celebrated and obserued To which holy respects we may add also these that God created the earth the heauens Angelicall creatures on that day graciously so therein preparing the locall place of our eternall Beatitude and heauently repose signified better by ours then the Iewish Sabaoth prouiding our companions therein an earthely habitation in the meane while to honour him in this life and make our selues by his graces worthy of our future glorification All Types of the old Sabaoth are in the mysteries of this fully accomplished This day is a gracious Symbole or signe of our speciall deuotion towards Christ a holy memoriall of spirituall graces receaued from him as the other was chiefly of Gods temporall benefits towards his creatures So as they seeme to be Iewes rather then Christians who against the vniuersall and known practise of Christs Church since the Apostles tyme esteeme the old Sabaoth more holy and worthy to be obserued then our Lords day made for such high and mysterious respects memorable to Christians Lastly the Apostle S. Paul ad Hebr. 4. plainely supposeth Christ to haue instituted a new Sabatisme or day of rest for his people in memory of his rest after the labours which he sustayned for our redemption ended as God ordayned from the beginning a holy day in memory of his owne rest after his workes of creation perfected And from the mysticall signification of these two distinct Sabaothes succeding ech other and simbolizing a double rest of Gods people the one in Abrahams bosome as our Sauiour tearmeth the place wherein the Patriarches before him rested and the other in heauen with himselfe after his Resurrection he taketh an occasion to exhort the Hebrewes that sithence their Forefathers entred not through their incredulity into Gods rest figured by the first Sabaoth they should hasten to enter into the rest of Christ by the day of his new Sabaoth represented from which Text litterally so and truly explicated I make this argument The first Sabaoth representing that rest which God gaue to his people before Christ of which it is sayd Genesis 2. he rested the seauenth day from his workes c. is ended according to the Apostle vers 7. 8. and a new Sabaoth or Symbolicall day of rest was fortould by Dauid and ordayned by Christ after his labours ended vers 9. 10. But no new Sabaoth or Symbolicall day of rest distinct from the seauenth day can be vnderstood to haue beene mentioned by Dauid and instituted by Christ after his labours ended praeter diem Dominicum besides the day of his glorious Resurrection Therefore the old Sabaoth figuring the rest whereunto God inuited holy people before Christ is now ended and the Dominicall day symbolizing the new rest which Christians inuited holy soules vnto is in place thereof happily succeeded Iohn Traske lately entred into a humor of reading histories that he might seeme skilled in some other good studies besides the knowledg of Scriptures may chance to stumble vpon an obiection seemingly sufficient to proue the continuance at least of the old Sabaoth togeather with our Lords day For example S. Gregory Nissen in his Oration against such as brooked not reprehensions asketh an Heretike with what eyes he saw our Lords day who despised the Sabaoth these dayes being brethren so as he that reproacheth the one wrongeth the other also Socrates lib. 6. hist cap. 8. affirmeth the Sabaoth and our Lords day to be the weekly feasts of Christians wherein they were wont to assemble themselues And Anastasius Nicenus lib quaest 77. affirmeth those two dayes to be holy and festiuall The Apostolicall Church also of Aethiopia doth at this day religiously obserue both Sabaoths so as the old Sabaoth by these historicall passages and other authenticall testimonies of antiquity seemeth not to haue beene abrogated by the Apostles Whereunto I answere that albeit the Apostles abrogated the old Sabaoth and introduced the obseruatiō of our Lords day in place thereof as is already proued in this and my former question yet afterwards Christian Bishops occasionally and for a while only in many Easterne Churches renewed a festiuall and Christian obseruance thereof not that they held the Moysaicall precept still to oblige them thereunto as doth Iohn Traske and his disciples or that as Ebion they held it necessary for all Christians equally to obserue both Sabaothes whose opinion all the ancient Fathers are knowne generally to haue detested But for a holy and zealous refutation of the Symonians Menandrians Cerinthians Carpocratians Basilidians Marcionistes and other like Heretykes who to reproach the Author of the old Testament whom they tearmed An euill God least they might seeme to honor him in any sort feasted on the Sabaoth as S. Epiphanius recounted haeres 42. the holy Pastours and people of Christs Church in a zealous detestation of their blasphemies and to shew the same God to haue beene author of both Testaments faithfully and fittly for a tyme obserued both Sabaothes forbidding any Christian vnder grieuous penalties to fast on Saturday more then on our Lords day one Saturday only excepted wherein our Sauiour lay dead in his sepulcher as is expresly mentioned in S. Ignatius Epist. ad Philipenses in the 55. Apostolicall Canon and in sundry other ancient Authors Which Christian and occasionall obseruance of the old Sabaoth is knowne not to haue beene generally practised but only in particuler Churches wherein such heretikes liued and as those Heresies ceased the festiuall keeping of the Sabaoth ceased also and Christians feasted aswell on it as on friday in memory of our Sauiours death and the Apostles sorrow continued vntill his ioyfull Resurrection as is expresly affirmed by Innocentius epist 2. c. 4. Hieron epist 97. August epist 86. 18. by Cassianus collat 3. cap. 10 c. As for the Aethiopians still obseruing the Sabaoth I answere that they are knowne to haue byn corrupted since their Apostolicall conuersion with many Hereticall and Iudaical doctrines practising circumcision and sundry other rites of Moyses law vnlawfull to Christians An other Argument much vsed by Traskes Disciples is that if circumcision were by an expresse decree of the Apostles Act. 15. repealed with much more reason was the Sabaoth by their like decree to haue ben abrogated also considering that the Commandement thereof was included amongest the other morall and still continuing precepts of the Decalogue tables c. Wherunto I answere first that Circumcision was indeed by the Apostles declared to be a burdensome and vnnecessary precept to be imposed on the Gentills But to the Iewes it was abrogated only as generally the Sabaoth was by the contrary doctrine of the Apostles sufficiently warranting and securing the consience of any good Christian to belieue and practise any point of Religion taught by them albeit we read of no Apostolicall Synode purposely made to determine the same Secondly I answere that an expresse decree was more necessary to haue ben made by the Apostles of abrogating the practise of
in Moyses declaration of that precept instancing against those captious accusers of himselfe his disciples the exercises of Priests labouring about sacrifices in the Temple yet not violating the Sabaoth the practise of Circumcision on the eight day albeit it happened on the Sabaoth their vsuall custome of leading out their cattle to water and drawing them out of pittes and places of daunger on the Sabaoth day without any sinfull breach thereof as may be gathered out of our Sauiours manner of speach Luke 13. 14. importing no reprehension of them for such facts but produced rather by him as fit examples apt to authorize his miraculous workes done with lesse labour and more charity and vtility to such as were by his voice or a touch of his hand or garment in soule and body perfectly cured So that Iohn Traske and other Puritanes in their cerimoniall and precise manner of obseruing the Sabaoth are rather superstirious imitators of the Iewes our Sauiours aduersaries then humble and faithfull members of Christs Catholike Church euer knowne to haue practised a morall and not the Iewish and cerimonial obseruance of the Sunday QVESTION III. Concerning the abrogation of the Iewes Sabaoth IOHN Traske adhering more constantly and consequently then other Protestants do to their dangerous ground of beleeuing nothing not expresly mentioned in Scriptures or thence necessarily deduced hath of late vpon conference with others and more diligent search then he had made before of many texts in the old and new Testament like a weather-cocke turned with euery blast of his owne ignorant fancy and iudgment hath determined himselfe and drawne his disciples to a most strict keeping of Saturday the Iewish Sabaoth comaunded saith he by God out of fire and written with his owne finger in the first Table of the Decalogue holily likewise by Christ and his disciples afterwards obserued as a sacred memoriall of Gods rest on the 7. day and therfore now also as a morall and diuine precept still to continue Presse him with the vniuersall practise of Christs Church present past since the Apostles certainely knowne to haue reiected the Iewish Sabaoth and insteed thereof to haue obserued the first day of the weeke in continuall memory of our Sauiours Resurection and he will in horrible pride and pertinacity of iudgment affirme it to haue ben a corrupt and abusiue practise little by him regarded as not being at al grounded in Scripture but repugnant vnto it Vrge him with Christs promises of being present with his Church to the worlds end Matth. 28. vers 20. of establishing it so surely on a rocke that hell gates shall neuer preuaile against it Matth. 16. vers 18. of comforting it with his spirit of loue leading it into all truth Iob 14. vers 16. 17. 26. which fitly therfore is said to be Columâ—â— firmameÌ„tum veritatis the suporting pillar and foundation of true faith 1. Tim. 3. vers 15. to whose holy obedience all Christians are tied vnder paine of being by their brethreÌ„ accounted as Ethnickes and Publicans Matth. 18. v. 17. he will ridiculously tell you as he did to one of his fellow prisoners conferring with him on this very point that the true Church of which these and the like texts were written is knowne to very few consisting of 2. or 3. gathered togeather in Christs name himselfe promising to be in the midst of them Matth. 18. vers 20. that is to say a small number of such little ones as haue truly repented and are made sure of their election in Christ hated and persecuted by men but beloued by God guarded by Angells seeing the face of their Heauenly Father Matth. ibid. vers 10. And examining him further on this point he will in processe of speach tell such as he will be confident with all that himselfe and his brethren are those little ones the only Gnostiks illuminated members of Christs Church others belonging therunto no further then true faith repentance and morality of life shall lead them and ignorance with all excuse them for not actually professing his singular doctrines So he foolishly seeketh with Ebion and other ancient Heretikes to breath life and spirit into the ceremonious carcasse and buried rites of the Iewish law feeding his grosse children with such vnsauery excrements for so the Apostle tearmeth them ad Philip. 3. vers 8. as Christ long since in the ending of that Law hath cast out of the mystical body of his church as not conteining any true norishment of soules in them vainely endeauoureth to illuminate those which obserue shadows who haue happily since Christs time liued in the cleere sunshine of heauenly graces planting like a foolish builder such new points of his faith on the sandy fleeting foundation of the Iewish law and seeking to set vp againe medium parietem maceriae that parting wall of ceremonies which distinguished Iewes and Gentills subuerted and quite ouerthrowne by Christ ad Eph. 2. vers 14. 15. euacuating al such legall decres and ceremonial comandements that he might build on himselfe the foundation and corner stone both people in a Holy Temple and habitation of God c. purifiyng alike their hares by faith Act. 15. vers 9. And that amongest other cerimoniall precepts and decrees of Moyses Law abrogated by Christ the Sabaoth was one holily rraÌ„slated by the Apostles themselues into our Sunday as shall bee proued in my next Question is by S. Paul ad Coloss 2. vers 16. 17. expresly affirmed willing his disciples not to be iudged or discouered in their faithfull profession in meate or drinke or new moones or any part of a festiuall day or Sabaoth which are shadowes of future good thinges By which Sabaoth cannot be meant the feasts of Trumpets Tabernacles Expiation and other such ceremoniall and Iewish festiuities as Traske heretically coÌ„menteth For albeit those feasts be called indeed Leuit. 23. Sabboths or daies of rest because all externall workes were alike forbidden in them as on the seauenth day yet the Apostle rest rayneth the word Sabaoth in this place to signifie the weekly Sabaoths of the Iewes as appeareth first in that hee numbreth such Iewish festiual daies distinctly from the Sabaoth equally forbiding the obseruance of them both His second reason why he prohibiteth them conteyned in that part of the text quae sunt vmbra c. which are shaldowes of future good thinges equally agreeth to them both for as those feasts were shaddows and types so were the weekly Sabaoths also Wherfore Ebion and his disciples the first hereticall obseruers of our Lords day and the Iewish Sabaoths togeather as witnesseth S. Epiphanius haers 30. S. Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 26. pressed with the authority of this place and perceauing the vnanswerablenes therof rather then they would therunto conforme their doctrines absolutly reiected all S. Paules Epistles and accounted him an Apostata from the Iewish faith The which Iohn Traske seemeth not yet to do albeit hee dared once to say of
praier preaching almes frequenting Sacraments c. mentioned by holy Iustin in Apolog. 2. to Marcus Antoninus and other Gouerners of the Empire in behalfe of Christians and sundry of those holy Fathers formerly mentioned Thirdly I make this Argument for obseruance of the sunday in place of the Sabaoth That day of the weeke is chiefly to be obserued by Christians which our Lord was pleased to make and haue called his owne day But our Lord did make and call his owne day the first day of the weeke and not the Iewish Sabaoth Therfore the first day of the weeke and not the Iewish Sabaoth is especially to be obserued by Christians The maior is certaine because as Christians are bound by their faithfull profession to honor Christ himselfe with thankefull humble seruices so doth the wisdome of faith teach them also especially to honor and esteeme that day of all others most holy which their Lord himselfe most respected and did choose to make and haue called his owne day For as to name any day the day of a King importeth that day to be specially regarded by the king himselfe and festiually obserued by his subiects in memory of some victory obteyned or memorable good happened to himselfe or his people on the same so for such holy and memorable respects the first day of the weeke is called our Lords day Apocalyp 2. 5. worthiest of all other daies of the weeke to be honored and festiually obserued by Christians as shall be particularly proued in my next Argument My minor is proued cleerely by that former text of S. Iohn expresly calling one day of the weeke or yeare as a familiar name knowne to all Christians in his time Diem Dominicum our Lords day to wit a day especially sanctified by Christ deuoted to his seruice which was not the Sabaoth of the Iewes no where els in Scripture so called nor any other day but vna or prima Sabbati the next after the sabaoth as S. Ignatius S. Iohns scholler testifieth epist. 6. ad Magnesianos saying that after the Sabaoth ech louer of Christ celebrateth Diem Dominicum our Lords day consecrated to our Lords Resurrection regina principium omnium dierum the cheifest and principallest of all other daies c. els where Epist 8. ad Philippenses he contesteth that if any Christian celebrateth his Easter with the Iews or their other Symbolicall festiuities amongst which the Sabaothes are included he maketh himselfe partaker with those who killed Christ and his Apostles S. Augustin also to omit many other like testimonies of ancient Fathers serm 251. de tempore teacheth the religions solemnization of our Lords day to haue beene instituted by the Apostles themselues because our Sauiour therein rose from death to life and to haue beene by them called our Lords day that we might learne by that name to abstaine therein from sin and earthly labours attending to diuine seruices And after much honourable mention made of that day he saith that therefore the holy Doctors of Christs Church meaning the Apostles decreed to transfer on that day al the glory of the Iewish Sabaoth that what they celebrated in Types we might celebrate in Verities c. Fourthly the precept of the Sabaoth obligeth Christians no further then it can be proued to conteyne a moral law necessary to direct them in their religious duty and thankfulnes towards Almighty God for benefitts But the obseruance of our Lords day is fitter to direct Christians in their duty towards God to put them in mind of his gracious benefitts towards them then the obseruance of the old Sabaoth Therfore our Lords day not the old Sabaoth is now commaunded and fittest to be obserned by Christians The maior is certaine because all cerimoniall and iudiciall precepts are confessed by Iohn Traske to haue beene abrogated by Christ and no law of the old Testament bindeth Christians which is not morally expedient and necessary to direct them in their Christian duty and seruice My minor may be best proued by examining and comparing the institution and ends for which our Lords day and the old Sabaoth were first ordayned and obserued The old Sabaoth was cheifely ordayned in memory of Gods rest from his labours of creating all things in six daies and therefore Philo lib. de opificio mundi wisely calleth it the worlds birth-day seruing for a continuall instruction of Gods people in the knowledge of their creator and to exclude the error of Philosophers commonly teaching the world to haue had no beginning Secondly it serued to represent vnto the Israelites that rest which God had giuen vnto them after their Egyptian seruitude and painefull labours ended as is expresly affirmed Deut. 5. vers 15. Thirdly it declared them to be a peculiar people sanctifyed by God and deuoted to his seruice Exod. 31 vers 13. Fourthly the Iewes Sabaoth allegorically prefigured Christs rest in his sepulcher after his paynefull labours for mans redemption ended as is insinuated by S. Paul ad Hebr. 4. vers 10. Fifthly in a tripologicall sense it signifyed the spirituall rest of soules after the seruile workes of sinne by Christs grace ended as S. Augustine teacheth vs tract 30. in Ioan. and in sundry other places Sixtly is was Anagogically a figure of that rest which holy soules after this laboursome life ended were to enioy in Abrahams bosome as is insinuated by S. Paul ad Hebr. 4. vers 6. 11. and is also taught by S. Augustine epist 119. For all which holy respects and mysterious significations it was expedient and necessary that the old Sabaoth should be changed by Christ into that blessed day on which himselfe was borne for mans redemption to wit the first day of the weeke as may be Mathematically demonstrated by searching backwards the Cicle of Dominical letters which will be found on the 25. of December in the second yeare of the hundred and ninty fourth Olympiade of Rome first built 754. from Cesars death 42. from the Triumuirate began by Augustus 41. of Herods raigne 29. when our Sauiour was certainly borne to haue beene B. Secondly on that first day of the weeke he rose and began humanely to lead his glorious immortall life as may be expresly gathered from the last chapter of all 4. Euangelists Thirdly on that day he visibly infused his holy spirit on the Apostles in the day of Pentecost to wit the fiftith day after the second of Azimes whē the Iews began to number their day of Pentecost which happened to be cōpletly ēded in the yeare of our Sauiours passiō on sunday as is learnedly proued by Ribera de festis Iudaeorum Cap. de Pentecoste by Bellar de Cultu Sanctorum lib. 3. Cap. 13. and sundry other authors So as three of the greatest mysteries of our Sauiours life and most singular benefitts that God could deuise to bestow on mankind happened on our Lords day to sanctify and make it more worthy then the Iewes Sabaoth to be by vs Christians weekely
Circumcision then of transferring the Sabaoth to an other more mysterious and memorable day the determination of the seauenth day rather then any other being as I haue els where declared immateriall to the religious obseruance of Gods Commandement binding only according to the morall end and intention thereof faithfull people to abstaine in one day of seauen from seruile labours and to deuote the same to Gods especiall honor and seruice whereas the practise of Circumcision giuen before Moyses as a couenant and signe distinguishing Abrahams holy posterity from other faithlesse people was wholy to be repealed notwithstanding the Iewes so highly regarded it as not to conuerse or admit into their Temple any one that wanted that holy seale and signe of Gods couenant with them Other arguments more friuolous lesse important I willingly omit being loath to detaine my Reader needlesly and impertinently in them wishing heere for a finall conclusion of this question that Io. Traske and his bretheren would maturely consider the finall issue of their vnchristian and exorbitant doctrines disliked by our Soueraigne and State contradicted by all learned men comming to heare of them and vtterly as yet vnheard of in other partes of Christendome so as the first Inuenters and obstinate Professers of them can truly belonge to no Christian Church present now or past in any age before them QVESTION V VVherein is proued that Christians are to celebrate the yearly day of our Sauiours Resurrection on Sunday and not on the 14. day of March-Moone as the Iewes celebrated their Paschall IOHN Traske in his humor of Iudaisme Hereticall innouation is lately growne so great an enemie to the weekely obseruance of our Lords day as he seemeth also to deny the yearely feast of our Sauiours Resurrection to be lawfully celebrated on any other day in the yeare then the 14. of March-moone wherin the Iewes were commaunded by God to celebrate their Passouer And vpon his late reading in Eusebius lib 5. hist cap. 22. Policrates epistle directed to Victor Bishop of Rome concerning the Asian custome of keeping easter with the Iews S. Irenaus his iudgment that Victor did with ouer much seuerity excomunicate many Easterne Churches for persisting in that wonted Quartadeciman manner of celebrating the yearly day of our Sauiours Resurrection togeather with the Iewes Paschall he will arrogantly presume to call Victor that holy Bishop Martyr famously mentioned in ancient histories a proud Prelate and not sticke to accuse other ancient Fathers of ignorance in censuring afterwards and condemning for heretikes the Quartadeciman obseruers of Easter God himselfe saith he hauing expresly commanded Christ himselfe with his Apostles celebrated on that day his Paschall festiuity And not contented with this hereticall temerity of renewing the Quartadeciman heresy he surpasseth Blastus himself in his Iewish manner of keeping Easter For as I haue touched in my Preface he by his eating of vnleuened bread seauen dayes togeather after the 14. of March-Moone and by sundry speaches vttered to some of his fellow prisoners hath giuen great suspitions that lately he hath obserued the feast of Azimes togeather with his disciples The next yeare peradueuture they will haue profited in Iudaisme so far as to sacrifice a Paschall Lambe also And lastly it is to be feared that falling more and more from their Christiā profession they will with Adam Neuserus Bernardinus Ochinus and other Puritan Deuines finally forsake Christ and imbrace Iudaisme or Turcisme the fearefull sequell and iust punishment of such fantastical spirits as will imbrace no Religion but of their owne deuising nor be obedient children to any Church but of their owne raising But let Iohn Traske and his Disciples celebrate what Paschall they will and on what day they please our Paschal-Lambe according to the Apostle 1. Corinth 5. vers 7. 8. is Christ sacrificed in the euening of the world for our redemption and our festiuall azimes are to be as neere as by the assistance of diuine graces we shall be able to arriue vnto the sincerity of holy actions and verity of doctrines whereby our soules may be happily nourished after their spirituall flight out of Aegypt and conducted towards the eternal inheritance of heauen through the merit of Christs holy life and passion prepared for vs humbling our selues heer to be els where eternally exalted eschewing any temper as neere as we can of that Pharisaicall leauen with which Traskes speaches and actions are as it may be probably ghessed in Gods sight abhominably corrupted who with his disciples will not seem to be sicut ceteri homines in any thing shewing all those simptoms wherby the spirituall Phisitian of soules was pleased to describe the infection of the Scribes and Pharisyes rightly by him compared to dead mens sepulchers painted and polished without but internally filled with all guile and malice The Apostle telleth the Galathians cap. 5. vers 2. 3. that whosoeuer circumciseth himselfe maketh himselfe a debtour of the whole law and Christs death profiteth him not and so it may be proportionably auerred of Traske that in teaching the festiuall obseruance of Azimes he is consequently also bound by the same reason to obserue the entire Law of Moyses so cannot be longer a Christian He was wont heeretofore to vnderstand that text of the Apostle ad Coloss 2. Let not man iudge or discouer you in meate or drinke or new moones or part of a festiuall day c. of the Ceremoniall feasts of the Iewes mentioned Leuitic 23. abrogated by Christ amongst which the feast of Azimes is first mentioned But he hath as it should seeme since altered his iudgment as Ebion his disciples were wont little I feare doth he regard any doctrine contayned in S. Paules Epistles Policrates Epistle neuer taught him to conioyne the Iudaicall feasts of Azimes with our Christian Passouer only that ancient Bishop of Ephesus in a preposterous zeale of obseruing the yearly memory of our Sauiours resurrection as S. Policarpe and other great Saintes had done before him in those partes of Asia wrote very ernestly in the defence of that Quartadeciman Custome Whose authority hath as it should seeme much moued Iohn Traske who either out of ignorance had neuer before read or out of rashenes neuer marked far more conuincing proofes for the Dominicall obseruance of Easter For long before Victors decree thereof Pius his holy predecessor as Eusebius recounteth in his Chronicle declared it to haue byn an Apostolicall doctrine that Christians should keep their Easter on the Sunday and not on the 14. of March-moone as the Iewes celebrated their Paschall Socrates also lib. 5. hist cap. 21. expresly affirmeth that S. Peter S. Paul taught in the Roman and other Western Churches the like Dominicall obseruaunce of Easter which is also testified by S. Protenius Patriarch of Alexandria in his Epistly to S. Leo wherein he testifieth also that S. Marke introduced the same manner of keeping Easter in the Egyptian Churches S. Ignatius
to Ierusalem from all places should be sodainely so inclosed as they should haue no meanes to fly hauing the gates shut vpon them by such captaines and people as vndertooke to defend the citty and so narowly watched by the Romā soldiars as when any were taken to fly they were vsually crucified before the walles and being restained by such multituds they suffered vnspeakeable famine plague and slaughters by externall foes and intestine dissentions which being forknowne by our Sauiour he might wel wish them to pray that their flight or cause of flying to wit the approach of Titus army might not happen in winter or on the Sabaoth not that they might not lawfully fly thereon for safeguard of their liues or fight against their enimyes as we read of Iudas Machabaeus souldiers 1. Machab. 3. but because all meanes of flight should be hindred by the sodaine approach of their enimies without Iewish captains within the Citty and their miseries be multiplied by occasion of such multitudes assembled on the Sabaoth Finally if Iohn Traske for continuance of the Sabaoth shall obiect as one of his disciples seemed to do that the celebration of the same is called Exod. 31. A sempiternall Couenant betwene God and his people to be obserued with perpetuall honour in all their generations Exod. 12. I answere that the like manner of speach is vsed of the old Aaronicall Preisthood Exod. 28. now translated into the Priesthood of our Sauiour ad Heb. 7. v. 11. 12. 15. 16. and abrogated by Traskes owne confession Wherfore we are to interprete the eternal duration of such rites to import only a continuance of them till the Law fully ended or because they still remaine according to the morall eternal things signified by them as S. Augustine solueth this obiection quaest 46. 124. 131. in Exod. QVESTION IIII. Of the Sabaoth translated into the weekely day of our Sauiours Resurrection SAINT Augustine epist 118. rightly termeth it a most insolent madnes for any particuler man to reproue that which the whole Church of Christ generally obserueth for in so doing with vnreasonable pride he practically prefereth his owne singuler opinion before the iudgements of all other Christian Pastours and people as doth Iohn Traske in his nouell obseruance of the Iewish Sabaoth abrogated by the Apostles themselues as I haue proued in my former Question and translated into the holy euer memorable day of our Sauiours Resurrection as is plainely testified by the 65. Apostolicall Canon by S. Ignatius the Apostles disciple in his Epistle ad Magnesianos by holy Iustin Apologia 2. by Tertullian de Corona militis Apologia cap. 16. by Clemens Alexandrinus lib. 7. stromat by Origen homil 7. in Exod. by S. Athanasius in illa verba Omnia mihitradita sunt c. by S. Hilary praefat in psalm by S. Ambrose epist 83. serm 62. by S. Hierome in cap. 4. ad Galatas by S. Augustin contra Adimant cap. 16. lib. 22. de ciuitate dei cap. 30. serm 252. by S. Leo epist 81. ad Dioscorum by S. Gregory lib 2. epist 3. by the Laodicean Councell cap. 29. Wherein Christians are expressely forbidden to play the Iewes and to be idle on the Sabaoth and willed with all to obserue and prefer our Lords day before it So as if any testimonies of antiquity might be by Traske and his Companions admitted and held sufficient to proue the Apostolicall translation of the Sabaoth there would need no other arguments to refute and reduce them from their idle and singuler fancies then those former vndoubted authorities of ancient learned Fathers But as he his companions are wholy ignorant vnacquainted with their workes so are they fully bent to contemne all such Testimonies which they find not warranted by plaine texts of scripture as themselues only are pleased to expound them For whereas not only the Ancient Fathers but Ebion also himselfe and his disciples acknowledged their hereticall doctrine of Iewish feasts and Sabaoths necessary to be obserued by Christians togeather with their owne Dominicall daies and proper festiuities to haue beene expresly contradicted and condemned by S. Paul ad Coloss 2. reiecting thereupon all his Epistles from the Canon of Scripture these new Ebionites by shifting comments and absurd glosses of their owne deuising seeke to delude the text and drawe it against all ancient expositions therof to be only vnderstood of cerimoniall feasts mentioned in the 23. of Leuiticus only because they are there called Sabaothes Whereas the Apostle distinguisheth such festiuall daies from the weekly Sabaoth and equally in this text forbiddeth the obseruance of them both to Christians Which true exposition heere supposed I conclude this argument One day of seauen is still as a morall precept to be holily obserued by all Christians But the obseruance of the old Sabaoth is prohibited by the Apostle to Christians and no other day introduced in place thereof but the day of our Sauiours Resurrection Therfore that day only and not the Iewish Sabaoth is still as a morall precept to be holily obserued by Christians Secondly because Iohn Traske is most delighted with Sillogisticall collections albeit himselfe be so little skilled in Logique as writing lately against an Aduersary he denied the Minor of his Enthimeme supposing that Christ was as he tould the Iewes Dominus Sabati and had full power either by himselfe or his Apostles to abrogate and alter as well as to institute approue the obseruance thereof I frame this argument That day of the seauen is by Christians now weekly to bee obserued which the Apostles themselues allotted for their holy Assemblies and other publique exercises of their Christian faith But the day which the Apostles so allotted c. was the first day of the weeke and not the Iewish Sabaoth Wherfore the first day of the weeke not the Iewish Sabaoth is to be obserued by Christians The Maior or former part of my Argumēt is certaine because such publique assemblies and exercises of faith are the chiefe end for which the Sabaoth and other festiuall daies were first ordayned The Minor or latter part is clearely proued by the practise of the Apostles Act. 20. v. 6. 7. where S. Paul many other Disciples of seauen whole daies which they spent in Troas are read only to haue assembled themselues for preaching frequenting Sacraments which are the most publike exercises of faith on the first day of the weeke and not on the Iewish Sabaoth Likewise on that day the Apostle 1. Cor. 16. vers 1. 2. willed the Christians at Corinth to make their Collects or cōmon gatheringes for the poore brethren at Ierusalem which is an euident signe that Christians vsed to assemble themselues on that day there being no reason to be yealded why such common collections of almes should be rather on the first day of the weeke then any of the rest but that Christians vsed only therein to make their holy Sinaxes conuents for
peacefully togeather in the vnity of one Church The minor of my argument is euident by the decree it selfe wherin it seemed good to the holy Ghost and the Apostles to impose no other burden on them then that they should astaine from those 3. sortes of meates and fornication which decree had beene an insufficient rule to direct them concerning meates lawfull or not to be eaten if other meats prohibited in Moyses law had still remayned so Secondly out of that Apostolicall decree I frame this argument If the legall difference of meats had continued after Christ as before and equally obliged faythfull Iewes conuerted Gentills to the wonted obseruance thereof then was the Apostles particuler and expresse prohibition of bloud meats strangled and offered to Idols needles and ridiculously imposed to the conuerted Gentils they were falsely tould that in abstaining from those meats they should do well because according to Iohn Traske they were by God equally commanded to abstayne from other meats also But it were blasphemy to affirme this Apostolicall decree to containe any false absurd or superfluous doctrine Therefore those meats mentioned in the decree were only and determinatly prohibited to the conuerted Gentills Thirdly neuer any ancient Father or Christian Deuine did before Traske vnderstand other then that the Apostles intended in their decree to ease the Gentills from some burdensome obseruances of the law besides Circumcision which the Iewes had beene before Christs comming tyed vnto as may be playnly gathered from the whole scope of S. Peters and S. Iames speaches assented vnto by the other Apostles But if the Moysaicall Law of meats did generally oblige al Christians after this decree as before then were the Gentils nothing at all eased thereby from the burdensome obseruances of Moyses Law c. Therefore the Apostles certainely meant in that decree to repeale the Mosaicall Law of meats and prohibite to the Gentills only such as that decree particulerly mentioned My third argument shall be the words of S. Paul ad Galat. 2. whereas S. Peter is sayd to haue eaten at Antioch with the Gentills vers 12. but afterwards being fearefull to offend certaine Iews sent by S. Iames from Hierusalem he withdrew himselfe for which simulation S. Paul publiquely tould him vers 14. If thou being a Iew didst liue Gentillike not Iewishlike how dost thou inforce the Gentills to Iudaize which could not be vnderstood of the Iewes in respect of Circumcision whereof no mention is made in that place nor in respect of conuersation wherin it cannot be conceaped how the Gentils could Iudaize or imitate the Iews therfore it must neoessarily be vnderstood of the Iudaicall obseruance of meats wherein they imitated S. Peters example Likewise when S. Peter eating with the Gentils is sayd to haue liued Gentillike and not Iewishlike it cannot wel be vnderstood but in regard of eating such meats as the Gentills did and his not obseruing that difference of meats which the Iewes obserued My fourth argument to conuince Iohn Traske in his Iudaicall obseruance of meats may be taken out of S. Paul ad Hebr. 9. vers 10. numbring the obseruance of meates amongst other cerimonious rites and carnall instifications of Moyses Law imposed only vntill the tyme of correction or reformation which Christ was ordayned to make Wherefore such wonted obseruances of meats are abrogated now by Christ and no longer to continue My fifth argument may be collected out of the same Apostle who hauing in his first Epistle to the Corinthians cap. S. giuen them a liberty to eate or abstaine from meats offered to Idols as their owne consciences serued them obseruing mutuall charity therein cap. 10. vers 25. he willeth them to eate without exception all meats sould in the shambles of the Gentill Citty asking no question for conscience sake that is to say not regarding whether such meats had beene offered to Idolls or not For the earth sayth he is our Lords and the plenitude therof and if any Gentill inuite you to a feast and you will go eate all things set before you c. In which place albeit S. Paul treateth only of meats offered to Idols yet his licence is generally vnderstood of all meats and a fortiori proueth all other things not offered to Idolls lawfully eaten which I proue by these vnanswerable arguments Meats offered to Idols were not only prohibited to the Iewes as were other vncleane meats but also by the former decree of the Apostles Act. â—â— forbidden to all Christians But S. Paul licensed the Corinthians to eate such sacrificed meats without scruple or question Therfore other meates legally only prohibited may be eaten also Secondly S. Paul willeth the Christians of Corinth to eate all thinges sould in the shambles or set at Infidells tables But it cannot be reasonably doubted that in the shambles and at Infidells tables many meates forbidden in Moyses Law were vsually sould and eaten Therfore S. Paul licensed the Christians at Corinth to eate those meates also Io. Traske and his disciples wil not sticke ridiculously to retort the Maior of my argument and to tell me that if the Christians at Corinth might eate all thinges sould in the Gentills shambles they might eate hornes and skinnes also They will also foolishly deny that meates prohibited to the Iewes were eyther sould in the Gentills shambles or set at their tables making so the differentiall law of meats particulerly giuen to the Iewes to haue byn naturally obserued by all other nations also And for a shift they wil flatly deny meats prohibited to the Iewes to be food at all for men more then toades or serpentes Which fooleries against common experience learning and iudgment are to be derided and charitably compassioned in them rather then answered Thirdly the reasons why Christians were licensed by S. Paul to eate Idoll offeringes are two expressed in the text it selfe the first is because an Idoll to him that hath iudgement to distern it is nothing in the world able to pollute the creatures therunto offered the second is because the earth is our Lords and the plenitude thereof that is to say all creatures therein contained are good and created by him Which later reason is effectuall also to proue other meates prohibited to the Iews to be good in themselues and lawfully eaten by Christians Lastly S. Paul ad Rom. 14. like a moderator or peace-maker betweene the firme Christians who were the Gentills and the infirme who were the Iewes weakely scrupulously stil inclined to obserue the differentiall law of meats festiuall dayes coÌ„manded by Moyses be exorteth the Iew not to condemne the Gentill vsing his liberty in eating al sorts of meats the Gentil in like maÌ„ner not to condemne the scrupulous Iew but rather to abstaine from vsing his liberty then offending the Iew to be an occasion to him of scandall and falling from his faith Him that it weake saith the Apostle v. 1 take vnto you not in disputation of cogitations for