Christ as in all other signes As in the feast of Passeover the Lambe which was killed figured manifestly the person of Iesus Christ put to death for our redemption The sacrifices of beasts were figures of the Sacrifice of Christs body The sprinklings and washings were types of his blood of the shedding of it upon the crosse of the sprinkling thereof upon our consciences by the holy Ghost and of the spirituall washing which we receive thereby 15 To this I answer that the figurative and typicall signes of the old Testament were not all of one sort It is true that all had relation to Christ but some of them represented meerly and directly Christs person the actions of his person and consequently the benefits depending thereon Others represented nothing directly but his spirituall benefits yet as proceeding from him and from his actions which consequently they figured also Of the first kind was the Paschall Lambe and the sacrifices that were offered which properly were figures of Christs person and of his sacrifice and consequently of our redemption and of the expiation of our sins made by him which is the benefit proceeding from his sacrifice 16 Of the second sort was the Sabbath day which properly and directly represented the sanctification of the people and their ceasing from workes of sinne but figured also therewith Iesus Christ Because by him that benefit was to be purchased to the faithfull and they were to receive it by his meanes For it is by the offering of the body of IESUS CHRIST once for all that we are sanctified Heb. 10. ver 10. Of the same sort was the Circumcision wherein no thing can be found that figured properly CHRISTS person and the actions thereof But because it sealed the righteousnesse of faith Romanes 4. verse 11. figured the spirituall circumcision of the heart Rom. 2. ver 28 29. Col. 2. ver 11. and was a signe of the covenant of grace Genesis 17. ver 7 9 10 11. which benefits Christ was to deserve by his death in that respect it was a figure of Christ and a shadow whereof the body was in him who also hath abolished it The like were so many Sabbaths ordained on the first and last day of the feasts of the Passeover and of Tabernacles on the feast of Pentecost on the tenth day of the seventh moneth in every seventh yeere in the fiftieth yeere of Iubile which all confesse to have beene abolished by Iesus Christ as things typicall Yet there was no thing in them that made them more particular to the Iewes more ceremoniall and typike nay not so much as the ordinary Sabbath whereof God had said that which he hath not said of these that it was a signe betweene him and his people c. Neither figured they Iesus Christ otherwise then this ordinary Sabbath did For they were not types of his person nor of his actions but only of the spirituall benefits which are alwayes received of the faithfull and which the true Iewes received then in him and through him Now if all the signes of this second kinde which had of old a great sway in the Synagogue were accounted to be figurative and as such are abrogated wherefore should not the Sabbath be likewise abolished 17 Yea how many things were there under the Old Testament whereof no man can tell what relation they had to Christ either in his person in his actions or in his benefits and which perhaps in effect represented no such thing had no typicall signification but were only ordinances belonging to order and ecclesiasticall government servill exercises childish rudiments elements of the world wherewith it was GODs pleasure to burthen his people in those times which were the times of the infancy and bondage of the Church and therefore were ceremonies as well as those that had some typicall and figurative signification For under the name of Ceremonies may and ought to be comprised not only the types and figures which properly and manifestly were such but universally all the observations of the ecclesiasticall policy and government of the Iewes all the ordinances of the Law of commandements which were a partition wall betweene them and all other nations as the Apostle saith Ephes. 2. verse 14 15. Or were memorials of things past which did belong to the Iewes only and for that cause have beene abrogated by Iesus Christ. So that although the Sabbath had not had any typicall signification nor relation to Iesus Christ as it had it was enough to make it to be done away that it did belong to the ecclesiasticall government of the Iewes and was also given them for memoriall of a benefit particular to them to wit of their deliverance out of the land of Aegypt and of that miserable bondage wherein they had not any one day free neither to rest from their labours nor to serve the Lord their God For in the fifth Chapter of Deuteronomie God repeating by the mouth of Moses the Commandements of his Law addeth to the fourth Commandement this reason of the institution of the Sabbath ver 15. And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Aegypt and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arme Therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keepe the Sabbath day shewing by these words that the deliverance which he had given them from that laborious bondage of the land of Aegypt should not onely oblige them to keepe the Sabbath so much the more carefully and religiously but was a cause why he ordained it to wit that it might be unto them a memoriall or a token for remembrance of that glorious and wonderfull deliverance CHAPTER Thirteenth Conclusion of the first part of this Treatise 1. The Sabbath was not ordained nor knowne till after the deliverance of the Israelites out of the land of Aegypt 2. The Sabbath was onely a signe figurative of Christ and a memoriall of a benefit particular to the Iewes 3. All the dayes of the weeke ought to bee Sabbaths to Christians 1 OF all that hath beene said heretofore we conclude First that the Sabbath was not ordained till after the deliverance of the Israelites out of the land of Aegypt and consequently that they kept it not in Aegypt and therefore that they had not learned of the Patriarkes their Fathers to observe it that the Patriarkes did not observe it that Adam received not any commandement of God to keepe it neither had any notice thereof finally that therefore it is not morall For if it were morall and therefore alwayes and in all times necessary if God had commanded it to Adam if the Patriarkes had kept it they had taught their children to keepe it and that being so the Israelites had assuredly kept it in Aegypt If there they had kept it there had been no cause to ordaine it for a memoriall of their deliverance out of Aegypt and to say that after their deliverance and in
in some other place without house or Temple as the Christians were forced to meet together in the Primitive persecutions in such a state of the Church this sufficeth and no more is required as morall It is only the decency and commodity which obligeth us to have houses and Temples builded expresly for Gods service For these reasons GOD would not make mention in the Decalogue at a particular place as hee did of a time stinted for his service 19 This is a sufficient answer to another objection when they say that God might as well have put in the Decalogue Thou shalt keep the New Moones or the yeerely feasts as the Sabbath day because that command as well as this had taught us that there must be a time appointed and stinted for Gods service For I deny that such a command could have taught us this duty as well as the other because such dayes being rare and returning only from moneth to moneth or from yeere to yeere had not taught us the convenient and sutable frequency of GODS publike service as did the Sabbath day which returned weekely Therefore it being more frequent yea more holy and venerable then all the rest of festivall dayes ordained of GOD under the Law he made mention of it in the fourth Commandement rather than of them wherein GOD hath observed a way like unto that which he hath kept in the other Commandements which is to set downe a principall head under which he compriseth all other points that have relation unto it Wherefore as in the second Commandement he forbiddeth to make Images to how downe to them and under that point prohibiteth all will-worship As in the fifth Commandement under the name of Father and Mother and of the honour which he commandeth to give unto them hee comprehendeth all superiours and the respect due to them As in the sixth under murder he compriseth all other violences against our neighbour And as in the seventh under Adultery he understandeth all uncleannesse of fleshly lust so likewise in the fourth Commandement under the Sabbath day and the observation thereof which was his principall festivall he understandeth all other holy dayes and all the ceremonies which he had injoyned and the practice of them all As also which I have already marked his custome is other where in the Old Testament to range under that point all other semblable points of his service yea all godlinesse and Religion and make it in some sort to consist altogether in the observation of the Sabbath whereof the reason is that a man cannot bee pious and religious to God-ward unlesse he observe the externall meanes and aides of Religion and godlinesse which he hath ordained Now the principall meanes of this kind ordained by him at that time was the sanctification of the Sabbath All other meanes of the same kinde were referred to it and were established and dressed as it were upon the mould of it even as whatsoever is the first and head in every kind of things is the rule of all others that are inferiour and subordinate unto it wherefore it is no wonder that GOD would in expresse termes set downe this particular determination of the observation of the Sabbath day rather than any other and comprise under it the morall substance of that Commandement For having thought expedient to ordaine and stint to the Iewes the ordinary celebration of his publike service on a set day to wit on every seventh and on the last of the seven dayes of the week the morall substance of the said commandement which is to have a time regulate and frequent for his publike service could not be so well comprised and designed under any other ordinance relative unto it as under this which was the most notable and principall of them all So the fourth Commandement is morall and perpetuall in one respect to wit in this principall substance which it infoldeth covertly and ceremoniall and positive in another to wit in the foresaid determination as also of the sanctification which it expresseth 20 For when God saith in the beginning thereof Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it he understandeth by the Sabbath day not a day of rest indefinitely and without limitation but a seventh day and the last of the weeke wherein he rested as is manifest by that is said after in the same Commandement For in sixe dayes the Lord made heaven and earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it where the day of rest or the Sabbath day signifieth manifestly the same day whereof mention is made in the beginning of the Commandement which is the day of Gods rest to wit the seventh that he rested on as it is likewise so restrained in the second Chapter of Genesis And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from all his workes Therefore it was not a day of rest in generall that he sanctified but the particular seventh day of the Creation and not any other Also this name The Sabbath day or the day of rest doth never signifie in the Scripture any other day besides the seventh and last day of the weeke which GOD had ordained to the Iewes For these two appellations The Sabbath day and the seventh or last day of the weeke are indifferently taken for the same thing and the one is the explication of the other as may be seene in infinite places Exod. 16. verse 29. Exod. 20. ver 10 11. Exod. 23. ver 12. Exod. 31. verse 15. Exod. 35. verse 2. Levit. 23. verse 3. Luk. 13. verse 14. c. Yea this name The Sabbath day is the proper and particular name of the seventh and last day of the weeke whereby it was distinguished from all the rest which as hath beene observed before did take from it their denomination being called the first second third of the Sabbath c. 21 Also by the sanctification of this day which God injoyneth in the foresaid words of the commandement is not expressed and particularised formally any other then that which consisteth in the abstinence of severall workes whereof mention is made in the words following which may be taken for an explication of the sanctification before injoyned even as in this abstinence is expressely established the sanctification of the said day Evod. 31. verse 16. Neh. 13. verse 22. Ierem. 17. verse 22 24 27. And it is indeed that sanctification which ordinarily God betokeneth and requireth of the people of the Iewes in the Old Testament when he speaketh of the sanctification of the Sabbath day as on the contrary the profanation of that day whereof he blameth them is that which they committed in doing workes which he had prohibited But if it be referred to a sanctification which was to be practised by the use of certaine actuall duties of Religion God understandeth a sanctification by the observation of legall ceremonies as
determine the circumstances necessary or profitable for the observation of the morall precepts of the first Table and which are no part of Gods service and doe not oblige the conscience but in case of scandall amongst the rest saith he Dies Dominicus ab Ecclesia est substitutus Sabbato in usum ministerii c. The Lords-day was substituted in lieu of the Sabbath for Gods service c. Idem in Explicatione Catechet in praecept 4. Sabbatum ceremoniale est duplex aliud Ueteris aliud Novi Testamenti Vetus erat astrictum ad diem septimum ejus observatio erat necessaria cultus Dei. Novum pendet ex arbitrio Ecclesiae quae elegit diem primum propter certas causas is est observandus ordinis causâ sed fine opinione necessitatis quasi ab Ecclesia oporteat eum observari non alium The ceremoniall Sabbath is two-fold one of the New another of the Old Testament That was restrained to the seventh day and the observation of it was necessarie and a part of Gods worship This dependeth from the will of the Church which made choice of the first day for certaine causes and it is to be observed for good orders sake but without any opinion of necessitie as if it behooved the Church to observe it and no other Item Oportet non minùs nunc in Christiana quà m olim in Iudaica Ecclesia esse aliquem certum diem quo verbum Dei doceatur Sacramenta publicê administrentur Interim non sumus alligati ut diem septimanae 3 4 5. vel quemcunque alium habeamus Apostolicaigitur Ecclesia ut se à Iudaicâ Synagogâ discerneret pro libertate sibi à Christo donata pro septimo die elegit primam propter probabilem causam quia eo die facta est Christi Resurrectio It behooveth as well now in the Christian Church as before in the Iewish that there be some certaine day on which the word of God may bee taught and the Sacraments publikely administred But we are not tied to have Tuesday Wednesday Thursday or any other for this set day The Apostolicall Church therefore to make a distinction betwixt her selfe and the Iewish Synagogue according to the liberty given her by Christ in stead of the seventh day chose the first for a probable reason because on that day Christ rose againe Uiet on the fourth command towards the end The Primitive Christians did not change the day only with regard to a difference to be made betwixt Iewes and Christians for thus the matter were not much mended to have changed onely the day and have retained the superstition which the Iewes fasten to it But they had regard to the Resurrection of our Lord which is the true accomplishment of the spirituall rest which we hope for c. Bucer in Matth. cap. 12. v. 1. loc de feriis Hinc factum non dubito ut communis Christianorum consensu Dominicus dies conventibus Ecclesiae publicis ac requiei publicae dicat us sit ipso statim Apostolorum tempore I doubt not but that by the common consent of Christians the Lords-day hath beene appointed for the publike meetings of the Church and for publike rest even in the Apostles dayes Zanchius in praecep 4. in Tractatu de feriis Praeceptum de die Dominico sanctificando ab Apostolis expressum non habemus Apostolicam tamen traditionem esse minimè dubitamus Wee have no expresse command from the Apostles to sanctifie the Lords-day notwithstanding we doubt not but that it is an Apostolicall tradition And having alleaged some proofes out of Scripture to that purpose he addeth Exsacris literis colligitur non ineptè ab Apostolis profectum esse ut omisso Sabbato dies Dominicus fuerit in illius locum substitutus It is not impertinently gathered from holy writ that the substitution of the Lords-day in place of the Sabbath proceeded from the Apostles Acknowledging as appeareth by his words not impertinently that those proofes were but weak But afterwards in expresse termes he avoucheth that the said day is appointed for Gods service without putting any tie upon the conscience Hoc inquit liquet ex sacris literis Nullibi enim legimus Apostolos hoc cuipiam mandâsse tantùm legimus quid soliti fuerunt facere Apostoli fideles in illo die Liberum igitur reliquerunt Accedit quod Apostolus ad Gal. c. 4. ad Col. 2. non vult servari à fidelibus praecepta Dei de Sabbatis aliisque festis Mosaicis quia nolebat fidelium conscientias illis praeceptis astringi quantò minus igitur voluerunt Apostoli obstringi conscientias sanctificando diei Dominico qui nullum habebat Domini mandatum Liberum est igitur illud etiam tempus hoc est nullius obligans conscientiam sed ita tamen liberum ut omnino iste dies sanctificandus sit nisi charit as aliud postulet This saith he is manifest from Scripture For we reade no where that the Apostles gave this command to any man wee reade onely what the Apostles and the faithfull were wont to doe on that day They therefore left it free Moreover the Apostle Gal. 4. and Col. 2. will not have the faithfull to observe Gods precepts concerning Sabbaths and other Mosaicall Holy dayes because he would not have the consciences of the faithfull obliged to those precepts how much lesse would the Apostles have their consciences obliged to keepe holy the Lords-day or Sunday for which we have no command from God Therefore that time also is free that is to say tieth no mans conscience But notwithstanding it is so free that altogether it behooveth us to sanctifie this day if charity doth not require the contrary Item Quis prohibuit quin Ecclesia ficut diem septimum transtult in diem Dominicum sic etiam illos reliquos dies festos in alios transferre potuerit What hindereth but that the Church as it removed the seventh day to the Lords-day may also change the rest of the feasts of the Iewes into other dayes Item At the very end of the explication of the fourth command In locum Sabbati subrogatus est dies Dominicus quia eo die evanuit Sabbatum quatenus figura erat quo Christus resurrexit ut ergo racondemur evanuisse per Resurrectionem Christi Ecclesia non retinuit Sabbatum sed diem Dominicum The Lords-day was substituted in place of the Sabbath because on that day on which Christ rose againe the Sabbath was abolished so farre as it was a figure That therefore wee may remember that it was abolished by the Resurrection of Christ the Church hath retained not the Sabbath but the Lords day Bourgoin Minister of Geneva in his Histor. Eccles. written in French lib. 2. of feasts It is not written when it was that the Christians difunited themselves from the Iewes and began to keepe holy the Lords-day Item After the Apostles some did celebrate the Sabbath others the Lords-day And
for that publike service a particular day returning successively after a certaine number of dayes seeing it is as probable that this calling upon the Name of the Lord which they began in those dayes was indifferently every dayes exercise in each of which they came together to call upon God and to serve him in the time and place that they had appointed their number not being so great nor their necessary imployments about the things of this life so many but that they might set a part some houres every day for this holy businesse Nay granting that they appointed a certaine day out of a greater number to remaine firme and unmoveable what reason can any man produce why it ought to be the Seventh day of the weeke Was it because God rested on that day But how could they guesse that this was a reason obliging them to the sanctification of that day seeing it is not a reason carrying with it any naturall evidence of obligation and is no reason at all but by the free will and appointment of GOD Will they say that from the creation of the world God blessed and hallowed that day to men But this is the point in question Or that Enos and his fellowes asked counsell at the mouth of the Lord to learne of him on what day they should meet to yeeld unto his Majesty the publike service which they had instituted and that God ordained unto them the Seventh day of the weeke This is a conceit taken at randome without any certaine ground They know well enough already what kinde of service they ought to yeeld to God and in what Religious actions it consisted For God from the beginning had acquainted his Church with it and their Fathers had trained them in the knowledge and practise thereof neither was it needfull that they should aske advise of the Lord concerning this duty Therefore it was not necessary nay it was rather unseemely that they should aske him what was the time of the ordinary and publike practise of that service as if they had not beene bound to judge that having no great lets to interrupt their devotion they ought to appoint a fit time every day for so holy and necessary a duty Or at least if they alloted any day of rest the more frequent they should make it so much the better should they performe their duty and be so much the more acceptable to God And in case God had named unto them such a day there is no probablenesse that he ordained one of seven as he did afterwards to the people of Israel For they were but a small number of people and might easily keepe moe dayes in the weeke than one without any hinderance to their worldly affaires But the Israelites being growen to a great and populous common-wealth God assigned unto them the Seventh day of the weeke as a particular point of that ecclesiasticall government whereof hee prescribed unto them all the particularities Therefore the consequence from the one to the other is manifestly of no value But upon that which is said that in Enos his time men began to call upon the Name of the Lord that is to ordaine a publike service and unmoveable times for it I doe inferre with great probability that before that time there was none such and therefore no Seventh day was kept For if it had beene observed how could it be said that in Enos his time men began to call upon the Name of the Lord 3 This good course begun in the dayes of Enos continued undoubtedly afterwards as long as the malice of men could suffer it For their wickednesse was great and the corruption had crept from among the sonnes of men among the Sonnes of God in such manner that it drew upon the face of the earth an universall floud of waters which destroyed all men then living Noah and his families consisting of eight persons only excepted After the floud there is little or no mention made of any exercise of the true Religion saving in the dayes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and in their families Them God had chosen and picked out from the rest of the world with them God made his covenant they were religious and obsequious servants of Almighty God but their families being small Gods service might with great facility be practised in them every day and there was no necessity of setting a part an ordinary day for the gathering together of their children and servants which ordinarily were never so farre separated but that they might come together once or twice a day to doe homage to the Lord their God Therefore there is no probablenesse that there was among them a particular keeping of such a day At least we read not any such thing till the time that Abrahams posterity being much increased and multiplyed in the land of Aegypt GOD brought them out of that land gathered them together in the wildernesse and afterwards in the land of Canaan made choise of them amongst all the nations of the world to be his people gave them his statutes prescribed unto them all the particularities of his publike service and ordained the observation of the Seventh day of the weeke for the solemne practise thereof This ordinance became then necessary because GODS Church was become a great people 4 Verily it is not likely that if the Patriarkes had kept unmoveably a stinted day and namely the Seventh day of the weeke as a divine Ordinance that the holy History would have beene silent and made no mention of it It relateth unto us carefully things of far lesser moment it hath set downe their lives hath specified the generall points of the service which they yeelded to God by prayer by building of Altars by offering of Sacrifices upon them But it maketh no mention neither generall nor particular of any day hallowed by them for the exercise of these their devotions which undoubtedly they would have appropriated to that day And so there was a fit occasion to speake of the day in speaking of the service if there had beene any such day consecrated by them Wherefore the particular times kept by them ordinarily or extraordinarily in the practise of Gods service depended on their wisdome and will which being carryed with most earnest affection to godlinesse and to the performing of all duties belonging to Gods service there is no question to bee made but that they imployed a good deale of time every day to the practise of all exercises of religion and upon speciall occasions of new and extraordinary blessings increased their devotion and gave unto it proportionally a longer measure of time All the service wherewith they honoured the Lord their God consisted undoubtedly in prayers and in sacrifices whereof mention is made in their lives registred in the Scripture but it is not likely that they honoured a Seventh day of Sabbath because it is no where written 5 Also the Ancient Fathers for the most part some Rabbins of the Iewes
15. And as Malachy gathereth thence a perpetuall rule even so from Gods resting on the seventh day wee ought to gather a perpetuall rule of the sanctification of that day For as it is manifest by that which hath been said there is a great disparity betweene these two cosidering that in the first which is the union of two persons in wedlocke there is a foundation of naturall honesty and righteousnesse whereof the practise and confirmation hath beene alwaies since the beginning of the world both in the old and new Testament But in the second which concerneth Gods rest on the seventh day and his hallowing of that day rather than of any other there is no naturall righteousnesse and therefore no necessity obliging all men from the beginning to the end of the World As also no hallowing no practising of it is to be seene in the old Testament before the Law was given by Moses and farre lesse is any confirmation of it to be found in the new Testament 8 The fourth and last reply is that after the Law given by Moses no mention is made in the Booke of Iudges nor in some other historicall Bookes of the old Testament of the observation of the Sabbath and yet from this no inference can be made that the Sabbath was not observed in those daies in like manner none should inferre that it was not kept in the daies of the Patriarches because forsooth there is no record in their history that they hallowed it This reply is so cleane from the matter that no reckoning is to be made of it Verily the first conlusion were too bad because the institution of the Sabbath was made in a most expresse manner before the daies specified in the foresaid Bookes to continue thorow all the ages of the Common-wealth of Israel And no doubt is to be made but that it was kept in all those daies although there was no occasion offered to relate so much in the foresaid Bookes It sufficeth that it is often mentioned in other Bookes which shew the continuall practice thereof under the Law and the Israelites are in them grievously censured as guilty of a most hainous crime when they observed it not But the second conclusion is most reasonable For if the Sabbath had beene observed about two thousand yeeres by the Patriarches before the Law was given and if it was in all that time a part of Gods service is it not a thing uncoth and farre from all likelihood that no notice is given us neither in the story of those times nor in any other part of Scripture that the Sabbath was then commanded and religiously observed Namely seeing the Church was at that time in a particular estate and was ruled by an oeconomy farre different from the government under the Law of which estate and oeconomy there was a just cause why the whole service should be notified unto us and namely this part thereof which is pretended to be so necessary 9 Now this is worthy to be marked putting the case that assuredly neither the Gentiles nor the Patriarches have observed a seventh day of Sabbath before the Law was given by Moses to the Iewes that the two reasons before alledged are of great force to justifie that the keeping of that day is neither of the Law of nature nor of divine institution by a positive Law given to Adam and to his posterity from the beginning of the World But although it could be shewed that either the Patriarches or the Gentiles observed that day from the beginning no more can be gathered of these premises with a reasonable inference saving that God had instituted and commanded the seventh day before the Law was given by Moses But it should be a most unreasonable conclusion to gather from thence that the keeping holy of the seventh day is a point of the naturall and morall Law which as I have said hath in it a naturall unchangeable and universall justice whereas positive Lawes are of things indifferent which have no justice but in the will of the Law-giver and stand or fall at his pleasure CHAPTER fifth REASON 5. 1 If God had commanded the seventh day from the beginning or if the observation thereof were a morall duty God had enjoyned all Adams posterity to keepe it 2 This was impossible by reason of the divers situation of the earth 3 As also because of the impossibility that is in the most part of men to keepe such a commandement 4 Therefore God gave it to the Iewes onely and hath not bound the Catholike Church to any regular and set day 1 IF the observation of one day in every weeke or of a seventh day were a thing morall and if particularly God had ordained to Adam the observation of the last day of seven which hee rested on and which afterwards hee prescribed to the Isaelites by the Law undoubtedly hee had thereby intended to binde all Adams posterity to the observation of one day of seven yea to the last day of seven which he had prescribed to their first Father at least till he himselfe had changed it into another day of seven as is pretended he did by our Lord Iesus Christ. And indeed the common tenet of those which hold the morality of the Sabbath day is that the keeping not onely of a seventh day but also of the last of seven obliged all men till the comming of Christ. 2 But this was is and ever shall be impossible For Adams posterity after it was multiplied extended it selfe abroad very largely thorow all the quarters of the earth the diverse situation whereof in regard of the course of the Sunne diversifieth the daies extremely the Sunne rising according to the diversity of places with much difference sooner or later It is night in some parts when it is day in others Yea there are some Regions where the Sunne goeth not under the Horizon for the space of a whole month others where it setteth not in the space of two three foure five sixe moneths together which all make but one continuall day And thereafter they have as many moneths of night the Sunne never comming nigh them in all that time Considering this great and well knowne variety I aske how it was possible to all men thus dispersed under so many and divers elevations to keepe this seventh day wherein God rested from all his works And how those to whom many moneths make but one day and as many but one night yea to whom the whole yeere is but one day and one night could keepe distinctly and regularly but one day of seven Was it necessary that these men after the revolution of six of their daies and of as many nights which came to many not onely moneths but also yeeres should observe the seventh following that is whole moneths whole halfe yeeres or a whole yeere for one Sabbath only Or these only have they beene freed from the observation of a fixed day for Gods service and left to their owne
pretence 4 Of this I inferre that seeing in the Gospell there is no expresse command touching the keeping of a seventh day of rest it cannot be a morall point For since all other morall points are so often and so expresly injoined therein what likelihood is there that God would have omitted this without making an evident injunction thereof Nay seeing under the old Testament God was so carefull to recommend the keeping of his Sabbaths as may be seene every where in the Bookes of the Prophets is it credible that if he had intended under the new Testament to tie us to the observation of a seventh day of Sabbath he would have shewne as great care to recommend it unto us as he did theirs to the Iewes seeing it is pretended that on Gods behalfe we are as straitly bound to the observation of the Sabbath as they were CHAPTER seventh REASON 7. 1 Manifest reasons out of the three first Evangelists against the morality of the Sabbath What is meant by the Sabbath second first 2 Exposition of Christs answer to the Pharisees who blamed his Disciples for plucking the cares of corne and rubbing them to eate on the Sabbath day 3 First argument out of this answer The Sabbath is declared to be of the same nature that the Shew bread and Sacrifices were of and mercy is preferred unto it Therefore it is not morall 4 Second argument Christ affirmeth that the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath Therefore it is not morall 5 A reply to this argument refuted 6 Third argument Christ addeth that the Sonne of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day Therefore the Sonne of man being taken for Christ as he is Christ and Mediator it is not morall 7 Fourth argument Christ did handie-works without necessity and commanded servile workes to be done on the Sabbath day without necessity Therefore it is not morall 8 Christ as the Sonne of man was not Lord of the morall Law but only of the ceremoniall Therefore the Sabbath is not morall 9 If the Sonne of man who is Lord of the Sabbath be taken in its vulgar signification for every man the Sabbath cannot be morall 10 Hence it followeth that the Sabbath was onely a positive Law given to the Iewes and not to Christians 1 I Adde that not onely there is nothing expresly set downe in the Gospel confirming the morality of a Sabbath day but much otherwise that it furnisheth strong arguments to overthrow it As among others those namely which are to be found in S. Matthew Ghap. 12. vers 1 c. in S. Marke Chap. 2. vers 23. c. in S. Luke Chap. 6. vers 1 c. where is related a thing that came to passe on the Sabbath day which S. Matthew and S. Marke call simply the Sabbath and S. Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sabbath second first or second principall which the interpretors take diversly Some understand it of two holy daies the one following the other immediately and more particularly of the second day after the first of the feast of unleavended bread For that feast was kept seven daies which all were Sabbaths although the first and the last only were solemne Sabbaths of holy convocation Others take it for the seventh and last day of the said feast of unleavened bread which was a very solemne day and equall in holinesse to the first day of the said feast whence it was called Second First that is to say another first or the first called backe againe and renued A third sort expound it of the second solemne feast of the yeere called the feast of weekes or of first fruits and by S. Luke the Sabbath Second First that is second in order after the first and as it were another first in dignity For all the feast daies were Sabbaths It may be also that this Sabbath Second First fell out on an ordinary Sabbath of the weeke Wherein there is a great apparence of truth seeing the Pharisees blamed Christs Disciples for plucking the eares of corne and rubbing them in their hands to eat on that day which they could not have done with any colour saving on an ordinary and weekely day of Sabbath wherein God had forebidden all kinde of worke and namely the making ready of meat For in all other solemne Sabbaths of yeerely feasts he had expresly permitted this particular worke of making ready whatsoever was necessary to every one to eate as may be seene Exod. 12. vers 16. But although this Sabbath Second first be understood of another day then of an ordinary Sabbath it imports not much and no exception can be taken against it to impaire the strength of the arguments which are gathered out of the foresaid places For whatsoever Christ said in defence of that which his Disciples did and the Pharisees blamed in this Sabbath second first is manifestly generall and pertaineth to all Sabbaths kept in times past among the Iewes whether ordinary or extraordinary Thus then the three Evangelists doe record that Iesus went on the Sabbath day thorow the corne fields and his Disciples plucked the eares of corne and did eat rubbing them in their hands Whereof being reproved by the Pharisees as profaners of the Sabbath whereon God forebad to doe any worke Iesus Christ to cleare them and refute the Pharisees alledgeth the example of David and of those that were with him Which when they were an hungry did take and eate the Shew-bread which was not lawfull to eate but to the Priests alone and were not blamed for this because the necessity of hunger was a sufficient excuse unto them Whence his intent was to inferre that his Disciples also in that which they did then were to be excused of breaking of the Sabbath by the same necessity of hunger which they were pinched with and which gave them liberty to doe that which otherwise was not lawfull to doe on the Sabbath day Moreover Iesus Christ addeth If yee had knowne what this meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice yee would not have condemned the guiltlesse Of which argument this is the force that if God preferred the works of mercy and of love to the Sacrifices which in all the outward service of the Law were the most holy and would have the Sacrifices to give place to those workes by identity of reason his meaning was also that the keeping of the Sabbath or abstaining from outward works on that day should give place to that mercy and love which man oweth to himselfe or to his neighbours and would not have allowed that a man should consent to die for want of meat to be hunger-starved or to bring harme to himselfe by some other evill rather then to breake the Sabbath by making meat ready or doing some other necessary worke which was otherwise forbidden on the Sabbath day Hee confirmeth this saying The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath the meaning of which words is
his owne pleasure but in the extreme necessity of his just and reasonable interests is as much as to say that man is not made in that respect for the sanctification of the Sabbath but that the said sanctification is subject to him Now this is the point in question to wit Whether to keepe a seventh day for a day of rest or of cessation according to the injunction given in so precise termes in the fourth Commandement be a morall duty I cannot see what other sanctification of the Sabbath day can be understood by those which say that man was made for it in the sense that Christ taketh this kinde of speech is a morall duty For if they understand a sanctification by workes truely and properly morall such as are workes of godlinesse mercy and charity whereby God is principally and directly glorified and we and our neighbours are edified and maintained for his glory and say that man is made for this sanctification ought to observe it carefully and to make if neede be the rest of the Sabbath day to stoope and give place unto it this is most true but our question is not about this kinde of sanctifying the Sabbath day neither is it proper and peculiar to the seventh day but is equally required in all the daies of the weeke And by this is confirmed our saying that the sanctification proper to the Sabbath as it is such and which is the maine point that we treat of pro and contra cannot be morall seeing it yeelds and submits it selfe to the morall duties of every day and for their sake may and ought to be violated 6 Thirdly for the cleerer and better confirmation of the foresaid truth is very usefull that which Christ addes after these words The Sabbath is made for man saying For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day For whether by the son of man we understand particularly the Son of God as he is Christ and Mediator as he is often in that respect so named whether generally every man according to the common signification which it hath in holy Scripture the one and the other sense overthroweth the morality of the Sabbath If Iesus Christ speaketh of himselfe as he is Christ and Mediator under the name of the Son of man as in my opinion he doth his meaning is that as such and in that quality he had power over the Sabbath as Lord to dispense with the keeping of it whom and when he would as he said in the same sence and to the same purpose In this place is one greater then the Temple Yea hee insinuates that he was come to make this abrogation of the Sabbath as of the Temple and of all the ceremonies practised therin For what other end had hee to alleadge his soveraignty and maistery over the Sabbath but to say that he had power to dispose of it at his own pleasure and to cause men worke in it as he should thinke fit To declare only the lawfull use and practice of the Sabbath argued not that soveraignty and authority that Christ challenged to Himselfe 7 Fourthly to shew effectually his dominion in that behalfe he chused often the Sabbath day to doe or to injoyne to others on that day workes which might have beene done in any other day of the weeke and were not simply workes of mercifulnesse or of urgent necessity permitted by the Law nay were servile and unnecessary workes which the Law forbad As is manifest by his healing the sicke ordinarily on the Sabbath day and that with handy worke whereas he might have done those cures with a word of his mouth As when hee restored to sight the man that was borne blinde making clay of his spittle and anointing the eyes of that blind man with the clay Iohn 9. ver 6. 14. As also when he commanded some sicke whom hee had healed to beare burdens on the Sabbath day which GOD had forbidden Ierem. 17. ver 21. Thus hee commanded on the Sabbath day the man whom he had cured of the palsie to rise take up his bed and walke Ioh. 5. ver 8 9 10. which was not lawfull to him to doe no more than to anyother such man who by ordinary meanes had recovered his health if it had not beene for Christs command notwithstanding that miraculous deliverance after a so long and incurable disease For he needed not ntither for the glory of God nor for his owne good to take up his little bed on the Sabbath day seeing that without any such worke his recovery was doubtlesse cleere and manifest to all 8 Now if the Sabbath day and the keeping thereof had beene morall Christ had never spoken never done so For he had not as hee was the sonne of man any authority and Lord-ship over the things that are morall and of the Law of Nature to dispence with men for the doing or not doing the keeping or not keeping of them Because in them shineth the justice of the most righteous and holy God his glory to command them the excellency of man to yeeld obedience unto them as having a naturall righteousnesse and equity inherent in them carrying with them an universall obligation and being of perpetuall continuance grounded essentially in themselves and on their owne nature Such are these commandements Thou shalt love God with all thine heart and thy neighbour as thy selfe Also we see not that Christ at any time hath done or caused to be done by any man any thing whatsoever against them nay he hath rather backed and confirmed them hath himselfe kept them most religiously and hath injoyned also to others the keeping of them But as Mediator he had power over all things which were simply ceremoniall positive adiaphorous that is neither good nor evill in themselves wherein the true service of God consisted not which were no thing but helpes to that service for a time and were established of God simply for certaine reasons relative to some better things For as Iesus Christ himselfe was not lyable unto those things but so farre as it was his reason to apply himselfe unto them least he should give offence to any man And as the reason of their institution could not take hold on him so likewise was it in his power to exempt from them whom hee would For although they were to be usually in strength and practise till the houre of his death that was no hinderance to that authority which he had in his life time and during his conversation in these lowest parts of the earth to give particular commandements whereby hee dispensed whom he pleased with their observation Such things were the circumcision the sacrifices other legall ordinances and among the rest the Sabbath whereof upon this occasion he declared himselfe to be Lord. If Christ when he said The Sonne of man is Lord of the Sabbath will have us to understand by the Sonne of man every man as many interpreters doe take it so meaning that every
place Exod. 31. ver 13. where God saith Uerily my Sabbaths yee shall keep for it is a signe betweene me and you throughout your generations that yee may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you And for more ample declaration in the Verses following 14. 15 16 17. he expounds those Sabbaths of the weekely Sabbath only Although this were not so whosoever speaketh of Sabbaths in the number of multitude and maketh no exception understandeth whatsoever is contained in the signification of that word and hath the same denomination Verily when the Apostle saith that no man should condemne us in distinction of an Holy day or of Sabbaths if he had not understood all Sabbaths but had beleeved that God hath expresly ordained under the New Testament as hee did under the old a day to be for his service a day of festivity and of Sabbath he was bound to except it particularly and by name and so to keepe the Church from falling into an error namely seeing we are not taught in any part of his Epistles nor else where in the New Testament that GOD hath made such an ordinance that in any time the observation of a Sabbath hath beene injoyned unto us that any such day hath beene excepted from those dayes and Sabbaths which in the said New Testament we are forbidden to keepe 6 When the Apostle saith that Christ hath abolished the Law of commandements Eph. 2. vers 15. and hath made a change of the Law Heb. 7. vers 12. We see easily that he understandeth the ceremoniall and not the morall Law because in the same places he explicates his meaning calling it The Law of Commandements contained in ordinances the middle wall of partition betweene the Iewes and Gentiles Ephes. 2. vers 14 15. the Law of a carnall Commandement and of the Leviticall Priesthood weake unprofitable and which made nothing perfect Heb. 7. vers 11. 16 18 19. Because also in many other places wee are taught that the Law abolished by Christ is the Ceremoniall only and doe see all morall Commandements confirmed and ratified by him But when the Apostle discourseth of the abolishment of holy daies and of Sabbaths without any limitation or modification there is no cause why the seventh day should be excepted seeing he excepted it not neither is it excepted in any place of the Gospell which speaketh no where unto us of morall daies of Sabbath as also it is absurd to establish any such day 7 It sufficeth not to alledge that the fourth Commandement of the Law injoineth the seventh day of Sabbath and to inferre from thence that of necessity the Apostles minde was to except that Sabbath as being morall For I say rather that the fourth Commandement in as farre as it injoineth the observation of a seventh day of Sabbath is not morall seeing the Apostle without exception saith that under the Gospell our consciences should not be tied to Sabbath daies words which he had never so uttered if the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement had beene morall and obligatory At least in some other places information and instructions had beene given us of this by him and by the rest of the Evangelists and Apostles who have instructed us in the knowledge of all other morall points which is not to be found For there is not to be seene in the whole new Testament any injunction to observe a Sabbath day But of this point we shall speake more fully hereafter CHAPTER Tenth REASON 10. 1 The Christians in S. Pauls time had no time appointed to them for Gods service seeing some of them esteemed one day above another others esteemed every day alike 2 Answer is made to this argument that those which esteemed every day alike were weeke and therefore erred 3 Refutation of this answer First by the analogie of the other point where hee who did eat herbs onely is called weake and he who knew he might eat all things is called strong 4 Second Because to esteeme all daies alike cannot be called weakenesse 5 Third Because if Christ or his Apostles had appointed a set day for Gods service to esteeme all daies alike had not beene weaknesse but profanenesse which neverthelesse it was not 6 Fourth Otherwise the Apostle would not have said that he that doth not regard a day to the Lord doth not regard it but rather against the Lord. 7 Of what day it is said that one regarded it another regarded it not 8 Fifth Seeing to regard a day is weaknesse and not to regard a day is strength of knowledge God hath not obliged the Christian Church to any set day for his service by any morall or positive Law 1 THE same is plainly shewed by these words of the Epistle to the Romans Chap. 14. vers 5 6. One man esteemeth one day above another another esteemeth every day alike Let every man be fully perswaded in his owne minde He that regardeth a day regardeth it unto the Lord And he that regardeth not the day to the Lord he doth not regard it In this place the Apostle speaketh of religious Christians shewing that they were at variance about two divers heads For some of them beleeved that a Christian man should not sticke nor make a scruple of conscience to eate indifferently all meats Others for conscience sake would eate nothing but herbs Some of them also esteemed every day alike others esteemed one day above another Of those two parties he calleth the one strong the other weak and exhorteth them that were strong to beare the infirmities of the weake namely seeing these things were of small moment and that the weake did such things out of conscience and through a religious respect to God that indeed their conscience was not well informed and directed but at length might be and affiance was to be had that they should be holden up because GOD was able to make them stand verse 4. As concerning eating of all things or eating of herbs onely the Apostle calleth directly weake those which did eate nothing but hearbes And strong those which beleeved that they might eate and indeed did eate all things indifferently But on the other point concerning the disagreement which was among them about dayes whether every day should be esteemed alike or one day should bee esteemed above another he declareth not expresly who were strong who weake Some of those which urge the observation of the Sabbath day as a point of Religion and of conscience commanded by Christ shunning the argument which this place affords against their opinion doe say that those which esteemed every day alike were weake and the others were strong and that this is the Apostle his intention But it is easie to perceive that the contrary opinion is true that say I those which esteemed every day alike were strong and those weake which esteemed one day above another 3 First the analogy of the other point which the Apostle alleadgeth concerning meates sheweth it manifestly For as
the rest of the people were two types of the same thing but unknowne till the Law was given 8. This is acknowledged by the Iewes who confirme it by Scripture 9. Hereof it followeth that the Sabbath was not given to Adam 10. As also that it is not obligatory under the New Testament 11. Although the heavenly rest which it typed be not yet come 1 IT is manifest enough by the foresaid passages that the observation of a Seventh day of Sabbath is not a morall duty and obligeth not by a divine Commandement mens consciences under the New Testament Nay it is apparant that the Sabbath day was instituted to the Iewes only and appertained to the ceremonies of the Law I confirme this againe by these words of GOD in Exodus Chapter 31. verse 13. and in Ezekiel Chapter 20. ver 12 20. Verily my Sabbaths yee shall keepe for it is a signe betweene me and you throughout your generations that yee may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctifie you Where is to be marked the Sabbath is called a signe ordained of GOD not to all men but to the Israelites onely to signifie unto them their consecration to his service and their sanctification which consisted in a continuall abstinence from all vices and sinnes which verily trouble and disquiet the soule and also in a bodily rest sometimes from the turmoiles and cares of this life that they might bestow some fit and convenient time without hinderance upon the contemplation of God and meditation of his graces and so give place to the operation of the holy Ghost whereby they might bring forth workes of godlinesse and of true holinesse To the end that the Sabbath day might expresse this visibly and also be unto them a helpe and meane to so necessary a duty they were commanded to forbeare exactly all servile workes and all bodily labour belonging to the worldly imploiments of this present life Which figured and taught them sufficiently that God obliged them farre more to cease from the workes of sinne which are properly servile according as it is written Whosoever committeth sinne is servant of sinne Ioh. 8. ver 34. Rom. 6. v. 16. And to abstaine from the lusts and acts of the flesh and of the old man and to compose and quiet themselves conveniently with a spirituall rest that they might receive the heavenly inspirations of his grace And as it is said in Esaiah Chap. 58. v. 13. not follow their owne waies nor finde their owne pleasure nor speake their owne words For as I have said God purposed to figure by that bodily and externall abstinence from earâ—hly workes the inward and spirituall abstinence from sinne 2 Nay to instruct and assure them by the Sabbath as by a signe that it is hee even the Lord that sanctifieth his owne children that giveth them grace to rest in some measure from their sinnes and troubles in these lower parts of the earth and shall fully performe their sanctification in heaven where after the workes and turmoiles of the anger of this life there shall be as it were a seventh day of Sabbath a time of perfect and eternall rest for them For wee may esteeme not without some likenesse of truth that the generations of the world ought to be sixe composed each of them of a thousand yeeres and figured by the sixe daies of worke in respect whereof it is perhaps said that one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeeres and a thousand yeeres as one day Psal 9. vers 4. and 2 Peter 3. vers 8. 3 The Sabbath day was interrupted by other worke-daies and returned onely every seventh day by a continuall reciprocation and vicissitude whereby it represented but imperfectly the perpetuity of the true rest as figures can hardly represent in perfection the truth whereof they are figures But at the end of the world this reciprocation of daies shall cease and there shall be as it were one perpetuall day which as Zechariah saith Chap. 14. vers 6 7. Shall be all one day wherein there shall not be day and night light and darknesse but a perpetuall light without darknesse After this manner the spirituall rest hath its interruptions and discontinuance in this world the continuation of it is as it were by fits and new beginnings But in the world to come it shall have a continuance without intermission with an intire and solid perfection without any trouble of sinne or of labour God granteth this rest to his owne children for his Sonne the Messias his sake the onely consideration of whose death the force and efficacy whereof stretched out it selfe as well forward to those that went before as afterward to those that have or shall come after the accomplishment thereof was unto him in these times of the old Testament as since a most forcible motive to conferre upon his elect sanctification with other comfortable and saving benefits here on earth beneath and there in heaven above So the Sabbath diâ—ected the Iewes to Christ who was to come and was a figure thereof representing unto them a benefit of the Covenant which Christ was to purchase and ratifie with his owne blood and therefore it ought to have its accomplishment and end in him as have had all other ancient figures whereby he was represented 4 And indeed in the passages before cited it is called a signe betweene GOD and the Israelites which is the same name that is given to the Circumcision the Passeover and other legall figures and moreover it is said that it shall be a signe betweene God and the Israelites for a perpetuall covenant and for ever but in the same sense that all other ordinances of the Law and divers temporall promises made to the Israelites are called perpetuall that is in their generations which is expresly marked in the forenamed place of Exodus Chap. 31. vers 16 17. where God saith Wherefore the children of Israel shall keepe my Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetuall covenant It is a signe betwene mee and the children of Israel for ever meaning that it should remaine till the comming of Messias during the oeconomy of the Law and whilest the people of Israel should be the onely people of God but no more in the time of Messias whose time and generation belongeth not to those generations which God allotted to the Israelites when he said that such and such things should be done and should continue in their generations words which are ordinarily spoken of things that were to persist only in the time of the old Testament As when God ordained the Sacrament of Circumcision he said to Abraham that it should be to him and to his seed after him in their generations for an everlasting covenant Gen. 17. vers 7. 9. 10. When he commanded the Israelites to fill an Omer of Manna and to keepe it he said it should be for their generations Exod. 16. vers 32. 33. that is till the
had their full performance he taking occasion of the historicall narration which he was writing of the first Manna which God sent to his people relateth also the Ordinance that God gave to put a pot full of it in the Tabernacle before the Arke and the execution of the said Ordinance which neverthelesse must be referred to a long time after 6 So in the first Booke of Samuel and in the 17. chapter after the narration made of Davids combat against Goliah of his victory of that Giant and of the defeat of the Philistins it is added in the Text verse 54. And David tooke the head of the Philistine and brought it to Ierusalem but hee put his armour into his Tent which notwithstanding was not done but after that David being anointed King tooke the whole towne of Ierusalem from the Iebusites with the strong hold of Sion and dwelled in it calling it the City of David 2 Sam. 5. vers 7. 9. And therefore our French translation in the foresaid place 1 Sam. 17. addeth the word depuis that is since saying And David since brought the head of the Philistine to Ierusalem and put his armes in his Tabernacle to shew that David did not this as soone as he had overthrowne the Philistine although it be related in the Text jointly and at once with his combat and victory as if both had happened together because when that history was a writing the transportation of the head and armes of Goliah to Ierusalem and to the fort of Sion was done And therefore it is related by occasion as it were with one breath in consequence of the victory gotten over him Other examples might be found to this purpose if it were needfull 7 To keepe this course in discoursing and writing is no wise unfitting nor misbecomming If any writing under the New Testament the History of the first Creation of the world and relating the forming of light on the first day should adde by occasion And it is also on the first day that the true light of the world hath shined by his resurrection from the dead and for that cause wee observe that day Or if re-hearzing that God brought forth bread out of the earth to strengthen mans heart and Wine to make it glad he should adde joyntly upon this occasion And it is in this bread and in this Wine which nourish the body that Iesus Christ hath instituted the Sacrament of the nourishment of the soule by him who should finde any thing blame-worthy in such discourses Wherfore then Moses might he not most fitly by occasion of that hee had written of the Seventh day and of Gods rest in it in the History of the Creation touch also in the same discourse the edict made about the sanctification of that day seeing that edict had a great sway when he wrote the History of the Creation and Gods rest on the Seventh day was the cause and reason thereof although it was not so ancient as the first Seventh day 8 Against this answer the instance hath no force which they urge from the conjunction and whereby the third verse is joyned with the second that is the blessing and hallowing of the Seventh day with the finishing of the workes of God and of his rest on that day as being done at the same time and expressed in words of the same tence and moode Nor what they say further that in these two verses as most cleerely appeareth the whole discourse is of the same Seventh day and as in the second verse is understood the first Seventh day wherein God after he had finished his workes rested likewise in the third verse it is understood so when it is said that he blessed and sanctified the Seventh day which is also expressed by the demonstrative Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew that it was the same Seventh day that otherwise the reason which is added and taken from the rest of God should be worthlesse because God did not rest from the worke of Creation on that day which he ordained to the Iewes to be their Sabbath day but on that day wherein hee finished first all his workes 9 For I answer to this that the conjunction and may well enough joyne things distant in time and farre removed one from another that also they may be expressed by words of the same tence and moode specially if they have any connexion and dependancy one upon another as in this place The blessing and hallowing of the Seventh day although done long after Gods rest on the Seventh day dependeth upon that rest as upon the cause and reason which was an occasion to God to make it In the Texts before mentioned of Exodus 16. Chapter the 32. and 33. verses and of the 17. Chapter of the first booke of Samuel in the 54. verse which expresse manifestly things done many yeares after these which are rehearsed before but depending on them are joyned to the verses immediately going before by the conjunction and which is diverse time reiterated and the words whereby these diverse things are expressed are set downe in the same tence and moode It imports not that in these examples the thing subsequent joyned straight with the precedent was not a great deale so farre remote in time from it because both hapned within the space of the age of one man as should be in the Text of Genesis before cited the sanctification of the Seventh day from Gods rest on the Seventh day if this being past on the first Seventh day after the Creation that came not to passe till the dayes of Moses which should be an intervall of more than two thousand yeeres For when two things separated and distant in time are to bee coupled together in a discourse if so bee the one hang upon the other those that are remote by many thousand of yeares may be joyned together as well as those of twenty or forty yeeres distance Neither doe I see wherefore it is not as allowable and convenient to rehearse at once a thing come to passe two thousand yeeres and more after another that it relyeth on notwithstanding there be a great intervall of time betweene as to recite one chanced twenty or forty yeares after another whereunto it hath some relation In the one and in the other there is the same reason and the same liberty 10 Wherefore the blessing of the Seventh day made in the dayes of Moses might bee fitly coupled with the Rest of God after the Creation which was the foundation thereof notwithstanding any whatsoever distance of time betweene them As indeed it is so joyned in the fourth Commandement Exodus Chapter 20. verse 11. where GOD speaking to the Israelites saith In sixe dayes the LORD made heaven and earth and rested the Seventh day wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it In which place cannot be understood a blessing and hallowing done at the same time that God rested first on the Seventh day but
that only which was made in behalfe of the Israelites as is cleere by the repetition of the Law in the fifth Chapter of Deuteronomie where that which was absolutely said in Exodus Therfore the Lord blessed the Seventh day is restrained to the Israelites v. 15. Therefore the Lord commanded thee to keepe the Sabbath day And in Exodus 16. v. 29. The Lord hath given you the Sabbath And in the 31. Chap. ver 16 17. The Children of Israel shall keepe the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generation for a perpetuall covenant It is a signe betweene mee and the children of Israel for ever For in sixe dayes the Lord made heaven and earth and on the Seventh day he rested where it cannot be denyed but that with the end of the Creation and Gods rest on the Seventh day is immediately joyned the institution of the Sabbath to the Israelites at least in quality of a signe If then in that place Moses might speake after this manner and say God created in sixe dayes heaven and earth and rested the Seventh day and therefore he hath ordained to the Israelites the Sabbath day for a signe wherefore in the second of Genesis might he not say after the same manner God made heaven and earth in sixe dayes and finished them on the Seventh day and rested from all his workes and this his Rest on the Seventh day hath moved him to blesse ánd sanctifie that day to wit to the Israelites to be a signe unto them according to that hath been said in the places before mentioned which are an evident and cleere explication thereof 11 Neither is it any wise necessary as is pretended that in the second Chapter of Genesis in the second and third verses one and the same singular seventh day should be understood and that God hath precisely sanctified the same seventh day wherein he rested and rested on the same day that he sanctified and therefore because in the second verse the first seventh day after the Creation is understood it must be taken so in the third verse For it sufficeth to understand in the third verse the same seventh day in likenesse and revolution and generally a seventh day correspondent continually in order to that which GOD rested on after his workes of the sixe dayes And this reason that God rested on the first seventh day might have been to God a most reasonable cause to ordaine long after the sanctification of a seventh day answerable in all points to that first seventh day The sequell of Moses his discourse is as fitting in this regard as in the other As if I said our Lord Iesus Christ rose againe and rested from the worke of our redemption on the first day of the weeke wherefore the Church hath dedicated the first day of the weeke that hee rose in to be holy and solemne the sequele is good although it be not the same first singular day that Christ rose on and the Church hath consecrated but the same onely in likenesse and revolution yea although there passed a long time after the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour before the first day of the weeke could be well setled as a day of holy and religious exercises We say on Friday before Easter this day Christ hath suffered on the Ascension day this day Christ is ascended into heaven At Whitsunday On this day the Holy Ghost is come downe although those things came to passe on a certaine singular day which is past long agoe But we name so all the dayes following which correspond to that first day according to the similitude which is betweene them And we call the day of the Passion of the Ascension of the descent of the Holy Ghost those which are not such properly but onely have by revolution correspondancie with the first dayes wherein such things were done Even so when it is said in the third verse of the second Chapter of Genesis And therefore the Lord hath blessed the Seventh day and hath hallowed it because in it he hath rested from all his workes that is to be understood not of the same first day wherein hee rested but of a Seventh day answering unto it in the order and continuall succeson of dayes 12 The Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put in the third verse before the word that signifieth seven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proveth not that it is a peculiar seventh even that seventh day that God rested in verse 2. For although the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be often used to betoken emphatically a thing singular and individuall already knowne and mentioned yet this is not universall For it is used much without any emphasis or expresse demonstration of any thing either singular or certaine yea simply to serve for an ornament and to make the word that it is joyned unto more full which use hath also in the Greeke tongue the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verily in the third ver which we speak of in this place it is cleere that the said Article cannot be restrained to a seventh singular day as it is in the second verse Nay it betokeneth more generally a seventh day comprehending in it many singular dayes which by similitude in regard of the order and succession of times have reference and analogie to the first seventh day mentioned in the said second verse and have followed it from time to time at the end of sixe dayes For it is such a seventh day that God hath sanctified and not a singular seventh And that seventh day may bee called a particular seventh and considered as particularised by the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in effect in as much as it is not indifferently all seventh day or any of the seven dayes of the weeke that God hath sanctified but it is the last of them We seeke only to know when God began to blesse and to hallow it to men to be kept by them And I maintaine that this hallowing began not incontinent after the Creation was finished but more than two thousand yeeres after Neither is the contrary proved by this passage of Genesis 13 No greater weight hath another instance which is much urged that as in the course of the Creation when it is said that God after he had created every living thing blessed them Gen. 1. v. 21 22 27 28. is to be understood a present benediction and not put off to a long time Even so when in the second of Genesis with the perfection of the Creation on the seventh day is joyned the blessing and hallowing of that day a present sanctification is to be understood 14 For the reason is not alike in the one and in the other First the blessing of all living creatures and the blessing of the seventh day are not to be taken in the same sence That is a blessing of actuall and reall communication of goods and graces This is a blessing of destination to be solemnized by men Secondly
pleased to subject him unto and to stint unto him that time to wit the seventh day for the particular time of his service even as he appointed unto him the garden of Heden for the place where he would have him to make his residence and there to apply himselfe to admire the workes of his Creator to serve and to worship him And indeed any man may with as good reason conclude that it must needs be a morall thing to serve God in Heden because it was the place where God had setled Adam to be served by him there in the state of his innocency as they doe which seeke to prove that it is a point of morality to keepe a seventh day of Sabbath because God ordained in that state a seventh day to Adam For the determination of a certaine time can no more be a morall point then the determination of a place neither of them being founded in the principles of nature and of naturall justice and equity as should be whatsoever is morall and as indeed is all that is written in the ten Commandements saving the Commandement of the seventh day of Sabbath which is a thing depending entirely on institution and government as shall be seene more fully afterwards Or why may it not be inferred that not only a seventh day but the last of seven is morall because if God ordained a seventh day to Adam it was the last of seven as those against whom we doe dispute doe avouch 6 Now if a seventh day could not be ordained to Adam in quality of a morall thing but onely as a point and rule of order granting that it was prescribed unto him it is inconsequent that it was to continue afterwards by a perpetuall ordinance given to all men For there is no necessity that all men after sinne came into the world ought to be alwaies ruled in Gods service by the same outward order that Adam was ruled by before he sinned seeing things pertaining meerly and simply to order are subject to alteration 7 It is most true that if in the state of innocency God had ordained to Adam a particular day amongst others to serve him it should be as much nay farre more fit and necessary that wee under the state of sinne should alwaies have alike ordinance for us But I say withall seeing it is supposed that Adam had one of seven daies prescribed unto him in that estate although he applyed himselfe every day to Gods service without distraction that we in the estate we are in and wherein we give our selves so seldome and so sparingly to Gods ordinary service by reason of our worldly imployments should have beene tyed to more then one in seven Yet for all that Seeing God hath never prescribed to sinfull men but one seventh day and that as I pretend for the time of the bondage of the Law only Seeing also under the new Testament although we be alwaies sinners he would not stint unto us any day but in that point hath left his Church free I inferre from thence that it is not likely that hee ordained and limitted to Adam a seventh day nay not any other day of Sabbath For by such a limitation he had tyed and inthralled him in that estate of innocency as much and more then his off-spring in the estate of sinne which seemeth to imply that hee was as much and more led daily away from Gods service then are poore sinners which goe farre beyond all reason CHAPTER Third Answer to the second Reason 1. Second reason for the morality of the Sabbath that before the Law was given the people of Israel went not out to gather Manna in the wildernesse on the seventh day of the weeke 2. First answer Of this argument the morality of the Sabbath cannot be inferred no more than of many ceremonies which were religiously observed long before the Law was given 3. Second answer In the wildernesse God commanded the observation of the Sabbath and of sundry other ceremonies before the Law was given and then onely beganne the keeping of the Sabbath 4. Therefore in vaine are urged the words of Exodus Chap. 16. vers 29 30. The Lord hath given you the Sabbath c. which have relation onely to the command newly made 5. Third answer If the institution of the Sabbath had beene more ancient and if it had beene kept by the Patriarches their children had knowne it and practised it in Egypt 6. Nullity of the reply made to this answer that they had forgotten it first because God did never rebuke them for the inobservation of the Sabbath in the land of Egypt 7. Secondly because many godly men which were in Egypt had not forgotten it and yet before the commandement concerning it was given in the wildernesse made never mention of it nay knew it not as is proved by the Text. 8. And by other places of the old Testament 9. Second reply that besides the generall reason which moved God to give the Sabbath to all men he appropriated it to the people of Israel for some other reasons besides 10. First answer to this reply it cannot be proved that GOD gave it to all men nay it is absolutely appropriated to the Iewes 11. Second answer There is not one of the reasons why God gave the Sabbath to the Iewes adapted to other nations although they were capable of many of them 12. Nor also to the Patriarches who had no notice of the Sabbath 13. If in the Scripture any thing be adapted to the Iewes which was common to other men it is knowne to have beene common either by the nature thereof or by the testimony of Scripture But it is not so of the Sabbath 1 THe second argument alledged for the morality of the Sabbath is that before the Law was given by Moses it was observed which is proved by the sixteenth Chapter of Exodus where it is said that on the seventh day the Israelites went not out to gather Manna but rested every man in his place on that day because it was the holy Sabbath unto the Lord which the Lord himselfe had ordained Whence they would conclude that it was already an ancient ordinance knowne of the Israelites to be such that for this cause they went not out on the seventh day to seek Manna that for the same cause God powred it not downe on that day lest it should be an occasion unto them of violating the Sabbath For all this was done before the Law was given the giving whereof is described afterwards in the same Booke of Exodus Chap. 20. 2 To this I answer first that although it could be most cleerely shewed that the Sabbath was observed from the beginning before the Law which notwithstanding cannot be proved that availeth nothing for the morality of the Sabbath We see that from the beginning and in all times before the Law the firstlings of the slocke and the first fruits of the ground were offered to God Genes 4. ver
3. 4. distinction was made between beasts cleane and uncleane Genes 7. vers 2. tythes were paid Genes 14. 20. Genes 28. vers 2. Circumcision was given to Abraham foure hundred and thirty yeeres before the Law Yet no man will conclude thence that such things were morall All things observed before the Law were not necessarily morall many things may be found in them which were figures and ceremonies and others which did belong onely to some order and rules concerning Gods service and of that nature should have beene the Sabbath day if it could appeare that it was kept before the Law 3 But secondly my opinion is that this cannot be proved and the testimony brought out of the sixteenth Chapter of Exodus for the proofe thereof is extreemly weake It is true we find there that the Israelites kept the Sabbath but no conclusion can be inferred from thence that it was kept in all times before the Law nay it is rather most likely that then began the first observation of the Sabbath because afore that time in the whole life of the Patriarches and in the whole conversation of the Israelites in Egypt there is no mention found of such a day neither should the time wherin we see the Israelites kept the Sabbath be reckoned as a time which went before the Law but as the proper time of the giving thereof and the ordinance then made to keepe the Sabbath as one of the first legall Ordinances The ordinances of the Law of Moses were not all given at once but by succession of time and sundry resumptions as may be seene in his Bookes As soone as the Israelites went out of Egypt and about that very instant God instituted the Passeover unto them and a few daies after he ordained the Sabbath day Quickely after followed the other ordinances as appeareth by the Chapters immediately following this sixteenth Chapter God then being about to give solemnely his Law a few daies after in mount Sina as it is apparent by the conference of the sixteenth Chapter of Exodus vers 1. with the ninteenth vers 1. 11. of which Law the injunction of the Sabbath was to be a good share it pleased him to give them before hand a particular commandement concerning the Sabbath by occasion of the Manna which by and by he was to powre downe upon them from the cloudes six daies every morning but not on the seventh day and that to ratifie by this his cessation on the seventh day the Commandement that he was to give them in his Law a few daies after for the Sabbath of the seventh day and to prepare them afore hand to the carefull and religious observation thereof Therefore it was necessary that he should warne them to gather on the sixth day bread for two daies and not to goe out on the seventh day but to rest in their tents because there should be none found in the field The injunction and warning which he gave them is cleerely set downe in the fifth verse although abridged into few words For GOD said to Moses On the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily to wit because there shall be none found on the seventh day and my will is that they rest on that day This is suppressed in the Text but certainly GOD expressed it to Moses amply and Moses to the people who obeying that advertisement gathered twice as much bread on the sixth day 4 Therefore it is to no purpose that they inforce these words in the verses 23. 26 29 30. To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the LORD On the seventh day is the Sabbath See that the LORD hath given you the Sabbath so the people rested on the seventh day as if they denoted that the Sabbath was an ancient custome that it was practised in all times from the beginning and that the Israelites conformably to the ancient custome rested then For they had no regard but to the ordinance that was newly made and which God had notified to Moses in the fifth verse of the same Chapter when he spoke unto him of the Manna This is cleere by these words in the 23. verse This is that which the Lord hath said To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord and in the 29. verse See that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath which cannot be referred to any other thing then to that which God had said and ordained to Moses a little before in the fifth vers For if it be not referred thither When was it that the Lord said and ordained to the Israelites that the seventh day should be their rest Where shall wee find before this time the word and the ordinance thereof Must we reascend to the first daies of Adam and have our recourse to the sanctification of the seventh day mentioned in Genesis Chap. 2. which as we have shewed was not for Adam nor for his time but was the same whereof God did beginne to speake in this sixteenth Chapter because it began then and not sooner but is occasionally rehearsed in the second Chapter of Genesis 5 And verily if it had beene an ancient ordinance practised by the Patriarkes how is it come to passe that the Israelites their children knew it not If they knew it why did they not practise it of themselves If they practised it what need was there of injoyning and laying it upon them so expresly and with so great care as GOD did by the occasion of the Manna 6 Some doe reply that the long captivity of Egypt where they were tyrannized as well in their consciences as in their bodyes might have beene the cause that they lost all remembrance thereof and kept it not and therefore it was necessary that it should be renewed unto them But this is a supposition not only without any shew of truth For if the Israelites had forgotten or neglected in Egypt the observation of the Sabbath whereunto God had tied them how is it that God who charged and upbraided them now and then with the crimes and sinnes committed by them in Aegypt did not object unto them the inobservation of the Sabbath In the twentieth Chapter of Ezekiel ver 7 8. God saith that he spake to the Israelites in Aegypt and gave them commandements But of what to cast away the abomination of their eyes and not defile themselves with the filthy Gods of Egypt And he blameth them for rebellion against him in this and for refusing to hearken unto him without making the least mention that he had injoyned them to keepe the Sabbath day as also he imputeth not unto them the inobservation thereof although in the same Chapter ver 12. he speaketh of that day but as given unto them after he had delivered them out of the land of Egypt neither doth he cast in their teeth the carelesse regard that they had of it saving since the time
that they were in the wildernesse ver 13. 7 Secondly supposing that some of the Israelites had put the ordinance of the Sabbath out of minde this fault could not be common to all not forsooth to Moses Aaron Caleb Ioshuah and to other persons eminent in godlinesse and authority If these had it in memory how did they not put the people in minde of it to make them keepe it as soone as they were in the wildernesse in a full liberty to serve GOD without hinderance But so far were they from remembring it that it is noted ver 22. that all the rulers of the congregation who should have had best knowledge of the divine and ancient ordinances when they saw the people gather and prepare on the sixth day Manna for that day and for the seventh following according to the expresse command which Moses had given them were astonished at it as at a strange and extraordinary thing whereby they were moved to come to Moses and acquaint him with it who upon that occasion informed them of Gods ordinance concerning the day of Sabbath not as of an ancient but as of a new thing which was unknowne before unto them and which he had a fresh learned himselfe verse 23. So in the 29. verse he said to the Israelites See that the Lord hath given You the Sabbath speaking of it as of an ordinance particular to them 8 It is also mentioned elsewhere in the same respect as an observation which God had injoyned them particularly and as a prerogative proper unto them whereby GOD had separated them from all other nations and consecrated them to himselfe as he had done by the rest of the ceremonies of the Law of Moses This the Levites made a religious confession of in Nehemiah 9. Chapter verse 13 19. Thou camest downe upon Mount Sinai and spakest with them from heaven and gavest them right judgements true Lawes good statutes and commandements and madest knowne unto them thy Sabbath c. This the Lord said to them by Ezekiel in the twentieth Chapter ver 10 11 12. I caused them to goe forth out of the land of Aegypt and brought them into the wildernesse and I gave them my statutes c. Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths to bee a signe betweene me and them that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifie them Which sheweth evidently that the Sabbath was never given but for the Iewes who also have acknowledged by those places and taught in their bookes that the Gentiles were not bound to keepe the Sabbath 9 They reply that the Sabbath is thus appropriated to the Israelites in the places which we have cited because besides the generall reason which was the cause of the institution and ordinance therof to all and for all since the beginning of the world to wit to bee a memoriall of the Creation and of the rest of God God renewed it againe to the Iewes for other reasons particular to them as to be a token for remembrance of their deliverance and rest which God had given them from the bondage of Aegypt and of the miracle done in the Manna 10 This reply which they bring cannot bee of any weight seeing it cannot be found that any one man hath kept the Sabbath day nor that GOD hath at any time commanded it to the Israelites for any reason whatsoever nor that the people of Israel had kept and observed it at any time before their abode in the wildernesse Nay it is said that God gave it to them in the wildernesse and the Sabbath is often appropriated to them absolutely even in its substance without mention of any circumstances or particular reasons as we proved in the places before cited out of the ninth Chapter of Nehemiah and the sixteenth Chapter of Exodus verse 29. in the last of which places God establisheth not the Sabbath for a memoriall of the miracle of the Manna but saith that he had ordained to the Iewes the Sabbath to be kept by them and for that cause rained not Manna on that day upon them 11 Moreover seeing there is not any of the reasons that moved GOD to institute the Sabbath found to be adapted to any other but to them it is unreasonable to extend the Sabbath it selfe to others then to them For although to be a memoriall of the creation as also to be a signe of sanctification are reasons capable of themselves to be common to others as well as to them yet God applyeth them never to others but to them only To them only he said Uerily my Sabbaths yee shall keepe for it is a signe betweene me and you throughout your generations that yee may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you Exod. 31. ver 13. And verse 17. It is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel for ever for in sixe dayes the Lord made heaven and earth and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed which sheweth cleerely that God took not occasion of his rest on the seventh day from all his workes to institute that day for a day of rest but for the Israelites sake only to wit that it might bee a signe of their consecration to God to be his people of their sanctification and of their spirituall and eternall rest which were benefits peculiar unto them and not common to other nations For it is against reason to say that God would ordaine a signe of these benefits to other nations which he had excluded from the covenant of grace and consequently from sanctification and from eternall life 12 It is no more reasonable to say that it was a signe to the Patriarches and faithfull which were before the Law seeing that is not mentioned in the Scripture where it is said expresly that it was a signe belonging to the generations of the Israelites that is to the ages of the continuance of the Law under which the Israelites did live and not to them that had lived before or were to live after And as when God said to Abraham that he established his covenant to wit Circumcision with him and his seed after him in their generations Genes 17. vers 7 8 9 10. wee inferre from thence very well that before the daies of Abraham Circumcision was not used In like manner from the institution of the Sabbath to be kept by the Israelites in their generations we conclude soundly that before that time it was not observed Nay with as good reason may it be thought that circumcision was used before the dayes of Abraham and that GOD did onely revive it after some particular fashion although no mention be made thereof before Abraham as many doe surmise the Sabbath day to have beene kept from the beginning and that God did only renew it to the Iewes although that be not written 13 I acknowledge that in some places of Scripture some things may be found appropriated to the Israelites particularly which appertained and did still pertaine to
Deuteronomie are added to the fourth Commandement Keepe the Sabbath day to sanctifie it as the Lord hath commanded thee As for the Sanctification of the Sabbath day which God ordaineth and of which it is said that it cannot be called a ceremony I answer that indeed to speake universally and absolutely it cannot be so called For the Sabbath day was and ought to be sanctified by morall duties But in as much as it was tyed to the seventh day and was practised by sacrifices offerings and other services of the like kind and by an exact resting from all worldly travels such as GOD ordaineth in the fourth Commandement it is ceremoniall 3 Secondly they stand much upon the words following Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke but the seventh day c. Where as they say there is a reason of the observation of the seventh day of Sabbath which hath its foundation in equity and justice For if God giveth to men sixe dayes for their owne affaires and for the workes of their worldly calling is it not more than just that they consecrate a seventh day to his service And is it not as just for Christians as for Iewes And therefore say they Christians sith they take sixe dayes for their workes are as much obliged as the Iewes to observe a seventh day of Sabbath to God They adde also that as the labour of sixe dayes which is mentioned in this reason and whence it is taken is not a ceremoniall thing no more should the rest of the seventh day be ceremoniall 4 I answer that in the foresaid reason there is a manifest justice and equity which continueth for ever But that justice is generally in this that if a man hath many dayes for himselfe and for his owne workes it is reasonable hee consecrate one amongst many for Gods service Yea there should be a great deale more justice to imploy if it were possible a greater number of dayes upon Gods service then upon our own businesse Nay to bestow them all Also in consequence of this justice and equity we have said before that under the New Testament in whose time the Christians are farre more beholden to God then the Iewes were sith God hath discharged them of many burdens of outward ceremonies which did lay heavy upon that people and hath called them to bee in some sort a people more franke and more affectionate to his service all the dayes of the weeke as much as possibly can be should be Holy dayes unto the LORD And because they cannot possibly meet together every day to serve in common which neverthelesse he looks for as well as for a particular service they must stint some ordinary day for that end and in this stinting must not shew themselves inferiors to the Iewes appointing lesse than one day among seven to Gods service This is all that can be gathered from the foresaid reason as it is obligatory for ever For to dedicate to God precisely a seventh day after we have bestowed sixe dayes upon our selves it cannot be denyed but that it is most just yet it is not more just nor better proportioned nor more obligatory of it selfe and in its own nature specially to Christians nay not so much as to consecrate to God one of sixe or of five or of foure For the moe we hallow to God the more doe we that which is just equitable and well ordered and the more doe wee performe our duty that wee are naturally bound unto towards him If then God ordained in times past under the Law that the day which he would have his people to dedicate unto him should be particularly one of seven it was not for any naturall justice which was more in that number or for any proportion which in it selfe was more convenient in that behalfe then the appointment of any other number but because it was his good pleasure to direct and rule for that season the time of his service and to impose no more than one day of seven upon a people loaden already with many ceremonies And therefore no particular justice being tied to this number of seven more than to any other this reason contained in the foresaid words of the fourth Commandement cannot be morall nor consequently perpetuall but only positive and for a short continuance in that it commandeth to worke sixe dayes and to rest the seventh day It is morall only in the foundation and substance thereof which is this that if God giveth us liberty to bestow a number of dayes upon our owne affaires it is reasonable that there be one day appointed wherein we ought to serve him We I say that are Christians and that as frequently nay much more than the Iewes did which we accord willingly to be perpetuall But with this restriction that under the New Testament the choice of one day amongst a number of other dayes is not stinted of God and that he bindeth us no more to one of seven then to one of sixe or of five 3 Whereas they adde that as the labour of sixe dayes is not a thing ceremoniall so neither should the rest on the seventh day be placed in that ranke I answer first inferring from thence a contrary argument that as to take paines in the workes of our temporall callings considering the condition of this present life is a thing just and necessary and may be called moral but to work of seven dayes six hath not in it any speciall necessity even so it is necessary just and morall to dedicate some time to Gods publike service but that such a time should be precisely one of seven dayes is by no meanes morall Secondly that which I say to be ceremonial in the 4. Cōmandement is the Commandement it selfe to wit that which God expressely and purposely injoyneth to be kept as belonging to his outward and publike service Now he commandeth not any thing in it precisely saving the observation and sanctification of the day of rest by refraining from all temporall callings And whereas it is said Sixe dayes shalt thou labour as that maketh no part of Gods service no more doth it make a part of the Commandement although God thereby warneth men that they ought not to passe their dayes in idlenesse but should apply themselves every day to the labour of an honest calling but is a permission put only by concession and relatively to the Commandement in this sence Thou art permitted to work six dayes but on the 7th day thou shalt abstaine from all kind of work Therefore it followeth not that if these words put occasionally in the Commandement doe not impart any ceremony the Commandement it selfe is not ceremoniall Thirdly the Scripture in the labour of sixe dayes establisheth not unto us any ceremonie as it doth in the rest of the seventh day which it maketh as expressely as can be a type of the heavenly rest as we have cleerely seene before And yet in relation to the heavenly rest figured by
the rest of the seventh day I may say that the painefull labour of sixe dayes before the Sabbath was a type and figure of these troubles and afflictions wherewith the faithfull are tossed to and fro during the ages of this life before they come to the rest of the kingdome of heaven and that so this labour also was ceremoniall 6 They take their third argument from these words The seventh day is the rest of the LORD thy God that is it is the day which God hath not only created and made as the other dayes but also hath put a part to the end that it be applyed to his service Whence it is often called The day holy to the Lord the rest of God or Gods Sabbath c. Of this they inferre seeing it is not lawfull to steale from God that which pertaineth unto him nor to commit sacriledge by devouring that which is holy Pro. 20. ver 25. we must if we will not incurre this crime consecrate alwayes to God one of seven dayes 7 But I answer first that if this argument be of any value it shall prove that it is the last of seven which all are bound to keepe alwayes as the rest of God For it is this particular seventh day which is understood in the words before alleadged and which also was the Sabbath holy to the Lord. Secondly I say that these words serve not at all to prove the morality and perpetuity of the Seventh day In them it is truly said that the seventh day is the Lords rest to wit because at that time he ordained it to the Iewes to be observed by them in their generations and if the Iewes had not observed but applyed it to their owne affaires undoubtedly they had beene guilty of sacriledge but doth it follow that because it is called the Lords Rest in regard of the ordinance whereby he injoyned the Iewes to keepe it we also are obliged under the New Testament to sanctifie it Doth he not also in the Old Testament when he speaketh of the Leviticall sacrifices and offerings c. call them most frequently His sacrifices His offerings and all the other Sabbaths of the Iewes His Sabbaths as well as the Sabbath of the seventh day In a word doth hee not claime all other things which hee commanded to the Iewes concerning his service as his owne Shall we then conclude by the same reason that seeing it is not lawfull to touch holy things and God did claime all these things as belonging unto him we must yet dedicate and consecrate them unto him under the New Testament Who seeth not the absurdity of this consequence and by the same meanes of the consequence which is inferred of these words The seventh day is Gods Rest For as these things which I have mentioned did belong to God but did oblige the Iewes only to observe them it fareth even so with the Sabbath 8 In the fourth place they urge also these words In it thou shalt not doe any worke thou nor thy Sonne nor thy Daughter thy man-servant nor thy maide-servant nor thine Oxe nor thy Asse nor any of thy Cattell nor thy stranger that is within thy gates Where they observe that God hath respect to the easing of servants and of cattell to the intent that when they have beene kept sixe dayes at worke a seventh of relaxation be given them to rest and as it were to breath a little and specially that the servants as well as their masters may set themselves about Gods service to learne and practise it For which cause in the fifth Chapter of Deuteronomie this particularitie is added at the end of the 4th Commandement That thy man-servant and thy maide-servant may Rest as well as thou The same is likewise to be found Exodus 23. verse 12. All this is of perpetuall justice and equity For God under the New Testament hath not stript and cast away the bowels of compassion and forsaken the care of servants and poore beasts They take also in consideration that the stranger is by name and specially obliged to keepe the Sabbath day by refraining from all kinde of worke from whence they inferre that it was not a Iewish ceremony but a morall point because nothing is universall binding strangers as well as Iewes saving that which is morall whereas the ceremonies were only for the Iewes and as it were a middle wall of separation between them and all strangers Eph. 2. ver 14. And therefore seeing the strangers which were Gentiles were by Gods command bound to keepe the Sabbath day as well as the Iewes and when they were in the Land of Canaan were constrained unto it by the Magistrates as may be seene in the 13. Chapter of Nehem. vers 28. it followeth that the observation of the seventh day of Sabbath is a morall point and not simply ceremoniall 9 I answer that to give refreshment to servants and poore beasts after they have beene wearied with labour and to be carefull that servants learne to serve God and apply them to so holy a duty as well as their Masters is a thing naturally just and equitable and that the words of the fourth Commandement as farre as they have respect to that duty doe denote a perpetuall morality and therefore Christians ought to give a time of relaxation and rest from labour to their servants and beasts instruct their servants in the feare of God and be carefull that they serve him both in their particular devotions at home and publike abroad with the rest of the faithfull in such times and places that are appointed for that service by the order of the Church which if they doe not they sin But to set apart for the rest and easing of servants and their imployment in Gods service one of seven daies rather then one of another number and to rest precisely on the seventh day according to the words of the Commandement The seventh day is the rest In it thou shalt not doe any worke that I say againe and againe is a thing simply belonging to order and Church-governement and bindeth not necessarily for ever As for the instance taken from the words whereby strangers are bound to keeke the Sabbath day it is altogether vaine and frivolous For there mention is made onely of strangers that were within the gates of the Iewes that is dwelling and sojourning among them These strangers were either Proselytes converted to the religion of the Iewes which were in effect obliged by religion to the observation of the Sabbath just as the Iewes themselves because they were of the same religion that the Iewes were of and by their conversion were become Iewes Or they were strangers Pagans and Infidels sojourning in Iudea for divers temporall occasions such as were those of whom mention is made in Nehem. Chap. 13. These indeed were constrained by the Magistrate to keepe or rather not to violate the Sabbath publikely as those were of whom mention is made in the foresaid Chapter
of Nehemiah not for their owne sake but only in consideration of the Iewes lest they should offend them and give them occasion to breake the Sabbath after their example For the observation of the Sabbath did no more oblige them naturally then the other observation of the Iewish religion lust as in all politick regiment which is well ordered it is usuall to hinder those that are strangers to the religion professed in it from giving any disturbance to the exercises of devotion namely in the solemnities and holy daies To urge this point is it not true that among the Iewes strangers were obliged to keep all other Sabbaths new Moons holy daies solemnities after the same manner that they were constrained to keepe the Sabhath that is not to violate them publikely and with offence Were they not forbidden as well as the Iewes to eate leavened bread during the seven daies of the Passeover Exodus 12. verse 19. as also to eate blood Levit. 17 vers 10. 12 13. Will any man upon this inferre that the ordinances of all these Sabbaths new Moones Feasts unleavened bread abstinence from eating blood were not ceremonies but morall ordinances obliging for ever all men and consequently all Christians under the new Testament Sure this must be concluded by the same reasoning the vanity whereof is by this sufficiently demonstrated and discredited 10 Fifthly they inforce their opinion with these words For in sixe daies the LORD maae heaven and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day Whence they gather that sith the creation must be in perpetuall remembrance and God ordained to the Iewes the seventh day for a memoriall therof and of his rest all men ought to keepe it continually for the same end and in that follow his example which also hee proposeth in the words before mentioned to the end that as hee made his workes in sixe daies and rested the seventh day so likewise men following his example should give themselves to the workes of their calling during the sixe daies of the weeke and rest on the seventh day that they may apply it to the consideration of the works of God which they pretend to be no lesse obligatory towards Christians under the new Testament then towards the Iewes under the old Testament because wee cannot follow and imitate a better example then the example of God 11 To this I answer first that it may be denyed that Gods end in the institution of the Sabbath day was that it should be a memoriall of the creation of all his workes on sixe daies and of his rest on the seventh day That is not said any where but this onely is specified that God sanctified the seventh day because in it he rested from his workes after he had made them in sixe daies Which sheweth only the occasion that God tooke to ordaine and establish the Sabbath day but not the end of the institution thereof which is declared unto us in the foresaid places of Exodus 31. vers 13. and of Ezech. 20. vers 12. where it is said that God ordained it to be a signe between him and the Israelites that he was the Lord that did sanctifie them This end of the said institution as likewise the motive and occasion thereof are coupled together in the 16. and 17. verses of the said 31. Chapter of Exodus in these words The children of Israel shall keepe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetuall covenant It is a signe betwene me and the children of Israel for ever Whereof a signe Certainly that they may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie them as it is written in the 13. verse This is the end of the Institution of the Sabbath which must be supplyed from thence After that it followeth For in sixe daies the LORD made heaven and earth and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed This is the occasion and motive of the said institution There be some that would faine of this For make That and joine the two members of the 17. verse as if they were but one after this manner It is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel for ever that in sixe daies the Lord made heaven and earth to inferre from thence that the Sabbath was ordained expresly to the end it might be a memoriall of the Creation but although the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth That as well as For yet that in the foresaid verse it should rather signifie For and that the said verse should have two distinct members and each of them its owne particular sentence it appeareth probably both by the changing of the forme of speech that God useth speaking of himselfe in the first person in the first member It is a signe betweene mee and the children of Israel for ever and in the third person in the second member For in sixe daies the LORD made heaven and earth whereas if it had beene the continuance of the same period without distinction hee should have rather have said It is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel that I have created in sixe daies or that I am the Lord who have created in sixe daies heaven and earth c. As also by the Hebrew accent Athnach which it put at the end of the first member and is an accent denoting usually a pause and notable respiration and a distinction of a compleate sentence 12 Secondly to stand longer upon this first answer although I should yeeld that the seventh day of Sabbath was instituted of God purposely to be a memoriall of the Creation the argument is neverthelesse inconsequent For although things past should be in perpetuall remembrance It followeth not that the signes and memorialls of such things instituted under the old Testament should be perpetuall Nay they ought not to be if they have beene therewith types and figures relative to the Messias God made a covenant with Abraham and promised unto him to be God unto him and to his seed after him Gen. 17. vers 7. which is a perpetuall benefit and worthy to be remembred by all his spirituall posterity till the end of the world Yet the signe and memoriall that hee gave him at that time of this covenant to wit the Circumcision was not to be perpetuall and hath continued onely till the time of the new Testament Likewise all the Sacraments under the old Testament have beene signes and memorialls of perpetuall benefits to wit of justification sanctification c. Notwithstanding they ought not to persist for ever because they also were types The same is the condition of the Sabbath We may and ought to call to minde under the new Testament the benefit of the Creation and of Gods rest after it although we have no particular signe thereof which by Gods ordinance is a signe of remembrance In the Kingdome of heaven we shall celebrate eternally the remembrance of our Creation and Redemption without any
Testament and to grant willingly that it is to be understood of the dayes of the New Testament it is a thing notorious that when God in the Old Testament speaketh by his Prophets of the service that should bee yeelded unto him under the New Testament he expresseth himselfe ordinarily in termes taken from the fashions and formes used in his service under the Old Testament so he saith that under the New Testament he should have Altars every where that in every place incense should be offered unto his name that from one new Moone to another all flesh should come to worship before him c. And in this same Chap. 56. ver 7. he saith concerning these Eunuches and the sonnes of the stranger which shall keepe his Sabbaths that hee will bring them to his holy mountaine and make them joyfull in his house of prayer and that their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon his Altar 4 If then of that which is said that they shall keepe his Sabbaths they will inferre that the Sabbath day is obligatory under the New Testament as it was under the Ancient by the same reason any may inferre that the Temple of Ierusalem the Altar and the sacrifices should remaine in use namely seeing God in the fourth verse speaketh of his Sabbaths in the plurall number and it is manifest that besides the seventh ordinary day there was a great deale of other Sabbaths ordained of God to the Iewes it may be as truly gathered that under the New Testament the faithfull ought to keepe all the Sabbaths of the Iewes and the same dayes of Sabbaths that the Iewes did keepe and particularly the same seventh day to wit the last which should be a conclusion most absurd 5 The truth is that the Sabbath according to the stile of the Ancient Testament was taken of old for all the outward service of God and God using the same stile or manner of speech according to his custome in this prophesie concerning the time of the New Testament when hee saith the Eunuches and the sonnes of the stranger shall keepe the Sabbath by the Sabbath denoteth all the outward and solemne service which was to be rendred to him in that time of the New Covenant but joyned with the spirituall service signified in the second verse by these other words And keepeth his hands from doing evill And consequently he signifieth that that outward service should have its times ordained in the Church even as the Sabbath day was of old the time appointed for his service But that it was Gods intention to stint to the Church of the New Testament a seventh day or any other particular day whatsoever for a Sabbath day and that he hath not left the determination thereof to the liberty of the Church that shall never be proved by the aforesaid passage 6 This answer may serve for a sufficient reply to the passage of the 46. Chapter of Ezekiel where God continuing to represent unto the Prophet in a high and magnificent vision and difficult to bee understood of a most glorious and sumptuous Temple the state of the Church under the New Testament saith in the first and third verses that the gate of the inner Court shall be shut the sixe working dayes but on the Sabbath it shall be opened and the people of the land shall worship at the entrance of this gate From whence it is fancied that a necessity of keeping the Sabbath under the New Testament may be inferred 7 But it is evident that in all this vision contained in the nine last Chapters of Ezekiel the state of the Christian Church and of the Evangelicall service is designed in tearmes and phrases taken from the Temple and legall service which must not be understood literally but mystically if we will not under the Gospell bring backe not only the Sabbath but also a great deale of other ceremonies which are mentioned in that vision As for example The New Moones which in the aforesaid verses are joyned with the Sabbath For it is said there verse 1. that the gate shall bee opened on the Sabbath day and in the day of the New Moone it shall be opened and that the people of the Land shall worship at the entrie of this gate before the Lord on the Sabbaths and in the New Moones verse 3. Which must be understood spiritually of the truth figured by the Sabbaths and New Moones and not properly of these things themselves which were but figures that is not that the faithfull should celebrate Sabbaths and New Moones but that they should rest from their workes of iniquity to practise the workes of the spirit of Sanctification and of Gods true spirituall service and should be renewed and illuminated for ever by the Lord Iesus their true and only Saviour and by him have alwayes free accesse and entrance to the throne of grace 8 All that can be at the most inferred of the forealleadged passage concerning the externall service of the Christian Church is that the New Testament shall have solemne dayes wherein God shall be publikely served by all his people but in no wise that they should be the same which were stinted under the Old Testament For so we should be bound to observe the dayes of New Moones the last day of the weeke and other holy dayes of the Iewes mentioned in the aforesaid place and betokened in the plurall number by the name of Sabbaths 9 Whereunto I adde that it may be said that the Sabbath day and the day of the New Moone spoken of there representeth the time of eternall life in heaven where the faithful are in a perfect rest and are new Creatures without any blemish of sin or defect of righteousnes As the sixe work dayes are a representation of the time of this present life during which they travel they rove and trot up and downe upon earth where so long as they sojourne the Prophet signifieth that the marvels of the glorious grace of God are alwayes shut unto them but in heaven shal be opened unto them by a full and unconceivable manifestation and perfect fruition of that joy which is in the face of God and of those pleasures that are at his right hand for evermore whereby they shall worship and serve God perfectly for ever and ever Amen This then is in meaning the same that wee read of in the 66. Chapter of Isaiah verse 23. where it is said that in the new heavens and in the new earth which God should make from moneth to moneth and from Sabbath to Sabbath all flesh i. all the faithfull should come to worship before him Of which passage I have spoken before Of all that hath beene said it is manifest that all the passages of this kinde which are to bee found in the Prophets are not to any purpose when they are produced to prove that which is debated about the Sabbath day CHAPTER Ninth 1. Answer to the seventh Reason 1. Ob. Iesus
sence of Christs words and that they had relation to the Iewes only 4. Although he spake them to his Disciples 5. Second answer Although he had spoken to his Disciples only he might have had respect not to them but to their brethren among the Iewes that were weake in faith 6. Third answer Although by the Sabbath the Lords day were to be understood the morality of one of seven dayes in the weeâ— cannot be inferred from thence 1 IEsus Christ speaking in the 24. of Saint Matthew and twenty verse to his Disciples of the desolation that was to come upon Iudea and namely upon Ierusalem said unto them Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath day Not in the winter because then the wayes are incommodious and there is neither driving nor marching but with difficulty Not on the Sabbath day by reason of the holinesse of that day which being appointed and set a part for Gods service although it was lawfull unto them to flie in it to save their lives yet they should not be able to doe it but with griefe and sore against their will being constrained to spend on trotting toyling and much hurrying up and down a day particularly consecrated to the publike exercises of Religion and so should have a just occasion to pray to God to keepe them from being brought to such a necessity Some alleadge this passage esteeming it to be pressing and of great weight For say they Iesus Christ speaketh to his Disciples of a thing that was to fall out forty yeeres after his Ascension when all the ceremonies of the Law should be abolished in the Christian Church and yet notwithstanding he speaketh unto them of the Religion of the Sabbath as of a thing that they ought alwayes to take to heart in so high a measure that they should be sorry and throughly grieved to be in that time of desolation constrained to flee on so holy a day instead of applying themselves to Gods service Therefore the Sabbath day was not a ceremony comming within the compasse of those that he was to abrogate but a morall point and of perpetuall necessity Otherwise he had not done well to intangle their mindes with an unnecessary Religion towards the Sabbath day in the time of their flight seeing it being abrogated by him they might with as little grieve in respect to the day get packing as fast as they could trot and toyle on that day as on another day 2 I answer that this argument is a silly one and of no value For Iesus Christ speaketh not in that place of Saint Matthew of the day of rest that Christians were to observe after his Ascension but of the Iewish Sabbath day as this word Sabbath day sheweth clerely which his Disciples were farre from understanding other wayes then for the last day of the weeke observed among the Iewes For it is certaine that it signified nothing else at that time seeing there was not as yet any other day of rest in vigour saving that alone And Iesus Christ had not at all made himselfe to be understood of them nay he had purposely given them occasion to mistake him if by the Sabbath day his intention was to denote another day then the last of the weeke because this alone carryed that name neither shall it bee found in the whole Scripture that any other day is specified by that name 3 The heavenly rest under the Gospell is once called by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Chapter 4. verse 9. by a name drawne from the Hebrew word Sabbath because it was figured by the Sabbath of the Iewes But our day wherein wee apply our selves to Gods outward service and to that intent doe cease from our ordinary labour is alwayes called in the New Testament The first day of the weeke or The Lords Day and not the Sabbath which name the Apostles and first beleevers had not failed to give unto it if Iesus Christ had so qualified and stiled it Now if they would never tearme it by such a name although it might have been in some sort attributed unto it but only The Lords Day or The first day of the weeke to distinguish it from the day which was so called among the Iewes For the same reason Iesus Christ in the foresaid place if he had minded to speake of the day which Christians were to observe after his death he had intitled it by some other name then of the Sabbath day to make a distinction betweene it and the day of the Iewes Wherefore those which use this argument doe most fondly suppose without proofe or likenesse of truth that by the Sabbath Iesus Christ meaneth the Lords day Now if it be understood of the Sabbath of the Iewes as it must for the foresaid reasons and as all the interpreters whom I have read and perused doe take it this argument being urged according to the ratiotination of those that have set it on foot shall yeeld against their intention this conclusion that after the death and ascension of our Lord Iesus Christ the Sabbath day of the Iewes ought to bee yet kept in the Christian Church and that the faithfull are obliged unto it by Religion and conscience and ought bee hartily sorrowfull when being constrained to flye on it to save their lives in a great desolation they should not be able to consecrate it to Gods service 3 The true sence of this passage is that indeed our Lord Iesus <_o> Christ commandeth his Disciples to pray to God that their flight happen not on the Iewish Sabbath day Yet it was not his intention to make that day necessary unto them and to urge them with the observation thereof nor also to imbrew their spirits with a superstitious opinion as if it were not lawfull to flye on that day for the saving of their lives from the day of desolation although they had beene obliged to keepe it still seeing on both sides it is agreed on that a man may lawfully flie and doe all necessary things on any Sabbath day whatsoever without feare of breaking it In this speech the Lord hath regard to this onely that because there was a Law amongst the Iewes forbidding them to travell on the Sabbath day ordinarily further then a certaine number of steppes to wit two thousand and that for a religious end which was called a Sabbath dayes journey Acts 1. verse 12. he knew well that many not only of the Iewes which were not converted to the faith but also of those which had professed the Gospell moved with devotion and Religion towards the Sabbath for want of sufficient instruction should bee scrupulous to prepare things necessary for their fâ—ight and to flee far on that day the desolation comming upon them on a suddaine through feare to breake Gods Commandement concerning the Sabbath as we see in the History of the Maccabees that many of the Iewes which were gone downe into the secret
travellers that seeke it the cessation and bringing of it to naught teacheth that the Sabbath hath ceased and is abrogated And so having refuted all reasons that are put abroach for the morality and perpetuity of the Sabbath I end here the second part of this Treatise THE THIRD PART Of the originall and institution of the first day of the weeke for the day of Gods publike service in the Christian. CHURCH CHAPTER First Establishment of the opinion most admittable concerning the originall and institution of the Lords day 1. The first day of the weeke was kept from the beginning of the Christian Church in remembrance of Christs Resurrection not for any necessity in the thing it selfe 2. Not also by obligation of the fourth Commandement 3. The state of the Question whether this day be an institution of IESUS CHRIST or of his Apostles or whether the faithfull of themselves without any Commandement made choice of it 4. The first opinion hath no solid foundation The second hath 5. First argument against the first opinion There is no record in the whole New Testament that Christ or his Apostles ordained that day c. 6. Second argument the first day of the weeke was not equally kept by all Christians till Constantine by an imperiall Law tyed them unto it as also to the sixt day which wee call Friday 7. First observation upon the imperiall Law of Constantine concerning the first day of the weeke 8. Second Observation upon the same Law concerning the sixt day 9. Whence it is cleere that both were of Ecclesiasticall institution 10. Third argument the first Christians especially in the East observed for the space of three hundred yeeres and more the seventh day of the weeke with the first day 11. Confirmation of this truth by the Councell of Laodicea and sundry Fathers c. 12. Which shew evidently that the Christians in those dayes beleeved not that the first day of the weeke was by CHRIST or his Apostles subrogated to the Iewish Sabbath 1 IT is plaine and generally agreed on that the first day of the weeke was kept from the beginning of the Christian Church and that undoubtedly upon the consideration of the Resurrection of CHRIST which came to passe on that day Yet this observation was not grounded upon any necessity of the thing it selfe obliging Christians to keepe that day of the weeke rather than another For as it hath beene shewed before it is impossible to explicate with shew of reason either what morall necessity one day of seven hath in it more than hath another number or wherefore it was necessary that the day of the week that Christ rose in should be kept in the Christian Church rather than the day wherein he was borne or the day wherein he suffered on the Crosse or the day wherin hee ascended into heaven Or if the day of his Resurrection must be observed why these others of his birth death and Ascension ought not to be also kept weekely The resurrection of Christ might did give occasion unto the observation of that day but that it was a cause obliging necessarily and having a fundamentall relation or that CHRIST by his Resurrection on that day intended to sanctifie it particularly to the Christian Church cannot bee proved 2 Neither also hath the fourth Commandement obliged Christians to observe this day For it injoyned the last day of the weeke precisely and not the first and in that respect was ceremoniall which also hath beene shewed And therefore the observation of the first day of the weeke cannot be grounded upon the tearmes thereof For the foundation thereof should be absurd and unreasonable thus God ordained under the Old Testament as a point of ceremony and of order for that time the last day of the weeke wherein hee rested from all his workes Therefore in vertue and through obligation of this Commandement men are bound under the New Testament to observe the first day of the weeke wherein God began to apply himselfe to the production of his works Who seeth not the manifest absurdity of such an illation Therefore this observation of the first day of the weeke must of necessity bee attributed to some other free and voluntary institution made concerning it in the New Testament 3 Here beginneth a new question whether the institution therof be divine or Apostolicall If it was our Lord Iesus Christ that ordained it after his Resurrection to be kept by all Christians during the whole time of the New Testament if the Apostles also injoyned it to all the faithfull till the end of the world so that they are all bound to the observation thereof by the institution of Christ or of his Apostles Or whether the faithfull did not of themselves without any commandement through respect to the Resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ keepe the day wherein it came to passe as also to make a distinction thereby between them and the Iewes and to shew that they were made free from all Iewish observations types and figures amongst which was the Sabbath day and that they observed not a day in quality of type and figure but onely for orders sake and for Ecclesiasticall government to apply themselves together to the exercises of Religion and for that cause had changed the seventh day of the Iewes into another which usage and custome as very fit and convenient being begunne first amongst a few faire and softly prevailed and was established with the Christian Religion amongst all those that imbraced it and since that time hath continued in the Christian Church till this day 4 Although the first of these opinions were true it cannot inforce the morality of a seventh day of rest but only that the first day of the weekes was instituted by IESUS CHRIST or his Apostles as a point of order whereunto in such a case the faithfull should be bound by the necessity of a divine and apostolicall commandement But I see not that this opinion hath any solid ground whereas the second is well founded For there is nothing found in the New Testament concerning the observation of the first day of the weeke importing a commandement of Christ or of his Apostles neither is there any such commandement inferred but by remote and most weake consequences and it is more likely that all the places alleadged to that purpose denote onely a simple usage among some Christians in those dayes which by succession of time hath beene setled and is become universall 5 Indeed if Iesus Christ or his Apostles by expresse commandement from him or by divine inspiration had ordained that day as a point so necessary as it is thought to be I doubt not but their commandement should have beene expressely set downe in the books of the New Testament as are all other ordinances of necessary things and that in them we should finde reprehension against those that had neglected the observation of that day as in them there are reprehensions against all kinde of
Saint Athanasius in the homily of the seed saith of himselfe and of other faithfull Christians that they assembled together on the Sabbath day not through malady of spirit for Iudaisme but to worship the Lord of the Sabbath Gregory of Nisse calleth these two dayes to wit the Sabbath day and the Lords day brethren Sozomene in the seventh booke and 19 Chapter of his History saith that at Constantinople and almost in all other parts of the Easterne Church the ecclesiasticall assemblies met together on the Sabbath day and on the day following Socrates in the sixt booke and eight Chapter of his History calleth the Sabbath day and the Sunday the weekely feasts wherein Christians came together in the Churches and in the foresaid 21 Chap. of the fifth book amongst many diverse customes of the Churches of these times concerning their assemblies and exercises of Religion he alleadgeth a frequent and common observation of the Sabbath 12 Which sheweth that the Churches beleeved not Sunday to be of divine institution and subrogated to the Sabbath by our Lord Iesus Christ. For if they had beleeved any such thing they had not observed another day But knowing they had no particular commandement for any day of devotion they observed both the Sab because it had beene a long while a solemne day of devotion ordained of God to the Iewes and Sunday because it was made honourable by the Resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ. This that we say shall be better seene by the consideration of the reasons which are broached to prove that the institution of the first day of the weeke to be a holy day is of God himselfe of Iesus Christ and of his Apostles CHAPTER Second Answer to the first Reason taken from some Texts of the Old Testament to prove the divine institution of the first day of the weeke 1. Answer to the Reasons taken from the Circumcision administred on the eight day and from the inscription of certaine Psalmes c. 2. Reasons taken out of the 110 Psalme 3. ver and of the 118. Psalme verse 24. 3. Answer In the hundred and tenth Psalme no mention is made of any particular day 4. Nor also in the hundred and eighteenth Psalme 5. And although there were a day of rest in every weeke cannot be inforced from thence 6. No more then the words of Isaiah Chapter 9. and of the Angels Luke 2. verse 10 11. can inforce a weekely observation of a day in remembrance of Christs birth 1 IT were a losse of time to stay here upon the refutation of the reasons taken from the ancient circumcision which was celebrated on the eight day and which some say to have beene a figure of the spirituall circumcision that we were to obtaine by our Lord Iesus Christ one the first day of the weeke which is as the eight day succeeding immediately to the seventh and last day thereof Nor also of these which are overthwartly wrested out of these Psalmes which have in their titles or inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hascheminith that is super octava upon the octave as if in these titles mention were made of the first day after the seventh which is Sunday For although these reasons have beene alleadged by some of the ancients they broached them rather as allusions and allegories then as solid proofes to rely upon Wherefore leaving them I goe forward to the consideration of two others which have greater likenesse of truth 2 They would faine take advantage of the hundred and 10. Psalm and of the 3. ver as also of the hundred and 18. Psalme and of the 24 v. thereof as if in these places there were a prophesie that Sunday or the day of the Resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ should be observed in the Christian Church In the hundred and 10 Psal. verse 3. mention is made of a day wherein Christ should raise an army in a holy pompe and his people should be a willing people In the hundred and 18 Psalme verse 24. the people is exhorted to rejoyce and be glad in the day which the Lord had made day wherein the stone which the builders refused should become the head stone of the corner verse 22. Stone which is Christ. Now Christ in his ignominious death was like a stone rejected by the builders that is by the governours and rulers of the Iewes and it was by his glorious Resurrection that he became the head stone of the corner Act. 4. ver 10 11. 3 To this I answer that no certaine argument can be drawne from the two foresaid allegations For who dare affirme that in them a particular day is denoted and not rather indefinitely the time of the publication of the Gospell and gathering together of the Christian Church which was done by the Apostles after the Resurrection of Christ It is said in the hundred and tenth Psalme ver 2. that the Lord should send out of Sion the Scepter of Christs strength the meaning of which words is that out of Ierusalem he should send forth and spread every where the preaching of the Gospell to wit by the Apostles and other Ministers and that in the day that is in the time wherein he should raise his army that is gather together his Church she should be a free voluntary and forward people Now the first assembling of the Christian Church happened not in one day more than in another but the Apostles applyed themselves to that worke every day preaching the Gospell wherefore we must not understand in that place of the Psalme any particular day but the whole time wherein this worke was done by the Apostles and their Disciples 4 I say the same of the hundred and eighteenth Psalme For Iesus Christ is not become the head stone of the corner simply by his Resurrection but in as much as after his Resurrection he hath by the preaching of the Gospell built up the faithfull upon himselfe as so many lively stones to be a spirituall house as we may see in the first epistle of Saint Peter Chapter 2. verse 4 5 6 7. And therefore this day which the Lord hath made and wherein the Psalmist exhorteth the faithfull to rejoyce is not a particular day but all this time blessed and sanctified by the LORD wherein should begin and goe forward this great worke of the preaching of the Gospell for the edifying in all places of the Church upon Iesus Christ for this is ordinary both in Scripture and in the common language when mention is made of a day wherein a thing is a doing or shall be done to understand not alwayes necessarily a certaine particular day but indefinitely the time of such a thing which may be such that it cannot bee performed in one particular day but requireth a continuation of time So the Apostle applying to the Christians of his time the words of God in Isaiah Chapter 49. 8. saith Behold now is the accepted time behold Now is the day of salvation
2 Cor. 6. verse 2. This time and this day is now also in our time and shall be till the worlds end Such was the worke whereof mention is made in the foresaid Psalme a worke which hath ever beene a doing since Christs Ascension into heaven and shall not be performed till he come visibly from heaven to judge the quicke and the dead 5 But granting that the Psalmist speaketh of a particular day which God ordained then for the Resurrection of Iesus Christ and wherein it was afterwards fulfilled it followeth not that he would binde the faithfull under the New Testament to make weekely of that day a day of rest For he exhorteth them only to rejoyce and be glad for it as for a day wherein a great thing and belonging to their salvation should bee performed which they may well doe according to the exhortation of the Psalmist although they make not that day every weeke a day of rest For they may and ought to rejoyce every day privately at home and also publikelie in the congregation as often as they meete together to serve GOD. 6 And if the question be of the stinting of a solemne day for the commemoration of this great worke the exhortation of the Psalmist obligeth them not more particularly to one ordinary day in the weeke then to a yeerely day Esay in the ninth Chapter prophesieth that the faithfull shall rejoyce with a great joy for the day wherein the child was borne and the Sonne was given and the Angels of GOD on that day brought to the Shepheards good tydings of great joy which should be to all people because unto them was borne that day in the City of David a Saviour which is CHRIST the LORD Luke 2. verse 10 11. And yet these words inforce not that the day of CHRISTS birth must necessarily be observed as a day of rest and farre lesse as an ordinary day everie weeke And the Church which hath thought fit to make commemoration thereof on a set day was pleased to appoint for that purpose one day only in the whole yeere Neither can there a greater obligation then this be inferred of the foresaid passage for the day of the Resurrection For we may yea wee ought to rejoyce for the day of the Nativity of Christ of his passion of his Ascension and likewise of his Resurrection but for all that we are not bound to make of them Sabbath dayes And so the foresaid places conclude nothing CHAPTER Third Answer to the second Reason whereby they seeke to prove that Sunday was sanctified by our Lord Iesus Christ for Gods service 1. Second Reason Christ forty dayes before the Ascension spake to his Apostles of things pertaining to the kingdome of God and therefore of the Sabbath 2. Answer by the kingdome of God are to be understood the essentiall points of our Christian Religion 3 Not the circumstances thereof which are left to the liberty of the Church 4. Nullity of the instance urged from the commandement given to Moses concerning the Sabbath 5. The Church had authority to sanctifie Sunday as well as other holy dayes for Gods service 1 THey alleadge out of the New Testament that our Lord Iesus Christ after his Resurrection was forty dayes with his Disciples speaking unto them of the things pertaining to the kingdome of God Act. 1. verse 3. that is to the training and government of the Christian Church which is often called the kingdome of God as Acts 19. verse 8. Acts 28. verse 23. Col. 4. verse 11. c. To which government say they did pertaine the determination of one day wherein the Evangelicall service ought to be publikely celebrated to God For as God when he gave the ancient Covenant by Moses and taught him how hee would have his Church to be trained had a particular care to name unto him a certain day for his service even so our Lord Iesus Christ when he taught the New Covenant to his Apostles and how under it he would have his Church to be governed by them and by their successors hath not omitted to appoint unto them a certaine day for his publike service 2 I answer that this argument is not founded but upon uncertaine conjectures and so concludeth nothing necessarily By the kingdome of God is meant ordinarily in the New Testament the word of the Gospell the Christian Religion the state and condition of the Church and is so taken in the places before alleadged Wherfore when it is said in the first of the Acts verse 3. that Iesus Christ spake to his Apostles of things belonging to the kingdome of God it is likely that the meaning of these words is that Iesus Christ spake unto them of things pertaining to the Gospell to the Religion and to the government of the Church and thence may be inferred that he declared and prescribed unto them all things that are of the substance of the Gospell of the Religion and of the essentiall matter of his service such as is the preaching of the points of faith and of doctrine and the administration of the Sacraments of the New Testament things that God himselfe ordaineth necessarily and will never leave to the liberty of men to dispose of as they think fit but will have all men in these points to depend on his declaration and ordinance As also they are most expresly declared in the New Testament as being established by our Lord Iesus Christ. 3 But as for the circumstance of a particular and ordinary time for the practising of these exercises no man can inferre of the foresaid Text that Iesus Christ prescribed it to his Apostles yea it is most likely that he resigned that care to the wisdome of his faithfull servants because there being no necessity nor essentiall importance of such a determination of one day it is more agreeable to the state of liberty which the Scripture assigneth to the Christian Church under the Gospell that Iesus Christ would have it to depend on her liberty and wisedome rather than prescribe it himselfe 4 Vnder the old testament God ordained by Moses a set day for the Sabbath because it was the time of bondage as also he prescribed for a mark of that bondage an exact cessation from all servile works yea of the least on that day and besides ordained unto them diverse other dayes and times for his service as also a particular place for the publike exercise thereof a Tabernacle a City a Temple c. 5 Now if under the New Testament he hath left altogether to the first liberty and wisedome of the Church the determination of places such as she shall thinke fit as also of diverse other times and dayes which she may ordaine and hath ordained in effect for the celebration of the remembrance of sundry benefits which God hath vouchsafed upon us through our Lord Iesus Christ and for the solemnization of them by the godly exercises of Religion I see no reason why we may not say that
the first day of unleavened bread that is said figuratively because of the immediate cōjunction of the time wherein the Lamb was prepared with the time wherin it was eaten with unleavened bread For it was prepared at the end of one day and eaten at the beginning of the next day Or because the same day wherein the Lamb was prepared the Iewes put away leaven and leavened bread out of their houses and prepared unleavened bread for the day following Or also because amongst the Romans of whom the Iewes did at that time depend the naturall day began by the light and the night was the last part therof whereunto it may be the Evangelists had regard But otherwise to speak properly according to the ordinance of the Law it is most certain that the day wherin the Lamb was rosted and prepared was not the first day of unleavened bread For that was the 14. day betweene the two evens this was the 15. day at the entrance thereof On that day leavened bread might be eaten on this day and on the dayes following all leaven was most strictly forbidden That was not a day of rest but of travell and of preparation as it is often called in the Gospel Mat. 27. v. 62. Mar. 15. v. 42. Luk. 23. v. 54. Ioh. 19. v. 14 31. because on it were all things prepared for the feast following as to search and put away all leaven and leavened bread out of their houses to kill to slay to rost the Lamb c. Nay we see that on that day the Iewes caused the Lord Iesus to be crucified and two thieves with him and vexed themselves extreamly all that day to come to their intent This was a great and solemne Sabbath wherein it was not lawfull to doe any manner of worke 10 Let us adde to that hath beene said the practise of the observation of the Sabbath which we read in the thirteenth Chapter of Nehemiah It is said there ver 15 16 17 19 20. that because all manner of ware was brought into the City of Ierusalem and sold on the Sabbath day Nehemiah commanded that as soone as the Sunne should withdraw it selfe from the gates of the City before the Sabbath the gates should be shut and that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath so that the Merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Ierusalem once or twice from whence we gather manifestly the Sabbath began at the going downe of the Sun and that the night made the first part thereof For if the Sabbath had not begun then wherefore did Nehemiah command so carefully to shut the gates as soone as the sun should withdraw his beames from them and it should begin to be darke And if not the night preceding the day but the night following had made a part of the Sabbath surely the Merchants had beene of necessity constrained to remaine two nights out of Ierusalem whereas it is only said that they past the night once or twice without the Towne to wit the night after Nehomiah had given order that the gates shold be shut as soone as the Sun should retire from them and therfore that night with the day following composed the Sabbath which ending on the next even at the setting of the sun Nehemiah commanded that they should be opened again v. 19. a cōmandement being necessary for the opening of them then at that time because the night returning it was the time to keep them barred and locked seeing they were already shut If the Sabbath had ended with the end of the night it had not beene needful that Nehemiah should command to open the gates after the Sabbath For it was usuall to open them after the night was ended and a particular commandement for that was needlesse But although I had omitted these reasons which I have alleadged the words of the original shew plainly and of themselves what we say These they are v. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Causher Tsallou Shahare Ieroushalaim liphne Hasshabbat that is as the gates of Ierusalem were darkned before the face or in the presence of the Sabbath or before the Sabbath For the ordinary signification of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Liphne is before the face in the presence And therefore seeing the gates were darkened before the face or in presence of the Sabbath it followeth that when the sun was setting the Sabbath was comming and began at that same instant to shew it selfe if I may speake so 11 Likewise we read in St. Iohn Chap. 19. v. 40 41 42. that Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus having obtained leave of Pilate to take away the body of Iesus as soone as he was dead tooke it wrapt it in a winding sheete with spices as the manner of the Iewes was to bury and laid it in a new Sepulchre which was in a Garden in the same place where he was crucified and laid it there because of the Iewes preparation day for the Sepulchre was nigh at hand that is the night being at hand the beginning of the Sabbath being nigh and comming apace with the night and the day of preparation which preceded the Sabbath drawing nigh the evening and making hast to finish they carryed not farre the body of Iesus but laid it in a Sepulchre hard by after they had wound it in linnen cloathes with aromaticall and fragrant drugs only without any imbalming at that time because they had no leasure to anoint and imbalme him by reason of the neerenesse of the Sabbath which was unto them an high day of Sabbath as it is called in the one and thirtieth verse of the same Chapter for as much as at that time the extraordinary Sabbath of the first day of the feast of unleavened bread occurred with the ordinary Sabbath of the weeke For the same reason the Iewes ver 31. that the bodyes of those that were crucified should not remaine upon the Crosse on the Sabbath day besought Pilate that they might be taken away betimes that is before the end of the day as the Text sheweth plainely Now if the Sabbath had not begun in the evening but only in the morning the Iewes should not have had a cause to urge the taking away of the bodies from the Crosse so quickly nor Ioseph and Nicodemus to bury the body of Iesus so speedily and to interre it in the same place where hee was crucified which the Text sheweth they did on a sudden For the Iewes should have had all the evening and all the night following to procure the taking away of the bodyes Ioseph and Nicodemus should have likewise had time enough to imbalme transport and interre at leasure the body of the LORD where they should thinke fit This is distinctly observed by Saint Luke Chapter 23. verse 53 54. where he saith that the day wherein Ioseph laid the body of Iesus in a Sepulchre was the preparation and the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is drew on was a comming
is not repugnant S. Luke in the 23. chap. 56. vers Where he saith that the women after they had beheld the Sepulchre and how the Lords body was laid returned and prepared odours and ointments and rested the Sabbath day according to the Commandement which words seeme to import that they prepared their spices before the Sabbath For the order and coherence of these words doe not designe the like order and coherence of things but they must be understood after this manner being returned they prepared their odours And or rather But they rested the Sabbath day to wit first and before this preparation as appeareth by the conference of the 54. vers where it is said that when the body of Christ was laid in the tombe and the women beheld where it was laid the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drew on that is was at hand and ready to begin as hath beene said before So that it was impossible to them to prepare any kind of thing for the inbalming of Christ before the Sabbath Whence it followeth that sith then it was evening the end of the same Sabbath fell upon the dawning or evening of the night following and so was both the end of the last day of the weeke preceding and the beginning of the night following whereby the first day began And that was the time betokened by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned by Saint Matthew and the night preceding the first day of the weeke which he nameth afterward did belong to the said first day making with it the naturall and civill day of the Iewes and did not belong to the Sabbath For if it had pertained to the Sabbath and the first day of the weeke following the Sabbath had begun in the morning sith it is constant that before the Sabbath they prepared not their aromaticall drugs when should they have found the opportunity and leisure to prepare them They durst not doe it on the Sabbath day for it was a day of rest and of cessation from all work As also S. Luke saith Chap. 23. vers 56. That they rested the Sabbath day according to the Commandement After the Sabbath upon the first day of the weeke they could not doe it granting that this day began in the morning For very early in the morning as it was yet darke they went with their spices already bought and prepared And therefore we must of necessity say that they bought their spices in the evening after the Sunne was set and the Sabbath ended that during the night which was the beginning of the first day of the week they prepared these drugs and that in the morning of the same day they came to imbalme Iesus Which being so we must interpret the words of S. Matthew after such a sort that they may agree with the sayings of the other Evangelists And it is in no wise necessary to joyne the evening or the latter end of the Sabbath with the beginning of the light of the first day of the weeke as if the one and the other had met together in one time and at once as is pretended There is betweene these two the intervall of a night which pertained to this first day of the weeke and we may translate the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Marke speaketh that is in the evenining at the extremitie or latter end of the Sabbath this extremity being already come and past or in the evening that is in the night the first part thereof being taken for the totall after the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at that same houre or time which began to shine yet with a little remnant of the nights darknesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee the first day of the weeke that is the first day of light the first artificiall day which is a part of the naturall day Or wee may take these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the time that was to shine in the first day of the weeke For it was not S. Matthews intent to specifie unto us the immediate conjunction of the first day of the weeke with the Sabbath finishing but only at what point of time the woman came to the Sepulchre to wit at the first glimpse of the light of the first day of the weeke and hee made mention of the evening or of the latter end of the Sabbath in respect that the Sabbath had hindred them till then to apply themselves to this pious and charitable worke which they had intended 17 Moreover they produce a passage out of the twentieth chapter of the Acts vers 7. 11. where it is said that the Disciples in Troas being come together upon the first day of the weeke to breake bread Paul preaching unto them continued his speech untill midnight and after he had broken bread and eaten continued to talke unto them even till the breake of day In which words they pretend that the night is mentioned as the last part of the first day of the weeke But first nothing obligeth us to grant that the night there mentioned ought to be referred to the first day of the weeke For we may affirme as well that it pertained to the second day and made the beginning thereof The words of the Text are very well verified if we say that the first day of the weeke and towards the end thereof the Disciples were assembled and their assembly having begun about the end of the first day continued a good while with and after the beginning of the second day Paul because he was to depart on the morning after the first day taking this occasion to extend his discourse within the night following which was the beginning of another day There is no weight in the objection they make against this exposition saying that if it were true Paul had remained longer then seven dayes at Troas to wit a part of an eight day against that which is said in the sixth verse For they presuppose without any ground that Paul was not precisely but seven dayes at Troas which the Text saith not but only that he abode there seven dayes which should be very well expressed so although he had remained there a part of the eighth day which might have beene past under silence and not counted with the dayes going before because it was not a full and whole day but only a part of a day And putting the case that it should come within the compasse of the seven dayes of the Apostles aboade at Troas we may say it was taken for the seventh and last day For it is not told exactly on what day Paul came to Troas nor that he abode there full seven dayes but only in generall seven dayes Now although he had beene there but a part of the first and a part of the last of seven it may be well said that hee was there seven dayes
in any day whatsoever according as every one should have the commoditie till the Apostles comming and was to cease after he at his comming had received the whole summe that these contributions should amount unto And so of this passage cannot be gathered the observation of any day and farre lesse of the first day of the weeke for Ecclesiasticall meetings whereof according to this Exposition which hath a great likenesse of truth no mention is made in it 4 But secondly although the Apostle had intended to stint the Corinthians to a particular day wherein they were to put a part every one with himselfe a portion of their goods to goe and distribute it that same day in their Ecclesiasticall assemblies for all that it appeareth not that he meant by that day the first day of the weeke For these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be translated in this other sense On a Sabbath day or on every Sabbath day as excellent interpreters alleage and approve this exposition and hath nothing for the divine institution of our Sunday 5 Thirdly put the case that the Apostle speaketh of the first day of the weeke as of a day appointed for Ecclesiasticall meetings and in them for Gods service and for publike collections no other thing can be proved from thence saving that it was a custome received in the Church of Corinth in the Churches of Galatia and probably in others to meet together on the first day of the weeke but in no wise that the Apostle had given them an injunction concerning that day It is true that in the foresaid words mention is made of an injunction given by the Apostle but of the collections only not of the time wherein they were to be made which time the Apostle supposeth onely as received and observed among them on the first day of the weeke but commandeth it not 6 Fo◠the words are Concerning the collection for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia even so doe yee 1 Cor. 16. vers 1. where we see the injunction hath reference to the collections as to the end thereof and by no meanes to the day that they were to be levied in He saith againe in the next verse Upon the first day of the weeke let every man lay aside by himselfe and put in store c. where also the injunction is of the collection and the day is not named by way of commandement but onely as supposed to be ordinary for the ecclesiasticall meetings and consequently for the collections 7 I say therefore that it appeareth not that the Apostles have instituted the first day of the weeke But although they had ordained it it should not follow that they had received of the Lord an expresse commandement so to doe It is true that in matters concerning the doctrine of the Gospel and things essentiall to Gods service they have taught nothing but what they received of the Lord as the Apostle protested 1 Cor. 11. vers 23. and as Christ had given them the commandement Matth. 28. vers 20. But as for things which are wholly of order they had power to dispose and ordaine of them with Christian wisedome as they should thinke fit 8 Of that hath beene said we may see the vanity of the argumentation framed by some Divines upon the words of the Apostle to the Philippians chap 4. vers 9. The things which ye have both learned and received and beard and seene in me do them They saw in him the observation of the first day of the weeke which we call Sunday therefore he willeth them to keepe also that day 9 Whereunto I answer first that by a like ratiocination they may conclude that the Apostle would have the faithfull to observe and celebrate all the dayes of the week but namely the Sabbath of the Iewes for he was heard and seene often preaching all the dayes of the weeke but principally every Sabbath day for his manner was to doe so Acts 17. vers 2. Secondly that the foresaid argumentation may have some value it must presuppose that it was an order established by the Apostle and observed regularly by him to celebrate the first day of the week For to beleeve that whatsoever he was seene to do sometimes accidentally and by occasion the faithfull ought necessarily to doe it alwayes were a too great impertinency For he was seene shave his head according to the ceremony of the Mosaicall Nazareat Num. 6. vers 18. Acts 18. vers 18. Acts 21. vers 24. 26. and circumcise Timothy Acts 16. v. 3. But such a presupposition hath no foundation as hath beene shewed Thirdly the Apostle himselfe betokeneth by the connexion of the 9. vers with the 8. going before what things he would have the Philippians to do by imitation of his example and according to his instructions to wit whatsoever things are true honest just pure loveable of good report if there be any vertue or any praise that is these things properly which are a part of godlinesse towards God and of love towards the neighbour But to observe for Gods service the first day of the weeke rather than an other day is not of that nature as being a thing meerely indifferent and established by custome onely It is also a conjecture without apparance that the Apostle among the things which he designeth in the ninth verse meant to comprise the observation of Sunday CHAPTER seventh Answer to the sixth Reason 1. Sixth Reason Mention is made in the Revelation Chap. 1. vers 10. of the Lords day 2. Answer It may be so called in two other respects rather than that which is pretended 3. Instance It is called the Lords day because he ordained it as for that cause the Sabbath is called the Lords rest the Eucharist the Lords Supper 4. Nullitie of this instance 5. Many excellent Divines of the Protestant Churches speake of the first day of the weeke as of a custome of the Church not as a commandement of Christ. 1 IT is said in the first Chapter of the Revelation and the tenth verse That Iohn was in the Spirit on the Lords day whence also they would faine inferre that the first day of the weeke which hath obtained the name of The Lords day was instituted by the Lord Iesus or by his Apostles to be a day dedicated to the exercices of godlinesse 2 But from hence we cannot conclude a divine or Apostolicall institution of that day for S. Iohn might make mention of that day in respect of the Lords rising on such a day and not to signifie that it ought to be appointed or was already set a part more solemnely than any other day for Gods service and for the commemoration of Christs benefits and especially of his Resurrection Yea although he had qualified it with this title in respect of the consecration thereof which was ordinary at that time and in consideration whereof it had commonly the name of The Lords day amongst Christians
in their times as it hath had many hundred yeeres sithence in the Christian Church which honoureth the first day of the weeke with the name of the Lords day it followeth not that this consecration did proceed from the institution of Christ or of his Apostles Seeing it might be founded in the onely practice and custome brought in among the faithfull The ancient Fathers speaking of the observation of Sunday give no other reason thereof saving the Lords Resurrection on that day and not any commandement of the Lord which they had not forgotten if there had beene any 3 Certaine Divines without any shew of good reason will hold us in hand that the first day of the weeke is called The Lords day even as the seventh day is called The Lords rest and the holy Supper The Supper or the Table of the Lord to wit not onely in consideration of their end which is to be a memoriall that of Gods rest after the Creation this of Christs death but also of their institution which is from the Lord himselfe 4 It is true indeed that the one and the other are so called in these two respects But this is also most true that wee have in holy Scripture an expresse declaration that God of old gave to the Iewes the seventh day because on it he rested and would have it to be a signe that he was the Lord that sanctified them It is true also that Iesus Christ instituted the holy Supper in the roome of the ancient Passeover to be a memoriall of his death not a simple memoriall but a Sacrament exhibitive and confirmative of the benefits flowing from his death which it could not be but by an expresse institution from himselfe necessary in all Sacraments because otherwise they cannot be Sacraments It is not so of this day which is called The Lords day For we finde not any institution or subrogation thereof in roome of the ancient Sabbath day neither by the Lord himselfe norby his Apostles And it may be the faithfull called it the Lords day in regard of that solemne action of our Lord Iesus Christ when on it he rose from the dead an action whereof they thought fit to make in it an ordinary and weekely commemoration The place where the holy assemblies meet together is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Dutch and Scots Kirk by abbreviation in English Church as if we should say The Lords place albeit there be no such place of the Lords institution but onely of the Churches who gives that name to the Temples because they are consecrated to the Lords service And wherefore I pray might not likewise the first day of the weeke be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of the Lord seeing the Church hath appointed it to the honour and service of the Lord which she might doe without any necessity of a divine institution by Iesus Christ our Lord or by his Apostles This was the meaning of many of our most excellent Divines which speake of the observation of the first day of the weeke as of an observation proceeding not from some apostolicall commandement which is not to be found in the Gospel but from a custome introduced and received in the Christian Churches custome which in it selfe is free and without obligation of conscience They acknowledge also that the argument drawne from the appellation of the Lords day is weak Their testimonies I might recite in this place and oppose them to the testimonies taken from others that are of a contrary opinion But my intention is to dispute by reasons and not by authorities of men which in this point are different CHAPTER Eighth Answer to the seventh Reason 1. Seventh Reason The first day of the weeke is to be sanctified in remembrance that Christ on it ended the worke of our Redemption 2. First answer This assertion is false 3. Second answer Christ fulfilled our redemption by his death meritoriously 4. Third answer He hath fulfilled it by actuall execution after his ascension 5. Fourth answer Declaring the use of Christs Resurrection 6. A notable difference betweene the day of Christs Resurrection and the day of Gods rest 7. The day of Christs Resurrection hath no advantage above the day of his Passion c. 8. The true cause of the first observation thereof 9. All that is said of the first day of the weeke being granted it followeth not that it hath any naturall obligation to be kept 1 OF that hath beene said in the former Chapters it is apparent that the passages whereby our Opponents pretend to prove that the Lord either immediately by himselfe or by his Apostles hath instituted the first day of the week for his solemne service doe not prove any such thing But they take another argument from that which is constant by the story of the Gospel which is that the first day of the weeke Iesus Christ rose againe from the dead as if this day for this only cause that Christs Resurrection happened on it had beene sanctified unto us and obligeth us to a religious and solemne observation thereof For say they Christ rising from death to life on the first day of the weeke came victorious out of the great combate which he had sustained and rested from the dolorous and painfull travels which he had suffered in his death and so ended the worke of the redemption of the Church and re-established it into a new estate So the day that he rose in was a new day which he brought as it were from the Sepulchre for her sake And therefore if the day wherein God rested from the Creation of the world was to be sanctified under the Old Testament in remembrance and to the honour of that worke so long as there was not another more excellent then it by the same reason yea farre more the day wherein Christ rising hath accomplished the wonderfull worke of redemption which is a second Creation of a new world farre more excellent than the first was to bee sanctified under the New Testament in remembrance and to the honour of this great worke and the other day to give place unto it 2 I have already said diverse things pertaining to the solution of this argument But I adde over and besides and for better illustration that it is grounded upon an attribution given to the Resurrection of Christ of things which being exactly considered shall be found that they belong not unto it neither particularly nor properly as to have fulfilled the worke of our redemption and second Creation and to have re-established the world or the Church in the world into a new estate 3 Which things if we speake of fulfilling them by merit or of purchasing the right to performe them really have beene fulfilled by the death and passion of Christ which is the price of our redemption whereby both the state of grace here below and of glory in heaven is purchased unto us 4 But if we speake of fulfilling
seale of the covenant of grace and of Gods promises contained therein which because they appertaine to little children as S. Peter saith Act. 2. verse 39. and that in a manner so expresse that St. Paul affirmeth the Children of faithfull Parents to be holy 1 Cor. 7. ver 14. we conclude very pertinently that the seale of these promises which is Baptisme pertaineth to them 3 But we find not any ordinance in the Gospell to observe the seventh day neither in generall nor in particular neither I say one of the seven dayes of the weeke in generall nor in particular the first day or any other comprised in the order of seven The Commandement to observe the seventh day under the Old Testament was ceremoniall as was Gods ordinance concerning circumcision and had in the Law of the decalogue the same respect that circumcision hath in the covenant of grace And as our Lord Iesus Christ leaving the covenant of grace firme and steady hath abolished the signe of circumcision even so leaving the Law stable in the principall substance thereof which is the whole morality therof he hath abolished the ceremony of the seventh day established in it of old 4 Yet although he thought fit to put in the place of circumcision which was ministred to little children and which he hath abolished the holy Sacrament of Baptisme which consequently ought to be ministred to infants he hath not judged convenient to doe the like by establishing another stinted day in the roome of the seventh Iewish day which he hath abrogated For if he had esteemed it convenient hee had left us an institution thereof as expresse as of Baptisme which he hath not done but was pleased to leave to the wisdome and liberty of the Church the appointing of a time for his service 5 As indeed the Church from her first beginnings and as it were from her cradle hath observed Sunday But of this practise and custome so long continued some doe inferre too rashly that the keeping of Sunday is an institution of Iesus Christ or of his Apostles For by the same reason may be inferred that the keeping of Easter and of some other holy dayes under the Gospell is a divine institution because it hath beene practised in the Church from her first age not long after the times of the Apostles To which conclusion these disputers wil not consent unto because our Lord Iesus Christ hath made us free from the necessity of keeping feasts by any divine obligation as is evident by the texts of Saint Paul alleadged and explaind in the first part of this treatise The truth is that custom hath introduced and ever fithence hath intertained that day and some other holy dayes in the Church without any commandement of Iesus Christ or of his holy Apostles which also Socrates hath recorded in the fifth book of his ecclesiasticall History Ch. 21. 6 They produce also examples of divers judgements of God upon sundry persons who neglected or contemned the Lords day whence they would prove that God thereby hath ratified the observation thereof as ordained by him Whereunto I answer that undoubtedly God may have punished many for the profanation of the Lords day not because he hath ordained and commanded it but because according to the order of the Church this day hath beene appointed for the excrcises of Religion which hee hath commanded All persons which set at nought the preaching of the Word the administration of the Sacraments publike and common Prayers in the assemblies of the faithfull and the order of the Church whereby these holy actions are ordinarily practised on the first day of the weeke deserve in the righteous judgement of God to be punished with exemplary and publike plagues and when the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against their ungodlinesse the cause of their punishment to speake properly is the carelesse disregard of the holy Congregations of the religious and fruitfull exercises practised in them and of the order of the Church and not any necessity proceeding from a commandement given of God to observe the first day of the weeke rather than another day They urge also the backwardnesse which is naturally in men to the sanctification of the Lords day which is our Sabbath day All wicked men are altogether averse unto it and the faithfull and truly regenerate too remisse and restie Of this they inferre that the commandement concerning the Sabbath is morall and the Lords day is a divine institution considering the great contradiction and opposition of the flesh against it 8 But it is easie to answer this argument For this rebellion and stubbornnesse of the flesh is not simply against Sunday no more than against another day but against the keeping and applying of Sunday to serve God to heare his Word to powre out prayers before him to meditate on godlinesse and other exercises of religion whereunto the naturall man hath no inclination no more in other dayes than on the day that is stinted for them For otherwise to to observe a day for passing the time in sporting in gaming or in worldly solemnities the flesh is too too forward to that Whence it followeth that verily Gods service true religion and godlinesse in it selfe is a morall thing established of God seeing the flesh is so averse unto it But it is not necessary that the keeping of a certaine day of Sabbath as of Sunday should be of the same nature because the flesh hath no aversion to that saving in as much as the observation of such a day is ordained for Gods service 9 But say they if one of seven dayes and namely Sunday be not under the new Testament necessary to be kept by divine institution but onely by the order of the Church it shall follow that the Church hath authority of her selfe to sanctifie a day for Gods service and consequently that she is Lady and Mistresse of the Sabbath which prerogative pertaineth not to her but to God alone That if she hath that authority she may ordaine as many and as few dayes as pleaseth her make all the dayes or the most part of the dayes of the weeke Sabbath dayes or onely one of ten or of fifteene or of a whole yeere if she will That particularly she may change Sunday into another day which should be absurd seeing there shall never be any action so important to oblige us to the keeping of another day as was the Resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ which fell upon the first day of the weeke and to move us to consecrate that day to be a Sabbath day That Easter Whitsunday and other Holy dayes instituted by the Church shall be equall in authority to Sunday That there shall be nothing in the fourth Commandement injoyned to particular men saving perhaps to keepe the time which shall be appointed in the Church whereupon they shall brabble and strive about the number of dayes namely about the particular day which is to bee observed some
which remaineth over lay up for you to bee kept untill the morning The sense of which words is evident that as God on the day before the Sabbath rained Manna for two dayes so they should prepare it on the same day for two dayes baking that which they would bake seething that they would seeth and frying that they would prepare so and after they had eaten of it sufficiently for that day they should lay up the rest so prepared to be kept untill the next day 5 For if as some doe esteeme God would have suffered them to prepare on the Sabbath day that which remained over and the sense of the foresaid words were onely that on Friday they should prepare and made ready such a portion as they should thinke sufficient for the meat of that day and keepe the overplus to be prepared the next day God had not given them on Friday bread for two dayes and had not forborne to raine down Manna upon them on the Sabbath day For it had been farre lesse paines unto them to gather on the seventh day the measure that was needfull unto them then to make it ready afterwards Neither is it likely that after he had forbidden them and had taken from them the meanes to gather any on the Sabbath hay hee gave them liberty to bake seeth frie and prepare it on that day Therefore when he sent them twice as much Manna the day before the Sabbath he did it manifestly that they might both gather and prepare double portion the same day and refraine from preparing any on the Sabbath day 6 And wherefore had Moses advised them so carefully on Friday rather than on the other dayes to bake that which they had to bake but to tell them that the same day they ought to bake the double measure which they should gather For otherwise this advertisement had beene to no purpose because they were wont every day to bake the portion which they had gathered for the day knowing that without a warner But they could not well know without information that they were bound to prepare on the same day the two portions which they had gathered for two dayes And to shew yet more cleerely that what they layd up for the next day they kept it baken Moses said not unto them bake to day that which yee have laid up but only Eat that to day For to day is the Sabbath unto the Lord verse 25. which reason was as valuable to hinder them from preparing as from gathering it the one being no more necessary then the other For as GOD gave them the meanes to gather double measure on the sixt day so had they on the sixt day the means and leasure to bake and prepare that double measure and were not constrained by any necessity to reserve a part or to prepare and bake it on the Sabbath day It is objected against this that if they had layd by the Manna prepared and baken till the next day after it had not beene a wonder that it did not stinke neither was there any worme therein where neverthelesse is related as a marvell verse 24. seeing baking and seething hinder all stinke and breeding of wormes But this objection hath no weight and is not to be regarded For although the Manna so prepared might naturally remaine sound and wholesome untill the next day yet by Gods Almighty power and righteous judgement it had stunke and bred wormes if it had beene kept otherwise then hee had expressely commanded For undoubtedly the Manna unbaken and unprepared might have beene kept on any other day of the weeke till the next day without corruption or any noysome smell The only cause why it stunke and bred wormes was Gods prohibition to leave of it till the morning ver 19 20. which prohibition proceeding from so powerfull and righteous a Lawgiver was of such force that it had stunke and bred wormes being kept till the next morning of any day whatsoever although the Israelites had done their utmost indeavour by baking seething frying and by all other possible meanes to keepe it from putrefaction And therefore it is well noted to the purpose that being laid up baken and prepared on Friday for Saturday it stunke not because that being done according to Gods commandement he restrained his judgement which he had displayed in another day if they had kept it till the next morning 8 Moreover God gave another prohibition to his people saying Ye shall kindle no fire thorowout your habitations on the Sabbath day Exod. 35. vers 3. although it was an action of little importance soone done and bringing no disturbance to Gods service A man went out and gathered stickes on the Sabbath day for his present necessitie as it is to be presumed For this hee was by Gods expresse command stoned to death as a manifest transgressour of the Commandement concerning the Sabbath Numb 15. vers 32 33 34 35. To say that he was stoned not so much for gathering stickes on the Sabbath as for doing it through a too bold contempt of that day is a supposition uncertaine and it is farre more likely that he did it through negligence and unadvisednesse than through contempt and presumptuous audacitie and that this unwarinesse whereof he made an open declaration or some other apparent excuse wherewith he shielded himselfe and which was thought to be true or also the manifest slightnesse of the action was unto them a cause of doubting if they should put him to death according to the Ordinance of the Law Exod. 31. vers 14 15. And so much the rather that God shewed indulgence to those which through errour sinned against his Commandements as may be seene in the same fifteenth Chapter of Numbers verse 22 23 24. And therefore it was thought necessary in this occasion to consult the mouth of the Lord who ordained that this man should bee stoned to death by the whole multitude This he commanded to conciliate so much more credit and reverence to his Law touching the Sabbath to give to understand that it had particular reasons wherfore it ought to be exactly observed and that the lightest faults against the rest of the seventh day were not pardonable and to make by this example of severity the Israelites so much the more fearefull to violate the Sabbath and carefull to abstaine in it from all servile workes even from the least And indeed God in the denunciation of the punishments against the transgressours of this Law had not said that he onely who should profane and vilipend the Sabbath but more generally that he who should doe any worke therein should be put to death and so cut off from among his people as may bee seene in the foresaid 35. Chapter of Exodus verse 2. Also some of the contrary opinion to this which I defend acknowledge that it is so and thereupon vouch that in this rigour of the Law condemning a man to die for gathering stickes on the Sabbath day
there was some ceremonie added to the moralitie of the Commandement concerning this day and injoyned to the Iewes in that time of infancie and that it obligeth us no more than other ceremonies annexed at that time to moralities Whereof speech shall be againe made hereafter Mary Magdalene and Mary mother of Iames durst not worke on that day to imbalme Christs body but delayes to doe it and to buy the spices necessary thereto till it was past though they might have done it in a short space resting on that day according to the Commandement Mark 16. vers 1. Luk. 23. ver 56. and thinking themselves bound to the precise observation of the said Commandement because they knew not that it was abolished by our Lord Iesus Christ. 9 So it is evident that the observation of the Sabbath was to the Iewes most precise and exact Neither was it lawfull unto them to doe any outward and corporall workes saving those that were necessary for the outward and ceremoniall service which GOD required on that day as to the Levites and Priests to kill and dresse the beasts for the Sacrifices and to burne the fat upon the Altar Numb 28. vers 9. Matth. 12. vers 5. to particular men to circumcise their children Iohn 7. vers 22 23. to walke a certaine space from home to the place of Gods service where there was an holy convocation ordained of God on the Sabbath day Levit. 23. vers 3. which may be gathered out of the second booke of the Kings Chap. 4. vers 23. Where the husband of the Shunamite asked her wherefore she would goe to the Prophets seeing it was neither new Moone nor Sabbath which sheweth that it was lawfull to goe on the Sabbath day to the places where Gods Prophets abode to teach the people Or the Priests to minister to the Lord in things belonging to his service And this distance of way was by tradition limited and stinted to two thousand common steps as may be gathered out of the twelfth verse of the first chapter of the Acts where the distance betweene the mount of Olives and the towne of Ierusalem which was of so many steps is called A Sabbath dayes journey which tradition and ordinance concerning a Sabbath dayes journey which is not formally prescribed in the Law some are of opinion that it had its originall from the injunction given to the Israelites in the second Chapter of Numbers and the second verse to pitch under their standards about the Tabernacle of assignation over against it or a little farre off from it And in the third Chapter of Ioshua verse 3 and 4. which doe explicate this distance to goe after the Arke of the Covenant keeping betweene them and it the space of two thousand cubites by measure which journey by consequent they were of necessity to make every Sabbath day during their abode in the wildernesse to come to the Tabernacle of assignation where the Arke was and to assist there to the holy convocation which by Gods command was solemnized on that day Levit. 23. vers 3. which afterward the Doctors of the Iewes tooke and established for a rule of the journey which a man might make on the Sabbath day for Gods service and for holy and religious ends There be some who say that they extended this licence of two thousand cubits to walke for recreation and pastime But this hath no ground in the Law as I conceive Moreover they were also permitted on the Sabbath day to doe workes of charity mercifulnesse and compassion necessary to themselves or to their neighbours yea and to their beasts also As to flie and to fight to save their lives and to defend themselves in time of warre As Eliah threatned by Iezebel fled for his life and went forty dayes and forty nights unto Horeb wherein there were many Sabbaths 1 Kings 19. v. 3 8. As the Iewes decreed to defend themselves on the Sabbath day if their enemies came to make battell with them on that day 1 Maccab. 2. v. 41. having learned wisdome by the example of their brethren who being assaulted on the Sabbath chused most unadvisedly to dye rather than to make resistance for their lives v. 36 37 38. As according to the opinion of some it was on the Sabbath day that the Israelites fought against Ierico Ios. 6. verse 15 16 20 21. and against the Syrians 1 King 20. verse 29. but this is not evident enough As also to care dresse cure heale sicke folkes which Christ taught the Iewes to be lawfull and did often himselfe as we see in diverse places of the Gospell As to lay hold on a poore beast and lift it out of the pit that it was fallen into on the Sabbath day Mat. 12. ver 11 12. lead it to watering give it foode and doe unto it all other necessary things Luk. 13. ver 15. 11 An important and urgent necessity which could not be foreseene prevented hindred and admitted no delay made lawfull unto them on the Sabbath day actions which otherwise had beene unlawful As although they were forbidden to prepare meat to eat it on the Sabbath day yet if a man could not get meat to prepare or was deprived of all possible meanes to prepare the meat he had nor find meat made ready on the Sabbath day and that he were in danger to starve I esteeme that rather than he should suffer incommodity in his health or danger in his life God was well pleased that hee should prepare some on the Sabbath for his sustentation For upon this ground Iesus Christ maintained against the Pharisees the action of his Disciples who being an hungred in following him plucked eares of corne and did eat rubbing them in their hands Mat. 12. verse 1. Luk. 6. verse 1. likewise although they were forbidden to kindle the fire on the Sabbath day yet if they had beene pinched with some urgent necessity I doubt not but to kindle the fire had beene acceptable to God I esteeme that the like judgement is to be made of all other actions of the like nature although otherwise forbidden on the Sabbath day 21 These reasons taken from Gods service when externall and corporall actions pertained unto it from charity and compassion or from some great and urgent necessity being excepted it was not lawfull to doe any workes of common and ordinary labour nay not the least during either the time of Gods service in his house either afore or after it publikely or privately in the whole space of 4. and twenty houres betweene the two evenings as is evident by the prohibitions so expresse so particular so frequent made concerning that matter Philo in the second booke of the life of Moses saith that it was not lawfull to the Iewes to plucke on the Sabbath day a bough a fruit a leafe of a tree And all the Rabbins of the Iewes which writ of the observation of the Sabbath goe farre beyond whatsoever is exact and precise in the
where it is said that Iesus Christ entred into the house of one of the chiefe Pharisees on the Sabbath day to eat bread that is to take his refection For it is not said that this Pharisee had caused the repast to be made ready on the same Sabbath day which he had never done seeing the Pharisees found sault with the simple action of Christs Disciples who on the Sabbath day going thorow the corne fields plucked some eares of corne and did rub them in their hands to eat them Luke 6. vers 1. 6 Which is againe a most manifest argument that in those dayes the Iewes prepared not any meat on the Sabbath day and also that it was not permitted by the Law For if it had beene permitted the accusation of the Pharisees against Christs Disciples had wanted all ground and colour of reason when they said unto them Why do ye that which is not lawfull to do on the Sabbath dayes Luk. 6. vers 1. And it had not beene needfull that Christ should have alleaged to defend them that the hunger wherewith they were pinched and their present need of sustenance excused their action even as a like cause excused the action of David and of those that were with him when being an hungred they tooke and ate the Shew-bread which was not lawfull to eate but for the Priests onely as also that God will have mercy and not Sacrifice Matth. 12. vers 3 4 5. For he might have answered in one word that the action of his Disciples to prepare meat was not at all forbidden by the Law and that there was no semblance of reason to blame it whereas by his answer he supposeth that indeed it was forbidden ordinarily as well as to eat of the Shew-bread to all others but Priests and he maintaineth not his Disciples to be excusable but by their present necessity which made lawfull that which otherwise had beene unlawfull unto them For if that whereby hee defended them had beene lawfull otherwise than in case of necessity what need had hee to excuse them upon their present necessitie S. Austin in the fourth chapter of the sixth booke against the Manichees saith that the Iewes on their Sabbath gather not any kinde of fruit in the field that they mince and cooke no meat at home 7 Also S. Ignace Martyr in his Epistle to the Magnesians teaching how the Sabbath is to be observed and that by opposition to the fashions of the Iewes amongst other things saith that it ought not to be kept by eating meats prepared and kept the day before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sheweth that the Iewes prepared not their meat on the Sabbath day but the day before which for this cause they have called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Preparation Mar. 15. 42. because on it they prepared all that was needfull for the Sabbath following As also the same name for the same reason is given to the day that went immediately before the first day of the unleavened bread of the Passeover This abstinence from making ready all kinde of meat on the Sabbath day was undoubtedly the cause that moved some Pagans to beleeve and say that the Iewes fasted on that day as we see in the one and thirtieth Booke of the History of Iustin and in the life of Augustus Caesar written by Suetonius chap. 76. 8 The inference which is made from equality or rather odsof reason that sith the Law permitted the Iews to lead their cattell to the water on the Sabbath day as is cleare by the testimony of S. Luk. 13. 15. it permitted them also to prepare their own meat is of no value For there is not a like necessity of the last as of the first A man must every day water his beast that it may be fed entertained but it is not necessary that a man prepare meat every day for himselfe for he may in the day before prepare meat enough for the day following The inference that can be lawfully and in equall tearmes made of the foresaid permission concerning a mans beast is that farre more should a man be licensed to eat and drinke on the Sabbath day if he be an hungred or a thirst and give meat and drink to another that is very hungry or dry yea to make meat ready too in an urgent and present necessity of hunger and thirst in case there were not any already prepared to be found which I would not deny but the Law did permit But it followeth not hereof that it was permitted to make an ordinary preparation of meat on the Sabbath day as on other dayes and to deferre the preparation thereof which might have beene wisely done the day before till the Sabbath day which is the point in question and which I have clearely shewed before to be expresly forbidden by the Law Exod. 16. 23. Which ordained not for the time onely of the abode of the people in the wildernesse but also for all their generations in time to come that all workes necessary for the Sabbath should be prepared before it came 9 Wherein may be considered a type and a mysterie God giving to understand thereby that during the time of this life we ought to prepare good workes to the end we may injoy the profit and utility issuing of them and eat their fruit as the Scripture speaketh in the eternall Sabbath of the life to come and not to differre from day to day till that great Sabbath come the preparing of our lampes and filling them with abundance of oyle left we knocke and cry in vaine Lord Lord open unto us Matth. 25. 1. c. Mat. 7. vers 22 23. 10 As for the prohibition to kindle fire on the Sabbath day Exod 35. vers 3. it is cleare that it speaketh not onely what the Israelites were to do in the wildernesse but also in Canaan The words are plaine Ye shall kindle no fire thorowout or in any of your habitations upon the Sabbath day which words thorowout or in any of your habitations ought to be referred rather to the land of Canaan than to the wildernesse because it was in Canaan that they were to have their habitations and seats as is implied by the word in the originall whereas in the wildernesse they sojourned onely in tabernacles And it is very unreasonable to imagine that because immediately after mention is made of the building of the Tabernacle of God this prohibition to kindle fire on the Sabbath day had respect onely unto it as if God had forbidden onely to kindle fire for preparing and fitting their tooles and imploying them on that day about that work For although the speech of the building of the Tabernacle followeth immediately after the prohibition to kindle fire yet it followeth not that there is any connexion betweene these things and that they are relative one to another Nay they seeme rather to be dis-joyned and severed in the text it selfe For after
New Testament just as they were commanded But that of the Sabbath was amongst the Israelites so farre vailed with a figurative observation of a seventh day and mystically commanded and prefigured by a certaine signe that at this day we observe it not but onely looke upon that which it signified And tom 4. in exposit ex ad Galat. in cap. 3. about the beginning Opera legis sunt tripartita Nam partim in Sacramentis partim verò in moribus accipiuntur Ad Sacramenta pertinent circumcisio carnis Sabbatum temporale Neomeniae sacrificia atque omnes hujusmodi innumerae observationes Ad mores autem non occides non Moechaberis non falsum testimonium dices talia caetera The workes of the Law are of two sorts for they consist partly in signes and types partly in morall actions In types such are circumcision of the flesh the temporall Sabbath New moones sacrifices and such like innumerable observations In morall actions as thou shalt not kill thou shalt not commit adultery and such like others And tom 3. de Genes ad liter l. 4. c. 13. Iam tempore gratiae revelatae observatio illa Sabbati quae unius diei vacatione figurabatur ablata est ab observatione fidelium Now that grace is revealed that observation of the Sabbath which figuratively consisted in one dayes rest was taken away from the observation of the faithfull To which Passages the Answer that some men make that the fore-quoted Fathers speake of a ceremoniall keeping of the Sabbath and meane onely that the first Patriarches did not observe the Sabbath with such ceremonies as the Iewes afterwards did This answer I say hath not so much as any shew of truth for if they had meant nothing else but that they had never spoke in so direct and expresse tearmes as they doe Moreover they expresly distinguish betwixt the Sabbath and the other ceremonies of Moses Law and flatly affirme that the Patriarches did neither observe the Sabbath nor the other Iewish ceremonies Besides the testimonies of the Fathers which above have been and of our owne Doctours which presently hereafter shall be cited If you will give any credit to Iewish Writers there are some of the old Rabbins as Galatin reporteth l. 11. de secret veritatis Catholic c. 9. 10. who writing upon these words Genes 2. And God blessed the seventh day And upon these Exod. 16. 29. See for that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath say that Abraham observed not the Sabbath that the Law of the Sabbath was given but to the Iewes onely and not to other nations and that they are not obliged to keepe the Sabbath Rabbi Salomon Iarchi in his Comment on Gen. 2. 2. God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it God blessed it saith hee in the Manna because on the rest of the dayes of the weeke there fell one Homer for every person and on the sixth day there fell a double proportion Hee sanctified it in the Manna because on it none at all fell and this is written with reference to the time to come In which words he manifestly referreth the blessing and sanctifying mentioned Gen. 2. 2. to the time that the Israelites were in the desert Amongst our owne Writers I will begin with Calvin who Institut l. 2. c. 8. sect 28. speaketh thus of the fourth Commandement Umbratile veteres nuncupare solent quòd externam diei observationem contineat quae in Christi adventu cum reliquis figuris abolita fuerat quod verè quidem ab illis dicitur Ancient Writers are wont to call this Command a typicall one because it containeth an externall observation of a day which with the rest of the types and figures at the comming of Christ were abolished in which they speake truth Ibidem sect 34. Neque sic tamen septenarium numerum moror ut ejus servituti Ecclesiam astringam Neque enim Ecclesias damnavero quae aliis conventibus suis solennes dies habeant modò à superstitione absint Quod erit si ad solam observationem disciplinae ordinis benè compositi referantur I doe not so regard the number of seven dayes as to tie the Church precisely to it for I should not condemne those Churches who should make choice of other dayes for their publike assemblies so they did it without superstition which is done if the observation of those dayes be onely for discipline and good orders sake And a little after Ita evanescunt nugae Pseudoprophetarum qui Iudaica opinione populum superioribus seculis imbuerint nihil aliud afferentes nisi abrogatum esse quod ceremoniale erat in hoc mandato id vocant sua lingua diei septimae taxationem remanere autem quod morale est nempe unius diei observationem in hebdomada Atque id nihil aliud est quà m in Iudaeorum contumeliam diem mutare diei sanctitatem eandem animo retinere Siquidem manet nobis etiamnum par mysterii in diebus significatio quae apud Iudaeos locum habebat So are refuted the foolish conceits of some false Doctors who in former ages possessed the mindes of the vulgar with a Iewish opinion saying nothing for themselves but this that what was ceremoniall in this command which in their expression they call the taxation of a seventh day is abrogated but that the morall part of it namely the observation of one day in seven remaineth still in force unto this day Which is nothing else but to change the day in contempt of the Iewes and to retaine the same opinion of the holinesse of the day For if so be the same mysterie is implied to us in the number of the dayes which was implied to the Iewes And whoso will take the paines to read over all that he saith in the fore-quoted Chapter shall finde that his opinion is that the principall end for which at first a seventh day was appointed for rest was to be a type and figure of a spirituall rest that the Sabbath is abrogated that the fourth Commandement doth onely oblige us so farre that there must be set times set a part for the publike service of God that if it were possible to make every day a Sabbath day and so take away all difference of dayes it were a thing much to be desired but seeing this cannot be done it behooveth that there be one appointed from among the rest and that this is all which is obligatorie in the fourth command in regard of us And writing on the sixteenth of Exodus vers 5. The seventh day saith he was consecrated before the promulgation of the Law although it is uncertaine whether this day of rest was observed by the Fathers which seemeth probable but I would not contest in this Item on the twentieth of Exodus expounding the fourth Commandement That the Commandement was ceremoniall S. Paul telleth in plaine termes calling it a shadow of things whose body is in Christ. We must see therefore how Christ hath exhibited
Passionis Resurrectionis Ascensionis in Coelum missionis S. spiritus in Discipulos Domini nostri Iesu Christi The ancient Church changed the Sabbath day lest it should seeme to Iudaize and be addicted to Iewish ceremonies and kept its assemblies and rested on the first day of the weeke which S. Iohn calleth the Lords-day without doubt because of the glorious Resurrection of the Lord. And although it is no where read in the writings of the Apostles that the Lords-day was commanded to be kept holy notwithstanding because in this fourth Commandement of the first table is injoyned the care of religion and a diligent plying of Gods externall worship It were a thing much contrary to piety and Christian charity not to sanctifie the Lords-day especially seeing that externall worship cannot be performed without a set time and without a holy rest Bullinger in Apocalypsin cap. 1. v. 10. Hanc diem ut sacram loco Sabbathi in memoriam resurgentis Domini delegerunt sibi Ecclesiae in quâ sacros celebres coetus agerent Ibid. Sponte verò Ecclesiae receperunt illam diem Non legimus eam ullibi praeceptam Ac Ecclesiae viderunt omnino necessarium esse certum tempus in quo conveniant sancti delegerunt ergo diem Resurrectionis neque de his odiosiùs contenderunt inter se ut postea factum in Ecclesia testantur historiae The Churches of free choice received and set apart this day in stead of the Sabbath in remembrance of the Lords Resurrection that in it they might have their holy and solemne meetings For wee reade not that it is commanded any where but the Churches saw that it was necessary that a certaine time should be stinted for the holy meetings of the Saints of God and therefore they chose the day of the Resurrection Neither did they strive eagerly about this as Histories beare witnesse that they did afterwards Musculus in locis Commun in Mandatum quartum Christiani relicto Iudaico Sabbato sacrum otium eo die servant quo Servator non solos Israelitas sed universum genus mortalium non de domo Aegyptiacae servitutis sed de potestate regno Satanae liberatos eduxit The Christians forsaking the Iewish Sabbath keepe their holy rest on that day on which our Saviour did bring forth not the Israelites onely but all mankinde not out of the house of Aegyptian servitude but from the power and kingdome of Satan P. Martyr in his common places which were collected out of the rest of his workes cap. 7. Quod is dies magis quà m ille eligatur ad Dei externum cultum liberum fuit Ecclesiae per Christum ut id consuleret quod magis ex re judicaret Nec illa pessimè judicavit si memoriam instaurationis perfectae id est Resurrectionis Christi in observatione diei Dominici praetulit huic absolutioni mundanae fabricae The Church had liberty by Christ to make choice of one day rather than of another for Gods externall worship to doe therein what shee thought fittest Nor was her choice ill in preferring by observing the Lords-day the remembrance of our perfect redemption that is of Christs resurrection before the remembrance of the finishing of the world Item Quòd unus dies certus in hebdomada cultui divino mancipetur stabile firmum est an verò hic vel alius constituatur temporarium est ac mutabile That one day of the weeke be consecrated to Gods worship is an ordinance of perpetuall force but whether this or that be appointed is temporarie and may be changed Item Quando facta sit haec mutatio in sacris literis expressum non habemus In Apocalypsi tamen Ioannis Dominici diei expressam mentionem habemus verisimile est aliquamdiu primos Christianos morem Iudaicum retinuisse ut in die Sabbati convenirent postea verò ut videmus res mutata est It is not expressed in holy Writ when this change of the Sabbath into the Lords-day was Notwithstanding in S. Iohns Revelation there is expresse mention of the Lords-day and it is likely that for a while the first Christians retained the Iewish custome in meeting together on the Sabbath day but afterwards as we see the day was changed Ursinus Tract Theol. in quartum praeceptum Cum non minùs alio die meditatio ac celebratio operum Dei possit fieri quà m septimo Sicut initiò propter causam accommodatam primis temporibus defignavit Deus ministerio diem septimum sic deinde propter causam accommodatam Messiae temporibus legem eam abrogavit liberum Ecclesiae reliquit alios dies eligere quae propter causam probabilem delegit diem primum quo facta est Christi resuscitatio Seeing one can meditate on and celebrate the workes of God as well on another day as on the seventh As in the beginning for a reason proper to the first times God appointed for his publike worship a seventh day so afterwards for a reason proper to the times of Christs exhibition he abrogated that Law and left it to the power of the Church to chuse other dayes which for a probable reason made choice of the first day on which Christ rose againe Item Differt observatio Dominici diei à Sabbatho Iudaico primò quod Sabbatum septimi diei tanquam partem cultus divini oeremonialem non licebat Iudaeis omittere aut mutare propter expressum Dei mandatum Ecclesia verò Christiana sive primum sive alium diem tribuit ministerio salvâ suâ libertate etiam aliter agendi si sint probabiles causae hoc est sine ulla opinione necessitatis aut cultus Secundò Sabbatum vetus erat typus five umbra rerum in Novo Testamento per Christum implendarum In Novo autem Testamento illa significatio cessavit ordinis at que decori tantum ratio habetur sine quo ministerium Ecclesiae aut nullum aut saltem non bene constitutum esse potest The observation of the Lords day differeth from the Iewish Sabbath First because it was not lawfull for the Iewes to omit the Sabbath or rest of the seventh day as being a ceremoniall part of divine worship nor to change it because of Gods expresse command for the keeping of it But the Christian Church appointeth for divine service a day whether the first or another reserving still to her selfe the liberty to doe otherwise if by good reasons she be induced thereunto that is to say she allotteth such a day to the service of God without any opinion of necessity or worship Secondly the old Sabbath was a type or shadow of things which under the New Testament were to be fulfilled by Christ But under the New Testament that type ceased and onely regard is had of good order and decencie without which divine service either cannot subsist at all or not well And in his Exposition of the second Commandement speaking of Ecclesiasticall lawes which
A TREATISE OF THE SABBATH AND THE LORDS-DAY Distinguished into foure parts WHEREIN IS DECLARED BOTH THE Nature Originall and Observation as well of the one under the Old as of the other under the New Testament WRITTEN IN FRENCH BY DAVID PRIMEROSE Batchelour in Divinitie in the Vniversity of Oxford and Minister of the Gospell in the Protestant Church of Roven Englished out of his French Manuscript by his Father G. P. D. D. LONDON Printed by Richard Badger for William Hope and are to be sold at his Shop at the signe of the Glove in Corne-Hill 1636. THE TRANSLATOR TO THE READER I Wrote to my Sonne Preacher of the Gospel at Roven desiring him to set downe in a paper distinctly and clearely his oinion concerning the Sabbath with the confirmation thereof by such arguments which hee should thinke most pregnant and a solide refutation of the contrary arguments which he did accordingly but in the French Tongue as writing onely out of a dutifull affection to condescend to my desire not thinking and far lesse desiring it should be Englished and made publike here Neither had I any such intention as being most unwilling that he who is a stranger to this nation although not a stranger to the Church should goe formost to breake this yee And therefore I kept it by me three yeeres till being advertised that others were gone before and their Bookes were on the Presse and finding no man that would or could translate it into our Tongue and take the wearisome paines to place the additions which he sent me at divers times afterwards in their roomes I undertooke this labour my selfe hoping that things being compared with things cause with cause reasons with reasons and the contrary arguments which are to be found in so many bookes for and against the morality of a seventh day of a weekly Sabbath being examined and conferred one by another the Christian charitable and judicious Readers shall be stirred up after they have proved all things to hold fast that which is good without imparing any thing of that religious service which they owe and yeeld publikely in the Church and privately at home with their families to the Lord their God who needs not the errours of men though never so specious for the upholding of his service If in this end of my translation I have done any thing amisse I say with David Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindnes and let him reprove me it shall be an excellent oile which shall not breake mine head In the meane while let all Christians according to the exhortation of the Apostle put off anger wrath malice and put on charity which is the bond of perfection and so walk worthy of the vocation wherwith we are called with all lowlines and meeknesse with long suffering forbearing one another in love endeavouring to keepe the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace that living in peace the God of love and peace may be with us and live in us for ever and ever Amen THE PREFACE The state of the Question 1. All men are bound to serve God every day privately in some measure according to his word 2. They are also bound to serve him publikely and to have a day stinted for his publike service 3. There is among godly and learned Christians a great controversie about the Originall Nature and Observation of that day 4. Some hold the sanctification and observation of one of the seven dayes of the weeke to be morall and therefore of perpetuall necessity since the beginning unto the end of the world 5. Others maintaine that the stinting of a day for Gods publike service is a point of order and of Ecclesiasticall governement depending wholly on institution 6. This Treatise made for the defence of this last opinion is divided into foure parts 1 ALl men are obliged to honour and serve God all the dayes of their life by the heedfull practice of all the exercises of religion and godlinesse which hee hath prescribed in his holy word Neither ought they to let any day slip without the imployment of some time and the carefull applying of themselves in some competent measure to that duty that thereby they may thrive in the knowledge of truth which is after godlinesse and increase in sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord. Neverthelesse seeing God hath ordained that man in the sweat of his face shall eat his bread and live by the labour of his owne hands Gen. 3. v. 19. that this transitory and dying life is besieged with so numerous an hoste of difficulties that it cannot be guarded without many necessary imployments returning every day that the labour whereunto all men are tied will scarcely suffer them to take their breath they cannot for the most part apply themselves to the necessary actions of Gods service with such care vigilancie attention and continuance as is requisite 2 These ordinary paines of temporall callings are a far greater impeachment to the publike and solemne service that the faithfull are bound to render joyntly to God in their publike meetings For the King of heaven is not satisfied with their private devotions in their closets severally or together with their families at home but will have them also to doe unto him full and absolute homage abroad confessing him to be their Creator Redeemer and perpetuall Benefactor calling upon his holy name and setting forth his praise in their congregations and religious assemblies Now the dayes of man are a warfare upon earth and his dayes are like the dayes of an hireling and the life of the faithfull is intangled and diverted with so many necessary and toilesome affaires that it is very difficult unto them to have such holy and religious meetings every day yea in many places it is impossible Therefore it is altogether necessary that a day be chosen and picked out from amongst a number of other dayes and peculiarly appointed that in it as often as it returneth all persons setting aside the care of all temporall and worldly affaires and daily imployments may extraordinarily set themselves with one accord to serve God publikely in the assemblies appointed for that end and that each person may on that day serve him apart before and after the publike service with such a regard and assiduity that it goe beyond the ordinarie devotion of every day No body amongst true Christians which take to heart the honour glory and service of God will make a controversie of this Neither is this the subject of the controversie which is canvassed and sifted on both sides with great earnestnesse yea with too great eagernesse between many Christians which are learned godly and consenting in the profession of the same doctrine and truth of the Gospel of peace 3 Their variance and disagreement is about the nature beginning and particular observation of the day which is separated from all other dayes that it may be especially applied
to Gods service to wit 1. If it be a thing of naturall justice of perpetuall necessity and whereunto all are tied by a morall commandement appertaining to the New as well as to the Old Testament that of seven daies of the weeke one be kept for the end aforesaid 2. If before the Law was given by Moses to the people of Israel yea if from the beginning of the world God himselfe made the particular designation of this day setting it apart for his service and commanding to Adam and to all his posterity the hallowing and keeping of it 3. If under the New Testament there be a divine ordinance of such a day of rest as well as there was under the Old Testament 4. And if by Gods command the consciences of faithfull Christians are under the Gospell as much obliged to hallow it as the Iewes were under the Law and for the better and more religious sanctification thereof to abstaine from all outward workes which are lawfull and are practised on other daies lest they should transgresse that divine Commandement and so finne against religion and conscience These are the maine points which some learned Divines and godly Christians instructed by them demurre upon 1. Some of them deeme that the keeping of one of the seven dayes of the weeke is a morall and naturall duty that God himselfe sanctified it for his service by an expresse and perpetuall Commandement that so it was from the beginning so it is still and shall never be otherwise till the end of the world 2. That before sin came into the world as soone as Adam was created God prescribed unto him and to Eve our first parents and in them to all men which were in their loynes and were to come out of them the hallowing of one day of the weeke which was the seventh day 3. That he reiterated and renewed this Commandement in the fourth precept of the morall Law which he gave in Horeb to the people of Israel and hath bound all Christians under the New Testament to hallow and keepe it religiously because it is of the same nature with the rest of the Commandements of the Decalogue which are all morall 4. That for this cause our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ and his blessed Apostles have ordained and prescribed it unto them And so all men have beene all men are all men shall in all times be tied to the religious observation thereof by the necessity of a divine and morall Commandement 5. That we are bound in conscience by the binding power of this Commandement to refraine alwayes on this seventh day of Sabbath or of rest from all earthly workes used on the other dayes of the weeke 6. This onely they acknowledge that the particular observation of one constant day amongst these seven as of the first or of the last of seven is not morall nor of a like obligation under the Old and under the New Testament that it is onely a point of order and of ecclesiasticall government which God did otherwise order and settle under the Old than he hath done under the New Testament That under the Old Testament from the creation of the world till the comming of Christ he ordained the observation of the last day of the weeke in remembrance that he created the world in six dayes and rested on the seventh or last day from all the works that he had made whereas he hath ordained that under the New Testament the first day of the weeke shall be religiously solemnized in remembrance that on that day our Lord Iesus Christ rose from death to life and by the exceeding greatnesse of the power of his glorious resurrection hath performed the worke of the second creation which is the redemption of the world from the slavery of the devill the power of the Law the bondage of sinne And therefore it behooveth the first worke of the Creation to yeeld to this worke the prerogative of excellencie of nature as likewise of the possession which it had till then of the solemne day of rest That for this cause so important and peremptory the day of Gods service was to bee changed and removed from the last day of the weeke wherein was finished the first Creation unto the first day wherin the second was fully accomplished by our Lord Iesus Christ who hath himselfe appointed this alteration 5 Others doe hold that verily it is a duty naturall morall and perpetuall to serve God publikely 1. That all men are obliged unto it and bound to meet together in the Church for that purpose 2. That being there they ought to give their mindes to the exercises of religion with a more particular earnestnes diligence than they are able to do every day at home or abroad 3. That they must have a set day purposely stinted for the fulfilling of a duty so religious so necessary and so fruitfull 4. But that such a day must be one of seven or of another number which in order of that nūber they deny to be a morall point to have in it any naturall necessity For their tenet is that it is a thing of order of Ecclesiastical government depending intirely of institution 5. That indeed under the Law which God gave by Moses to the children of Israel this holy and most perfect Law-giver amongst other points whereby he directed the Ecclesiasticall order and Church-government which that people was to be ruled by instituted and commanded the consecrating of a severall day for his service even of one of seven and of the last of those seven which he had rested on from all his works a most strict precise forbearance of all worldly works on that day 6. But appeareth not at all that God gave any commandement to Adam either before or after his fall binding him or his progenie to the keeping of any day whatsoever as to a thing morall and necessarie neither is there any trace of such a Commandement to be found till the comming of the Israelites to the wildernesse for till then God had left it free 7. That under the New Testament one day of seven is kept to wit the first day of the weeke wherein our Lord Iesus Christ rose from the dead But not for any morall necessity tying all men to observe one day of the weeke Nay not for any expresse Commandement which God the onely Law-giver hath given by Iesus Christ or his Apostles to keepe such a day and namely the first but through an usage which hath beene introduced and conserved in the Christian Church since her first beginnings till this present time 8. That therefore this observation is simply of Ecclesiasticall order and that a cessation from ordinary workes on this day is more particularly requisite than in another day of the weeke seeing the Church hath appointed and set it apart for Gods publike service Yea that an universall refraining from all these workes to the intent that the whole day bee without
transgression was not a crime of so little importance that it can make any man beleeve that God would have exempted it from all kind of censure in the Gentiles when he checked their other sinnes seeing he blamed it so extreamely in the Iewes and made the reproofes of that sinne to sound so a loud in their eares 13 The instance before urged that God found not fault with the Polygamie of the Gentiles although it was against the institution of God in the beginning and also against the Law of nature as is said but not granted is found to be false For in the eighteenth Chapter of Leviticus where God speaketh to the Iewes forbids all unlawfull and impure cohabitations amongst many others in the 18. Verse he forbids them to take a Wife and her Sister or to her Sister that is to take another Wife with the first to vexe the first by conjunction with the other in the first wives life time For this is the signification of the Hebrew Phrase as wee may see by diverse examples Genesis 26. verse 31. Exodus 25. verse 20. Exodus 26. verse 3. 27. Moreover GOD addeth in the same Chapter of Leviticus ver 24. 27 30. that in this filthy crime as in all others that are there named the nations had defiled themselves for which the land had vomited them out CHAPTER Fourth REASON 4. 1. The Patriarkes from the Creation till the Law knew not the observation of a Seventh day in the weeke 2. The publike service of God began in the time of Enos and was in all likenesse of truth solemnized every day of the weeke 3. From Noah till the Law the families of the Patriarkes served God privately and kept not the Seventh day 4. Confirmation of this truth by Scriptures and by the consent of Ancient and Moderne Divines 5. Answer to the first reply the Patriarkes fasted and their fasts are not written 6. Answer to the second reply The Patriarkes are not reproved for Polygamie no more than for the inobservation of the Sabbath 7. Answer to the third reply taken from a pretended paritie of reason betweene the making of one man and one woman to be one flesh and Gods rest on the Seventh day 8. Answer to the fourth reply that no mention is made of the Sabbath day in the booke of Iudges and some others written after the Law was given in Horeb. 9. Conclusion of the foresaid Reasons taken from the Gentiles and the Patriarkes 1 IF the keeping of one Seventh day of rest had beene a morall Commandement and if GOD had given it to Adam to bee sanctified by him and his posterity at least the Patriarkes and holy Fathers amongst whom remained the exercise of true Religion had knowne that day and hallowed it by the ordinary duties of godlinesse as they knew and observed in the whole course of their life all other morall Commandements Wee finde in their lives written by Moses many proofes and examples of the Religious worship which they yeelded to Iehovah alone as to the only true only perfect only Almighty and all sufficient God walking in sincerity and integrity before his face Genesis 5. ver 22. Genesis 6. ver 9. Genes 17. ver 1. Of their hatred against Idols which were to them things so abominable that they buryed them under the ground as not only unworthy but also ougly to be seene and infectious to be touched Gen. 35. v. 2. 4. Of their religious care to hallow the Name of GOD by calling upon his holy Name Genesis 12. ver 8. by vowing vowes to his Divine Majesty Gen. 28. ver 8. by taking holily and religiously in their mouthes his glorious and fearefull Name in the necessary oathes that they made before him Gen. 21. ver 24. 31. Gen. 31. ver 35. Of the awfull observance and obedience wherewith they honoured Fathers Mothers Masters and all superiors Gen. 9. ver 23. Gen. 27. ver 13 14. Gen. 28. ver 5. Gen. 42. ver 6. Gen. 47. ver 12. Of the abomination and detestation that was in their inward parts against murther Genesis 49. ver 5 6. whoredome adultery incest Gen. 34. ver 31. Gen. 38. ver 24. Gen. 39. ver 10. Gen. 49. ver 4. Theft Gen. 31. ver 32. 37. Gen. 44. ver 8. 9. Leasings and false witnesse Genesis 20. ver 12. Gen. 42. ver 11. and consequently lust which is the fruitfull mother of all those vices Gen. 14. ver 22. 23. Gen. 39. ver 9. 10. But wee find no where that they kept holy a Seventh day for Gods outward service according to the fourth Commandement of the Law given afterwards in Mount Sina This only doe we find that they practised that service builded Altars offered sacrifices to the Lord indifferently in all dayes and at all houres as they had occasion Neither is it any where noted in holy Scripture that they had any set day farre lesse a Seventh day prefixed unto them for their exercises which were never particularly tyed to a Seventh day with preference to other dayes of the weeke Yea considering that the consecration of a certaine day for Gods service whatsoever it be is not properly necessary but when many may troope together and make up a body of a Church to solemnize that service publikely with great assemblies of people it may be justly questioned if when the Patriarkes were alone when they were with their little families might with them serve God every day easily and with great assiduity being as they were disposed to all exercises of godlinesse and not being incombred with the many and great affaires which ensnare those that give themselves too much to worldly businesses whether at all they kept any ordinary day more prrticularly then other dayes if they served not God alike every day without distinction of dayes unknowne at that time and more particularly if they erected not Altars and offered sacrifices on them as God gave them some particular occasions they not having a constant rule given unto them for the time and place of these devotions 2 When it is said in the fourth of Genesis verse 26. that in the time of Enos men began to call upon the Name of the Lord although this passage may suffer diverse interpretations yet it is likely and it is the most current interpretation that it betokeneth that Enos and the remnant of the faithfull associated with him being growen to a competent multitude withdrew themselves from the wicked and worldy brood of Cain and began to institute among themselves a more solemne service then had beene in former times and for the celebration of that service ordained of free choice set times and places For which cause the Scripture saith that they began to call upon the Name of the Lord to wit publikely and in a numerous assemblie which had not beene practised before If this be the true sence of these words yet it shall not follow by any necessary argument or reason that they established
true beleever hath authority and freedome to exempt himselfe from the keeping of the Sabbath for his owne need and to yeeld to such necessities which are more urgent and of greater importance then was the Sabbath of which sort was the narrow strait whereunto hunger had driven Christs Disciples that is no lesse forcible to fight against the morality of the Sabbath as appeareth by that which hath beene already said 10 Such then being the nature of the Sabbath it is evident that it is not morall that of its selfe it obligeth not the conscience to the keeping of it that if it bindeth conscience it commeth from GODS command by a positive Law such as he gave to the Iewes and that only when more inforcing reasons doe not dispense with the observation of it as there be some such Now the positive Lawes given to the Iewes being wholly abrogated no man can say that the Law of the Sabbath bindeth the conscience of Christians if it be not shewed that Christ will have this Law of the Sabbath to continue under the New Testament and hath commanded the keeping of a Seventh day as he might have done In which case that Law should bee obligatory not for any morality it hath in it but because Christ had ordained it for the order of the Church This I pretend cannot be shewed but rather that the stinting of the time of GODS publike service hath beene left to the free will of the Church and that even now at this time when a Seventh day is set downe we ought to keepe it in obedience to the Church as following herein the order which she hath thought good to institute and not through opinion of any necessity proceeding from GODS immediate command farre lesse of Religion inherent in the thing it selfe CHAPTER Eighth REASON 8. 1. The Apostle condemneth the Galatians for observing dayes and moneths and times and yeeres 2. It is answered that the Apostle condemneth onely the observation of dayes c. prescribed in the ceremoniall Law 3. Refutation of that answer out of the drift of the whole Chapter 4. Besides that it maketh the Apostle to condemne thà t which he approved and so to contradict himselfe if this answer were true 1 I further justifie this by the Apostle in his Epistle to the Galatians Chapter 4. verse 10. where hee blameth them for observing dayes and moneths and times and yeeres for they deemed that in the observing of them there was a point of Religion and of Gods service which they were necessarily obliged unto on Gods behalfe and that for conscience sake either because the thing it selfe deserved as much or through respect to Gods Commandement It is this surmise which the Apostle blameth For if the Galatians had kept some dayes but as a thing indifferent and an ecclesiasticall order for the publike practise of divine service by the exercise of the ministrie the celebration of the Sacraments and other holy duties more and more sanctified with prayers thankesgiving Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall songs knowing and being perswaded by the Lord Iesus that there was no divine obligation no Religion tyed to those dayes in themselves it is as sure as can be that they had not bin worthy to be censured for all that is done and may be done in the Church under the New Testament Hereupon I say that we fall manifestly into the Apostles censure if we keepe a Seventh day of Sabbath beleeving it to be a morall thing which God hath expresly commanded and therefore necessary and as such binding the conscience For this is evidently to observe dayes after the fashion which the Apostle condemneth 2 It is answered to this that the Apostle speaketh in that Chapter of judaicall dayes moneths times and yeeres only as they are ordained to be kept by the ceremoniall Law of Moses as for example to observe in things belonging to the Sabbath the Seventh day of the weeke Which law being abolished he blameth the Galatians that they indeavoured to set up again the observation of dayes after the manner of the Iewes but reproveth them not for keeping a Sabbath day 3 This answer giveth no content at all I acknowledge freely that doubtlesse the dayes kept by the Galatians were the same which the Iewes observed For to esteeme that they were dayes consecrated to Idols which they had beene enured unto when they lived in Paganisme and had observed unto that time even after their conversion is farre from all likelihood and contrary to the Text which speaketh of dayes belonging to these weake and beggarly rudiments which God had ordained in the infancy of the Church which were judaicall dayes and none other and from which Iesus Christ was come into the world to redeeme men And the Apostle blameth the Galatians universally for observing such dayes without exception of any other day which he ought to have excepted if there had beene any other obligatory Nay he blameth them not for keeping them after the fashion of the Iewes by the practice of the ceremoniall service which the Iewes yeelded to God on those dayes whereof he maketh no mention neither is there any likelihood that the Galatians did any such thing but for keeping them for Religions sake And his reprehension is such a one that the right thing he aimed at in it is to condemne the observation of any day whatsoever under the New Testament for Religion and conscience sake in reference to any obligation from the day it selfe The foundation of his reproofe as appeareth manifestly by the whole drift of his discourse is this that to be Religious about dayes and to be tyed unto them by Gods command was a point of bondage belonging to the rudiments of the Law and that the Gospell which is the Law of liberty cannot suffer this bondage Therefore hee speaketh in generall tearmes Yee observe dayes and moneths and times and yeeres and addeth not judaicall or after the Iewish fashion because also to keepe other dayes then those of the Iewes and that for conscience sake and for the same opinion of Religion which the Iewes had of their dayes although otherwise then they hâ—d beene as bad and contrary to the Gospell it is not so when dayes are kept simply for ecclesiasticall order although they were Iudaicall dayes And indeed the Sabbath day of the Iewes to wit the last day of the weeke was kept by the Apostles and by diverse Christians in the Primitive Church many yeeres constantly As likewise the feasts of the Iewish Passeover and Pentecost were observed by the first Christians without any fault or offence on their part because this observation was not practised by them in the same respects that they were by the Iewes that is through opinion of Religious necessity and divine obligation 4 Verily if wee be obliged in our conscience and by a divine commandement under the new Testament to the observation of a seventh day of rest â—eligiously as the Iewes were as is pretended although it
those which did not sticke for conscience sake to eate all kinde of meates because they esteemed them all to bee indifferent were strong and those which were scrupulous for conscience sake to eate any thing but hearbes were weake even so accordingly to that wee must ac-acknowledge those which made no difference of dayes for conscience sake but esteemed all dayes equally to have beene strong and those which esteemed one day above another to have beene weake 4 Secondly I cannot see how any man should imagine that the Apostle in his judgement esteemed those to be weake which esteemed every day alike seeing to esteeme every day equally without distinction of any day for conscience sake putting the case there were a fault in that opinion cannot be called weakenesse and infirmity in the sence wherein this word weakenesse is taken by the Apostle in this place and in other places of the Gospell For weaknes and infirmity is said to be in a man when there is a defect in his beliefe concerning things which are lawfull to him that is to say when hee beleeveth not that to bee lawfull which is lawfull unto him and therefore refraineth for conscience sake from that which he is not bound to forbeare So he who beleeveth that it is not lawfull unto him to eate all kinde of meates although God hath given him the free use of them all is weake and infirme But when there is excesse in his beliefe when I say he beleeveth to have liberty to doe that which is not lawfull unto him to doe and doth it without any respect of conscience unto it that is not in the Scriptures language called weakenes but rather ignorance error mistaking If then those which esteemed every day alike had failed in this point as they had done of necessity if there had beene any fault in them they had never beene esteemed and called weake by the Apostle as they are pretended to have beene but rather ignorant errants nay dissolute loose profane 5 Verily if it were true that Iesus Christ had ordained the observation of a set day of rest that the Apostles had commanded it that the Church had practised it as a divine ordinance and as a morall point belonging to Religion as is pretended these Christians who could not bee ignorant of such things and neverthelesse esteemed every day alike established not religion and a point of conscience in any of them and made no greater account of the Lords day then of any other day were of necessity profane men and no better reckoning was to be made of them Yet the Apostle reputeth them not to bee such For he forbiddeth to judge and condemne them as hee will not have them to judge and condemne those that were of contrary opinion ver 3. 10. 6 Nay he affirmeth that those which regarded not the day to the Lord regarded it not verse 6. the meaning of which words is that in so doing they had regard to the glory and obedience due to God knowing that he had made them free from the distinction of dayes and received them being well pleased with that which they did Now supposing the morality of the Sabbath and the commandement of Christ and of his Apostles which made the observation thereof a necessary point of Religion which these men could not be ignorant of I cannot conceive how not regarding the day for Religion and conscience sake to the Lord they regarded it not seeing they had rather sinned against the Lord by not regarding it For they had manifestly vilipended him by their misbeliefe whereby they esteemed not the observation of a day of rest which they knew to be morall and most straitely commanded of God to bee a necessary point of Religion It is therefore more conformable to reason that those which made distinction of dayes and esteemed one above onother were weak And in this doe all the interpreters agree Neverthelesse the Apostle saith with good reason of these weake ones that what they did they did it to the Lord because they did it through devotion and tendernesse of conscience having some Religious ground which was a colourable excuse to their infirmitie and made it tolerable not only to men but to God also 7 Now it being so that the Apostle did write to the Romans who were Gentiles converted to the Christian faith wee may esteeme with great appearance that this day which some of them through infirmitie had so much regard unto was Sunday which was kept in the Church not by any divine Ordinance not also through necessity of Religion but simply by an ecclesiasticall custome in remembrance that on that day Christ rose from death unto life was esteemed of them a day of necessary observation in and for it selfe which others better instructed esteemed not This being so establisheth throughly the opinion that I defend and evicts the other But although the Apostle had intended to speake of dayes commanded in the Old Testament by the Law of Moses to the religious observation whereof many not as yet well instructed in the knowledge of Evangelicall liberty thought themselves to be bound for conscience sake the argument remaineth as strong as can be 8 For howsoever the Apostle his meaning be taken he speaketh generally and imputeth to infirmity of knowledge and of conscience under the Gospell the esteeming of one day above another and to strength and firmenesse the esteeming of all dayes alike which he neither could nor should have pronounced so in generall tearmes if at the same time there had beene a set day of rest binding the conscience of Christians to observe it for its owne sake as being morall and for Gods sake who had commanded it For by this meanes those had not well done so farre were they from being strong in knowledge and conscience for esteeming every day equally which they should not have done But the others had done well and religiously to esteeme one day above another so far were they from being weak which yet notwithstanding is manifestly against the scope of the Apostle who declareth them to be weak not simply as we have touched heretofore for observing a certaine day but for keeping it with a consciencious regard and opinion of a religious obligation particular unto it more than to any other day which is the only thing worthy to be blamed and might be a just cause of offence CHAPTER Eleventh REASON II. 1. The Sabbath was to the Israelites a signe of their sanctification 2. Not only in the toylesome ages of this mortall life but also in the eternity and rest of the life to come 3. Through IESUS CHRIST who hath perfectly accomplished the benefits which it represented imperfectly 4. And therefore it was to continue till his comming only 5. This truth is confirmed in the Epistle to the Hebrewes by the type of the bodily rest of the people in the land of Canaan 6. As also by the type of Gods rest on the Seventh day 7. Gods rest and
consideration thereof they were commanded to keepe the Sabbath day which is the thing that God pronounceth most expressely in the place lately cited Deut. 5. verse 15. and Ezek. 20. verse 11 12. where upon that hee had said ver 10. that hee caused the Israelites to goe forth out of the land of Aegypt he addeth and I gave them my statutes moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths c. 2 Secondly seeing the Sabbath day was ordained to be a memoriall of a benefit particular to the Israelites to wit of their deliverance out of the land of Aegypt and of their separation from all other nations it followeth that the Sabbath day obligeth not Christians under the New Testament as if it were morall and as if God had â—â—dained it by an expresse commandement to continue till the worlds end For this end of the Sabbath to be a memoriall of their deliverance and separation from all other people dwelling upon the face of the earth with the other end afore mentioned to be a figurative signe of Iesus Christ to come and of the saving benefits which were to be purchased by him made up the whole use of the Sabbath Of which end neither the one nor the other doth belong to the New Testament 3 The faithfull Christians are a people more spirituall then the Iewes were because they are under the Gospell which is an estate more spirituall and heavenly then was the condition of Gods people under the Law for which cause it is called the kingdome of heaven And therefore all dayes under the Gospell should be to all the faithfull that live in that blessed and heavenly estate as many Sabbath dayes more particularly then to the Iewes to rest from their sinnes and to give themselves to prayers calling upon the Name of the Lord to reading and meditation of his holy Word and to other religious exercises of godlinesse according to the words in Isaiah Chapter 66. v. 23. if they be applyed unto the estate of the Church under the Gospell as they may be and indeed are so expounded by many interpreters when it is there said that then there shall be no more New Moones nor Sabbaths distinguished by intervalls and spaces of times but one Sabbath shall succeed immediately to another Sabbath and that all the dayes of the weeke and of the whole yeere shall bee as Sabbaths unto them This is the conclusion of all that hath beene said in this first part which shall be more fully confirmed by the refutation of the arguments that are brought to maintaine the morality of the Sabbath Which refutation shall bee the subject of the second part of this Treatise THE SECOND PART wherein the reasons brought to justifie the morality and perpetuity of a Seventh day of Sabbath are confuted CHAPTER First First Answer to the first Reason 1. The opinion of those that hold the morality of a Seventh day of Sabbath cleerely set downe 2. Their first Reason taken out of Genesis Chapter 2. ver 2 3. Where it is said that God rested on the Seventh day from all his workes and blessed the Seventh day and sanctified it c. 3. First answer to this Reason Moses writing the History of the Creation after the Law was given declareth occasionally the cause that moved God to blesse and sanctifie the Seventh day to the Iewes according to the custome of the Scripture to joyne things done long before with those that were done long after as if they had beene done together and at one time 4. Confirmation of this by places named by anticipation 5. By that which is written Exod. 16. ver 33 34. where it is said that Aaron laid up in a Pot an Omer of Manna before the Testimony which was not done many yeeres after 6. And by the History of Davids combat with Goliah 1 Sam. 17. Where it is written ver 54. that David tooke the head of the Philistine and brought it to Ierusalem but he put his armour in his tent although there was a great intervall of time betweene these two actions 7. This joyning of things farre removed in time is not unsutable to him that speaketh or writeth 8. First instance against this answer taken from the connexion of the third verse with the second from the same tence used in both and from the identitie of the same seventh day spoken of in both c. 9. First answer to this instance shewing that in the holy Scripture things distant in-time are expressed by words of the same tence when the one hath some dependancie upon the other 10. Application of this answer to the blessing and sanctification of the seventh day in Moses his time joyned with Gods rest after the creation because it was the foundation of that blessing 11. Second answer It was not the same particular seventh day after the creation but the same by revolution which God sanctified 12. Third answer the Hebrew article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confirmeth not that the seventh day which God blessed was the same seventh day wherein he rested 13. Second instance as Gods blessing of his creatures after they were made was present so was his blessing of the seventh day immediately after the creation 14. Answer to this instance the reason is not alike 15. Confirmation of the answer made to the words of Moses in Genesis by the conformity of the same words used in the commandement given to the Iewes concerning the Sabbath 16. As also because the Sabbath was not hallowed for Adam who in the estate of innocency had no need of such a day 17. First instance Adam was taught by Gods example that hee stood in need of such a day refuted 18. Second instance as God ordained Sacraments to Adam so he ordained to him a seventh day of rest refuted by a reason shewing the nullity of that consequence 19. And by the excellency of Adams condition to which the ordination of such a day was derogatory 20. Third instance as Gods rest on the Seventh day was the foundation of the commandement given to the Iewes to rest on that day so was it from the beginning refuted 1 THose that hold the second opinion doe say that the keeping of a Seventh day of Sabbath is a morall thing which from the beginning of the world should continue to the end thereof with this difference only that God before and till the comming of Iesus Christ had ordained that the last day of the weeke wherein hee rested from all the workes which hee had made when he created the world should be sanctified by all men in remembrance of the creation and of his rest on that day But since the manifestation of Iesus Christ it was his will that instead of the last day of the weeke the first day wherein Christ rising from among the dead rested from the work of our redemption should be observed in the Christian Church for a memoriall of this worke which being more excellent then the former it was beseeming
and just that this last day of the creation should yeeld the possession of the day of rest unto it 2 To underprop this opinion they have broached diverse reasons amongst which we shall order in the first place the reason taken out of the second Chapter of Genesis ver 3. where Moses after hee had said that God finished all his workes in sixe dayes and rested on the seventh day addeth And God blessed the Seventh day and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from all his workes which hee created and made Of which words they conclude that as soone as ever the Creation was ended and the Seventh day begun to subsist in nature it was blessed and sanctified that is consecrated to Gods service and ordained even then to our first Parents while they were in the state of innocency to be kept by them for this end and therefore the observation of a Seventh day is morall is of the Law of nature and is in no wise ceremoniall seeing it was established before sin came into the world at which time there was no shadowes and figures of Christ because in that state of innocency our first Parents had not stood in neede of him nor of any direction to him by ceremonies If then in that estate wherein no corruption of sin had hindred them to serve God continually and the bodily imployments had been no great disturbance unto them in the practice of that duty God judged necessary to injoine unto them a seventh day to the intent that giving over all other care they should in it addict themselves only to the actions of his service and all religious exercises how much more in the state of sin wherein men have so many hindrances from Gods service both by sin and by the laborious occupations of their worldly callings is it necessary that a set day of rest be ordained unto them to cease wholly in it from the turmoile of their secular affaires and to give themselves only to holy and religious exercises belonging to Gods service This necessity is as great under the new Testament as it was under the old and therefore God hath not omitted to ordaine under both a Sabbath day yea a seventh day of rest which being established before sinne and consequently being morall bindeth all men perpetually 3 There be divers meanes to answer this objection First nothing obligeth us to believe that the words written in the third verse of the second Chapter of Genesis should be thus translated And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it as if Moses had meant to expresse a time past long before his penning of this Booke and to tell that this blessing and sanctifying was made even from the time that the creation was finished and from the first seventh day of the world Whereas they may be translated thus And God hath blessed the seventh day and hath sanctified it understood as being said with a Parenthesis and in regard of the Ordinance which God had lately made in the daies of Moses concerning the seventh day when he gave by his Ministery the Law of the Israelites Which ordinance Moses made mention of in his relation to the history of the creation as of a thing established and knowne of the Israelites when he writ by occasion of that he had said that God after he had created all his works in sixe daies rested on the seventh day So we may give this exposition to Moses words God made all his works in six daies and rested on the seventh day and thence he tooke occasion to blesse and sanctifie now that day giving commandement by his Law to his people of Israel to keepe it in their generations So it shall be a narration made in this place occasionally according to the ordinary custome of holy Writers and specially of Moses when in the historicall relation of things that were come to passe long before they find occasion to speak of things happened since specially of those that were come to passe in their time when they wrote to interlace upon that occasion a short rehearsall of them with the narration of things more ancient and to speake of both in such a manner as if they had happened in the same time whereof I will here set downe some examples 4 First we find divers places named by anticipation As in the 12. Chapter of Genesis verse 8. It is said that Abraham removed unto a mountaine Eastward from Bethel which name of Bethel was not in the daies of Abraham the name of the place betokened by it in the foresaid words For it was not called Bethel till in it Iacob saw a ladder reaching to heaven and the Lord standing above it Then Iacob called it Bethel that is The house of God whereas before that time it was called Luz as may be seene in Genesis Chap. 28. vers 13. 19. But Moses writing the history of Abraham called it Bethel by an historicall anticipation because in his time Bethel was the ordinary name of that place We read in the fourth Chapter of Ioshuah vers 19. that the people came up out of Iordan and pitched in Gilgal which was not so called till Ioshuah in that place circumcised the people Chap. 5. vers 9. Likewise in the second Chapter of Iudges and first verse the Author saith that the Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bokim because the place which he calleth Bokim was so called when he wrote that history although it was not yet so called when the Angel came thither but received that name afterward from the teares which the people shed and powred out before God after the Angel had rebuked them For the Text saith that when the Angel of the Lord spake these words to all the children of Israel the people lift up their voice and wept Therefore they called the name of that place BOKIM vers 4 5. 5 Secondly we find the same anticipation in the description of things and actions As in the 16. Chapter of Exodus where Moses reporteth how God began first to give Manna to the Israelites which I pretend also to be the time of the first institution of the Sabbath and how the Israelites carried themselves about the ordering thereof and immediatly he addeth how he by Gods command ordained that an Omer of it should be filled to be kept for the generations of the Israelites vers 32. and gave an injunction to Aaron to take a pot to put in it that Omer full of Manna and to lay it up before the LORD to be kept for their generation vers 33. He reciteth also at once that as the LORD commanded him so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony to be kept vers 34. which things as it is evident were not done at the first when God gave them that bread to eat because then there was as yet neither Tabernacle nor Arke nor Tables of the Law But because when Moses wrote all these things were done and
day such as the Law ordained afterwards hee had kept himselfe quiet and had not applyed so holy a day to let forth the Pigeon that it might flye abroad here and there and to observe what tokens she should bring unto him of the decreasing of the waters which was rather a violation then a sanctification of the Sabbath according to the tenor of the Law And therefore although Noah had let out the Dove on the seventh day of the weeke that should not be attributed to any particular designe tyed to that day rather than to another but taken as done on that day indifferently as it might have beene done on any other day without seeking any other reason thereof 5 To the other passage taken out of the 29. Chapter of Genesis I answer that the weeke there mentioned is not necessarily to bee understood of a weeke of dayes ordinary and regular But it may be taken for a weeke of yeeres or for a number of seven yeeres and the pronoune THIS twice repeated for Rachel the sence of Labans words to Iacob being this As thou hast served seven yeeres and hast received Leah for reward to bee thy Wife fulfill also a weeke that is serve other seven yeeres for THIS that is for Rachel and she also shall be given thee to be thy wife and so is this place explained by many interpreters But if the pronoune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first place is understood of Leah and the weeke of a weeke of dayes and if Labans words to Iacob be taken as if he had desired him to fulfill a weeke of dayes ordained for the celebration of the solemnity of his mariage with Leah promising that after these seven dayes hee should also give him Rachel as others take it that also availes not For from thence is proved only that the custome was to bestow seven daies on the solemnities and pastimes of weddings But that there was then a weeke regular and ordinary whereof the last day was the same that God rested on from all his workes and was also to that people an holy day of rest it is a conclusion which cannot be gathered out of that history and will never be proved 6 Seeing therefore there is no sufficient proofe of a stinted distinction of daies before the Law this may be to me a contrary argument to prove that the Sabbath day was not then kept For seeing out of the observation thereof followeth of necessity the distinction of weekes if it had been observed from the beginning of the world frequent mention had bin then made of weeks and the men of those daies had counted by weeks as well as by daies moneths and yeeres which is not to be found Nay it is most likely that the distinction of weekes beganne first among the Iewes as soone as the Law was given and from the Iewes came to the Gentiles as a distinction of time very commodious and convenient though they corrupted it consecrating the seven daies of the weeke to the seven planets which they made Idols of and imposing unto them their names whereas the Iewes named them according to their order with relation to the Sabbath the first second third c. of the Sabbath 7 Yet although the faithfull before the Law did not keepe a distinction of daies the inconvenience propounded in the beginning of this Chapter followeth not to wit that if so be they did not celebrate the remembrance of the creation which God finished in sixe daies and from which he began to rest on the seventh day or that they had otherwise forgotten that great worke of God For considering the creation absolutely they could not be ignorant that God had created the world seeing the thing speaketh of it selfe and all creatures cry with a loud voice that they have one Author that hath made them seeing also the distinction of daies and months that was knowne unto them by the ordinary course of the heavenly lights led them of necessity to a beginning no lesse then the distinction of weekes which had in it no particular thing capable to teach them so much As for the Gentiles which were ignorant of the creation of the World and weened it to be eternall that was in them a grosse and blockish error against the light and documents of Nature Yet it was not universall For there have beene some in all times who have beleeved and taught that the world hath had a beginning and was made though they have erred in their opinions concerning the framing thereof 8 Adde to this that in the holy generation of these first faithfull the Fathers had alwaies a speciall care to teach it to their children by a continuall tradition which with the manifestation of the creation in generall might also make knowne unto them the particular order observed of God in that wonderfull worke to wit that in sixe daies he made heaven and earth and rested the seventh day For it is likely that Adam learned it of God that hee kept the knowledge thereof and imparted it to his children who called it to memory and at all occasions glorified for it the Lord their God So they might know without any regular observation of weekes on what day God began and on what day hee ended the creation of the world For the foresaid tradition being supposed by the distinction of moneths and yeeres which was alwaies observed it was easie to make that supputation although some even of the chiefe men among the Iewes as Philo in the first Booke of the life of Moses sticke not to say that the natall day of the world wherein it was finished beganne not to be knowne but by the Israelites when God at first rained Manna upon them in the wildernesse and that it was wholly unknowne to the Fathers in which affirmation I see no inconvenience 9 But howsoever it was no manner of way necessary that they should celebrate ordinarily the memory of the creation and of the rest of God on a solemne and stinted day yea on the last of the seven daies wherein GOD rested and marke the revolution thereof from day to day Neither doth it appeare that they did any such thing Nay it is farre more apparent that God gave the first knowledge and commanded the ordinary and common observation of this day when raining Manna upon the Israelites sixe daies consequently he gave then none on the seventh day saying it was the Sabbath day which he would have them to keepe in time to come and which he enjoined expresly unto them in the Decalogue declaring that on that day hee rested from the workes of the Creation CHAPTER fifth Answer to the fourth Reason 1. Fourth reason for the morality of the Sabbath taken out of the fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes vers 3 4. 2. Whence they gather that the Sabbath day was ordained to all men from the beginning of the world 3. And that by three arguments inforced upon the words
well as of morall duties Yea he understandeth rather that then this because the observation of morall duties is not tyed more particularly to one day then to another but is a service appertaining equally and alike to all dayes of the weeke whereas the ceremonies of Gods outward service were to be observed more particularly on that day then in all the rest And therfore this Commandement in as much as it injoyneth the sanctification of the seventh day is ceremoniall and if in regard of this sanctification it is abolished what inconvenience is there that it be likewise abolished in regard of the day Neither is it a thing singular to this Commandement to have some particular determination belonging to the Iewes only added to the substance which is morall universall and perpetuall For the preface of the Law which some had rather make a part of the first Commandement concerning the deliverance out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage and the temporall promise of long daies upon the Land of Canaan added to the fifth Commandement are manifestly circumstances which have relation to the Iewes only and have no morality in them nay were ceremoniall and typike Now if a ceremoniall promise hath found a roome in the Decalogue there is no greater inconvenience that a ceremoniall and temporall Commandement be found in it also Neither is it a whit more repugnant to say that the fourth Commandement is both morall and ceremoniall because it is not so in the same but in a diverse sense and respect as I have shewed Among the Lawes given by Moses many are to be found which are ceremoniall and temporall in that which they expresse and morall in their foundation and end As for example the Lawes forbidding to muzzle the Oxe when he treadeth out the corne Deut. 25. verse 4. to seethe a Kid in his mothers milke Exod. 23. vers 19. to take in a birds nest the Dam with the young ones Deut. 22. vers 6 7. to plow with an Oxe and an Asse together Deut. 22. vers 10. and others such like 22 And indeed those against whom I write must acknowledge nill they will they that in the fourth Commandement there is some thing that is not morall that obligeth not for ever and that did pertaine onely to the Iewes and to their ceremonies and Ecclesiasticall governement to wit the ordinance about the observing not onely of one day of seven but the last of seven For wee keepe not any more this last day under the new Testament wherein wee should sinne if it were a morall thing Neither can an instance be made from the fourth Commandement that the observing of a seventh day is a thing naturall and morall but by the same meanes it shall be proved against the intention of those that make use of this argument that to observe a seventh day is also morall because the Commandement ordaineth not without restriction a seventh day but stinteth particularly and by name the last of seven 23 There be some who to avoid the strength of this argument doe say that the fourth Commandement enjoyneth onely a seventh day as the genus and as a morall thing but none of the kindes whether the last of seven observed by the Iewes or the first of seven observed by Christians is particularly enjoyned because in this there is no moralitie Or if in the fourth Commandement besides the seventh day in generall a particular seventh is injoined the generall is injoyned as morall the particular as ceremoniall and so the genus to wit a seventh day as being morall continueth for ever as well under the Gospel as under the Law and the particular seventh to wit the last of the weeke is only abrogated by the Gospel This is a bold reply and maketh me to wonder at it seeing on the contrary it is evident by that hath beene already said that wee may affirme with good reason that the fourth Commandement maketh not at all any generall mention of observing an unlimited day but particularizeth expresly a certaine seventh day to wit the last For God after he had said Sixe daies shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke addeth but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God which expression alone and by it selfe although there were no other thing said sheweth that he meaneth the seventh in order following the other sixe When a man uttereth his minde in this sort the third the fourth the fifth c. his intention is to denote that which is such in order relatively to others going before neither is there any man that will take it otherwise But besides this God unfoldeth forthwith which seventh he meaneth to wit the particular seventh wherein he rested after he had made all his workes in the sixe daies which went before which was the last of seven Moreover it is evident that in the fourth Commandement the seventh day and the day of rest are the same as also wheresoever mention is made of them And the day of Rest is there taken for the day that God rested in as is manifest by these words following And he rested the seventh day wherefore he blessed the Sabbath day and hollowed it the which day wherein he rested is the seventh or the last day after the sixe of the creation as is evident by these words also He made his workes in sixe daies and rested on the seventh day Wherefore it is the last seventh and none other that is designed in the fourth Commandement as the object of the blessing and hallowing of God which is yet more cleare by the second Chapter of Genesis and third verse where after Moses had said that God in sixe daies made the heaven and the earth and all the hosts of them and after he had ended his workes rested the seventh day he addeth And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because in it he had rested from all his workes to wit that seventh which afterwards he blessed 24 For the Pronoune It hath a necessary relation to a particular day specified in the foresaid words as blessed of God and limited forthwith as the day of his rest so it is manifest that the day which God blessed is the same that he rested in the same I say by correspondency in the order and succession of daies as I have shewed before Otherwise what should be the sense of these words God hath blessed and sanctified the seventh day that is as is pretended a seventh day undetermined because in it he rested c. This Pronoune It can it fitly and conveniently denote a day uncertaine and unlimited Where is to be found a seventh day unlimited wherein God did rest Moreover Gods blessing and sanctification can it have an indefinite and uncertaine object so that God in particular sanctified nothing Againe can it be a convenient reason having any likelihood that God having rested on a certaine seventh day and having considered in it all his workes which hee
absurd and impertinently inferred upon our saying concerning the fourth Commandement because these two Commandements stand not in equall tearmes 33 If any Papists should make such an inference Bellarmine himselfe will lend us his helping hand to refute it For in the seventh Chapter of his second booke of Relikes and Images he acknowledgeth and affirmeth that saving the Commandement of the Sabbath all the rest are explications of the Law of nature and are naturall precepts which all Christians are bound to observe 34 This being so the Roman Church cannot cleanse her selfe of a great crime for cutting off from the Decalogue in all her service bookes the second Commandement and for not propounding it ordinarily to the people for that it fighteth against her idolatry And in my judgement it should be also an hainous fault although not in the same manner and respect to nip away from the Decalogue the fourth Commandement or to make no mention of it in the Church For though it be not morall and obligeth not Christians under the New Testament in the particulars which it expresseth yet sith it is morall in the foundation whereupon it is built and in the generall end that it aimeth at as hath beene said before and sith God would insert it in the abridgement of his Law which he gave of old to the people of Israel it should be foole-hardinesse to pull it away and to remove it out of the roome where God hath placed it Even as although that which is said in the preface of the Law concerning the deliverance of the people out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage and in the fifth Commandement of the prolongation of dayes in the land of Cannaan is not addressed to us directly in that which these termes doe expresse yet it should be ill done to cut these clauses quite off or to make no mention of them when we learne write rehearse or teach the Decalogue We must keepe religiously and mention whatsoever God hath beene pleased to put in it But we must also understand every thing conveniently appropriating to us whatsoever belongeth to us as well as to the Iewes and to the Iewes only that which was proper to them And such was the ordinance of the seventh day 35 Which day if it be not acknowledged to be ceremoniall and therefore Subject to be abrogated by IESUS CHRIST and comprised among the points of the Law which the Gospell declared to be annulled place should be given to an inconvenience that will follow thereupon farre better then the former which is inferred upon the opinion that the fourth Commandement is ceremoniall for so the bridle should be loosed to the immoderate transcendent and irregular authority which Papists challenge to the Church to have power to change and alter the things which God himselfe hath established For it is evident that God by the fourth Commandement hath established the seventh and last day of the week to be a day of rest and it is agreed upon as most true that under the Gospel that seventh day hath been changed into another neither can it be sufficiently and clearely proved that Iesus Christ or his Apostles have made that innovation as shall be seene hereafter whence they doe inferre that the Church having done it of her selfe without commandement she may change the things established and ordained of God in the morall Law Whereunto it is impossible to give a pertinent answer but by saying as it is most true that the prescription of the seventh day of Sabbath although it be among the Commandements of the morall Law is not morall for that but pertaineth to the government of the Iewes and is to be numbred with these things which were but for a time to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill the time of reformation as the Apostle speaketh Hebr. 9. vers 10. of these shadowes of things to come whereof the body was in Christ as they are named Col. 2. vers 16 17. where amongst other shadowes the Sabbaths are specified That therefore the Church in not keeping any more the Sabbath prescribed by the fourth Commandement but another hath not usurped any authority upon the things established of God but hath followed the order of God who had not established that day but for a certaine time to wit untill the comming of the Messias by whose death the ceremonies were to be abolished and consequently the Sabbath day was to expire and give up the Ghost CHAPTER Seventh Answer to the particular reasons taken from the words of the fourth Commandement 1. First Objection The Sabbath was long before the Law because God commanded to remember it and remembrance is of things past 2. Three answers to this Objection 3. Second Objection from the first reason of the keeping of the Sabbath sixe daies shalt thou labour c. which is a reason of equity binding Christians as well as Iewes 4. Answer to this Objection shewing what is morall and obligatory in this reason what not 5. Third Objection If the labour of sixe daies be not ceremoniall the rest on the seventh day likewise is not ceremoniall refuted by three answers 6. Fourth Objection from the second reason in the words but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God it is Gods day therefore it is sacriledge to rob him of it 7. Two answers to this Objection 8. Fifth Objection from the third reason in the words In it thou shalt not doe any worke c. where a great regard is had unto servants beasts strangers whereunto Christians are also obliged 9. Answer shewing what in this reason is morall what belonging to order onely 10. Sixth Objection from the words For in sixe daies the Lord made heaven and earth and rested the seventh day shewing that God after his example will have all men to keepe the seventh day till the end of the world 11. First answer denying that God ordained the seventh day for a memoriall of the creation 12. Second answer although things past should be kept in perpetuall remembrance their memorialls ordained in the old Testament are not perpetuall 13. Third answer to the instance taken from Gods example shewing in which attributes God is to be imitated in which not 14. As also in which of his actions in which not we are to follow his example 15. This answer is applyed to the seventh day shewing that it hath not inherent in it any essentiall righteousnesse why God did rest in it but as many other actions hath no other foundation but Gods free-will 16. Whereby hee ordained the observation of that day to the Iewes and not to Christians 17. Who in the observation of their holy day follow not Gods example as they should if it had any morality in it 18. Instance the seventh day was changed into the first day of the weeke in remembrance of our redemption by Christ which is a greater worke then the creation 19. First answer hence it followeth that
the observation of one of seven daies is not morall 20. Second answer shewing divers absurdities following the opinion of the morality of one of seven daies and of the substitution of the first of seven to the last by Christ himselfe 21. Their reply that when Christ made the first alteration of the Sabbath the Disciples observed the Sabbath of the last and of the first day of the weeke consecutively is but an imagination 22. Christs resurrection was of as great force to change the generall order of the observation of one of seven daies as of the last day of the weeke nay to ordaine each fourth day of the weeke for Gods service as well as the first 23. The day of Christs resurrection is no more obligatory then the day of his nativity of his death or of his ascention and is a meer institution of the Church 24. Seventh Objection from the last words of the Commandement And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it whence they gather that the keeping of the seventh day is a meanes of all kinde of blessings whereof Christians have as great need at Iewes c. 25. First answer Christians have as great need of Gods blessing as had the Iewes but not by the same meanes 26. Second answer the Sabbath was not a meanes of blessing to the Iewes by any inherent and naturall quality but by reason of the exercises of godlinesse practised in it and so the exercises of our Christian religion bring a blessing upon us whensoever they are practised 27. It is a fond assertion that if God hath not appointed to Christians a particular day for his service as he did to the Iewes our condition shall be worse then theirs 28. All the particularities of the fourth Commandement may be applyed to Christians as well as to Iewes 29. As the reasons of the institution of their holy-daies 30. Which neverthelesse we are not bound to keepe 31. Item the remembrance of the creation c. 32. The necessity of a new day for Gods service inferreth not a divine institution 1 BEsides the generall argument which is taken from the nature of the fourth Commandement and hath beene refuted in the former Chapter others more particular are taken from the termes and words of the said Commandement and first they urge vehemently these first words thereof Remember the Sabbath day from whence as they pretend it may be inferred that seeing the remembring of a thing denoteth that it was knowne before God when he commanded the Israelites to remember the Sabbath day supposeth that it was not a new ordinance which he gave unto them then but an ancient one yet which undoubtedly they had forgotten and whereof it was necessary they should be put in remembrance and the observation urged for the time to come 2 It is said also that the sanctification of the Sabbath day which God enjoyneth saying Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy cannot be called a ceremony but this instance is very feeble For first although it should prove that the institution of the Sabbath day which is here debated did preceed the Law from the beginning it cannot for all that inforce the morality thereof Nay much otherwise some doe thinke that God in the beginning and entrance of the Commandement used the word Remember because it not being naturall and morall as the rest are the Iewes might have more easily forgotten it Secondly it doth no manner of way prove the antiquity of this ordinance For when he that commandeth any thing saith to him to whom he giveth instructions Remember what I say and command thee such a speech implyeth not alwaies that an injunction is given him of a thing he knew before which is againe recorded unto him that he may call it to minde Nay most often his intention is only to advise him to consider exactly to meditate carefully and to accomplish faithfully in time to come that which at that time is injoyned him For this terme Remember when commandements are given is not alwaies relative to the time past but sometimes hath regard onely to the time to come which joyning and continuing for some daies or yeeres successively the time wherein they were given is past and so men have need to call them to minde as a thing past So God instituted the Passeover for a memoriall of the deliverance of the first borne of his people from the destroyer when the first borne of the Egyptians were slaine although it happened after the said institution Exod. 12. vers 14. 27. 29. So Moses said unto them Remember this day in which yee came out from Egypt Exod. 13 vers 3. willing them in time to come to call to minde that whereof they had the first knowledge and experience and not before but at that instant So Christ instituted to his Disciples the Sacrament of the Eucharist saying This doe yee in remembrance of me that is of my death 1 Cor. 11. vers 24. 25 26. although hee was at table with them and was not put to death till the next day after So this speech Remember the Sabbath day must be taken relatively to the time to come as if God had said Take heed that afterwards yee keepe in minde the ordinance which I give you at this instant that you may observe it carefully and in the 12. verse of the fifth Chapter of Deuteronomy in liev of Remember it is written Keepe the Sabbath day or Take heed to the Sabbath day to sanctifie it Hee that commandeth another to doe any thing of moment in a time future ordinary and regulate may very well speake unto him in these termes Remember such a thing and the time that thou art to doe it in before it come to the end that when it shall come thou mayest be prepared to doe it and mayest doe it accordingly which is all that God intended to say to the Iewes in his Commandement touching the Sabbath to wit that before that day should fall out they should remember it in the precedent dayes and dispose themselves in time to sanctifie it Thirdly although it should be taken as relative to the time past it is needlesse to extend it to a long time before and namely to the beginning of the world but only to some few dayes foregoing when GOD through the occasion of the Manna spake unto them of the Sabbath day forbidding them to goe out of their place on that day to gather of it because they should find none and commanding them to rest and to abide every man in his place which day when afterwards he gave the Law he commanded them more particularly and expressely to remember because they heard mention made of it a short while before and to beware of profaning it as they had done already Exod. 16. verse 28 29. And questionlesse to that which he said unto them concerning the Sabbath in the sixteenth Chapter of Exodus are to be referred these words which in the fifth Chapter of
themselves bound to this observation and Gods proceeding alone had not beene obligatory unto them nor had the force of a Law among them Which sheweth that in it there is no morality no example binding the conscience necessarily and for ever 16 This being so it followeth not that if God was pleased to give this ordinance to the Iewes by occasion of the order that he observed in the Creation he would also have it to continue among Christians seeing it was not grounded in any morall thing which should have life and vigor for ever no more than so many other ordinances which he had given to that people upon good considerations oblige not Christians because the reasons were not morall And as these ordinances are changed and abolished without any blame of variablenesse or of turning that God hath incurred on his part even so that ordinance concerning the Sabbath might and ought to cease likewise All the morality that can be gathered from Gods example is that as God after he had made all his workes in the space of some dayes rested on another day so we should have some day wherein leaving off our ordinary occupations we may busie our selves about Gods service But not that Gods example obligeth us to the same day of rest which God observed 17 And indeed the Christians in the observation of their day of rest doe not any more ground themselves upon Gods example in the Creation For although they keepe sixe dayes of worke and a seventh of rest yet it is not the seventh day that God rested in for they work on that day and rest on the first day of the weeke which God began in to make all his workes and so they change Gods order Which sheweth that this example of God is not obligatory of it selfe and for ever For if it were we should be bound to keepe not only one of seven but the same seventh which God gave us example to rest in there being no reason wherefore one and the same example of God should neither be obligatory for ever in one of its parts to wit in that hee observed sixe dayes of labour and a seventh of rest then in the other to wit in that hee imployed the first sixe dayes of the weeke to worke in and the last to rest in 18 They get no advantage to say that under the New Testament the alteration of the Sabbath day hath beene made from the last day of the weeke to the first because IESUS CHRIST rising on this day rested from the worke of our redemption which is greater and more excellent than the worke of Creation seeing that by it man who was created in the flat mutable state of nature and of a naturall grace from which he fell away and was also to remaine upon earth is put in the supernaturall and immutable state of grace to be received in heaven to be admitted to the contemplation of God himselfe and to live there in a light and purity farre more perfect then that which he had in the first Creation That also heaven and earth shall be renewed and established in a state a great deale more beautifull and excellent then the state they were created in Nay that the Angels themselves have thereby received many and great benefits In a word that in vertue of that worke hath in part beene already made and one day shall be made compleately a new Creation of all things as Christ himselfe speaketh Matth. 19. verse 28. And therefore it deserved well that the day wherein Christ after he had finished it did rest should be consecrated by all those that pretend to have part in it and to whom the benefit thereof is offered if they reject it not by their owne fault to be a day of rest under the New Testament instead of the day which was observed under the Old Testament in remembrance of Gods resting from the workes of the Creation 19 For I grant willingly this to be true But with all I say that the altering of the Sabbath day upon the occasion of Christs Resurrection sheweth plainely that the example of Gods proceeding in the Creation and the observation of one of seven dayes and of the last of seven founded thereupon under the Old Testament was not morall For if it had beene no alteration no changing could have beene made of that time neither altogether nor in part for any occasion occurring and falling out sithence because all morall things are perpetuall have beene confirmed and ratified by Iesus Christ and have not been casheered by him nor by his Church Now it is constant by the practise of all Christian Churches that a change hath beene made and in the beginning of that innovation the order of the observation of one of seven dayes was of necessity subject to be changed and ceased to be obligatory For when Christians began or might have begun to omit the last day of the weeke and to keepe the first they might also then have neglected and violated the foresaid order of dedicating to GOD one day of seven which neverthelesse is pretended to be morall sith by the death of Iesus Christ all the Iewish ceremonies and amongst them the ancient day of Sabbath that is the precise observation of the seventh or the last day of the weeke which is not denyed to have beene ceremoniall being abrogated of right in the weeke wherein hapned the death of Christ and on the Friday of that weeke the Disciples were not obliged to observe the last day of that weeke which was Saturday or the Sabbath of the Iewes immediately following but they might have observed another in the weeke following which being true it followeth that they might have overslipt all the seven dayes of the said weeke without consecrating any of them to God And in effect in whatsoever time the Church begun at first to overpasse the last day of the weeke of necessity she passed a whole weeke wherein there was no seventh day of Sabbath which she could not have done lawfully if to observe one day of seven were a morall point 20 Furthermore according to this maxime which proposeth the necessity of the observation of one day in the weeke yea of a whole day as of a pointmorall sith none can institute such a day but God alone this also of necessity must be layd as a fundamentall point of our Religion that our Lord Iesus Christ on the same day that he rose from death to life made this alteration of the last day into the first and gave notice of it to his Disciples who other wayes could not have acknowledged so soone the necessity of this changing For if he did it not seeing they were no more obliged to the Sabbath day of the Iewes which was abrogated by his death they might have beene not only in the weeke wherein Christ died but also in the weeke following wherein he rose againe free from all obligation tying them to any Sabbath day which the aforesaid
places of the wildernesse the battell being given them on the Sabbath day chused rather to be slaine with their Wives Children and cattell then to make resistance for the safety of their lives least they should profane the Sabbath day 1 Maccab. 2. verse 32. c. There is another example of a like scruple in the second booke Chapter 6. verse 11. And we read in Iosephus in the eight Chapter of the foureteenth booke of the Antiquities of the Iewes and in the first booke of the Warres of the Iewes Chapter 5. that when the Romans under their generall Pompeius beleagured the Temple of Ierusalem the Iewes which were fled thither although they defended themselves on the Sabbath day if they were assaulted yet they remained quiet and bonged not if they were not assaulted which when the Romans had perceived they set not on them and threw nothing against them on the Sabbath day but prepared only things necessary for the assaults dressed terrasses and forts brought neere their engines to make use of them the next day and the Iewes of Religion and great devotion toward the Sabbath suffered them to doe what they would without disturbance And Iosephus approveth this Religion or rather superstition as if it had beene conformable to the ordinance of the Law saying that the Law permitteth on the Sabbath day if the enemies come to wage battell or give blowes to drive them backe Many might have beene intangled with the same superstition during the desolation wherof Christ speaketh in the place before alleadged For although that upon such an occasion as this was to wit to save their lives they should and might have beene informed that they had full liberty to work and flie yet the devotion so ancient so usually practised so exactly and scrupulously observed towards the Sabbath specially in these times as may be seene in sundry places of the Gospell this devotion I say was more than sufficient to forme many difficulties in their mindes and cast into many perplexities concerning the practise of this knowledge even those that had it Wherefore our Lord Iesus Christ foreseeing that many in the dayes of the future desolation of Ierusalem should be disquieted with such feares should make such difficulties or at least conceive a great displeasure to be constrained to worke and travell on the Sabbath day for the preserving of their lives adviseth them to pray to God that their flight be not on that day 4 If they reply that Iesus Christ spake these words to his Disciples who were infallibly to be well instructed before the desolation of Ierusalem concerning the Evangelicall day of Sabbath and concerning all things that may be lawfully done on it and therefore there was no occasion to feare that they should suffer themselves to be carryed away with any Religion or rather superstition towards the Iewish Sabbath day which before that time should be abrogated To that objection I answer againe that verily Iesus Christ spake to his Disciples who apparantly were alone with him but not in regard to them For he knew well that about the time of the desolation of Ierusalem they should be either dead or farre removed from Iudea among the other nations of the earth and therefore this danger was not to be feared on their behalfe Wherefore in their persons he spake to all the Iewes who were all to be in common partakers of this desolation or at least to all the faithfull who in that time should be conversant in Iudea as if they had been present before him with his Disciples This is evident by these words in the 16. 17 18 19. Verses Then let them that be in Iudea flee into the mountaines Let him which is on the house toppe not come downe to take any thing out of his house Neither let him which is in the field returne backe to take his clothes and woe unto them that are with child and unto them that give sucke in those dayes c. For these are common advertisements to all that were to be insnared in that danger and so is likewise this Pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath day which must be understood as said to all the Iewes to whom the preceding warnings are directed amongst whom Iesus Christ knew that many Christians converted unto him and carryed away with a Religious respect towards the Law should still have the opinion of the Sabbath which I have specified Nay he knew that amongst the faithfull Iewes the best instructed should tye themselves for a certaine space of time after his Ascension into heaven to the observation of certaine legall ceremonies and specially of the Sabbath although of right they were all made of no effect by his death not for any conscience to them-ward nor through an acknowledgement of any obligation on their behalfe to the ceremoniall Law which had beene a thing hurtfull and dangerous but simply through love to shunne all occasions of giving offence to the other Iewes to imbrace all meanes of gaining them more easily to the faith and to bury the ceremonies with honour which in that respect was lawfull So then for these reasons he might well exhort them all to pray that there flight should not befall on the Sabbath day because those that are weake and not so well instructed should not dare to flie or should flie with scruple of conscience and the strong that had greater knowledge should doe it although without trouble of Conscience yet not without some griefe remembring that on that day they were accustomed till then to apply themselves to religious actions and foreseeing that their flight might be offensive and make them odious to some that also they might be hindered in their flight and preparatives for it by those which should superstitiously sticke fast unto the prohibitions not to worke to run and to toyle on the Sabbath day 5 I adde that although we should consider this Commandement of Christ Pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath day as directed to the Disciples only and should advow that being well instructed there was no cause why they should feare to flie on the Sabbath day and therefore no cause why they should pray for their particular that their flight should not happen on that day we may fitly say that Iesus Christ commanded them to pray so having regard not to them but to others that he foresaw should be ignorant and weake and to whom the Sabbath day should be an impediment to flie For although Christians strong in the faith make no such difficulty and in that respect have no cause to feare for themselves yet knowing that such difficulties to some other ignorants and weake in faith wil be a stumbling block they ought to pray to God having regard to them that the causes and occasions of such difficulties happen not if it be possible and â—in this respect Iesus Christ might have said to his Disciples Pray that your flight from the desolation to come be not
he hath likewise left unto her Christian wisedome the determination of the day of his service which is more common and ordinary specially seeing in the whole New Testament there is not at all any expresse mention of a particular day instituted and ordained by him for that end which the Evangelists and Apostles had not as it were with one accord beene silent of if it were true that our Lord Iesus Christ had ordained such a day CHAPTER Fourth Answer to the third reason brought to prove the foresaid opinion 1. Third Reason Iesus appeared to his Disciples the same day of his Resurrection at evening and eight dayes after which was the first day of the weeke as also on that day the Apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost 2. First Answer Christ appeared to his Disciples in the beginning of the second day of the weeke 3. This is proved by the distinction of the day in a day Naturall Artificiall and Civill 4. It is proved by the creation that the Iewes began the naturall or civill day by the evening 5. Refutation of those which say that by the evening must be understood the time after noone and by the morning the time afore noone 6. The same is proved by an expresse commandement given to the Iewes to begin the naturall day and the celebration of the Sabbath of at on 〈…〉 7. Râ—utation of the reply made against this argument 8. It is proved also by the commandement given them to begin the eating of the Passeover and of unleavened bread at the end of the 14. day of the first moneth 9. Saint Matthew and Saint Marke speake figuratively when they call the day wherein things necessary for the Passeover were prepared the first day of unleavened bread 10. The same likewise is proved by the observation of the Sabbath in the dayes of Nehemiah 11. And by the practice of Ioseph and Nicodemus when they buryed the body of our Saviour 12. First argument brought by some out of the Old Testament to prove that the naturall day among the Iewes and consequently the Sabbath day began in the morning ended with the night 13. Refutation of that argument 14. Second argument taken out of the first Chapter of S. Iohns Gospell ver 39. answered 15. Third Argument out of the 28 Chap. of S. Matthew ver 1. 16. Answer to this Argument 17. Fourth argument out of the 20. Chapter of the Acts ver 7. and 11. answered 18. It followeth of all the foresaid answers and besides is more fully proved that IESUS CHRIST appeared to his Disciples after his Resurrection on the second day of the weeke 19. Second Answer although Iesus after his Resurrection had appeared twice to his Disciples on the first day of the weeke that proveth not the sanctification of that day for Gods service 20. This is proved by diverse arguments and reasons 21. The descending of the Holy Ghost on the first day of the weeke inforceth not the observation of that day THere is no greater force in the observation gathered out of the twentieth Chapter of Saint Iohn verse 19. and 26. where it is said that Iesus the same day of his Resurrection at evening being the first day of the weeke appeared to his Disciples where they were assembled and after eight dayes the doores being shut he came and stood in the midst of them to wit on the 〈…〉 pretend to have beene the day of Pentecost wherein he sent downe from heaven 〈◊〉 Holy Ghost upon the Apostles from which places they inferre that by this practise hee hath sanctified that day for the preaching of his Gospell and the administration of his service 2 To this I answer first that it may be debated if it be said in the foresaid passage of Saint Iohn that our Lord Iesus Christ appeared to his Disciples on the first day of the week and not rather after the first day already ended and the second begun Although the first interpretation was true and that it was the first day of the week wherin Christ shewed himselfe to his Disciples after his Resurrection it carryeth not with it any consequence prejudiciall to my opinion as shal be seene hereafter Yet I wil confirme the second interpretation as only true and take this occasion to speake of the distinction of dayes fetching froÌ„ thence the grounds of my reasoning 3 The day is ordinarily distinguished into a Naturall day and an Artificiall day The naturall day is composed of foure and twenty houres which is the time of the daily circuit of the Sunne arising going downe and returning to the place where he arose in which day is comprehended all the time of light and all the time of darkenesse The day is so taken ordinarily both in Scripture and in all common languages when mention is made simply of dayes As for example when we say a moneth hath thirty dayes such a thing shall bee done or come to passe within so many dayes Abraham Isaac Iacob died being full of dayes we understand all the time of their continuance as well of the night as of the day The Artificiall day continueth as long as the Sunne is upon the horizon of every place and by his light affordeth commodity to men to goe forth to their labour and to worke in their arts professions and trades The naturall day although amongst all people it be composed of foure and twenty houres yet it varieth in the distinction of the beginning and end thereof For some take the beginning thereof at midde day and count the continuance thereof till the next midde day Others from midde-night till the next midde night Some from the rising of the Sunne till his next rising againe and some from the sunne setting till the next setting This diverse supputation amongst diverse people proceeding from a civill constitution addeth to the distinction of the day in artificiall and naturall a third member to wit The civill day which is the same with the naturall day in regard of the continuance of foure and twenty houres but is diversely counted in diverse places in regard of the beginning and of the end thereof 4. Now among the Iewes this naturall or eivill day began by the evening and ended at the next evening Moses distinguisheth it so when he relateth the story of the Creation For he endeth alwayes the workes of each day in these words so was the evening so was the morning which was the first the second the third day c. Where by the evening he understandeth the whole night which beginneth by the evening and by the morning the whole day which beginneth by the morning considering the evening and the morning the night and the day or the light as integrant parts of the naturall day and the evening or the night as the first part which goeth before the other part which is the time of light As indeed this distinction is grounded on that order and course of proceeding which God kept in the Creation
or at hand Which terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth properly to shine but is taken improperly by the Evangelist and signifieth to arrive to draw neere Or he hath regard unto to the evening star which was nigh rising Or rather to the lampes which on the evening of that day were lighted betimes and a little before the Sabbath as also great fires were kindled that at the comming of the Sabbath they should not have any such thing to doe Iosephus in the 16. booke of the antiquities of the Iewes Chapter 10. relateth a decree of Augustus Caesar that the Iewes should not be bound to appeare in judgement on the Sabbath day nor on the parasceue or day of preparation before the Sabbath after nine houres that is about three after Noone because soone after that houre at evening their Sabbath day began Of all this it is most cleere that the Sabbath gan by the evening and the night was the first part thereof 12 Against that I have laid downe some arguments are opposed to prove that even amongst the Iewes the naturall day and consequently the sabbath-Sabbath-day began by the break of day and the night made the last part thereof First they alleage out of Exodus chap. 10. v. 13. That the Lord brought an East winde upon the Land of Aegypt all that day and all that night and when it was morning the East wind brought the Locusts and out of the booke of Numbers chap. 11. v. 32. that The people stood up all that day and all that night and all the next day and they gathered the Quailes In which places they pretend that the night which is put betweene two dayes is joyned with the first day as a part thereof and separed from the second 13 But these places and other such like that may bee found are nothing to the purpose For they speake of the artificiall day distinguished from the night which is expresly named without any declaration whether it pertained to the day preceding or to the day following to make with it the naturall day The placing of the day before the night is according to the order of the things related in these bookes and as they came to passe For the East wind began to blow in the day and continued all night to bring the Locusts and the people begun by the day and continued all night the gathering of Quailes Moreover when the day is considered distinctly and severally from the night the day as being of greatest dignity is named first without regard to the precedency of either in the order of nature and in the naturall day 14 It is written in the Gospell of Saint Iohn 1 chap. 39 vers that two disciples of Iohn Baptists went and saw where Iesus dwelt and abode with him that day for it was about the tenth houre from whence they infer that seeing these disciples entred into Christs lodging at the tenth houre that is two houres afore the going down of the Sunne according to the counting of the Iewes and it is said that they abode there that day we must understand that they abode also the night to the intent they might be instructed by the Lord which was not possible to be done in two houres wherefore the night was the last part of the naturall day But this ratiocination is of small weight For what necessity can move us to say that these two Disciples abode longer with Christ than the two last houres of the day preceding the setting of the Sun The particle for from whence it is inferred They abode with him that day For it was about the tenth houre is not properly in the Originall which is better translated by and than by for And it was about the tenth houre which may be fitly understood after this manner that being come to Christs lodging at the tenth houre they abode with him the remnant of that day and about night went home and tarried no longer with the Lord. It is true that in the space of two houres nay not if they had staied the whole night they could not be sufficiently instructed by the Lord. But also it was not then only that they came to him and abode with him for they might have returned afterwards now and then as indeed Andrew who was one of the two and brother to Simon Peter became one of his ordinary and domesticall Disciples 15 They make use also of the twenty eighth chapter of S. Matthew vers 1. Where it is said that in the evening or in the latter end of the Sabbath as it began to dawne towards the first day of the weeke came Mary Magdalen and the other Mary to see the Sepulchre the words of the Originall are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence they would infer that the Sabbath ended about the morning when it beginneth to shine and then began therewith the first day of the weeke 16 Whereunto I answer that the Evening or the latter end of the Sabbath whereof mention is made in this place must be understood of the evening properly so called when the Sun setteth which time is in this place specified as the end of the Sabbath day or of the whole weeke For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath both significations Besides that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is fit to shew as much For it cannot be conveniently taken for an end of time confined unto the morning the conference of the other Evangelists demonstrate it more forceebly For S. Marke in the 16. chapter 1 2. verses saith that When the Sabbath was past Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of Iames and Salome bought sweet smelling spices that they might come and anoint Iesus and being come very early in the morning to wit from home they came to the Sepulchre when the Sun was risen or if these words very early in the morning betoken also the time of their comming to the Sepulchre and signifie the same that is signified by the words following when the Sun was risen we must understand these last words not as if the Sun was already ascended upon the horizon but only that it was risen in regard of the first appearing of his shining beames above the horizon at the breake of day so both shall be true that the Sun was risen and that they came to the Sepulchre very early in the morning And this shall agree very well with the words of S. Iohn chap. 20. vers 1. Upon the first day of the weeke when it was yet dark and with these of S. Luke chap. 24. vers 1. Uery early in the morning the women came unto the Sepulchre where it is added that they brought with them the sweet odours which they had prepared from whence I infer that the Sabbath ended in the evening at the going downe of the Sun sith after the Sabbath was ended these women bought sweet smelling spices and prepared them to anoint the body of Iesus as S. Mark saith expresly To whom
Secondly granting that the night mentioned in the foresaid place was the last part of the first day of the week nothing can be proved from thence but this only that after the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ the faithfull among the Gentiles celebrating in their congregations the first day of the weeke in remembrance of the said resurrection began it in the morning about the time that Christ rose as perhaps the nations of whom they were began the day by the morning but it followeth not that such was the beginning of the day among the Iewes 18 These things being thus cleered it shall follow that when Iesus Christ did shew himselfe to his Disciples in the time mentioned in the 20. of S. Iohn vers 19. it was not in the first day of the week but after it in the second day The conference of the twenty foure of Saint Luke sheweth that at least it was midnight when Iesus Christ appeared first unto them For it is said in that chapter that the same day of his resurrection he drew neere to the two Disciples that were going to Emmaus went with them came thither with them towards evening the day being far spent and that they supped there That after the Lord had left them vanishing away out of their sight they rose up the same houre returned to Ierusalem distant from Emmaus threescore stades that is a three houres journey entred where the Apostles were told them all the things that had happened unto them in the way and in the Village that after this Iesus stood in the midst of them therefore it was far in the night whence it followeth that seeing among the Iewes the day ended at evening and another day began the first day of the week was then finished many houres before and the second day was well forward The words of the Text say nothing that is not consonant to this These they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the evening or the end of the first day of the weeke being come in the same sense that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken in the foresaid place of Matthew Chap. 28. verse 1. the Disciples being assembled and the doores shut for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stood in the midst of them which words have no other sence but this that at the evening of the first day which was also the end thereof the Disciples being assembled and having shut themselves up in a certaine place Iesus Christ a while after appeared unto them So of that hath beene said it is manifest that the opinion of Christs appearing to his Disciples on the first day of the weeke is not grounded on a sure foundation 20 But although it were generally agreed on that Iesus Christ appeared the first time to his Disciples on the first day of the weeke and the second time eight dayes after I say that his appearing to his Disciples at two diverse times since his Resurrection on the first day of the weeke cannot inforce by any good consequence that his intention was to authorize that day and to sanctifie it to bee a day of rest To prove this with some shew of reason it were necessary that Iesus Christ during the whole time of his abode on earth after his Resurrection should have shewed himselfe unto them regularly and constantly on each first day of the weeke and not in any other day For if he appeared not unto them every first day of the weeke we may inferre quite contrary that it was not his purpose to sanctifie that day unto them more than another And if he appeared unto them on other dayes it may be said with as good reason that he consecrated them to be Sabbaths as that he sanctified the first day of the weeke to be a Sabbath 21 Now we read nothing of his appearing to his Disciples on each first day of the weeke constantly and regularly after his Resurrection till his Ascension Nay it is written in the first Chapter of the Acts verse 3. that after his passion he shewed himselfe alive unto them by many infallible proofes being seene of them forty dayes and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdome of God whereby wee see cleerely that he shewed himselfe on many other dayes then the first of the weeke For Saint Luke had not said that he was seene of them forty dayes by many infallible proofes if hee had not beene seene of them but five or sixe dayes of these forty And there is no appearance that he was forty dayes on earth after his Resurrection to shew himselfe only every first day of the week and to withdraw himselfe remaining solitary and apart all the dayes betweene In the one and twentieth Chapter of Saint Iohn ver 4. wee see that he shewed himselfe to them on a day when they were gone a fishing commanded them to continue their fishing and did then a notable miracle neither is it said that it was the first day of the weeke And if it was they wrought on it and kept it not holy Moreover when it is said in the twentieth Chapter of Saint Iohn verse 26. that eight dayes after the first day of the weeke wherin he first appeared unto them he shewed himselfe again to his Disciples a question may be made if it was on another first day of the weeke For this should be true if in the number of eight be included the first day of the weeke and the eight day following But if they be not included and if we take the words of the Apostle that after eight dayes fulfilled and past Iesus shewed himselfe unto them as the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beare that sence then it was not on another first day of the weeke but one the next day after that he stood in the midst of them And so the argument built upon this sand shall fall to the ground 20 Neither doth the sending of the Holy Ghost upon the Disciples and Apostles assembled on Pentecost day evince a divine institution of the LORDS day granting that it was also on the first day of the weeke For by what consequence shall it follow that by this miracle IESUS CHRIST intended to make that day an ordinary day of rest and of Gods service Seeing by the same reason it will follow that all the dayes wherein Christ did some solemne action have beene established and ordained to be stinted and ordinary Sabbaths in every weeke which is not so CHAPTER Fifth Answer to the Fourth Reason 1. Fourth Reason The first day of the weeke was kept by the Apostle and the Disciples at Troas Acts 20. ver 7. 2. First Answer The words may be taken of a certaine day and not of the first day of the weeke c. 3. Second Answer taking them for the first day of the weeke it followeth not that that day was an ordinary Sabbath but only was kept by occasion of the Apostles departure on the next morrow 4. Third Answer it
may be that day is named because of the miracle done on it and not to shew that it was a Sabbath day seeing the Apostle did preach every day wheresoever he sojourned 5. Nullity of the instance they assembled to breake bread that is to celebrate the Lords Supper 1. Because that breaking of bread may be taken for a common refection 6. 2. Because the Christians did every day celebrate the Lords Supper without respect to Sunday 7. Fourth Answer nothing can be gathered from the meeting of the Disciples at night to prove the sanctification of the day that went before 8. Fifth Answer supposing the first day of the weeke was kept at Troas it followeth not that it was kept in all other Churches 9. Sixth Answer putting the case That it was kept every where it followeth not that Christ or his Apostles had ordained it THey alleadge againe out of the twentieth Chapter of the Acts verse 7. that Paul being come to Troas and the Disciples being assembled to breake bread that is to celebrate the Lords Supper upon the first day of the weeke St. Paul came to their assembly and preached unto them continuing his speech untill midnight being ready to depart on the morrow c. Where they note that this meeting of the faithfull of Troas on the first day of the weeke is propounded there as a thing ordinary and accustomed and not as occasioned extraordinarily by the Apostles arrivall to the Towne For it is said in the sixt verse that he and his company abode there seven dayes and in the seventh verse that upon the first day of the weeke which was the seventh day preceding his departure on the day following the Disciples being come together he preached unto them Which sheweth manifestly that he stayed expressely till that first day of the weeke as being the ordinary day of the meeting of the faithfull Otherwise having been already amongst them five or sixe dayes before he might have taken as well another day as that day 2 To this I answer first that there is no necessity to grant that the assembly of the faithfull of Troas mentioned in the foresaid Chap. met on the first day of the weeke For the termes of the originall which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be as wel translated on a certaine day of the weeke or on a Sabbath day on a day which was a Sabbath Because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken in holy Scripture sometimes for the week sometimes for the Sabbath day in the weeke and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes for one sometimes for the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken so in a like construction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On a certaine day Lu. 5. v. 17. Luk. 8. ver 22. Luk. 20. v. 1. And the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is superfluous as it is often elsewhere Rom. 5. v. 15. and 1 Cor. 9. v. 19. and 2 Cor. 2. verse 6. and 2 Cor. 9. verse 21. This sence is approved not only as admittable but also as more probable than any other by great Divines And although we should explaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by first wee may translate vpon the first day of Sabbath to wit which occurred in these seven dayes that Paul was in Troas and which was the last of seven so according to this sence an argument may be brought for the Iewish Sabbath day rather than for the Sunday of Christians 3 But Secondly although we should grant that the words should be translated upon the first day of the weeke as the same phrase is taken Luk. 24. verse 1. Iohn 20. verse 1. Which interpretation I yeeld unto willingly it is to no purpose in this question because upon the meeting of the faithfull of Troas the first day of the week to heare the word of God it followeth not that the observation of this day was ordinary and regular for the end which is supposed It may be they did this indifferently on that day as they did in all other dayes as they had occasion It may be also that they came together on the night of that day because Saint Paul was ready to depart on the next morrow and they desired to see him to heare him to receive the Communion with him and recommending him to God bid him the last farewell As hee likewise was desirous to speake unto them and to intertaine them immediately afore his departure which in such an occasion was very convenient and requisite Of such an action done for particular causes can any reasonable man with the least shew of reason inferre a generall custome tyed ordinarily to that day amongst all Christians 4 It may be likewise that this their meeting on the first day of the weeke is marked as an occasion only of the narration which is made incontinently after of the disaster that befell the young man Eutychus who being fallen into a deepe sleepe in the place of the assembly where Paul preached sunke downe with sleepe from the third loft and being taken up dead was miraculously raised to life by the Holy Apostle But is not specified to denote an order accustomed by that Church to meet together every weeke on that day And indeed seeing Paul in the visitation of the Churches tooke not heed to the observation of particular dayes but as long as he abode among them was carefull to preach and instruct them every day least he should loose the time and leasure that he had and which ordinarily was not long in each place as we may see Acts 19. verse 9. and Acts 20. verse 16 31. who shall beleeve that having taried sixe dayes at Troas he or the Disciples let slip sixe of them without any meeting to heare him Now if they came together in the former dayes as well as on the first day of the weeke as it is more seeming to be true the argument taken from their meeting on the first day of the weeke is utterly undone 5 If it be said that they met together on this day as being a day more solemne then the rest and because also they came to breake bread that is to receive the Lords Supper the argument is of no value For the breaking of bread that mention is made of in that place may be taken not for the Lords Supper but for a common refection and one of the feasts of charity which in those dayes were frequent amongst the faithfull as we see in Saint Iude verse 12. It may be so taken in the second Chap. of the said booke of the Acts as many interpreters in both these places understand it so And it seemeth that the conference of the 42 verse with the 46 in the second Chapter and of the seventh verse with the eleventh requireth it 6 Moreover seeing it is most certaine that the Apostolike and primitive Church did most frequently celebrate the holy Supper yea in many places daily as may be seene in the foresaid verses of the second Chapter of
the Acts if they be understood of the Lords Supper and in the 118 Epistle of Saint Augustine second Chapter no man can inferre of the meeting of the faithfull of Troas on the first day of the weeke to communicate to the Lords Supper that day to have beene more solemne unto them then any other day of the weeke And it may be they delayed the communion till that day rather than till another because Saint Paul was to take his journey on the morrow after judging they should doe well to end their conversation with him which they had injoyed during seven dayes by the celebration of this Sacrament which is a band of friendship and of brotherly conjunction and so to testifie their mutuall love and Christian respects and by that meanes take and give a full assurance that their separation and absence in the body which was to happen the next day should never be able to disunite it 7 Adde unto this that no mention being made in the foresaid passage but of a meeting in night time which began at the even of this first day of the weeke without telling us on what exercises the day was imployed by the faithfull I cannot see how an inference can be made upon a meeting by night that the day preceding that night was then and ought to be for ever sanctified for a Sabbath day 8 Further supposing it was an ordinary custome in Troas to keepe the first day of the weeke it followeth not that it was then observed every where abroad We find in other places of the Acts as amongst others in the 11 Ch. v. 26 and in the 14. Ch. v. 23 27. mention made of many meetings of the faithfull whereof the day is not particularized and if we consider well the circumstances of these places it is likely that it was as well on others dayes of the weeke as on the first and that in those dayes Christians made no difference of dayes Nay in the booke of the Acts we find often that the faithfull held their assemblies on the Sabbath day of the Iewes Acts 13. verse 14 44. Act. 16. verse 13. Act. 17. verse 2. c. 9 But to grant willingly that the Churches after they were once established were wont to keepe the first day of the weeke that concludes not this day to have been appointed by Christ by or his Apostles but onely that it was observed by use and custome at the first through respect to the resurrection of the Lord which custome grew up afterwards into a constitution of the Church binding all Christians unchangeably to the observation of it CHAPTER Sixth Answer to the fifth Reason 1. Fifth reason from the fifteenth Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians where the observation of the first day of the weeke is commanded by the Apostle 2. First answer The Apostles words may be understood of a certaine day or of each day of the weeke 3. He doth not establish a generall and continuall order but a particular collection for that time onely 4. Second answer The same words may be interpreted of every Sabbath day of the Iewes 5. Third answer Although they should be expounded of the first day of the weeke they inforce not an Apostolicall injunction concerning that day 6. Because his injunction is of the collection onely and not of the day 7. This is clearely proved by the words the of Text. 8. Fourth answer Albeit the Apostles had injoyned the keeping of that day it followeth not that they received it of the Lord because it was onely a point of order left to their wisedome and all order is in it selfe imitable 9. An instance from the fourth Chapter to the Philippians and the ninth verse 10. Refuted by three answers THey argue also from the sixteenth Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians vers 1 2. where the Apostle saith Concerning the collection for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia even so doe ye Vpon the first day of the weeke let every one of you put aside by himselfe as God hath prospered him that there be no gatherings when I come Where they pretend to have found clearely an Apostolicall Ordinance injoyning the observation of the first day of the weeke for the exercises of religion For in these words mention is made of the keeping of it for the collections which could not be levied so commodiously as in the ordinary day of Ecclesiasticall assemblies Now as they say the Apostle ordained nothing but what he had received of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. vers 23. Therefore seeing hee ordained to observe the first day of the weeke this day must needs be an Ordinance of Christ and of his Apostles 2. Whereunto I answer as before First that these words of the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie not necessarily upon the first day of the weeke or on each first day but may signifie indefinitely on a day on a certaine day or in each day of the weeke as they are interpreted by some Divines And so the Apostles exhortation shall have this sense that the Corinthians on a certaine day of the weeke at their choice or on every day of the weeke should keepe in store by themselves a part of the goods that God had liberally bestowed upon them that the whole summe which should be gathered amongst them might be laid out for the subvention of the faithfull of Ierusalem which at that time was required of them and be ready at his comming 3. For this is worthy to be noted that the Apostle doth not establish in these words a generall and continuall order of collections to bee received and practised in all the Christian Churches for the entertainment of their poore and publikely levied in their meetings and congregations but onely a particular collection which he enjoyned to the Church of the Corinthians and to some other Churches of the Gentiles for the poore strangers of Iudea which collection he himselfe was to come and to receive after he had sent before him some of the brethren to put it in order Whereof hee advised the Corinthians aforehand that they might prepare it before his comming and that nothing more were to be done at his comming This is manifest by the second third and fourth verses of this Chapter by the eighth and ninth Chapters of the second Epistle and by the fifteenth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes vers 25. He required also that it should be prepared not by a publike distribution in the Ecclesiasticall assemblies but by a particular separation that every one should make a portion of his goods at home and by himselfe For such is the meaning of the words in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let every one of you lay aside by himselfe putting in store as God hath prospered him which words doe signifie a particular and domesticall reservation and not a publike distribution which consequently was to be done indifferently
solemnized under the New Testament Diverse other things very solemne may be found which God and Iesus Christ effected in other dayes of the weeke whereof we might conclude with as great probability that under the New Testament the day wherein they were performed ought to be solemnized 3 This argument is like to another that is produced to prove the necessity of the observation of one day of seven when it is said that this number of seven is perfect and mysterious and hath beene observed in the Scripture in diverse things which some have searched with great curiosity but with no profit 4 For there is no certainty to bee found in this observation of numbers Some for some reason find a great perfection in one number and others for other reason give the preference of perfection to another number The Mathematicians doe hold the number of six for the most perfect and the first of perfect numbers And if the Scripture pointeth out unto us the number of seven observed in many things she doth the like in other numbers The author of Ecclesiasticus Chapter 33. verse 15. and Chapter 42. verse 24. saith That God in all his workes hath observed the number of two and made them all double coupling two and two one against another Wee marke that God in the beginning made the two principall parts of the world heaven and earth two great lights the Sunne and the Moone of all living creatures the Male and Female in wedlocke two in one flesh There were two Tables of the Law two Cherubims upon the Ark two precious stones wherin were graved the names of the twelve Children of Israel and put upon the shoulders of the Ephod Every day two Lambes were offered in Sacrifice to God there be two Testaments two great Commandements two ordinary Sacraments of the Iewish and as many of the Christian Church Hee that would search particularly all things subsisting in this number of two or of three or of foure might devise thereupon a thousand mysteries 5 In summe such arguments have no solidity Many also which dispute for the necessity of the Sabbath in one of seven dayes and for the divine authority of the first day of the weeke disclaime them acknowledging freely that Christ had no respect to these faire actions which are pretended to have beene done on the first day of the weeke under the Old Testament and was not moved by them to institute that day for Gods service under the New Testament That also these mysteries of the number of seven have no certainty and were not the cause of the institution of one of the seven dayes of the Weeke to be a day of rest and that God had no regard unto them in that institution 6 For rather if the number of sâ—vâ—n be in the Scripture a mysticall number which I would not deny absolutely seeing that among all other numbers it is used in it to denote perfection and perpetuity it must be Gods observation thereof from the beginning when he rested on the seventh day that made it mysterious and the cause why God useth it rather than any other day in holy Scripture to denote perfection for as much as he ordained and established the seventh day wherein he rested for figure and type of the heavenly perfect and eternall rest which he hath prepared for all those that are his But this consideration is of no force to make the number of seven or the seventh day to be mysterious under the New Testament and to be kept as a day of rest For the types and mysticall figures of the heavenly rest which God had established under the ancient Testament bind not Christians under the New Testament seeing all old things are past away and behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5. ver 17. CHAPTER Tenth Answer to the allegations of some pretended instances conjectures and inconveniences 1. First instance The observation of the first day of the weeke hath as solid foundations in the Scripture as hath the Baptisme of little Children 2. First Answer Baptisme is commanded in the New Testament to all those that are in the Covenant wherin little Children are comprised 3. But there is no commandement in the New Testament to observe one of the seven dayes of the weeke 4. Second Answer although our Saviour hath substituted Baptisme to the Circumcision he hath not put any set day in the roome of the Iewish Sabbath 5. Third Answer the observation of the first day of the weeke from the beginning inforceth not a divine institution therof no more than the observation of Easter and of other holy dayes which are of as old date 6. Second instance of diverse judgements upon those that have neglected or contemned the observation of the first day of the weeke answered 7. Third instance Man is naturally averse from the sanctification of the first day of the weeke 8. Answer shewing that he is sluggish and backward in Gods service not in keeping of dayes 9. Fourth instance of diverse inconveniences that shall follow if the observation of the first day of the weeke be not a divine institution 10. Answer to the first inconvenience that the Church should bee Lady and Mistresse of the Sabbath if it depend on her institution shewing how the Church may and may not sanctifie a day for Gods service 11. First Answer to the second inconvenience that she may appoint as many or as few dayes for Gods service as pleaseth her shewing that both extremities must be avoyded 12. Second Answer The Church hath not failed in either of them 13. Third Answer The Church in her reformation hath taken order with the multiplication of holy dayes and brought them within a little compasse 14. Answer to the third inconvenience that the Church might change the Lords day into another shewing that she might have done so in the beginning 15. The fourth inconvenience that the appointing of a day for Gods publike service injoyned in the fourth Commandement should depend on the Church is no inconvenience 16. Saving in case no day were appointed which is not to bee feared 17. Answer to the fifth inconvenience that many men will neglect the keeping of the first day of the weeke if they be perswaded that it is not a divine institution shewing that profane men will religious men will not 18. This Answer is confirmed by daily experience 1 ALL the foresaid arguments taken in some sort from the Scriptures being most weak as is cleere by what hath been said it is to no purpose that some of those with whom we are indifferent dare say that the keeping of Sunday hath as good a foundation and prop in the Scripture as hath the baptizing of little Children 2 For although we find no expresse commandement in the New Testament to baptisme little Children no more than to keepe Sunday or the first day of the weeke for a seventh day of rest yet we find baptisme expressely ordained by Iesus Christ to be a
the time of Gods service either to Sunday onely in the weeke or besides to a few moe more rare in their revolution and consecrated to the honour of God alone to be observed onely for orders sake and for ecclesiasticall government that in them her children may apply themselves more particularly then they doe on other dayes to Gods service but without tying the consciences of the faithfull farther than to the order of the Church not urging the Holy dayes obligatorie immediately on Gods part 14 To the third inconvenience that she may change Sunday into another day if the stinting of a day depend on her I answer that happily she might in the beginning have made choice of another number than of seven and in the number of seven of another than the first which is Sunday For although it be true that since the resurrection of Christ no action hath or shall be done so important as this which came to passe on the first day of the weeke it followeth not that the remembrance of that action was of necessity to be celebrated once in the weeke and that a day should bee appointed for that end more than for the remembrance of others of the Lords wonderfull actions or that the Church was tied by necessity to appoint the first day of the weeke for that purpose rather then another day upon the sole consideration that it happened on that day which in it selfe is not more obligatory now than it was then because the celebration of Christs actions in any day whatsoever is in it selfe a thing indifferent and the Lord doth not require that we tie our selves to the dayes wherein they were performed And so this consideration was no hinderance why in the beginning the Church might not have made choice of another day then Sunday But seeing Sunday is established by a long custome for the regular and ordinary day of Gods service seeing the faithfull Christians kept it in the beginning through respect to the resurrection of Christ and so it is become usuall every where by degrees seeing also time hath confirmed this custome and it hath beene ratified by Imperiall constitutions and divers ecclesiasticall ordinances I esteeme it should be an imprudent and impudent course to attempt the changing thereof into another day 15 The fourth inconvenience that particular men shall have nothing injoyned of God unto them in the fourth Commandement nor in any other part of Scripture concerning the time of Gods publike service saving that they observe the time prescribed in the Church according to the will of those that are in authority is not an inconvenience but is in effect the whole substance of the Commandement in regard of particular men to whom God having injoyned in the three former Commandements to serve him particularly every day and upon all occasions in the fourth he injoyneth them to doe it publikely together and to observe the time appointed for that purpose by ecclesiasticall discipline 16 The inconvenience to be feared should be in case no order at all were established in the Church for the time of Gods publike service and every particular man were left to his owne choice which should cause a disordered diversity But this were to forge feares where there is no cause For order hath beene taken with that in the Christian Church from her beginning and it hath beene fortified by use and custome so that particular men if they happen to come to places where there is no Church no discipline ordered will not omit being religiously disposed and fearing God to observe the day which the Christian Church hath chused and practised since so many ages And as God when he commandeth a frequent resorting to the holy assemblies giveth no injunction to particular men but in dependancy upon the order which shall be established in the Church for such meetings even so he tieth them to the same dependancy when he ordaineth that a certaine time be appointed for the said publike meetings 17 For the fifth and last inconvenience some feare least particular men should presume to observe any other day at their leasure and neglect the keeping of Sunday if they be taught that they are not bound unto it by Gods command Whereunto I answer that if these particulars be profane men which make light of the exercises of godlinesse and of the order of the Church in all likelihood they will doe worse and keepe no day at all But for such unruly wights wee need to disquiet our selves too much For it is not in our power to prevent and hinder all the abuses and profanations which they would commit although they were perswaded that Sunday is a divine institution He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still Nay although they might be recalled it is not reasonable that to rescue them we should speake or write any thing against truth If they be men which take to heart religion and godlinesse and carry a due respect to the order of the Church no such unrulinesse is to be feared of them For because the preaching of the word the administration of the Sacraments publike and common prayers are meanes ordained of God for the maintenance of godlinesse and of true Religion and Sunday is established by the order of the Church for the practise of these exercises they will make great account of that day and observe it not for its owne sake knowing that it is not in it selfe more esteemeable nor more belonging to Gods service then another day not also through opinion that God hath particularly sanctified it by his ordinance and that their conscience is in that respect more tyed unto it then to another day but because they have a speciall regard to the order of the Church which being very good and profitable they know they are bound to submit themselves unto it seeing God hath commanded it although in generall termes yet most expressely in his holy word They will also feare to contemne that day and in so doing to sinne not in consideration of any dignity of that the day hath of it felfe or that God hath given it whereby it should oblige more than another day and make the contempt thereof more blame worthy but in consideration of Gods service whereunto it is applyed by the ordinance and custome of the Church So then a particular Church will conforme her selfe to the order of all other Churches and the particular members of each Church will submit themselves to the order received in it and so all shall religiously celebrate Sunday because by the order of the Church it hath beene observed so long and in all places where the Gospell was preached for the publike exercise of Gods service 18 To shew that the foresaid inconvenience is not so much to be feared it is a thing common and well knowne that our Churches ordaine upon diverse occasions extraordinary dayes of fasting and of particular prayers and command
the whole people to come together for that end in these dayes which are otherwise common and worke dayes There are also in many Churches yeerely feasts injoyned by the order and discipline of the Church as of the Nativity Passion and Ascension of Christ c. wherein the people is gathered together to heare the word of God and all the parts of divine service Do they not know that God hath not bound them by speciall cōmandement to the observation of such dayes and that their conscience is not tyed unto them in that name And yet we see not any of them under that pretence neglect the keeping of those dayes or presume to ordaine others at their pleasure Some profane men may attempt such a thing but honest men which love the Word of God and the exercises of godlinesse will submit themselves to the order of the Church and observe such dayes not as I have said for any particular commandement that God hath given concerning them seeing in this respect they know they are free yet through respect and affection towards the order of the Church and true devotion towards the holy exercises whereunto shee hath thought fit to apply such dayes It is even so of Sunday betweene which and these other dayes there is not in effect any difference in regard of a necessity to keepe them saving that Sunday is more ordinary and frequent then these others are which being joyned to the antiquity and generality of the observation thereof ever since the beginning of the Christian Church hath worthily purchased unto it the precedence of credit and respect to all other dayes which may be extraordinarily now appointed by the Church for the exercises of Religion This is all that I have to say concerning the institution and setting a part of Sunday for Gods service which hath beene the matter of the third part of this treatise The end of the third Part. THE FOVRTH PART Concerning the observation of the Sabbath day under the Ancient Testament and of Sunday under the New Testament CHAPTER First What was the observation of the Sabbath day under the Ancient Testament 1. The two chiefe points of this fourth and last part 2. All servile workes of profit or of recreation were forbidden on the Sabbath day 3. Yea the least unnecessary workes as to goe out of doores to gather Manna 4. To prepare it on that day 5. Commandement was given to the people to prepare it the day before 6. Refutation of the contrary opinion 7. How it came to passe that the Manna being kept according to the Commandement did not stinke 8. Other examples of small things which it was not lawfull to doe on the Sabbath day 9. Workes lawfull on that day were the workes of the ceremoniall Law 10. Workes of love of mercy and of compassion 11. Workes of urgent necessity 12. Whence it is evident that the observation of the Iewish Sabbath was very precise and exact 1 HAving declared sufficiently the nature of the Sabbath day which was the maine point in this question I will dispatch briefely the last point concerning the observation thereof by a holy rest and cessation of all servile workes commanded of God and will shew how farre the Iewes were bound unto it under the ancient Testament and how farre or whether Christians are obliged unto it under the New Testament For this also is called in question 2 This is of it selfe cleere inough by that hath beene already said in the three first parts Neverthelesse to give a more full declaration and satisfaction I say that we know sufficiently what was the observation of the Sabbath day under the Old Testament seeing God had both in generall and particular ordered it by his lawes In generall he commanded a most exact rest and cessation and declared it by a redoubling of the words which he makes use of in this point saying sometimes that the seventh day is a Sabbath or Rest of Rest Exod. 16. verse 23. Exod 31. verse 15. Exod. 35. ver 2. Leviticus 23. verse 3. that is a day wherein he would have them to rest most precisely from all workes as it is said in the same places which workes he otherwhere intitleth servile workes Leviticus 23. verse 7 8 21 25. Numbers 28. verse 25. that is appertaining to their temporall and ordinary callings which they were wont to doe on the sixe former dayes of the weeke either for profit or for recreation and other uses simply civill domesticke earthly which he particularizeth in diverse places as for example to husband the ground to reape to cut grapes to tread wine presses Exod. 34. verse 21. Nehem. 13. verse 13. to buy and to sell Nehem. 10. verse 31. hold markets and faires for buying and selling of wares meat drinke to Cart to carry burthens Nehe. 13. verse 15 16 17 18. Ierem. 17. verse 21 22 23 24. to goe out of their houses for any end whatsoever besides their resorting to the holy convocations as to goe a voyage and to doe such like actions Exod. 16. verse 29. 3 This ordinance to doe no manner of work on the Sabbath day was so precise that God forbad them to doe the least workes even those which might be done without travell or distraction For example they were interdicted not only to make long and painefull voyages and courses but also to goe out of doores to walke although softly without urgent necessity as to goe out for to gather Manna when they were in the Wildernesse Exodus 16. ver 27. which they might have done without paines because it was to bee found at their doores and they were not to goe farre nor to take more paines than to stoope a little nor bestow above a very short time and that betimes in the morning because when the Sun waxed hot it melted neither could that have hindred them from sanctifying the Sabbath with all the exercises of Gods service 4 Neverthelesse God forbad them that light and small worke and least they should take that little and small diversion purposely he rained not downe Manna upon them on that day but the day before gave them bread for two dayes and when some of the people went out to see if there was any on the Sabbath day they were eagerly blamed as breakers of the Sabbath verse 27 28. And thereupon God commanded them to abide every man in his place and that no man should goe out of his place on that day to gather Manna verse 29. Likewise concerning that measure which they had gathered the day before for the Sabbath day he injoyned them also to bake and prepare it on the sixt day and to beware to delay and put off the preparing thereof to the seventh day least they should profane the Sabbath This is expressely set downe in these words Exod. 16. verse 23. To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord Bake that which you will bake to day and seeth that yee will seeth and that
perpetuall 4 The first reply to this Answer refuted 5. The said reply is not well grounded on the example of a Pharisee who called Christ to eat bread on the Sabbath day 6. Confirmation of the refutation of the said reply by the Scriptures 7. By the testimony of Saint Augustine and of Saint Ignace and by reason 8. The second reply taken from equality yea from oddes of reason refuted 9. A mystery hid in the prohibition to cooke meat on the Sabbath day c. 10. Third Answer the prohibition to kindle fire was perpetuall and not referred to the building of the Tabernacle 11. If it was referred thereto it was onely by application 12. If it was not lawfull to kindle fire for the uses of the Tabernacle farre lesse for other uses 13. Confirmation of this answer by reason and by the testimony of Philo. 14. Fourth Answer The particular prohibitions were explications of the generall prohibition of the fourth Commandement 15. Fifth and last Answer God hath no where made an exception of any worke on the weekely Sabbath as he did on the Sabbath of the Passeover 1 SOme of the contrary opinion have seene the difficulty propounded in the former Chapter to wit that there is no reason to say that some workes which the Iewes were forbidden to do as wel as all other by the fourth Commandement are permitted but the rest are not permitted if it be true that the prohibition of the fourth Commandement obligeth us as they pretend Therefore they say that these workes which as they confesse we are permitted to doe as to kindle the fire and to make meat ready on the Sabbath day were permitted to the Iewes as well as unto us and are not comprised in the prohibition of the fourth Commandement and that the particular prohibitions which are made in Exodus Chapter 16. and 35. were temporall had respect only to the time of the peoples sojourning in the wildernesse and were grounded on reasons particular to that time 2 But this is an affirmation without ground and without all likelihood For to speake of the injunction given them to tarry every man in his place and not to goe out of it on the Sabbath day Exod. 16. vers 29. it is true that it was given them by occasion of the Manna to the intent that they should not goe forth to seeke any yet undoubtedly it was extended also to all other things of the like nature to wit to all bodily and earthly ends God by that one example forbidding them to apply themselves to the seeking of them there being a like reason for all I say bodily and earthly because a spirituall and heavenly end was excepted by the third verse of the three and twenty Chapter of Leviticus and there was no other end but such a one which might be an exception from the said prohibition Will any man say that during their abode in the wildernesse they might freely and without offence goe about other worldly businesses the gathering of Manna excepted This goeth beyond all semblance of truth And therefore if this was not left to their liberty the prohibition of the sixteenth Chapter of Exodus had a farther regard than to the Manna onely Now if they were restrained in the wildernesse and durst not goe forth for earthly imploiments as to gather Manna what reason can be alleaged why in the land of Canaan they were free to come and to goe and trouble themselves with the care and pursuit of the bread that perisheth and of other things of this world 3 The same judgement ought to be made of the prohibition to to cooke and dresse meat in the wildernesse on the Sabbath day which meat was Manna wherefore ought not this prohibition to have place in the land of Canaan for all other meats The Israelites had they not leisure in Canaan to prepare their meat the day before the Sabbath as much nay more than they had for the Manna in the wildernesse Neverthelesse the day before the Sabbath which was the sixth day of the weeke God said to them concerning the Manna Bake that which ye will bake and seethe that which ye will seethe and all that remaineth lay it up to be kept till the morning for you And why To morrow saith he is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord Exod. 16. vers 23. words which shew that the observation of the Sabbath day by him prescribed unto them with respect not onely to their pilgrimage in the wildernesse but also to their abode in Canaan was the cause why hee rained not Manna upon them and suffered them not to prepare any on that day and by his law forbade them universally in their generations to cooke and prepare any meat on the Sabbath day For if it were a thing that he left to their libertâ— by the Law wherefore did hee not raine Manna upon them on the Sabbath day Or if hee gave them not any lest they should goe forth and gather it on that day and if he obliged them to gather twice as much the day before giving them that day bread for two dayes vers 29. which necessity forced them to doe seeing the next day there was not any to bee found in the fields wherefore did he not at least suffer them to deferre till the Sabbath day the cooking of that portion which they had gathered and laid up for that day rather than to injoyne them as he did to make ready twice as much the day before and so take from them all occasion of preparing it on the Sabbath day which they might have done easily although there was none to be found in the fields that day Certes he did betoken that not onely the seeking and gathering but also the cooking and preparing of meat on that day displeased him because it was a day ordained by him to rest in which is a perpetuall reason for all the dayes and times that the Law of Moses was to continue 4 To say that God commanded both to gather and to prepare the Manna the day before and to keepe it till the Sabbath day because he would manifest his miraculous power in preserving from corruption the Manna which else had bred wormes and stunke Exod. 16. vers 20. from one of these dayes to the other is an unsufficient answer For first the same miracle had beene although the Manna had beene kept crude and unbaked to be sodden and prepared the next day Secondly God might have done if it had pleased him the same miracle in respect to another day as well as to the Sabbath day Wherefore then did he it for the Sabbath day but to ordaine to the Israelites the cessation from all workes and amongst others from making meat ready on the Sabbath day in their generations Also wee see no examples of preparing of meat on the Sabbath day among them 5 To prove that they did is unfitly alleaged the first verse of the fourteenth chapter of S. Luke
Sabbath it followeth that we are even so made free from the necessity of forbearing absolutely all workes because this did belong also to these weake and beggerly rudiments of the world As the Apostle saith that the kingdome of God that is the state of the Gospell is not meat and drinke Rom. 14. vers 17. So may we say that it consists neither in baking nor in not baking meat neither in kindling nor in not kindling the fire neither in carrying nor in not carrying burdens For the Gospell establisheth no holinesse in the abstinence of such actions upon one day more than upon another day and declareth no man guilty for doing them but leaveth in the one and in the other the conscience free 8 When the same Apostle saith in the Epistle to the Colossians Chapter 2. verse 16. that we ought not to be tyed by our conscience to Sabbaths no more than to meat and drinke by Sabbaths he understandeth not only certaine dayes but also a scrupulous abstinence and cessation from outward workes in those dayes which also is properly denoted by the word Sabbath and obligeth us no more than the dayes doe 9 Neither is it required of us immediately by God but as it is a helpe to further us on any day whatsoever in the practice of Gods true service as in hearing of his word when it is read or preached in receiving the Sacraments that he hath instituted in calling upon his Name in meditating on him and on his graces that so we may strengthen our selves in godlinesse And on the contrary in case the busying of our selves about such workes should be unto us a let and disturbance in these our heavenly exercises So that the obligation whereby we are bound under the Gospell to these essentiall points of Gods service and the time wherein they are exercised being excepted all honest workes remaine equally lawfull on all the dayes of the weeke to apply our selves unto them without scruple and trouble of conscience Neither is it a sinne to doe all corporall workes that are lawfull in one day yea on Sunday as well as on another day 10 And as on other dayes of the weeke it is not ill done yea it is rather well done to bestow a part of them to preach and heare the word of God to minister and receive the Sacraments to pray and to sing Psalmes not only privately but also publikely in the eyes of the world according to the order of the Church and as occasions shall be offered also on Sunday to my opinion it is not a sinne to a true Christian after service done to God in his Temple to give himselfe to some honest exercises and wel ruled recreations of this present life Neither can I see any greater inconvenience or that a Christian is more guilty if after he hath heard the Word of God prayed and called upon his Name and practised the other duties of Gods publike service in the holy congregation of his people so if it be according to the order received in the Church whereof he is a member he goe to plough and husband the ground or to doe any other exercise of his lawfull trade then if he kindle the fire or cooke meat for his refection 11 And considering that the spirit of man can hardly be continually bent the space of a whole day to any serious and important action such as are namely the holy actions of Gods service without some intervall of relaxation if betweene the houres that are imparted to this service publikely or privately on the Sabbath day he imploy some other houres to doe the actions of his temporall calling or other workes of the same nature by way of diversion and refreshment I cannot conceive that God should be displeased therewith because Gods service and godlinesse are not hindred nor indammaged thereby For I aske after a man hath heard Gods service read the Word of God called upon his holy Name or ended devoutely any other religious action during a pretty space of time and the vigor of his spirit slacken so that he is not able to persevere in his attention and devotion any longer he diverts himselfe and sitteth quiet for a while without doing any thing to take his breath as it were and returne to his devotion afresh with greater force doth hee sinne by this cessation I thinke not Now if hee sinneth not when hee sitteth idle and doth nothing why shall it bee said that hee sinneth if hee doe some bodily worke seeking thereby some diversion and refreshment rather than by a meere cessation from all kinde of action To doe nothing at all shall it bee more acceptable to GOD then to doe a worke that is honest and lawfull in it selfe This shall it profane the day of holy exercises rather than that I see no apparent reason in such an opinion which moveth me to esteeme that the liberty to doe the foresaid workes on the Sabbath day was intirely taken from the Iewes for some ceremoniall reasons and that it was upon them a servile yoake in the ancient time of servitude as hath beene declared before 12 This is a most inforcing consideration upon this purpose that in the whole Scripture of the New Testament there is no injunction at all concerning such an abstinence and refraining from all outward workes as is urged and layd upon Christians on their Sunday conformably to the cessation that was imposed upon the Iewes on their Sabbath day Verily if Christ had required it under the New Testament as a thing necessary to his service and if his intention had beene to binde us unto it undoubtedly he had given or commanded his Apostles to give an expresse injunction concerning it which because he hath not done I inferre that he had no such intention 13 Nay on the contrary the liberty to worke on Sunday is rather authorized by the example and practise of Christ and of the first faithfull For in Saint Luke Chapter 24. we see that on the same day that Christ rose in which was the first and most illustrious Sunday of all he met with two of his Disciples going from Hierusalem to Emmaus and that questionlesse for the ordinary affaires of this present life seeing it was not an holy day among the Iewes Which voyage was of three leagues or thereabout He went with them he spake unto them of the mysteries of salvation as he would have done in any other day if he had lighted upon them according to his ordinary custome of every day during his conversation here below in the flesh and as all Pastors are bound to do at all occasions that God offers unto them But he advised them not that in time to come they should observe that day as a Sabbath day and abstaine from voyaging or doing on it any other toylesome and painefull worke And indeed after he had left them at Emmaus they returned thence the same day to Hierusalem as the Lord did also going other three
observation of foure and twenty houres practised by the Iewes on their Sabbath day 2 This opinion is absurd and bringeth backe under the New Testament a ceremonie which is meerely servile and Iewish For times and places were in themselves to the Iewes a part of the legall and ceremoniall service as hath beene shewed before And therefore they were precisely named and stinted unto them When God appointed unto them Sabbath dayes hee would that they should rest as long as the day lasted that is foure and twenty houres even as when hee granted unto them dayes of worke hee permitted them to worke night and day which may bee gathered out of Leviticus Chap. 23. vers 32. where God said unto them From Even unto Even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath In Hebrew ye shall rest your Sabbath To rest all that time was unto them a part of the observation and hallowing of that day But under the New Testament the times appointed in the Church make no part of Gods service and are not observed but relatively to the publike exercises of Religion and of godlinesse which are established to be practised in them And therefore that practise being ended they oblige not necessarily 3 And indeed if Christians were bound for conscience sake to observe exactly full foure and twenty houres by abstinence from all works they should be in a marvellous great trouble vexation of minde For ere ought else be done they must know certainely where they shall begin the sanctification of the foure and twenty houres of that day if it must be from Even unto the next Even beginning the day at the setting of the Sunne as under the Law or from the morning unto the next morning beginning the day at the rising of the Sunne For if they be not clearely informed of that they may sinne by working during a part of the time which makes a part of Sunday 4 The Authors and Fautors of the foresaid opinion cannot give a certaine resolution of this Point For they are at variance among themselves about it Some deeme that we must begin our Sunday by the evening and continue it unto the next evening like to the fashion of the Iewes who rekoned so the houres of their Sabbath And so is this time stinted by the Authour of the 251. Sermon de Tempore in S. Augustines workes Others will have it to begin by the morning at the same time that our Lord Iesus Christ rose from the dead and to end at the next morning and there are some which hold that the Iewes ordered so their Sabbaths We finde others who beleeve that God obliged not his people on the Sabbath day to a cessation from all workes saving from the rising till the going down of the Sun The one and the other have arguments for their opinions but which want a sufficient perspicuitie to give a full satisfaction and resolution to a Christian about the time when he must begin to forbeare all bodily and servile workes least he should profane the Sabbath day by doing them in a part thereof 5 And so he shall be perpetually troubled in his minde with that difficultie and farre more with the exact abstinence which is required of him An unnecessary walke a bodily action about something concerning this present life which he hath done by occasion will disquiet him If he hath put his hand how little soever to the doing of any temporall and earthly thing without urgent necessity if he have given but one stitch with a needle hath fastened a button to a garment if he hath swung a broome about his chamber wiped a vessell dusted his apparell or done any other thing which he might have done the day before or put off till the next day he shall stagger and make a question whether he hath broken the Sabbath or not 6 Yea although the defenders of this opinion avouch that it is lawfull to eat drinke sleepe on the Sabbath day because these are workes of charity and are necessary to every man for his subsistence yet seeing the sanctification of the Sabbath consists not in such actions and they are not permitted but in case of present necessity I know not if according to their maximes a person that can well enough and without incommoditie be without meat drinke sleepe all that day or at least can well enough away with lesse meat drinke and sleepe must not be grieved and pestered in his spirit and feare lest he hath profaned and broken the Sabbath in bestowing too much time to eat drinke and sleepe and giving to his refection and sleepe a portion of time which he might have set a part for religious actions As if he hath beene halfe an houre at table whereas a quarter of an houre might have beene sufficient If he hath slept six or seven houres when a nap of three or foure houres might have served his turne In summe no bodily thing can bee done which shall not afford an hundred difficulties and matter of great doubtes and scruples of conscience Experience sheweth often in many which are made to beleeve that it is not lawfull to doe any worke on the Sabbath day according to the precise tearmes of the fourth Commandement pitifull carkes strange scruples and troubles of conscience a superstitious precisenesse tending to the detriment not onely of the quietnesse and peace of God that should be in their soules but also of the families whereof they are members and of the Common-wealth wherein they live 7 Nay the Doctors that are the broachers and teachers of this opinion intangle themselves and their followers in the explication of the workes that are permitted or forbidden on the Sabbath day They prescribe so many limitations upon divers actions of temporall callings that may bee done so but not so after this manner not after that manner in that respect not in this respect that to pause on their minced distinctions is to runne into a labyrinth of most intricate difficulties and inextricable vexations of spirit Verily I beleeve that the observation of the Iewish Sabbath day was not so onerous and full of difficulties as is the observation of Sunday wherewith many of these Doctors seeke to master and bring under the consciences of Christians 8 To verifie that I have said by some instances First the foresaid Doctors agree not among themselves about the obligation of Christians to abstaine from all bodily and worldly workes whether it be as exact and precise under the New Testament as it was ordinarily to the Iewes under the Old Testament whether we be in the same servitude that they were in or if they in that respect injoyed the same liberty that we possesse under the Gospell For there be some among them that deny it and doe say that the rigorous observation of the Sabbath prescribed of old to the Iewes is abrogated and the prohibitions to kindle the fire to make meat ready and other such like which they acknowledge to have beene perpetuall
Moreover what if after a man hath wrought upon the Sabbath day and other dayes successively and he for whom he hath wrought procrastinate his pay till all be done and then satisfie him for all those dayes workes together as commonly Chirurgions Apothecaries Physicians are never otherwise paid that is never till the disease of their patient is come to an end either by health or death shall he in such a case separate the labour of the Sabbath day from the labour of other dayes and if in the hire or reward that is given him the salarie of the seventh dayes worke be comprised must he defaulk the Sabbath dayes worke and refuse to take any thing for it I would be glad to know on what ground all these distinctions are founded 17 They alleage that God in his Ordinances concerning the Sabbath hath forbidden us to doe in it our workes and servile workes and that all workes which we doe for our profit and utility are our workes and servile workes even as servants worke for their hire which they say to be signified by the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imployed in the fourth Commandement and translated by this generall word to doe as likewise by this Noune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which wee translate worke although it signifie not all kinde of worke but that onely which is done for gaine and worldly profit By which words God hath intimated that he forbiddeth to doe any thing whatsoever for that end But this is too much subtilizing about words which signifie generally all travell worke function about any thing and done to any end whatsoever Is not Gods worke betokened by this name Melacah Genes 2. vers 2 3. Is not the offering of sacrifices called by this Verbe Habad Esa. 19. vers 21. and the function of the Levites about holy things 2 Chron. 13. vers 10. Besides this I say that indeed God prohibited on the Sabbath day all worke for gaine but even as he forbade all other bodily worke which was not done for gaine to wit to make an ordinary course and custome of it as in other dayes and when there was no necessitie But as in case of necessity he permitted the labour that brought no gaine even so hee prohibited not the worke that might bring gaine to the worker nor the gaine that might come of the worke 18 Thirdly when they speake of servants and others that are under authority they say that their servitude and subjection is not a sufficient warrant unto them to worke on the Sabbath day by the authority of their superiours to whom when they receive any such commandement they ought to answer that they are first the servants of Almighty God who is the King of Kings LORD of Lords maker of heaven and earth whom they ought to obey rather than men and suffer to be railed upon and buffeted rather than to doe any worke on that day 19 But how doth this consent with their decisions concerning messengers and posts For they say that being dispatched and sent away quickly by the Magistrates they may runne and make hast on the Sabbath day without inquirie of the necessity of that laborious voyage which they are put unto because simple subjects ought not to make inquirie of the affaires of their Princes and Lords which often it is not expedient that they should know For why may not by the same reason a domesticall servant doe some worke to obey his Master without searching curiously upon what necessity his Master layeth this worke upon him For the Master may have good reasons and great importance to his family of this command which it is not expedient his servant should be privie unto nor that hee should bee inquisitive and curious to know them afore hee obey For this should draw with it a most dangerous consequence Againe this permission that they give to posts to ride hard and make hast for the affaires of the Countrey how doth it agree with the difference that they have made betweene present and imminent necessity permitting no worke for this but for that onely For the necessities for which posts are hastened and they post so speedily are seldome present and are often but imminent having regard only to something that may happen in time to come 20 Fourthly when they give their advise concerning bankets they distinguish betweene solemne bankets and those that are bankets of friendship and more moderate And forbidding the first they permit the last But they ought to have determined first which bankets are to be called solemne which not how many courses of meat must be prepared how many persons and of what quality must be invited to make a solemne banket Also a man shall be vexed in his minde not knowing if to invite so many persons and to make ready so much meat and so many services will make his banquet solemne or not Besides that in regard of some persons of great riches and quality such as are Kings Princes Lords c. it is not a solemne feast which in respect of some other persons of lesser meanes authoritie and dignitie may carry that name Now if these persons of great note and quality are suffered to make such banquets which in regard of their degree and meanes are not solemne yea are nothing but their ordinarie diet why may not other persons of inferiour condition and meanes make them also although to them they be solemne For there is not greater distraction from Gods service to the persons whom the one put on work for the preparing of their feast which to them is solemne than to those whom the other set about the dressing of their feast which to them is ordinarie and not solemne If a great man may have a great number of servants busied about the dressing of his ordinary refection and if his table be every day well furnished by reason of the eminencie of the noble stocke that he is come of and of his dignity and withall not breake the Sabbath why may not a man of a meaner condition have extraordinarily as many people for a solemne banquet which he hath occasion to make on the Sabbath day And seeing a solemne banquet may be made by a great number of servants in as short time as a banquet that is not solemne may be prepared by a lesser number I see no cause why a man shall commit a greater sinne if hee set on worke twenty servants to dresse a solemne banquet than if he set foure or five onely about the dressing of one that is not solemne For twenty shall not toyle and have more adoe they shall make as speedy an end of their businesse and so shall not be more distraught and withdrawne from Gods service than foure or five and may equally before or after their worke get leisure to apply themselves unto it And as for the persons invited thirty persons in a solemne feast may have done as soone and be as little diverted from
without most important and weighty reasons For considering that Gods externall service for which a day of rest is appointed is not the principall service that God requireth and that it ought to give place to the workes of true godlinesse and love according to Gods owne words I will have mercy and not sacrifice Hos. 6. vers 7. Matth. 12. vers 7. It is certaine there may be many lawfull reasons taken from true charity which we owe to our selves or to our neighbours whereby we may be dispensed with in the practise of Gods outward service on the Sabbath day and licensed to doe on it bodily und servile workes in stead of that service 26 But against this liberty which I maintaine all Christians have to worke or to cheare up themselves on Sunday in the manner before specified it is objected That worldlings when they are lured with some worldly advantage when they seek or look for some gaine on market or faire dayes take heed lest they loose so good an occasion shun all games and pastimes that may withdraw or divert them from their gaine make alwayes pleasure to plie and give place to profit And therefore farre lesse ought Christians on the Lords day which is as it were the great Market-day for their soules wherin they have need to prepare to themselves a great spirituall gain and make all their provisions to seeke or take any leisure for the occupations and pastimes of this life namely seeing our diligence cannot be so great our care so vigilant our labour so profitable but that we have much more profit to be made than all the profit we haue purchased already But if we make of the Sabbath our delight according to Gods exhortation in Esa. chap. 58. vers 13. we shall finde neither leisure nor place for worldly affaires 27 To the which I answer that the care of worldlings lest they should bee any wayes diverted from their trafficke and from the search of gaine on market-dayes by any game or pastime is nothing to the purpose It is true that we ought to be more carefull of the spirituall food of our soules than they are of the temporall profit of their bodies But this argument is made as if Sunday were onely Gods Market-day to speake so wherein wee may purchase unto us that profit as if it being past our hope of the acquisition thereof on another day of the weeke were utterly lost and as if a small and short occupation or recreation of this world taken on that day could bereave us of so great a good which foundation being sandie the building upon it fals to the ground 28 We ought to make of the Sabbath our delight but not in the same sense as the Iewes that is not of an externall and ceremoniall but of a spirituall Sabbath which the Prophet betokeneth in the place quoted that is Not to follow our owne wayes and not to doe our owne will which is the dayly Sabbath of the New Testament For God hath not ordained unto us a corporall one saving in some respects specified before which is much different from the Sabbath which the Iewes were obliged to observe 29 It is manifest of that hath beene said that our Sunday may in some sort be called a day of Sabbath or of rest because wee ought for the publike exercises of religion on it give over all our ordinary workes But it cannot be absolutely qualified with this name and with regard to an abstinence as precise as was required on the Iewish Sabbath day Moreover as wee have observed heretofore this name of Sabbath day is the proper name of the ancient day of the Iewes and not of the new day of Christians wherefore it were better done to abstaine from denoting it by the qualification of that name and to call it onely The Lords day or Sunday seeing these names have beene appropriated unto it by the Christian Church CHAPTER Sixth A more particular explication how the faithfull ought to carry themselves in the observation of Sunday 1. Duty of the Governours of the Church and of all particular Christians about the ordering and practise of Gods service 2. The faithfull ought to submit themselves to the order of the Church and to keepe the dayes appointed for Gods service by the publike practice thereof in the Congregation 3. How they ought to carry themselves where there is no Church 4. How where there is a Church during the service 5. How after the service 6. The sanctification of Sunday is grounded on the holinesse of the exercises practised in it and is so considered by the faithfull 7. Profane men because they have no heart to Gods service contemne the Lords day 8. Godly men doe quite contrary GOd for the edification and entertainement of his Church here below injoyneth to those that have charge of her governement to offer up prayers and thankesgivings to preach the Gospell to minister the Sacraments to assemble the faithfull together to establish good order in the Church and to particular Christians to pray devoutly to love Gods word to keep it receive the Sacraments frequent carefully the holy assemblies obey in things belonging to order and discipline those that have rule over them and submit themselves unto them not to be contentious against the good customes of the Church and to doe this not each of them for himselfe onely but also to procure that all persons subject to their governement their subjects their children their servants doe the same All Christians when they know that there are holy convocations for the hearing of the Word and the practice of other religious exercises and that the Order of the Church hath appointed unto them set dayes as in every week a Sunday are bound by these injunctions to resort carefully unto them and to take paines that their inferiours over whom they have authority follow their example And if indeed they love the word of God and the exercises of godlinesse to shew it by a diligent frequenting and serious practice of them as of a thing which God hath injoyned to all and for the things sake to observe the day wherein it is practised although God hath not prescribed nor appointed it and it hath no other foundation but the Order of the Church whereunto neverthelesse God hath commanded in generall all men to submit themselves 1 Cor. 14. vers 40. For it is not for the dayes sake that we ought to practise and respect the holy exercises which ordinarily are done on it but it is these exercises that make the day considerable and give credit authority and respect unto it The exercises are to be much esteemed for themselves and for Gods sake who hath expresly injoyned them The day is not honoured and accounted of but for their sake in as much as the Church is pleased to doe them on it Yet if a Christian were brought to that extremity that hee must remaine in a place where there is no Church nor order
sanctificemus sed ut sanctificemus diem Sabbati hoc est quieti destinatum quisquis ille sit The substance of this command so farre as it concerneth us also and was confirmed by Christ is not that we keepe holy a seventh day But that we sanctifie a Sabbath day that is to say a day of rest whatsoever day it be Item Praeceptum hoc quartum morale est quatenus hôc mandatur â—ura religionis exercitium etiam externi divini cultus ut certo tempore conveniat Ecclesia ad audiendum verbum Dei ad publicas preces ad debita sacrificia facienda ad collectiones faciendas Id quod etiam confirmavimus quoniam apud omnes gentes semper recepta fuit haec consuetudo ut certis diebus convenirent omnes ad Deum celebrandum colendum invocandum Mosaicum autem ceremoniale fuit ad solos Iudaeos pertinens quatenus talis dies septimus nimirum fuit illis praescriptus quatenus illis etiam praescripti fuerunt certi ritus quibus Deum die Sabbati colerent atque eatenus etiam fuisse abrogatum Ergò ut certo tempore conveniat Ecclesia cum scilicet potest ad Deum celebrandum ex Dei est institutione in animis cujusque inscripta This fourth command is morall so farre as by it is recommended unto us the care of religion and the exercise of Gods externall worship and that at a set time the Church assemble together to heare the word of God to publike prayers to offer up due sacrifices and to make gatherings for the poore Which also wee have proved because it is a custome received amongst all nations that on certaine dayes there be publike assemblies to praise worship and call upon God But it is Mosaicall and ceremoniall pertaining to the Iewes onely in this respect that such a day namely a seventh was prescribed unto them and in this also that they had certaine rites prescribed unto them by which they were to worship God on the Sabbath day and in this regard it was also afterwards abrogated That therefore the Church meet together at some certaine time to wit when it can conveniently is Gods institution engraved in every mans minde And in the very close of his explication of the fourth command treating of the abrogation of the Sabbath hee saith thus Prima cansa ob quam institutum est Sabbatum est ut figuraret cessationem eamque perpetuam ab operibus nostris scilicet à peccatis patrandis quietem in Domino sinentes scilicet Deum operari opera S. S. in nobis Et quantum ad hanc causam quia erat tantùm figura alterius Sabbatismi erat ceremoniale praeceptum ideoque abrogatum est sicut caeterae figurae adveniente Christo figurato ad praesentiam veritatis id est Christi evanuit figura id est Sabbatum Col. 2. Quatenus verò institutum est ut status dies esset quo ad legem audiendam ceremonias peragendas conveniret populus vel saltem quem operum Domini meditationi peculiariter darent omnes abrogatum non est Nam apud nos locum habet ut statis diebus ad audiendum verbum ad Sacramenta percipienda conveniamus The first cause for which the Sabbath was instituted was to typifie a perpetuall cessation from our workes that is our sinnes and also our rest in the Lord suffering him to worke in us the workes of his holy Spirit and in regard of this cause because it was onely a figure of another Sabbath or rest it was ceremoniall and therefore was abrogated as likewise the rest of the types at the comming of Christ who by them was typified when the truth that is Christ appeared the shadow that is the Sabbath vanished away Col. 2. But in that respect that it was instituted to bee a set day for the Church to meet together on to heare the Law to performe the ceremonies prescribed or at least to meditate on the workes of God it is not abolished For it is thus in force even amongst us that on appointed dayes we assemble together to heare the Word and receive the Sacraments In many places also of this his exposition of the fourth command he affirmeth that the Law concerning the Sabbath was onely given to the Iewes and not to other nations and they were not bound to the observation of it Lib. 6. de oper sex dierum c. 1. having said that the seasons of the yeare the new and full moones are times common for all people for the distinction of which God hath given to all the Sunne and the Moone and appointed them their courses he addeth Alterum est genus eorum temporum seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae peculiaria sunt certis gentibus quae quisque sibi ex toto anni tempore ad certa actionum genera deligit ut quod Deus voluerit ut ipsius populus sex diebus operaretur septimo autem qui Sabbatum dicitur quiesceret ab iis operibus vacaret cultui divino Item quod voluerit Calendas observari certis temporibus non aliis festa celebrari Paschae Pentecostes c. Haec erant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 populi Israelitaci Voluit vult ut singulae gentes habeant stata tempora quibus cultum praestent Deo sed libera cuique genti esse voluit There is another kinde of appointed times which are peculiar to certaine nations and which every one doth make choice of for himselfe out of the whole yeere for certaine actions As that God would have his owne people the Iewes to worke six dayes but to rest from those workes on the seventh day which is called the Sabbath and give themselves to divine worship Also that he would have them to observe the first dayes of every moneth and feasts of Easter Pentecost c. to be kept at certaine times and no other He would and willeth that every nation have appointed times for his worship but he hath left them to the liberty of every nation to be appointed by them Danaeus Ethic. Christian. l. 2. c. 10. speaking of the fourth Commandement Quatenus hoc praeceptum ceremoniale fuit hodiè cesset sed quatenus externa quaedam verae pietatis exercitia fieri praecipit praeceptum continent haec verba This precept so farre as it was ceremoniall is now of no force but so far as it appointeth some outward actions of true piety to be performed the words still containe a precept Item Fuisse ceremoniarum partem Sabbatum apparet ex eo quod appellatur signum faederis veteris inter Deum Iudaeos icti Exod. 31. 17. cum Sanctuario conjungitur Levit. 19. 30. item Paulus inter ceremonias enumerat Col. 2. 16. Heb. 4. 9. Dupliciter Sabbatum fuit ceremoniale quatenus fuit 1. cessatio severa ab omni opere servili corporali 2. Septima dies nominatim disertè à Deo praescripta erat
non autem tertia quarta quinta aut sexta It is manifest that the Sabbath was a part of the ceremonies because it is called a signe of the old Covenant betwixt God and the Iewes Exod. 31. 17. and it is joyned with the Sanctuarie Levit 19. 30. Also S. Paul reckoneth it amongst the ceremonies Col. 2. 16. Heb. 4. 9. The Sabbath in a double respect was ceremoniall first in that it was an absolute and precise cessation from all servile or bodily worke Secondly in that a seventh day was expresly by God commanded not a third fourth fifth or sixth Item Sabbatum significat ab omni opere vitioso ab omni peccato abstinendum esse Erat Sacramentum Iudaeis vitae quietisque aeternae in quo non modò ab omnibus peccatis liberatio contingit sed etiam cessatio ab omnibus operibus c. The Sabbath did signifie that wee must abstaine from all wicked workes and from sinne It was a Sacrament to the Iewes of life and rest eternall in which we shall not onely be freed from all our sinnes but also we shall rest from our labours c. PASSAGES Concerning the Lords-day commonly called Sunday its institution and how farre it obligeth us ANcient Writers when they speake of the Lords-day put this for the ground and reason of the observation of it that Christ did rise againe on that day But they say not that Christ ordained it Ignatius in epist. ad Magnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All that love Christ let them keepe the Lords-day as a festivall day which was the day of his Resurrection Iustin. Martyr Apolog. 2. versus finem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On Sunday wee have our publike meetings because it was the first day that was in which God having changed the darknesse and Chaos or confused Masse in Heb. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made the world and because Iesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose againe from the dead Augustin tom 2. ep 119. quae est ad Ianuarium cap. 13. Dies Dominicus non Iudaeis sed Christianis Resurrectione Domini declaratus est ex illo habere caepit festivitatem suam The Lords-day was declared so to bee not to the Iewes but to Christians by the Resurrection of the Lord and with reference to him or since that time it began to be a holy day Idem l. 22. de civ Dei c. 30. Dominicus dies Christi resurrectione est sacratus aeternam non solùm spiritus verumetiam corporis requiem praefigurans The Lords-day became sacred by the Resurrection of Christ and prefigureth the eternall rest not onely of the spirit but also of the body Idem Tom. 10. Serm. 15. de verb. Apost Domini Resuscitatio consecravit nobis Dominicum diem Qui vocatur Dominicus dies ipse videtur propriè ad Dominum pertinere quia eo die Dominus resurrexit The Resurrection of the Lord hath consecrated to us the Lords-day That which is called the Lords-day seemeth to belong to the Lord properly because the Lord that day rose againe Idem Serm. 251. de tempore which notwithstanding and the most of the Sermons De tempore are suspected not to bee his Dominicum diem Apostoli Apostolici viri ideò religiosa solemnitate habendum sanxerunt quia in eadem Redemptor noster à mortuis resurrexit The Apostles and Apostolicall men have therefore appointed the Lords-day to be kept with a religious solemnity because on it our Redeemer rose againe from the dead S. Augustin in expos in Ioan. Tract 120. Una Sabbati est quem jam diem Dominicam propter Domini Resurrectionem mos Christianus appellat The first day of the weeke is that which Christians usually call the Lords-day from the Resurrection of our Lord. Calvin Institut l. 2. c. 8. sect 33. Dies Dominici citra Iudaismum à nobis observantur quia longo intervallo differimus in hac parte à Iudaeis Non enim ut ceremoniam arctissimâ religione celebramus quâ putemus mysterium spirituale figurari sed suscipimus ut remedium retinendo in ecclesia ordini necessarium We observe the Lords dayes without Iudaizing because in this particular we much differ from the Iewes for we doe not celebrate it as a ceremonie with a precise observation by which wee thinke a spirituall mystery is typified but we use it as a remedie necessarie to keepe good order in the Church Item Quod ad evertendam superstitionem expediebat sublatus est Iudaeis religiosus dies quod decoro ordini paci in Ecclesia retinendis necessarium erat alter in eum usum destinatus est Quanquam non sine delectu Dominicum quem vocamus diem veteres in locum Sabbathi subrogârunt c. The day which the Iewes religiously observed was abrogated which was expedient to take away superstition Another was substituted in its place which was necessarie to retaine decencie good order and peace in the Church Nor was it hand over head that the Primitive Church made choice of that which wee call the Lords-day in stead of the Sabbath c. Item Com. in ep ad Gal. 4. 10. Quando discernitur dies à die religionis causâ quando feriae pars divini cultus esse censentur tum dies perperā observantur Nos hodiè cum habemus dierum discrimen non induimus necessitatis laqueū conscientiis non discernimus dies quasi alius alio sit sanctior non constituimus illic religionē cultū Dei sed tantùm ordini còncordiae consulimus Ita libera est apud nos omni superstione pura observatio When a distinction is made betwixt dayes out of devotion when a feast or holy day is esteemed a part of Gods worship those dayes are observed amisse We in having now a distinction betwixt dayes do not put a snare of necessity upon mens consciences we make not such a distinction as if one day were holier than another nor in this doe we place religion or Gods worship but in so doing provide for the good order and peace of the Church And so such observation of dayes amongst us is free and pure from all superstition Bullinger Decad. 2. Serm. 4. Vetus Ecclesia diem mutavit Sabbati ne videretur Iudaizare ceremoniis affixa haerere caetus otiaque celebravit primâ Sabbati quam Ioannes appellat Dominicam haud dubiè propter gloriosam Domini resurrectionem Et quamvis nullibi legatur praecepta in Apostolicis literis Dominica dies quia tamen quarto hoc praecepto primae tabulae praecipitur cura religionis exercitium externi cultus diligenter alienum à pietate charitate Christiana foret Dominicam nolle sanctificare praesertim cum sine tempore stato citra otium sanctum cultus ille externus constare non possit Idem sentiendum arbitror de pauculis quibusdam Christi Domini feriis aut fostis quibus peragimus memoriam Nativitatis Incarnationis Circumcisionis
leagues Now if it had beene the intention of Iesus Christ to ordaine the first day of the week for a Sabbath day and to injoyn to all Christians a leaving and discontinuance of all ordinary worke on that day it is likely that he would not have forgotten to warne his two Disciples thereof on that first day and thetwo Maries to whom he shewed himselfe earely in the morning of that same day and by the other Disciples to whom he sent them had made them practise the observation of that day and he had shewed them the example of that observation in his owne person which he did not then Neither doe we find that he did it at any other occasion 14 In the twentieth of the Acts we perceive although uncertainely as I have shewed before some observation of the first day of the weeke by the faithfull of Troas They met not together till about the evening of that day For mention is made of an upper Chamber of many lights of Saint Pauls long preaching untill midnight and thereafter till breake of day Apparently they made choice of the night time and of an upper chamber for feare of the Infidels even as the Apostles on the first day of the weeke that CHRIST rose in were assembled at evening and held the doores shut for feare of the Iewes Iohn twenty verse 19. Now who doubteth but all that day from the Sunne rising till the evening that they came together to breake bread they were busied as in the other dayes of the weeke about the ordinary exercises of their trades handicrafts and callings as having liberty to worke on that day like as on all other dayes besides the care they had to shunne all giving of discontent to the Infidels amongst whom they lived and the drawing by an unnecessary cessation a most certaine persecution upon themselves There is no question to be made but that all Christians in the places of their residence among Iewes or Gentiles did the like 15 This is also a reason considerable in this question that albeit among the Lawes of Christian Emperours there be sundry which forbid the ordinary occupations of trades and handicrafts on Sunday as to keepe a Court of pleading and to goe to Law to open the shops for buying and selling to act stage playes in play houses and publike places to hold Markets and faires c. which Lawes were made to prevent in time to come the contempt of the exercises of Religion used on that day and to establish an order in the state and in the Church which they most judiciously and religiously thought to be more recommendable decent and well suting to the holy actions whereunto it was appointed yet all these Lawes shew that before they were published Christians were wont saving the houres of the publike exercises of Religion to apply themselves on that day to all the ordinary workes of this present life Yea there be many other Lawes of other Emperours and amongst others of Constantine that great and holy Emperour which permit on Sunday some of these ordinary imployments as to labourers to sow the ground to weed to reape to plant and set Vineyards if need bee to Bakers to bake bread to Masters to give liberty to their slaves to Iudges to put to death malefactors which undoubtedly these Christian Emperours had never permitted by their Lawes if it had beene in their time a received opinion in the Church that the observation of Sunday and cessation from all workes in it was necessary by vertue of a Commandement of our Lord Iesus Christ. 17 But knowing certainely that no dayes are instituted of God under the New Testament that Sunday was not kept by a commandement from heaven but by the use and custome of the Church That a discontinuance and intermission so exact of all workes pertained to the Ecclesiasticall policie and regiment of the Iewes and is no where and in no wise commanded in the Gospell they made no bones to permit diverse occupations which might seeme to have some pretext of necessity yet were not of such importance but that they might have beene done before Sunday or put off till the next day following it CHAPTER Fifth Declaration of diverse absurdities and difficulties insuing upon the contrary opinion 1. The opinion is that Christians are bound to refraine from all workes during the 24. houres of Sunday 2. First absurdity this opinion bringeth backe the servitude of the Iewish ceremonies 3. Second absurdity No man can tell where must be the beginning of the said 24. houres 4. Diverse disputations thereupon amongst the authors of this opinion 5. Third absurdity it troubleth the conscience leaving it without information concerning the imployment of that time and the doing of unnecessary workes therein 6. As also about the doing of charitable and necessarie workes 7. Fourth absurdity Confusion of the Doctors in the explication of this opinion 8. First they consent not in the explication of Christian abstinence from bodily workes on Sunday 9. Secondly they distinguish workes of necessity into those that are of present and those that are of imminent necessity and permit the first onely whereby they trouble tender consciences 10. They contradict their distinction by suffering some handicrafts men to worke on Sunday 11. As also by the permission of many actions which have no present necessity 12. Likewise by forbidding some workes in an apparent danger as to gather corne c. 13. Great absurdity and inconvenience of this prohibition 14. The Commandement Exod. 34. v. 21. to rest on the Sabbath day in earing time c. serveth not their turne 15. They hold that it is not lawfull for a man to receive any reward for his necessary labour done on Sunday 16. Great inconveniences and absurdities of this opinion 17. Answer to their objection about servile workes forbidden in the fourth Commandement 18. They hold also that servants ought not to serve their masters on Sunday 19. This doctrine crosseth their other decisions 20. They intangle themselves in the distinction of bankets 21. Absurdity of theâ—r rigid prohibition of all kind of recreation to all men on the Sabbath day 22. How farre Christians are bound to abstaine from worke on that day 23. How working is not or may be an hindrance of our sanctification 24. We ought to leave our workes on Sundayes during the time of service 25. Saving in some important necessity 26. Objections taken from the care of worldlings c. 27. Answer concerning the care of worldlings 28. How we ought to make the Sabbath our delight 29. Our Sunday is improperly called the Sabbath day THose against whom we dispute doe hold that our Sunday called also by them the Sabbath day which is the name given in the Scriptures to the day that the Iewes hallowed weekly obligeth us to keepe it during the whole space of foure and twenty houres by a religious abstinence from all manner of workes during all that time conformably to the