifie the Sabbath day but hee spake as all reasonable apprehensions may easily conceive with relation to his acts past as to his works on the first six dayes so to his rest on the seventh day blessing and sanctifying the Sabbath Reason 10. THe six dayes of Gods work were presently exemplary and all men in the Church from the creation have taken them for present use What reason is there in the Text Gen. 2. 3. to conceit a Destination of the use of the seventh day not examplarie till 2400 yeers after Can it reasonably be imagined 1 That God would informe
Adam of his work of creation and of the space he did take to create all things in to wit in six dayes for Adam could not know that God had made the world in six dayes except God had so informed him and not acquaint him with the use of the seventh day also 2 Can we imagine that God distinguishing the seventh from the other six yet would leave it for use in common with the six for so long a time Can wee think that Gods work in six dayes put men into the present possession and use of the six dayes and his rest on the seventh day not afforded unto them the present use thereof 4 Can we suppose in any reason that the Sabbath day was only needfull to the Israelits in the Wildernesse and of no use to Gods people and Church before the Floud nor after till those dayes There are other reasons which are brought out by some for this Destination but they are without any waight of reason Reason 1. THere is no Historicall narration of the observation of the day Answ Yes the observation of the Sabbath is mentioned and plainly witnessed Exod. 16. 30. Reason 2. THere was no Commandement given to Adam concerning his resting upon the day 1 Answ There was no Commandement for whole six dayes working but only Gods example propounded for imitation 2 This reason concludeth not a Destination of the day till Moses his dayes nor any Destination at all for 3 It was needlesse to give to Adam any Commandement affirmative in his state of innocency because he was filled with great wisdome with holinesse righteousnesse and uprightnesse and it was enough for him to see Gods example of rest as a pattern before him to make him to follow him for he could not but know by his excellent wisdome and knowledge that God was to be imitated and hee bound to take his example for imitation Hee also knew that God blessed and sanctifled the day not for himselfe to keep it holy but for man Reason 3. IT is repugnant to the opinion of the Doctors of the Church that God imposed upon Adam in his innocency any more positive precepts but one which was that of the forbidden fruit 1 Answ This reason concludeth not the Destination It followeth not that in Gen. 2. 3. there is a Destination because Doctors hold only one positive precept given to Adam for the plaine narration hath not its dependance upon either one or more precepts given of God to Adam 2 This argument imployeth that the words in Gen. 2. 3. should be a Commandment or else needs must they afford a Destination but though it should be granted that there is no Commandment yet the simple narration of the truth of Gods resting then and his blessing and sanctifying the seventh day preventeth the Conceit of any future Destination Reason 4. THat the Law of the fourth Commandment was not agreeable to the state of innocency Answ The Circumstances of the fourth Commandment to men as they stood under the fall and as the Law was given to the people to rest their men and maid-servants sons and daughters with cattell and stangers after toylesome labour could not agree with Adams state of innocency but the fourth Commandment to keep holy the Sabbath day might be agreeable to Adam in innocency 1. It would and did well agree with Adam to be an Imitator of God but God rested on that day and was refreshed Exo. 31. 17. Therefore it was no whit disagreable to Adams innocency to rest after the example of the Lord his God and to keep a Sabbath 2. Adam was to work six dayes though his labour was delightsome and not toylesome in imitation of God and therefore to rest the seventh day because God did so This is reason enough if no more can be said for it For albeit Adam toyled not his bodie with payn and sweat yet his mind was attent to his weekly bussinesse while he laboured and six dayes were destinated to his labour but now on the seventh day his bodie was altogether freed from all labour and his minde also from attending to it and the whole man set apart for an holy rest unto the Lord which befitted him well 3. Though on the other dayes he served God yet neither the dayes nor he on those dayes were immediatly consecrated to God as this day was and held also for holy duties and to attend upon God immediatly who in that happy estate did in a visible apparition manifest himself to him And what know we what Adam did and should have heard learned and seen from God on that day I may think it should have been such matter as might be agreeable enough to that his estate of innocency 4. Adams perfection of knowledge in holynesse and righteousnesse with uprightnesse and innocency of life did furnish him with matter of heavenly Contemplation and made him bold to present himself before God in a speciall manner that day and was fitted to spend the rest of that day in heavenly meditations who prepared himself and strengthened his faith in the assurance of eternall life in heaven whither he should have been translated in Gods appointed time for eternall life was promised from the worlds beginning Titus 1. 2. whereof the Tree of life was a Sacrament as the Fathers and other learned men do hold So that in this regard the seventh day a Sabbath to the Lord agreed right well to his estate in innocency 5. If the day was blessed and sanctified of God which must needs be granted if the Anticipation and Destinations bee removed then a blessed and sanctified day agreed well to his holy and blessed state of innocencie not any jarre or unfittingnesse comming betweene 6 The day of Gods resting was not only exemplary to Adam but to all Adams seed had he and they abode in innocencie Now then all men labouring the six dayes had it beene unagreeable to their holinesse and innocencie to have bestowed the seventh day in meditations heavenly contemplations praysing God in the beautie of his creatures and the like This surely would have stood with the very highest degree of their excellencies in their state of perfection 7 And lastly Adam had on him as all men should have a double calling one for his body his particular calling in the duties of righteousnesse for which he was allowed six dayes and another for his soule his generall calling to be performed in duties of holinesse for which the seventh day was ordained So that in this respect a seventh day Sabbath was not disagreeable to the state of innocency Reason 5. THe most ancient primitive Fathers as Iustine Martyr Tertullian Irenaeus affirm that none of the Patriarches living before Moses observed a Sabbath Therefore in Gen. 2. 3. is a Destination for future time 1. Answ There be as many Fathers who affirm the contrary and also Jewish Rabbies 2. Affirmations are not to be rested on but the proofes produced 3. Those Fathers are to be
it hee had rested from all his work which God made and created So hee rested because he rested But now if the whole third verse be in the Parenthesis then as I said the benefit of the day in which God rested is taken from us that is the blessing and sanctifying of it for our use Therefore for these reasons wee may not admit of a Parenthesis nor is there any such thing in the Hebrew Text nor in the Greek nor in Pagine nor in Vatablus translation nor in the Caldee Paraphrase nor in Montanus nor in Tremelius and Iunius nor in the Vulgar Edition nor in our last learned English translation This new Parenthesis is but an idle conception brought forth to blunder the cleare streame of the Text. SECTION VI. That in Gen. 2. 3. is the Institution of the Sabbath THe words in Gen. 2. 3. are the Institution of the first Sabbath 1 The name Sabbath doth take its originall from Gods resting on this seventh day for so the word signifieth cessavit requievit This also wee learne from the fourth Commandement in Exod. 20. 8. where God nameth the word Sabbath which in the tenth verse is applyed unto this seventh day and in the eleventh verse the reason is rendred why it is called Sabbath because God rested on the seventh day So that Gods owne resting on this day made it a Sabbath 2 It being by Gods resting made a Sabbath day hee did therefore blesse it Now to blesse a day is no where spoken of God in the whole Bible but here and in Exod. 20. 11. And therefore by that in Exod. 20. 11. wee must seek out the meaning of this in Gensis which will appeare to bee this that he blessed it that is by sanctifying it for the later word giveth the sense of the former the conjunction and comming betwixt benedixit and sanctificavit is exegeticall put expositively as is usuall in the Hebrew speech when two verbes come together and very learned men thus expound the place So Calvin Vatablus Paraeus and others but to come to Gods owne exposition in Exod. 20. which is this By his rest he made the seventh day Sabbath and it being a Sabbath by his rest he did blesse it that is sanctified it that is appointed it to be kept holy as it is in the words of the fourth Commandement For the better confirmation of this exposition we must understand that the Commandement given Exod. 20. 8. is deduced from his resting blessing and sanctifying this seventh day spoken of in Gen. 2. 2. 3. and repeated Exod. 20. 11. for the Commandement of God is an inference from it thus Because I rested blessed and sanctified the Sabbath day therefore I command thee to keep it holy Now albeit there be three words in Genes Rest blessed sanctified yet in the Commandement hee mentioneth only the word Sabbath and the keeping of it holy First the word Sabbath day hath relation to his rest then to keep it holy hath relation to sanctified or hallowed it in which is included the word blessed For Gods blessing of it is the sanctifying and consecration of the day to be kept holy to the Lord And indeed this was a great blessing of the Lord for mans heavenly and spirituall good many wayes This exposition is strengthened by Exod. 16. 23. where it is said too morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord. Here the word blessed is not spoken of as to call it the blessed Sabbath but the word holy is mentioned only having reference to Gods sanctifying of it and including therein his blessing of it Now the words thus cleerely opened they must needs argue the Institution of the Sabbath For first here is a Sabbath made which Christ telleth us was for man Mark 2. 27. Secondly here is Gods owne example for mans imitation as is evident in Exod. 20. by Gods urging his own example for resting on the Sabbath Thirdly here are his words of institution in that it is said He blessed it and sanctified it that is hee ordained it to bee an holy Sabbath unto the Lord to bee dedicated to his own service as Moses informeth us before the Law was promulgated Exod. 16. 23. Fourthly and lastly hee confirmeth it with a reason in the end of the third verse of Gen. 2. Therefore it is the Lords institution for to bee his Sabbath day and to bee kept holy of us as the Commandement also teacheth and appointeth us to doe 3 The Lord in the promulgation of the Law doth fetch from this place of Genesis the originall of the Sabbath laying the ground of his precept to keep it holy upon the institution 〈◊〉 in Exod. 20. 11. 4. In Exod. 31. It is worth our observation that there the keeping of the Sabbath is not urged from the Commandment ☞ lately given in the Decalogue as reason would in mans judgement but from the first seventh dayes rest and refreshment after his six dayes work as we may read in the 15. 16 17. verses of that chapter 5. Moses in Exod. 16. 26. maketh mention of six dayes and of the seventh day Sabbath and telleth them that God had given them the Sabbath verse 29. speaking of it as a time before For as six dayes were before so also was the seventh day the Sabbath for when some did break it ver 27. the Lord faith How long will ye refuse to keep my Commandments and Laws He would not have said How long for the breach only of the first seventh day Sabbath if they had not done so long before Therefore the seventh day was Sabbath long before this time of gathering the Manna 6. S. Paul speaking of a Rest or keeping a Sabbath to the people of God Heb. 4. 9. fetcheth from the originall Gods own rest on the seventh day even from the Creation verse 4. 7. Jewish Doctors have been of this opinion Genebrad in his Chron. citeth foure Broughton in his consent of Scripture noteth two Ramban on Gen. 26. Aben-Ezar on Exod. 20 and Peter Martyr on Genesis alleadgeth Rabbi Agnon Philo Iudaeus demundi opificio is of this judgement For he saith the seventh day God vouchsafed to call it holy And Tertullian cannot deny that the Jews held the day to be sanctified from the worlds beginning Lib. 4. advers Iudaeos 8. Doctor Rivet out of Wallaeus on the fourth Commandment doth reckon up to this purpose the consent of thirty famous Protestant Divines Luther Zuinglius Calvin Peter Martyr Bullinger Zanchius Vrsinus and others to the number of thirty I say yet he mentioneth not learned Paraeus Mercerus Perkins Willet Amesius Selneccerus Aretius and Piscator and very many more which might be named holding the institution of the Sabbath in Gen. 2. 3. 9. Of this opinion are learned Papists whom the same Doctor Rivet quoteth also as August Steuchus Eugubinus Gilbertus Genebrad Iacobus Salianus Cornelius a lapide Catharinus Ribera hereunto adde Thomas Aquinas on Genes 2. 10. Ancient Fathers are
men for profanation of the Sabbath and the contempt of that his holy institution Here I might annex the Patriarch Noah his observation of the number of seven againe and againe in sending out the Dove Gen. 8. 10. 12. and likewise being come out of the Arke in his sacrificing an acceptable offering to God on the seven and twentieth day of the Month in which hee came forth Gen. 8. 14. 20. 25. like enough to bee the observation of the first Sabbath in the new world so let me conceive it till any can shew me plainely the contrarie Howsoever it was we see the number of seven was observed herein by him as being mindfull of the seventh day of Gods resting and sanctifying it for a Sabbath For I would faine know why the number of seven should bee so observed of God and holy men not only by Noah but by Abraham in some cases except it were to minde them of Gods seventh day the first time of the mention of seventh which God so blessed and sanctified in making the seventh day his resting day As for the conceit of perfection in the number of seven I conceive it to bee without ground of Scripture except with relation to Gods seventh day blessed and sanctified 4 Saint Paul in Heb. 4. speaketh of Gods rest on the seventh day when God finished his work and of the participation of that rest as Bishop Lakes saith two wayes Typically and Spiritually the first by Ioshua giving the Israelites rest in Canaan and the second by Christ a rest from sinne here and a spirituall blessednesse hereafter The Apostle telleth us that an entrance was made into the seventh daies rest instituted by God when hee had finished his work and rested thereon into which man entred and rested as also did the Israelites into the Typicall rest by Ioshua and so doe the Israelites of God into the spirituall rest by Jesus Christ Now as wee Christian beleevers doe partake of our rest and as the Israelite beleevers enjoyed the Typicall rest so did the holy Patriarches and Fathers enjoy the seventh day Sabbaths rest and kept that rest for to what purpose else is that first rest mentioned 5 Genebrad in his Chron. saith that the Hebrewes held that Noah and the rest of the Fathers did keep the Sabbath once sanctified by God and citeth Rabbi Iohai Pater Rabbi Simeonis Rabbi Moses Hadarsan and Rabbi Salomò Aben Esra on Exod. 20. is also of this judgement 6 It is most cleare that God gave to the holy men of God his Lawes to live by his Charge his Commandements his Statutes and his Lawes and they observed them so it is said of Abraham the prime Patriarch who also was acquainted therewith Gen. 26. 5. The godly were followers of good things walking with God Gen. 5. 22. and 6. 9. They vexed at the sinfull courses of men 2 Pet. 2. 8. 9. They preached against their impieties Iude 14. 15. 1 Pet. 3. 20. and God threatned destruction to the world therefore Gen. 6. 3 7. and accordingly did destroy them Gen. 7. 19. Now if God gave his Lawes and reproved sinne and punished sinne would hee amongst these his Lawes the particulars whereof are not mentioned suffer his first institution his blessed and sanctified seventh day Sabbath to bee unthought of and to bee neglected May wee reasonably think that the godly having received other Lawes and observed and kept them as the Text sayth they did that they would carelessely omit to observe this institution of the Sabbath amongst those his Lawes Statutes and Commandements 7 Before any feast mentioned by Gods appointment Moses and Aaron and the Elders of the people Exod. 3. 18. could speak of a feast to be kept unto the Lord before Pharaoh Exod. 5 1. on which they were to offer sacrifices unto the Lord verse 3. Now what Festivall day could this bee but the seventh day Sabbath for as yet no other Festivalls were instituted Therefore how ever it was that in Egypt perhaps in time of their cruell bondage and only towards the end of it they could not observe the Sabbath this hinders not to apply it to the Sabbath because Moses spake to Pharaoh in the terme of a Feast and Sacrifice because it was better understood of Pharaoh than if peradventure hee had mentioned the name Sabbath which they might keep in Egypt in the dayes of those Kings which knew Ioseph before the extremity of their bondage 8 The fourth Commandement and all words thereto added telleth us that the Sabbath day was kept holy before the time that it was written in the Tables of Stone First the prefixed Memento telleth us so much that it was before observed and God would still have it carefully kept for the Memento hath respect unto the time past Secondly the manner of this delivery of this Commandement may perswade us to this for the other Commandements are uttered imperatively so as they inforce the dutie as in the fifth Commandement Honour thy Father and Mother the duty charged is Honour and in the other Commandements the sin is forbidden as Thou shalt not take my name in vaine Thou shalt doe no murther and so of the rest But now in the fourth Commandement the Lord falleth not upon the maine of the precept as to say keep holy the Sabbath day but the imperative speech is laid upon the word Remember saying Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy cleane otherwise than in any other of the rest of the precepts and the reason hereof is for that hee had before instituted it and it had been before observed of the Israelites as in the next reason is clearely proved Therefore hee sayth not keep holy the Sabbath as now instituted but thus Remember to keep holy the Sabbath as if hee had said as it hath been before observed of you and still to bee kept holy Thirdly all the principall words annexed to the Commandement tell us of no new thing then imposed but what was well enough known and made use of before as first six dayes for labour they were allowed before Exod. 16. 4. 5. Secondly the seventh day to be the Sabbath this also in plain words Moses had taught them Exod. 16 23. 26. Thirdly of the Lord their God which they knew from Abrahams dayes Gen. 17. 7. and by Moses in Egypt Exod. 6. 7. Fourthly That in it they should not doe any manner of work this they were forewarned of Exod. 16. 29. and some were reproved for offending vers 28. Fiftly that in six dayes God made heaven and earth c. This was evident of old time unto the Fathers Gen. 24. 3. 7. And lastly that hee rested the seventh day blessed and hallowed the Sabbath Gods owne words of the institution Gen. 2. 2. 3. So that we see it clear from the fourth Commandement and the words thereto annexed that this Law was known practised before it was given in Horeb. 9 And lastly to make up all sure Moses telleth us in
plain words that the seventh day Sabbath was kept Exod. 16. 30. and that the people rested on the seventh day which he saith was a Sabbath to the Lord verse 25. the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord verse 23. Now this Text being so cleare that it cannot be denied except one dare say Moses lyed Some have endeavoured to darken the truth and to becloud the antiquitie of the Sabbath in the former institution and use thereof by being pleased to vent their erroneous conception and to say but without any ground of reason that this Chapter Exod. 16. speaketh of the first institution of the Sabbath But for answer hereto I doe deny that any such institution can here be proved and to make this cleare looke into the Text and observe two things first what God spake secondly what God did to finde an institution first God himselfe spake of giving of Manna also of gathering a certaine rate every day and on the sixth day twice as much verse 4. 5. 23. but in all this chapter God speaks not so much as one word of the seventh day Sabbath nor doth he say that hee blessed or sanctified it nor doth Moses write any such thing of God in this chapter as he speaketh of Gods resting blessing and sanctifying it in Gen. 2. 3. as hee should have done if any anticipation were there with relation to this place secondly what God spake in verse 28. is implicitly of the Sabbath first wrapping it up among his Commandements and Lawes given before this time to them and their Fathers so farre is he from instituting a Sabbath in this place Secondly he reproveth them for the breach of it as already commanded before with other his Commandements and precepts there mentioned Now if God spake no words of the Sabbath but what the people were to doe in six dayes and especially on the sixth God passing by the very naming of the seventh day and where he speaketh of it implicitly it is only by way of reproofe to the people for transgressing and breaking of it How can here be the institution of the Sabbath seeing God doth not so much as name it but reproves the breach of it which implyeth it to have beene before this time else should he have reproved them for a transgression and a sin whereof there was no Law Next let us see what Gods acts were whether they will afford an institution First hee gave them the Manna vers 15. but this blessing was only on the six working dayes what is this to the institution of the Sabbath truly no more than his six dayes work in the Creation for the institution of the seventh day for a Sabbath Secondly he preserved the Manna gathered on the sixth day in the morning from breeding of wormes and from stinking being kept over night to bee eaten on the seventh day what is this to the institution of the day The blessing was not the blessing of the day but of the eating of the Manna on the Sabbath day for which cause God did preserve it that they might keep the Sabbath before this time blessed and sanctified Gen. 2. 3. Thus we see that neither by any words of God nor by his deeds can here bee proved the seventh dayes institution for the Sabbath Secondly let us see what may bee gathered from Moses for institution of the Sabbath here in this time True it is that hee nameth the seventh day three or or foure times in this Chapter which he saith was the Sabbath but not as an institution neither could Moses institute the Sabbath for what God here did not he could not doe but he mentioneth here the Sabbath 1 As a reason why hee approved the peoples act in gathering on the sixth day two Omers because the next day the morrow after was the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord Exod. 16. 23. Here is no institution nor reason alleadged for it as in Gen. 2. 3. but it is brought as a reason for a thing of another nature to approve of the collection of a double rate of Manna on the sixth day 2 He nameth it againe in verse 25. but occasioned by the Manna which was that they should eat the reserved Manna for that none was to be found that day in the fields because it was the Sabbath day on which they were to rest So here is a reason why they should not goe and seek Manna but to eat what was gathered before but no institution of the day but an appointment of the meanes used for to rest on the day formerly instituted 3 Hee mentioneth it againe in verse 26. to the same purpose to keep them within on the seventh day Sabbath because six dayes the Lord would give it them to gather but on the seventh day Sabbath there should none be found which words make no institution but are an information for the preventing of the breach of the Sabbath 4 He nameth it in verse 29. upon the Lords reproving them for the breach of the Sabbath by some going forth to seek Manna contrary to so much fore-warning given by Moses whereupon Moses dealeth a little more roundly with them as a man having authority saying See for the Lord hath given you the Sabbath therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two dayes abide yee every man in his place let no man goe out of his place on the Sabbath day In these words Moses first commands every man to abide within and that none should goe out to seek it on the seventh day These be the only words of any Command about the Sabbath in this chapter which doe not institute the day but serve only to prevent the peoples sinning any more in going out to seek it as they had done Secondly Moses giveth two reasons for his so strict a charge laid upon them which he would have them to see and consider of for the better restraining of themselves from the breach of the Sabbath The first is from Gods grace and favour that he had given them the Sabbath And the other is that he allowed them on the sixth day the bread of two dayes Where out of these words let us observe two things The first is that the mentioning of the Sabbath commeth only in still occasionally concerning the Manna and not of purpose to institute a Sabbath but wholly in all the foure places it is spoken of either of gathering the double rate of Manna or of the eating the Manna reserved or of gathering Manna on every of the six dayes or of tarrying within and not to goe out to seek it when it was not to be found and all this to this end that the Sabbath might be kept more carefully of the people as the event plainly sheweth For upon these considerations about the Manna the people harkened to Moses and did rest on the seventh day verse 30. The second thing wherewith I will and may conclude my answer is that which may satisfie
out of frame 5. It cannot stand with the beginning of the second chapter of Genesis that Adam should fall the first sixth day because when Moses had mentioned in the other chapter the sixth day consisting of the evening and morning he begineth with a summary repetition of all Gods works Gene. 2. 1. as yet without crack or flaw in them secondly with mentioning of Gods ending his work which he had made and not marred again by cursing of it as yet Gene. 2. 2. Thirdly Moses telleth us how God rested on the seventh day to wit from all his work which he had made Now what is resting but the Lords ceasing to create further any other things than what he had created and his pleasureable delight in the full accomplishment of his works done in those six dayes And his resting was from his work made so it was from his creating only and not from punishing as his resting should have beene had man fallen before his rest here spoken of Gen. 2. 2. Therefore from all these reasons it is very likely that Adam and Eve fell not on the day of their creation But now to returne againe to the point 2 From Adams casting out of Paradise unto the restoring of religion by Seth Gen. 4. 26. which was the space of 235 yeares which Story is conteined in one only chapter Gen. 4. In this space of 235 yeares there is no mention of Adams personall repentance of his faith and love to God not a word of his praying to God of his worshipping of him or of any duty performed by him unto God or man can any or will any conclude hence that Adam failed in all these No why then upon the same reason dare any conclude no keeping of the Sabbath by Adam because it is not recorded that he observed it especially seeing wee read of Gods resting and of the institution and making it the Sabbath for man 3. From the restoring of religion by Seth unto the Flood was 1422 yeares all which long space of time is historied within two chapters and a halfe in Gen. 5. and 6. to verse 17. of the seventh chapter Now in all this time for so many hundreds of yeares wherein lived many holy men the sonnes of God mentioned in Gen. 5. yet not one word by Moses set downe of any publick worship in offering sacrifices as before not a word of any holy meeting any where not a word of any good they did one to another not a word of any thing worthy note of any of them or of their children save of Enoch and Noah will we hence conclude them defective in all things no then why judge we them defective in keeping of the Sabbath IV. From the day of the floud and Noahs entring into the Ark unto the calling of Abraham out of Vr which is the space of 352. yeers some say 427. yeers comprehended in part of the seventh Chapter from the seventeenth Verse to the end and in the 8 9 10 11 foure Chapters and no more In this space nothing is spoken of any Divine praises of any solemn meetings of them together can we conclude that so many holy men mentioned in Chapter 11. of blessed Shems race did fail therein if not why dare we say they kept not the Sabbath V. From Abrahams calling out of Vr to Jacobs going down into Egypt is about 215. yeers this space is storied in many Chapters from Gen. 12. to 46. In which space though Morall duties were performed and that its said in the generall terms Gen. 26. 5. that Abraham kept the Lords charge his Commandements his Statutes and his Laws yet the particulars of these are not expressed And therefore here may we include the observation of the Sabbath and can no more seclude it then we can other duties observed which yet are not related to be kept by him in particular especially if we consider how God includeth the fourth Commandement among them Exod. 16. 28. as before is declared If any yet deny it to be kept of Abraham because it is not nominated why deny they not as well other things to have been performed by him seeing they are not by name mentioned VI. From Jacobs going into Egypt to the bringing of them out under Moses into the Wildernesse of Sin spoken of in Exod. 16. 1. The space was also 215 yeers for they came to this Wildernesse upon the fifteenth day of the second moneth after their departure from Egypt which was at the full end of the 430. yeers as God foretold Abraham Gen. 15. The story of all this time is comprised in the five last Chapters of Genesis and in the first sixteen Chapters of Exodus In which space after Jacobs departure from Canaan not one word of their worshipping of God of no Altar no Sacrifice no holy duties in publike yet I hope we will not say that all these things were neglected of them because not mentioned if not then no more may we deny to them the observation of the Sabbath for now at this time they being in the Wildernesse of Sin Exod. 16. it is plainly said they rested upon the seventh day as an holy rest and Sabbath to the Lord. Thus have I câ—early shewed that their negative Argument from the Scripture is no good reason to deny the observation of the Sabbath in all this space of time except they will deny upon the same ground so many holy men to have sinfully neglected other necessary duties also as is before rehearsed But before I conclude I think a Question fit to be propounded and answered Quest Why was now in Exod. 16. the keeping of the Sabbath so plainly spoken off and not before Answ 1. Now the people hungring after food for the belly Exod 16. 3. and the Lord determining that he would raigne Mannab which they should gather every day by a certrain rate and on the sixt day twice as much the reason was because the seventh day was the Lords Sabbath on which day the Lord raigned no Mannab nor would he have any to go forth to seek it for that it was an holy rest unto the Lord This was the reason of the mentioning of it as appeareth by all that which is before delivered out of the Text. II. Because now they were a people openly separated to God from all other Nations and an holy people Deut. 7. 6. Exod. 19. 6. Therefore assoone as he had delivered them within six weeks space or thereabouts after they came from Egypt he took order for their keeping holy the Sabbath day as a speciall evidence of their holynesse before God the breach whereof he reproved as the breach of all his Commandments and Laws both then Exod. 16. 28. and afterwards in so high esteem had God his institution of his Sabbath and no marvell because by the breach of it God is much dishonoured and in the observation of it The three first Commandments of the first Table are kept in publike view before men
for in observing the Sabbath day we professe the God of Israel as the first Commandment teacheth Then in assembling together and worshipping God we do what the second Commandment bindeth us to do and when on that day we contemplate upon the creatures take occasion thereby to praise him and shew an outward holy behaviour to advance his glory we do what the third Commandment commandeth us to do so that the holy observation of the day to the Lord keepeth up a publick practice of all our duties to every Commandment of the first Table therefore no marvell it was that God took order so soon for the keeping of the Sabbath day III. Because God intended not untill this time to set out any glorious face of his Church historically unto us but rather other things happening in the course of times from the fall as in the Story doth appear unto this time 1. From the Fall to the Floud the ill fruits of Adams fall and the increase of sin to mans destruction is recorded 2. From the Floud to Abraham the planting of the world by people with their presumptuous sinning causing them to be scattered over the face of the earth according to their distinct languages 3. From Abraham to Israels going into Egypt God moved Moses to record the carriage of Abraham Isaac and Jacob as private families upon which the Church consisted living among idolaters as pilgrims and strangers while they were in Canaan till God brought them into Egypt 4. From the entrance into Egypt to their mighty deliverance God was pleased to instruct Moses to set down how Joseph came into Egypt his troubles and honour how by him Israel came into Egypt by Josephs means the peaceable rest there till another King arose and then of their heavie bondage till God sent Moses to free them But now God intending to make glorious his people and his worship more publickly to be observed of all Israel at one set time weekly Moses relateth the Lords pleasure concerning the Sabbath not to have it neglected but solemnely to be kept as an holy rest unto the Lord according to Gods first institution thereof Gen. 2. 3. And thus much for the patriarchall-Patriarchall-Sabbath before the Law published upon mount Sinai FJNJS A TREATISE OF THE mosaicall-MOSAICALL-SABBATH By Richard Bernard Rector of Batcomb EXOD. 31. 15. Six dayes may work be done but in the Seventh is the Sabbath of rest holy to the Lord whosoever doth any work in the Sabbath day he shall surely be put to death LONDON Printed for Edward Blackmore and are to be sold at the signe of the Angel in Pauls Church-yard 1641. The Contents 1. WHy it is called so 2. Of the Law of the ten Commandments 3. Of the Naturalitie of the Law 4. Of the Externallitie or Positivenesse of the Law 5. Of the Spirituallitie of the Law 6. Of the Moralitie of the Law 7. That there are ten Commandments 8. Of the fourth Commandment in what words contained 9. Of the meaning of the words of the Commandment 10. Of the rest upon the Sabbath 11. Of the day for the rest 12. Of the words annexed to the Commandment 13. Of the scope of the words 14. Of the directorie in the words 15. That one day in seven must be the Sabbath day 16. Of the seventh day Sabbath 17. Of the six dayes work 18. Of the restriction from work on the seventh day Sabbath 19. Of works which might be done on the Sabbath 20. Of the rigorous strictnesse supposed to be put upon the Israelites that day 21. Of the reason added unto the directorie with the conclusion 22. The arguments to prove it ceremoniall answered 23. That the fourth Commandment is no part ceremoniall 24. The fourth Commandment is a perpetuall Precept 25. How much of the Mosaicall Sabbath is in the Commandment to be kept holy 26. How the day was kept 27. Of Judaizing and true understanding thereof OF THE MOSAICALL SABBATH SECTION I. Why it is called so I Call the Sabbath here Mosaicall not as any new Sabbath from the former being the same with the Patriarchall Sabbath farther now ratified and established Nor do I so name it as if Moses were the institutor of it or no publisher of it But because God the Lord of the Sabbath did give this Commandement of the Sabbath with the rest of his divine precepts when he had ordained Moses the Ruler over his people Israel under him and for that he delivered to Moses the two Tables in which the Commandements were written to deliver them unto the people SECTION II. Of the Law of the ten Commandements THe Law of which the precept of the Sabbath is part is said by the Apostle to be holy and spirituall Rom. 7. 12 14. and if that Commandement Thou shalt not lust be boly just and good so is the whole Law and every Commandement thereof His encomiis legem integram orâ—at Apostolus saith Paroeus This whole Law hath in it Naturalitie Positivenesse Spiritualitie and Moralitie SECTION III. Of the Naturalitie of the Law 1. THe Naturalitie of the Law is so much thereof as by the principles of Divinitie in Nature written in all mens hearts Rom. 2. 14 15. and furthered by the common light of Christ Joh. 1. 9. may be known and assented unto And this knowledge is more or lesse as Naturall men partake of that naturall light for from hence ariseth the difference in naturall men and not from the common principles which be one and the same in all men From this Naturalitie in the Law it may be called the Law of Nature not so as if it were the work of Nature but for that it s in every mans nature God writing it in every mans heart Rom. 2. 15. since the fall at the time of the souls infusion into the body as God did to Adam before his fall This Naturalitie of the Law consists in generalls and cannot reach to true Specialities without some further help and better direction yet by deductions it may go far towards the Specialities This serves to make all men inexcusable Rom. 1. 20. SECTION IV. Of the Externalitie or Positivenesse of the Law THe Externalitie or Positivenesse of this Law is the openly making known of Gods Will in the Commandements given by word of mouth and after written in the two Tables of Stone This Externalitie of precepts the Lord added for his Church unto those generall rules and principles in nature and to that common light in all men For the Lord never suffered his Church to be only directed by that light in nature never since Adams fall who having it in perfection could not guide himself to it And therefore we read before Moses days of Gods Word of his speaking to Adam Noah and to Abraham viva Voce giving his charge Commandements Statutes and Laws of which the Lord maketh mention to Isaac telling him that in keeping these Abraham obeyed his voyce Gen. 26. 5. This Positivenesse or Externalitie is to guide
is contained only in these words Remember thou the Sabbath day to keep it holy I. Moses in the repetition of the Law Deut. 5. 12. sheweth us this plainly who upon the words of the Commandement Keep the Sabbath day to sanctifie it addeth immediately these words as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee between the precept and the next words following Sixe days shalt thou labour c. And so evidently telleth us which be the words of the Commandement and thereto holdeth our thoughts so we may not take any of the following words to be any part of the substance of the Commandement II. The learned have set the Commandement apart by it self in a distinct Verse Exo. 20. 8. from the words following III. The Lord himself in the promulgation of the Law in every other of the Commandements where reasons be added maketh a difference between the Commandement and the reasons annexed as we may see in the second third and fifth and therefore so here IV. Every reasonable mans understanding giveth him to know a difference between a Commandement and that which for some cause is annexed thereto as here we may clearly see it SECTION IX Of the meaning of the words of the Commandement THus knowing the Commandement it is fit to understand the meaning Remember that is be mindefull of it so that thou forget it not call it to minde think upon it and consider the Sabbath as a day to be observed and kept and therefore Moses putteth keep for Remember Deut. 5. 12. The Sabbath day that is the rest day for Sabbath signifieth cessation and rest taken from Gods rest Gen. 2. 2. Moses calleth it the Sabbath of rest Exod. 31. 15. Sabbatum cessationis and this rest is Requies sancta Exod. 31. 15. an holy Sabbath Exod. 16. 23. Nebe 9. 14. and the day is an holy day Exod. 35. 2. But not so the rest nor day in themselves but a rest unto Lord Exod. 16. 23. 25. and 35. 2. holy to the Lord Exod. 31. 15. Sanctificata as some translation hath it set apart and separated to the service of God as a sanctified rest and day which the Lord calleth his holy day Isai 58. 31. To keep it holy This is the end of remembring the Sabbath day to sanctifie it that is as God did set it apart and ordained it for holy uses and his woâ—ship so we are to count it the Lords seperating it from other days and bestowing the rest and the day of rest upon the Lord for that end and use for which he hath made the rest and the day holy This is to keep it holy From the Commandement thus understood we may observe 1. That a Sabbath a rest is imposed upon us Exod. 23. 12. 2. That God hath appointed a day for this rest 3. That both the rest and day are holy sanctified for holy uses to the Lord. 4. That we are to keep holy the rest day or the day of rest both the rest and the day SECTION X. Of the rest upon the Sabbath THE Commandement chargeth us with rest with this must we begin and keep the day without this no Sabbath day It hath it denomination from rest The day for the holy use of the rest is said to be blessed Exod. 20. 11. And from Gods resting he is said to blesse and sanctifie it Gen. 2. 3. This rest is principally mentioned the day is called the rest of the holy Sabbath The rest of the holy rest Exod. 16. 23. the Sabbath of rest Exod. 31. 15. Therefore this is the first thing in the first place to be observed in the keeping of the day holy unto the Lord which is by making our rest holy to him by imploying our rest holily For the day is kept for the rest sake by Gods own example and because of the holy use of the rest upon that day wherein we do rest and not for the days sake for without the rest we could not keep the day nor would God have commanded the day but for that he rested and made the rest holy for holy uses on that day The Consideration of this would cut off much prophanesse and make us better observers of the day unto the Lord. SECTION XI Of the day for the rest THe Lord having imposed rest upon us in the next place he enjoyneth us a day for the rest Time is necessary for all things and without time we cannot rest Nature and experience teacheth this This time allotted by God is a day but in the Commandement the day is not determinately set down it pitcheth upon no certain set day But the Commandement is Remember the Sabbath day to wit what day soever to keep it holy So the holy observation of the day is the substance of the comet This generality is agreeable to the Naturalitie of the Law And thus the Lord delivered the Commandement 1. To lay down in it the naturality of the Law aswell as in the rest of the Commandements 2. And so to hold up the perpetuity of it with all the other precepts 3. To teach that no one certain set day is of the very substance of the Commandement Therefore is it propounded indifinitly without limitation 4. To inform us that the seventh day from the Creation as Bishop Andrews doth hold in his Catechiticall doctrine is not of the substance of the Commandement 5. This was for an admittance of the Changeablenesse of the day For this Commandement being affirmative and propounded in generall termes maketh it applicative to this or that day To this while it remaineth and to that which may come in the roome of it when this is changed and taken away as thus Honour the King to wit whosoever is King If Saul be See this Simile in the next Treatise more at large King honour him when he is dead and David be King honour him So is it in this Commandement Keep holy the Sabbath day while the seventh day from the Creation is the Sabbath keep it holy if it be changed and the first day of the week be the Sabbath then keep it holy God foreseeing it necessary that the seventh day from the Creation was to be changed he propounded the Law so as to make the day alterable as being for the time by way of application belonging unto the Commandement but not of the substance no more then Sâ—ul was of the substance of this Commandement Honour the King If this had been or were well pondered the Controversie of the Sabbath had been prevented and should cease â—ow to trouble the Church SECTION XII Of the words annexed to the Commandement WHen God gave this his Commandement he himself annexed words unto the Commandement purposely to guide his people in the right understanding of this Precept and to binde them by reasons to the obedience thereof unto the worlds end To all the Commandements God made a Preface to enforce obedience to all of them even from his Covenant of Grace made with Abraham
judicious Divines both ancient and modern judge the institution of one day in seven to be perpetuall For this he insteed of all citeth Chrysostome on Gen. 2. 3. and Master Hooker in his Eccl. Pol. pag. 379. Who saith Gods immutable Law exacteth this of us as a duty for ever Reason may leade to think that God would not here mention only so many dayes and no more upon the giving of the Commandement if it were not for this end Gods will and Commandement saith our Homily of prayer was to have a standing day in the week for people to come together It s very reasonable to give God one day of seven 1. Because God in his wisedome chose his day within that compasse 2. That this his choice is most fit to be imitated He knew that a day in this space was most necessary for us to observe 3. For that a week is the first and principall space of time and all times of moneths and yeers are but the revolution of a week from the worlds beginning For this see Doctor Rivet in his dissertation De origine Sabbati which being so what reasonable man will deny to give God his day within this space the first the chief and the shortest space of all other times and that which is the fittest For that the space of a week between Sabbath and Sabbath is not too farre a sunder to make us forget our dutie nor yet the return too quick to hinder man in his labour for the necessaries of his life and state saith Master Dow. SECTION XVI Of the seventh day Sabbath AS we see it must be one day in the week so we by the Lord are directed to the seventh day in the week 1. By God his free donation of six dayes to us for to labour in and to do all that we have to do our common and ordinary businesses must be all done and ended in this space which space he presently after the Commandement allotteth unto us He first telleth us what and how many dayes in the week are ours before he tels us which is the day that is his 1. That so we might learn where to begin to finde out the Sabbath 2. By appropriating unto himself the seventh day for Sabbath The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God This seventh day here spoken of is not that one individuall singular seventh day of the Creation on which God rested but a seventh day after the six dayes given to us For. 2. As the six dayes allowed us are not the very six dayes in which God created the world which were gone and past but only six dayes in likenesse and revolution no more is this the self same seventh day but another in likenesse by revolution So it is as if he had said I allow the six dayes together for your labour in the week be those six dayes what dayes soever begon and reckoned together But the seventh day following those six dayes is mine It is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God 2. That first seventh day and the first six dayes mentioned in the first and second chapters of Genesis are understood by God in the words following as a reason added to this direction of God why he giveth us for ever six dayes and reserveth the seventh day alwayes for himself because he wrought those six dayes and rested that seventh day which words of God are not the reason of the Commandement but of his giving us six dayes and his reserving to himself the seventh day 3. Gods conclusion concerning the fourth Commandement helpeth us in this For in the end he turneth his speech unto the very words of the Commandement saying Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it He saith not that seventh day but the Sabbath day that is the rest of that first Seventh as a Sabbath for ever fall it upon another seventh day whatsoever it be The seventh day therefore is ever the Sabbath day 1. By Gods irrevocable donation of six dayes unto us 2. By our acceptation of so many dayes in the week to our selves from all times unto this day If from Gods words in this direction here we dare without doubt or scruple take our six dayes are we not then tyed to give him the seventh day by the like authority who reserved to himself at the same time when he gave us our six that we should afford him the seventh 3. By Gods proposing his own example as a perpetuall pattern to be followed of us in his six dayes labour and in his seventh dayes rest For saith that ever honoured Bishop Lakes what time God himself took for his work and for his rest the same did he assign to men and made his pattern a perpetuall Law In his Thesis the 8. 4. For that the seventh part of time God did chuse to himself before before fall and so Gods ordinance is everlasting as the world a portion of time eternall as the same reverend Father affirmeth in his 25 Thesis and 32. See also for this very fully Master Hooker in his fifth Book of Eccles Pol. Sect. 70. 5. Because if a man had stood in his full perfection not only our first parents but all his posterity had observed the first seventh day But sin not any Ceremony made that day alterable saith the same Father as it now is altered upon the recreation of all things by Christ But yet is still the same portion of time kept a seventh day in the week This alterablenesse of that seventh day through sin is a reason why God in giving the fourth Commandement delivered as I have said the same in such a generall manner SECTION XVII Of the fix dayes work THese six dayes are called working dayes Ezek 46. 1. in them men are to labour which labour is to be imployed in doing work and it must be all and it must be thy work so labouring to do all that thou hast to do that is which by thy profession Art trade and calling belongeth unto thee to labour in and to do The words are a permission put only by a concession in six dayes may work be done Exod. 31. 15. and not preceptive but as they have respect to the Sabbath day for the better observing of it when we neglect not our businesse on the six dayes nor deferre any thing thereof unto the seventh day For the Lord in the first Table commandeth mans duty to himself and how to expresse his love to him which is the sum of the first Table Matth. 22 37. and not what man should do for his corporall and outward estate for that belongeth to the second Table Therefore in these words is a preparation for the Sabbath and a prevention for hindering our spirituall rest and also our bodily toyle for our selves in and about our ordinary calling when the day of rest is come Yet here we are not so tyed to labour in these dayes but that God must have herein religious duties performed to
him of every one privately Psal 55. 17. Dan. 6. 10. 13. and some part of the day to his service publikly if he appoint it as under Moses he did a dayly worship and offering of Sacrifices morning and evening yea he may take a whole day as once in a moneth once in a yeer as he ordained Festivalls in Israel and when he calleth for publike Fasting by his judgements Joel 2. 15. or for publike thanksgiving by some singular mercies we are to set some time apart for the same as the Jews did Ester 9. 19 22. SECTION XVIII Of the Restriction from work on the Seventh day Sabbath IN the six dayes we are to do all that we have to do but on the Sabbath day neither we our selves nor any under our power to restrain them nor our Cattell are to do any manner of work These words being here to be taken as a rule of direction for ever touching the Sabbath They must so be understood as may stand with the perpetuity of the Commandement for holy rest and sanctification of the day in holy duties The words we must know are no Commandement no more then the former words Six dayes shalt thou labour The Lord useth not to adde * It was fit if nor necessary not only to prescribe the portion of time to be set apart for Gods service but also the particularity of the day or not to leav◠that to the 〈◊〉 of man precepts to his precepts for observation of them If they were a precept it should be negative and so binde from all works for ever But we finde that albeit some works were forbidden yet God allowed divers works to be done on the Sabbath day The words therefore are only a restriction from some works but not a negative forbidding of every work without exception The works from which we are here restrained this day are such works as upon other dayes we may do and not the work of sin which never ought to be done such are servile mechanick works of our ordinary profession trade occupation and calling lawfully to be done in the other six dayes which thus I prove 1. This restriction is from the liberty of our labour and the doing of all we have to do in the allowed six dayes Six dayes shalt thou labour and do all thy work then presently followeth the restraint But the Seventh day is the Sabbath in it no manner of work to wit of the nature of the former Six dayes work 2. Because here is mention of men and maid-servants and cattell which commonly are set about such works 3. For that God propounds his pattern for resting on his Seventh day from his work of his Creation in the severall Sixe dayes 4. Other Scriptures do strengthen this Exposition as a restriction from such kinde of weeks work on those working dayes In Exod. 34. 21. there Earing time and Harvest is mentioned in which time about such things men are not to labour on the Sabbath day As the work about Husbandry is restrained so buying and selling of Corne yea thoughts and speeches about the same were forbidden Amos 8. 5. buying and selling of wares and of Victuals Neh. 10. 31. 13. 16 17 18. Carrying of burthens and doing any such work on the Sabbath Jer. 17. 21 22 24 27. All which Husbandry buying and selling carrying of burthens Nebemiah sharply reproved and called it the prophaning of the Sabbath Neb. 13. 15 16 18 19. These be the works from which they were restrained on the Sabbath day But the Prophet Esay concerning the Spirituality of the Commandement goeth further and telleth them that they were to call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honorable and to turn away their feet from the Sabbath this he expoundeth to be the not doing of our own pleasure on the Lords holy day which he sets forth in three things 1. In not doing our own wayes 2. In not finding our own pleasures 3. In not speaking our own words Then the Prophet telleth us that this is to honour God and that herein we shew that we delight our selves in the Lord Esay 58. 13 14. Lastly they were restrained to hold themselves from all that which is 1. Against the Naturality of the Law as not to keep the day to the Lord but to travell the whole day work the whole day or play the whole day 2. Against the Externality which is in outward holy rest and sanctity as to lie lazily at home sleeping to go to Church unprepared Eccl. 5. 1. as men go to any other place 3. Against the Spirituality delighting in vanity and not in the Lord that day 4. Against Morality when men carry not themselves in a decent seemly behaviour becoming holinesse but rudely either in or out of the Assemblies SECTION XIX Of the works which might be done on the Sabbath NOw lest any should gather from all afore delivered that not only servile works are restrained as in Lev. 23. 7 8 21 35 36. Numb 28. 25. 29. 1. but also all other works from Exod. 20. 10. and that upon pain of death Exod. 31. 14 15. 35. 2. Lev. 23. 3. we are to know what works for all this were allowed to be done on the Sabbath day 1. Works of Piety commanded to be done on the Sabbath which be not our works but Divine not humane as reading and preaching the Word Act. 15. 21. 13. the killing of Beasts for Sacrifice and what work soever was in and about Gods worship and service Numb 28. 9 10. 1 Chr. 23. 31. 2 Chron. 8. 13. the ordering the Lamps Lev. 24. 3. and putting new bread before the Lord Lev. 24. 8. 1 Chron. 9. 32. 2 Chron. 2. 4. for as the Jews themselves spake in the Temple there was no Sabbath for that the rest on that day gave place to the labour in and about Gods service there see Fran. Lucas on Matth. 12. 5. So to Circumcise an Infant Joh. 7. 23. when the eighth day fell on the Sabbath 2. Work or labour tending to piety and Gods worship as to blow a Trumpet Num. 10. 2 10. for the assembly as we do ring a Bel. To travell to the Prophet 1 Kin. 4. 23. Psa 84. 6 7. thence was a Sabbath dayes journey Act. 1. 12. about two miles fifteen Furlongs compare these three texts together this in Act. 1. 12. with Luk. 24. 50. and Job 11. 18. To go in and out on the Sabbath about the service of the Temple 2 King 11. 5 7 9. To stand watchmen in time of need by command of authority to prevent in others the prophaning of the Sabbath Neb. 13. 22. III. Works of preservation from Gods own example Exod. 16. who albeit he rested the seventh day from his works of creation yet not from his work of preservation of all that which he had made So although he would not rain Mannah on the Sabbath day yet would he preserve it from worms and from stinking on the
Sabbath Likewise may we do the works of preservation which are called the works of Necessity on this day But this necessitie must have warrant from the affirmative part of some Commandement of the second Table requiring this of us and not what we think or make a matter of necessity as for instance The fifth Commandement bindeth us to obey authoritie Now if we be commanded by supream power to stand watchman on this day we are to do it Neb. 13. 22. So may we stand armed for the Kings safety 2 Kin. 11. 5 6 7. 2 Chro. 23. 4 5 8. and for our Countrey 1 Kin. 20. 29. Yea upon command we may beseidge and assault the Citie of an enemy John 6. 8 16 20. Also an offender may be attached be brought before authority and the Magistrate on this day may send him to the Goale Num. 15. 34. It s thought that Pharaoh sent the Israelites out of Egypt on the Sabbath day see Ainsw on Deut. 5. 14. The sixt Commandement chargeth me with the keeping of mine own life and the life of mine neighbour By a necessity of this Commandement its lawfull 1. To dresse food for us as our Saviour warranted his Disciples in rubbing ears of Corne to eat them Matth. 12. 1 2 3 4 7. And this is not only in necessitie of meer hunger but for necessity of state and dependance of many to be fed Neh. 5. 18. Here is spoken of daily provision Vnoquoque die per singulos dies 2. To seek the Physitian for help and for the Physitian to prepare his Physick Luk. 13. 14 15. Joh. 9. 6 11 14. Mat. 12. 10. and to cure diseases Joh. 5. 3 5 9. Luk. 13. 12 13. 14. 3 4. 6. 10. 3. To fly for safety of life 1 K. 19. 3. 8. 4. To fight for our lives if need require 1 Macha 2. 41. 5. To save the life of another Luk. 6. 9. These works and the like may we do by warrant of the Sixt Commandement on this day The Seventh Commandement requireth Chastity and comely Decency Therefore upon necessity of this Commandement it is needfull to put on rayment for common honesty to hide our nakednesse and decently to clothe our selves as all ever have done on this day so to wash and be clean to comb the head brush thy garments and the like The Eighth Commandement is in the affirmative part that we preserve our own and our neighbours estate It s hence lawfull to fodder and water Cattell Luk. 13. 15. To pull a Beast out of the pit Luk. 14. 5. To take up that which is our own if it be without and abroad to carry it home Joh. 5. 8 9 11. To quench an house on fire and other things of the like nature for in all these cases and such like the Sabbath was made for man so it giveth place and admits of such works warrâ—nted by the Commandements of the second Table IV. We may do works of Charity and Mercy and that which is good on the Sabbath day Luk. 6. 9. Such were all the Cures which Christ wrought on the Sabbath day which albeit they might have been done upon another day yet some coming to him to be healed other occasionally be held of him with the eye of pity he healed and cured them V. And lastly besides all these works of Piety and tending to Piety of necessity and charity there be deeds of indifferency lawfull as these To walk in the fields as Christ with his Apostles and others did Mat. 12. 1. To make a Feast and ye invite Guests to go unto it Luk. 14. 1. Thus may we see from authority of holy Scripture and warrant from Christ the Lord of the Sabbath Mat. 12. 8. what was lawfull to be done on the Jewish Sabbath day So that they had as much liberty as we have if the Jews of later times had not mistaken it and from former prophanation of the Sabbath both before the Captivity Eze. 20. 12. 16. 22. 8. 26. 23. 38. and after Neh. 13. 13. had not fallen to their Jewish and foolish superstition condemned by Christ SECTION XX. Of the rigorous strictnesse supposed to be put upon the Israelites that day THat here we may not be deceived 1. We are not to regard the writings of the Jewish Rabbies of later times infected with their own superstition upon mistakes of Scripture 2. We must have recourse to the Originall Sabbath which the fourth Commandement propoundeth and maintaineth as we may observe in the reason of the direction Now in that was no restraint unto Adam but to rest from his week dayes work dressing the Garden So now onely servile work in this directory added to the Commandement is forbidden as before I have proved in Sect. 17. 3. The instances of labour in the Old Testament were not breaches of the Sabbath nor so were judged nor can be proved to be so 4. Our Saviour Christ the wisest Expositor of his Fathers Precepts and the exactest observer of his Fathers Will alwayes in all things both by word and deed telleth us that the Law of the Commandements laid no such yoak upon them in any such rigorous strictnesse 5. We must make a difference between the Commandement it self with the words annexed uttered by God immediately upon Mount Sinai to Israel and some other precepts given concerning the Sabbath by him afterwards but mediately by Moses to the people for the one is permanent and admits of works as I have shewed but the other are transient and for some use only for a space occasionally delivered binding to more strictnesse for the time They that go about to lay upon Israel a rigorous strict rest on the Sabbath from every least work which might be done without travell or distraction do it 1. To difference them from us by our more supposed freedome and liberty as if the Israelits had been tyed by vertue of the fourth Commandement it self to a more precise strictnesse then we now are so as they might do almost nothing no not to go out of their doores on the Sabbath-day 2. Hereupon to make the Commandement Ceremoniall in this imagined strictnesse 3. And so to overthrow the Naturality of the fourth Commandement and perpetuity of it as nothing belonging now unto us And for this purpose one of late in his Treatise of the Sabbath and Lords day in Cbap. 2. of the fourth part goeth about to prove this so great strictnesse for he saith I. That none were to go out of their doores on the Sabbath day not only not to make a journey but not to go out to walk although softly And this he collecteth because that they might not go out to gather Mannah on this day Answ 1. This was not a prohibition simply to go out but only not to go out to gather Mannah for they had not sinned in walking out but they did sinne in going to seek Mannah which the Lord did not rain on that day and had forbidden thâ—m to
from God against presumptuous transgressions Num. 15. 30 31. He bringeth this for an instance thereof immediately Verse 32. 2. Because he sinned against two accessory precepts concerning the Sabbath The one that none should go out on that day about worldly businesse as to labour for food Exod. 16. 29. The other that none should kindle a fire then Exod. 35. 3. Now Contrary to these this man went out into the Wildernesse to gather sticks no doubt to kindle a fire Therefore he sinned against the first in going forth about such a businesse and in his intention to kindle and make a fire against the second therefore his sin was great while these two accessory precepts stood in force But these being not perpetuall this punishment on him proveth not the point of such a precise strictnesse of the fourth Commandement to be ever observed of the Israelites V. And lastly He bringeth in the holy women followers of Christ who would not annoint Christs body on the Sabbath day but rested from that work as the Text saith according to the Commandement as thinking themselves bound to so precise an observation by the Commandement Answ I These words according to the Commandement may be thus expounded that is as they understood it by the Jewes interpretation superstitiously For these godly women being trained up by the then Doctors of the Church observed the Sabbath as they had learned it from them And albeit the work was to the honour of Christ yet for that it was not of necessity to be done on that day nor at all in respect of Christs body but only a Custome for an honourable buriall therefore they did rest from doing that work on that day II. Take the rest according to the true meaning of the Commandement which imposed rest this their rest was according to the Commandement and in that they did not this work it was according to the Commandement forbidding servile work as the words in the Directory are to be understood For they could not annoint him but they must first buy their spices and oyntments which they might not do buying and selling on the Sabbath being forbidden That they could not buy them on the Fryday as we speak is evident For it was late ere Christs body was taken from the Crosse at even Matth. 27. 57. then they did awaite to see his buriall Luk. 23. 55. in which space the Sabbath was come on for they reckoned from the Evening to the Evening and therefore stayed they till after the Sabbath to buy them Mark 16. 1. Thus we see his proofes no proofes to argue any precise strictnesse in the words Thou shalt do no work more to them then to us by the Law SECTION XXI Of the reason added unto the Directory with the Conclusion THe Lord himself addeth a reason unto his former words why he giveth us Six dayes and reserveth the Seventh to himself for that in six dayes he made all things and rested the Seventh day In which words he layeth down as an unalterable ground of apportionating time between God and us which is his own example of working six dayes and resting the Seventh in the beginning of the world which as they be past and irrevocable so is this portioning of time between him and us to be perpetuall else were his example thus propounded in his Donation and reservation to no purpose He in this dividing of the dayes of the week thus between him and us reflected upon himself looked onely to what himself had done and so gave so many dayes to us and reserved onely one to himself Now what can be more permanent than Gods own self in his own irrevocable Acts from the worlds beginning to be laid for the foundation of this his thus apportioning the week to us The Lord our God having thus laid down before them his unchangeable reservation of the Seventh day for himself after his irrevocable gift of six dayes to us he concludeth with these words Wherefore the Lord blessed the Seventh day and sanctified it It s agreed on all hands that here are the words of the Institution of the Sabbath not one of the late Writers gainsayeth this that I have read or heard of The main of the Controversie is that here is say they the first Institution the ground of the Prolepsis in Gen. 2. 2. and we say they be a repetition of the Institution laid down before in that place of Genesis where no Prolepsis is For as the Lord here in the former words repeateth what he did in six dayes and that he rested the seventh day so he repeateth his Institution of the Sabbath then what he did with the day on which he rested that is because he had finished all his work in six dayes and rested the seventh day he blessed and sanctified it to shew them here by this 1. The Antiquity of the Sabbath day from the beginning 2. The Stability thereof also grounded so upon Gods rest not alterable 3. Why he charged the Commandement of keeping holy the Sabbath day upon them among the other Precepts and that also with a Memento above any of the rest For in the repetition here of the Institution the Lord keepeth the word Sabbath in the Commandement saying He blessed the Sabbath day and not as commonly we read it he blessed the Seventh day lest any should make that individuall Seventh day on which God rested to be of the substance of the Commandement which God in his wisdom let it be well observed left out in the Precept and here again in the repetition of the Institution and onely nameth the Sabbath what Seventh day soever it be either that for the time or another in the room of it which Sabbath is the blessed and hallowed day of the Lord and so to be accounted of for ever as appeareth by all that hath been said if men be not disposed to wrangle against the truth From all which is before delivered it s very apparent that this fourth Commandement is no way Ceremoniall True taking it in an indefinite notion commanding the sanctifying of one day in seven but a permanent Law to the worlds end and not Ceremoniall as in the following Sections I shall make it manifest SECTION XXII The Arguments to prove it Ceremoniall answered MEn disposed to wipe out this Commandement out of the Decalogue fain would make it Ceremoniall but their arguments brought for this purpose are of no validity They say it was Ceremoniall I. For the exact strictnesse of it which they have imagined but I have proved it to be onely an imagination For that strict observation which was kept was but for a time and from accessory Commandements not from the fourth Commandement it self II. In their keeping of that seventh day But the Seventh day is not of the substance of the Commandement and a seventh day is proved to be perpetuall Nor was the seventh in the first Institution Ceremoniall And the Church observeth still a Seventh day III.
all confesse But this precept is not abrogated by Christ but rather established Matth. 5. 17 18. who hath ordained us another rest day in stead of the former seventh day to uphold the Commandement SECTION XXIV The fourth Commandement is a perpetuall Precept THis Commandement to be one of Gods precepts is undenyable but some hold it not durable To leave the ambiguity of the tearm Morall nor yet wholly to tye my self to the word Naturall I will hold my self to the word Durable or Perpetuall That this precept is a perpetuall precept I thus prove I. The Lawes only for a time in Israel were either the Ceremoniall till Christ or the Politicall till the dissolution of the Common-weal of Israel But this precept and Law is neither of these And therefore a perpetuall Law II. Ten is the perpetuall number of Gods Commandements so delivered by God Deut. 4. 13. and 10. 4. So preserved by Moses so reckoned in all the Church of God to this day and by our Church as before I shewed But this is one of the Ten Therefore a perpetuall precept to uphold the number else should there not be Ten except with the Papists we could finde some other precept to cleave it in two to make up the number And the Ten Commandements being Gods Covenant Deut. 4. 13. we may not adde thereto nor take from it For mans Covenant being once confirmed no man disannulleth or addeth thereto Gal. 3. 15. may any then take from Gods Covenant if not then as this Covenant is perpetuall consisting of the number of Ten Commandements no fewer in the first Tables Deut. 4. 13. nor in the second Tables Exod. 34. 1. 28. nor more added Deut. 5. 22. Therefore this fourth Commandement one of them is perpetuall as is the Covenant it self III. That which God did make of equall dignity to all the other perpetuall precepts is perpetuall But God did every way make this Commandement equall in dignity with the rest for as the other were so was this 1. Commanded immediately at the same time with the same Majesty with the same terrour Exod. 20. 18 19. 2. With the same preface uttered under this title The Lord their God and with the same motive of their deliverance from Egypt Exod. 20. 1 2. 3 Written with the same finger of God at the same time in the same Tables of Stone twice over Exod. 31. 18. and 32. 16. and 34. 1. Deut. 10. 1. and 5. 22. 4. It s matter of one and the same Covenant of God Deut. 4. 13. and 9. 15. 5. It was ordained by Angells in the hand of a Mediator Gal. 3. 19. 6. It was put into the same Ark and preserved ever there with the rest Deut. 10. 5. 1 Kin. 8. 9. IV. That which Jesus Christ as God man or man God as Mediator is Lord of is perpetuall for what authoritie he so hath from his Father he never layeth it down unto the end of all things 1 Cor. 15. 24 28. But thus is Christ Lord of the Sabbath Matth. 12. 8. Therefore is it durable to the worlds end V. Its Gods Commandement made upon his own institution from the worlds beginning as I before have proved which institution of blessing and sanctifying the Sabbath day is upon Gods own work in six dayes and his resting on the seventh day giving to us the six and reserving unto himself the seventh unchangeably as appeareth by our taking possession of the six dayes for thousands of yeers Therefore the Commandement made upon the institution and the institution settled upon unchangeable grounds the Commandement must needs be perpetuall VI. That Commandement is perpetuall the breach whereof maketh us guilty of all the other perpetuall precepts and of the whole Law for this it could not do if it and they were not in an untyable link together But the breaking of this fourth Commandement in not keeping the Sabbath makes men guilty of the breach of the whole Law and of all the rest of the Commandements 1. Before the Law given at Mount Sinai Exod. 16. 27 28. where God doth charge them with the breach of his Commandements and Laws becaue they had broken the Sabbath 2. After the Law given for all the breach of the Lords Satutes and despising of his judgements are concluded with this They polluted my Sabbaths This doth the Prophet Ezechiel very often Ezech. 20. 12 13 21 24. and 22. 8. 26. As if the carefull observing of the Sabbath might have prevented all And no marvell for the hallowing of the Sabbath was a signe that they knew the Lord to be their Sanctifier Exod. 20. 12. 10. that they delighted in the Lord and honoured him Isai 58. 13 14. and that they took hold of the Covenant Isai 56. 6. 3. Vnder the Gospel Jam. 2. 10. where the Apostle maketh him that offendeth in one point guilty of all the whole Law Now if we not only break but take away this fourth Commandement we are guilty of the whole Law unlesse we can shew that God hath blotted out and repealed this Commandement out of his Law since he put it in if he have shew where if not then the Commandement remaineth and so in breaking it we offend against the whole Law VII This Commandement is perpetuall for that the observation of the things therein commanded are by Gods appointment in their use the publike practise and profession of the most necessary duties of the three former precepts and the publike upholding of the same For the and holy rest sanctification of the day being rightly imployed is in the publike profession of the true God the God of Israel as the first Commandement teacheth In our worshipping of this God as the second Commandement teacheth In the glorifying of his holy Name in the use of all his ordinances in Psalms of praises in meditation of all his works to take occasion of thanksgiving as the third Commandement doth teach So that in truth the keeping of this fourth Commandement is the publike upholding weekly of those Commandements the practice and profession of the principall duties thereof which be perpetuall as the Commandements themselves be If any say the Churches observation of this day from her own ordinance and other dayes by her appointment may supply the want of this Commandement though it be taken away But here being an immediate Commandement of God for this purpose once given with so great authority what reason is there to let this go and to rest upon an ordinance of lesse force to binde VIII That which the light of nature can finde out of it self for substance and easily will assent unto for the circumstance when it s holpen by due and right means that precept is naturall and then say I perpetuall I read not of any which deny this see Thomas Aquinas 1oe 2oe q. 110. Artic. 1. in the Conclusion whose words are summed in Master Dow his Discourse pag. 8. who doth approve of the proposition But this precept may be found out
Divine of both God is the Author and both binde the Conscience to obedience 2. The independancy of both for neither have any dependancy of mans will either to establish or alter them and both are in dispensable and unalterable by mans authority The Continuance of both are to be judged by Gods only will and intention albeit they be not both alike in their Natures in some things SECTION XXV How much of the Mosaicall Sabbath is in the Commandment to be kept holy THe Sabbath instituted by God and commanded to Israel in this fourth Commandment is to be understood not of some part but of the whole day 1. The time in the precept is a day not a part of a day nor the greater part much lesse some few houres in the day can be counted a day neither was it so with the Jews 2. Gods gift of six dayes we understand for full six dayes and so no doubt is the day of rest the Sabbath day to be taken in the Commandment 3. What God blessed and sanctified he sanctified wholly as holy things vessels Numb 31. 6. holy oyntment Exod. 30. 25. Garments and the like So holy places as the Tabernacle Exod. 29. 44. This nor those were holy only in part but wholly So is Gods holy time holy for the whole time 4. The people of God kept the whole day from the beginning to the end Exod. 16. 30. and this appeareth so in Nehe. 13. 19. and by the holy women followers of Christ Mark 16. 1. Luk. 23. 55 56. and 24. 1. 5. The reproofe of those that went out to seek Mannah in the morning before the Sun rose Exod. 16. 27. and the punishment of him that did gather sticks Num. 15. doth shew it that the whole day is to be set apart for the Lord. And though some works might be done yet the day was the Lords the wholeday 6. If the whole day was not the Lords then it was partly holy and partly unholy sacred and common too but in holy writ we reade not of any such partaking stakes with God Therefore we are to understand the whole day for Sabbath SECTION XXVI How the Day was kept THe people of God having ceased from their labours as the Law commanded Exod. 20. 8. and 31. 14. Luk. 23. 56. and betaking themselves to the holy rest and to make an holy use thereof unto the Lord it being an holy day and the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord Exod. 16. 23 and 35. 2. They thus observed the day and kept it holy I. Before the publike meeting 1. They began with private preparation as they were commanded 1. To look unto their feet before they entred into the house of the Lord Eccles 5. 1. 2. To reconcile themselves one to another Matth. 5. 23 24. 3. To be of a clean Conversation Ps 26. 6. else God regarded not their coming Isai 1. 12. 16 17. and 66. 3. Psal 50. 16 17. 4. To have an high esteem of their Assemblies as holy Convocations Lev. 23. 3. and the house as the house of God 1 Chr. 9. 27. Psâ— 27. 4. such were blessed as did abide there Psal 84. 4. II. In going It was 1. With singular affection of love to the place Psal 26. 8. and desire to dwell there Psâ— 27. 4. and vehement longing for it Psâ— 42. 1 2. and 84. 1 2. 2. With care for others exciting them to go the Pastors the people Jer. 31. 6. and they one another Jer. 50. 4 5 Mich. 4. 2. and the parties excited to be glad thereof Psa 122. 1. 3. It was with the voice of joy and praises Psa 42. 4. 4. Their end in going was to be taught and understand and that they might walk in Gods wayes Isai 2. 2. Nehe. 8. 13. III. At the entring and in the Congregation 1. They worshipped at the Gate and entrance Ezek. 46. 3. 2. They kneeled down before God Ps 95. 6. 2 Chr. 6 13. 1 K. 8. 54. and made their prayers Isa 56. 7. Esr 6. 10. Act. 16. 13. Luk. 1. 10. 1 Chr 16. 4 and 23. 30. 1 Cor. 14. 16. Some appointed for it 1 Chr. 6. 31. 32. and 16. 4. and 3. 1. Num. 6. 23. 3. They gave thanks Psal 26. 12. unto God Psa 35. 18. and 111. 1. standing 1 King 8. 55. to which the people answered Amen Amen and bowed their heads and worshipped Neh. 8. 6. 4. They sung Psalms 2 Chr. 29. 30. Psa 95. 2. and 92. see the Title a Psalm for the Sabbath and it was joy to some to be there Psa 84. 10. 5. The Scriptures were read Act. 15. 21. Deut. 31. 11 12 13. Luk. 4. 16 17. Act. 13. 15. 6. With the reading they had also afterwards the Word preached for the Priests office was to teach Mal. 2. 7. Deut. 33. 10. 2 Chron. 30. 22. and 35. 2. And it was a misery I. to want a teaching Priest 2 Chron. 15. 2. and II. for them to be ignorant of the Law in handling it Jer. 2. 8 or III. to have such as preached the word and yet not to live thereafter Mat. 23. 1. And this preaching was either an exposition of the words as they read them Neh. 8. 3. 8. or to make an exhortation or as we call it a Sermon upon the words as Christ did Luke 4. 16. 31. and 13 10. Mar. 6. 2. as Saint Paul did Act. 13. 15 16. and as it was usuall every Sabbath day Act. 15. 21. The peoples behaviour was they stood up Neh. 8. 5. They had their eyes upon the Teacher Luk. 4. 20. and their ears were attentive Neh. 8. 3. 7. There were Offerings and casting into the Treasury Mar. 12. 41. Luk. 21. 1. 8. In the Conclusion there was a blessing pronounced upon the people 2 Chron. 30. 27. Lev. 9. 22 23. as God commanded Num. 6. 23 27. and then did break up the Congregation Act. 13. Deut. 21. 5. and 10 8. 1 Chr. 23. 13. 43 and the people departed vers 42. IV. After the dismission of the Congregation It was the duty of all and no doubt some did 1. Meditate upon that they had heard for if this was dayly Psal 1. 2. then much more on this day Aben Ezra on Exod. 20 saith behold the Sabbath Datum est ad Consideranda â—peâ—a dei meditandum in Lege ejus 2. They searched the Scriptures afterwards touching the things taught Act. 17. 11. 3. They taught their children for this was a charge upon them dayly then much more no doubt now when they rested in their houses Deut. 6. 6 7. and 11. 19. 4. They were to be mindefull this day 1. Of their deliverance out of Egypâ— and how to shew mercy to their men and maid-servants to the strangers and to their very cattell Deut. 5. 14 15. 2. Of the Lord their God and how he did sanctifie them Ezech. 20. 20. Exod. 31. 13 14. 3. Of another rest spirituall here and heavenly hereafter Heb. 4. 9 11. 5. They this
Charles would have it observed Chap. 21. What Councells and Synods have decreed touching the observation of this day Chap. 22. What Popes the Canon Law Archibishops Bishops and other learned men have said concerning the hallowing of this day Chap. 23. God would have our Lords day religiously observed and not to be prophaned Chap. 24. Of exemplary judgements immediate from God against the prophaners of the Lords day Chap. 25. Of exemplary judgements mediate from God against the prophaners of the Lords day Chap. 26. Of examples of casuall judgements against the prophaners of the Lords day Chap. 27. Of objections which may be or are made against the producing of judgements in this case with answers thereto Chap. 28. Of the serious ponderation of these things Chap. 29. Concerning sports unlawfull at all times much more on the Lords day and why sports lawfull at other times are on this day to be forborne with some objections made and answers to the same It is the saying of S. Augustine Bonum est homini ut eum veritas vineat volentem Epist 174. To this agreeth a learned mans sentence Satius foret à veritate vinci nos quà m contra veritatem vincere posse alium Bucerus Author igitur hujus Tractatus quodcunque in co scripsit ut veritatis sincerè studiosus pro veritate non ut contentiosus quicquam contra veritatem scripsit A TREATISE OF THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH CHAP. I. The Preface shewing wherein wee generally consent and agree in one IT will not be amisse ere I enter upon the Treatise which for the honour of Jesus God blessed for ever I here undertake briefly to lay before the judicious a few things for feare of mistake while wee maintaine the observation of a set solemn day weekly for the worship of Christ and a Christian-like strickt keeping of it holy 1 Wee hereby reject the loose opinions of the Familists Anabaptists and wicked Libertines who would be free from any time of set solemn dayes for Gods publick service and worship contrary to the command of God under the Law and the constant custome of the Church under the Gospel among all Orthodox Christians in all places throughout the whole Christian world in all ages for these 1600 yeers so that saith Chemnitius it is barbarica petulantia In exam Trident Concil most rude impudencie barbarous folly as one translateth it not to observe that day with all due solemnity which hath so long time beene kept by the Church of God This witnesseth Ignatius Iohn the Apostles Disciple Iustine Martyr S. Augustine Tertullian Athanasius Maximus Tauronensis Dionysius Bishop of Corinth in an Epistle of his to Soter Bishop of Rome Against these Familists Anabaptists and Libertines hath written Vrsin in his Chatechisme Zanchie in his Oper. sex dierum and Master Rogers in his Display of the Family of Love 2 Wee renounce all Traskits and Brabornian errours in their points of Judaisme Against the Author of the first sort learned Bishop Andrews hath fully shewed himselfe by his speech in the Starre Chamber Against the later the late learned Bishop of Ely Doctor White hath written at large purposely to confute Brabornes Judaizing in standing for the Jewish Sabbath Against which tenent Musculus Vrsin and Bellarmine hath also written yea Hereticks as Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 26. Ephan de Haeres cap. 30. the Ebionits and Cerinthians holding this have been condemned as the Fathers witnesse The seventh day Sabbath from the Creation now called Saturday is changed and not under the Gospel to be observed of us as an holy day to the Lord. 3 Albeit we doe hold the fourth Commandement to be perpetuall yet we conceive it to be so without any of those See the former Treatise accessorie percepts delivered by Moses whereby though it was in it selfe originally not ceremoniall yet was it by the keeping of those precepts ceremoniously observed 4 As that Law required rest and the holy use of that rest to be imployed on that Sabbath day for the keeping of it holy so doth it now by analogie and proportion for the holy observation of our weekly Sabbath Rest wee doe hold necessary for the day yet not like the foolish superstitious rest of the later Jewes grounded on vaine Traditions confuted by Christ Nor doe we require it otherwise than a necessary meanes to further us to holy duties not as a worship of God in it selfe nor doe wee deny works to be done works of pietie and for pietie works of charity and those that be works of necessitie for all were allowed under the Law as in the other Treatise is proved Moreover wee account the day holy yet not for any inherent holinesse therein but for that it is set apart for holy uses And the difference betweene this and other solemn holy dayes dedicated to the honour of Christ we take to be that this is grounded on authoritie divine and unchangeable and so not the other yet to be observed with rest to religious duties as is ordeyned by the authority of the Church which is not at any time to be despised These things premised I suppose wee that desire for the honour of Jesus Christ that his day be solemnly kept none of ripe judgement will condemne us of Judaisme if they well understand either us or themselves hereafter A charitable interpretation would amend all which were to bee wished to quench the heat of contention by either ignorantly or wilfully misconceiving of us For we hold nothing but what hath beene held by Orthodox Divines the best and most in all ages as in the ensuing chapters of this Treatise framed to the capacitie of the common sort will clearly be made manifest CHAP. II. Of the title of Lords day and of the name Sunday THis terme of Lords day though none can deny it to belong to the day yet some few and but very few to shew perhaps more wit as they think to be able to say something to any thing than worth of matter do make it as it were doubtfull to understand what day should be meant by the Lords day in Revel 1. 10. But this place of Iohn hath generally beene expounded and taken for the day which wee now call Sunday the first day of the weeke by Aretas Andreas Caesariensis by Beda by out later Divines and by the suffrage of the De rat tempo cap. 6. Church the best Expositor of the word which day hath constantly since the time of the Apostle S. John been honoured with this name above all others under this it hath passed along in the writings of all the ancient Fathers in Councels in Histories Ecclesiasticall in Emperiall Constitutions and Edicts of Emperours and Kings Beda on S. Luke saith It is a Christian custome to call it the Lords day which custome hath continued hitherto in all reformed Churches And this name our King and State giveth it in Statute Lawes and Acts of Parliament and our Church in her Ecclesiasticall
pag. 213. the observation of the Lords day among Apostolicall traditions and Saint Augustine proveth it by his former generall In his Ser. p. 24 see also more rule saith the same Father Bishop White Doctor Pocklington saith that Saint Paul had ordered in Galatia and Corinth that his Disciples were to have their meetings on the first day of the week whereunto they submitted themselves and so did saith In pag. 5. he the whole Church of God by their example for ever after He telleth us also that the Apostles and Disciples of Christ thought it fit to appoint and command the day to be kept holy And indeed in the place of 1. Cor. 16. 2. is a plain Apostolicall ordinance which carrieth the force of a Commandment In Gen. 2. 3. on fâ—urth Com. as Piscator noteth and Bishop Hooper which albeit it be about a Collection yet he appointeth it upon the first day of the week And heare for this what the Learned Bishop White saith of this place Although this text of Saint Against Brab 211. Paul make no expresse mention of Church-assemblies this day yet because it was the Custome of Christians and likewise a thing convenient to give almes upon the Church-dayes it cannot well be gainsaid but that if in Corinth and Galatia the first day of every week was appointed to be the day for almes and charitable contributions the same was also the Christians weekly holy day for their religious assemblies This opinion for the Apostolicall tradition as it hath the fuffrage of the ancient so of later writers men very Learned Beza saith it is Apostolicae verae divinâ— traditionis Apostoli In Rev. 1. 10. In Gen. Rhem. on Rev. 1. 10. Hos confes Rom. Catech. on 3. Com. Ielisins fol. 292. Cat. Rom. on 3. precept Bell. Tom 1. de cult sancto li. 3. ca. 10. 11. with others cited by Sprint pag. 13. saith Mercer in Dominicum diem converterunt to wit the Sabbath Hereto agree many Papistes who hold that the Lords day was established by the Apostles and that Jussu Dominico as some say by Christs Commandment And that these places Act. 20. 7. 1. Cor. 16. 1. Rev. 1. 10. do manifestly confirm the same Doctor Heylin acknowledgeth without doubting that the religious observation of this day had the approbation and authority of the Apostles and may very well be accounted amongst Apostolicall traditions Now their authority is no lesse than divine 1. Because they were instructed by Jesus Christ himselfe in all things which he heard from his Father John 15. 15. who gave them Commandments concerning the Kingdom of God by the infusion of his spirit to make them receive the same Act. 1. 2. Secondly For that they had this holy spirit to guide them into all truth John 16. 13. in teaching both for matter Act. 2. 4. 14. and 4. 8. and manner 1. Cor. 2. 13. Act. 2. 4. In answering Adversaries Matth. 10. 20. Mar. 13. 11. Luk. 12. 12. In resolving doubts Act. 10. 19. and 11. 12. In decreeing Canons and judging of Controversies for setling of mens minds in the Church Act. 15. 28. In rebukeing sharply the wicked Act. 13. 9. In ordering matters in the Congregation 1. Cor. 14. 37. with cap. 7. 13. In ordination of Ministers whom they ordained in every Church Act. 14. 23. and these so ordained by them are said to be set over the people by the Holy Ghost Act. 20. 28. no doubt because the holy Apostles were guided by the Holy Ghost in such ordinations yea in their advice about things indifferent they had assistance of Gods spirit 1. Cor. 7. 40. Now then put all these things together can it be imagined that the Apostles observing this day Act. 20. 7. and setting a glorious title upon it Rev. 1. 10. that it can be other than divine they guided herein by the Holy Ghost who ordained also upon this day the first day of the week to prepare for the poor and why on this day because as Bishop White saith it was the Christians weekly holy-day which being as is afore witnessed Apostolicall and the Apostles so in all things guided by the holy Ghost this day must needs be of Divine authority This the Church of Auspurg Act. 7. confesseth that the day was changed by Apostolicall authority directed by the spirit Lastly as it is in these respects of Divine authority so farther also because it hath Jesus Christ the Institutor of it Of which in the next Chapter CHAP. X. It is of divine authority from Christ himselfe THis sacred day is of so divine authority as that by many reasons it may be proved to be appointed by Christ himselfe To hold this is neither a Novelty nor a tenent of singularity Apol. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In frontes Hom. de Semente Wallaeus citeth other Test in his dis de Sab. See Wilâ—et his Synop. Pap. fol. 500. 1. It is no novelty for Justine Martyr saith that the Apostles received it from Christ Athanasius telleth us that the solemnity of the Sabbath was translated unto the Lords day by the Lord himselfe who sheweth at large that it is of Christs institution from the words of Matth. 28. 18. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth It is said in the constitution of the Emperour Leo that the Lord himselfe did chuse it for his honour 2. It is no singular opinion for it hath the assent of many learned men Junius on Gen. 2. saith it is not by humane tradition sed ipsius Christi observatione instituto Tilenus in Synt. Loc. 44. pag. 276. holds it to bee ab ipso Christo institutus Bishop Andrews in his Sermon on the resurrection pag. 529. saith how can it be the Lords day but that the Lord made it Bishop Lakes in his Sermon on the Eucha saith that Christ did substitute the Lords day in the place of the Jewish Sabbath Doctor Fulk on Rev. 1. 10. affirmeth that it is a necessary prescription of Christ himselfe Of this judgement is Doctor Lindsey Bishop of Brechen in his preface to the assembly at Perth in Scotland and many other Divines And the Arguments to prove it are these following Argument 1. THe day which the Lord made he is the Authour and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to advance 1 Sam. 12. 6. so to observe and celebrate Schindelerus in his Dict. De Saâ— circumcis so doth the B. of Ely D. Andr. so Procopius on Gen. 1. Epi. 119. ca 13. ad Ian. Institutor of But this day which is the day of his resurrection Psal 118. 24. is the day which the Lord hath made it is honoured and preferred before other dayes to be observed and celebrated therefore he is the Institutor of it This day Athanasius understandeth of the Lords day the day of his resurrection as doth S. Peter who alleadgeth this Psalme for Christ after his resurrection Act. 4. 10 11. and indeed as the Psalmist
saith it is the day in which wee should rejoyce and bee glad above all other dayes because of his resurrection by which saith S. Augustine Dies Dominicus Christianis declaratus est ex illo habere caepit festivitatem suam Argument 2. WHatsoever in holy writ is said to be the Lords denominatively The altering of the name of the day argueth the Sabbath was altered D. Prideaux pag. 29. that is he the Author and Institutor of As for instance the Lords Supper and the Lords Table because he ordeined it 1 Cor. 11. 20. 10. 21. The Sabbath of the Lord because he commanded it the Temâ—le of the Lord because he appointed it the people of the Lord because he chose them the Lords messengers because he sends them Apostles of Christ because he put them into that office No instance can bee given to shew the contrary But this day is denominatively called the Lords Rev. 1. 10. and so in the first of Cor. 16. 2. as Beza noteth on the same place affirming as I have before delivered it that to explaine the first day he had read in uno vetusto codice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which title is very frequent in the Fathers calling it usually Diem Dominicum the Lords day not by Creation for so every day is his from the beginning nor is it so called by Destination as is the last day 1 Thes 5. 2. as then and yet now a day to come hereafter when our Lords day was then so called by an excellency as also famously at that time knowne in the Church for the Lords day as the day of their solemne assemblies Therefore it is so called by divine institution for divine worship and as it hath Jesus Christ for the Authour and Institutor of it Argument 3. IF God by resting from his work of Creation and his blessing of that seventh day made it an holy day for his solemne set worship and service Then Jesus Christ his resting from the work of redemption and his blessing of this day made it an holy day for his solemne set worship and service For there is the like excellency in the resting of God the Son and the blessing of his day as there was in the resting of God the Father and his blessing of that seventh day Christ his work of the worlds redemption and the renovation thereof the making of all things new a new heaven and a new 2 Cor. 5. 13. earth as was foretold Esa 65. 17. is equall with the Fathers work of Creation and in the rest of the one and of the other can there be no inequallity nor disproportion The Sonnes blessing likewise of this day is of no lesse excellency than the Fathers blessing of that day which blessing of his is not in the particulars expressed but the Sonnes blessing of this day is and that at large in many particulars First by his glorious resurrection by which the Lords day So S. Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 22. cap. 30. Lt Scr. 15. de verb. Apost became sacred and consecrated to us Secondly by his severall apparitions for confirmation thereof Thirdly by his heavenly instructions Luk. 24. 25. Fourthly by the illumination of their mindes opening their understandings Luk. 24. 45. Fifthly by the inspiration of the holy Ghost Iohn 20. 22. Sixthly by the installation of the Apostles giving them power to binde and loose in heaven and in earth Iohn 20. 28. Seventhly by his mission in great dignity sending them even as his Father had sent him Iohn 20. 21. All which blessings Christ bestowed on them this day before his ascension and afterwards on this day he sent down Act. 2. his holy spirit extraordinarily after a visible manner upon his Apostles made them speak miraculously with new tongues to the amazement of the hearers and on this selfe same day he blessedly converted 3000 soules Act. 2. 41. and so began on this day his Church to be a separated visible Congregation from among both lews and Gentiles Lastly on this day he gave his heavenly Revelation to his beloved Apostle who was in the spirit upon this day to receive the vision Reve. 1. 10. Thus we see how Christ did blesse this day But God the Father by his resting from the work of creation and his blessing of that seventh day made it an holy day for his solemn set worship and service as the Scripture teacheth Gen. 2. 2. and very learned Divines do maintaine for truth Doctor Rivet cyteth 36 by name and their own words In disser de orig Sab. for it to this purpose Therefore Iesus Christ his resting from the work of redemption and his so blessing of this our day hath made it an holy day for his solemn set time of worship and service Argument 4. THat which Christ through the holy Ghost spake by way of Command to be observed that he is the Institutor of this I hope will not be denyed But Iesus Christ by the holy Ghost spake by way of Command that this day should be observed For the things appertayning to the kingdome of God he gave Commandments to his Apostles to be taught and observed Act. 1. 2 3. But the day of Christs resurrection and the worship therein performed as it was in the Apostles dayes and after as may be collected out of the Scripture and out of the writings of Justine Martyr and Tertullian is of those things which do appertaine to the kingdome of God Therefore he commanded it to be observed and so was the Institutor of it Obj. If any object and say that this day was not expressed by Commandment Ans I answer no more are any other of those Commandments which in Act. 1. 2. he is said to give nor any particulars of the things he spake which appertained to the kingdome of God And therefore we cannot seclude this day out of the Commandements given by Christ because not expressed no more than we can deny other things appertaining to the kingdome of God to be commanded because they are not expressely mentioned till it can be proved that the keeping of this day to the honour of Christ in his publicke worship is none of the things which pertaine to the kingdome of God I answer againe that albeit it is not expressed yet must it be comprehended within these Commandements For these Commandements here given Act. 1. 2. are of those which Christ would have his Disciples to teach his people that enter into the Church by Baptisme to observe Matt. 28. 18. 20. Now we finde the Church to observe this day Act. 20. 7. 1. Cor. 16. 2. The Apostle also to be an observer of it with them Act. 20. 7. prescribing duties to them on this day 1. Cor. 16. 1. 2. when they did meet together 1. Cor. 5. 4. and 11. 20. which was on the Lords day as the Syriack hath it as is before noted And the Apostle telleth the Corinthians that the things he wrote unto them were
the Commandements of God 1. Cor. 14. 37. And it is acknowledged of all that the whole Catholick Church from that time till this day hath duly observed the same Therefore is it one of those things commanded by Christ to be observed and taught by his Apostles which the whole world hath so religiously kept hitherto And it will not bee denied that such an universall religious observation can have any lesse ground for it than the authority of God himselfe being so unanimously kept in all ages for these 1600 yeeres without gaine-saying as our Homily avoucheth very plainely Argument 5. EIther himselfe instituted this day for his publick worship or left it to others to appoint it for that end But he left it not to others Therefore he instituted it himselfe for his publick worship That he left it not to others to institute wee may thus reason 1 God his Father when he had ordained his worship did not leave to Moses nor to Israel his Church to appoint a solemn day for it but he himselfe instituted it Exod. 20. 8. When the Idolaters in Israel Exod. 32. did invent a worship they that invented it instituted a day for it verse 5. Jeroboam devised a worship which when he had done he ordained a day for it 1 King 12. 32. 33. So did Nebuchadnezzar devise an Idoll and a worship for it and appointed the dedication and day of the solemne worship Dan. 3. 2. The miscreant Prophet Mahomet as hee gave a Law and prescribed a worship so hee himselfe instituted his day for the same and did not leave it to the arbitrary will and pleasure of his Worshippers to ordaine and appoint Therefore from all this I conclude unlesse Christ should doe as his Father did and be lesse carefull of a day for the solemnitie of his set worship than the very Idolaters hee must bee the Institutor of this day which we observe to him For it cannot be proved that at any time in any age of the world that any publick worship was ever invented to be observed but the very Authour and Inventor thereof was also himselfe the Institutor of the day for that worship not leaving it to any others will to appoint the same for him 2 If Christ left it to others as to his Apostles then either before his ascension during his abode with them which is absurd to conceit or after his ascension if any doe think so then it will follow that from his resurrection to his ascension the space of six weeks the Church had no set day under Christ publickly to doe him solemne service For the other seventh day hee took away by his lying that whole day in the grave so that if he appointed no other day for it himselfe the Church had then for that space no such day But as I have proved Christ blessed the day of his resurrection and in this space from his resurrection to his ascension the Apostles and Church observed it And therefore he ordeined it and left it not to them 3 Wee are to understand that there are some circumstances about Gods worship which he hath ever reserved to his own authoritie and never left them determinable to any but to himselfe such bee these which doe concurre about the observation of the Lords day The first circumstance of this kinde is that which concerneth the very substance for time of performing of publick worship whether one day in a yeere in a moneth in a week or whether a part or some few houres of the day be to be set apart for his service or the whole day bee his The determination of this time is substantiall and God alwayes appointed the same as the ordaining of the Sabbath day and other holy dayes set apart by God doe manifest The second circumstance is that whereof there is no reason to sway or guide the judgement this way or that way but the will of God must bee needfull to the determining of it Such a circumstance is the proportioning of time and rest on the Lords day for Gods service For if reason could regulate it then should it bee the Law of nature but by his written Law and revealed will hath God ordered it The third circumstance is that which is of universall observation by all which none but God can impose by his supreme authoritie to which all are alike equally subject And such an universall circumstance is this for observation of this day by all Christian people and by the generall consent of the whole Church of Christ in all ages Therefore this day was not left to the Apostles to be determined but appointed by Christ himselfe Undoubtedly Christ would imitate his Father and set a day for his publick worship as he did And can we suppose our Lord Jesus Christ to bee lesse carefull than the Turkish Mahomet or other Idoll Worshippers in ordaining a solemn day for his publick service But if this day which we observe be not of his appointment then have wee none for all other dayes are the ordinances of the Church and observed only by humane authoritie 4 That which the Apostles did observe not only by inspiration but by way of injunction and command from Christ here on earth through the Holy Ghost that hee ordained and left it not to them to ordaine But the Apostles did observe the Lords day not only by inspiration but by way of injunction and commandement from Christ here on earth through the Holy Ghost And therefore he left it not to his Apostles The Minor is thus proved from Act. 1. 2. where it is said that Christ Jesus through the Holy Ghost gave Commandements to his Apostles in which Commandements is included the Lords day as before is proved which Commandement with the rest he gave them through the Holy Ghost that is he in giving them did convey his holy Spirit into them to make them to understand them to retaine them in memory to make conscience to observe them and to teach others to observe them as commanded from him for so much these words through the Holy Ghost import when hee gave them Commandements and spake of the things pertaining to the Kingdome of God So that through the Holy Ghost here is not meant as afterwards the divine inspiration of the Spirit directing them as occasion served to ordaine things expedient and profitable for the Churches of Christ which he himselfe immediately commanded not but left them to them as by the wisdome of his spirit they should be informed But here is to be understood the then operation of his Spirit upon them to receive the Commandemets which at that present in his own person he gave them which they should observe and teach others to observe as his own Commandements and as he himselfe had charged them to doe in Matt. 28. 20. when as here in Acts 1. he was to depart from them and to ascend up to his Father Of other things after Christs ascension the Apostles spake from the
Holy Ghost by way of inspiration but of all these things before his ascension from the Holy Ghost by way of injunction and Commandement of Christ Note this well Argument 6. IF Christ himselfe did institute a day for his solemn worship under the Law then he did institute such a day under the Gospel But he did so under the Law Ergo now under the Gospel The sequel is apparant because he is as faithfull and as carefull for his people now as then Now that under the Law hee instituted a day for his publick worship we must know that he was among the Israelites in the wildernesse 1 Cor. 10. 9. for hee was the Angel on Mount-Sinai who spake with Moses Acts 7. 38. even the Lord Jehovah Exod. 19. 3. 21. for the whole Trinitie gave the Law then The Father by voyce uttered it the Holy Ghost wrore it Exod. 31. 18. for he is the finger of God Luk. 11. 20. compared with Matth. 12. 28. and Jesus Christ the Mediator gave by Angels to Moses the two Tables to Gal. 3. bee delivered to Israel in which a Commandement was written for a solemne set day for divine worship Thus did Christ then and so may wee beleeve his care had for his Church now till the eternall Sabbath doth come in the highest heavens Argument 7. WHatsoever was prefigured in the old Testament to be of use in the new that was instituted by Christ when hee came for the Text Col. 2. 17. telleth us plainly that the body of those shaddowes is of Christ that is he finished them he fulfilled them he did ordaine other things for them The truth of this might be shewed in particular instances of those shaddowes but that it is fully laid open by others But this day the first day of the week called the Lords day was prefigured First by the eighth day of circumcision S. Augustine Epi. ad Ian. 119. cap. 13. Ad â—idum lib. 3. Epist 10. 59 Edit sec proveth that by it out Lords day was shaddowed S. Cyprian saith that circumcision was commanded on the eighth day as a Sacrament of the eighth day that Christ should rise from the dead Secondly Ignatius saith it was foreseene in certaine Ignat. ad Magnes titles of the Psalmes superscribed pro octava the eighth So hereto agreeth Saint Augustine in his fifteenth Sermon de verbis Apost Thirdly by memorable things done on the first day of Welph Cron. de tempore li. 2 c. 2. the week as Wolphius noteth out of an Hebrew Writer of a book called Sedar olam Rabba chap. 7. as that the cloud of Gods Majesty on this day first sate on Gods people Aaron and his children first executed their Priesthood God first solemnly blessed his people The Princes of his people first offered publickly to God The first day wherein fire descended from heaven The first day of the world of the yeere of the week c. All shaddowing that it should bee the first and chiefe day of the New Testament Therefore this day thus prefigured to bee of use in the New Testament was instituted by Christ when hee came in the flesh which first day of the week as it was the first day of time mentioned in the beginning of the first book of the Bible so is it mentioned with a glorious Gen. 1 5. Title of the Lords day in the beginning of the last book of the Bible to the prayse of our Alpha and Omega Jesus Christ Argument 8. IF the seventh day was by Gods immediate institution then was the change of it into our Sunday by Jesus Christ his immediate institution But the antecedent is true Gen. 2. 2. Exod. 20. Ergo the consequent For no religious change hath ever beene made of any ordinance of God immediately prescribed by him but by God himselfe and by his own immediate authority for if the institution be immediate by him the change into another must be by the like immediate authority also for he that ordaineth hath onely power to alter 1. Man cannot change such an odinance for first it is complained of as a sinne for the people to change Gods ordinance Esa 24. 5. The Jewish Church in the time of Christ and after held it blasphemy to teach that it was lawfull for Christ to change the customes of Moses because they took but mistook him to be but a meere man Secondly if any but God have authority to change his owne ordinance immediately appointed by himselfe then that authority is equall with Gods But there is no such authority nor ever was Jesus Christ excepted upon the earth The whole Church if gathered into one place is of no such authority And if unstable man could alter such an immediate ordinance of God what stability could there then be in them or what tie of our consciences 2. All religious changes of every ordinance of Gods owne immediate institution hath ever beene immediate by God himselfe and no instance can be shewed to the contrary in holy writ The Tabernacle was of Gods owne immediate appointment Exod. 25. 40. when it was changed and the Temple erected in stead of it this Temple was of Gods owne immediate appointment David minding to build it and Nathan 2 Sam. 7. 2 3. approving his intention but without command from God was after prohibited 2 Sam. 7. 5. Neither left he it to the wisdome of Salomon but the Lord gave the patterne 1 Chro. 28. 11 12 19. The first borne the Lord did chuse for himselfe when the Levites were taken for them it was of God himselfe Numb 3. 12. The time of celebrating the Passeover was the fourteenth day of the first month by God himselfe Exod. 12. 6. which time durst not Moses dispense with nor allow any other day for some to keep it without Gods immediate warrant Numb 9. 8. 11. Times and seasons are in Gods hand Act. 1. 10. Dan. 2. 21. therefore for the month Tishri he appointed Nisan for the first month of the yeare Exod. 12. 2. And Antiochus Epiphanes a type of Antichrist is condemned for changing times Dan. 7. 25. Thus wee see Gods ordinances for places for persons and for time being immediately appointed by God cannot bee changed but by God Therefore the seventh day being the immediate institution of God could not be changed into another day as now it is but immediately by God himselfe even by Jesus Christ who is God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. who when he was come in the flesh changed the place Joh. 4. 20 21. the Law and Priesthood Heb. 7. into the ministery of the Gospel Priests and Levites Esa 66. 21. into Apostles Prophets Evangelists and others Eph. 4. The carnall worship into spirituall Joh. 4. 23. Circumcision and the Passeover into Baptisme and the Lords Supper and that seventh day into this our Sunday the Lords day Argument 9. THe Lord of the Sabbath is the only Institutor of the Sabbath But Jesus Christ is the Lord
of the Sabbath Mat. 12. 8. Ergo the only Institutor of it Now for the better understanding of Christ his being Lord of the Sabbath we must know three things 1 How he is Lord of the Sabbath and that is as he is God-Man and Man-God for it is said in the Text The Sonne of man is Lord of the Sabbath 2 Whence he hath this Lordship even from God his Father who hath given him the Kingdome all power in heaven and in earth Mat. 28. 18. delivering all things into his hands John 13. 3. and 3. 35. Luk. 10. 22. having committed all judgement to his sonne and made him both Lord and Christ John 5. 22. Act. 2. 36. 3 How long he holdeth this his Lordship Rule and Dominion even till the consummation of all things till God be all in all never laying it down untill all things be fulfilled 1 Cor. 15. 24. 28. Therefore is he yet the Lord of the Sabbath the Sabbath is his till the worlds end and hee retaineth his right still therein his right in the fourth Commandement which right must bee shewed either in retaining of the seventh day on which God rested and to which the Commandement was accommodated till his second comming by the change of it or in his substituting another day in steed thereof But we see that seventh day altered and therefore hee sheweth himselfe Lord of the Sabbath by appointing this his day for else should the other have remained under the Gospel or if not then no other being ordained in its steed by him he had lost his Lorship over the Sabbath which here he challenged a right in and still keepeth untill his second comming Argument 10. TEnthly and lastly to these reasons may be added the judgement of the Parliament the representative body of all this Kingdome with his Majesties royall assent in the first yeere of his happy raigne which is this That the keeping of the Lords day holy is a principall part of the true service of God which words are an acknowledgment that the Lord was the Institutor of the Sabbath for it is no service to God much lesse a principall part of his service for that may be mans will-worship but cannot be service unto God unlesse hee himselfe bee the Institutor and Authour of it CHAP. XI Of some Objections which may bee made against it answered Object 1. IT is not commanded in the New Testament Ergo hee instituted it not Ans 1. If it were not yet might hee bee the Institutor of it by his resting blessing and observing the day as his Fathers resting and blessing the seventh day was his institution of it as is proved in the first Treatise 2. I have shewed that Christ gave Commandements of the things pertayning to the kingdome of God whereof the observation of this day is one And therefore hee gave Commandement concerning this day Object 2. It is not expresly commanded Answ 1. This objection is made before to which I have in part answered 2. I answer further that our book of Homilies telleth In Homily of Prayer us againe and againe that there is expresse Commandement for it The Authors of this book say there is The Objectors say there is not set one against the other To the book all the Ministers in the Church of England have subscribed but not to this Objection against it 3. I answer there is in the New Testament no formall expression of any of the other Commandements of the first Table neither of the first nor second nor third because they stood in force and therefore no need formally to expresse them no more need was there for any such expression of this First because the fourth Commandement stood still in force as well as the rest for first Christ did challenge Lordship over this fourth Commandement in his assumed humane nature Matth. 12. 8. to shew that in his state of humiliation hee lost not his authoritie over it Secondly because the changing of the seventh day into another day was not the taking away of the fourth Commandement but only the accommodation of the same Commandment to our Lords day for the continuation of it still For if the fourth Commandement bee not observed in keeping of this our Lords day then will it follow 1 That either there is no fourth Commandement and so not ten Commandements which number hath bin observed without addition or diminution to this day the space of 3221 yeeres in Gods Church both of the Jewes and of the Gentiles or else if it be one of the Tenne as God gave it Exo. 20. for one of them then have we lived in sinfull neglect of this Commandement now this 1600 yeeres 2 It will follow that Christ hath lost his Lordship of it or suffered one of his Fathers Commandements to be carelesly neglected neither of which may bee granted without indignitie offered to Christ and his truth 3 That Christ had not come to fulfill but to destroy the Law contrary to Matth. 5. 17. for if he neither kept the former day but took it away nor ordeined certainely in the roome of it another day he had destroyed this Law 4 It also will follow that the Sonne should not be honoured of all men as they have honoured the Father with the fourth Commandement and with a set day by his appointment for his publick worship and solemn service But all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father Ioh. 5. 23. And therefore with this fourth Commandement and with a set day by his appointment for his publick and solemne worship and service should he be honoured Object 3. The taking away of the seventh day appointed by God disanulleth the Commandement it selfe Answ Not so for we must wisely understand and discerne betweene the substance of the Commandement and circumstance between the substance of the Commandement it selfe and the accommodation thereof unto a day See the other Treatise The Commandement is Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy This only is the Commandement so by Moses it is cleare note it well in Deut. 5. 12. The application and accommodation of the Commandement was unto the seventh day which day may be taken away as not of the substance but a circumstance of the Commandement of the Sabbath rest day applyed unto that seventh day and yet the Commandement be still of force As for example in the accommodation of another precept thus Honour the King 1 Pet. 2. 17. This is a Commandement whosoever is King The accommodation of that may be thus Saul is King this is not of the substance of the Commandement yet while Saul is King we are commanded to honour King Saul but in time Saul is taken away neverthelesse the Commandement Honour the King is of force to another person in his stead as David succeeding the Commandement is honour King David The same Commandement which bindeth me to honour the King bindeth me to honour Saul while he is King And when Saul is
saith hee the obligation of our thankfulnesse is more than theirs Therefore hee wisheth that it were most religiously performed with attendance to holy devotion This day faith Calvin is wholly to bee dedicated to him Calv. on Deut. cap. 5. vers 12. 13. 14. and it is necessarie that so we may intend wholly to the minding of Gods works and bestow the day in praysing and magnifying Gods name wee have no cause saith hee to grudge the giving of one day to him seeing hee leaveth us six for one Let any man give a reason if they give any part of the day to Christ why they should not think him worthy of all the day Is it too much for him and whole six little enough for our selves If wee will take a part from him for the whole none will except they be worse than Jewes and Pagans in observing their dayes which part is it not the morning for when shall we begin then to serve him Not the ending of the day for why are we weary of well doing Gal. 6. Gal. 3. 3. shall wee begin in the spirit and end in the flesh A liberall friend that hath seven pounds in his hands and giveth me six of them freely owing me nothing to imploy the seventh for him If I should grudge to bestow it wholly and take without leave any part of it to my selfe were I not most ungratefull Againe every holy thing is holy unto the Lord and is it not sacriledge to robbe God either of the whole or of part Lastly let us consider this that hee which willingly gives not God all would give him none at all if it were not for by-respects more than conscience of duty For conscience will binde to give the whole where all is due as well as a part of the due Therefore God commanding a day and an whole day as he giveth us six whole dayes so let us afford him his owne day and that wholly CHAP. XV. How this day is to be kept holy morally as the anâ—ient Sabbath was kept FOr the better satisfaction of moderate minds and to cleare this point let us consider how the ancient Sabbath was kept morally how our Lords day was kept in the time of the holy Apostles how to be kept by the stablished authoritie of our Church and how Emperours Kings Councels Synods Fathers and others would have it kept yea God himselfe from profane pollutions Concerning the first the ancient Sabbath was kept in rest and in the employing of that rest unto religious duties which what they were see at large in the other Treatise Section 25. For the Ceremoniall and Leviticall Services on that seventh day they are abrogated so all the Jewish superstitition brought in by mens vaine Traditions are condemned likewise those accessorie precepts for the more strict rest on that day belonging only to the Israelites for a time are taken away and doe nothing concerne us and are not to be imitated of us But the ancient people of God are to be followed of us as farre as the fourth Commandement bindeth us in the naturalitie thereof in the spiritualitie and in its morallitie as the holy people of God then kept it in such common duties as wee are as well as they were bound to performe for Gods service and for the benefiting of their owne soules in the use and exercises of his heavenly ordinances on his holy day This is farre from any Judaizing at all so much laid in the dish and reproachfully cast upon many in these times but without cause at all if the matter be well weighed and they rightly understood as it were to bee wished Their Service was both in the forenoone and in the afternoone every day Num. 28. 3. Exod. 29. 38. then much more on the Sabbath day For in the morning of their Sabbath they had the Service in the Tabernacle and Temple and their Sacrifices doubled Num. 28. 9. and also burning of incense in the morning Exod. 30. 7. So in the afternoone both Sacrifices and burning of incense and thus every day continually Exod. 29. 38. 30. 7. 8. To this David alluded in Psal 141. 2. This afternoone Service was about three aclock and called the ninth houre of Prayer Acts 3. 1. what time the godly used to pray Dan. 9. 21. and which Eliah observed in the offering of Sacrifice 1 King 18. 29. and we read while the incense was offered the people were devout in their prayers Luk. 1. 10. Preaching was also in the Temple for there Christ preached Matth. 26. 55. Mark 12. 25. Luk. 19. 47. John 7. 28. of which as of any strange thing the chiefe Priests and the Elders did not aske him but of his authoritie so to doe Matth. 21. 23. Luk. 20. 1. 2. And into the Temple earely in the morning came hee to teach John 8. 2. and the people to heare Luk. 21. 38. whither the Jewes alwayes resorted John 18. 20. Here also the Apostles preached Acts 3. 1. 12. 5. 21. 23. 42. And in this place no doubt was it in which the Scribes and Pharises sate to teach the people Matth. 23. 2. It is most certaine that on the Sabbath day in the Synagogues there was constant reading and preaching Acts 15. 21. 13. 27. In the morning Christ went in to preach Mark 6. 2. in other places it is not so evident what time it was whether in the forenoone or afternoone when hee came into their Synagogues Mark 1. 21. Luk. 4. 16. 13. 10. nor what time of the day the Apostles went into the Synagogues Acts 13. 14. 14. 1. 17. 2. 10. 18. 4. 19. nor is it certain whether they did depart home a while and came againe It may be they held out from the beginning to the ending and to the breaking up of the Congregation as it seemeth probable in Acts 13. 43. so Nehe. 8. but it is certaine that upon their dayes of fasting they did hold out and continued together from the beginning to the end Nehem. 9. 3. Whatsoever they did for the time they holily begun their Divine exercises with a blessing Nehe. 8. 6. and ended with a blessing Num. 6. 23. 26. Lev. 9. 22. 2â— CHAP. XVI How our Lords day was kept in the Apostles dayes and the Primitive times THe Lords day being knowâ— to bee an holy day and to be kept holy the Church rested on this Histo pag. 95. part 2. day for performance of religious and Christian duties as Doctor Heylin acknowledgeth There was an assembly of Christians they came together saith the Text Acts 20. 7. who came together the whole Church 1 Cor. 14. 23. whither into some one place 1 Cor. 11. 20. 14. 23. for then they had no Temples but met
and this came as there wee finde to be abused even in the Apostles dayes Wee may Learne of S. Paul who was a pattern to them no doubt in the end and breaking up of the Congregation that they departed with prayer as he did Acts 20. 36. 9. Of what was done when the Congregation was broken up WHen the publick service was ended S. Paul went into an house where hee was invited and there prayed Acts 16. 16. Such no doubt as were well minded as the Bereans searched the Scriptures concerning the things taught them Act. 17. 11. But for this the Fathers tell us what people ought to do Saint Ambrose exhorted the people Ser. 33. tom 3. pag. 259. to be conversant all the day in prayer or reading or if any could not read that he should labour to be fed with conference Saint Chrysostome on Joh. 3. Hom. was offended with the people that then did not meditate on the word heard who was earnest with them that presently upon their comming home they would take the Bible into their hands and make rehearsall with their wives and children of that which had been taught them out of the Word of God But let us come to that which Iustine Martyr saith and Tertullian when they were departed out of the Congregation they ever remembred one another of those things which they had heard They went not saith Tertullian Apol. ca 30. 39. pag. 692. in Catervas Caesionum neque in classes discursationum nec in eruptiones lasciviarum sed ad eandem curam modesti◠pudicitiae ut qui non caenam caenassent quam disciplinam from this Fathers speech we may observe First That the Love-feast was a supper they abode then in the assembly late in the afternoone Secondly That at that Feast in the afternoone as may be gathered from Saint Augustine and Saint Basiles words they had care of Modesty and Chastity Thirdly That they received instruction for their souls as well as food for their bodies Fourthly Being departed from the Congregation they took heed not to goe into the route of Swash-bucklers nor into the Company of Ramblers such as did run up and down hither and thither not into the breaking out of the wanton and Lascivious sort But Fifthly they had care of the like modesty and chaste behaviour out of the Church which they shewed when they were in the Congregation Thus the primitive Christians kept the Lords day And if credit may be given to that which Theodoret writeth as Doctor Heylin cyteth him of the Festivalls in those times above 1200 yeeres agoe how they were Modestae Castae Temperantia plenae performed with modesty and great sobriety not as the Festivalls of the Gentiles in excesse and riot and also were solemnized with spirituall Hymnes and religious Sermons and that the people used to empty out their souls to God in fervent and affectionate prayers not without sighes and teares what may we think then of such godly Christians but that they devoutly and with high reverence observed the Lords day so much to be preferred before Festivalls as hath been before declared in Chapter thirteenth Hear what Durand saith in Rational lib. 5. de vesperis who telleth us of the Evening meetings wherein they did conferre of the holy Scriptures His words are these Postremò notandum est quòd religiosi ante Completorium permittunt collationem quae à sanctis patribus originem traxit qui dictis vesperis convenire de Scripturis sacris conferre solebant ad instar Operariorum ad recreationem ad invicem confabulantium ideoque tunc vitas vel collationem Patrum quae potius sunt ad recreationem delectationem legunt Eruditiores si dubium occurrerit interrogant CHAP. XVII How our Church would have our Sunday kept holy OUr Church hath taken order for the keeping holy of the Lords day For the better understanding whereof let us look into her certaine judgement evidenced by the undeniable Records established by the supreamest Authority and subscribed unto by all the Clergy of England The first is the book of Common Prayer confirmed by Act of Parliament 1. It maketh our Sunday to bee observed for an holy day 2. It appointeth our Assembling and therein to performe holy duties as First Prayer Secondly Reading the Scriptures Thirdly singing of psalmes Fourthly Sermons Fifthly Collections for the poore Sixthly The administration of the Sacraments Seventhly Prayers at the departure 3. And that the day may be well observed it ordereth this meeting both for the forenoone and afternoone calling the one Morning prayer for that it must begin in reason betime and the other Evening prayer because it must bring the evening with it So the times of Service should hold us but for the intermission betweene from the morning untill the evening 4. It ordereth the Ministers distinctly to rehearse all the ten Commandments and the people kneeling after every Commandment to aske God mercy for their transgressing of the same and grace to have their hearts inclined to keep every one of them and to write them in their hearts Now the Fourth Commandment by this rehearsall of ten and by the peoples prayer except the Minister mocke the people and the people mocke God and that by imposed duty from authority which God forbid we should thinke is acknowledged First To be a Law and Commandment of God not onely heretofore but now at this day Secondly To be one of the ten which God himselfe spake Thirdly That it is a Law and Commandment upon us that make this prayer Fourthly That we are bound to keep it Fifthly That of our selves we cannot be inclined in our hearts to keep it till God incline our hearts unto it Sixthly That we should have a joynt care together to observe it from our hearts Seventhly That we are to acknowledge our selves transgressours of it and stand in need to aske mercy of the Lord for the same Eightly That it is a mercy of God to encline our hearts to keepe it and to write it in our hearts Now the Fourth Commandment requireth a day to be kept holy as a Sabbath or rest day and therefore by this prayer are we to acknowledge it a Law to us and all bound in heart to affect it and to keepe it as the Lord hath commanded us The second is the Book of Canons or Ecclesiasticall Constitutions For the religious observation of this day by our Ecclesiasticall Constitutions First All people are tied to resort to the Church Secondly Not to depart out of the Church during the time of service or Sermon without urgent cause Thirdly That before Evening prayer Fathers Mothers Canon 59. Masters Mistresses should send their children servants and apprentices to be Catechised to be instructed and taught by the Minister for halfe an houre and more Fourthly All Canon 13. manner of persons within the Church of England shall celebrate and keep the Lords day commonly called Sunday and other holydayes as
followeth 1 It must be kept according to Gods holy will and pleasure Here the Church telleth us where to begin the principall guide must be Gods holy will and pleasure which is to be searched after in his Word from which if we swarve and have not it for our rule and warrant in doing any thing on this day we break this Canon 2 According to the prescribed orders of the Church of England which is there very piously set down in eight Particulars 1 In hearing the word of God read and taught so it is kept as a day of instruction 2 In private and publick prayer so it is an especiall day of audience and putting up our petitions to God first with our Families before we enter into the holy assembly to prepare us the better for a blessing and then with the whole Congregation 3 In acknowledging their offences to God so it is a day of Humiliation before the Lord and suing out a pardon for the same 4 In an amendement of their offences so it is a day of Reformation of our evil lives and sinfull courses 5 In reconciling themselves charitably to their neighbours where displeasure hath been So it is a day of Reconciliation laying aside displeasure and of charitable seeking peace one with another 6 In receiving the Communion of the body and bloud of Christ So it is a day of Confirmation of our faith in Gods blessed Covenant made with us in Christ and a day of great consolation to behold visibly with the eye the greatest work that ever God wrought and the greatest mercy that ever he did shew to poor sinners 7 In visiting the poor and sick so it is a day of mercifull visitation and beholding of Christ in his poor and sick servants 8 And lastly in using all godly and sober Conversation So it is a day for the expression of a good behaviour towards God and man in all godly Conversation against prophanenesse in all sober Conversation against Intemperance Riot and Revelling Gluttony and Drunkennesse Lightnesse and loose Carriage Thus we see how the Canon directeth us in an excellent manner to keep this day Can there be either required or better meanes used than is here prescribed to keep from sinfull courses on the Lords day The third is the Book of Homilies In the Homily of prayer we are taught First To assemble together solemnely having our hearts sifted and clensed from wordly and carnall affections and desires shaking off all vaine thoughts which may hinder from Gods true service Secondly To be carefull to keep the day holily and to rest from our labours at home riding and journeying abroad Thirdly To give our selves wholly to heavenly exercises of Gods true religion and service Fourthly To have in remembrance Gods wonderfull benefits and to render him thanks for them Fifthly To celebrate and magnifie Gods holy name in quiet holinesse and godly reverence Sixthly And lastly besides laying aside the works of our callings the Homily exhorteth to shun ungodlinesse and filthinesse pride praunceing prancking pricking pointing painting or to be gorgeous and gay Likewise to beware of gluttony drunkenesse and other fruits thereof mentioned to avoide also wantonnes toyish talking and filthy fleshlines Thus we see what a strict observation of the Lords day our Homily prescribeth unto us It hath been the honour of our Church hitherto to outstrip all Christian Churches in the world in the sanctifing of the Lords day Our Common prayer book Canon and Homily would hold us to it if they had any authority over us CHAP. XVIII How Christian Emperours would have it kept by their Imperiall Constitutions WEe have heard how the godly among the ancient people of God kept their rest-rest-day morally How our day was kept in the Primitive Church How our now present Church of England would have it kept holy Now we come to the highest powers of Authoritie abroad and at home to learne how by them it should bee kept 1 Imperiall Constitutions COnstantine the first Christian Emperour who thought the chiefest and most proper day for the devotion of his subjects was the Lords day declared his pleasure that every Eusch de vita Constant l. 4. c. 13. one who lived in the Roman Empire should rest in that day weekly which is instituted to our Saviour and to lay aside all businesses and attend the Lord who therefore forbade keeping of Courts sitting in judgement and Artificers to use their trades In Die Dominico c. say Imperiall Constitutions L. â—mnes â—a de feriis the whole mindes of Christians and Beleevers should be busied in the worship of God The Emperour Leo ordained that the Lords day should be kept holy by all sorts and to be a day of rest It is our will saith he according to the meaning of the Holy Ghost and of the Apostles by him directed that on the sacred day whereon we were restored unto our integrity all men shall rest This Constitution reverend Hoâ—ker much approveth of Eccl. Pol. Sect. 71. pag. 385. themselves and surcease from labour neither the husbandmen nor others putting their hands that day to prohibited worke for if the Iewes did so much reverence their Sabbath which onely was a shaddow of ours are not we which inhabite light and the truth of grace obliged to honour that day which the Lord hath honoured and hath therein delivered us both from dishonour and from death are not we bound to keep it singularly and inviolably sufficiently contented with a liberail grant of all the rest and not incroaching on that one which God hath chosen for his Service Nay were it not wretchlesse slighting and contempt of all Religion to make that day common and think that we may doe thereon as we doe on others This worthy Emperour would not have the dayes dedicated Cod. l. 3. tit 12. de feriis Iustin li. 3. tit 12. to the supreme Majestie to be taken up with filthy pleasures then much lesse the Lords day for he highly advanced this day and so honoured it that if his birth day or his inauguration fell upon this day the solemnities thereof should be deferred to another day upon danger of losse of dignitie and confiscation of estate to them which should offend his will herein He exempted this day from executions citations entring into bonds apparances pleadings and the like The Emperour Theodosius enacted that faithfull Christian Cod. Theod. peoples mindes might wholly be bent to the Service of God the Cirques and Theators should bee shut up on the Lords day c. and all publick shewes prohibited by Gratian and Valentinian Nullus die solis spectaculum praebeat nec divinam venerationem confecta solemnitate confundat They Anno 384. forbad arbitrating of causes and taking recognizance of any pecuniary businesse on the Sunday and that none should be brought before the Officers of the Exchequer For further honour to the Emperour Leo and Anthemius Instiâ—ian Cod. l. 3. tit 12.
which many took upon the Lords day was strucken with a dead palsey all over one side and with blindnesse and dumbnesse so as he could neither goe see nor speak and lying thus in miserable paine died within a short time after the stroke of God upon him These few instances may serve for the immediate hand of God upon prophaners of the Lords day I passe by how filthy drunkards have felt the Lords hand against them on this day CHAP. XXV Of exemplary judgements mediate from God against the prophaners of the Lords day CHristians in name should be Christians indeed and one further another unto goodnesse especially on the Lords day which should bee provocative to good duties and to the stirring of us up to shew the vertue of Christ his resurrection in us and our Christian love one to another as at all times so chiefly on this day but where lusts rule and persons are prophane the Lord leaveth them to themselves to become his instruments to punish their prophanation of this day as appeareth by these examples Some on the Lords day would goe to Bowles a forbidden game to the common sort at which play two falling out the one threw a bowle at the other and struck him so on the head as the bloud issued out of which blow hee dyed shortly after Certaine youthes contrary to the order in the declaration would goe out of their owne Parish on the Lords day into another to play at Fives the Mother of one of these earnestly diswaded him but goe he would and returning homewards at night with his companions they fell first to justling after to boxing so as their bloud being moved one of his fellowes stabbed him in the left side and so wounded him as he dyed the next day at night At a Wake on the Lords day among others two sitting and drinking till late at night fell out but at first they were parted a while after commeth one of them in againe and seeing the other sitting by the fire with his back towards him commeth behind him and with an hatchet chineth him downe the back so as his bowels fell out the cruell murtherer flying and being hotly pursued leaped into a river and drowned himselfe A wanton Maide hyred on the Lords day a fellow to go to the next Parish to fetch thence a Ministrell not warranted by the Declaration that shee and others might Dance but that night was shee gotten with child which at the time of its birth she murthered and was put to death for the same confessing the occasion of her ill hap to be her prophanation of the Lords day Upon a Whitsunday in the afternoone two fellowes meeting at the Ball again not allowed by the Declaration the one killed the other Also upon a Lords day in the afternoone one with much contempt against his Minister as appeared by his words would take up Cudgells to play with another a sport not allowed them but at the second or third bout one of his eyes was struck out of his head A fellow drunk at the Church-house where he dwelt on the the Lords day a foule sin both for the time and place was the next day so given over of God as hee became his owne executioner and hanged himselfe One dâ—â—posed to revell-rout without due bounds of prescribed order would in the Church-house keep an Ale on the â—ords-day and other dayes both night and day without controule But see the Lords hand on the Sunday night his youngest sonne was taken for stealing of a purse out of anothers pocket while he lay drunk in the Church-house on the board and that week his eldest son was by one stabd to death A poore man after hee had heard a good Sermon as hee said when he came from the barre unto a Minister would go to a Revell an ill name for Christians meeting together into another Parish where occasionally falling out with one he killed him running out of the Church-yard to doe the bloody fact for which at the next Assisses he was excuted lamenting his ill hap that he could not tarry at home More instances of quarrelling fighting and killing of one another might bee given to terrifie men from such sinfull wayes and from such prophanesse of the Lords day especially consecrated to the laud and honour of Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour CHAP. XXVI Of examples of casuall judgements against the Prophaners of the Lords day OF such like judgements as happen as it were at unawares unexpectedly I have given instances in holy writ And therefore by the recording of them God would have us not only to take notice of such but also to make good use of them as the Lord shall direct us in wisedome in charity and well-mindednesse so to doe For it must indeed bee acknowledged that in this sort of judgements the particular application to particular persons for this and that act is not easie but requireth prudency of circumspection and carefull observation of all circumstances concurring to make a true use of them in the application to others though not the like difficult in all nor yet so hard for the parties upon whom such casuall judgements doe fall to apply them home to themselves for instruction And therefore have they beene observed and recorded Among very many take these few examples Famous and memorable is the fall of the Scaffold in Paris garden where many were gathered together on the Stowes Chron. Lords day to see the rude sport of Bear-baiting the fall whereof flew eight persons and many others were hurt and sore bruised A great number gathered on this day to see a Play acted Doctor Beard in his Theatre in a chamber the floore fell downe by meanes whereof many were hurt and some kild Stratford upon Avon was twice on fire and both times on the Lords day whereby it was almost consumed chiefly for prophaning the Lords day and for contemning the word of God out of the mouth of his faithfull Ministers These two instances are cited by Bishop Bayly Teverton whose remembrance saith mine Authour made his heart to bleed was twice also almost utterly consumed with fire 400 houses at once in a flame and in the first fire were about fifty persons consumed which was for the horrible prophanation of the Lords day occasioned chiefly by their Munday-market Of the first judgement they were fore-warned by their Preacher telling them that some heavy judgement God would bring upon the Towne as it hapned not long after his death Two brethren on the Lords day in the forenoone came from a Market-towne to an Uncle they had there to dine after dinner they took horse againe but had not gone farre but one of the horses fell downe dead who going back againe to their Uncles house the other horse being put up into the Stable within an houre or two after died in the place One would ride after dinner on the Lords day about a worldly businesse which he needed
not then to have done and therefore was diswaded from it but goe hee would his way was over a bridge on which when he came a puffe of wind blew his hat into the river which he seeking to recover by going into the river both he and his horse were drowned nor could he be found till fishes had foulely devoured his flesh The Magdeburgenses report that a husbandman grinding his corne on the Lords day the meale was set on fire And it is knowne to many that a Millers wife setting her Mill on going and she busie in her Mill on the Lords day in the morning the Mill-house fell upon her and kild her of which by the fall of a Stone there but a few dayes or but a week before shee had a faire warning given yet not making good use of it she there ended her dayes Fourteene youths adventuring to play at foot-ball upon the river of Trent on the Sabbath day when it was as they thought hard frozen meeting together in a shove the Ice brake and they were all drowned I might here rehearse many more casuall judgements of many sorts which have hapned upon such as have prophaned this day Fires have beene kindled it not being known how in time of peoples ryoting on this day which burnt downe many houses Some in one place some in another on this day some going out to swimme have beene drowned Some riding to merriments which commonly neglect divine service have fallen from their horses and broken their necks More of this kinde might be rehearsed but let mee conclude with the words of the Authour of the Practice of Piety If these be not sufficient to terrifie thy heart from the wilfull prophanation of the Lords day proceed on in thy prophanation it may bee the Lord will make thee the next example to teach others to keep his Sabbaths better CHAP. XXVII Of objections which may be or are made against the produceing of Judgements in this case with answers thereto AS mens understanding leadeth them so are their hearts affected more or lesse seeme the thing never so dreadfull or terrifying to our common apprehensions as I finde in this particular case Some reject these and other like relations as fabulous and so give no credit to them holding them perhaps for Piae fraudes as formerly were the Popish legends to move feare in peoples hearts with telling of tales These fore-mentioned examples are none such it is a foule sinne to bely God nor need his cause any lies to strengthen it we live now in a clearer light than to be led away altogether with fabulous relations Others because some of the judgements seeme casuall and so commonly held in this very respect make a tush at the allegation of them But however some be apprehended as casuall many being immediate from God none but the Heathen Philistimes Priests will judge them meere chances And for such as be casuall let us consider that a Sparrow cannot light on the ground without the will and providence of our heavenly Father And are the haires of our head numbred Certainly then things which seeme most contingent and such acts as these judged so casuall must needs fall out by the will of God and the guidance of his speciall providence and his divine hand And therefore not to bee lightly passed over with a tush and slighted as a meere accident without due observation and use Some think that there is not much heed to be taken of these judgements concerning this day for that the selfe same may bee found to fall out at other times and other holydayes And therefore nothing can be concluded more peculiarly for this day than for any other from these judgements No doubt but it may so happen and fall out that a Drunkard may fall from his horse and break his neck aswell on any other holy day as on the Lords day A Cudgel-player may on another day be hurt and have his eye struck out as well as on this day One may kill another houses may bee on fire and men by swimming may bee drowned aswell at other times as on the Lords day The like accidents may fall alike at all times for God though he punish the prophanation of his owne day with his judgements yet he reserves not any speciall judgements to be inflicted upon Sabbath-breakers as peculiar to them for that sinne For if so men would not thus dispute the case and sleight the argument for the judgement would clearely decide the controversie and put men to silence But as I have said the same punishments may light upon all sorts of offenders alike at any time Neverthelesse wee may not neglect to take good notice of Gods hand not only in generall to conceive where such hurts and harms happen that there is sinne which hath procured it upon such persons as vaine and ill disposed for we are to judge otherwise of afflictions on the Godly which happen upon a Job for triall but also to endeavour to finde out the sinne in particular in a sober search and godly humility And thus much must we doe for the work of Conscience which stirreth not upon an only generality but upon knowledge of this or that particular sinne applyed home to our selves upon the breach of some precept Thus shall we instruct our selves by observing judgements to take heed of particular sinnes Now to finde out the sinne and the sinner in his sinne which God pointeth out by his hand upon him 1 Enquire into the transgression of the Law for by it commeth the knowledge of sinne which is the transgression of the Law upon this ground we cannot misse of the sinne 2 In the next place ponder seriously all the concurring circumstances concerning the punishment happening And here note 1 The notorious qualities of the person upon whom the judgement lights whether he be a common swearer drunkard fornicator a despiser of holy duties or grossely carelesse of them 2 What evill he was saying or doing when the punishment befell him 3 Where hee was in what place prohibited 4 His intention discovered to be nought ungodly or unjust 5 How he did or speake in an evill manner Lastly the time is very considerable when any such thing was done at what time the judgement hapned By all these concurring circumstances duely weighed with mature deliberation the divine hand may be observed very usefully even in common and such as be called casuall accidents As for instance A May-pole set up on the Lords day falleth and killeth one one is set up upon a holy day in time of divine service which killeth another as instances may be given The first hapneth for the prophanation of the day because they brake the divine ordinance of God who hath appointed the observation and keeping holy of the day The other for the prophane contempt of Gods divine service on that other day To play at foot-ball on the Sunday the example is fearfull of fourteene drowned together playing on the ice
it whilst the sword was in his owne body and then fell down and dyed in the place the other went back into the Town but dyed also that day 6 Rule The conscience of the sinner is many times a good directer to point out to us that cursed thing If so then what shall we say in this case for divers Prophaners of the Lords day have upon their hurts felt withall the accusation of conscience and acknowledged that those harmes befell them for doing such things as they did on the Lords day Some dying bewailed their sinnes others living made good use thereof and herein reformed themselves of which examples may bee brought to make this good From all this which hath been delivered it may appeare I hope that it is not rash presumption nor any vaine and prophane observation to take notice with reverence of the immediate the mediate and casuall judgements which happen upon the Lords day for the better stirring of us up to the sanctification of the whole day with readinesse of will to the honour of our Lord Jesus so it be without superstition and hypocrisie which such as understandingly know to observe the day aright are farre from both in their intention and practice CHAP. XXVIII Of the serious ponderation of these things CHristian Reader that lovest thine owne soule lay aside all prejudice in the cause labour for selfe-deniall and be in love with the truth Behold the Primitive times weigh the records of our Church the care of Emperours and Kings take notice of the Decrees of Councells and Synods the judgement of the learned in the Church both the Ancient and Moderne the many to the few of a contrary minde and lay to heart these severall kinds of Gods judgements by all which we may see what God and all good men would have us to doe and what to avoid on this day without any Judaizing at all For we doe not put as the Jewes did holinesse in the day as holy in it selfe but as a day set apart by divine authority for holy duties Nor doe we make our rest holy but in the use of it requisite to holy performances of the sacred duties of the day for without cessation from our own profits and pleasures we cannot apply our selves to Divine Services and therefore it being both as a meanes to take us off from the hinderances of holy duties as also a furtherance to the exercises of holinesse which on this day are publickly and privately to be performed we presse the keeping of a Rest If we be well understood I suppose none would say wee did Judaize nor call us by the new reproachfull name of Sabbatarians we hold no more for restraint than holy men have done in former ages Doctor Heylin doth tell us that the fifth and sixth Centurie were fully bent to give the Lords day all fit honour not only in prohibiting all unlawfull pleasures but in commanding a forbearance of some lawfull businesses such as they found to be most hinderance to religious duties S. Augustine long before allowed on the Lords day no wandring about woods and In Serm. de tempo 251. fields with noyse and clamours no telling of tales no playing at dice nor dancing on this day yea he findes fault that whilst they rested from a good work the work of their calling they rested not from vaine and trifling works as if saith he one time of the day were set apart to the Service of God and the rest of the day and the night to their owne pleasures Tertullian before him telleth us how holily the Sabbath was kept after the breaking up of the Congregation as before hath beene delivered And it is worthy to be marked out of Doctor Heylin though he make mention of recreations cap. 3. pag. 84. cap. 4. pag. 123. in his Historie of the Sabbath yet hath he not produced any one testimonie of any one Father for the now conceit of Christian libertie concerning recreations of which he saith after dinner until Evening Prayer and after Evening Prayer untill the time of Supper there is no question to be made but all were practised which were not prohibited But had there beene proofes hee surely would have produced one Father or other for them But come we now to our Opposites See before Mr. Brerewood and see what they say for us without Judaizing and insteed of all the rest I take only here the learned Bishop White who saith thus so farreforth as secular labour and Pag. 226. 227. 261. pastime or recreation are impediments to sacred and religious duties publick or private to bee performed upon holy dayes they are to be avoided and abstinence from them must be used according to the equitie of divine law and the precept of the Church otherwise they are sacrilegious citing Cyrill for his purpose because they are meanes to robbe God of his honour and to hinder the spirituall edification of Christian people and because abstinence from labour and from recreation upon the holy day is subservient to the exercise of religious duties and on the contrary secular labour and pastime are impediments thereunto and if they be acted at such times as the precept of God and the Church prohibit they are prophanations of Gods holy day The same learned Father in another place in his book against Braborn saith that because the Lords day and other holy dayes are devoted to the Service of God and appointed to the exercise of religious and spirituall duties Christian people are to perferre their religious offices of those dayes before their wordly pleasures and profit and the more observant they are hereof the more they please God if other actions of their life be sutable to their devotions yea he saith further and so much as we may say and no more that devout Christians who are so piously affected as that upon the Lords day and other holy dayes they doe resolve to sequester and retire themselves from secular businesses and ordinary pleasures and delights to the end they may more freely attend the service of Christ and apply their mindes to spirituall and heavenly meditations are to be commended and encourged For the doing thereof is a work of grace and godlinesse pleasing and acceptable to God for which he quoteth Col. 3. 2. Joh. 6. 27. Object Let none say that flesh and blood cannot apply it selfe so holily an whole day together Answ For first flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdome of heaven 1 Cor. 15. 50. Secondly we must strive to doe by grace what wee cannot doe by nature else we shall never doe at any time true service to God according to any of his Commandements Thirdly God must not loose his right of service from us because we have procured to our selves wretched natures soone weary of all spirituall duties Fourthly lazie servants can hardly undergoe any labour much lesse to hold out a day yet the awe they beare to their earthly Masters maketh them to doe
old world in a new world as it were after the Israelites delivery out of Aegypt 2400 yeeres from the worlds creation How likely this is let the indifferent Reader judge But let us see their reasons 1 Argum. Moses wrote Genesis after the giving of the 4. Our Opposites Reasons Law as Beda and Abulensis with others say Therefore Moses hearing the Law of the Sabbath wrote in Gen. 2. 3. of Gods purpose and intention and of the Destination of the Sabbaths sanctification after the giving of the Law Answer 1 This is not well proved that Genesis was written after the giving of the Law Beda Abulensis say so Porerius and Eusebius Caesariensis say otherwise Set opinions against opinions Secondly there is no consequence from the Antecedent Moses having heard the Law wrote therefore in Gen. 2. 3. of the Sabbaths Sanctification by Destination here is a rope of sand indeed for had he written those words in Genesis for the instruction of the Israelites why mentioned not he the Law of God given at Sinai to make more plaine the Destination and the fulfilling of it for reason would that hee should have done so Thirdly if the words in Gen. 2. 3 have reference to the Law and are not dependent upon the verses going before why doth not Moses in his writing of Exodus mention some such thing either in Exo. 16. or 20. where he writeth of the Sabbath or in other places where hee mentioneth the seventh day In Deuâ—â—ronomie chap. 5. where he repeated the Lawes and giveth a reason of the Lords commanding to keep his Sabbath vers 15. where this Destination might aptly have beene mentioned yet Moses speaketh not a word thereof 2 Argument Musculus doth translate Sanctificatus by Destinatus and Mr. Byfield observeth that the originall Word signifieth to prepare Therefore the Sabbath had not an actuall existence in the world from the beginning The Rest was from the beginning but the Sanctification it selfe was a long time after Answer 1 For the signification prepare it signifieth not so properly but figuratively and so used somewhere and so translated as in Ier. 12. 3. but hardly in any other place in the whole old Testament taken in this sense What reason is there to leave the proper and most common acceptation and take a figurative and so rare a signification of the word Againe a word of many significations must have the signification given it as may be approved by the circumstance of the Text and not as wee please to apply it for our own purpose without proofe Thirdly who knoweth not that to prepare is for present use very often see in Exo. 16. 5. Num. 23. 1. Ios 1. 11 and Ester 5. 4. Psal 147. 8. Mark 14. 12. 15. therefore it is unsound from a bare signification to conclude a future Destination for a very long time after 2 For Musculus expressing of it Destinatus I answer first that none translateth the Text it selfe so Iunius and Tremelius Arias Montanus Pagnine the Septuagint the Chaelde paraphrase the vulgar Edition all of them translate it by See Avernarius Schindlerus and the rest Sanctificavit and none by Destinavit Secondly no where do the Dictionaries expresse the Hebrew Word in Gen. 2. 3. by Destinavit but by Significavit Why therefore should a singular expression by any on single man occasion any to wrest a Text of Scripture from its common and plaine sense to uphold a new device Thirdly though Musculus doth thus expresse the Word doth hee thereforecoyne such an interpretation He doth not And therefore his Destination is no more but the setting apart of the day to bee a Sabbath to ordaine and chuse it for that end Fourthly that none may be deceived by the Word Destination wee must understand that there is a double Destination 1 A future Destination for time and imployment the time longer on shorter as there is use of the thing destinated to future time because the thing destinated in Gods decree hath not existence or being before such a time This was the Destination of Cyrus spoken of by Esai 44. 28. and 45. 1. long before he was borne and when he was made King in the first yeere of his raigne he performed that which God had destinated him unto Esdr 1. 1. 2 Chron. 36. 22. To this kind of Destination must be referred Ieremie to bee a Prophet before he was borne So Iohn Baptist Christs fore-runner and Saint Paul a chosen vessell to beare Christs name before the Gentiles and Kings and Acts 9. 15. the Children of Israel And this Destination may be spoken of Christ ordained to be the Messias and to shew himselfe to bee so in his appointed and destinated time Now this Destination is indeed nothing else but Gods preordination of a thing to bee which hath not either present being or not fitly the time come for the use and imployment thereof but neither of these can be said of the day on which God rested as is cleare by what is before ganted by our Adversaries 2 Present Destination for time and imployment so also as the thing Destinated be for continuance and may come to a greater solemnity more at one time than at another as for example to evidence it in persons places and times 1 For persons the Levites were destinated to the service of the Tabernacle and were actually admitted to the service thereof presently upon their choyce for they were fit and the time seasonable for the use the Tabernacle 2 For places when the Tabernacle was made it was destinated to the solemne worship and service of God and was presently employed so was the Temple after Solomon had built it 3 For times Abib Exod. 12. 2. was appointed the beginning of Monthes and the fourteenth day of the Month destinated to the eating of the Passeover and though it was to be continued for the times to come and to bee observed with greater solemnity yet then was it actually in use So that with the institution there was the present observation though with greater solemnity afterwards performed Thus may we think of the first seventh day Sabbath so destinated for a Sabbath to be kept with greater solemnitie after Israels deliverance out of Egypt yet nothing hindereth to beleeve if we take what before is granted that there was a present observation of the day What I finde to bee objected against this is answered in this Section afterwards 3. Argument Solemn Feasts memorialls of Gods great mercies were ordained in Sinai but destinated to be kept holy in Canaan So that between the institution and observation may be a great distance And therefore it is not unreasonable to hold the observation of the first seventh day Sabbath to be deferred to the time after the Law given Answ 1 Yet here is a great difference between a few yeers in one age and many ages through out the old world and the ages following for above thousands of yeers Secondly There was at the
any not wilfully averse from the truth the change of the tense in the two reasons Moses speaking of Gods giving of Manna because it was at this time given whilst the people were in the wildernesse of Zin Exod. 16. 1. saith in the present tense Dat vobis he giveth you in the sixth day the bread of two dayes but speaking of the Sabbath he uttereth the words in the preterperfect tense Jehovah dedit vobis ipsum Sabbatum The Lord hath given to you the Sabbath as that same which was of old which evidently declareth the Sabbath to have beene before this time and not now at this present in this place instituted For if it had beene now at this time given as the Manna was Moses would have said he giveth you the Sabbath and not he hath given it Having thus answered this place of Exod. 16. yet one thing remaineth to be removed as a great block in the way which is the silent passing over the observation of the Sabbath from the Creation till the rayning of Manna and therefore they are bold to conclude from a meere Negative that there was no observation of the Sabbath Answ 1. I have proved the institution Gen. 2. 3. which is enough to prove that they ought to have observed which if they did not was sin in them but the reverence we owe to those holy men of God bindeth us to think better of them than so 2. I have shewed my reasons why wee are to bee perswaded that the Sabbath was kept of them of more force to confirme this assertion than such a weak argument from the bare silent passing it over historically can bee of any validity to refell it For as the historicall narration of Moses speaketh nothing of the observation of the day after the institution of it so we may finde after it was commanded on Mount Sinai that no mention is made of any observation of the day in all the book of Joshua nor in the book of the Judges nor in Ruth nor in the first or second of Samuel nor in the first book of the Kings shall we therefore conclude that in all this time valiant Joshua the Princes of the people the worthy Judges holy Samuel zealous David and others did not observe the Sabbath In all the History of Hester no mention is made of God will we therefore say hee was not then knowne or worshipped of Mordecai Hester and the religious Jewes God by his spirit directed the holy Penmen to write so in such manner and of such things as he in his heavenly wisdome thought fittest to make rehearsall of to posterities and not to embolden men to deny such and such things not to have beene because the Lord was not pleased to mention them If we should thus reason what an ill face of a Church would we imagine to have beene in the world till Moses his dayes For the better clearing of this point and to manifest the absurd and impious reasoning from the silence of Scripture in this sort I will divide the times from the Creation till Moses and then let men see the silent passing over of many things and whether men dare to deny the observation of the Sabbath upon that only very selfe same ground 1. From the Creation to the fall how long is uncertain the Story is only in two chapters and no more In this space is not one word of Adams worshipping of God not a word of any holy duties practised May we think therefore he performed no such thing to God If we be ashamed so to conclude from the silence of the Scripture herein why dare any deny Adams observation of the Sabbath upon no other ground seeing he knew it to be instituted and had Gods example of resting before him for his imitation But yee will perhaps say that Adam could not keep it because he fell before the Sabbath day Answ Learned Zanchius is confident to affirme that Christ took an humane shape and conferred with Adam and taught him how to keep the Sabbath to the Lord. And it seemes to me somewhat unlikely that God would suffer Adam to fall the very day of his creation First Adam was made the sixth day what time is not noted let it be in the morning it cannot be then first because of the things to be done before he fell 1. All sorts of beasts and foules were brought to him to name them every severall sort according to their natures which took up some time 2. He was cast into a deepe sleepe 3. A rib was taken out of his side and thereof the woman was made 4. The Lord brought her to Adam and married them who spake of her and of the conjunction of man and wife 5. God put them into Paradise to dresse the Garden and gave them a Commandement all which took up some space of time Secondly in respect of the time of the temptation the Serpents comming into the Garden then the conference betweene him and Eve and after betweene Eve and Adam the temptation was not so suddenly begun and ended as the shortnesse of the Story may seeme to intimate Thirdly the things done after the fall 1. A confused shame of face to see themselves naked 2. Their sowing leaves to cover their nakednesse 3. Their hiding themselves which was in the coole of the day 4. Their examination and answer and then the sentence after upon all Fourthly and lastly the casting of them forth of Paradise All which may give us to think that these things could not well happen upon his day of creation 2. It is not likely that Eve would so suddenly straggle from her husbands company and so immediately to be set upon by the Serpent as soone as they were in the Garden 3. They could not conceive of the excellency of their state of perfection nor of the efficacy of Gods blessed image and likenesse in them if they had enjoyed no time for the expression thereof For what time could they have had together to discerne of each others excellency to contemplate upon Gods creatures to behold their glorious habitation and to praise God for his goodnesse if they had fallen the same day 4. The words of Gods approbation of all his works he saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good Gen. 1. 31. which approbation he gave of them at the end of the sixth day For upon the words written by Moses of Gods seeing all things very good he addeth and the Evening and the Morning was the sixth day that is the day naturall was finished for so the words are to be understood of every of the other five dayes verse 5. 8. 13. 19. 23. Now God speaking in the end of the sixth day so well of all his works if Adam had fallen on that day and God had cursed the earth for mans sin how could it be said that hee saw every thing good when through the sin of man all things on a sudden came to be
go out to seek for it 2. If it were not lawfull to go out on the Sabbath day how was it that some found in the Wildernesse a man gathering sticks and yet they blamelesse They went out else had they not found him Num. 15. 32 33. Yea if it so fell out upon the Sabbath day there were causes of going out of their houses Deut. 23. 10 12 13. 3. Though this gathering of Mannah seem to this man to be done without paines it s not so for it was not at their doores as he saith but on the outside about the host on the face of the Wildernesse Exod. 16. 13 14. so as they must go abroad for it neither was it without paines to gather an Omer for every one of such a small thing as it was like to Coriander seed Vers 31. 4. But grant it had been so yet know that to labour for food was in the nature of a weekly servile work so that here is prohibited the six dayes labour for bodily necessaries which they had then no need to do II. He saith that the Israelites were to prepare their Mannah to bake and seeth what they would on the sixt day that so they might prevent that labour on the Sabbath day Exod. 16. 23. So they might not belike dresse and make ready any food on the rest day Answ 1. The words in Vers 23. do not undeniably imply that that which remained over and above their baking and seething was baken and sodden with the rest but rather the contrary as thus bake what you will bake and seeth what you will to day and that which remaineth over to wit not baken nor sodden lay it up for you to be kept untill the morrow for Moses said nor seeth and bake all and so reserve some for to morrow but bake and seeth what you will of it which implyeth that some was not baked and sodâ—en 2. Albeit he seemeth necessarily to inferre because Moses said next day eate that to day to wit which was reserved and had no wormes in it nor stanke Verse 24 25. that it was baken or sodden over night But if it had been so the miracle had not been so great for that which the people did reserve without warrant and had wormes and stank was as they gathered it and not either baken or sodden for any thing that can be gathered out of the text Again the only bare mentioning of eating doth not inferre their not baking or seething more then the bare naming of the peoples baking and seething will inferre their not before grinding of it of which not a word there in the text It s most like that which remained over was ground with the rest either in Mills or beaten in Mortars as they used to do Num. 11. 8. and so the Meal thereof was reserved to be baken or sodden the next day which if so they abstained from no other work then servile as we do from carrying our Corn to the Mill to be ground of the Millerd which is his weeks dayes labour 3. But grant all this to be so yet this was but for the time of the Mannab let him prove that it was so in Canaan my instances before do shew the contrary Nor was this preparation but about the Mannab because it required such labour in the Mill and Mortar to make it ready a servile work not fit for the Sabbath being so much for so many Thousands III. He alleadgeth Exod. 35. 3. That they were prohibited to kindle a fire throughout all their habitations on their Sabbath day Exod. 35. 3. Answ 1. Consider that this Commandement was given some space of time after the giving of the Law in which space they making a fire they offended not and therefore this strictnesse was not from the nature of the fourth Commandement it self 2. This inhibition must be understood of kindling a fire for work forbidden to be done on the Sabbath day for else there is no Coherence of this Verse with the former in which Moses doth tell them that God would have no six dayes work done on the Sabbath to wit servile Therefore for this end not to kindle a fire 3. Some hold this Commandement to concern only making of fire for the furtherance of the Work of the Tabernacle For therefore is here the Sabbath mentioned to shew that the Work of the Tabernacle should give place to the Sâ—bbath 4. Learned men both Protestants and Papists hold that to kindle a fire was not simply forbidden for being a negative precept it should not have admitted at any time the making of a fire in any of their habitations Is it like that in Winter they never made fire on their Sabbath The season was sometime cold in that Countrey as we may reade John 18. 18. And what a Feast was that to which Christ went on the Sabbath day Luk. 14. 1. may it be supposed there was no fire Lastly note that had this been a durable precept these words had been added to it a Statute for ever throughout your generations as we may see of forbidding work in Levit. 23. 31 and it was usuall in a durable Law to adde the word Exod 12. 14. 17. 24. for ever for which many other texts may be produced which is wanting here as but temporary IV. He bringeth forth the punishment of him that gathered sticks on the Sabbath day Num. 15. 32 36. Answ 1. That here one was found gathering of sticks upon the Sabbath day and brought before authority for it and his sentence was to dye and he was stoned to death cannot be denied But that it hence is to be collected that therefore it was an exact strictnesse imposed upon Israel by the fourth Commandement not so much as to gâ—ther sticks upon the Sabbath day rest to be proved For 1. The fourth Commandement it self is affirmative and not negative and therefore necessarily inferreth not the forbidding of such an act for ever to the Israelites 2. The words in the directory Thou shalt do no work are with a restriction as I have proved 3. It is manifest that the most zealous for the Sabbath have had meate dressed then flesh-meate and whither that Nehe. 5. 58. could be without fire and fire without wood stickes or bones or some other fewell let any judge 4. There was no prohibition for such a work before set down expressely and therefore they knew not what to do till they asked Councell of the Lord concerning him 5. This mans sin was great before God it appeareth by the greatest punishment inflicted upon him as was stoneing to death in Israel but how came it to be so not simply in breach of the fourth Commandement but it was as learned men hold a presumptuous sin a great sin for such a one despiseth the Word and reproacheth God Num. 15. 30 31. Now that he sinned presumptuously it is so to be judged 1. By the Connexion of the Story for Moses having set down a Law
For that the Seventh day is abrogated but this is not so it s changed but not abrogated as meer Ceremonies be IV. It was a signe say they between God and the Israelites Exod. 31. 13 17. Ezek. 20. 12. God in giving his Law saith no such thing and still we must make a difference between the Law it self and what after were added for instruction as the then state of the people required Again every signe is not a Ceremony for the Rain-bow was a signe Gen. 9. yet no Ceremony Moreover the reason added why it was a signe belongeth to us For in six dayes the Lord made beaven and earth and on the Seventh day he rested Exod. 31. 17. The end why he made it a signe doth a like appertain to us to wit That they might know him to be the Lord that Sanctified them Exod. 31. 13. Ezek. 20. 12. And are not we to learn and know as much in keeping our rest-day in holy duties yea blessed are they that do learn this lesson to know the Lord that he doth sanctifie them in the use of his Ordinances upon the day of our rest V. It was a memoriall say they of their deliverance out of Egypt Deut. 5. 15. This reason was Moses addition to move the people to pity their servants and cattell Must Moses his charitable use made of the Sabbath and his argument to perswade them to mercy from Gods mercy to them alter the nature of the Precept and disannull it The words in the beginning of the verse may be conceived in a Parenthesis and are brought in onely as a memoriall of that great deliverance as God remembred it in the preface to all the Commandements to move them to observe the whole Law and the word Therefore is to be annexed to the end of the 14 verse as indeed it ought in sense and reason which being so the words prove not the Sabbath to be instituted for a memoriall of their deliverance from Aegypt though they had good cause to remember it on this day and in keeping the fourth Commandement imposing rest as also in observing the first and all the other for as I said it s in the Preface to the whole Law as never to be forgotten of them but to be remembred as a strong motive to stirre them up to obedience VI. Say they it s ranked by the Apostle Col. 2. 16 17. among shadows But the place is not meant of the weekly Sabbaths I. The weekly Sabbath is the substance of the fourth Commandement and therefore durable not abolished as the Apostle speaketh of these Sabbaths II. The Apostle speaketh here of such things as cannot agree with the weekly Sabbaths 1. The Tearm Ordinances vers 14. shew where the Sabbath of the week is called an Ordinance 2. The word Ordinances are expounded to be the Commandements contained in Ordinances and these were the middle partition-wall between the Jew and Gentile taken away on the Crosse Eph. 2. 15. But the Sabbath day was no part of the partition-wall between the Jews and the Gentiles for we keep still a Sabbath unto the Lord. 3. They are the hand writings against us and contrary to us blotted out and abolished Col. 2. 14. Eph. 2. 15. but not so the weekly Sabbath 4. These were a shadow of things to come whereof the body was Christ vers 17. but the * Generally the Fathers take it to prefigure Christs rest that day onely full and wholly in his praise as D. Andr in his Star-Chamber speech acknowledgeth Sabbath of the week was no such thing if we consider it in it originall and not of the declaratory cloathed with it accessories as BP Lake speaketh for saith he before the fall the Sabbath was a kinde of rest shadowing out our eternall rest but not of that whereof Christ is the Body To us the Lords day is a foretaste of that eternall rest and I hold the shadow to be as lasting as the world Thus this leaâ—ned Father and Doctor in our Church who saith further that they who alleadge the Col. 2. 16. are out of the argument because le speaks of shadows whereof Christ is the body which he denieth of the weekly Sabbath considering it in the originall institution and not after the fall made a shadow by accessories III. Here the Sabbaths are equalized with meat drink holy-day new Moon which were the shadow of things to come Therefore hereby must be understood other Sabbaths Such were these Sabbaths the first day of the seventh moneth Lev. 23. 24 32. the seventh yeer Lev. 25. 4. the yeer of Jubilee Lev. 25. 8 11. So the holy Convocation of the Festivall times the first day Lev. 23. 7. the seventh day vers 8. the eighth and the tenth vers 27 32. all which were called Sabbaths 39. the same mentioned with the new Moons Esa 1. 13. called appointed Feasts verse 14. Those kinde of Sabbaths must be here meant 1. These were called Ordinances as the Apostle calleth them here 2. These were of the partition-wall and abolished and taken out of the way 3. A shadow of things to come 4. Thus the word Sabbaths taken agree well with meat drink new Moon and holy day 5. The Apostle varying the number from new Moon and holy day singularly to Sabbaths plurally would have us to understand the annexed Convocations called Sabbaths Lev. 23. 39. before mentioned Thus we see their arguments what little strength they have to prove the fourth Commandement Ceremoniall SECTION XXIII That the fourth Commandement is in no part Ceremoniall IT is clear enough that the fourth Commandement is not Ceremoniall not in part as some do grant it much lesse the whole as some of late boldly affirm it to be 1. The institution of the Sabbath on which the Commandement is grounded commanding no more then at the first institution was before the fall when there was no need of any Ceremony 2. God never made himself an example of any Ceremoniall precept as he doth in this 3 A Ceremoniall precept consists wholly or in part of some Ceremoniall service prescribed by it but no such service neither in whole nor in part in this neither in the day nor in the strict observation of it as before is proved 4. All and every Ceremoniall precepts and politicall were given mediately only by Moses Levit. 27. 34. Deut. 4. 14. But this was given immediately by God himself 5. That which was Ceremoniall was properly and directly the School-master to Christ For the Ceremoniall Law was that proper and direct School-Master Gal. 4. 24. But this precept is not any part of that School-master to Christ properly and directly 6. Whatsoever was Ceremoniall was Carnall Heb. 7. 16. and a beggerly rudiment Gal. 4. But Saint Paul speaking of the Morall Law calleth it holy just good and spirituall Rom. 7. 12 14. of which Morall Law this is an undelible precept and not a Carnall and beggerly rudiment 7. All Ceremoniall precepts are abrogated by Christ as
thankfulnesse to the uttermost of our power withall our hearts mindes soules and strength to serve him and to take the benefit of such times as bee set apart for his glroy and worship and to be taken up therein with spirituall delight in such service to the Lord our God For grace is more binding by the Gospel upon the regenerate than the Law can bee forceable upon naturall men If therefore the Law doth not admit of idle sports on the Sabbath then much lesse the Gospel which doth more enlarge our hearts with the love of Christ and more forceably takes us off from making any provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof if in truth it be powerfully in us 6 All sports and pastimes on the Lords day are to be forborne whilst the lawfulnesse and unlawfulnesse is in question by the most judicious and greatest Divines at home and abroad and the same not decided for lawfull by any of the Fathers Councells or Synods but rather held unlawâ—ull for in such a case to forbeare is safe without sin but if any one shall sport play or use pastimes on this day must either side with the one sort or with the other and yet unresolved because the controversie stands undetermined by some indifferent Umpire or he doth presume of his own knowledge to be able to judge in such a doubtfull case to lead his conscience to doe such things which is both too high a conceit and very dangerous or else is daringly over-bold in love to sports and pastimes to follow his pleasure and will whilst his conscience must needs remaine in suspence and doubting which is no little sinne Rom. 14. 23. and is no small signe that such a one is a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God in that he dareth to attempt the wounding of conscience and the breaking off of his sweet peace between God and him by so short a time of carnall delights For acts in doubtfull cases cannot be without sinne and to sport with sinne is folly which without pardon is the soules deadly wound and destruction of the whole man 7 Nothing is more warrantable to be done on this day and on this our day under the Gospel than was on their day under the Law understanding the Law in its originall and set apart from the accessory precepts added thereto and durable only for a time But under the Law no sports or pastimes for corporall pleasure were allowed on their Sabbath day and therefore to be forborne on this day For concerning sports on their Sabbath wee read not in any place of the old Testament either for allowance or practice thereof Indeed we read in Exod. 32. 6. 18 19. of eating drinking and rising up to play singing and dancing but it was upon a day made for the service of the golden Calfe and honour thereof but condemned by S. Paul 1 Cor. 10. 7. and greivously punished by the command of Moses Exod. 32. 28. we also read but when there was no King in Israel Iudg. 17. 1. 18. 1. 19. 1. 21. 25. and when every one did that which seemed good in his owne eyes that the daughters of Shilo on a Festivall day of the Lord came out in dances Quod erat saith Peter Martyr on this place Die Festo abuti Neither doe wee read that it was a mixt dancing of men and women together as our dances pleaded for commonly be contrary to all the instances in holy writ We may also heare what that learned Bishop White telleth us how the Rabbins out of the Page 138. Talmud affirme that it was permitted yong people to recreate and sport themselves upon some part of the Sabbath with running leaping or dancing provided that it bee in honour of the Sabbath Note this well then not for meere ☜ corporall recreation as our youths use their sports But what credit can be given to these late Rabbins For it is well knowne that the Jewes in the time of the Fathers became prophaners of their Sabbaths by revelling and the like as learned Doctor Prideaux witnesseth and therefore their example not to be imitated or regarded 8 Needlessely to doe on the Lords day what may if out propably hazard sinning and so the provoking of God to anger is a great presumption that the hearts of such are not possessed with that holy feare which maketh men ever jealous of their doings lest peradventure they should at any time offend God But for such to sport on the Lords day as have vigour strength and health to expresse the bodies activity in their pleasurable delights for of such the controversie only is it is needlesse whether you respect their bodies or their mindes and spirits And therefore of such are sports to bee forborne this day 1 They are not needfull for the body If the body hath lost any strength by weekly labour stirring sports and pastimes which are commonly performed with violent motion cannot repaire the lost strength First they are not the ordinary meanes appointed by God for recovery thereof but wholsome food quiet rest moderate sleep good physick and the like as the cause shall require Secondly sports and pastimes are commonly so violently pursued as mens bodies grow thereby the more weary and so in stead of repayring decay their strength Thirdly for ordinary and common refreshment for the reviving of the body to returne with more lightsomenesse and alacrity to work God hath given the painfull labourer rest and sleep in the night for every dayes labour a nights rest for six dayes six nights as in his wisdome he thought fit and sufficient according to that in the Psal 104. 22. 23. Man works on the day and rests at Evening But now for bodily strength if weakned by labour in the weeke before to refresh it for the weeke following a man hath first the Saturday night then the whole Sunday from servile labour and lastly Sunday night two nights and a day for corporall rest so that to an healthy body apt for labour recreations sports and pastimes this day are needlesse for if every nights rest in the week day can by Gods blessing preserve strength recover the decay of it and make it apt for new labour then much more two nights and a day if we pray for a blessing thereon Fourthly The persons addicted to sporting may be reduced to three sorts either to industriously-painfull or to slack-handed idle and lazy in worke or to the holy day persons such as either have little or nothing to doe living idlely like Droanes in an Hive upon the sweat of other mens brows inordinate livers not worthy to eat These last neede no recreations but rather a whip for correction The second sort are either rich mens children 2 Thess 3. not wearied with worke whose labour is rather a loytering than painfull diligence or slouthfull servants sports and pastimes to these two rather increase in them idlenesse than a will to work for these