of God's holy Nature and therefore commanded whether written in the Heart of innocent Adam or in God's Word or Law and doth universally and perpetually oblige the whole World to conform thereunto Now having let you know what is to be understood by a simple Moral Law I shall shew that the Law of the precise Seventh-day Sabbath is not a Law of this nature i. e. a pure moral Precept universally and perpetually obligatory on all Men tho I deny not but there is that in the fourth Commandment which is moral in the sense I have given viz. 1. A time Three things contain'd in the fourth Commandment a sufficient time to be set apart from all worldly Business for Rest and the Worship of God and this is all I can find simply moral in the fourth Commandment 2. There is something more contained in it which God by a positive Command requir'd from the Soveraignty of his Will as that which he sees just and reasonable namely that one day in seven be set apart as a day of Rest and for his Service and that this should be perpetual to the end of the World I know Divines call this positively moral and tho I cannot see reason so to call it yet I grant as much I think as they mean thereby 3. God did also command the whole House of Israel under their Legal and Typical Church-â—tate to observe the seventh or last day of the week in remembrance of his finishing the Works of the first Creation And now that the precise seventh Day was a â—hadow or a sign I have and shall prove and 〈◊〉 was only a Law to the Israelites during that Typical Dispensation and their Political Church-â—tate which Christ nailed to his Cross and â—uried with all other Shadows and Legal Ceremonies But before I proceed I might give you the Observations of divers Expositors on the order and manner of the Expressions in the fourth Commandment As first the essential part Remember the sabbath-Sabbath-day to keep it holy not the seventh day True in the next words God declar'd that the seventh Day should be the Jews Sabbath whom he took into a Legal and Typical Covenant and Church-state to be his own People The seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God not thy God in Christ upon the terms of the new Covenant no no but thy God in a legal and external Covenant And so their Sabbath was given to them upon the terms of the Law of Creation or the Covenant of Works which is a legal relative and external Covenant God enter'd into with the whole House of Israel or Nation of the Jews even them and all their natural Seed as such My Brethren upon this foot of account was the Seventh-day Sabbath founded not in Christ or on a new Covenant bottom nor given to New-Covenant Children as such but it waâ— bottom'd upon the Covenant of Works and only given to that People whom God brought out of the Land of Egypt and redeem'd from Egyptian Bondage And when he enters into that Covenant with them he positively says therefore he gave them his Sabbaths Deut. 5. 1. which was a shadow of a far greater Work than that 〈◊〉 Creation and of a greater Redemption thâ—â— that out of Egypt I heard lately of one 〈◊〉 said this was his chief reason of observing 〈◊〉 Seventh-day Sabbath because it was given 〈◊〉 God's Covenant-People c. not being able to discern between that legal and typical Covenant made with the whole Nation of Israel which took in their fleshly Seed as such anâ— the Covenant of Grace Moreover Expositors observe concerning the close of this Commandment ver 11. Wherefore God blessed the Sabbath-day and sanctified it that 't is not said the seventh day here but the Sabbath-day One day in seven and not the precise seventh Day from the Creation is by a positive Command in this place intimated to be God's Will and Pleasure to be observed to the end of the World But the precise Seventh-day Sabbath given to Israel I shall prove is not the moral part of the fourth Commandment but a shadow of what was to come and principally refers to Christ and to that spiritual Rest Believers enter into when they first close with him I know Divines call one Day in seven a moral positive as I just now told you by moral they 〈◊〉 as I conceive that which ought perpeâ—â—ally to be observed but that Day which God from the Soveraignty of his Will commanded the Jews was 't is plain the seventh and when Christ came who has given us the true Rest and rose from the dead he appointed as I shall hereafter prove the first Day of seven upon the account of his finishing his Work i. e. the work of Redemption as God commanded the Israeâ—â—tes to keep the seventh-day because on it he â—ested when he had finished his Work viz. â—hat of Creation Now then tho there is something naturally â—nd simply moral in the fourth Commandment â—nd tho God doth here intimate from his own â—rerogative or Arbitrary Will that he will â—ave one day in seven perpetually observed as a â—ay of Rest and sacred Worship yet that â—art of it that speaks of the seventh-day was â—erely positive and typical and so ceased with â—he Covenant of Works Indeed Dr. Owen has excellently shewed how his Commandment is of a mixt or compound â—ature partly simply moral partly positively â—oral and partly typical or Ceremonial the â—â—st he refers to the precise seventh day when he says P. 120 121. It was instituted for an outward present religious Observation to signify and represent something to come And such saith he were all the particulars of the whole System of the Mosaical Worship whereof the Law of the Sabbath was a part And in â—rief the whole Law of the Sabbath was as 〈◊〉 its general nature positive and arbitrary â—nd so changeable and particularly ceremoâ—ial and typical and so is actually changed and abolished Now to proceed The precise Seventh-day Sabbath cannot be a simple moral Precept and therefore in that lies not the Morality of the â—ourth Commandment In order to prove this â—et me lay down this Proposition viz. If the Law of the observation of the precise seventh Day hath not in it one Character of a Law that is simply moral then the Morality of the fourth Commandment doth not confist in the observation of that precise Day but that it has not one Characteâ— of such a Law I shall endeavour to prove First That the precise seventh Day is not the Morality of the fourth Commandment proved largely A simple moral Precept that I meâ— which is naturally moral obliging all Mankiâ—â— for ever as to the very matter of it or this it self as so considered abstracted from 〈◊〉 positive Command is naturally holy as â—â—sulting from the Nature of God But the seventh Day in which our Brethâ—â— place the essence or substance of the fourâ— Commandment or the
appoint and institute the Sabbath but supposeth it to be so already as Mr. Primrose is forced to acknowledg and we know Dutys of Mercy and Charity as well as of necessary Piety are Sabbath-dutys for which end this Day was more fit for those Collections than any other day being then generally together and their Hearts warmed under the Word c. There must saith another * Mr. Durham be some peculiar thing in this Day making it fit yea more fit for such a purpose as doing Works of Charity on it rather than on any other And the Apostle commanding this in all the Churches doth necessarily presuppose a Reason why he doth it as drawn from some fitness of this Day above another Now if we will saith he enquire no reason can be given but that the Seventh-day Sabbath was expired and the First-day instituted in its place for otherwise any day was alike yea the 7th day being the last of the Week and whereon men usually reckon their week's success it would seem more reasonable that at the close of the Week they should lay up by them as God had blessed them than reserve it to the beginning of another Week The fitness then flows from this that the First-day being the day of their solemn communion with God and one another and of their partaking most liberally of Spiritual Blessings from him therefore they should be most warm'd in their Affections and most liberal in their Communications to such as wanted especially considering the Jews were to partake of this their Charity whose Debtors the Gentiles were according to that in Rom. 15. 26 27. I shall close this with what another noteth on this place Young on the Lord's Day p. 27. The Apostle did ordain in the Church of Corinth when they met for Religion weekly as the Lord's Days returned Alms should be collected for the Poors use and what they seem privately to have laid aside as their condition permitted to bestow for the comfort of the Poor and that which was thus laid aside they kept with themselves till the First-day of the Week when they deposited it with the Rulers of the Church for the Poors use He that shall more considerately weigh the Apostle's Phrase may well enough see this was his meaning for he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. against the First-day in every Week or when the first of every Week comes so as it is said among the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Water ready for washing ones hands In like manner the Alms which were privately laid aside of every one were deposited on the first-First-day of the Week for the help of the needy and then when the Church met are said to be gathered because their Collections were made of those who privately had laid it aside on the Lord's Day or on the first-First-day of the Week Leo admonished his Hearers because on the Lord's Day there should be a Collection to prepare themselves for a voluntary Devotion and that every one according to his ability might have fellowship in that most Sacred Oblation From which Testimony one may easily gather that the Christians laid aside by themselves their Collections against the Lord's Day which they deposited with the Rulers of the Church to be bestowed Thus Dr. Young So that it appears it was on the close of the 7th day or at the weeks end that they cast up their Accounts computed their Stock and not on the Lord's Day 't was not then to be laid aside but what they had over night laid aside on the Lord's Day they put into the Deacons hand and so prevented gatherings when Paul came 9. And lastly Those fearful Judgments inflicted by God on such as have profan'd the Lord's Day shew it is of Divine Institution Can any think that Jehovah would punish any Person for neglecting or violating an Humane Tradition or an Ordinance of Man 1. A Husbandman grinding Corn in a Mill upon the Lord's Day I find 2 or 3 Authors citing these very Judgments had his Meal burnt to Ashes 2. Another carrying Corn on this Day had his Barn and all his Corn in it burnt with Fire from Heaven the next night after 3. A certain Noble-man profaning the Lord's Day usually in hunting had a Child by his Wife with a Head like a Dog and with Ears and Chaps crying like a Hound 4. A covetous Woman at Kingstaâ—e in France 1659. using to work with her Maids on the Lord's Day on Flax Fire seemed to issue out of the Flax yet did them no harm and was quickly quenched But taking no warning the third Sunday after it took fire again and burnt the House and so terribly scorch'd the wretched Woman and two of her Children that they died the next day yet a Child in the Cradle was taken out of the fire alive and unburnt 5. In Paris Garden 1582. at a Bear-baiting on the Lord's Day the Scaffolds fell down and slew eight Persons 6. Stratford upon Avon was twice almost consumed with Fire for profaning the Lord's Day 7. There was a Market kept at Tiverton on the Lord's-day And their Godly Minister told them some Judgments would fall upon them which fell out for on the third day of April 1598 the whole Town save the Church and a few poor Peoples Houses consisting of 400 Dwelling-houses were consumed to Ashes And again in Aug. 1612. not reforming their evil Practices the whole Town was again consumed by Fire save about thirty Houses of poor People with a School-house and Alms-house 8. Mr. Fenner says that he remember'd above twelve Judgments were shewed within half a year for the breach of the lord's-Lord's-day On the Sab. p. 83 84. 9. Another Divine says that a Miller had his Mill twice burned down for grinding on the lord's-Lord's-day Sirs let all tremble that despise neglect or profane the lord's-Lord's-day But pray who can shew one instance of any Judgment of God that ever since Christ's Resurrection fell upon one Person for working or bearing Burdens on the Jewish sabbath-Sabbath-day True while the seventh Day continued the Lord's Sabbath there are on Record Judgments that fell on such as profaned it but never since And tho God doth not usually this way punish Sinners for their bold and daring Sins and so not some that slight and contemn this Day yet there is a day coming in which God will reckon with them and set all their Sins in order before their Eyes But one thing I have omitted viz. I find these Sabbatarians would make great Improvement of the Records of Parliament in which Saturday is called Dies Sabbati the Sabbath-day In Answer take what Dr. Wallis hath said in his Rejoinder to Mr. Bampfield Pag. 32. I remember you tell us Enqu p. 117 118. and you mind me of it p. 40 75. that I say nothing to it being it seems a thing on which you lay great weight i. e. that in the Records of Parliament
intimate r. when they intimate The Jewish Sabbath Abrogated or the Saturday Sabbatarian confuted c. SERMON I. The occasion of the Author 's preaching on this Subject The scope and coherence of the Text open'd The Terms explain'd and the Doctrines raised Divers preliminary Propositions shewing what Medium the Author intends to take in treating on this Subject Gal. iv 10 11. Ye observe days and months times and years I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain MY Brethren The occasion of the Author 's preaching these Sermons I am troubled I have such a provoking occasion to enter upon this Controversy viz. What day of the Week we under the Gospel Dispensation ought to observe as a day of Rest and of solemn Worship to the Lord since universally the Church and People of God of all Persuasions are agreed about it and have been ever since the new World or Gospel-day did commence except a few Christians formerly and a little Remnant of late times in this Nation who have deserted and err'd in this case And had I not a clear Call to enter upon this Subject thro the inadvertence of some young Men among us I had not meddled with it who have not only without advising with me or the Congregation presum'd to keep the Jewish Sabbath but with an unaccountable and over-heated Zeal have prosecuted their Notion and Practice to the disturbing of the Quiet and Peace of the Congregation My Brethren is it not a lamentable thing to see how Satan hath prevail'd to hinder the Power of Godliness which consisteth not in Meats and Drinks nor in the Observation of Jewish Days but in Righteousness Rom. 14. 17. and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost One while he hath endeavour'd to do this by suggesting of strange and uncouth Notions and Principles that edify not into the minds of Christians at another time by raising up needless Cavils and Objections about the mode of the discharge of a Moral as well as a Gospel-Duty I mean that of singing the Praises of God which formerly caus'd no small trouble amongst us as well as in other Churches But when that Controversy was near vanquish'd so another is rais'd which I hope God will make me an Instrument to quell also and utterly drive away hence he having set me for the defence of the Gospel and of all pure Gospel-Truths in this place in opposition to all Innovations and Judaical Rites and Observations which some seem too fond of Yet let none mistake me I shall not censure such as keep the seventh day provided they lay no stress upon it but believe they are oblig'd by the Authority of Christ who is Lord of the Sabbath to observe religiously the Lord's-day or first day of the Week free from Labor in the Worship and Service of God provided also they are such as have the command of their own time and can do it without wronging their Families or are not by the Observation of the seventh day necessitated to violate Precepts that all agree are Moral Duties 1. In not doing their Fathers or Masters Business in not working six days for tho it may be said of some six days Work may be done yet it may be said of others who are Servants six days they must work it being their indispensible Duty so to do 2. In violating the Fifth Commandment as the whole Moral Law is in the hands of Christ which requires Obedience to their Natural and Political Parents in all things wherein they transgress no Law of God they ought carefully to subject themselves to them and in not doing it Eph. 6. 1. they sin and are guilty before God Children obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right the Lord commands it or it is agreeable to his Will Rom. 13. 1. Again it is said Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers Tit. 3. 1. c. Put them in mind to obey Magistrates c. And again 1 Pet. 2. 13. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King as supreme c. Whatsoever Magistrates or Parents do require agreeable to the Divine Will ought faithfully to be done and in Conscience to God And as to the religious observation of the first day of the week I shall prove before I have done that it is agreeable to the Will of God and those who observe it not do violate the Rule of the Gospel or the new Creation and so break both the Law of God and Man nay it grieves my Soul to hear what a Reproach and Scandal some rash young Men who are Apprentices have herein brought upon their Profession and I hear some who know they are Members with us have unjustly blam'd and censured me and the Church upon that account not hearing what Pains I have taken to convince them of their great Evil therein and I do now declare my abhorrence of their Practices and unbecoming Behaviour to their Parents and Masters and let such as encourage or countenance them see how they will answer it in the great day But not to retain you any longer in a way of Introduction I shall proceed to my Text. And first to the occasion of the words The occasion of the words opened which were written by holy Paul the great Minister of the Gentiles to the Churches that were then at Galatia not Church in the singular but to the Churches there were more at Galatia than one so it is express'd 1 Cor. 16. 2. And thus he begins his Epistle i. e. To the Churches of Galatia chap. 1. 2. 1. He kindly salutes them ver 3. Grace be unto you and Peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ 2. But soon upon it he sharply reproves them ver 6. I marvel ye are so soon removed from him that called you to another Gospel ver 7. Which is not another but there are some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ Query What was the Error they were corrupted with 1. I answer They were by some false Brethren taught to mix the Law and the Gospel together in Justification or to mix Works with Grace and this is to pervert the Gospel of Christ and obscure the Doctrine of Free-Grace 2. They turned to Judaism in respect of the observation of Circumcision and Jewish days How turn ye again to weak and beggarly Elements whereunto ye desire again to be in Bondage chap. 4. vers 9. Ye having as if he should say attained to the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ the glorious Mediator Soveraign Lord and only Lawgiver of his Church it is strange you should turn again to Moses and so eclipse the Glory of Christ this doth not comport with your former knowledg and of that Revelation you have had of the Truth as it is in Jesus By Beggarly Elements he doth not only mean
sixteenth year after Christ he lays it positively down that the Sabbath was now abrogated with the other Ceremonies which were to vanish at Christ's coming Let no man judg you c. the Sabbath saith he is well match'd with Meats and Drinks New Moons and Holy Days which were all Temporary Ordinances and to go off the stage at our Saviour's entrance And that Paul means the Seventh-day Sabbaths he cites Ambrose Hierom Epiphanius Chrysostom Augustin and their particular Books that they understood Paul thus in Col. 2. 16. as he did Praefat. in Galat. Apocal 10. take what Hierom saith as follows There is no Sermon of the Apostles saith he either delivered by Epistle or by word of Mouth wherein he labours not to prove that all the Burdens of the Law are now laid away that all those things which were before in Types and Figures namely the Sabbath Circumcision the New Moons and the three Solemn Festivals did cease upon preaching the Gospel In the Context and from these Verses the weekly Sabbath no doubt is included For 1. It is part of the Hand-writing vers 14. 2. It is a Shadow c. vers 17. 3. They are commanded not to submit to the Censures of men herein vers 16. And whereas it is objected Object The Apostle doth not mean the Weekly Sabbath 1. It is certain that the primary and almost constant use of the word Sabbath Answ is to denote that weekly Day of Rest which God commanded the Jews to observe Read Mr. Baxter on the Subject and whereas it is applied to any other Days 't is in allusion to this because of the Rest from servile Work upon them in which respect they were like to the Weekly Sabbath as appears Levit. 16. 31. and Chap. 23 24 32 39. which are all the places where the word Sabbath is expresly applied to any other days And therefore the primary and almost constant use of the word ought not to be forsaken 2. Wherever the word Sabbaths is used absolutely as here without any expression in the Text to limit it 't is to be understood of the Weekly Sabbath The reason of which Rule is obvious because otherwise the Scripture would be of doubtful Interpretation and as 1 Cor. 14. 8. the Trumpet would give an uncertain sound 3. Therefore as I said wherever the word Sabbaths is used as here with distinction from Holy Days or Feasts and New Moons it must mean the Weekly Sabbaths otherwise the Apostle would be guilty of an unnecessary Tautology it being certain there is no other Day called a Sabbath in Scripture but what is included in those two words Therefore I conclude by Sabbaths in this Text not only may but must be understood the Weekly Sabbath and consequently it proves not only that Christians are not bound to observe the Jewish Sabbath but that they ought not so to do Take here what Mr. Baxter saith on this Text Baxter on the Lord's Day P. 167 viz. How plainly and expresly Paul numbereth Sabbaths with Shadows that cease see Col. 2. 16. to pass by other Texts and what violence mens own Wits must use in denying the Evidence of so plain a Text. The Reason that he saith not Sabbath but Sabbaths is against themselves the plural Number being most comprehensive and other Sabbaths receiving their name from this And the word Sabbath is always used in Scripture for a Rest which was partly Ceremonial See what Dr. Young in his excellent Dies Domin saith c. III. Moreover can any serious thinking Christian suppose that Paul the great Apostle of the Gentiles would thus write of Sabbath Days New Moons Times and Years without exception if the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath had remained as the Sabbath of the Lord and the Day of Gospel-worship What speak thus without restriction or intimation and yet not include the Seventh-day Sabbath Had not that Day been comprehended and meant by Sabbath Days sure he had let this Church have known it it behoved him to be faithful to us who was our Apostle and so he says he was and had declared the whole Counsel of God Acts 20. yet makes no mention of any such Jewish Sabbath to be our duty to observe but the direct contrary that it was a Shadow and that we are not to be judged or condemn'd who regard it not any more than other Times as New Moons c. But saith the Seventh-day Sabbatarian Object The Ordinances of the Law were glorious therefore Paul could not refer to them when he speaks of beggerly Elements Thus Tillam When compared to the Ordinances of the Gospel Answ they may be called weak and beggerly as Paul shews speaking of the Law written in two Tables of Stone which he calls glorious 2 Cor. 3. 7. yet a ministration of Death and Condemnation vers 9. For even that which was made glorious had no Glory in this respect by reason of the Glory that excelleth vers 10. The Shadow seems glorious till the Substance comes but what Glory appears in it then None at all What is the Glory of the Moon when the Sun appears and shines forth splendidly So what signifies the Shadow of Rest to the true Antitypical Sabbath of Rest which we have in Christ we that believe do enter into Rest Besides St. Paul calls Jewish Ordinances Carnal Ordinances which terms as much eclipse their Glory as to call them weak and beggerly Elements Heb. 9. 10. Meats and Drinks and divers Washings and carnal Ordinances Carnal Ordinances no doubt include all the Jewish Sabbaths viz. Days Months Times and Years as well as Circumcision legal Washings and Sacrifices The Apostle calls them not only carnal weak and beggerly Elements but unprofitable There was a disannulling of the Commandment going before Heb. 7. 18. for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof Take here what Calvin saith tho I in some things differ from him For seeing in the Lord's Resurrection is found the end and fulfilling of the true Rest Instit 2. c. 8. Sect. 34. which the old Sabbath shadowed by that very day which set an end to those Shadows Christians are admonished not to stick to the shadowing Ceremony He it seems concludes that the Jewish Weekly Sabbath as well as their Fellows was a Shadow of that Rest we have in Christ Take also what another nameless Author saith concerning the Antient Fathers St. Paul sharply reproveth those who allowed yet the Jewish Sabbath i. e. they observed Days Months Times and Years as if he had bestowed his labour in vain upon them Gal. 4. 10 11. But more particularly in his Epistle to the Colossians Chap. 2. 16 17. Let no man judg you in respect of an Holy Day or of the New Moons or of the Sabbath-Days which were a Shadow of things to come but the Body is of Christ Yet notwithstanding all this care both of the Apostles in general and more especially of St. Paul to suppress this Error it grew up
Command concerninâ— it * He alludes to Adam in Paradise where we can find no express positive Command and if it be not seated morally in thâ— fourth Commandment it is now certain thâ— the necessary observance of it is taken away 10. On the other extream whether thâ— seventh day from the Creation of the Worldâ—â— be to be observ'd precisely under the New Tâ—â—stament by virtue of the fourth Commanâ—â—ment and no other The assertion hereâ—â— supposeth that our Lord Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 Lord of the Sabbath hath neither chang'd 〈◊〉 nor reform'd any thing in and about the reâ—ligious observation of an holy day of Rest unto the Lord whence it follows that such an Observation can be no part or act of Evangelical Worship properly so call'd but only a moral Duty of the Law †Let our Jewish Sabbatarians consider well what the Doctor positively asserts here 11. Whether on the supposition of a non-obligation in the Law unto the observation of the seventh day precisely and of a new day to be observ'd weekly under the New Testament as a Sabbath of the Lord on what grounds it is to be observ'd 12. Whether from the fourth Commandment as one Day in seven or only unto some part or portion of Time or whether without any respect unto that Command as purely Ceremonial For granting as most do the necessity of the observation of such a Day yet some say that it has no respect at all to the fourth decalogical Precept which is totally and absolutely abolished with the rest of the Mosaical Institutions Others say that there is yet remaining in it an Obligation to the Sacred Separation of some Time or portion of Time unto the solemn Service of God and some say that it precisely requires the sanctification of one Day in seven 13. If a Day be so now to be observed it is enquired on what Ground or on what Authority there is an alteration made from the Day observed under the Old Testament to that now in use that is from the last Day to the first Day of the Week whether was this Translation of the Day of the solemn Worship of God made by Christ and his Apostles or by the Primitive Church c. 14. If this were done by the Authority of Christ and his Apostles whether by an express Institution of this new Day or whether a direct Example be sufficient no Institution being needful for the First Day for if we suppose there is no Obligation to the observance of one Day in seven indispensibly abiding and on the supposition that an Obligation to keep one Day in seven doth abide then no Institution is necessary or can be properly made as to the whole nature of it * No express Institution is needful for the observance of the first Day but Examples only if the 7th part of Time or one day in seven do abide in the 4th Command Thus far the Doctor who says many other things necessary to be considered about the observation of a Day of Worship whether as to the Work of the Day it ought to be kept with the like strictness as the Jewish Sabbath in all respects and what Duties are to be performed on it as also as to the proper Limits of that Day some pleading it ought to be from Evening to Evening as the Jews kept it or from Morning to Evening that is from after twelve a Clock in the Morning to twelve the next Evening c. From what the Doctor notes it appears that the Case in controversy calls for much study and diligence and it may be accounted an Act of great weakness in any Persons to observe the Seventh Day to the disturbance of the Church without enquiring of such as God has enlightned in these things and to whom the care of their Souls are committed to see what can be said against it Is it wisdom to advise with those only that are for it and not with such also as are directly against it This shall suffice for the Propositions I first proposed I shall endeavour to clear most of those things that seem difficult which may have been the occasion of some Persons if not all going astray and falling into the Error I purpose clearly and largely to detect This brings me to the next general Head of Discourse proposed Secondly I told you I should lay down diveâ—â— Arguments to prove the Truth of our Proposition That it is not the Duty of Gentile Believers to keep the Seventh Day as a Sabbath iâ— Gospel-times First The General Proposition I shall lay down one General Proposition to discover the Method I shall pursue foâ— proving what I have taken in hand 1. If the Law of God written in Adam's heart in Innocency did not oblige him to keep the Seventh Day as a Sabbath that Law cannot oblige Gentile Believers to keep it 2. If a positive Law or express Institution supposed to be given to Adam before or just after his Fall doth not oblige Gentile Believers to keep it 3. If the Law written in the Hearts of the Gentiles or the most refined and enlightned among them doth not oblige Gentile Believers to keep it 4. If the Law of Moses or the Law written in the two Tables of Stone doth not oblige Gentile Believers to keep it 5. If the Gospel by any Precept or Example doth not oblige them to keep the Seventh Day as a Sabbath 6. And lastly If the Law written in the Hearts of all Gospel-Believers by the Holy Spirit doth oblige them to keep the Seventh Day as a Sabbath to the Lord Then I infer it is not their Duty to keep the Seventh-Day c. for I know no other way or means whereby Gentile Believers can pretend to know they are obliged to keep the Seventh-Day as a Sabbath or a Day of Rest and solemn Worship But by none of these ways or means believing Gentiles are obliged to keep the Seventh-Day as a Sabbath c. therefore it is not the Duty of Gentile Believers to keep it To proceed 1. Let it be considered that if the keeping of the Seventh-Day as a Sabbath i. e. that precise Day from the Creation of the World were a purely natural or simply moral Precept no doubt but it was legibly written in Adam's Heart I mean as a Law of Creation and so part of the holy Image of God or of the same nature with all other moral Precepts that result from the Perfections of God's holy Nature and not from the Soveraignty of his Will only And if it was so written in Adam's Heart in Innocency he needed no positive Law to make it known to him What was any thing that was purely or simply moral even that which belonged to good Manners or to true natural Godliness or Righteousness not made known to Adam to perfect Adam this certainly cannot be That spiritual Worship which is due to God Charnock on the Attributes p. 131. saith Mr. Charnock is known
same need of knowing what special Worship he outht to be found exercised in on that day What a Sabbath instituted and no Sabbath-Service appointed on that day But this I shall further handle when I come to speak of the pretended Institution and express Command given to Adam in Innocency Thirdly If the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath was wrote in Adam's Heart some Remainders of the knowledg of that day would have been left in the Heart of his Offspring as there is of all other Precepts that are simply moral tho much blur'd and almost quite obliterated in some yet there were many Heathens who retain'd or recover'd much knowledg of God's Law first written in the Heart of Man yea they were led to the knowledg of all pure moral Precepts i.e. that there was but one God and that he was to be worshipped and his Name not profan'd that they should not murder commit Adultery steal c. nay and also to the knowledg of the fourth Commandment as to what was simply moral in it viz. a sufficient time to worship that God yet they were none of them led to know that they ought to keep the seventh day as a Sabbath Fourthly Moreover if the Seventh-day Sabbath had been a simple or pure moral Precept and written in Adam's Heart it would have been written in the Hearts of all God's New-Covenant Children as he promised he would write his Law there in Gospel-times and evident it is that all Believers in Christ whether Jews or Gentiles have the Image of God restor'd to them it being stampt upon their Hearts by the Spirit of God hence it is said who after God are created in Righteousness and true Holiness Eph. 4. 24. nay they are all said to be renew'd in Knowledg after the Image of him that created them Col. 3. 10. But in the second Impression of God's holy Law and Image thus written on our Hearts there is not one line nor lineament of any knowledg that it is our Duty to keep the seventh day as a Sabbath to the Lord which I shall further evince hereafter Fifthly Take what a learned Man saith If Adam was bound to keep the Sabbath I demand by what Law by the Law written in his Heart Why then he was bound to keep a Sabbath before there was a Sabbath to keep for the Law was ingraven on his Heart on the sixth day as a branch of that Divine Image of God concreated with him whereas the Sabbath to be sure could not be instituted till the seventh day if then Sixthly Before I close this let me note here what is said concerning this very thing by the Antient Fathers and Primitive Christian Writers who it appears deny'd the knowledg of the Seventh-day Sabbath was written in Adam's Heart Just Mart. Respon ad qu. p. 69. Theod. on Ezek. c. 20. See Justin Martyr Theodoret saith that these Commandments Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit Adultery Thou shalt not steal and others of that kind were generally implanted by Nature in the minds of Men but for the keeping of the Sabbath it came not in by Nature but by Moses's Law Chrysostom affirms saith my Author that neither Adam nor any Man liv'd without the Law imprinted on the Soul of Man as made a living Creature but neither he nor any other of them say the seventh day was one of those Laws Also Rivet and others who plead for the Antiquity of the Sabbath dare not saith he refer the keeping of it to the Law written in Adam's Heart So that I may from what has been said positively affirm the Precept of keeping the seventh day was not written in Adam's Heart in Innocency and therefore that believing Gentiles are not oblig'd to keep the seventh day from that Law From hence also I infer it could not be written in the Hearts of any of the Jews or Gentiles for doubtless Adam by nature knew that which corrupt Man never so perfectly knew and it were great Presumption in any since Sin was so generally prevailing to say they knew in a natural way that which Adam knew not Besides is it not great folly for any to say this since the Law in Adam's Heart was the original And shall a blur'd Copy be deem'd more perfect than that or the muddy Stream be clearer than the Chrystal Fountain Therefore since it appears the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath was not written in Adam's Heart but that he needed an express positive Law to know it or discover it to him I infer much more need there was for poor Gentiles nay for Believers to have an express Law to discover it to them And since our Opponents affirm that the Commandment of the precise seventh day as a Sabbath is of the same nature and quality with the first Commandment and all other simply moral Precepts i. e. not only a time of Worship or one day in seven but the precise seventh day from the Creation I infer then what a woful condition are all we in that break or violate in the very Letter a simply moral Command nay and teach Men so to do may and how could our Saviour then be without Sin who made Clay on that day and did many other Works and commanded a Burden to be born and also commended Acts of Mercy which was but a moral Duty above keeping of the Seventh-day Sabbath Matth. 12. comparing the strict Observation of that with Sacrifices which all know were but mere positive Laws to Israel under that Legal Dispensation But more of this hereafter Object But tho it was not written in Adam's Heart that he should keep the seventh day as a Sabbath yet it was given to Adam in Innocency by a positive Institution Answ This is sooner said than proved No positive Law given to Adam to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath but let me tell you that the Law of Nature our Opponents acknowledg was antecedent to the Institution of the Sabbath and that all purely moral Precepts were certainly written in Adam's Heart Now can the precise seventh day be Adam's Duty to keep before it was sanctified to that end this is to say a thing was before it was and that the Law of Creation teaches that which it was impossible to teach and also that Revealed Religion may be known by natural Dictates or Principles which is absurd to affirm besides all confess that mere positive Precepts or Commands in instituted Worship may be alter'd or chang'd as the great Lawgiver pleaseth But to proceed to answer what is affirm'd about its Institution in Paradise as given to innocent Adam we will come to and well weigh the words of this pretended positive Precept given to Adam in Paradise Gen. 2. 2. And on the seventh day God ended his Work which he had made and he rested on the seventh day from all his Work which he had made Ver. 3. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from
Seventh-day and sanctified it not that Adam knew any thing of it or that he gave him a Command to keep it P. 64 65. Dr. Oweâ— owns there are sundry things asserted in History by way of Anticipation tho he suppose they fell out commonly in the same Age but methinks he saith little to the purpose to confutâ— what other learned Men have said on this account and to reserve my own thoughts to mâ—â—self I shall give you an account of what two 〈◊〉 three of them assert who believe Moses wrotâ— this in Gen. 2. by way of Anticipation Onâ— Author having shew'd that some believe God 〈◊〉 the beginning of the World did set apart thâ— seventh day Heylin's Hist of the Sabbath p. 3. and commanded Adam to keep it says that others and those antienter and oâ— more Authority conceive these words to be spoken by a Prolepsis or Anticipation and to relate to the times wherein Moses wrote and intimated only the reason why God required of the Jews to sanctify the seventh day rather than any other no Precept to that purpose being given to Adam and to his Posterity nor any Mystery in the number seven why it should be thought most proper for God's Publick Worship And this saith he is indeed the antienter and more general Opinion unanimously deliver'd both by Jews and Christians and not so much as question'd till these latter days And tho some ascribe it to Tostatus as the first Inventer of it yet it is antienter far than he tho were it so it could not be deny'd but it had an able and learned Author who considering the times in which he lived and the shortness of his Life hardly ever had his equal 〈◊〉 is true Tostatus makes this Query Whether 〈◊〉 Sabbath being sanctified by God in the Inâ—â—cy of the World had been observ'd by Men â—o the Light of Nature and returns this Anâ—â—er that God commanded not the Sabbath to 〈◊〉 sanctified in the beginning of the World 〈◊〉 it was commanded afterwards by the Law 〈◊〉 Moses when God did publickly make known 〈◊〉 Will on Mount Sinai and that whereas 〈◊〉 Scripture speaks of sanctifying the seventh 〈◊〉 in Gen. 2. it is not to be understood as if 〈◊〉 Lord did then appoint it for his publick â—orship but to be refer'd to the time wherein â—oses wrote which was in the Wilderness c. 〈◊〉 so the meaning of the Prophet will be â—â—iefly this that God did sanctify that day â—at is to us that are his People of the House 〈◊〉 Jacob. So far Tostatus Our Author also cites 〈◊〉 Josephus speaking after the same manner * Antiq. l. 1 2. and â—â—th he Solomon Jarchi one of the principal â—abbins speaks more expresly to this purpose 〈◊〉 makes this Gloss or Comment upon Moses's words God blessed the seventh day i. e. in Manna because for every day of the week an Homer of it fell upon the Earth and a double â—ortion on the sixth but none fell on the seventh â—ay at all He also quotes Mercer one much â—onversant in the Rabbins who confesses the Rabâ—ins generally refer'd Gen. 2. to the following â—â—mes even to the Sanctification of the Sabbath â—stablish'd by the Law of Moses Doubtless â—he Jews who so much doted on their Sabbath would by no means have robbed it of so great Antiquity had they had any ground to approve â—hereof or not known the contrary so that the â—cope of Moses in this place was not to shew the time when but the occasion why God did afterwards sanctify the seventh day because that on that day he rested from all his Works Moreover the same Author saith Nor 〈◊〉 it otherwise conceiv'd than that Moses did heâ—â— speak by way of Prolepsis or Anticipation 〈◊〉 Ambrose Catharini * One of the Trent Council opened the contrary thâ—â— next falls foul upon Tostatus Yet saith he 〈◊〉 same Catharini affirms in the same Book thâ—â— nothing is more frequent in holy Scripture thâ—â— these Anticipations and among others our Aâ—â—thor mentions one or two it is said of Abrâ—â—ham that he removed to a Mountain eastwaâ—â— of Bethel whereas it was not called Bethel till 〈◊〉 hundred years after and Abraham knew it 〈◊〉 by that name but Moses writing the Historâ— of Abraham saith a French Protestant Divine 〈◊〉 calls it by Anticipation Bethel which was 〈◊〉 so called till Jacob gave it that name Gen. 28. 13. which bâ—â—fore was call'd Luz So in Judg. 5. 9 19. 〈◊〉 said the Angel of the Lord came up from Gâ—â—gal to Bokim which was not so call'd till afteâ—â—wards Ver. 32. We also find in Exod. 16. that Mosâ—â— said This is the thing that the Lord commanded Fill an Omer of it to be kept for your Generations that they may see the Bread wherewith you have been fed in the Wilderness when I brougâ—â— you forth from the Land of Egypt Ver. 33. So Aaron laid it up before the Testimony to be kept Calvin saith this Author tells us on this Text indeed it could not well be otherwise interpreted i. e. but by Anticipation for how could Aaron lay up a pot of Manna to keep before the Testimony when as yet there was neither Ark nor Tabernacle and so no Testimony at that time Moreover Moses tells us in the place before mention'd that the Children of Israel eat Manna forty years which saith he is not otherwise true in that place and time but by Anticipation Now I argue thus If Moses by way of Anticipation speaks of that as being done â—â—ich was not actually done till forty fifty or â—undred years after why might he not in 〈◊〉 2. put that in after the same manner that â—s not indeed done till his time when God gave 〈◊〉 the Commandment of the Sabbath If he â—ts that into his History as done which was 〈◊〉 done till a hundred years after why not 〈◊〉 other thing till two thousand years The â—â—stance of time to me signifies nothing tho 〈◊〉 Owen seems to intimate as if it did I â—â—ll leave this to all Mens serious thoughts 〈◊〉 what little reason the Sabbatarians or others 〈◊〉 to cast so much contempt on what these 〈◊〉 have said Secondly As to the other sort who insist not 〈◊〉 much on this yet deny that God gave Adam 〈◊〉 Command to keep the seventh day tho it 〈◊〉 said God blessed the seventh day and sanctified 〈◊〉 Now by the way consider 1. The Scripture expresses not the manner 〈◊〉 the Lord sanctified it God by way of Destination from the beginning appointed the Sabbath for after-times 1. Whether by â—â—parting any special Holiness to that day â—hich as Dr. Owen saith it was not capable 〈◊〉 there being no inherent Holiness in that day â—ore than another 2. Or by dedicating the â—â—me to any Religious Worship for Adam to be â—â—und in on that day Or 3. Whether he â—â—ight not then by a Decree or Purpose only â—â—estine that day to religious Worship for
Tabernacle God's resting from his Works He calls it Sabbath and sanctifying the seventh day were coetaneous in the first sense i. e. by way of Purpose and Intention which Moses relates but not in the latter by way of actual Execution As soon as he had ended his Work he ordained the seventh day the day of his own Rest to be that on which his Church should rest and follow his Example and this was the great Blessing and Prerogative bestowed on that day Muscul loc com Musculus saith he dos well express Sanctificatus by destinatus a day sanctified by a day destinated and afore-appointed Byfield against Brerewood Mr. Byfield has observ'd That the word in the original signifies to prepare to prepare is one thing and actually to appoint is another So then the Sabbath had not an actual existence in the World from the beginning it had only a metaphysical being as all natural things are said to be in their Causes for the cause or reason of the Sabbath's Sanctification God's Rest was from the beginning tho the Sanctification it self was a long time after Yet he owns God did sanctify the day then by way of Destination That as God then actually rested so he actually sanctified the day but that therefore he then commanded Adam to observe it doth not follow for that God did then sanctify that is destinate that day to be the Church's Sabbath in due time is one thing and to command Adam to observe it is another He proceeds to shew how the Medes were call'd God's sanctified ones that is destinated to be in time Destroyers of Babylon and the Father sanctified his Son and sent hiâ— into the World Joh. 10. 36. Also Cyrus Isa 45. 1. Seventhly Besides the Law of the Seventh day Sabbath ran thus Six days thou shalt work and do all thou hast to do but the seventh is the Sabbath c. Now the Old Testament Sabbath was the last day of the week they were to work six the six first but this he could not do I mean the six first from the Creation because he was not created till the sixth day So that the first six days tho the six days in which thâ— Lord did all his Work could not be Adam's six working days But if the Sabbath was given to him in Innocency no doubt as Tillaâ— says he kept the first Sabbath and then it â—ollows he begun with God and rested before 〈◊〉 labour'd six days contrary to the Order and â—ommand of the instituted Sabbath Exod. 20. Moreover Warren 's Jewish Sabbath c. in his full Answer to Tillam 's Book p. 2 3 4 5 6. many learned Men believe Adam â—ll the same day he was created namely on â—he sixth day and so could not keep one Sabâ—ath in Innocency But I desire such as would 〈◊〉 further inform'd of this to read Mr. Edw. â—arren's Treatise who shews 1. That Adam fell the same day he was created appears from the words of our blessed Saviour Joh. 8. 34. that the Devil was a Murderer from the beginning a Liar and the Father of Lies not saith he from the beginning of the World's Creation but of Man's Creation which most properly and precisely implys the sixth day 2. He says the parly betwixt the Woman and the Serpent intimates as much for both the Serpent's demand and the Woman's reply speak plainly that as yet they had not tasted the sweets of Paradise Hath God said Ye shall not eat of every Tree of the Garden the Serpent had not been so subtile to ask whether that might be done which had been done already Besides we may conclude that had not the Serpent immediately set upon the Woman his Craftiness had not been so great and Adam hearing of a Tree of Life we may suppose would have first tasted of that and Satan it may be fearing the Effects of it immediately set upon the Woman And says our Author the Tree of Life being sacramental hence may it well be thought that if Adam had stood one Sabbath he had tasted of the Tree of Life so had been out of a possibility of falling 3. Satan besure would take the fittest season and therefore tempts the Woman timely 4. 'T is said they heard the Voice of thâ— Lord God in the cool of the day or in thâ— evening Robert 's Myster p. 39. and as he notes Mr. Roberts saith thâ— this is the Evening mention'd after the Creâ—â—tion of Adam and the Covenant made with him Adam was arraign'd and sentenc'd toâ—wards the Evening of the sixth day therefore he sinned the same day and so kept 〈◊〉 Sabbath in Innocency 5. He mentions that Text Adam in honoâ— lodged not a night Psal 49. 12. but was like the Beasts thâ— perish for saith he so it is in the Hebreâ— word for word He further confirms what he says herâ— and answers all Tillam's Objections and thaâ— about the work Adam did of giving Names 〈◊〉 all living Creatures which he shews he might soon do and as to that of God's saying oâ— the sixth day he saw all his Works that theâ— were good therefore Man had not then sinneâ— he replys that God's days works were donâ— each day by a word speaking or in a moâ—ment he did not work as Man doth so thaâ— on the sixth day early or as soon as Maâ— was created he might say all his Works werâ— good yet Man might sin and fall before night 6. He argues from Adam's not knowing hiâ— Wife till he had sinned and shews that 〈◊〉 good reason can be given why he should noâ— have known her had he stood one day Now these things tho doubtful with the otheâ— being well observed why should any affirâ— the Sabbath was given to Adam in Innocency and that he kept the first Sabbath in Paradiâ—â— with his Creator for so saith Tillam Eighthly A Sabbath was not agreeable to Adam in Paradise either in respect to himself â—o rest from Labor or as a special day to worâ—â—ip God in Such was the happiness of his â—ate that he had no Burdens to bear nor â—y toilsom Labour nor was there any Curse 〈◊〉 the Creatures that they should need a day 〈◊〉 Rest he had no need of Servants c. â—o doubt the Sabbath refer'd only to the state 〈◊〉 fallen Man and was given in Mercy to â—â—rael God 's own Covenant-People under the â—aw I say in Mercy to them and to the â—asts who groan under their Burden Adam's â—bour if any in Innocency was matter of â—light and every day was a Sabbath to him â—nd as Tertullian observes Man lived in Paâ—â—dise in a fruition of God Let me close this â—ith what a Reverend Author says First Walker on the Sab. p. 8. They all go too far and have not one word in Scripture for their Opinion that say Adam in Innocency should or would have kept every seventh day for holy Rest and that God would have required it at his hands for all
the precise seventh day being there a positive Precept SERMON III. Proving the Patriarchs kept not the Seventh-day Sabbath That the knowledg of the seventh day was not written in the Hearts of all Mankind by Nature Gal. iv 10 11. Ye observe days and months c. MY Brethren there are three sorts of Persons I have little hopes of doing good to in preaching on this Subject 1. Such as thro self-conceit are so fond of their own Apprehensions that they resolve not to regard the strongest Arguments against what they believe thus it is with some who have sucked in dangerous Errors who if a Book be presented to them presently cry away with it we will not read it they are not like him that said What I know not teach thou me nor like the great Appollos who was ready to receive further Light by a poor Man and his Wife much inferior to him both as to Parts Knowledg and Learning Acts 18. 2. The second sort are such as thro the weakness of their Capacities are not able to take in the strength of an Argument and therefore let never so much be said do intimate it is all little or nothing to them 3. The third sort are such as seem indifferent whether they keep the seventh or the first day or perhaps any at all as a special day to the Lord these not seeing the danger of observing the old Jewish Sabbath nor of their indifference about keeping any day at all trouble not themselves at all about this matter But to â—â—ass this and proceed I have proved 1. That the Command for or knowledg of keeping the Seventh-day Sabbath was not written in Adam 's Heart 2. That there was 〈◊〉 positive Command given to him to observe that â—ay above any other either before or immediately after his Fall A time to worship God was wrote in Adam's Heart no doubt and indeed all his time while in Innocency he was naturally led to give up to his blessed Creator All Adam's time in Innocency taken up in adoring his blessed Creator What had he to do but to adore and contemplate the Perfections of his bountiful Creator and could he have done it better on one day than another The best and highest Acts of Worship he was capable of performing would have been his work and delight for ever had he abode in that state for Perfection admits of no greater Number Measure Degrees or Additions Now I may infer from hence If the Command of God to observe the seventh day was not wrote in Adam's Heart then it is not written in the Hearts of any of his Offspring by Nature For as I have said the muddy Stream cannot be clearer than the Chrystal Fountain But our Brethren who keep the seventh day and some others affirm that the Patriarchs from Adam to Moses did keep that day Answ This I deny and if I put them to prove it The Patriarchs did not keep the seventh day Sab. they can never do it First I grant that from Adam to Moses the holy and pious Patriarchs not only discharged all Duties of natural Religion but all Duties given by express Command to them yet we read not that God commanded them to keep the seventh day or reminded them of a former Precept given to Adam and in him to them And no doubt they observed a sufficient time for the Worship of God it may be a part of every day or more than one in seven for they not only improved their natural Light and Knowledg but had a special Revelation of the Will of God to them yet we find not the least intimation that any of them kept the seventh day Abel we read sacrificed and this of offering Sacrifices could not be known by the Light of Nature God therefore commanded him so to do or revealed it some way or another in a supernatural way to him because him and his Offering God had respect unto besides he did it in Faith and Faith must have a Rule to act by but we do not read he offer'd Sacrifices on the seventh day or kept that day as a Sabbath had he kept one Sabbath-day tho no mention is made of any Command he had so to do we should no more doubt of it but conclude he had such a Command as we believe he had for his offering Sacrifices but if he or any other of the Patriarchs had kept the seventh day as a Sabbath would it from thence follow it was a moral Precept and obligatory on us any more than their offering Sacrifices obliges us so to do We read of Men who began to call upon the Name of the Lord Gen. 4. 26. or to call themselves by the Name of the Lord as one reads it See Ainsw Annot. on the place but not a word of such a Sabbath observ'd by them Ainsworth reads it thus Then began Men profanely to call upon the Name of the Lord and one of the Rabins * Rabbi Maimon saith in those days Idolatry took its first beginning so that from hence there can no Proof be taken that they kept the seventh-day as a Sabbath Enoch walked with God three hundred years and certainly if he had kept the Sabbath we should have had â—ome account of it but as we read of no such matter so Justin Martyr as I find him cited by approved Authors declares Enoch was one if those that was not circumcised neither kept the Sabbath Lib. 4. c. 30. Ad Judaeos And Irenaeus mentioning Enoch with my Author speaks thus viz. Enoch that righteous Man being neither circumcised nor a Sabbath-keeper was by the Lord translated And as it cannot be proved that the seventh day was observed before the Flood so we have â—o reason to believe it was kept by Noah in those days the Flood overflow'd the World 〈◊〉 is said Noah was only righteous in that Generation and therefore a true Worshipper of God but we read not of his keeping the Seventh-day Sabbath I know some would catch at that Expression Gen. 8. 10 12. that Noah stay'd seven days before he sent out the Dove as if this might reâ—er to the Sabbath But in Answer to this which indeed needs â—one at all take what a learned Man hath â—id for a reason why Noah stay'd seven days and again other seven days Abulensis Noah saith he desired to know whether the Waters were decreased Now the Waters being regulated by the Moon Noah was most especially to regard her Motions for as she is either in Opposition or Conjunction with the Sun in her increase or wane there is proportionably an increase or falling of the Waters Noah then considering the Moon in her several quarters which commonly we know are at seven days distance sent forth his Dove to bring him tydings for the Text tells us that he sent out the Raven and the Dove four times and the fourth time the Moon being in the last quarter when both by the ordinary course
the Sabbath is charged against them Now can it be imagin'd they should not have fail'd in this case or that God would overlook or take no notice of it Sixtly We have a Catalogue of almost all immoral Evils before and after the Flood as Idolatry Gluttony Drunkenness Lasciviousness Incest Murder Lying Covetousness Theft c. and how Sin had possessed the Thoughts Hearts and Lives of Men but no account of their Violation of the Sabbath-day Seventhly None from Adam to Moses reprehended for not keeping the Sabbath Let it be consider'd that since God so severely reprehended the Jews for profaning his Sabbaths and hardly reproved them more sharply for any one Sin than for this certainly in his enumerating the Sins 〈◊〉 his People and of the Wickedness of those that liv'd from Adam to Moses he would have reproved them for Sabbath-breaking and not have utterly passed it by in silence had they been guilty of it or can it be rationally supposed that tho they fail'd in all other respects yet that they did not in this No doubt had it been a known Duty and that some of them had been guilty of the breach of it as in all likelihood they would but God would have severely reprehended them for it Eighthly Since we read of no Sabbath till Moses's time Exod. 16. only that God sanctified the seventh day what makes our Brethren so boldly say that Adam in Innocence kept it and all the Patriarchs from Adam to Moses This may seem strange to any thinking Man i. e. that they should affirm this seeing they require an express Command from us for the keeping of the first day or else all is nothing with them Brethren this I will say that had we no more ground to keep the Lord's day in solemn Worship as a day of Rest than they can find for the Patriarchs keeping of the seventh day as a Sabbath we should not say one word more for it I challenge them to shew us one place where a Sabbath is so much as once mention'd or any express or implicit Command given to any to observe it or one Example from the Creation of the World that any Man or Woman ever kept the seventh day as a Sabbath until we come to Moses Exod. 16. I shall God assisting shew that we have more than meer Examples of the Gospel Primitive Churches for observing in a solemn manner the Lord's-day or the first day of the week when I come to that part of my Work Now let them produce but one Example that â—ne tho but one of the Patriarchs did keep the â—eventh day as a Sabbath I will conclude it might be given to Adam after his Fall for before his Fall it could not be a Law to him for the reasons I have urged but if they could produce such an Example yet say some learned Men it doth no more prove that precise day is a moral Precept or that it from hence follows that it is our Duty in Gospel-times to observe it than it proves 't is our Duty to offer Sacrifices which we read before the Ceremonial Law was given they frequently did But since there is not one Instance to be given of any one Person that kept that day till Moses's time but that the Word of God is wholly silent about it we must and may say according to that common Maxim used by Divines i. e. Where God hath not a Mouth to speak we ought not to have an Ear to hear Ninthly The Proofs of the Learned for the Patriarchs keeping the Sabbath Let us now consider what some learned Men have produced for their pretended Proofs that the Patriarchs kept the seventh day as a Sabbath which I fear hath imboldned the Jewish Sabbatarians to affirm with such Confidence that all the Patriarchs did keep it But by the way Dr. Owen who is one that asserted what I utterly deny doth yet confess that many of the Jewish Masters or Rabbins ascribe the original of the Sabbath to the Statute given to them in Mara Exod. 15. and others of them to Exod. 16. yet the said Reverend Doctor cites some of the probable grounds to prove that the Patriarchs kept it Dr. Owen on the Sab. p. 72. 1. The first and chief place I find he mentions is that in Gen. 18. 19. For I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the ways of the Lord and do Justice and Judgment Answ That Abraham had this Charge and Commandment given to him is granted but what little reason there is from hence to conclude he kept the Sabbath or gave charge to his Children so to do I will leave to all Mens Consideration God gave to Abraham Commands we find that evident enough and some of them not very easy to Flesh and Blood as that of offering up his only Son Moreover none doubt of the faithfulness of the Patriarch Abraham but if the Sabbath was not then instituted nor any Command given to him to keep it there could not be any such Command meant or comprehended in that Charge given to him The truth is my Brethren learned Men who are Men also of great natural Parts can put a fair gloss on any thing and make that seem to be a Truth that there is not the least ground to believe is so Abraham did all he did in Faith and therefore he had Divine Authority for all he did in God's Service Dr. Twiss's main Argument to prove that the Patriarchs observed the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath is this Dr. Twiss on the Christian Sab. p. 57. viz. The Lord blessed the seventh day and sanctified it therefore saith he the Patriarchs did observe it Answ I answer God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it but did not give any Command to Adam to keep it therefore the Patriarchs from thence could not know or see they had any ground to observe it Dr. Twiss saith in the same place i. e. And the truth is until the coming of the Children of Israel out of Egypt we read not of any Church of God any where but in single Families neither do we read of the Patriarchs before the Flood or a long time after that they kept any day consecrated to God's Service But we say with him that it doth not therefore follow that they kept no day at all in God's Service They owned the True God and worshipped him and knew that there must be a time a sufficient time to discharge that Homage or Worship to him and tho perhaps they observ'd one day in seven yet as I conceive they did not know what precise day they ought to observe above any other until God by some express positive Command made it known which was not till he constituted the whole House of Israel into a Typical Church-state and gave them an instituted Worship and commanded their Legal and Typical Sabbath Besides how could the Patriarchs know what Duties proper for Sabbath-observation
and Political Church-state and from hence it seems to me they were not injoyn'd to observe the Seventh-day Sabbath that is they had no instituted stated and stinted Worship nor any in a Magistratical Capacity to inflict Punishment 〈◊〉 such as violated the pretended Sabbath 〈◊〉 had they been put into such a Capacity 〈◊〉 doubt but God had given them his Sabbath with the like Sanction to them as afterward that the Penalty might have been inflicted 〈◊〉 Offenders as he did after the Sabbath was â—â—deed given to the House of Israel in the Wiâ—derness of Sinai Nehemiah clearly intimates that the Saâ—bath was only made known to Israel Tâ—â— madest known to them thy holy Sahbaths was first made known to Moses Exod. 16. 20. and then him to the Children of Israel therefore 〈◊〉 known to him or them before The Scripture is certainly to be taken 〈◊〉 this sense and not in that sense which soâ—â— would have the Holy Ghost intend viz. thâ—â— it was made known more clearly to that People with the mode of its observation c. but certainly it was never known till God reveal'd 〈◊〉 to Moses nor given as a Law to any till giveâ— to the People of Israel in the Wilderness 〈◊〉 Sin SERMON IV. 〈◊〉 the Commencement of the Sabbath and that it was in the Wilderness of Sin What a moral Law or Precept is That the Morality of the fourth Commandment lies not in the precise seventh day Four Arguments urg'd to prove this Gal. iv 10 11. Ye observe days and months c. I Have my Brethren endeavour'd to shew and prove 1. That God did not write the Law of 〈◊〉 Seventh-day Sabbath in Adam's Heart that 〈◊〉 is no Law of Creation wrote in the Hearts of the Gentiles and of all Mankind and so no â—atural or simple moral Precept 2. That it was not given to Adam by any express positive Command either before or immediately after he fell and so none of the Paâ—riarchs did observe it We can find no original of the Seventh-day Sabbath as to any observance of it hitherto therefore must look for its beginning or original or any actual or express Command for the observation thereof somewhere else which indeed we have in Exod. 16. 23. True The 7th day Sab. begun in the Wilderness of Sin some of the Jewish Rabbins affirm that it was given to Israel Exod. 15. 25. at Marah There he made them a Statute and an Ordinance and there he proved them It is called a Statutâ— and Ordinance in the singular not Statutes 〈◊〉 Ordinances and probably it might be the Statute of the Sabbath tho 't is not expressed 〈◊〉 the falling of Manna chap. 16. tho others by 〈◊〉 figure think it may comprehend not only thâ— Sabbath but all other Precepts of the Law I know that Dr. Owen seems not to be of opinion that this Statute refers to the Sabbath neither can we determine the case yet it is very probable it might be that But we find 〈◊〉 directly and expresly commanded chap. 16. 2â— To morrow is the Rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord c. And many learned Men do asseâ—â— that here was the Institution and original 〈◊〉 the observance of it Mr. Grascome Thus a late Writer expresses himself The first time we find the observation of the Sabbath-day injoyned is 〈◊〉 the Wilderness of Sin before they came 〈◊〉 Mount Sinai where the ten Commandmentâ— were deliver'd as if it were purposely 〈◊〉 distinguish the day which is Ceremonial anâ— of divine positive Institution from the Woâ—â—ship it self The words in Exod. 16. 23. express plainly enough the Institution of this day by way of Information to the People viz. To morrow is the Rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord bake that which you will bake to day c. And when the day came or begun Ver. 25. Moses said Eat that to day for to day is a Sabbath to the Lord And in ver 26. Six days ye shall gather it but on the seventh day which is the Sabbath in it there shall be none Observe by the way that here is not one word on what day the Manna first fell so that none can tell this was the seventh day from the Creation but that it was the seventh day after the six days of its raining of Manna is eviâ—ent But to return to our business in hand Here â—â—ay is the original or first beginning of the â—â—bbath that we read of as to any Precept or â—â—junction on the People or any observation of 〈◊〉 which was as one observes about a month â—â—fore Moses receiv'd the Law on Mount Sinai Some it is true would infer that the Sabâ—â—th was known and observ'd by the Jews beâ—â—re because they say it is here spoken of 〈◊〉 a thing well known 1. I answer in the words of our late Author Grascome's History of the Sab. p. 76. This is a force put upon the words and a gross mistake for it is evidently spoken of as a new thing else what means that frequent Inculcation to make the People take notice of it if it had been familiar to them before And what means the coming of the Rulers of the Congregation to Moses to consult him as on an unusual and unknown matter Exod. 16. 22. 2. And let me add they were told that they should gather it six days and that there should be none found on the seventh and yet some of the People went to gather it on the seventh day as not being yet well acquainted with their Sabbath ver 26 27. and this displeased the Lord and therefore Moses again told them ver 29. See for the Lord hath given you the Sabbath therefore he giveth you on the sixth day Bread for two days He hath given you the Sabbath Doth not â—his imply he had not given it to any before To you and none else to you and to none that went before you as he spake to them afterwards Deut. 5. 2 3. As to his Laws and Covenant on Mount Sinai the Covenant which God made with us in Horeb the Lord made not this Covenant with our Fathers but with us even 〈◊〉 who are alive this day Their Fathers had the Covenant and all the Precepts before materially as to the substance of them or what was simply moral but theâ— had not this Covenant nor those Precepts formally given to them and so not the precise seventh day 3. If the People did know there was a Sabbath given in charge to Moses before Manna it might refer to that chap. 15. yet they might not know what particular day it was to begiâ— on or which day should be the day of their first Sabbath nor know yet how to keep it Foâ— 4. As the same Author notes the case of thâ— Man who gather'd Sticks on the Sabbath-day shews they were still unacquainted with Sabbath-days Duties Numb 15. 32 33. or rather wholly ignorant of the Penalty of the breach of
it they knew noâ— what they should do with him and this was whilst they were in the Wilderness and they put him in ward for it was not yet declar'd what should be done unto him By which it appears saith he to be a new thing not yet adjusted for had it been a Law from the Creation it is scarce possible that all Men should have been ignorant whether any Punishment or not or what Punishment did belong to the Violation of a Law of such standing Object I know that Dr. Owen saith Dr. Owen on the Sab. p. 62. if the original of the Sabbath was here then the National Observation of it is introduced with a strange abruptness c. Answ To which I answer that it doth not so appear to me however let every Man read the words of Moses again and how he repeats the same over and over To morrow is the Sabbath c. To day is a Sabbath unto the Lord â—gain The Lord hath given you the Sabbath â—an any thing be brought in more solemnly â—ut I see how Men will try their Wits to deâ—â—nd their own Scriptureless Notion of a Sabbath given in Paradise as well as in pleading 〈◊〉 other groundless Practices Object But since you grant a Sabbath before 〈◊〉 Law on Mount Sinai or Ceremonial Laws â—ere given doth not this prove it is a moral Preâ—â—pt Answ No not at all because we find that sacrifices and offering the Firstlings of the â—locks Gen. 4. 7. 7. 2. 14. 20. 28. 2. and first Fruits of the Ground were offered to God from the beginning and therefore should we grant that the Seventh-day Sabbath had been practised from the beginning â—â—so yet that would no more prove it a moral â—nd perpetual Law than it proves the offering â—f the Firstlings of the Flocks and the First-â—ruits c. to be perpetual Laws or moral Duties the Sabbath being a sign and shadow as well as they were so We come now to the â—â—urth part of our first general Proposition Object The seventh-day Sabbath was given in the 20th Chapter of Exodus The grand Argument for the Jewish Sabbath consider'd and answer'd with all the other â—ine moral and perpetual Commandments wrote in two Tables of Stone by the finger of Jehovah himself and therefore it obliged believing Gentiles to keep it and all Mankind 1. To this I answer that if I can prove it is not the Duty of Gentile Believers nor any Believers in Christ in all the World to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath from hence I shall overthrow our Opponents strongest Fort and so utterly confute them which I doubt not by God's Assistance I shall fully do and in order hereto shall lay down three Propositions First The method proposed in answering this Argument I affirm the Morality of the fourth Commandment lies not in the observation of the precise seventh day from the Creation Secondly That the Law of the ten Commandments as formally given to Moses and written with the finger of God in two Tables of Stone and given to the whole House of Israel were not given to the Gentiles nor to any other People in the World save the Strangers that were within their Gates or were proselyted to the Jewish Religion Thirdly That the whole Law is changed and that what was Ceremonial or shadows 〈◊〉 things to come ceased at the death of Christ and all Precepts of the Moral Law or what 〈◊〉 simply moral as they were formally given by Moses are taken out of his hand and put into the hands of Christ consider'd as Mediator our Lord and only Lawgiver I shall now begin with the first of these Propositious First I shall give you the sense of the Learned about a pure moral Precept First The Term Moral being but a scholastical Expression and not properly signifying that which is usually understood by it Cawdry 's Christian Sabbath p. 1 2 3. say Mr. Cawdry and Mr. Palmer we have ever judg'd it a Bone of Contention Moral relating to a Law signifies in it self any Precept serving to regulate the Manners of Men. Dr. White saith White on the Sab. p. 26. A Divine Law call'd Moral is a just Rule or Measure imposed by God directing and obliging to Obedience of things holy honest and just The same is twofold simply moral or moral only by some external Constitution or Imposition of God Divine Law simply moral commands or prohibits Actions good or evil in respect of their inward nature and quality Dr. Owen saith Owen on the Sab. p. 118. Moral Laws are such as have the Reasons of them taken from the nature of the things themselves requir'd in them for they are good from their respect to the nature of God himself c. Laws Positive as they are occasionally given so they are esteem'd alterable at pleasure being fixed by mere Will and Prerogative without respect to any thing that should make them necessary antecedently to their being given they may by the same Authority at any time be taken away and abolished Mr. Shepherd saith Shepherd on the Sab. p. 6 7. A Law strictly and especially moral is that which concerns the Manners of all Men of which we now speak and may be thus describ'd viz. It is such a Law as is commanded because it is good and it is not therefore merely good because it is commanded And thus Austin saith he describ'd it long since Also Cameron and multitudes of other Writers and learned Men. But mere Divine positive Laws are commanded of God and therefore good Some say that is simply moral that is the Law of Nature or which naturally obligeth all Men and is distinguished from Laws Ceremonial and Judicial Thus one expresseth himself i. e. Primrose of the Sab. p. 4. This Law Moral all Men take to be the Law of Nature and reciprocally they take the Law of Nature for this Law for that which is naturally and universally just Mr. Cawdry and Palmer say Cawdry Sabbatum p. 3. It implys any Law of God exprest in Scripture whether it can be prov'd natural or not which from the time it was given to the end of the World binds all succeeding Generations of their Posterity to whom it was given and more especially it obliges the Church c. I think Mr. Baxter in this case has said excellently well Baxt. on the Sab. p. 77. Moral saith he signifieth that which by nature is universal and perpetually obligatory He answers this Question Do not Divines say the Decalogue written in Stone is the Moral Law and of perpetual Obligation Answ Yes for by moral they mean natural and so take moral not in a large sense as it signifies a Law de moribus as all Laws be whatsoever but in a narrower sense as signifying that which by nature is of universal and perpetual Obligation Now then that which I call a pure of simple Moral Law or Precept is that which is a Transcript
Morality of it is 〈◊〉 more holy naturally than any other day of 〈◊〉 week Object If they say but God sanctified thâ—â— Day 1. I answer they will not say that God added any inherent Holiness to that Day 2. But if they should say he did then 〈◊〉 would overthrow the Morality of it i. e. as 〈◊〉 this first property of a simple moral Precept for then it will follow it was made holy 〈◊〉 an Act of God's Arbitrary Will and Pleasure and that it was not so naturally as that Day was created or proceeded from the Holiness of God because as we have shew'd all puâ—â— moral Precepts as to the matter of them are not good merely because God commands them 〈◊〉 are in themselves good as resulting from the Holiness of his Nature For evident it is that every Day of the 〈◊〉 had one and the same efficient Cause namely Divine Creation and all days and things Goâ— made were very good and God's sanctifying the seventh Day was but his setting it apart foâ—â— some holy use Dr. Owen on the Sab. p. 82. the Day saith Dr. Owen was not capable of any inherent Holiness God then sanctified says he this Day not that he kept it holy himself which in no sense the Divine Nature is capable of nor that he purified it and made it inherently holy which the nature of the Day is not capable of nor that he celebrated that which in it self was holy mark that well but he set it apart to holy use So that from hence it follows if the Morality of the fourth Commandment lay in the precise seventh Day it wants the first Character of a simple moral Precept God might have set apart at first any other day if he had pleased as well as the seventh Secondly The seventh Day never known universally to be a Sabbath Every Precept or Law simply moral which obliges all Men to Obedience perpetually must be made known to all Men either by the Law of Nature or by Revelation from God himself in some supernatural way the Righteousness of God requires this because the Violation of simple moral Precepts is damnable 1. Now were there such a Law written in Mens Hearts I mean to keep the seventh Day some one Man or another would that way have known it But no Man hath ever so known it therefore no such Law is written in any Man's Heart and if not one Man that way ever knew it then not all Men universally besure 2. And as the Law of the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath is not revealed to all the World by the Lord this way so he never gave any Commission to Moses nor to any of his Prophets to promulgate it or reveal it to all Mankind therefore I argue it wants the second Character of a simple moral Precept Thirdly That Law which upon urgent necessity may be omitted or laid aside or be broken can be no Precept simply moral but the keeping of the Seventh-day Sabbath upon divers urgent necessities might be omitted or broken Josh 6. 15. the Jews themselves might war and go to battle on that day 1 King 20. 29. and our Saviour shews they might pull a Sheep or any other Beast out of a Pit or Ditch on the sabbath-Sabbath-day Joh. 5. 10. nay our Lord wrought with his Hands and made Clay on that day did many Miracles and commanded the Man he healed to bear a Burden i. e. to carry his bed on that Day But Precepts simply moral in respect of the negative part oblige perpetually and by no means must be transgressed for as a Divine saith A Man must not tell a Lye to save the World Can any pretended necessity make it lawful to worship another God or prophane his Name or steal murder or commit Adultery I know what is said about the Israelites borrowing of the Egyptians and of God's commanding Abraham to slay his Son but those actions are to be accounted for as being extraordinary cases Obj. Works of Mercy may be done on the Sabbath-day and Christ speaks of Works of Mercy Answ Of what nature are works of Mercy I hope not of a higher concern than the discharge of a simple moral Precept And can one simple moral Precept have more Sanctity in it than another What violate the very letter of one moral Law to do that which is but implyed as the necessary consequence of another nay break a Command of the first Table to keep a Command of the second Table This is a hard case Fourthly That Law or Precept which is equalled to or compared with Sacrifices is no simple moral Precept but such is the Law or Precept of the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath therefore 't is not a simple moral Precept That our Saviour himself doth equal it to or compare it with Sacrifices see Mat. 12. 3 4 5 6. 1. Our Lord justifies his Disciples in plucking the Ears of Corn on the Sabbath-day and compares their so doing to David's eating the Shew-bread vers 3. which was unlawful by a mere positive Law 2. He shews them how the Priests in the Temple prophaned the Sabbath and were blameless vers 5. Some think they slew Beasts on that Day however our Lord saith they prophaned the Sabbath c. But then says he If ye had known what that meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice ye would not have condemned the guiltless vers 7. What can he intend less than this viz. If ye had known the difference between a pure moral Precept and such a Precept as is nothing more than a Sign a Shadow like those of Sacrifices or a mere positive Law that I am Lord of and can take away and give another at my pleasure you would not have condemn'd the guiltless For tho all God's mere positive Precepts have great Sanctity in them and ought carefully to be kept yet when a simple moral Duty comes in competition with such as are but positive or ceremonial the lesser must give place to the greater as we commonly say Of two evils choose the least But if the precise seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath was a pure moral Precept equal with and of the same nature of that Precept of shewing Mercy there had been no ground for our Lord thus to have answered the Jews for if it had been so no doubt he would have said I must indeed blame my Disciples because they have broke one of God's righteous Precepts whose Nature and Quality is above that of David's eating of Shew-bread or Sacrifices But he who was the great Expounder of the Law knew best the vast difference between a moral Precept and such as their Sabbath and Sacrifices were Our late Annotators on this place express themselves to this purpose The meaning is that God preferreth Mercy before Sacrifices where two Laws in respect of some Circumstances seem to clash one with another so as we cannot obey both our Obedience is due to the more excellent Law Now saith our Saviour the Law of Mercy is the more
excellent Law God prefers it before Sacrifice which had you considered you would never have accused my Disciples who in this point are guiltless Why a more excellent Law Is it not because the one is a moral Law proceeding from God's Nature and the other but merely positive and Typical and so arbitrary And why do the Annotators apply that to Sacrifices Our Lord remotely refers to that but directly and immediatly to the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath and mentions Sacrifices to show that the precise seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath was no moral Law but of the same nature with the Law of Sacrifices and that of the Shew-bread Besides our Saviour's bringing in on this occasion those words for the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath clearly shews that he as Mediator had power to change dispose of or take away the Law of the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath for what a Person is Lord of he may do what he will with So that it may be lawful for any man to do any work on that Day when it ceas'd and was abolished as indeed it now is with all other Shadows and legal Ceremonies But none sure will say Christ as the Son of Man or as Mediator is Lord of any pure moral Precept so that he can give liberty to men to worship other Gods or to make graven Images and bow down to them or take God's holy Name in vain or commit Murder Adultery or steal c. No no it would be Blasphemy with a witness to say this such is the vast difference between Laws that result from the nature of God and mere positives shadowy and Ceremonial Precepts which were given for a time as an Act of God's Prerogative and good Pleasure and when the Antitype is come were to cease for ever Obj. But what say some If Christ brake the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath he sinned thus a rash Person lately exprest himself Ans 1. Because our Lord came not to destroy the Law c. but to fulfil it and was obliged exactly to keep the whole moral Law of God that it might be imputed to us with his passive Obedience to justify us before God as his full and perfect Righteousness that therefore he was obliged to conform to all Typical and Ceremonial Laws of which he himself was the Antitype none I think ever asserted he had another way to fulfil all such Laws than by his actual Obedience to them And 2. Let it be considered in respect to the Typical Sabbath the Antitype being now come which was that Evangelical Spiritual Rest in and by Christ which all entered into that believed in him at that time for having given rest to all that came to him he had thereby in part fulfilled that figurative and typical Law and by his shewing such strange indifference about his observance thereof and his carriage towards it at every turn did clearly intimate that that Typical Sabbath was departing or in a dying condition tho not quite dead till he himself suffered and dyed on the cross and was afterwards gradually and decently buried it having as one observes an honourable Funeral when further light was given to God's People about it But no more at this time SERMON V. Six Arguments more to prove the Seventh-day Sabbath not moral That it was a Sign and Shadow to Israel of the Covenant of Works Gal. iv 10 11. Ye observe days and months c. THE last Day I gave four Reasons to prove that the simple moral part of the fourth Commandment lies not in the observation of the precise Seventh-day Sabbath I have six more to add Fifthly The 7th day Sabb. not given forth afresh by Christ or his Apostles That the precise Seventh-day Sabbath cannot be that part of the fourth Commandment which is purely moral I argue thus Whatsoever is a simple moral Precept universally and perpetually obligatory is by our Saviour or his Apostles confirmed or given forth anew in the New Testament but the Seventh-day Sabbath is not so confirm'd or given forth therefore is not a simple moral Precept To prove the Major or first Proposition let it be considered that the moral Law is transfer'd from Moses to Jesus Christ or taken out of Moses's hands as a Lawgiver and put into the hands of Christ considered as Mediator and this was signified by those words Mal. 2. 7. The Priests Lips should keep knowledg and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts Whatsoever was doubtful the High-Priest Deut. 17. 9. was to determine In this the Priests under the Law were a Type of Christ signifying that when Christ came who is God's Messenger all should receive the Law from his Mouth who was to be the great Interpreter of it and accordingly we find he opened the nature of the moral Law in Mat. 5. and other places shewing the spirituality thereof and how men may be said to break the Commands against Adultery Murder c. by the lusts and malice in their hearts tho they never actually commit either of those Sins Nay I know not one simple moral Precept which our Lord or his Apostles did not confirm or give forth anew who no ways extenuated the guilt of the breach of it but with far greater severity aggravated every transgression thereof Rom. 1. 18. Paul shews how the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men. Now neither our Lord nor his Apostles seemed to confirm or give forth anew the old Jewish Seventh-day Sabbath but contrarywise as I have shew'd he seemed to excuse his Disciples when charged with the breach thereof and allow'd others to do that which was deem'd unlawful on the Sabbath-day as bearing a burden c. If our Adversaries can prove that every simple moral Precept of the Decalogue was not confirm'd by Christ or his Apostles let them do it Obj. I know they say that neither Christ nor his Apostles ever confirmed or gave out anew that Command Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image c. Answ As to Idols they are directly forbid 1 Cor. 8. 4. An Idol is nothing in the world there is none other God but one And St. John saith Little Children 1 Joh. 5. 11. keep your selves from Idols and again Flee from Idolatry Now what is a Graven Image but an Idol Every Graven Image made to be worshipped is an Idol tho every Idol is not a Graven Image Where do they read that an Image made of Bread is forbid in Moses's Law True the second Command forbids all Idols and all Idols are forbid in the Gospel Nay Idols are in a more nice manner defined and condemned in the Gospel than by the Law of Moses We read that a Man may idolize or make a God of his Belly Phil. 3. 19. and Paul declares that Covetousness is Idolatry Col. 3. 5. Object But where do we read in the New Testament that it is unlawful
never since the Fall entered into a Covenant with any People but he gave a Sign or Token of it 1. When he entered into a Covenant with Noah and all the World in him that he would no more destroy the World by Water he gave a Sign viz. a Rainbow this was a Covenant of external Favour without any Restipulation 2. When God entered into Covenant with Abraham and with all his fleshly Seed as such he gave them a Sign of that Covenant namely Circumcision this is that which we call the Covenant of Peculiarity tho we deny not but God entered into a Spiritual or Gospel-Covenant with Abraham and with all his true spiritual Seed also which contained only a free promise of Grace in Christ but that Covenant with his natural Seed as such is called the Covenant of Circumcision Acts 7. because Circumcision was the Sign thereof Moreover they that can't see a twofold Covenant was made with Abraham are strangely blinded 3. And that there was a renewal of the Covenant of Works with the whole House of Israel given by Moses contained in the 20th Chapter of Exodus is most evident tho not given for Life but for other Reasons which I have mentioned and this Covenant contained Ten Commandments with the promise of Life upon the condition of universal Obedience thereunto And to this all the People consented and joined in with God by mutual Restipulation Exod. 24. 3. And all the People answered with one voice and said All that the Lord hath said we will do And now I say their Seventh-day Sabbath was given as a sign of this Ministration of the old Covenant of Works and hence also as Circumcision the sign of that Legal Typical Covenant made with Abraham and his fleshly Seed as such is God's Covenant so the Seventh-day Sabbath is call'd also God's Covenant Wherefore the Children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath to observe it throughout their Generations for a perpetual Covenant Exod. 31. 16. and this because it was a Sign or a Pledg to them of that Obligation they lay under to keep the whole Law I might here add that the Lord's-Supper is a sign of the Gospel-Covenant and it is also call'd the New Testament or Covenant in Christ's Blood And thus as Circumcision bound all to keep the whole Law that conformed to it that being a sign of that part of the legal Covenant to Abraham and his natural Seed throughout their Generations so the Seventh-day Sabbath is a sign of the same legal Covenant in that Ministration with the House of Israel Exod. 20. and obliged all that observe it to keep the whole Law also And that this is not my Judgment alone take what Dr. Owen has said on this account Whereas the Covenant which Man originally was taken into Dr. Owen â—n the Sab. p. 148 â—19 was a Covenant of Works wherein Rest with God depended absolutely on his doing all the Works he had to do by way of Legal Obedience he was during the Dispensation of that Covenant tied up precisely to the observation of the seventh Day or that which follow'd the whole work of Creation And the seventh Day as such is a Token of the Rest promised in the Covenant of Works and no other And those who would advance that day again into a necessary observation do consequentially introduce the whole Covenant of Works and are become Debtors to the whole Law For the Works of God which precede the seventh Day precisely were those whereby Man was initiated into and instructed in the Covenant of Works and the Day it self was a Token and Pledg of the Righteousness thereof or a moral and natural sign of it and of God's Rest therein and of Man's with God thereby And it is no Service to the Church of God nor hath any tendency to the Honour of Christ in the Gospel to endeavour a Reduction of us to the Covenant of Works What is now become of Mr. Tillam's Flourish who insults over such as call the Seventh-day Sabbath a sign The Sabbath is indeed saith he a sign of good things formerly produced Tillam on the Sabb. p. 18. as the Creation or else of good things at present enjoy'd as God's sanctifying Grace but never was set up for a sign of good things to come like the Ceremonial Sabbaths I might here retort the vaunting Language of the Preacher of Peter's of cutting off Goliah's Head with his own Sword for if the Morality of the Sabbath cease by being a sign to the Jews in their Generations upon the same account must the whole Law cease to be moral since God's Spirit hath set it also for a sign Answ 1. Tho the Marks of true Grace are call'd Signs yet there is a great difference between them and the Signs of Covenants Miracles also are call'd Signs and God's People are set as Signs and Wonders but what of this 2. He mistakes greatly when he affirms that God saith the Sabbath was a sign of his sanctifying the whole House of Israel with his sanctifying Grace Did God so sanctify them or were they spiritually sanctified No no it signified that God took the whole Nation of Israel into an external federal and legal Relation to himself or set them apart as so considered from all People in the World to be his own People and in that Covenant-relation he was married to them as he says elsewhere 3. To sanctify What is meant by God's sanctifying the whole Nation of Israel often in the Old Testament only refers to God's setting apart a Thing a Person c. for himself or to some holy legal Use or Service Thus the seventh Day was sanctified and the Priests and Vessels of the Sanctuary c. were sanctified And their Sabbath was a sign that they became God's People in that legal and typical Covenant or upon the terms of the Covenant of Works they promising that all the Lord commanded them they would do Exod. 24. 2 3. which confirms what we said before 4. Let none suppose that God took the whole House of Israel into a special Relation with himself according to the tenor of the new Covenant or Covenant of Grace or that that Covenant Exod. 20. was the Covenant of Grace Let them read what the Prophet Jeremiah saith Jer. 31. 31 32 33. Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah Not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt which my Covenant they broke altho I was a Husband to them saith the Lord. But this shall be my Covenant that I will make After those days saith the Lord I will put my Law into their inward parts and write it in their Hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my People 1. Had the former Covenant been the
Covenant of Grace no doubt but they had abode in that Covenant to this day and for ever but they are cut off and now are in no actual Covenant relation with God at all Sure the Covenant of Grace cannot be utterly broken 2. Moreover then they should not have needed to look for the Law in two Tables of Stone because that whole Moral Law should not only be written in the New Testament the Book of the New Covenant but in their Hearts also 3. Now when a Covenant is abolished as the old Covenant is will any dare to plead for the sign of it which obliges them to keep the whole Law No plain it is the sign i. e. the old Sabbath is gone with the Covenant it self Quest If the old Sabbath was a sign of that of which you say what was it a Type or Shadow of Answ It was a Type or Shadow of our blessed Rest in Christ Heb. 4. For we which have believed do enter into Rest This is the Antitype of the seventh-day Rest when no Labor is to be done nor any burden of Sin to be born by Believers this is that Rest God is pleased with and here we also rest from all Labour or Works of our own as God did from his at first Macarius saith Hom. 39. in Mat. 12. that Sabbath given to Moses was a Type and Shadow only of that real Rest given by God to the Soul My Brethren what comfort is here to you that enter into this Rest What Joy may hence spring in your Hearts who are delivered from Bondage and grievous Burdens Gal. 5. 1. Stand 〈◊〉 therefore in that Liberty wherewith Christ has made you free and be not again entangled with the yoke of Bondage lest Christ profit you nothing Seventhly I might prove that the Morality of the fourth Commandment consists not in the precise Seventh-day Sabbath even from that Memorandum that is fix'd in the beginning of the Command viz. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy Now tho one day in seven be by a positive Law made perpetually obligatory in the fourth Command yet that is not as so considered a simple moral Precept much less not the precise seventh Day and this because it is brought in with Remember denoting clearly the difference between this Command as to any particular day and that which is purely moral in this Command for that which is connatural to us or an inherent Law of Nature is so engraven in our Hearts that inlightned Persons especially are not very subject to forget it But a mere positive Precept which is not so written in our Hearts by Nature we are too ready to forget therefore God as I conceive to this Precept added this Remember the sabbath-Sabbath-day to keep it holy 'T is not said Remember ye have no Gods but me or remember you do not take the Name of the Lord in vain or remember you do not disobey your Father and Mother or that you do not steal commit Adultery Murder c. no such charge is given there why so because these Precepts being simply moral are written in our Hearts The word remember as one notes hath not primarily any reference either to the Works of God or to the finishing his Works but to God's destination of the Day to be in time to come the Churches Sabbath Not remember how your Fathers kept it or God instituted it from the beginning but it is a new Ordinance and of another nature i. e. the chief of all Ceremonies c. Eighthly 'T is naturally impossible for all Men to keep the precise 7th day throout the World To prove that the precise seventh Day is not a simple moral Precept I argue thus That which all Men throughout the World are not able precisely to observe or keep or which is morally impossible for them so to do can be no simple moral Precept but all Men throughout the World are not able to observe the seventh precise Day from the Creation it being morally impossible so to do therefore it is no simple moral Precept I shall not so much insist on that part that it is impossible for any Man much less for the whole World to know which is the precise seventh Day from the Creation as what some learned Men have shewn viz. that it is morally impossible to keep such a precise seventh Day 1. This must be premised that the Saturday Sabbatarians affirm that the precise seventh Day is to be kept saying in this the Morality of the fourth Command lies which consists of 24 hours and hath a Morning or Sun-rising and an Evening or Sun-setting throughout the whole year and it was that precise day of the week in which God rested from all his Works Now Dr. White p. 177 178 179. as one observes in some habitable Regions and under some Climates the year is not distinguished by weeks containing each of them seven days neither are there several natural days of twenty four hours consisting of Morning and Evening by means of the rising and setting of the Sun as these Instances and Examples following do declare Continuance of the Sun above the Horizon 1. deg 70. In the Southern part 〈◊〉 Groinland Finmark Lapland and in the North of Russia and Tartaria one day lasteth from the 10th of May unto July 14. 〈◊〉 five of our days 2. deg 75. In the North of Groinland the Isle of Chery Nova Zembla Lancasâ—er and Horse-Sounds the day continueth from April 21 until August the 2d of our day 102. 3. deg 80. In the North of Bassinsâ—Bay and Greenland the day continueth from April the 6th until August 17 and of our days 133. 4. deg 85. In Regions and Places undiscovered the day continueth from March 23. until August 31. of our days 161. 5. deg 90. Under this Degree the day continueth from March the 10th until September the 13th of our days 187. Now from the Premisses this Argument ariseth The Law of the fourth Commandment enjoyneth the observation of such a Sabbath day as is distinguished from the other days of the week by morning and evening by the rising and setting of the Sun and by the presence and absence thereof within the space of every 24 hours But in many Regions of the World and under sundry Climats there are no ordinary Weeks containing seven particular days distinguished each from other by morning and evening and by the rising and setting and by the presence and departure of the Sun Therefore the Sabbath-day of the fourth Commandment cannot be observed in many Regions of the universal World by such Nations as live under a Climate where there are no such Weeks and Days as the Law of the fourth Commandment enjoineth to be observed For the Subject of that Commandment is a natural day of 24 hours and where that subject is wanting how is it possible for any Law that wanteth its proper Subject to be in force Now if any shall conceive that altho
in the Regions and Climates aforesaid there be no such particular day as is expressed in the fourth Commandment yet there is a sufficient and equivalent space of time which may be measured by hours My answer is That the Law of the Decalogue requireth the keeping holy of such a Seventh-day as is distinguished from the day before and the day after by a new return arising presence and going down of the Sun But Time and Hours in general do not yield or constitute such a Day And saith another Author Mr. Ironside p. 133 There is no moral Law of Nature in Scripture but is it self possible to all in all parts of the World in regard of the thing commanded But a natural Sabbath-day as made to consist of 24 hours or of a Day and a Night is absolutely impossible for some men in some parts of the World to be observed If it be objected That this makes equally against the first Day as against the Seventh I answer We do not say the observation of the first Day is a moral Precept but merely positive No doubt but the Seventh-day was instituted for Israel whose Habitation was fixed in the Land of Canaan See a late Author on the Sabbath T. C. recommended by Dr. Bates and Mr. How c. 10. p. 40. The day of God's Rest saith he which is the seventh Day from the Creation is the same universal Day with all People but it can't be the same Day of the week with all People If the Day of God's Rest be Saturday with some it must needs be Friday or Sunday with others So likewise the time of Christ's coming to Judgment if it be saith he on the Saturday with some it will be on Friday or Sunday with others This he proves because the Earth is not plain but round The Jews saith he neither did nor could keep the very Seventh-day on which God rested in all places but as we according to God's Command work six days and rest the Seventh so did they And as Sunday with Christians was ever the day following six days of labour so was the Saturday with the Jews If this be so it can't be deny'd that the seventh-Seventh-day of God's resting cannot be kept by all nor do any know they do keep it Ninthly Christ Lord of the Sabbath can dispose of it as he pleases The morality of the fourth Commandment consists not in the precise seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath because of Christ's Lordship over it as Mediator That Commandment over which Christ was absolute Lord as the Son of Man cannot be moral for a moral Precept is part of God's Eternal Law Ironside p. 53 54. over which the Son of Man can have no power saith a Learned Author being made under the Law But Christ as the Son of Man Mat. 12. 8. was Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2. 27. as himself twice has told us Object So it is said he is Lord of the dead and living Answ This saith our Author is to play with the ambiguity of the words 'T is one thing for Christ to be Lord of the Church to guide govern perfect quicken raise and glorify her Eph. 1. 20 21 22. and another to be Lord of a Law or Constitution to moderate dispense with order alter and abolish it for in what other Construction can any one be said to be Lord of a Law Obj. Christ can't be said to refer to this because he had not then abrogated the Sabbath Answ 1. I have shewed that spiritual Rest signified by the seventh-day's Rest was given to all them that believed in Christ so that the Antitype being come the Type was a flying away and was in a dying state at that very time tho all typical Ordinances were not utterly abolished till his Death and Resurrection 2. 'T is as if our Lord should have said you magnify the Sabbath as if that was one of the greatest Commandments and the main end of Man's Creation but you must know the Sabbath was made for Man and not Man for the Sabbath as were all legal Rites and Ceremonies And if it be thus I that am the Messiah am by my Office Lord of the Sabbath and I can and will abrogate it and appoint another day in its room Certainly Man was made to discharge all pure moral Precepts they being originally stampt on his Heart as Christ who was made under the Law was ordain'd to keep the Law for us and not the Law made for him Man was made in the Image of God and under a holy Law and Covenant of perfect Obedience to serve his Creator and by the observation of that holy Law written in his Heart as the Law of his very Creation he bore the Image of God in the World Mark 2. 27. serving him in Righteousness and Holiness to the Glory of his Name and for this he was made yet Man was not made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath for him i. e. for his good in respect to his Body and Soul 1. As to his outward Rest c. 2. As a help to discharge all Duties of instituted Worship the better for the good of his Soul 3. And chiefly to point out or shadow forth to him the true Rest by Jesus Christ and so that typical Sabbath was to remain no longer than till that true Rest was come and finally established for then it could be of no further use to Man for which end it was chiefly appointed for him Object I know some object from these words the Sabbath was made for Man that therefore it was for every Man Answ The Woman was made for Man also but must every man have a Wife therefore God ne'r design'd that for such to whom he hath given the Gift to live without marrying So neither were all Men to have this Sabbath no none but they to whom it was given tho it was made for Man yet not for every Man in the World but only for the whole House of Israel and the proselyted Stranger within their Gate as I shall shew in the next place Tenthly The pure Morality of the fourth Command consists not in the observation of the precise Seventh-day Sabbath The simple Morality of the fourth Command lies not in one day in seven because it lies not in one day in seven but in a sufficient time for Rest and the Worship of God tho I do assert and stedfastly believe that by a positive Precept contain'd in the fourth Commandment one day in seven God will have observed to the end of the World which I think is the sum 〈◊〉 what the Learned mean by a Law positive â—â—ral Not that precise day for mind the words Exod. 20. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy In this Clause it does not directly point at one peculiar day more than another the Light of Nature requires a time and God positively lays claim to a seventh day or one day in seven perpetually to be observed as a day of Rest
and solemn Worship And tho the last of seven was that precise Day injoyn'd under the old Covenant upon the People of Israel yet that Sabbath was not to continue longer than till the Antitype came and it being a sign and shadow it is as I have proved done away Dr. Owen Pag. 301. speaking of the Seventh-day Sabbath saith That Day was not directly nor absolutely required in the Decalogue but consequentially only by way of appropriation to the Mosaical Oeconomy whereunto it was then annexed The Command is to observe the Sabbath-day God blessed the Sabbath-day And the mention of the seventh Day in the body of the Command fixes the number of the Days in whose Revolution a Sabbatical Rest returns but determines not an everlasting order in them seeing the order relating to the old Creation is inconsistent with the Law Reason and Worship of the new And if the seventh Day and the Sabbath as some pretend are the same the sense of the Command in the inforcing part of it is but the seventh Day is the seventh Day of the Lord thy God which is none at all So as he and all learned Men generally say 't is not the precise seventh Day but one day in seven which is perpetually obligatory in the fourth Commandment Mind the words again wherein the substance or the essential part of this Command is expressed Six days shalt thou labour but a seventh is a Sabbath 't is not in the original the seventh but seventh denoting not a monthly or yearly but a weekly Sabbath the Phrase is exclusive Mr. Warren p. 48. as one observes implying thus much i. e. Thou art not bound to keep the sixth day or one in six or the tenth or one in ten but the seventh that is one in seven or one in a week The term seventh is opposed to all other numbers either ninth or twentieth as also to the six working days which clearly intend such a number as six in seven so the seventh as one in seven Suppose I give or lend a poor Man seven Pounds on condition that he improves one Pound for me now by the seventh is intended one in seven so doth God here intend one day in seven for a holy Rest to himself Tho I deny not the last of seven or one after six working days was given to the People of Israel yet it was a sign they should keep the whole Law and was a shadow of that spiritual and antitypical Rest we have in Christ and so was upon a special occasion imposed on them with the greatest strictness and severest Penalty But let it be considered that which is signified in the fourth Command as perpetually obliging us is that we observe one day in seven as a day of Rest to the Lord. Let me give you one parallel case more viz. the Law of Tithes Now God required the tenth of their Increase but will any Man say God intended any one precise tenth No begin where you will the tenth Sheaf or Lamb is the Lord's So here God will have one day in seven but the reason why he fixed on the last of the seven under the old Covenant I have shewed and shall further shew why he chuseth the first of seven in the new Covenant neither being expressed in the essential and first part of the fourth Command Had God chose now one in six or one in nine he had altered as one observes the substance of this Command It is needless to recite the words of all * Owen Twiss Shepherd Walker Palmer Hughs Dod Wallis Durham B. of Dorchest Weemse Baxter Bunyan c. those who hold that one in seven not the precise last day of the seven is perpetually to be observ'd and that the old seventh Day is abolished but I shall observe what Mr. Warren saith viz. Thus I grant the time of Worship a Sabbath it self being an inseparable Adjunct of solemn Worship is perpetual but the old Day the seventh from the Creation was made mutable and we have a Sabbath still a literal Sabbath but the old Sabbaths and old Sacrifices being Twins tho both honourable and serviceable in their Generations as they liv'd together and dy'd together let both together in God's Name be buried in the Grave of Christ so as never to rise up again but let our Gospel-worship and Gospel-Sabbath take life from our Saviour's Resurrection which brought with it a new Creation a new World making all things new But to wave this a little 't is well observ'd by Dr. Wallis He 'll say perhaps i. e. Mr. Banfield the Jews observed such a seventh Day from the Creation and that was their Sabbath But that is more than he or I know or any Man living They had I grant a circulation of seven days but from what Epocha we cannot tell And when Moses tells them on the sixth day To morrow is the Rest of the holy Sabbath it seems to be the fixing of a new Epocha from the first raining of Manna and then all his Arguments from the continual observation of the Sabbath from the Creation till that time are at an end i. e. whether this from the first raining of Manna be the same with that from the Creation And there is six to one odds that it is not 1. Observe Mr. B. of Dorchest p. 31. that at the opening and giving forth of the Command Exod. 20. 8. 't is said Remember the sabbath-Sabbath-day that is the day of holy Rest of God's appointing 2. In the Conclusion of the Command v. 11. Wherefore the Lord blessed and sanctified the Sabbath-day 't is not expressed the seventh day but the Sabbath-day of holy Rest this is evident that neither in the opening nor shutting up the Commandment where we have the moral substance of it is there mention of any particular Day at all 3. What intervenes and comes in by way of explication or inforcement of Obedience between the opening and shutting up of the Command ought to be observed as 1. In what Revolution of time God had appointed this day of holy Rest to be observ'd and that is one whole day of seven of every seven days six for Labour one for Rest not one in ten or one in twenty but one in seven one day in every week 2. I observe the inforcement of Obedience to the Command from God's resting the seventh day Here I acknowledg the last of seven is mentioned but not as any branch of the unchangeable moral substance of the Command nor the observation of it directly but only consequentially being instituted before as is acknowledged by all And it must be owned that the last of seven here mentioned had first of all the honour to be the day of God's appointing and accordingly was observed till the time came that another day the first of seven was to succeed in the rome of it Note 1. As was said before neither in giving forth nor shutting up the Commandment is there any mention of
apart long before Eleventhly Whatsoever is a simple moral Precept or one of the ten Commandments as materially so the Holy Ghost doth convince all Believers of now under the Gospel as I have shew'd before and also he reproves them for the neglect or breach of all such Precepts but the Holy Ghost doth not convince Believers 't is their Duty to observe the Seventh-day Sabbath for reprove them for the neglect or breach of â—t tho they work and bear Burdens on that as well as on any other day of the week therefore 't is no moral Precept Twelfthly That which is a pure moral Precept is written in the Hearts of all true Believers by the Holy Ghost God promised in Gospel-times he would not write his Law in Tables of Stone put in the fleshly Tables of our Hearts now the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath is not written in the Hearts of Believers by the Spirit therefore 't is no moral Precept Tillam saith the moral Law is written in the Hearts of all Believers and so saith Mr. Soarsby and they say right yea even the whole moral Law we being created again in Christ Jesus in the Image of God but no Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath is written in our Hearts Ergo To conclude we may hereby learn to distinguish between those parts contain'd in some of the ten Commandments that are simply moral and oblige us as the Law is in Christ's hand and what was judicial For 1. The Preface to the whole Ten was Judicial 2. The second Command obliged the Jews to observe the whole Ceremonial Law and that part of God's visiting the Sins of the Fathers on the Children unto the third and fourth Generation belonged to the Covenant of Works and not to us 3. That in the fourth Command also of the seventh precise day belonged to the Covenant of Works and so to them only 4. The Promise annexed to the fifth only belonged to the Israelites that inherited the Land of Canaan 5. In the tenth Commandment Vsury or Interest of Mony Houses c. was forbid to the Jews from their poor Brethren but that was only a Judicial Law and is no Law to us Thus we may see that the moral Law is only a Law to us as in the hand of Jesus Christ SERMON VI. Proving that the Law of the Decalogue was given to no People but the People of Israel That the Moral Law is transferr'd from Moses into the Hand of Christ as Mediator Gal. iv 10 11. Ye observe days and months c. THat it is not the Duty of believing Gentiles to keep the old Seventh-day Sabbath I have proved by many Reasons The fourth was it is not their Duty by virtue of the Decalogue given to the People of Israel in Exod. 20. First Because the precise Seventh-day Sabbath is not the moral part of the fourth Commandment this I have proved by Twelve Arguments I shall now proceed and give you the next Reason why it is not the Duty of believing Gentiles to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath from hence Secondly The Decalogue given to none but the Jews as written Exod. 20. It cannot be their Duty to keep that Day from thence because the Law of the Decalogue and particularly the Seventh-day Sabbath mentioned therein was given to no People or Nation but the People of Israel only and the proselyted Stranger 1. I shall prove this directly from express Texts out of the Old Testament 2. From direct and express Texts out of the New Testament 3. I shall answer some of the chiefest Objections brought by the Seventh-day Sabbatarians against what I shall say But before I proceed let me premise two things 1. That all the World were under the Law of the first Covenant as made with the first Adam All the World under the Law of Works in the first Adam the common Head of all Mankind and that the substance of that natural and simple moral Law is written in the Hearts of all his Off-spring tho much darken'd by the Fall and actual Sin especially in some 2. That whatsoever is naturally or simply Moral contained in the Decalogue is given forth by Jesus Christ anew in the New Testament as I have proved and as so consider'd the sum or substance of those Ten words are obligatory on all Mankind Now First As to the Proofs out of the Old Testament 1. The very Preface to the Decalogue declares to whom all the Commandments contained therein was given Exod. 20. 2. viz. those very People God brought out of the Land of Egypt that People which he sanctified or set apart for himself above all People on the Earth as also by the promise annexed to the fifth Commandment viz. That thy days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee This shews the Laws of the Decalogue were only given to the People of Israel Again 2. 'T is said Deut. 4. 8. What Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Judgments so righteous as this Law which is set before you this Day Now if this Law was given to all People in the World or to any one Nation or People besides Israel then the whole World or that particular People as well as the Israelites had Laws and Statutes as great and righteous as Israel had tho they might not have them in so clear a Revelation or manner as they had 3. It is expresly said Psal 147. 19 20. He shewed his Word to Jacob his Statutes and his Judgments unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any other Nation and for his Judgments they have not known them Praise ye the Lord. How vain as well as sinful is it to go about to contradict God's Word Here it is laid down Affirmatively and Negatively It was given to Israel and not to any other Nation c. Dr. Chamberlen saith See Mr. Ives's Saturday no Sabbath p. 18 19. It was given to Israel as a Privilege only and to other Nations by way of Punishment to judg them by it Answ Men may say what they please after this manner But I shall prove that no Nation or People but that of Israel who were under that Law shall be judged by it 4. How often doth God by Moses and other of his Servants Exod. 31. 17. declare that the Sabbath was given to Israel It is a Sign between me and the Children of Israel Neh. 9. 14. c. Also Nehemiah speaking of Israel saith God made known to them his holy Sabbath To them and the Psalmist says not to any other Nation Take two or three Arguments further to evince this 1. The Law of the Decalogue was given only to a People in covenant with God The Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai given only to the House of Israel and because the whole House of Jacob were taken into that legal typical Covenant which peculiarly referr'd to that People therefore God gave them that Law and the Sabbath as a
continue any longer And thus I close with the fourth general Argument viz. It is not the Duty of believing Gentiles to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath from the Law of the Decalogue given by Moses Exod. 20. Fifthly No Precept to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath in the New Testament It is not their Duty to keep it by any Precept given by Christ or Precedent we have in the New Testament 1. That which is urged concerning Christ's not coming to destroy the Law c. we have answer'd as also that of Paul we do not make void the Law through Faith That Text also we have answer'd and turn'd the Sword against our Adversaries which says the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath and the Sabbath was 〈◊〉 made for Man 3. And also their great Proof in that of James if ye fulfil the Royal Law Jam. 2. 8 10. This I have given a full Answer to in this Discourse 4. I proceed to another pretended Argument viz. Pray that your flight be not in the Winter nor on the sabbath-Sabbath-day Mat. 24. 20. Answ This Text some learned Men have not I am satisfied given the right sense of But let us premise three things 1. That Christ gave the old Names to Jewish Ordinances very often and so did his Apostles 2. That our Lord well knew how superstitiously zealous the unbelieving Jews were and would remain for their Sabbath Now pray mind the scope of this Text Christ shews how sudden their flight would be when Jerusalem was to be destroyed ver 16 17. and v. 19. he saith Wo to them that are with Child and them that give suck in those days But pray that your flight be not in the Winter nor on the Sabbath-day for then shall be great Tribulation 3. It is evident there is the same reason they should pray that their flight be not in the Winter as not on the Jewish Sabbath-day Why not in the Winter because of the difficulties of the Ways they might be deep and unpassable then whereby their Escape might be hinder'd Why not on the sabbath-Sabbath-day because say some their Consciences would not admit them to fly then further than a sabbath-Sabbath-day's Journy It is strange to me that our Lord should tell them a little before that it was lawful to save the Life of a sorry Animal a Brute on the Sabbath-day and bid a Man take up his Bed or bear a Burden on the Sabbath and now hint that it was not lawful or that they would so think to save their Lives by flying on the Sabbath-day believe this who will Was it not lawful to pull an Ox or Sheep out of a Pit on the sabbath-Sabbath-day or for Men to carry their Goods out of their Houses on the sabbath-Sabbath-day if a Fire should then happen I do not think they were ever so superstitiously blind Nay to preserve human Life our Lord shew'd was much more lawful on that day than the Life of Beasts But say some it would be grievous and uncomfortable to them to fly on that day in which they used to find so much delight Answ Our Lord gives a direct contrary Reason i.e. for then will be great Tribulation the unbelieving Jews should they fly on their Sabbath would severely handle them may be knock them on the head on this account our Lord bids them so to pray therefore this could not be the meaning of it Moreover he knew his own Disciples before that time came would be convinced that the Jewish Sabbath was ceased with other Legal Rites Therefore this I take to be the direct meaning of our blessed Lord viz. Because on the Jewish Sabbath-day the unbelieving Jews among whom you will remain or many of you when the Destruction of the City comes may be so strict and superstitious as to keep watch and ward at every Gate and Way that you will not be able to escape at least not above one of their Sabbath-day's Journey therefore pray your flight be not on that day This is all I can see in this Text. Both David and Elijah were fain to fly on the sabbath-Sabbath-day See Pet. Heylin p. 137. Besides some learned Men from this Passage argue for the Christian Sabbath as 't is not unknown to our Opponents as Dr. Twiss and many more and that our Lord alludes to that Sabbath that he knew his Disciples would observe after his Death but I rather adhere to the former Exposition Obj. But the Women rested on the sabbath-Sabbath-day according to the Commandment Luke 23. 56. Answ The Men themselves I mean the Disciples before our Lord suffer'd were so ignorant that they knew not their Lord should die and some a great while after did not know that they should preach to the Gentiles and is it any wonder that these good Women should not know so soon that the Sabbath was abrogated Some after that were zealous for Circumcision c. and is that an Argument that Circumcision is our Duty Besides no new day for solemn Worship was then appointed nor till after our Lord rose from the dead Object Paul as his manner was and other Apostles observed the Jews Sabbath-day they preached in the Temple and Synagogue of the Jews on the Sabbath-day Answ 1. They never taught the Jews nor Gentiles to observe the Seventh-day Sabbath 2. No one Church as we read of ever met to celebrate any Gospel-Ordinance on the Jewish Sabbath-day 3. There is not one word of any Saint that ever kept it 4. All that is on Record is that the Apostles preached to the Jews on that day Why so because they could not preach to them but when assembled together and having a Commission first to preach the Gospel to them they went into the Temple and into their Synagogue and preach'd to them on that day and so did Paul at Mars-hill to the Athenians Acts. 17. 22. 16. 13. as well as to the Jews on their Sabbath 'T is said that Paul as his manner was went in unto them Act. 13. 14. and three Sabbath-days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures Acts 17. 2. Not saith one to solemnize the Sabbath after the Jewish manner from the observation whereof the Apostles Dr. Young p. 10 11. because of the Authority committed to them by Christ were far enough especially when Paul himself did most severely reprove the Colossians and Galations because some among them stood for the Sabbath and other Feasts of the Jews but because they then had a fit occasion of communing with the Jews met together that after the readings of the Law were over they might preach the Gospel with more fruit in such a concourse of People which upon other days they could not so easily obtain and for no other end as from the alledged Testimony is evident Which things let the Reader seriously weigh for at any time or in what place soever they could they preached the Gospel to the Jews therefore on the Sabbaths as well in their
to these the most judicious pious and zealous Ministers and Martyrs of Christ who have liv'd and dy'd within the compass of these sixteen hundred years and most if not all of them will tell you that they never owned your Saturday Sabbath they liv'd without it dy'd without it and are I doubt not gone to Heaven without it Besides how many faithful Witnesses of late years has the Lord raised up to bear Testimony against it of whom I suppose the greatest part are yet alive tho some are fallen asleep In a word how many precious and gracious and pious Christians are yet upon the Earth Men and Women redeem'd from the Earth and crucified to the World of whom the World is not worthy who look upon your Sabbath as a Cypher can freely labor and travel upon it buy and sell upon it and this after accurate Inquiry about it and to this day their Consciences never reproach them their Hearts never smote them for it What will you say Are all these Hypocrites unrenewed unsanctified ones this were to condemn the Generation of God's Children and canonize your self with your few misled Associates for the only Saints in Christendom which I would hope you dare not do tho I know * Meaning Tillam you dare as much as another Well the Adversary is brought to this Dilemma either God has no People in the World but such as are of his Perswasion or his moral and immutable Laws are not written in their Hearts or the Saturday Sabbath is none of those Laws Thus this Author If the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath be written in the Hearts of Believers some one Man or another can produce some one Believer that was by the Law written in his Heart convinc'd of it without reading Moses's Law or any Book or Books compiled by Men about the Sabbath But no Man can produce any such Believer that will or can say this therefore it is not written in the Hearts of Believers Thus it appears that it is not the Duty of Gentile Believers to keep the seventh Day from the Law of God written in the Hearts of God's new Covenant Children which was the sixth and last part of the general Argument first proposed The last thing in speaking to the Seventh-day Sabbath I promised to do The dangerous Consequences of the Sabbatarian Principles was to shew you that as some hold and maintain it it is a dangerous Error 1. Is not that dangerous which caused Paul to fear he had bestowed on the Persons he speaks of Labor in vain Was it not because they observ'd Jewish Days laying stress on those things 2. Is not that a dangerous Error that leads Men to ratify or sign the Covenant of Works which binds them to keep the whole Law This I have proved is the natural tendency of this Practice Owen on the Sabb. p. 149. and the same thing Dr. Owen you have heard positively affirms also 3. Is not that dangerous that magnifies the first Creation Work above Redemption It magnifies Creation-work above Redemption or the new Creation Work when God began to create the new Heavens and new Earth which refers to the Gospel or new Creation What saith the Lord the old Heavens and old Earth shall be remembered no more that is in a day kept to that end for otherwise sure the great Works of the first Creation ought not to be forgot but the new Creation excelling the old the new Day must be kept in remembrance thereof and not the old day 4. Is not that a dangerous Error that tends It eclipses the Glory of Christ as the necessary Consequence of it to eclipse the Glory of Christ as the only Lord Head and Lawgiver to his Church and that gives part of this Honour to Moses 5. Is not that dangerous that tends to intangle and bring into Bondage and under legal Terror poor weak Christians as some who have kept the Seventh-day Sabbath have confessed till God open'd their Eyes they fearing they broke the Sabbath in some way or another for indeed no Man can perfectly keep it any more than he can keep the whole Law as has been hinted I was always in a trembling state saith one so long as I kept it c. or to that purpose Brethren it is not to be thought what Bondage it brought the zealous Jews under they not knowing when they had answered the strict observance of that day and if they brake it they must die without Mercy as the poor Man that gathered Sticks on that day they were not to speak their own words c. How should they know when they did this On Mat. 12. 2. p. 361. Nay live and sin not They would not Mr. Trap saith spit nor ease themselves on that day which is hard to believe tho some were superstitiously zealous 't is true yet others who were piously zealous by means of the strictness of the Precept continually were in fear and bondage And sad it is for any to be entangled again thereby 6. Is not that a dangerous thing Jewish Sabbath genders to Bondage that by the necessary consequence of it leads men to observe other Legal Rites and Ceremonies as not to eat Swines-flesh nor wear a Garment of Linen and Woolen nor mar the corner of their Beards Nay some of the chief of them formerly were led to Circumcision and to worse than that also I saw a Book published many years ago by two of them in which they called themselves the Ministers of the Circumcision That these things are the necessary Consequences of their Notion about their Sabbath appears because they go to Moses for it as the Law was in his hand and believe many other things that were meer Judicial Laws to be in force now They are for Moses's Law with the Statutes and Judgments and have declared that that Law is in force to stone to death such as break the Sabbath And no marvel for if that Sabbath be in force the Punishment is in force also Nay they believe I hear that a rebellious Son ought to be put to death 7. Is not that Error dangerous It renders all that keep it not guilty of horrid Immorality and of an evil Nature the necessary Consequence whereof renders all that keep not that precise Seventh-day as the Sabbath nor can be convinced 't is their Duty to observe it to be guilty of Immorality i. e. in breaking a moral Precept in the very Letter of it nay one of the Precepts of the first Table For it must be thus if the morality of the fourth Commandment lies in the observation of the precise Seventh-day Sabbath and it must be as great an Evil to violate it as 't is to have another God or to bow down to a graven Image or to swear or profane the holy Name of God or commit actual Adultery Murder c. and thus their Doctrin renders all true Christians to be guilty of a most
gross Immorality who do not observe the precise Seventh-day Nay the like Consequences attend their Notion who through ignorance and an over-heated Zeal have also asserted the same Morality to consist in the observance of the first Day of the Week as is evident by what some Ministers in their Parish-Churches did formerly affirm One in Oxfordshire said That to do any servile Work on the Lord's Day is as great a Sin as to kill a Man Another in a Sermon in Norfolk See Dr. White on the Sab. said To make a Feast or Wedding-dinner on the Lord's Day is as great a Sin as for a Father to take a Knife and cut his own Child's Throat A Sabbatarian also I am told did lately say having a Child to put out an Apprentice he knew not any that kept the Sabbath whose Trade he liked and to place him with one that would cause him to work on that Day was as bad as Adultery or Theft or to that effect Another lately told us that we in not keeping the Sabbath or fourth Command broke all the rest or words to the same purpose 8. And from hence also which is the plain and necessary Consequence of their Principle either such must perish who live and die in a palpable violation of this pretended simple moral Precept without any sorrow or repentance or else that Men may be saved who live and die under the guilt of immoral Evil in the grossest sense For tho it is granted that a true Christian may be guilty in some sense of an Immoral Evil and who is not yet if a moral Precept be broke in the Letter of it or in the grossest sense as he that commits actual Adultery or Murder can such be saved living and dying in those Sins without any true sight of the Evil of them or Repentance for them nay that do not only live in the literal breach of this moral Precept as they call it but teach men so to do Object But they do it ignorantly Answ Ignorance of any Human Law tho the breach of it be death will not excuse any Man because the Law is published or they may know it So ignorance cannot excuse a man that breaks any Precept of the Moral Law of God 9. This Notion and Principle of theirs seems not only to admit of such Consequences naturally to attend it but they indeed express themselves very directly on this occasion even to shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven all that keep not the Seventh-day Sabbath or at least such who teach men to break it See what Mr. Soarsby saith New Testament Sab. p. 54 55. viz. The Decalogue in the New Testament is abundantly confirmed by many places in the Gospel which establish the Authority of the Law and Commandments of God to Christians both Jews and Gentiles Our Lord came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it Some men saith he affirm contrary to both They who teach and do these Commandments shall be great in the Kingdom of Heaven but such as break the least and teach men so to do shall be least in it that is have no part in it for unless Christians keep them better than the Scribes there is no entering into Heaven Mat. 5. 20. The Summary of the two Tables are the great Commandments on which hang all the Law and the Prophets The doing of these as written and read in the Law is the way to Eternal Life Luke 10. 26 27. Again he saith It is not the Hearer of the Law that shall be justified amongst the Romans as well as the Jews c. Two things note here 1. He takes it for granted that the precise Seventh-day Sabbath is one part of the Moral Law and so his design is as I conceive to shew that such as violate this Sabbath and teach men so to do have no part in Heaven 2. He says The doing of these is the way to Eternal Life mistaking the purport of our Saviour's words to the young Man who spake to him as one under the Covenant of Works to discover his Ignorance of the way to Heaven which is by Christ alone not by doing those Commands as written and read in the Law 't is not do but believe c. Is not this Man ignorant of the way to Eternal Life did our Lord come to ratify the Decalogue for us to keep and fulfil in our own Persons thereby to be justified and saved Here is not one word of the Righteousness of Christ No no but that Righteousness that must exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes is our own inherent Righteousness only True we say a sincere inherent Righteousness we must have for a meetness for Eternal Life but that is not our title to it or the way to it but the Righteousness and Merits of Christ alone Doth he not establish the Covenant of Works and Justification by the Law What Popish Doctrin is worse Also in a printed Paper given one Lord's Day at the Door * Of our Meeting-house Pag. 1 2. by some Sabbatarian you have these words Christ died to procure Grace to enable men to fulfil this Law Rom. 8. 3. not that 't is fulfilled in us that is in our head i. e. by Christ in our Nature for us but in us that is by us O woful stuff Besides doth Christ help us to fulfil the whole Law perfectly If so 't is by the Law thus fulfilled that we are justified and then also 't is not by the Obedience of one Man that we are made Righteous Rom. 5. Do not these men Rom. 10. 3. like the Jews go about to establish their own Righteousness Moreover their Doctrin renders all that keep not or violate their Sabbath to be guilty of the breach of the whole Law which they affirm this is one Point of i. e. a simple moral Precept and not the least Command neither I fear with these men Now my Brethren how are these young Men and others blinded who out of mistaken Zeal strive to bring in a Jewish Rite or the observation of the old Legal Sabbath in promoting of which Error they disperse such pernicious Books and Pamphlets as tend directly to establish the Covenant of Works to the utter destroying the Doctrin of the Gospel and the free Grace of God in our Justification by the Obedience of Christ alone and to the palpable hazard and perdition of their own and other Peoples Souls These Persons seek to sacrifice all that is truly valuable to the blind observation of a Day that obliges them to keep the whole Law 10. That the natural Consequence of their Principle and Practice P. 405 406. Their Principle tends to harden the Jews as Reverend Dr. Owen shews tends to the great scandal of the Christian Religion and to the hardening of the Jews in their Infidelity is apparent to all For the Introduction of any part of the old Mosaical System of Ordinances is a tacit denial of Christ's being
come in the Flesh at least of his being King and Law-giver to his Church And to lay the Foundation of all religious solemn Worship in the observation of a Day as the Seventh-day precisely had no relation to any natural or moral Precept nor was instituted or approved by Jesus Christ cannot but be unpleasing to them who desire to have their Consciences immediately influenced by his Authority in all their approaches unto God But Christ herein is supposed to have built the whole Fabrick of his Worship on the Foundation of Moses and to have grafted all his Institutions into a Stock that was not of his own planting 11. Moreover it is evident that the Consequence of their Opinion concerning the necessary observation of the Seventh-day Sabbath as the Doctor saith It tends to Schism tends to the increasing and perpetuating of Schisms and Differences among Christians And those are the worst saith he and most pernicious which occasion or draw after them any thing whereby men are hindred from joining together in the same publick solemn Worship whereby they yield unto God that reverence of his Glory But now upon a supposition of an adherence by any unto the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath all Communion among Professors in solemn Gospel-Ordinances is rendered impossible For if those of that Perswasion do expect that others will be brought unto a relinquishment of an Evangelical observance of the Lord's Day Sabbath they will find themselves mistaken The evidence which they have of its appointment and the experience they have had of God's presence in its religious observation will secure their practice in this matter c. The Seventh-day Sabbath men on the other hand supposing themselves obliged to meet for solemn Worship on the Seventh-day which the other account unwarrantable for them to do on the pretence of any binding Law to that purpose and esteeming it unlawful saith he to assemble religiously with others on the First-day on the plea of Evangelical Warranty do absolutely cut off themselves from all possibility of Communion in the administration of Gospel-Ordinances with any other Churches of Christ And whereas most other breaches as to Communion are in their nature capable of healing without a renunciation of those Principles in the minds of men which seem to give countenance to them the distance is here made absolutely irreparable while the Opinion maintained is owned by any I will press this saith he no further but only by affirming that Persons truly fearing the Lord ought to be very careful and jealous over their own Understanding before they embrace an Opinion and Practice which will shut them from all visible Communion with the generality of the Saints of God in the World To which let me add How can they have Communion with us if they consider and observe the Consequences of their Principle Are not we guilty of absolute Immorality i. e. the literal breach of one Precept of the first Table Can they or we have Communion with such as bow down to a graven Image or profane the holy Name of God or are guilty of Murder c. And thus you may see what the natural and genuine Consequences of this Principle are and that it not only tends to lay the Generation of the Righteous under the guilt of the breach of a moral Precept and renders them guilty in their sense of the breach of the whole Law but hath other bad Consequents attending it also And this may tend to convince all that consider of what I say that the Morality of the fourth Commandment doth not consist in that precise Seventh-day Sabbath and discovers how blind these Men are Brethren tho I believe many who keep this Day and affirm it is a moral Precept are very pious and good Christians Some of them are for free Grace c. and do not affirm what I say nor may be see it not to be so or will not say thus What then yet I will appeal to all thinking impartial Persons whether I do not infer the direct natural Consequence of their Principle Moreover let me ask here this Question how it can stand consistent with a good Conscience for a Minister to forbear preaching in any Congregation some part of Morality or a moral Precept I grant that Love Wisdom Charity Peace c. may prevent some Men from preaching some Duties of mere positive right for a short time at least that are disputable and not Essentials of Salvation But what are such things to a simple moral Precept both materially and formally one of the Ten Commandments as they affirm their Sabbath is Suppose a Minister preaches to a Congregation that he knows are generally guilty of worshipping a Graven Image or of profane Swearing or of Adultery or of killing their innocent Neighbours would not he preach against these horrid Evils for fear he should offend the Congregation or if he forbear so to do would he not be shamefully guilty of great Sin and of their Blood also Happy is the Man that condemns not himself in the thing he allows I know what some have said about Polygamy if they answer me let them use that Argument I am prepared to reply But let none think I speak thus to expose any of them out of Prejudice for I can appeal to Almighty God I have none against any of their Persons But it is to expose their Principle and Practice in love to their Souls and to the Souls of other Persons But before I conclude with this old Sabbath I must add one dangerous Consequence more of their Principle 12. Is not that a dangerous Error that reflects nay casts Contempt upon the Holy Ghost in respect of his Work and Office which is to convince Believers of all Sin especially of all immoral Evils under his most clear and glorious Ministration since our Saviour's Ascension into Heaven Now I ask our Opponents Whether the holy Spirit doth convince all Believers that they ought to keep the old Seventh-day Sabbath or reprove them for Immorality in the non-observance thereof Sirs as these things aggravate their Evil in what they affirm so it clearly tends to overthrow the pretended Morality of that precise Seventh-day Sabbath for the holy Spirit never convinces Believers of any such Duty nor reproves them for working on that day or for bearing of Burdens on it any more than on any other day in the week to their dying day But it lets them silently fall asleep without the least sense of any such pretended immoral Evil. Besides the generality of Believers after their utmost inquiry search and seeking to God in all sincerity cannot be convinc'd it is their Duty to keep this Day Would the Holy Ghost thus leave the Generation of the Godly under Sin and such Ignorance think you were this a moral Duty And as to such as do observe it I am satisfied the Spirit of God never taught them so to do But they in this are left to themselves and have a Zeal
but not according to knowledg which God in time I hope by his Spirit will convince them of Quest If it be thus what think you of them that observe this Sabbath Answ As to such gracious Christians who observe it out of Conscience and because 't is put into the fourth Commandment do think it may be their Duty so to do but attempt not to affirm it is a moral Duty nor dare they neglect to observe the first Day provided they are in a Capacity being not Servants to observe both Days and make no noise nor disturbance about it but keep it to themselves I think it may be as to them a harmless Error And as to others I must leave them to the Lord and judg them not tho I judg and must condemn their Principle And let them take heed how they judg us in respect of the non-observation of a Jewish Rite c. or of Jewish sabbath-Sabbath-days PART II. The gospel-Gospel-Sabbath or The lord's-Lord's-Day of Divine Institution Containing four Sermons lately preach'd on a special Occasion SERMON I. Shewing that our Lord Christ did certainly give Directions to his Disciples to observe the first Day of the week under the Gospel That Pentecost was the first Day of the week and that then the first Day was confirmed to be the day of Gospel-worship Mat. xxviii 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway even to the end of the World OUR blessed Lord as Mediator having received all Power in Heaven and Earth as King Head Governor only Soveraign and Law-giver to his Church gave forth here his great Commission to his Discipleâ— In which 1. As our Annotators note He asserts his own Power 2. He delegates a Power to his Disciples 3. He subjoins a Promise to them 'T is a Power to congregate Churches and to proclaim free Justification and remission of Sins thro his perfect Obedience in his holy Life and thro the Death of his Cross as also Power to give forth Laws and Ordinances to his People and to give eternal Life to whomsoever he pleaseth This Power was essentially and inherently in him as God over all blessed for evermore but given to him as Mediator God-man our Soveraign Lord and Redeemer given him when he first came into the World but more especially given and manifested and confirmed to him when he rose from the Dead In which words we have 1. A Command expresly given Teaching them c. 2. The universality of this Command all things whatsoever I have commanded you 3. A gracious Promise annexed by way of Encouragement and lo I am with you alway c. Doct. That many things Christ commanded his Disciples to teach others The Doctrine raised are included or comprehended in this his great Commission which are not expressed This is evident so that if we would know what these things are which are not expressed we must have recourse 1. Either to what things they doctrinally preach'd or by their Example led the Gospel Churches into the practice of But 2. Let it be consider'd that we are obliged to believe that whatsoever the holy Apostles did teach Whatsoever the Apostles preached Christ gave them Command so to do or lead the Churches into the Practice of by their Example were such things as Christ commanded them and this Paul doth positively declare For I will not dare to speak of any of those things to make the Gentiles obedient by word or deed which Christ hath not wrought in me See 1 Cor. 14. 37. or commanded me And indeed should it be thought otherwise 1 Cor. 11. 23. it would render the Apostles unfaithful and guilty of bringing Innovations into the Churches either in respect of any one precise day of Worship or any matter or part of Worship to be perform'd I speak not now of the mode of Worship but any essential part thereof Now that Paul who was the Minister and great Apostle of the Gentiles did teach the Churches to observe the first day of the week by assembling together to discharge the Duties of Religious Worship is evident Nor can it be once supposed since he endeavour'd to take the Churches off from the observance of the Jewish Sabbath as I have proved that he should not direct them or discover to them what day of the week Christ had commanded his People to observe in the time of the Gospel they knowing especially that one day in seven the Lord declared in the fourth Commandment he would have perpetually sequestred to his Service as also the reasonableness or equitableness thereof Therefore my Brethren as I have endeavour'd to answer all the pretended Arguments brought to prove that we ought to observe the old Jewish Sabbath the simple Morality of the fourth Commandment they say consisting in the observation of that precise day So I shall now God assisting attempt to prove that we are obliged to observe the first day of the week as a day of Rest and solemn Worship to God while I esteem such as are for no special or particular day to be observed by Divine Authority both in private Families and in Church Assemblies to be strangely left of God and to be no friends to our sacred Religion but such as open a door to great Licentiousness and Profaneness If therefore any should say that there is no one precise day in seven of Divine Authority under the Gospel-Dispensation but that the Church may appoint what day she pleaseth I reply 1. What force or authority can such a human Precept have upon any Man's Conscience To appoint a weekly day of Worship is not in the power of the Church c. i. e. the observance of one day in every week free from all worldly Business if God requires it not 2. Then also it would follow that God doth admit vile Man to share or partake of equal Honour with himself i. e. that tho he will appoint the Ordinances of his own Worship and have all that Glory to himself yet Man shall have the honour to appoint the precise constant time of his Worship which is next in point of honour to the other 3. And by granting Men that Honour and Dignity it may let in by parity of reason a Power to alter and change if not add new Laws and Ordinances of Worship also 4. Besides it will also follow that the Church on the first day of the week doth not meet together by Divine Appointment if all days are alike but only by human Authority 5. Moreover perhaps one part of the Church may be for one day in four and another less zealous may be for one day in a fortnight nay one day in a month some may say is sufficient So that it would put all things into confusion for how can a human Law or the bare Authority of a Church without the Divine Appointment of Christ Jesus himself awe the Conscience Moreover perhaps some would be
for no day at all and what then would become of the publick and private Worship of God That Notion therefore that every day is alike is most hateful to God no doubt for as soon as he established a visible Church giving a stinted stated Worship Laws and Ordinances he appointed himself the precise time of Worship under the Law and the equitableness as well as the Divine Authority of one day in seven is as I have proved perpetually obligatory upon all his People For the further clearing of this pray consider that 1. Christ is Lord of the Sabbath and of that Day God would have observ'd under the Gospel and tho he hath dispensed with the observance of the seventh Day or abolished that yet as Lord and Lawgiver he hath instituted a weekly day of Rest for his People and for his solemn Worship in Gospel-times And none have this Power but himself alone For shall the Servant appoint what precise time his Master's business shall be done or set the times when his Master's Family shall have their distinct Meals or be fed No certainly Therefore Christian Sabbath p. 127. as Reverend Dr. Twiss observes if any pretend that Christ hath delegated this Power of his to his Church it stands upon them to make it good What times God himself took to work in or to rest after Creation the same proportion of time as Dr. Lake hints did he assign to Men and made his Pattern a perpetual Law So then of our time God reserves a seventh part for his Service The reserving saith he a seventh part I hold to be God's Ordinance who is not variable in his choice but as everlasting as the World And so should the hallowing of the Seventh-day from the Creation have been had it not been for Sin for what could have altered it but a new Creation 2. But Man having sinned and so abolished the first Creation de jure tho not de facto God was pleased to make by Christ an instauration or renewal of the World he means as I conceive God so abolished the old Creation that no precise Day remains to be observed in the remembrance of it and by Christ in redemption hath made a new Heaven and a new Earth and old things being passed away all things are become new Yea every man in Christ is a new Creature or of the new Creation And as God when he ended his Work of the first Creation made a Day of Rest and sanctified it So Christ when he ended the Work of Redemption made a Day of Rest and sanctified it not altering the proportion of Time which is perpetual but taking the first of seven for his portion because it sutes with his new Creation and with his entring into it thro him that old being a Legal Rite and suting with the Covenant of Works which is abolished with the Covenant it self but the new the first of seven remains for ever 3. For the further clearing of this matter consider that under the first Creation God required one Day in seven for himself The equity of Precepts may abide But the precise Seventh-day being a Judicial Law is gone yet the equity or equitableness of one Day in seven as due to God to be improved to his Glory for ever remains 4. God then gave poor Servants and Cattel Servants and Cattel still have one day in 7. to rest in one Day of Rest in seven the last Day of seven is gone but the equity or equitableness of one Day in seven for a day of Rest for Servants and Cattel remains for ever 5. God required his People to give his Ministers under the Law the Tenth of all their Increase the Law of Tithes is gone but the equity or equitableness that his Ministers under the Gospel should have as sufficient a maintenance remains for ever 6. Under the Law God required his People to meet together in his material Temple the Temple is gone but the equity or equitableness of assembling together in some place or another for Publick Worship remains for ever 7. Under the Law God's People in their Prayers offered Incense Incense was typical and is gone but the equitableness of our Duty in making our Prayers to God and confessing our Sins remains for ever 8. They under the Law had Instruments of Musick when they sang God's Praises Instruments of Musick were typical and only served the Jewish Worship but the equitableness of the Duty to sing God's Praises with Grace in our Hearts remains for ever 9. Also note that the second Commandment as given by Moses injoined the Jewish Nation to observe the whole Ceremonial Law and all other Precepts of the Mosaical Oeconomy But as the Moral Law is in the hands of Christ the second Command doth not injoyn on us the observance of those Precepts because abolished but it injoyns on us the observance of all Ordinances whatsoever Christ hath commanded us Also that Clause in the second Commandment viz. Visiting the Iniquities of the Fathers on the Children to the third and fourth Generation doubtless belonged to the Covenant of Works and was a temporal Punishment Doth God do thus under the New Covenant Moreover the Promise annexed to the fifth Commandment shews that the Law as given by Moses only appertained to the People of Israel as also the Preface to them all Exod. 20. 2. doth the like 10. So the fourth Commandment as in the hand of Moses injoyned the People of Israel the observance of the seventh-Seventh-day But as the Law is in the hand of Christ it doth not injoyn us to observe that day but being a Shadow is abolished But it doth injoyn us to observe the first day of the Week which Christ as the Lord of the Sabbath hath instituted under the Gospel in its room tho not to be observed with that legal strictness and penalty as the old Sabbath which was a sign of the Covenant of Works and gendred to bondage Object But where is there a Divine appointment of the first Day of the Week and by whom was it required Answ This is the cry of our Adversaries and I answer that I doubt not but our Lord and Saviour at this time did institute it and also gave command to his Disciples to observe it I know some others have cryed Where is laying on of hands either upon Elders or baptized Believers as such commanded and so of divers other things as if every Precept of the Gospel must be laid down in express words of command because some of them are 1. But to proceed Let it be well considered that as I have proved from the fourth Command that a Time a sufficient Time for Rest and in the solemn Worship of God is a simple Moral Duty 2. And that God also hath there by an express positive Law laid claim to one Day in seven as perpetually obligatory on his People And as I have also proved that the last Day of seven was only given to the Jews
or People of Israel and that it is utterly abolished it being a sign of the Covenant of Works 3. So I shall now prove that our Lord has appointed the first day of the Week for us to observe under the Gospel For First Consider Jesus Christ the Son of God as Mediator is the only Head Sovereign Lord and Lawgiver to his Church and therefore it may seem strange that the special Day or Time of Gospel-worship in his own Kingdom-state should not be given forth by himself But that Moses should have that Honour ascribed to him and that we should commemorate the glorious Work of the New Creation or Redemption on the old Day which was partly appointed for remembrance of the Work of the first Creation Isa 65. 17. is very strange for the Prophet tells us that upon the creating of the new Heaven and the new Earth the former shall be no more remembred that is as I conceive not in such a way of remembrance i. e. by the observation of that former Day appointed in part on that very account For certainly God's glorious Works of the first Creation shall otherwise be never forgot and 't is evident the Text refers to the Gospel day Jerusalem Paul applys to the New Testament Church Secondly Now in my Text our blessed Lord gives forth his Commission Go and teach all Nations baptizing them c. and then these words are added teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you What many of those Commands were we know not It is also said Acts 1. 2 3. that he was with his Disciples forty days and forty nights having given Commandment to his Apostles whom he had chosen Yet neither in this place are those Commandments expressed only he bid them not to depart from Jerusalem till they received the promised Spirit and were indowed with Power from on high Now no doubt but during these 40 days he fully settled all things appertaining to his Spiritual Kingdom and instructed them in all matters they should both do and teach And can any rationally judg that he did not then command them which day in seven he would have observed as a Day of Rest and solemn Worship Thirdly In the pursuit of what I aim at consider that from the day of his ascension into Heaven till the day of Pentecost there were but ten days during which we do not read they had any special general Assembly for Religious Worship tho on the two first days some were together and on both those days he appeared to them And remarkable it is that there were two Jewish sabbath-Sabbath-days between his Ascension and the day of their first general solemn meeting Now had not the old Sabbath been gone certainly they had assembled on both those days but no doubt our Lord had told them on what day they should first meet together in expectation of the Gift and Promise of the Father which day he purposed to ratify as the only Day of Gospel-worship by a marvellous effusion of the Spirit To me nothing deserves more to be observ'd than this viz. on what day of the Week the first general Gospel-Assembly was held after our Lord's Resurrection and just upon or soon after his Ascension for no doubt that was the day which Christ did settle in his Gospel-Church And that they were bid to be altogether on this day and to wait till it was come seems plainly implyed in the very words of the Text Acts 2. 1. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come fully come doth not that denote they waited for it Quest Well and what then Answ Why they were all with one accord in one place Certainly this Assembly of the Church on this day was by divine appointment and our Lord might order their first assembling together then I mean on this first day of the Week because Pentecost fell out then and because he knew that great multitudes would be together then to celebrate that Feast And therefore as S. Chrysostom notes God sent down the Holy Ghost at that time of Pentecost because those men that did consent to our Saviour's death might publickly receive rebuke for that bloody Act and so bear record to the power of our Saviour's Gospel before the World This day I say was the first day of the Week and then the mighty effusion of the Holy Ghost came upon the Apostles c. and no less than three thousand Souls were converted on this Day These were two of the most wonderful things that ever were done by our Lord. And thus our Lord first ratified and confirmed the precise Day which no doubt he had command his Disciples to meet upon as the Day of Gospel-Worship before he in any marvellous manner confirmed any Ordinance pertaining to Gospel-worship after his Resurrection The Jewish Sabbath I must tell you never was after so glorious a manner confirmed And remarkable it is that God first gave the Sabbath to the Jews Exod. 16. before he gave any written Laws of Worship they had their Sabbath a month before they came to Mount Sinai where the Law was given So Christ first confirmed the Gospel-day of Worship before he confirmed any Gospel-Ordinance of Worship after his Resurrection Obj. But we deny that Pentecost was the first day of the Week because the Jewish Rabbins suppose that by Sabbath Lev. 23. 11. is not meant the weekly Sabbath but the 1st day of unleavened Bread wherein they are followed by some Christians also Answ I shall prove that Pentecost was the first day of the Week 1. By the Word of God 2. By Universal Tradition 3. By the Testimony of most approved Writers and then what will become of your fabulous Rabbinical traditional Jews or of such Christians who too fondly admire their Writings which contradict the Holy Scripture Now The day of Pentecost the first day of the Week I say the day of Pentecost was not as Tillam and others pretend the seventh-seventh-day of the Week or the Jewish Sabbath but the first-first-day or the Lord's Day But let me premise 1. That Pentecost is the same which is called the Feast of Harvest Exod. 23. 16. and the Feast of Weeks Deut. 16. 10. this all agree in 2. That it is called by a Greek name Pentecost or the fiftieth day because always to be observed on the fiftieth day from the offering of the wave sheaf as we read Lev. 23. 15 16. 3. Now that this day of Pentecost was not upon the Jewish Sabbath but on the day after it is expresly asserted in the last mentioned Text Lev. 23. 11. And he shall wave the Sheaf before the Lord to be accepted for you â—n the morrow after the Sabbath the Priest shall wave it And in ver 15 16. they were commanded to count from thence seven Sabbaths and on the morrow after the seventh Sabbath to keep the fiftieth day or Pentecost The Wave-offering was the morrow after the weekly Sabbath Observe the Sheaf was to
Pentecost Acts 2. 1. It was call'd the Feast of Weeks or of sevens because from the waving of the Sheaf they reckoned as many weeks to this Feast as there be days in seven weeks which evidently shadowed out some weekly Festiyal under the Gospel the day whereof was noted by that Pentecost Acts 2. 1 2. 2. It was call'd the Feast of First-fruits and of Harvest because as they began their Harvest upon the first of the fifty days when they offered the Sheaf of First-fruits so they ended it upon the fiftieth day which was properly the Feast-day Upon which they offered the Wave-loaves And these fifty days or seven weeks were the appointed weeks of their Harvest and by the offering of the Sheaf at the beginning of their Harvest there their after-Fruits were sanctified And the offering of the â—oaves on the fiftieth day was not only an Euâ—haristical Oblation but also a token of the Harvest being finished 3. It is called the Feast of Pentecost Deut. 16. 9. because it was ever kept the fiftieth day the fiftieth â—ow reckoned from the morrow after the â—abbath that is the first day of the week â—ut what mark had they to know their morrow 〈◊〉 Moses tells them when you shall reap the Harvest of your Land or when you begin to â—eap it for so 't is expounded in Deut. 16. 9. Begin to number the seven Weeks from such a â—ime as thou beginnest to put the Sickle to the â—orn So that when they began their Harvest they must begin their account of fifty â—ays And the first of the fifty was the morrow of the Sabbath or the day following the Sabbath namely the first day of the week Dr. Usher in his Letter to Dr. Twiss p. 91 92. and as they began so they must end their account on the same day as the first so the fiftieth day or day of Pentecost must be on the morrow of the last Sabbath Levit. 23. 15 16. And this is injoin'd by the express Command of God to be observ'd as a Statute for ever throughout their Generations This is the plain Scripture-account and who can but observe the Wisdom of God in ordering the matter thus viz. That this Feast of Weeks should never fall upon the seventh-day but always upon the first day of the week the morrow after the Sabbath or the day immediately following it if at least his Statute-Law had always been observ'd And what else could this presignify as Dr. Vsher speaks but that under the state of the Gospel the Solemnity of the weekly Service should be celebrated upon that day Now I hope that famous Pentecost Act. 2. 1. will be no Parable tho we state it according to the Divine Oracle upon the first day of the week the morrow after the Jews Sabbath We need no Almanack to help us here the Bible is sufficient Nor say I do we need the Traditions of the blind doting Rabbins But to proceed because the Sabbatariaâ— stand so much upon supposed Mysteries in the Feast of Pentecost See Dr. Usher's printed Letter according to their Traditional Account I shall acquaint them with the real Mysteries of Christ accomplished exactly according to this Scriptural Account where they may see the Type and the Truth admirably concurring For as at the time of the Passover 1 Cor. 5. 7. Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us and lay in his Grave the whole Jewish Sabbath following So on the morrow after the Sabbath when the Sheaf of the first Fruits was offered to God Jesus Christ rose from the dead 1 Cor. 15. 20. and became the First-fruits of them that slept and many of the Saints that slept rose likewise after him Mat. 37. 52 53. From hence was the Account taken of the seven Sabbaths or fifty Days and upon the morrow after the seventh Sabbath which was our Lord's Day was that famous Feast of Weeks that day of Pentecost Acts 2. 1. Upon which day the Apostles having themselves received the first Fruits of the Spirit begat three thousand Souls with the Word of Truth and presented them as the first Fruits of the Christian Church to God and to the Lamb. Here was the Feast of Loaves in the Antitype that feasted some thousands of Souls And from that time forward do the Waldenses note that the Lord's Day was observed in the Christian Church in the place of the Jewish Sabbath Thus Dr. Vsher that Library of Learning Object If it be objected That in this Discourse he states Christ suffering at the Feast of the Passover and so falls in with the vulgar Opinion which takes the morrow after the Sabbath Levit. 23. for the morrow after the Passover Sabbath I answer That cannot be for he had declared before that the Sabbath there intended is the weekly Sabbath and the morrow after it is the first day of the Week And he cites Isychius and Ruportius in interpreting it so before him to whom I shall be bold saith * Mr. Warren Nazianzeâ— Orat. 44. he to add Nazianzen who was before them all who speaking of the Feast of Pentecost says This Nation meaning the Jewish Nation uses to consecrate to God not only the first of their Fruits and first born but the first Fruits of their Days and Years also Thus the illustrious number of Seven has carried the honour of Pentecost for Seven being composed upon it self makes fifty wanting but one day which we have taken from this future Age being both the eighth and the first Day His Argument is clearly this that the Jewish Pentecost was fain to be beholden to the Christians eighth day or first day of the Week to make up the compleat number of fifty days And the like he says a little before concerning their Jubilee every fiftieth year for seven times seven makes but forty nine to perfect the number they borrowed the first day of the Week and so consecrated to God the first of their Days as well as of their Land So that this computation of the fifty days to Pentecost from the morrow of the Sabbath wants no Authority to back it either divine or humane But the Word of God is our best Warrant and we may be satisfied that Dr. Twiss was no Child at Argument nor one that would be perswaded on slight grounds but upon Bishop Vsher's discovery of this Truth by the forementioned Scripture-evidence he professed he received great satisfaction and acknowledges that the mystery of the Feast of first Fruits was opened to the singular advantage and honour of the Lord's Day Object The only Objection against this Interpretation is the Judgment of Mr. Ainsworth and our English Annotators who take the Sabbath Levit. 23. for the Feast of the Passover Sabbath Answ 1. Herein they are led by the common Opinion of the Hebrew Doctors who indeed are excellent Guides when they keep the beaten Road of Scripture but in many things made void the Commandments of God by their Traditions Let this
Reason why any day besides this can be here intended Obj. The Prophet alludes to the general Gospel-day or else only to that very precise day on which Christ rose not that that day should successively be kept Answ We deny not but that the general Gospel-days of Grace came in with this day but in the days of the Gospel this Text also shews God hath made or appointed a particular Day to be observed with rejoycing and gladness of Heart not the seventh but the first Day For it is evident this day was the day when our Lord was made or became the Head-stone of the Corner viz. the day of his glorious Resurrection Where is the general Day of the Gospel called a Day made Is not this as much as that at the beginning the Lord blessed and sanctified the seventh day 'T is not there said he sanctified it for men successively to keep Now 1. Here is expressed a particular Day and what day 't is the Verses going before shew 2. 'T is a day made or instituted for singular use 3. It is a day made by the Lord to that end 4. For us to worship God in or to rejoice in before him with gladness of our Heart God meeteth him that rejoiceth and that remembers him in his ways 1. God hath made or instituted this Day for singular nay for the highest and chiefest End and Purpose 2. And what day have we cause to rejoice in keep and observe like this day For has not Redemption-work the preference of Creation-work The Glory of Creation-work was mar'd by Sin but Redemption-work Redemption-Grace restores the Image of God to us again and puts us into a far better condition than we were in at first In Redemption-work the glory of all God's Attributes shines forth so they did not in the first Creation The day of Christ's Resurrection is the day of our deliverance from Sin the Law Wrath Death Devils and all Enemies for ever This is the Day the Lord has made more honorable and glorious and more to be remembred than God's creating the Heavens and the Earth Are there any dare say that the first Creation ought more to be remembred than the second or the new Creation Or doth the Covenant of Works excel the Covenant of Grace or the Law the Gospel Did God's finishing his Work call for a day of remembrance and doth not Christ's finishing his Work call for the same Certainly it doth and therefore this is the day the Lord hath made and we will rejoice and be glad in it◠And doth not the Apostle say Heb. 4. 9. upon the same foot of account There remaineth 〈◊〉 Rest i. e. a day of Rest to the People of God This is the day in which Christ our Surety received for us our free Justification i. e. our discharge from the Curse of the Law from Sin and Eternal Wrath. On this day Christ made an end of Sin finished Transgression and brought in everlasting Righteousness therefore this is the day the Lord hath made and we will rejoice and be glad in it 1. The Lord made and created the seventh-Seventh-day and afterwards made it a Sabbath to answer the end and design of the old Creation and old Covenant So the Lord created the first day and when the new Creation was brought in he made it for a day of sacred Rest and for his solemn Worship answering the end and design of the new Creation 2. The Seventh-day Sabbath was made for Man under the legal and typical Church of Israel so the first-day was made for Man the new Man or for all the true Israel of God under the Gospel or for the Gospel-Church 3. God made the Seventh-day an honourable day answering his design in the first Creation and Christ has made this day a more honourable day answering his design in Redemption or new Creation 4. God made the seventh-Seventh-day a day of Rest because in it he ceased for ever from first-Creation Works and took complacency in his Works So the Lord Christ hath made the first day a day of Rest because in it he ceased for ever from the Works of Redemption never to die or offer any more Sacrifice for Sin and took complacency in his Work This is therefore the day the Lord hath made and we will rejoice and be glad in it How made saith one not by Creation for so it was made before 5. And as the seventh Day was instituted and confirmed before the Law was given to Israel Exod. 16. so the first Day was confirmed Act. 2. by the mighty effusion of the Spirit before any other Gospel-Precept was confirmed after the Resurrection of our Lord. It is called Dies Dominicus p. 71. saith Dr. Young Dominicum because as Austin notes the Lord made it this saith he perhaps will be of no great weight with some since the Lord made all days but he seems to have made this day after a special manner namely by his Resurrection from the dead the Commemoration of which Benefit exceeded the Memory of the old Creation or else because it was destinated for worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ c. Thus it was prophesied what Day Christ would ordain for his Service under the Gospel and which Believers should observe with Joy in his Worship Psal 118. compar'd with Acts 4. must needs saith Mr. Warren be meant the day of Christ's Resurrection and doth not the Spirit speak expresly this is the day the Lord hath made it is a day of the Lord 's making and will he that is Tillam make nothing of that what else can be made of it but a Prediction of a Divine Institution which is equivalent to a Precept especially when 't is expounded by an Apostolical Practice as this hath been what can a day made long before in respect of Creation be stiled the day which the Lord hath made then in respect to a Divine Institution an Institution then it is and that on the occasion of Christ's Resurrection Fifthly My next Argument to prove that the Lord hath appointed the first day of the Week as a day of Rest and solemn Worship shall be taken from those clear Examples we have in the New Testament of the Disciples and Churches of Christ meeting together in God's Worship upon this day 1. Let this be considered That that day which the Saints and Churches in the Apostles time observ'd must be the precise day in every week which ought to be kept till our Lord comes again And 2. That an Apostolical Precedent or Example is equivalent or of like Authority with an Apostolical Precept so that had we no more than this it would be a sufficient warrant for the observation of this day Now as the observation of the first day as I have proved hath its Rise Foundation and Institution from the Resurrection of our Lord from the dead so we find on that very day the Apostles were assembled Joh. 20. 19. tho Thomas was not there and our
have been together on that day 6. We will grant the privacy of their meeting and shutting the doors might be indeed for fear of the Jews but yet meet they would and did and certainly they were led so to do by the Holy Ghost in that Christ appeared in the midst of them on both those days when they were so assembled Before I close with this I cannot omit what a Reverend Author hath said about the day of our Lord's Resurrection It was saith he a remarkable day in many respects 1. It was the eighth day in a continued reckoning of days which was a number of greater Perfection than seven in some respects witness Circumcision The Antients insist much that this Circumcision on the eighth day was a Type of that eighth day on which our Lord rose again from the dead Thus Cyprian Moreover The first day of the week a day of great Renown many ways the first day of the week is a day of greatest Renown being first in order of Creation and the first in dignity by our Lord's Resurrection the first fruits of time and the first of days and the only day in which our Lord became the first fruits of them that slept and the first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the preheminence And say I the first day of the new World or Kingdom of the Messia or Gospel-Dispensation Again we have Mr. Warren p. 169. saith he another conspicuous Mark to note this day by above all other days in the week 1. That these glorious Apparitions of our now glorious Redeemer were no common Favors but choice and special Evidences of his owning Providence both as to Persons and Times for as he appeared not to all sorts of Persons but to some select chosen Witnesses who were either eminently devoted to his Service or design'd to teach others so neither did he appear to those Persons every day but principally and most usually upon the day designed by the Prophets to his Worship and Service and now consecrated by his blessed Resurrection 2. Altho it be said that he was seen of his Apostles forty days between his Resurrection and Ascension yet was he not seen every day during those forty that is by the space of forty days at times for some times he disappear'd 3. However it may be supposed that our Saviour did appear on other days as once upon a working day yet no other day of the Week has he honoured to be denominated as the day of his appearing but the first day of the Week only Not on the second third fourth much less the last of the Week the seventh day But the first is expresly and emphatically noted by name the same day the first day of the Week Jesus came and stood in the midst of them Joh. 20. 19. 4. 'T is evident that our Lord appeared often on this day gracing it with his Divine Presence In the morning to Mary Magdalen and the rest of the Holy Women in the evening of the same day to the eleven Disciples when gathered together in the nature of a Church-Assembly After eight days Mr. Warren p. 175. or after day-light of the eighth day was past he appeared again Christ appeared in the morning of the resurrection-Resurrection-day as well as at the evening very early as well as very late to teach us that that whole day is his 'T is that day which the Lord hath made not a piece of the day Thus saith he I remember Dr. Hakewell long ago stopt the mouth of this Objector * Tillam Joh. 20. 19. The same day at evening being the first day of the Week He calls it the first day of the Week tho the evening to put the matter out of doubt that this evening was part of the first day of the Week Thus the Holy Ghost provides against future Errors Mr. Warren p. 178. By Christ's second appearance that day seven-night they might be better instructed witness their assembling on that day Act. 2. 1. and Acts 2o To conclude this why our Lord should neglect the Jews Sabbath and afford his glorious Presence in Christian Assemblies on the First-day of the Week thus often and thus eminently but to establish this day for Sacred Assemblies and to teach us on what day especially we may expect his Presence and Blessing I confess I am to seek 4. We may take notice of the gracious Speeches Actions and Transactions of Christ at his several appearings tending partly to prove his Resurrection the Ground of our Hope and the Hinge of the Day To this purpose how did he condescend to his poor doubting staggering Disciples manifesting himself on this day to all their Senses distinguishing it from all other days by Sabbath-exercises 1. By his Heavenly Instructions opening the Scriptures Luke 24. 46. and preaching Peace to his Disciples and to us as well as them Ephes 1. 16 17. Having slain the Enmity by his Cross he came and preached Peace On this day he came with his Olive-branch in his mouth saying Peace be unto you 2. By giving forth Commissions to his Disciples Matth. 28. 18 19 20. John 20. 19. As my Father hath sent me so I send you Whose Sins ye remit they are remitted c. and then breathing upon them the Holy Ghost 3. By convincing demonstrations of his Resurrection John 20. 26. to strengthen the Faith of Thomas To which some add 4. His celebration of the Sacred Supper according to that Promise Mr. Warren I will no more drink of the Fruit of the Vine until that day I drink it new in the Kingdom of God That is after I rise from the dead which therefore 't is like he then did yea then he broke Bread and was known of his Disciples in breaking of Bread as he sate with them not at Meat Luke 24. 30. as we read it the word only implys his gesture of sitting Thus Mr. Warren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is probable he did again celebrate the Sacred Supper among them for breaking of Bread commonly alludes to that and his being known to them in breaking of Bread may denote that Ordinance But this is very doubtful Another indelible mark of Honour fixed upon the First-day of the Week is the Mission of the Holy Ghost or the sending the Promise of the Father as a Royal Gift of Christ upon his Coronation-day such a Gift as was never given before And that the day of Pentecost was the first-First-day of the Week I have fully proved SERMON III. Proving the first-First-day of the Week to be the special Day of Solemn Worship under the Gospel from Acts 20. 7. and from Rev. 1. 10. in which last place it is called the Lord's Day HAving passed through five Arguments to prove the first-First-day of the Week to be the day which Christ hath appointed for his Solemn Worship under the Gospel I shall proceed to the next Argument Sixthly Because the
Churches and Disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ met together upon this day to break Bread c. Acts 20. 7. And upon the first-First-day of the Week when the Disciples came together to break Bread This was the day it appears on which they met together not only for preaching hearing praying c. but also to celebrate the Lord's Supper 1. Observe 't is said in the Context that Paul stayed at Troas seven days And by the way note that he was there upon one of the Jews sabbath-Sabbath-days but then the Church met not together and it is evident also that Paul waited till the first-First-day came that he might not only preach to them when they were generally assembled together but also celebrate the Lord's Supper before he departed Now that this was the First-day of the Week none can reasonably deny But since Mr. Banfield Mr. Smith Mr. Soarsby and others do doubt of it take what divers Learned Men have said and first Dr. du Veil Vpon the first day of the Week Duveil on Acts 20. p. 150 151. that is that day as Sozomon saith which is called the Lord's Day which the Hebrews called the first day of the Week Hist. Eccl. Ch. 8. but the Greeks dedicated it to the 〈…〉 the Table of Canons lately publised by the famous John Baptist Cotelerius It was not before Christ's Resurrection called the Lord's Day but the first Day but after the Resurrection it was called the Lord's Day the Lady of all Days c. We have the name of the Lord's Day in Rev. 1. 10. in Ignatius his Epistle to the Trallians and Magnesians And sometimes in Clement's Institutions also in that place of Ireneus which the writer of the Answers to the Orthodox in Justin Martyr hath preserved to us When the Disciples came together from this place and that in 1 Cor. 16. 2. is gathered that the Christians did then use upon the first day of the Week to keep up solemn Meetings Justin saith Vpon the day called Sunday all that live in Citys or Country meet in one place This Meeting another saith was upon the first day of the Week 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shepherd on the Sab. p. 215. Which phrase tho Gomarus Primrose Heylin and many others go about to translate thus viz. upon one of the days of the Week yet this is sufficient to dash that Dream That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifys on the first day of the Week Baxter in answ to our Opponents p. 157. the generality of the Antients both Greeks and Latins agree whose Testimony about the sense of a word is the best Dictionary And the same Phrase used of the day of Christ's Resurrection by the Evangelists proveth it Had it been said that Paul abode seven days at Troas and on the seventh day of the Week when the Disciples came together to break Bread no doubt but these Sabbatarians would have made this no small proof to observe the old Jewish Sabbath and I confess it would have been a good Argument for their practice or had Paul 〈◊〉 the Churches observed the seventh day and yet they will not allow it to be a proof for the observation of the first day Dr. Wallis tells us Christian Sabbath p. 30 31. that Mr. Bamfield urg'd that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Greek for one and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may as well be rendered one day of the week as the first day of the week Answ Surely saith the Doctor he is not in earnest such trifling doth more hurt than help his Cause No doubt but when they met it was one day of the week we need not be told it nor need the word week be added he might have said one day nor need he have said so much But this Author cannot think nor doth he that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth any where signify other than the first day of the week In the whole Story of Christ's Resurrection and what followed on that day in all the four Evangelists we have no other word but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Latin word pridie is a derivative or compound rather from prae prior and postridie from post posterior and accordingly in Latin pridie Calendarum must signify a day before the Calends But can any man think it is meant of any day No but the next day before So if we say Christ was crucified one day before the Sabbath and rose again one day after the Sabbath This one day is the next day And so any man who hath not a mind to cavil will understand it And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one day after the Sabbath must needs be understood of the next day after the Sabbath nor is it ever used in any other sense If it were to be unstood of any day indefinitely it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some day after the Sabbath not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one day after Thus Dr. Wallis See how hard these men are put to it in labouring to cast away nay tread under-foot the glorious day of our Lord's Resurrection And 't is strange to see how men to maintain their Errors will quarrel and find fault with the Translation of our Bible 'T is manifest therefore Dr. Wallis p. 32. that there was a Religious Assembly of the Christian Congregation at Troas on the first day of the week for celebration of the Lord's Supper and preaching and Paul with them which I take to be the celebration of the Christian Sabbath Obj. However this Mr. T. Bamfield says is but one Instance Answ True saith the Doctor this is but one but we have heard of more before and shall hear of more by and by yet this one is more than he can shew for more than two thousand five hundred years from God's resting on the Seventh-day Gen. 2. 3. till after Israel was come out of Egypt Exod. 16. during which time he would have us think the Seventh-day was constantly observed And if he could shew any one Instance of Enoch Noah Abraham or others where such a Religious Assembly for the Worship of God was held on the Seventh-day in course from the Creation he would think his Point well proved tho no more were said of it than is of this Whereas now as to the time from thence to the Flood he brings no other Proof but that Abel Enoch and Noah were good Men as no doubt but they were and therefore it is to be presumed they kept a Sabbath and that upon the seventh Day which is to beg the Question not to prove it Thus the same Author Object But it is objected that it was an occasional and accidental meeting for common eating Answ 1. It was a full Assembly that is evident for some were fain to get up into the Windows three stories high as Eutychus ver 8. the lower Room would not hold them therefore it was no small meeting 2. 'T is said they came together to break
that Justin Martyr gives of the Practice of all Churches in the next Age i. e. on the day called Sunday there is an Assembly of all Christians whether living in the City or Country and because of their constant breaking of Bread on that day it was called Dies Panis August Epist 118. And Athanasius proved that he brake not a Chalice at such a time Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22. because it was not the first day of the week when it was used And whosoever reads this Passage without prejudice will grant that it is a marvellous adrupt and uncouth Expression if it do not signify that it was the common observance among all the Disciples of Christ which could have no other Foundation but that only laid down before of the Authority of the Lord Christ requiring it of them And saith he I doubt not but Paul preach'd his farewel Sermon after all the ordinary Service of the Church was perform'd which continued till midnight And all the Objections I have met with against this Instance amounts to no more than this i. e. that the Scripture says that the Disciples met together to break Bread yet indeed they did not so And this by what the Doctor says vanishes into Smoak 1. From the whole I may argue If the Apostles and Primitive Christians did observe the first day of the week as their prime and chief time for solemn Worship in season and passed over the old seventh Day then is the first day of the week and not the seventh that precise Day Christ has appointed to be observ'd in his solemn Worship under the Gospel But this was the prime and chief time for solemn Worship in season c. Ergo. 2. And if those meetings on the first day were not such as used to be formerly on the seventh day I desire to know a reason 1. Why their Meetings on the first day should be particularly recorded rather than their Meetings on the seventh 2. And why also the one is so oft mentioned i. e. their Meetings on the first day and no mention at all that they met on the seventh day in the New Testament from the Resurrection of Christ as a Church-assembly to worship God or discharge any part of Religious Duties nor of their meeting on the second third fourth c. Object But it seems as if they came not together till the evening of this day tho it was the first day of the week and so it proves not that this whole day ought to be kept in solemn Worship Answ For this there is not the least shadow of Proof What tho Paul continued his Speech till midnight might not some other Ministers spend the former part of the day in Preaching Exhortation or in Prayer Or might not Paul as some of us do preach twice himself on that day and they refresh themselves about the middle of the day I find one Author speaking thus Durham on the Ten Command p. 264. Paul spending this whole day in that Service and continuing his Sermon till midnight yet accounting it still one day in solemn meeting doth confirm this Day to be more than an ordinary day or than other days of the week as being specially dedicated to these Services and Exercises and totally spent in them It is said that they came together on the first day of the week and no doubt but it was in the morning of that day for so we find they did on the same day of the week Acts 2. 1 2. for when Peter began to preach it was but the third hour which is our nine of the Clock in the morning Sixthly The Lord's day the first day of the week Rev. 1. 10. My sixth Argument to prove that the first day of the week ought to be observed as a day of Rest and solemn Worship under the Gospel shall be taken from that Appellation given to this day Rev. 1. 10. where it is called the Lord's-day I was in the Spirit on the Lord's-day Surely this Royal Name or Title adds no small honour to this illustrious Day as it was the first day of Time mentioned in the beginning of the first Book of the Bible so it is the last day of Fame noted in the beginning of the last Book of the Bible to the Praise of him who is our Alpha and Omega The very Name speaks the Lord Christ to be the Author of it Mr. Warren p. 191. who upon the day of his Resurrection was declared both Lord and Christ I find saith my Author an elegant and pious Poem written by Sedulius an Antient Christian * Vid. Sixti Senensis Biblioth Sanct. p. 308. Jerom's Junior being by him translated to this effect After sad Sabbaths th' happy Day did dawn Whose lofty Name from Lord of Lords is drawn A blessed Day that first was grac'd to see Christ's rising and the World's Nativity I shall endeavour to prove that after Christ's Resurrection and Ascension there was a peculiar Day belonging to the Lord above any other day of the week and that this Day was not the old Jewish sabbath-Sabbath-day but the first day of the week 1. That there was a peculiar Day or one precise Day of the week observed to the Lord in which the Churches assembled together for the Worship of God none will deny God lays claim to one day in seven as his Day 2. And now that this was not the seventh day of the week appears because we no where read that any one Gospel-Church ever assembled together on that day from the Resurrection of Christ Now if that had been the Day the Lord Christ had appointed as Mediator and Lawgiver besure we should have had it mentioned in some place as the very day in which the Churches or at least some one Church did meet together but this we do not find therefore that is not cannot be the day 3. We read of their meeting together no less than four or five times from our Lord's Resurrection and after his Ascension on the first day of the week Joh. 20. 19. and ver 26. Acts 2. 1 2. ch 20. 7. to which I might add 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. 4. No doubt the Apostle John when he says on the Lord's-day refers to a certain particular Day well known to all the Churches to whom he was to write nay known to all Believers and Saints of that time 5. And evident it is that the Jewish sabbath-Sabbath-day is no where either in the Old or New Testament Isa 58. 3. called the Lord's Day tho it is called the Lord's Sabbath and the Sabbath of the Lord thy God Lord in the Old Testament as one observes is the usual name of God indefinitely Dr. Walls p. 46. without particularizing this or that of the three Persons And the Sabbath of the Lord thy God doth not appropriate it to the second Person more than to the first or third And tho the second Person or Christ considered as God made the
World and gave the Ten Commandments as well as he gave forth all the Ceremonial Law the three Persons being the same one God yet Christ is contradistinguished i. e. referring to his Human Nature or the Anointed of God as Mediator or God-man And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord in the New Testament is commonly and peculiarly applied to our Lord Christ as 1 Cor. 8. 6. But to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ c. So Eph. 4. One Lord one God and Father c. and to this Lord doth the Day here refer Iâ— the fourth Commandment that which is called the Sabbath of the Lord thy God speaking of Israel is meant of God indefinitely and not of one Person contradistinguished to the other Two The Work of Creation is commonly ascribed to God the Father and so the old seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath is properly the Father's Day not Christ's tho all the three Persons created the World 6. This day is called the Lord's Day in a like sense as the Holy Supper is in some places called the Lord's Supper 1 Cor. 10. 21 22. ch 11. 27. in which places is meant the Lord Christ God and Man This may answer their common Objection viz. Object It might be called the Lord's Day in respect of God the Creator not of Christ the Redeemer and therefore may be meant the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath Besides the World was made by Christ and he gave the Law on Mount Sinai I further tell them this Name or Appellation Christ refers to our Lord as Mediator or as he is God and Man But the second Person was not God and Man when the World was made or when the Law was given on Mount Sinai Tho the second Person or Christ as God created the World and with the Father and Holy Ghost is that one God that gave the Law yet Christ the Anointed or as Mediator God in our Nature actually existed not till the fulness of time was come 2. And why may not they call the Lord's Supper and the Lord's Table so with respect to God the Creator or Christ as Creator 3. Consider that in the New Testament Christ as Mediator is actually exalted to be Lord of 〈◊〉 of all Persons Men and Angels and of all things For to this end Christ both died and rose again and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living Rom. 14. 9. 4. So that as the term Lord is peculiarly ascribed to Jesus Christ as Mediator so certainly is the day here called his Day And as the Supper is called the Lord's Supper because he instituted it and it wholly refers to Christ so the first day is called the Lord's Day because the Lord Christ instituted or appointed it as the special Day of his Worship and as it refers to his glorious Resurrection Object If the Scriptures be the Rule to judg whether that day be not the Lord's Day which and which only as distinguished from other days of the Week the Son of Man is Lord of Answ 1. Christ is Lord of all days no doubt because he is Lord of all things but the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath is no where appropriated to Christ as Mediator nor ever called the Lord's Day 2. When 't is said in the New Testament that the Son of Man is Lord also or even of the Sabbath-day he shews that it was in his power to dispose of it for he gives this as a reason for his doing that which the Pharisees counted Sabbath-breaking and by which he oftentimes offended them And so it is far from being a reason of his establishing it to abide a Sabbath in his Kingdom-state And as one well observes it seems plainly to mean that that being a positive Law belonging to Moses our Lord had power to change it or dispense with it as well as other Positive and Mosaical Laws As it is said Eph. 1. 22. He hath made him Head over all things to the Church not Head to all things So he is Lord over all Days but all are not separated to his Worship As it is said Joh. 17. 2. Thou hast given him Power over all Flesh So it may be said thou hast given him Power over all Days that he may sanctify one to his own peculiar service and use and leave the rest common to us to work in 7. There is On the Sab. p. 223. saith Mr. Shepherd no other day on which mention is made of any Work or Action of Christ which might occasion a holy day but this only of his Resurrection which is exactly noted of all the Evangelists to be the first day of the Week and by which work he is expresly said to have all Power given him in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28. 18. and to be actually Lord of the dead and living Rom. 14. 9. And therefore why should any other Lord's Day be dreamed of Why should Mr. Brabourn imagin that this day might be some superstitious easter-Easter-day which happens once a year The Holy Ghost on the contrary not setting down the Month or Day of the Year but the Day of the Week wherein Christ rose therefore it must be meant of a weekly Holy-day here called the Lord's Day 8. This was the day in which Christ ceased from his Wâ—â—k and rested as the Father ceased from his Work and rested on the seventh-Seventh-day and therefore this is his Day as the other was the Father's Day there being a day remaining to him and to us thro him from the same foot of account in the times of the Gospel as we have proved 9. That 't is this day which is called the Lord's Day because of his frequent appearance on it after his Resurrection and because after his Ascension he crown'd it with that miraculous effusion of the Holy Spirit to put a Glory upon it and to confirm it as that day appointed for his People to wait upon him in 10. John Owen on the Sab. p. 292. in calling it the Lord's Day did not surprize the Churches with a new Name but denoted to them the time of his Vision by the name of the Day which was well known to them And there is no solid reason why it should be so called but that it owes its preeminence and observation to his Institution and Authority And no man who shall deny these things can give any tolerable account how when and from whence this day came to be so called it is the Lord's Day as the Holy Supper is called the Lord's Supper by reason of his Institution 11. Because as I have proved the Lord hath made it therefore it is called the Lord's Day This is an Argument saith a Reverend Author * Mr. Will. Fenner on the Sab. p. 81. used by the Church of God in all Ages for twelve hundred years St. Austin used it in his time The Psalmist prophesieth of the Resurrection of Christ â—sal 118.
â—4 The Stone which the Builders refused is beeome the Head-stone of the Corner This is the Lord 's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes Our Lord saith he expounds it of his Crucifixion and Resurrection This is the Day the Lord hath made And we desire to be built upon this Corner-stone We will be glad and rejoice in this day we will keep it as a glorious day a day of Thanksgiving and rejoicing in God Again he saith it was prophesied that the first day of the Week should be the sabbath-Sabbath-day i. e. the Lord's Day Isa 11. 10. In that day there shall be a Root of Jesse which shall stand up for an Ensign to the People and to him shall the Gentiles seek and his Rest shall be glorious Not only the Father's Rest shall be glorious as when he had created the Heaven and Earth and rested on the Seventh-day but Christ's Rest shall be glorious for all Divines agree that the Prophet speaks of the Rest of Christ from the Work of Redemption As God the Father rested from his Work and his Rest was glorious for four thousand years together so Christ's Rest from his Work shall be glorious Thus Mr. Fenner Object Perhaps some will say This only refers to the Gospel Spiritual Rest which we have by Christ and not to a peculiar Day of Rest Answ The Rest spoken of here may be meant of that and from thence we have also a day of Rest allowed us And by comparing this with Heb. 4. I can't see but it clearly has respect to this Day of Rest the Lord's Day because the seventh-Seventh-day is called the Father's Day of Rest and the day of Christ's Resurrection is also Christ's Day of Rest as we have proved Object It may refer to the Great Lord's Day Rev. 20. 12. the Day of the last Judgment I saw the dead c. for a thousand years with the Lord is as one day Thus the Sabbatarians Answ 1. These men would have it to be any day rather than the very day the Holy Apostle means i. e. the first-First-day one while 't is the day of Christ's Birth or the day of his Death or some feast-Feast-day or else the day of Judgment whereas we find the Gospel-Church observed no day but the first-First-day of the Week the day of our Lord's Resurrection 2. There is a great difference between these two Phrases the Lord's Day and the Day of the Lord for such an Interpretation of the Lord's Day would render it an uncertain time and so directly cross the scope of John in setting down Mr. Ley Sund. Sab. 1. The Place where 2. The Day when 3. The Vision it self And as one observes it is void of all judgment to take it for the Day of Judgment for in the readiest construction of the words St. John spoke of a Day that was in being before he had the Vision and a Day well-known to the Churches at that time But was the Day of Judgment then come or hath it yet been There are more than a thousand years since John was on that Day in the Spirit c. This is an idle dream Mat. 24. 36. for of that day and hour knoweth no Man A Learned Writer answers four Questions on this Text Mr. Geo. Hughs of Plym Aphorisms of the Sab. p. 135. Rev. 1. 10. 1. How will you prove this to be the first-First-day of the Week 2. How will it be made good that this Name imports a Sabbath 3. How can it be declared or proved that the Lord himself imposed this Name 4. What influence had John upon him in declaring this Name He gives excellent Answers to all these Querys I shall cite but a part of them 1. No indefinite or undetermined time is meant by this day as some would have it but 't is a distinct and determined day owned by the Lord the word is plain the Lord's Day noting one single day 2. Neither can it refer to the seventh-Seventh-day 't is as irrational to say this Lord's Day is the old Sabbath as to affirm the Lord's Supper means the Passover This Lord's Day was revealed after his coming in the Flesh but the seventh-Seventh-day long before As he was revealed newly in the Gospel to be the one Lord Jesus Christ our Mediator so a new day of his was revealed also which the Church never knew before viz. his Resurrection which was notoriously known to be the Lord's Day 3. He proves it can't be attributed to the day of his Nativity 4. That this Title the Lord's Day was not imposed upon any extraordinary time by reason of the great Revelation given out to John therein 1. He was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day before he received those Revelations therefore they could not be the ground of this Appellation To pretend to Prolepsis here is a miserable shift 2. He writes to the seven Churches in Asia and informs them of the Time known to them when he had these Revelations viz. the weekly Lord's Day It is the Day which he himself made to declare himself to be the Son of God the chief Corner-stone the Foundation of the Church Secondly He answers the second Question viz. That this Title imports a new Day of Rest to be his P. 140. for four Reasons One is this The word used here denoting the Lord's Day is but once to be found in the New Testament where we read of the Lord's Supper and all grant it signifieth an Ordinance where-ever the word is used and therefore so here Thirdly That the Lord Jesus himself put his Name upon this Day 1. The giving or bestowing of God's Name on any time thing or person is reciprocal with himself therefore none but the Lord could put his Name upon this day Who hath the disposing of the Lord's Name but himself Will you say the Apostles or the Church might do it What without the Lord's Commission or Command They would not they durst not God never intrusted any of them to bestow his Glory or call his Name upon any thing but only declaratively from himself 2. All Power in Heaven and Earth was given to the Lord Christ to settle his Church and to appoint Ordinances and to change Times according to the Father's Pleasure therefore he only authoritatively could change the Sabbath and put his Name upon this Day Fourthly To the fourth Query he saith The Influence of Power which the beloved John had in naming this Day is only ministeral or instrumental the Lord Jesus giveth it and he wrote it This is the highest of their claim who are Ministers by whom Souls are brought to believe the Gospel And no more was he but a faithful Messenger to declare that to be the Lord's Day upon which the Lord himself had fixed his Name And thus enough hath been said to prove that this day called the Lord's-day was the first day of the week but to put it further out of doubt in the last place 12. The
Antient Fathers whose Credit and Authority I see no cause to doubt have positively declared that it was the first day of the week that John called the lord's-Lord's-day The first I shall mention is Ignatius Epist ad Trall Magnes who was John 's Disciple and writes thus Let every one that loves the Lord Jesus Christ keep holy the lord's-Lord's-day which was consecrated to the Lord's Resurrection Ignatius saith my Author was not only contemporary with St. John but was his Disciple or Scholar now John according to the best account we can have from Chronology Dr. Wallis Christ Sab. Part. 1. p. 48 49. wrote his Revelation in Paâ—â—os whither he was banished by Domitian in or about the year of our Lord 96 after which he wrote his Gospel and dy'd anno 98 or 99. and Ignatius dy'd a Martyr under Trajan in the year 107. How long before his Death Ignatius wrote his Epistle to the Magnesians Dr. Young cites the same Passage also of Ignatius p. 53. we are not certain nor is it material In that Epistle to the Magnesians even according to the genuine Edition published by Bishop Vsher out of an antient Manuscript not that which is suspected he doth earnestly exhort them not to Judaize but to live as Christians not any longer observing the Jewish but the Lord's-day on which Christ our Life rose again It is manifest therefore saith he that within eight or ten years after John's writing the Lord's-day did not signify the Jewish Sabbath but the first day of the week on which our Saviour rose again Why should any longer doubt in this matter besure Ignatius well knew what day it was that John called the Lord's-day who for some years conversed with that beloved Apostle and Disciple of Christ I might to this saith this Author add the Testimony of Polycarp Polycarp who was also a Disciple of John and collected and published these Epistles of Ignatius and knew what St. John meant by the Lord's-day He proceeds to Justin Martyr Justin Martyr an 129. his second Apology who saith He was not converted to the Christian Religion till about the year 129. about thirty years after St. John 's Death yet he lived so soon after that he could not be ignorant of the Christian Practice and what they understood St. John to mean by the Lord's-day and how that Day was observed On that day commonly called Sunday there is held a Congregation or general meeting together of all Inhabitants whether of City or Country and there are publickly read the Memorials or Monuments of the Apostles or Writings of the Prophets Again the day called Sunday we do all in common make the meeting-meeting-day for that the first Day is it on which God from Darkness and Matter made the World and our Saviour Christ did rise from the dead c. In which places saith he tho it be not called Dominica * The Lord's but Dies Solis †Sunday because speaking to a Heathen Emperor yet it was then solemnly observed 'T is manifest therefore that the Lord's-day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominica or Dies Dominicus was the known name of a Day so called when John wrote his Revelation that it was a day of Religious Worship contradistinguished to that of the Jewish Sabbath and so observed and so called by Ignatius within eight or ten years at most after John's writing that Book which he would not have done if he had not thought it to be so meant by his Master St. John And in what manner it was observed in their solemn Religious Assemblies Justin Martyr tells us He also adds Clemens Irenaeus Origen Tertullian c. To which I might add Pliny that liv'd under Trajan who tho a Heathen could observe how these morning Stars used to meet early on this day Warren on the Sabb. p. 195 196. and sing Hymns to Christ and not only sing his Praises but celebrate his holy Supper on the Lord's-day And 't is known to have been the common Question put to the Christians by the Pagans Dost thou observe the Lord's-day The usual Answer was I am a Christian I dare not intermit it O blessed Souls saith my Author because they were Christians they durst not intermit the Lord's-day tho they lost their dearest Lives for keeping it The learned Dr. Du-Veil cites not only Ignatius and Clemens On Act. 20. p. 150 151. but Theophilus Patriarch of Alexandria to the same purpose also Sedulius and divers other Antient Fathers as Austin Maximus Isidore and Gregorius Turonensis who speaketh thus This is the day of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ which we properly call the lord's-Lord's-day Eusebius saith We keep holy the lord's-Lord's-day Dr. White cites Ignatius his Epistle ad Magnes Ep of Ely on the Sab. p. 74. Instead of the Sabbath let every Friend of Christ keep holy the Lord Christ's Day in memory of his Resurrection Note there is a Treatise of Ignatius that is excepted against called his Epistle to the Philippians as spurious see Mr. Perkins Prep to the Dem. of the Prolem This was also approved by Dr. Twiss after compared with the Latin Translation and two Manuscripts at Oxon. the Day wherein spiritual Life received beginning and Death was vanquished This Encomium saith the Doctor which this holy Martyr Ignatius hath stampt as an honourable Character upon the lord's-Lord's-day declareth what Esteem the Primitive Church entertained of this day Moreover Theodoret has this material Passage that they did no longer keep the Sabbath but led their Lives according to the lord's-Lord's-day in which our Life arose meaning our blessed Lord. Dionysius See Mr. Warren 's Jewish Sabb. p. 22 23. Bishop of Corinth saith We have spent holy the Lord's-day or passed thro it to the end Tertullian who flourish'd about the year 200 saith On the lord's-Lord's-day we hold it lawful to feast * Or unlawful to fast because it is a day of Joy and Gladness so that in his time the Title of lord's-Lord's-day was appropriated to the first day of the week Origen saith Origen an 226. The Lord rained Manna from Heaven first upon the first-Day which is the Lord's-day Alsted and upon the Sabbath none Let the Jews understand that even our lord's-Lord's-day was preferred before the Jewish Sabbath Chron. Patr. Athanasius 's Testimony is also full Athan. an 326. The Sabbath was of great esteem among the Antients but the Lord hath changed the Sabbath into the Lord's-day not we by our authority have slighted the old Sabbath but because it did belong to the Pedagogy of the Law when Christ the great Master came it became useless as the Candle is put out when the Sun shines He affirmed also that the Sabbath and Circumcision were both of them legal Observances Moreover I might cite Austin Ambrose Hierom and many more who all testify that the Lord's-day was the first day of the week and observed as the special Day in God's
of the very day next after the Jewish Sabbath as much as one a Clock is the proper name of one hour which is next after twelve It must be great ignorance or somewhat worse thus to object I will appeal to himself * That is Mr. Bamfield whether ever he met with that Name in any other sense Object They must on that Day lay by them as God had blessed them i. e. then cast up their Accounts tell their Mony reckon their Stock compute their expences c. and not collect Mony or lay it together on that day A wise Objection saith Dr. Wallis as tho all this could not be done before so far as necessary and they on Sunday put so much into the Poors Box or give it to the Deacons c. 2. According to this childish Objection they were but bid as it were to take so much Money as they purposed to give out of one Pocket on that day and put it by it self into another But I will appeal to them whether this would have prevented any gatherings when the Apostle came to them and no doubt Paul here put them in mind of some extraordinary Occasion that they might have more Money collected and put together against he came than usually on that Day they might collect yet it is clear it was all the Churches practice by the direction of the Holy Ghost on every First-day when the Churches met together for solemn Worship to gather Money for their poor Brethren and Sisters 3. The constant day of the Churches solemn assemblings Owen on the Sabb. p. 391. being fixed saith Dr. Owen Paul here takes it for granted and directs them to the observance of a special Duty on that day Object But here is no mention made of any meeting that was or was to be at this Season or the least prescription binding the Conscience to the weekly observation of the First-day for a Sabbath by divine Appointment Answ As the Doctor saith this and other Churches were before fixed on the constant observance of the First-day of the Week for the solemn Worship of God and his directing them upon this Day to make Collections for the Poor even every First-day c. doth fully shew that it was the precise Day of Church-Assemblies and that among all the Churches 'T is enough that on this day the Churches met not to preach only and make gatherings for the Poor Act. 20. 7. but to administer the Lord's Supper and we read of none that met as a Church to do any of these things on the seventh-Seventh-day Besides it is called the Lord's Day our Lord Christ allows us all the other days to work in but this is his Day wholly to be sequestered to his Service and therefore of divine Institution Had it been said on every Seventh-day let every one lay by him c. our Opponents would have urg'd it as a great proof for their Sabbath What some except Owen p. 391 392. saith Dr. Owen that here is no mention of any Church-Assembly but only that every one on that day should lay by him what he would give which every one might do at home or where they pleased is exceeding weak and unsutable to the mind of the Apostle For to what end should they be limited to a day and that the first of the Week for doing of that which might as well and to as good purpose and advantage be performed at any other time or on any other day of the Week whatever Besides it was such a laying aside such a treasuring of it in a common Stock as that there should be no need of any Collection when the Apostle came And now if this Practice and Example of the Primitive Churches be no Rule to us or bind us not certainly nothing they did or practised as Churches can oblige us Nay if so worse will follow also for if their Example in observing the first-First-day be no warrant for us nor it is not our duty from any thing that has been said to observe the Lord's Day it will follow that we in Gospel-times are not obliged to keep any special weekly day at all seeing we are by no Precept nor Precedent obliged to keep the Jewish Sabbath So that these men from hence appear the chiefest Enemies to any Gospel-Sabbath or day of Rest and solemn Worship in the World Note also Dr. Wallis that this day was not observed or to be observed once only but as a thing in course and so presumed by the Apostle when he gave particular Directions concerning a Collection for the poor Saints to be made weekly on that day And in like manner in the Churches of Galatia with like direction to them And we have reason to believe that it was observed in all other Churches also for Paul in another case saith 1 Cor. 7. 17. as he ordained in all Churches of the Saints they all walked by one and the same Rule and observed besure one and the same day and discharged the same Duties upon that day The first-First-day of the Week therefore being that on which Christ rose from the Dead and upon which the Churches met together in one place to break Bread Acts 2. 1 2. 20. 7. and which is called the Lord's Day and on which they were injoined to make Collections for the poor Saints besure is that day which our Lord commanded them to observe while he was with them forty days giving Commandments to his Apostles about things pertaining unto the Kingdom of God and setling the Affairs of the Christian Church And no doubt the observance of the First-day was one thing he commanded because on that day they afterwards met together and were most eminently owned in so doing Acts 2. 1 2. And what signifies their Objection There is no express Command to observe this Day As if it must be expressed as one observes be it enacted My Brethren an approved practice in God's Worship frequently repeated attested by Miracles incouraged by Christ's own Example with that of the Apostles and Christian Churches and continued ever since is evidence sufficient that it is the Will of God that this Day ought to be observed and such as cannot see it must remain blind As to such as still question whether this was the first-First-day of the Week let me note one thing more Beza * One or two Learned Men mention this had an antient Manuscript where it is called the Lord's Day Let every one on the Lord's Day lay by him c. But enough was said to that before it was the first-First-day of the Week and therefore the Lord's day And if this day had not been more holy or more fit for this Work of Love than any other Shepherd on the Sab. p. 219. Paul durst not have limited them to this Day nor have honoured this Day above any other yea above the Jewish Seventh-day Moreover saith Mr. Shepherd the Apostle doth not in this place immediately
and the Courts at Westminster Saturday is called Sabbati or Dies Sabbati True as supposing by Tradition this day of our week to be what the Jews called the Sabbath in their week but do you not know also in the same Records Sunday is called Dies Dominicus the Lord's-day And if those prove Saturday to be the Jewish Sabbath why should not these as well prove Sunday to be the Lord's-day All the difference is as to that you were quick-sighted but blind as to this You may observe also that the one is Sabbati or Dies Sabbati in the Genitive case in the same form with Dies Saturni and as the other days are but the Lord's-day is Die Dominico in the Ablative meaning I suppose that Saturday is the day which had been the Jewish Sabbath but this the day which is the lord's-Lord's-day Which different Construction seems plainly to intend in our Law a different import of the words by Dies Saturni or Dies Lunae we do not mean a Day instituted by Saturn or the Moon as by Dies Dominica we do mean the Day instituted by our Lord like as by Coena Dominica we mean the Supper instituted by our Lord So that these Records do you no Service at all but Disservice I shall here before I close add a few Syllogistical Arguments for our Opponents to answer Arg. 1. If the holy Spirit doth write the whole Moral Law of God in the Hearts of all true Believers but doth not write the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath in their Hearts then the Seventh-day Sabbath is no Moral Precept but the former is true Ergo. Arg. 2. The holy Spirit doth convince all Gospel-Believers of all immoral Evils or of every simple moral Precept the holy Spirit doth not convince all Gospel-Believers it is an Evil not to observe the seventh Day as a Sabbath nor that this is a moral Precept Ergo 'T is not an immoral Evil to work upon that day c. Or thus Arg. 3. The holy Spirit guides all true Believers into all Truths that result from the holy Nature of God or that are good and therefore commanded the holy Spirit doth not guide all true Believers to observe the seventh Day as a Sabbath Ergo the Seventh-day Sabbath is no such Truth c. Arg. 4. If the New Testament be a perfect Rule of Faith and Practice and there is no Precept nor Precedent for the observance of the Seventh-day Sabbath the Seventh-day Sabbath ought not by us to be observed but the former is true Ergo 't is not our duty to observe that Day Arg. 5. If Christ and Paul after him have made known or declared the whole Counsel and Will of God or whatsoever we should believe observe and practise but have not made known or declar'd it is our duty to observe the seventh Day then 't is not our duty to observe it but the former is true Ergo. Arg. 6. If the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath as given by Moses belonged wholly or was annexed to the Judgments of the Mosaical Oeconomy and the Judgments of the Mosaical Oeconomy belong not to the Gospel-Church then the Law of the Sabbath as given by Moses belongs not to us but this is so because Death was the Penalty of the breach thereof Ergo. Object What if we grant that all the ten Commandments belonged or were annexed to the Mosaical Oeconomy are all the ten Commandments abrogated therefore or not in force to us Answ I have shewed that the whole Moral Law is given forth by Christ considered as Mediator and that we are not obliged to observe them as given by Moses and the precise seventh Day being no simple Moral Precept but merely Judaical pertaining to the Covenant of Works our Lord hath not nor could confirm that Precept in the Gospel so that it appears the Sabbath only belonged to the Mosaical Oeconomy and will you affirm that of all the Ten. One Sabbatarian * Mr. Edw. Stennett on the Sab. p. 50. saith That all the ten Commandments had the Penalty of Death annexed to them to be inflicted by the Magistrate which saith he is an evident distinction between Moral Laws and Laws Ceremonial c. Again he saith Pag. 53. See the Snare broken the Sabbath having the same Penalty that the other nine have it convincingly proves the Morality of it Answ 1. This shews that none of the ten Commandments as given by Moses are in force to Believers or oblige the Gospel-Church but only belong'd to the Jewish Policy as formally deliver'd Exod. 20. and tho the Moral Law given by Christ as Mediator doth oblige us yet the precise seventh Day being no Moral Precept but only Judaical is gone it not being given forth anew in the Gospel nor could be given with its old Sanction viz. the Penalty of Death to be inflicted on such that break it because the Gospel-Church is no Political Body or Civil State they can't inflict Death on such as transgress this or other Precepts 2. Nay nor ought such to die that profane the holy Name of God or disobey their Parents or commit Adultery c. by any Law given by Christ in the Gospel * And do not such as affirm otherwise strangely Judaize those Temporal Punishments only belonged to the Mosaical Oeconomy many in the Gospel-Church before call'd were guilty of the gross breach of divers moral Precepts yet were not to be put to death Christ came not to take away Mens Lives but to save them both from temporal and eternal Death 3. Moreover it is a grand mistake to say that the Penalty of Death distinguisheth Moral Laws from Ceremonial for he that in the days of Atonement did not afflict his Soul Levit. 23. 29. must die or be cut off and whosoever toucheth the Mount shall be surely put to death Exo. 19. 13. And he that was not circumcised must die or he cut off so for divers other Sins †Exod. 30. 33 38. Lev. 7. 20 21 25 27. 17. 4 9. that were not Moral Precepts Pray read Heb. 10. 28. Paul shews that in this respect we are not come to Mount Sinai but to Mount Sion Heb. 12. 18. and sad it is to see any so left as to endeavour to carry the People back again to that fiery Law which was so terrible as the Apostle shews ver 21. But it is no marvel they do thus when they that intimate the Law and Covenant Exod. 20. was the Covenant of Grace If I have an Answer God sparing my Life you shall see what some of their chief Writers have said as to this and some other things that may seem more distasteful to all pious Christians Arg. 7. If the first Day was observed as a day of Worship by the Apostolical Church and no other day of the week then the first Day is that day of Worship which we should observe but the first Day was so observed c. Ergo. Arg. 8. If Moses as
a Lawgiver abode no longer than till Christ put an end to his Ministration See Isa 33. 22 and Christ as Mediator is our only Lawgiver under the Gospel yet hath not commanded us to observe the Seventh-day Sabbath then 't is not our duty to observe it but Moses as a Lawgiver abode no longer c. Ergo. Arg. 9. If all Sabbaths given to the Jews without exception were shadows of things to come whereof the Body is Christ then was their weekly Sabbath a shadow but all their Sabbaths without exception were shadows c. Ergo. Arg. 10. Whatsoever Practice it be that opens a door to Judaism and genders to Bondage can be no Truth of Christ but the observation of the old Seventh-day Sabbath opens a door to Judaism c. Ergo * They plead for the Law as given in Horeb with the Statutes and Judgments Arg. 11. Whatsoever Principle and Practice reflects upon the Honour of Christ as Mediator King and Lawgiver to his Church who was more faithful than Moses can be no Truth of Christ but the Principle and Practice of the old Jewish Sabbath reflects c. Ergo. evident 't is Christ hath nowhere taught or commanded it so that if it be our duty we must go to Moses's Law for it and 't is foolish to say Christ as Mediator gave the Law of the Decalogue tho as God he gave not that only but the whole Ceremonial Law also Arg. 12. That Principle and Practice that has many evil and dangerous Consequents attending it is no Truth of God but the Principle and Practice of some who keep the seventh Day is so attended c. Ergo. To conclude Let no Christian any more doubt that the Lord's Day is that day we ought to observe to him in all Sacred Devotion and Piety Consider 1. God hath built all things upon Jesus Christ and so this Day of Rest wherefore it stands as fast as its Foundation 2. God the Father declared Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee that is from the dead and this was on the First-day of the Week 3. This was the First-day of Christ's Kingdom 4. This Day Christ rested from his Work therefore this day remains as a day of Rest to us 5. This Day our Redemption was finished and Christ received our discharge from Sin and Wrath for ever 6. On this Day the Typical Sabbath was ceased and all Shadows of the Law vanquished 7. In him whom the old Sabbath shadowed forth must we seek our Rest and a day of Rest we in him being freed from all legal Labour servile Fear and from the burden of all Sin and Misery 8. On this Day the Disciples met and Christ preached Peace to them and on this day millions of Souls have been converted 9. On this Day John saw Jesus Christ walking in the midst of the seven Churches in Asia 10. This Day was confirmed by the miraculous effusion of the Spirit 11. On this Day the Gospel-Churches met together to break Bread and to discharge all parts of Gospel-Worship 12. This is the Day when preaching the Word is in season 13. On this day Collections were made for the Poor in all the Churches of the Saints 14. This is the Lord's Day all other days he allows us to do work upon but this is wholly his own Day he lays claim to this only O give it wholly up to him 15. This Day all the Godly have observed in every Age of the Church to these present Times 16. For profaning this Day God hath inflicted many sore and fearful Judgments And thus I shall close what I shall say at present for the observation of the first-First-day of the Week as a Day of Rest and solemn Worship When the Lord's Day begins 1. Some think we ought to begin it at the time when the Jews began their Sabbath When the Lord's Day begins others from Midnight to Midnight others from Morning to Evening Take what Dr. Owen saith to this which I think is very full and clear Some Owen on the Sabb. p. 323. saith he contend that it is a natural Day consisting of 24 hours beginning with the evening of the preceding day and ending with the same of its own and accordingly so was the Church of Israel directed Levit. 23. 32. Altho that doth not seem to be a general direction for the observation of the weekly Sabbath but to regard only that particular extraordinary Sabbath which was thus instituted namely the day of Atonement on the tenth day of the seventh month vers 27. However suppose it to belong also to the weekly Sabbath it is evidently an addition to the Command particularly suted unto the Mosaical Pedagogy that the Day might comprize the Sacrifice of the proceeding Evening in the Service of it from an Obedience whereunto we are freed by the Gospel Neither can I subscribe to this Opinion and that because in the Description and Limitation of the original Seven Days it is said of each of the Six that it was constituted of an Evening and a Morning but of the Day of Rest there is no such description it is only called the Seventh-day without any assignation of the preceding Evening unto it 2. A Day of Rest according to Rules of natural Equity ought to be proportioned to a day of Work or Labour which God hath granted unto us for our own use Now this is to be reckoned from Morning to Evening Psal 104. 20 21 22 23. Thou makest darkness and it is night c. Man goeth forth to his labour until the evening The day of Labour is from the removal of darkness and the night by the light of the Sun until the return of them again which allowing for the alterations of the day in the several seasons of the year seems to be the just measure of our Day of Rest 3. Our Lord Jesus Christ who in his Resurrection gave beginning and being to this especial Day of holy Rest under the Gospel rose not until the Morning of the First-day of the Week when the beamings of the light of the Sun began to expel the darkness of the Night or when it dawned towards Day as is variously expressed by the Evangelists This with me determines this whole matter 4. Meer cessation from Labour in the Night seems to have no place in the spiritual Rest of the Gospel to be expressed on this Day nor to be by any thing distinguished from the Night of any other day in the Week 5. Supposing Christians under the Obligation of the direction given by Moses before-mentioned it may intangel them in the anxious scrupulous Intrigues which the Jews are subject unto about the beginning of the Evening it self about which their great Masters are at variance which things belong not to the Oeconomy of the Gospel Upon the whole matter I am inclinable to judg and do so that the observation of the Day is to be commensurate to the use of our natural
strength on any other day from morning to night and nothing is hereby lost that is needful to the due sanctification of it For what is by some required as a part of its Sanctification is necessary and required as a due preparation thereunto 1. From what the learned and pious Doctor saith I infer that these Sabbatarians do not only Judaize in respect of the seventh-Seventh-day it self but also as to the time when they begin their pretended Sabbath 2. And as to what he says about the beginning of the Lord's Day I see no just cause to dissent from him provided none from thence take liberty to end the Day too soon And I think it would be a reproach to any Person to begin to work before midnight of the Lord's Day or to suffer their Servants to work after twelve a Clock on the seventh-Seventh-day at night nay it might be better if they left off sooner that so they may not be hindered in God's Service on his Day for the natural Day with us begins at midnight and ends at midnight and tho 't is the Lord's Day not the Night we are to observe in his solemn Worship yet must we have time for preparation and after the Day is gone for Meditation Prayer c. And let none mistake the Doctor he hints plainly enough that by way of preparation we ought to begin sooner and then certainly to continue our meditation after the day is past till it is fit to go to our natural Rest and the contrary is a scandal and reproach to Religion and true Piety How the Lord's Day should be kept Certainly since the Lord's Day or the first-First-day of the Week is the Day of holy Rest and solemn Worship in Gospel-times it behoveth us to know and consider well how we should keep it or observe it to the Lord. 1. Evident it is that some are carried away by delusion who believe all days are alike and so every day should be kept as a Sabbath which is nothing less than the design of the Devil who if he can perswade men that there is no such thing as a Sacred Rest or any one day required by Authority from Christ will soon bring them to observe no day at all and so all Gospel-worship Religion Piety and the special Day of Worship will soon fall together 2. Nay and I am satisfied that one grand cause of the lamentable decay of true Zeal and Piety and of the grievous witherings among us in these days is that sad carelesness and looseness about a due and religious observance of the Lord's Day For when more Conscience was made of the Dutys of this Day how did Religion and strict Godliness flourish in this Nation and in the Churches of Christ and godly Families Nor will it be better till a Reformation be attained in this case 3. Yet On the Sab. P. 317. as Reverend Owen observes several Instances there are of the Miscarriages of men on the one hand and on the other Some formerly and may be now think they are obliged to keep the Lord's Day after the manner the Jews kept the old Sabbath To which I might add some are too Pharisaical in this matter There hath been saith the Doctor some excess in directions of many given about the due sanctification of the Lord's Day which indeed he calls severe directions about Dutys and manner of performance on which some others have taken occasion thereby to seek Relief and have rejected the whole Command So that it appears in this as in many other cases men are ready to run into extreams on the one hand or the other Directions Pag. 21. saith he have been given and not a few for the observation of a Day of holy Rest which either for the matter of them or the manner prescribed have no sufficient warrant or foundation in the Scripture Whereas some have made no distinction between the Sabbath as Moral * That is one day in seven as he calls it a moral positive elsewhere and as Mosaical unless it be merely in the change of the Day and so have endeavour'd to introduce the whole practice required on the latter into the Lord's Day Nay as I shall shew you they have asserted the simple morality of the fourth Commandment to consist in the observance of the precise first-First-day of the Week or the Lord's Day as the Saturday Sabbatarians do on the Seventh which is no small Error on both sides and is attended as I have proved with great Absurdities and dangerous Consequences Therefore if any ask how should we observe the Lord's Day for we are fully satisfied say they that is the Day the Lord hath made as the Day of Rest and solemn Worship under the Gospel I answer First Negatively not after that legal severe or strict manner as was the Jewish Sabbath under the Law I am perswaded some good Men in the last Century have by an over-heated Zeal stumbled many godly Christians by pressing the Lord's Day observance just after the manner of the old Jewish Sabbath as if one precise Day of Worship was a pure moral Precept But if the morality of the fourth Command consisted not in the observation of the precise seventh-Seventh-day as I have shewed besure it doth not in the observance of the first-First-day tho it be our Duty by mere positive Right to keep it wholly to the Lord. And should we press the observance of the Lord's Day with that severity and strictness the Seventh-day Sabbath was to be observed we should bring our People into equal bondage with the Jews of old But let us avoid all Extreams on either hand for as I hinted some Learned Men formerly * And there are too many of this sort also in our days opened a door to loosness and licentiousness on the one hand by not allowing the first-First-day's observance to be of Divine Institution and so allowed of Sports and carnal Delights on the Lord's Days I might mention Mr. Primrose Dr. Heylin Pocklington c. So others 't is evident have exceeded as much on the other hand but 't is best to keep in a medium betwixt both Therefore in the Negative 1. I do not believe it is unlawful to kindle a Fire on the Lord's-day because 't is not forbid in the Gospel as it was under the Law on the old Sabbath-day 2. I do not believe 't is unlawful to travel further than a Jewish Sabbath-days Journey whether to to hear a Sermon or to visit a sick Person or the like We have no bounds under the Gospel On the Sab. p. 353. saith Dr. Owen for a Sabbath-days Journy provided it be for Sabbath Ends. In brief all Pains or Labour that our Station and Condition in this World as Troubles may befal us make necessary as that without which we cannot enjoy the solemn Ends and Uses of this sacred Day of Rest are no way inconsistent with the due observation of it It may be the lot of one Man to
believe 3. They have a vehement desire to infect others or to draw many to be of their Opinion 4. A desire of Conference under pretence of taking Satisfaction but on purpose to vent their Notions more freely and get the good opinion of others and occasion of insulting 5. Commend themselves thro Pride and diminish the Credit and Honour of others and care not what pious Congregations they divide and trouble to augment their own Company 6. Make a Profession of new Light that hardly any before them ever attained and that all are in darkness but themselves 7. Pretend to Conscience and that they would imbrace the Truth when they see it yet after clear Demonstration of Truth they remain stubborn and persevere in their Errors 8. They matter not Church-dealings nor any just and righteous Censure nor regard their own most solemn Church-Engagements so that they can but please their own fancy and feed on their new Notions the more greedily And hardly can a Man receive an Error but he will prove a Seducer of others 9. They shew great Zeal and concernedness of Mind if they find any oppose their Errors as if their All lay at stake 10. And if they receive one Error they are ready to receive more 11. They commonly seem uneasy under the Word where they are Members and catch at any thing to blemish their Minister and will wander abroad to hear as their fancies lead them as if under no Government tho they grieve and afflict the Church and Members to whom they belong breaking Christ's Bands and casting his Cords from them To close 1. Take heed of erronious Books and if you doubt do not presently turn your Doubts into Practice 2. Beware of your own private Interpretation of Scripture and confer with such as have better Judgments than your selves 3. Suspect all private Opinions which differ and dissent from the general Doctrine as taught by Christ and his Apostles and owned in the two next Ages after them or that dissent from the general Doctrine and Practice of such whom you believe in this Age have obtained the clearest Light remember the way of Truth is no By-path but trodden by the Primitive Flock or Gospel-Churches 4. Besure hear what can be said against your Notion as well as what you hear for it There is one thing I should have noted touching the Error of these Sabbatarians viz. their Notion brings in an external force upon the Conscience in matters of Religion for they must force their Children and Servants not only to rest but to worship God on the seventh Day tho against their Light or they are guilty of Sabbath-breaking But I will add no more O that God would put a Rebuke on and stop all the Errors of these evil days and increase Love among his People Let us all cry for more of the Anointing or for the latter Rain and the glorious Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ that is now just at the door And Reader if thou dost receive any profit by what is here wrote give the Glory to God and let me have thy Prayers who am thy Soul's Friend and Servant in the Gospel Horsly-down Southwark this 12th of Jan. 1699-1700 Benj. Keach The Contents of this Book The First Part. SErmon I. The occasion of these Sermons with the Scope of the Text Pag. 1 to 6. The Terms opened and eight Explanatory Propositions p. 6 to 16. Serm. II. The 9th Proposition containing many things about this Controversy out of Dr. Owen on the Sab. p. 23 to 27. The General Proposition from whence the Author proceeds in his whole Work in six Particulars p. 28 29. No Law of the Sabbath written in Adam's Heart in Innocency shewed in six Particulars p. 29 to 35. No positive Command given to Adam to keep the 7th day as a Sabbath proved by 12 Arguments p. 37 to 56. Serm. III. The Patriarchs kept not the 7th day proved in 12 Arguments p. 58 to 74. Serm. IV. The Sabbath begun in the Wilderness of Sin Exod 16. p. 75 76. What a Moral Precept is shew'd from the Learned p. 88 89. The simple Morality of the 4th Command consists not in the observance of the precise 7th Day proved by 4 Arguments p. 86 to 91. Serm. V. Eight Arguments more to prove the same p. 93 to 124. The 7th Day a sign of the Covenant of Works p. 〈◊〉 104. What a Shadow of p. 107. Serm. 6. The Law of the Decalogue was only given to Israel and Proselites p. 125 to 133. Objections answered from Rom. 3. 19. Gal. 4. 5. and James p. 133 to 135. The Moral Law in the hand of Christ as Mediator p. 136 to 147. No Precept nor Precedent to keep the 7th day in the New Testament p. 147 to 152. Serm. VII Ten Arguments against the 7th Day p. 155 to 158. The Law of the 7th Day Sabbath not written in the Hearts of Gospel-Believers p. 156 157. Twelve dangerous Consequents attending the Opinion of these Sabbatarians p. 161 to 172. The second Part. SErmon I. The Scope of the Text opened p. 175 176. The first Day of Divine Appointment Man has no power to appoint a weekly Day of Worship p. 178 179. The Equity of one Day in seven p. 180. How to distinguish Moral Precepts from Ceremonial p. 181 182. Pentecost proved the first Day of the Week A long citation of Mr. Warren who cites Dr. Ulher's Letter to Dr. Twiss from p. 186 to 198. Serm. II. The Foundation of the first Day partly containing Citations of Dr. Owen on Heb. 4. from p. 200 to 221. This is the Day the Lord hath made p. 210 to 214. First day confirmed by the Examples of the Gospel-Saints and Churches p. 214 to 223. Serm. III. First day proved from Acts 20. 7. p. 224. Also from Rev. 1. 10. The Lord's Day proved to be the first Day of the Week p. 224 to 248. Serm. 4. Proving there is one Day of the Week for preaching the Word in season and that 't is the first Day p. 248 249. The first Day proved from 1 Cor. 16. 12. p. 250. to 264. When the first Day begins and how it ought to be kept from p. 266 to the end Faults escaped the Press which before you read pray correct with your Pen. PAge 23. in the Contents line 6. for no read any P. 93. l. 5. for six r. eight P. 104. l. 11. for God's Covenant r. is called the Covenant P. 132. last line save one r. not without Law to God P. 140. l. 26. for breaking r. breakers P. 142. last line for by r. is P. 143. l. 3. blot out Law P. 147. l. 33. r. Sabbath was made blot out not P. 180. l. 27. for he r. our P. 205. Title for Heb. 4. 11. r. Heb. 4. 9. and so P. 207. P. 219. l. 16. f. had they met r. meeting together P. 249. l. 25. for approved it r. and he approved of it P. 263. l. 26. for when they that
still and had its Patrons and Abettors Ebion and Cerinthus two of the wretchedest Hereticks of the Primitive Times And after them Apollinarius is said to countenance and defend it which doubtless made the Antient Fathers declare themselves fully in it as a dangerous Point it seemed to confirm the Jews in their Incredulity and might occasion others to make question of our Saviour's coming in the Flesh Hence Irenaeus Justin Martyr Tertullian and Eusebius Men of Note in the Primitive Times affirm that never any of the Patriarchs before Moses's Law observed the Sabbath which question less they must have done had that Law been moral and dictated by the Light of Nature He cites also Epiphanius and Theodoret on Ezech. 20. Procopius on Gen. 2. Damascen and our venerable Bede concurring with the former Fathers All talk saith he that the Observation of the Jewish Sabbath vanished utterly c I might mention other Authors to the same purpose But to proceed my Brethren because one of my Arguments against the precise Seventh-day Sabbath will be to prove it a Sign or Shadow of that Rest Believers enter into when they first close with Christ I shall say no more now by way of Explanation of my Text but proceed to those Points of Doctrine that arise herefrom Doct. 1. That it is not the Duty of believing Gentiles under the Dispensation of the Gospel The Doctrines raised to keep the Seventh Day as a Sabbath to the Lord. Doct. 2. That it is a dangerous thing for any to plead for and keep the seventh day so i◠to lay the same stress on the observation thereof as on a purely natural or simply mora◠Precept These two Propositions I purpose God assisting to prosecute and confirm in this method First I shall lay down several Explanatory Propositions Secondly Give many Arguments to prove th◠truth of the first Proposition Thirdly I shall taking in the second Proposition endeavour to prove that the observing the seventh day Sabbath so as to lay the same stre◠on it as on a natural and simply moral Precept ◠a dangerous thing Fourthly I shall prove that all Believers 〈◊〉 oblig'd to observe the first day of the week free from secular business in religious Worship as the time in season only under the Gospel-dispensation Fifthly I shall endeavour to answer all the main Objections brought by our Opponents against the Observation of the first day of the week To begin First Proposition premised Let it be considered that the Apostles perceiving the weakness of the Jews who believ'd in Christ to take them off gradually from Jewish Observation of days and other legal Rites and Ordinances did admit of the Practice of some of them for a time till they were better instructed in the Truth as it is in Jesus the nature of the new Creation and the change of the whole Law viz. the utter abolishing of all things Ceremonial or that were Signs and Shadows of things to come and the removing the ministration of all Moral Precepts from Moses as Lawgiver into the hand of Christ as Mediator in which capacity he had all Power delegated to him in Heaven and Earth as our only Lord and Lawgiver Mat. 28. 18 19 20. Thou seest Brother how many thousands of the Jews there are which believe and they are all zealous of the Law Acts 21. 20. Hence Paul complied with them to purify himself and to shave his Head v. 24. and on the like account in compliance with their weakness he circumcised Timothy I might from hence by the way note that had we such a Passage that Paul kept one Jewish Sabbath as we have here of his circumcising Timothy I suppose our Brethren would make no small advantage of it that it is our Duty from thence to keep it but that might have been on the same account and no better ground than it would be for us to plead for Circumcision and be circumcised as Tillam Skip and Cooly were as I am informed who called themselves the Ministers of the Circumcision But to proceed Upon the same reason perhaps the Jewish Rites Days and typical or shadowy Ordinances might and were called by their former and antient names as well as for distinction sake for tho those legal Ordinances were dead yet as our Annotators observe they were not then deadly if look'd upon as indifferent things however God was pleased they being his own appointments to vouchsafe them a gradual and decent funeral Second Proposition But nevertheless after they had been better instructed into the truth of the Gospel and the change or end of the Law they were more plainly dealt with I mean he more fully and clearly informed them and shewed them the great danger if they observed those legal Rites Days and Ordinances especially when he saw they laid such stress upon them as to make them necessary to eternal Life as a Rule of Obedience Hence the Apostle says I Paul testify unto you that if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Gal. 5. 1. And why if circumcised because it was a shadow and the keeping up the shadow was a virtual denying that the Substance was come and besides they were thereby bound to keep the whole Law Such was the natural tendency of observing one Legal Rite or Precept as given by Moses it being in that Ministration a Covenant of Works and he that kept one was obliged to keep all and he that broke one was guilty of all 1. And if so why might not Paul have told them the same thing and danger if they kept the legal Sabbath which led them according to the Tenor of it and in the strictest observance to perfect Obedience which is implyed in those words Thou shalt not think thy own thoughts nor speak thy own words 2. Or provided they made it necessary in order to a holy Life in point of Obedience as a pure moral Precept even of the same nature with the first Commandment viz. Thou shalt have no other Gods but me or the second Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image c. or the third or fifth or any of the rest I speak not of what is simply moral in the fourth Commandment but of that precise seventh day I say may not their danger be as great if thus they look'd upon those Jewish Sabbaths as if circumcised because then if they kept them not it necessarily must follow it would exclude them the Kingdom of Heaven as all other immoral Acts or actual breach of pure moral Precepts would do 3. Because Paul tells them that those Sabbaths were a Shadow or Sign so far as Circumcision was as I have and shall further make appear and so hereby unwarily they would deny that Christ was come to give us Rest and we do not yet cease working for Life in order to enter into Rest which was held forth as the Tenor of that Ministration of the Moral Law by Moses and particularly in their
Sabbath Third Proposit Let it be consider'd that the substance of the whole Moral Law or ten Commandments I mean materially not formally was written in the Heart of Adam in Innocency and as written there it contained the Covenant of Works And so long as he kept that Law perfectly he stood justified and all Mankind in him and also that he had but one positive Precept given him to try his Obedience according to the Tenor of this Covenant and Law of his Creation is very evident viz. Thou shalt not eat of the Tree of Knowledg of Good and Evil Adam broke all the Commandments c. which positive Command he broke and in breaking it broke all the ten Commandments as to the matter or substance of them and consequently the fourth as to what was simply moral therein Dr. Lightfoot 's Miscel p. 282 283. Thus Dr. Lightfoot Adam saith he heard as much in the Garden as Israel did at Sinai but in fewer words and without Thunder At one clap he broke all the Ten Commandments I. He chose himself another God when he follow'd the Devil II. He idoliz'd and defil'd his own Belly making it as the Apostle phrases it his God III. He took God's Name in vain when he believ'd him not IV. He kept not the Rest and State wherein God had set him V. He dishonour'd his Father which was in Heaven and therefore his days were not prolong'd on Earth VI. He murder'd himself and all his Posterity VII From Eve he was a Virgin but in his Eyes and Mind he committed spiritual Adultery VIII He stole like Achan that which God set aside not to be meddled with c. IX He bare witness against God when he believ'd the witness of the Devil before him X. He coveted an evil Covetousness like Ammon which cost him his Life and all his Progeny Fourth Proposit That tho a time of Rest and a sufficient time to worship God be moral yet the particular precise day or time must be by Revelation i. e. by some positive Precept or Example made known to Mankind it being in God not in Man not in Nature not in Grace And God hath reserved to himself a Power to require or to alter both the time place and modes of his Worship as seems good in his sight tho the second and fourth Commandments be moral and of the same nature with the rest Moreover God if he please may make a positive Precept perpetual and alike obligatory as simple moral Precepts are tho they differ in respect of their own nature Fifth Proposit All natural and pure moral Precepts do as I conceive oblige all Mankind and are unchangeable in their nature as to the matter of them and differ greatly from Laws or Precepts merely positive Pure or simple moral Precepts are good good in themselves and therefore commanded but Precepts merely positive and arbitrary are commanded of God and therefore good and that Goodness that is in simple moral Precepts I do not conceive See Mr. Shepherd on the Sabbath p. 10 11 12 13 14. as Mr. Shepherd hints if I mistake him not refers to Man i. e. sutable to his good chiefly but in reference to God from the rectitude of whose holy Nature they proceed Moreover 't is acknowledg'd also that all Precepts naturally and simply moral are written in the Hearts of all Men tho much blur'd by Sin for otherwise the Gentiles had not the Law written in their Hearts but a part as to the matter of the Law Rom. 2. 14 15. Simple moral Precepts are known by the Light of Nature as to the matter â—or substance of them Precepts naturally moral may be known without Revelation or the knowledg of the Scripture What Precepts are moral tho I know some learned Men seem to differ from others here particularly Mr. Cawdrey and Mr. Palmer who affirm that some Precepts may be moral by a positive Command See Mr. Cawdrey Sabbath Rediv p. 2 3. and these others call moral-Positives which I understand not yet I deny not as I said before but that God may make a positive Command perpetually obligatory But more to this word moral when I come to speak of the fourth Commandment in Exod. 20. Now mere positive Precepts cannot be known unless God by his Word or in some supernatural way discovers them to his Creatures and such was Circumcision the precise seventh-day Sabbath the Passover and divers other things under the Law And such is the first day of the week under the Gospel as a day of Rest and of the solemn Worship of God as also Baptism the Lord's-Supper c. Sixth Proposit That the whole Moral Law is chang'd from Moses to Jesus Christ not only chang'd as a Covenant of Works but as a Rule of Life for tho the Moral Law as to the matter or substance of it perpetually remains as a Rule of Righteousness yet not as given in the hand of Moses Exod. 20. but as in the hand of Christ consider'd as Mediator who is our sole Lord and Lawgiver Mat. 28. 18 19. and that we are to receive the Law from his mouth who is our antitypical High-Priest And behold a Voice from the Cloud which said This is my beloved Son hear him hear him exclusively of Moses The Disciples would have had three Tabernacles one for Moses one for Elias and another for Christ i. e. they would have Moses to teach them or be under his Ministration but in this Transfiguration wherein was a clear Representation of the Gospel Church-state signified by the Kingdom of God in a Figure they saw there was none to be heard as a Law-giver but Christ alone And when they lifted up their Eyes they saw no Man save Jesus only ver 8. Certainly their Eyes are not open'd throughly who go to Mount Sinai to know what their Duty is in respect of any part of Gospel-Worship or day of Worship Compare this place of Scripture with Acts 3. 22 23. For Moses truly said to the Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you of your Brethren like unto me him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you So Heb. 1. 1 2 3. And again it is said Joh. 8. 35. that the Servant abideth not in the House for ever Moses was a Servant and he had his day and he is gone but the Son abideth for ever Seventh Proposit That as old things are done away and all things become new so is the old Seventh-day Sabbath And it behoves us to call the Gospel-day of Worship or that Day appointed by Christ in the New Testament by that Name or Names given therein to it viz. the first day and the Lord's-day and day of Rest or Sabbath as Dr. Owen aptly enough calls it on Heb. 4. 11. Therefore tho the day of Rest under the Gospel is not call'd a Sabbath yet I shall blame none that so call it since Sabbath signifies Rest
and this is our only Sabbath or resting day under this new and last Dispensation but the great Antitype of the Seventh-day Sabbath being come we do not find that Name directly given to our day of Rest in Gospel times Eighth Proposit That the Moral Law or Law of the ten Commandments as given Exod. 20. contain'd directly an Administration of the Covenant of Works and was not given to Israel as God's People as in a special and peculiar relation to himself according to the new Covenant or Covenant of Grace but as his People in that legal external typical Covenant made with the whole House of Israel Let it be consider'd also that that Law and Covenant was not made with nor given to any other People but the People and House of Israel only so that as it had but its time consider'd as a Law given by Moses or as in his hands it did cease as so consider'd and could not oblige any to observe it as there formerly deliver'd while it was in force but such only as were under it tho I deny not but affirm the whole World were under the Covenant of Works in the first Adam and oblig'd by the Law of God written in their Hearts to discharge all Duties that are naturally and simply moral c. Moreover I shall enquire whether the Morality of the fourth Commandment doth lie in the Observation of the precise seventh day or not And now Brethren by these Propositions all may perceive upon what foot of account or mediums I purpose to go or take in handling this great and long controverted Subject But there is one Proposition more which I thought to have mention'd now but must refer to the next time SERMON II. The ninth Proposition by way of Premise The method propos'd One general Proposition laid down Why the Law was added on Mount Sinai No Seventh-day Sabbath written in Adam's Heart in Innocency Nor no positive Law given to him to observe it Gal. iv 10 11. Ye observe days and months and times and years I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain MY Brethren the first thing I promised was to lay down several explanatory Propositions to make my way the more easy to what I have to say and I past thro eight I shall add but one more Ninth Proposit 9th Proposit by way of premise There are several things to be consider'd in respect of this Controversy which being noted by Dr. Owen I shall recite them Those about the thing it self saith he are various Dr. Owen 's Exercit. p. 7 8 9. and respect all the concerns of the day enquir'd after Nothing that relates to it no part of its respect to the Worship of God is admitted by all uncontended about for it is debated amongst all Persons 1. Whether any part of time be naturally and morally to be separated and set apart to the solemn Worship of God or which is the same whether it be a natural and moral Duty to separate any part of time in any Revolution of it to Divine Service I mean so as it should be stated and fixed in any periodical Revolution otherwise to say that God is solemnly to be worshipped and yet that no time is requir'd thereto is an open Contradiction 2. Whether such a time suppos'd be absolutely and originally moral or made so by positive Command suted unto general Principles and Intimations of Nature and under this Consideration also a part of time is call'd moral metonymically from the duty of its observance 3. Whether on a supposition of some part of time so design'd the space or quantity of it have its Determination or Limitation morally or be merely positive and arbitrary For the Observation of some part of time may be moral and the quanta pars arbitrary 4. Whether every Law positive of the Old Testament were absolutely ceremonial or whether there may not be a Law moral positive as given to and obligatory on all Mankind tho not absolutely written in the Heart of Man by Nature that is whether there be no Morality in any Law but what is a part of the Law of Creation 5. Whether the Institution of the Seventh-day Sabbath was from the beginning of the World and before the Fall of Man or whether it was first appointed when the Israelites came into the Wilderness This in it self is only a matter of Fact yet such as whereon the determination of a point of right as to the universal Obligation to the Observation of such a Day doth much depend * So that according to the Doctor if it was not instituted in Paradise tho given forth in the Wilderness it can't be universally obligatory on all Mankind and therefore hath the investigation and true staâ—â—ng of it been much laâ—our'd in and after by learned Men. 6. Upon a supposition of the Institution of the Sabbath from the beginning whether the Additions made and Observances annexed unto it at the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai with the Ends whereunto it was then design'd and the Uses whereunto it was employ'd gave unto the seventh day a new state distinct from what it had before altho naturally the same day was continued as before For if they did so that new state of the day seems only to be taken away under the New Testament if not the day it self seems to be abolish'd †The Doctor still as it seems to me builds chiefly on its Institution in Paradise where we can find no Institution referring to innocent Adam for that some change is made therein from what was fixed under the Judaical Oeconomy cannot modestly be deny'd 7. Whether in the fourth Commandment there be a foundation of a distinction between a seventh day in general or one day in seven and that seventh day which was the same numerically and precisely from the foundation of the World For whereas an Obligation unto the strict Observation of that day precisely is as we shall prove plainly taken away in the Gospel if the distinction intimated be not allowed there can be nothing remaining obligatory unto us in that Command whilst it is supposed that that day the Doctor means the seventh day is at all requir'd of us from thence ‖ So that the Morality of the fourth Commandment lies not in the precise seventh day 8. It is especially enquir'd whether 〈◊〉 seventh day or one in seven or the Hebdâ—madal Cycle be to be observ'd holy unto thâ— Lord on the account of the fourth Commandâ—ment 9. Whether under the New Testament 〈◊〉 religious Observation of days be so taken 〈◊〉 way as that there is no Divine Obligation â—â—maining for the observance of any one daâ— at all but that as all days are alike in theâ—â—selves so are they equally free to be disposâ— of and used by us as occasion shall requirâ— For if the observation of one day in seven 〈◊〉 not founded in the Law of Nature expressâ— in the original positive
Scriptures which mention the Sabbath speak of it as of a holy Sign looking towards Christ and the state of Grace and Glory in him and not towards the state of Innocency It is most certain Adam in that state was perfect with all natural Perfections and at all times equally disposed to obey and serve God to remember his Creation and to honour his Creator he needed no observation of any day to be put in mind of any thing he had before known and which God had revealed to him his Memory was perfect his Will was every day ready to do whatever he knew to be right he needed no Sign to admonish him of his Duty or to move him to do it in due season he did not labor nor weary himself every day to him was a day of Delight and Pleasure of Rest and Recreation In a word his whole Life was a constant and obedient serving oâ— God and there was no inequality nor lesâ— Worship of God perform'd by him in onâ— day than in another for he fully served God at all times Whoever denies this must needs deny Man's Perfections and constant Conformity to God in the state of Innocency For where one day is kept better than anâ—â—ther there is an inequality and no constaâ— Uniformity in himself nor Conformity to 〈◊〉 Will of God In the second place they who hold the Sabbath was first instituted after Man's Fall and yet written in Man's Heart in Innocency and that he was then bound to keep it fall into many Absurdities as 1. That Man was bound to keep a Sabbath before ever it was instituted 2. That God did by his Word teach Man in vain i. e. that which he was fully taught already and had written in his heart 3. That God gave Man a Law in vain after his Fall because he was become unable to keep it 4. They that hold that the Law of the Sabbath was not written in man's Heart but was by a Positive Law given in the State of Innocency of the same nature with that of eating of the Tree of Knowledg make this Commandment of the Sabbath utterly void by Man's Fall even as that of eating c. is now void Thus far Mr. Walker I might add certainly there was a vast difference as to the Cause and Design of God's giving a Sabbath to Man in Innocency and when fallen Could a Sabbath sute equally with perfect and â—allen Man Or could there be the same need of a Sabbath to both Certainly if God had â—ot given that Command by Moses the keepâ—â—g that precise Day would not have been known 〈◊〉 be the Duty of any of Adam's Off-spring â—om a positive Law given to him in Innocency Ninthly To put the matter further out of â—oubt pray mind the words of this pretended â—ositive Command God rested on the Seventhâ—â—y what then but he also blessed and sancâ—â—fied it what tho Because God sanctified 〈◊〉 Priest may others do so too He might 〈◊〉 the Seventh-day apart for his People in afterâ—â—es Because God sanctified it must Adam â—nctify it or keep it holy without a Comâ—â—and Is it said therefore Thou Adam shalt â—eep this Day as a Sabbath No doubt Moses â—ould not only have mention'd God's blessing â—nd sanctifying that Day had it been given to Adam as a Sabbath but God's express Command would have been mention'd by him and would also have called it the Sabbath-day I might now come to the last Argument viz. If it had been commanded Adam and all his Posterity to keep the Seventh-day after he fell â—he Patriarchs that lived before Moses kept it But more of this next time Tenthly If Adam had the Sabbath positively given to him in Innocency besure it was injoined with some Penalty as the Command of not eating of the Tree of Knowledg was We also find the Penalty of the breach of the Seventh-day Sabbath was Death but as we read of no Positive Command given to him to keep that Day so of no threatning if he broke or violated it therefore certainly it was never enjoyn'd upon him Elevehthly When the Sabbath was institured for the House of Jacob God declared it was a Sign between him and them or a Shadow of things to come Col. 2. 16 17. it referred to Christ or to that Rest all Believers do enter into Exod. 31. 13 14. Speak thou unto the Children of Israel saying Verily my Sabbaths it is a Sign between me and you throughout your Generations Ezek. 20. 21. that ye may know that I am the Lord that sanctify you Exod. 31. 13. Ye shall keep my Sabbath therefore it is holy unto you every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death For every one that doth any work on the Sabbath-day shall be cut off from amongst his People vers 14. It was a sign God set apart that People with a Ceremonial Sanctification to signify that alone by Jesus Christ all the true spiritual Israel should have Gospel-Sanctification as well as it was a sign of the Covenant of Works but it could be no sign of this Sanctification to Adam in Innocency nor of any other Gospel-blessing therefore doubtless the Sabbath was not given to Adam in Innocency Twelfthly What reason can be given that God should allow Adam in Innocency six days to labour in and require but one i. e. the seventh as a day to his Creator No it is evident from hence the Sabbath refer'd to fallen Man who God foresaw would need six days to do all his Labour and it shews God's great Mercy to Man and Beast in that woful condition of Servitude It might not be our Duty to keep the Sabbath tho given to Adam in Innocency under the Curse I might add should it be granted that God gave Adam a positive Command to keep the seventh day in Innocency how can our Opponents thence prove it the Duty of all to keep the said day A Command to him in Innocency may not oblige any Man in his fallen state except the same be renewed I find two of the chiefest Writers I have met with who are approved Orthodox plead not for the Sabbath as given to Adam in Innocency See Sabbatum Redi Part 3. p. 336. viz. Mr. Dan. â—awdrey and Mr. Herbert Palmer Take their words We purpose not to maintain that the Sabbath was given to Adam in Innocency before the Fall but they hint it might be given to him after the Fall and that he fell the same day he was created P. 337. Moreover they say If it was given before his Fall it doth not follow it should oblige at this day for the positive Precept of not eating of the Tree of Knowledg was given in Innocency and yet doth not universally oblige Adam's Posterity nor should if the Tree were at this day known A positive Precept binds only during the pleasure of the Lawgiver c. so say I the same must be granted when it was given Exod. 16. 20.
they should perform except it had by some positive Law or Precept been discover'd to them of which we read not When God gave to Israel a Sabbath he told them how they should keep it as well as the Reasons End and Causes wherefore Tenthly I might also add here what some learned Men seem to affirm i. e. that 't is doubtful whether the Patriarchs had the distinction of Days into Weeks but rather reckon'd by Months and Years so that the precise seventh day from the Creation cannot be certainly known and 't is thought that the Jews observ'd their seventh day from the falling of Manna six days The Jews reckon'd their Seventh-day Sabbath from the falling of Manna but none on the seventh No doubt but it is impossible for any to know that that was the precise seventh day from the Creation But it may not be amiss to answer our Opponents as to what they say about the Scripture not mentioning any Sabbath from Adam to Moses or any Precept or Remembrance of it and yet things of less moment are punctually recited 1. This they say that we read not of Circumcision perform'd during all the time of Israel's being in Egypt which was near four hundred years till Zippora circumcised her Son 2. Also say they we read not of the Sabbath in the Books of Joshua and Judges c. Answ This is no parallel case for after the positive Command given to Israel to keep it there needed no such constant relation of it for no doubt but after that time it was continually observ'd Let me close this with what I find recited by many learned Men concerning the Judgment of divers of the antient Fathers about the Patriarchs observing the Sabbath The Judgment of the anâ—ient Fathers Justin Martyr saith Just Mart. 〈◊〉 cum 〈…〉 that Melchisedec who it is supposed was Shem the Son of Noah was neither circumcised nor kept the Sabbath Irenaeus saith Iren. l. 4. c. 30. Abraham believed and it was imputed to him for Righteousness before he was circumcised and without observing of the Sabbath Tertullian saith Tert. adv Judaeos de praescr c. 2 4. Abel Enoch Noah and Melchisedec observ'd not the Sabbath And again he saith that not any of the Patriarchs kept the Sabbath neither Adam Enoch Noah nor Abraham for 2455 years And hence Tertullian saith Justin de verit l. 2. in Tryph. it is manifest therefore that that cannot be moral nor perpetual that began with Moses as Justin says and ended in Christ Eusebius saith Moses brings in Melchisedec Priest of the most High God Dem. l. 1. c. 6. neither being circumcised nor anointed with Oil as was afterwards commanded in the Law no nor so much as knowing there was a Sabbath Justin Martyr again saith Cont. Tryph. in the days of Enoch People observd not Circumcision or the Sabbath before Abraham there was no Circumcision and before Moses no keeping holy the Sabbath I might also add several of the Jewish Rabbins asserting the same thing But to proceed I infer from hence that that Text Gen. 2. doth not contain in it any present Institution of the Sabbath but signifies God's Destination or Purpose to give it as a Law to his People Israel in after times and was not given to Adam in Innocence for him to sanctify it God might sanctify that precise day to his own Rest after Adam fell with respect had to Christ in whom he took up his perfect Rest and afterwards appointed the seventh day as a sign thereof However it is one thing for God to sanctify or set apart a thing for this or that use and another thing to command that thing or immediately to put it into being Our Lord Jesus was long sanctified or set apart to be our Redeemer Joh. 10. 36. before he was sent into the World actually to redeem us Jeremiah the Prophet was sanctified or set apart to his Work and Office long before he was actually call'd to the execution thereof So that if these words Gen. 2. concerning God's blessing and sanctifying of the seventh day Mr. Sam. Grascom p. 18. are to be extended saith one to relate to any thing further than to that particular seventh day following the Creation it doth not refer to any immediate Institution of the Sabbath but is a historical Narration telling us what was done and not when it was done If therefore we can find out a certain time when the Sabbath was indeed instituted there is good reason to conclude this Text refers to that time as giving us the reason why God in the Institution of the Seventh-day Sabbath made choice of that day And to sum up what I have said take these Arguments 1. We may infer The Arguments against the Patriarchs keeping the Sabbath 〈◊〉 up that if the Patriarchs kept the seventh day they had the knowledg of it by the Light of Nature or by a positive Command but they had not the knowledg of it by the Light of Nature nor by any positive Command therefore they observ'd it not 2. If they kept it by virtue of an express Command and Institution they had no doubt some Directions about the due observation thereof and instituted Sabbath-days Worship but they had no Directions about it nor instituted Sabbath-days Worship therefore they did not observe it 3. Certainly if the Patriarchs were obliged to observe the seventh day as a Sabbath God would either have commended them or some of them for keeping it or else reprehended others for not keeping it but God neither commended any of them for the keeping it nor reprehended any others for profaning and not â—eeping it therefore none of them did observe 〈◊〉 Eleventhly Let me add one Argument more 〈◊〉 prove that the Patriarchs did not observe the seventh day as a Sabbath viz. If the Patriarchs and all Mankind from the beginning of the World were or had been obliged to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath certainly there had â—een some account given of the Penalty or Punishment due to Sabbath-breakers but we read of no Penalty or Punishment to be inflicted on Sabbath-breakers therefore we conclude they were not oblig'd to the observation thereof How can it be thought that the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath should be imposed upon them and yet God should hide the Punishment due to the breach thereof from the World for more than two thousand years Evident it is that they knew what Punishment was to be inflicted for the breach of other moral Precepts as Murder Adultery c. and if this were of like nature i. e. a pure moral Duty how came it to pass that God discover'd not the Penalty to them for violating this Precept Twelfthly My last Argument is this The Sabbath under the Old Testament had a respect to a stated and stinted instituted Worship in a National Church but the Patriarchs and all God's People from Adam to Moses were not brought into such an Ecclesiastical
Dr. Owen p. 214. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of the Sabbath or Sabbath-days which were a shadow of things to come but the Body is of Christ From hence they affirm saith he it will follow that there is nothing moral in the observation of the Sabbath seeing it was a mere Type and Shadow as were other Mosaical Institutions and also that it is absolutely abolished and taken away by Christ And if they mean no more but that precise seventh Day they were certainly right Nay Dr. Owen himself as I conceive determines the matter so as to make that precise day refer to Moses and his Oeconomy But indeed I see some learned Men have wrote very darkly because they strive to preserve a Sabbath in the Gospel-day or a day of Rest and of solemn Worship and that tho not simply yet positively moral from the fourth Command and if by moral positive they mean one day in seven which God from his Soveraign Pleasure will have perpetually observed as a day of Rest and solemn Worship I am of their mind Quest But since the Jewish seventh Day was a Sign and a Shadow what was it a Sign and Shadow of Answ Before I give a direct Answer to this let me premise one thing which in a special manner we ought to regard viz. that the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath was bottom'd upon the Covenant of Works in that Ministration of it given to the whole House of Israel as suting with their Ecclesiastical Political and Typical Church-state And this Dr. Owen has fully proved Dr. Owen on the Sab. p. 221. speaking of that Covenant Now saith he this is not absolutely and merely a Law but as it contain'd a Covenant between God and Man A Law it might have been and not a Covenant which doth not necessarily follow upon either its instructive or preceptive Power Yet it was originally given in the Counsel of God to that end and accompanied with Promises and Threatnings whence it had the nature of a Covenant By virtue of this Law as a Covenant was the observation of a Sabbath prescribed and required as a token and pledg of God's Rest in that Covenant in the performance of the Works whereon it was instituted and of Man's Interest in it Again he saith Seeing therefore that the Moral Law as a Covenant between God and Man requir'd this sacred Rest we must inquire what place as such it had in the Mosaical Oeconomy whereon the true Reason and Notion of the Sabbath doth depend for the Sabbath being originally annexed to the Covenant between God and Man * The Dr. takes it for granted which I deny that the Sabbath was given to Adam the Renovation of the Covenant doth necessarily require a special Renovation of the Sabbath and the change of the Covenant as to the nature of it in like manner doth introduce a change of the Sabbath c. 1. From hence note that Dr. Owen saith the Law given Exod. 20. was a renewal of the Covenant of Works 2. That the Seventh-day Sabbath was given as a Token or Pledg of that Covenant and Rest 3. That the Seventh-day Sabbath of Rest was not a Type of our Eternal Rest in Heaven but a Type or Shadow of that true Spiritual Rest we enter into under the New Covenant when we believe in Christ and so this Rest is the Antitype of the Jewish Seventh-day Sabbath My Brethren this is that Rest of God which he referr'd to and in which he takes up his delight and complacence Moreover God shewed his People Israel by their Sabbath how impossible it was for them by the Covenant of Works to enter into this Rest where they should utterly cease from sin it was a sign between God and them that they should perform the whole Obedience due under the Covenant of Works signified by that Obligation that in six days they should labour and do all they had to do and then rest denoting that the whole Law must be kept or no rest the man that doth them shall live by them or have Life Rest and Peace on that Condition This I say did signify Man's working for Life before he could enter into Rest for if they could do all they had to do or God required of them or answer all the Demands of the Law then they should have Rest Peace and Justification thereby Here you have the Six-days Labour and the Seventh-day's Sabbath it being an Epitome of the Covenant of Works For their Sabbath as Calvin shews in the tenor of it put them upon the highest Acts of Obedience even to live and sin not or cease from all Iniquity in Words Thoughts and Actions Now if this did not tend to Bondage and so was a Law against them and contrary to them nothing could but now in Christ who hath kept the Law perfectly for us or has done all we were to do and suffer we come to have true spiritual Rest and Peace And Our Lord no doubt alludes to this Ma◠11. 28 29. Come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Brethren mind those two words labour and heavy laden On the Jewish Sabbath no servile labour was to be done nor any burdens to be born signifying that Believers in Christ cease from labouring for Life and must not bear any burden of Sin either in respect of the guilt or fear of the punishment Christ having done all and born the burden of all our sins in his own Body on the Tree so that we must cast our Burden on the Lord and he will sustain us And so we begin our Sabbath after all our Works are done and Burdens born by our dear Lord and blessed Surety on the first Day of the Week as he has directed us and from hence we work not for Life and Rest but from Life Rest and Peace Therefore to answer that Question what was the Jewish Sabbath a sign of you have in part heard but shall yet more fully hear 1. I affirm that it was a Sign of the Covenant of Works in that Ministration given to Israel written and engraven in Tables of Stone How often is that Sabbath called a Sign between God and them Exod. 31. 13. Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep it is a Sign between me and you throughout your Generations Again vers 17. 'T is a Sign between me and the Children of Israel Ezek. 20. 12. Moreover also I gave them my Sabbath to be a Sign between me and them that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifieth them But still it is enquired what was it a Sign of Some say that Israel were in bondage in Egypt others that God created the World in six days Answ I answer but remotely if at all it was a Sign of either of them for they are laid down as the Reasons why God gave Israel their Sabbath and not as a Sign of those things But let it now be well considered that God
a precise or particular Day 2. Nor in any thing that intervenes between 3. Nor in any thing that expresses the Revolution of Time wherein the day of holy Rest is to be observed Six days shalt thou labor Thus I understand this Limitation or Rule for Direction 1. Six days shalt thou labor unless God otherwise appoint and he did appoint in the old Administration other days to be kept holy which tho not always yet some times fell out on some or other of the six working days c. 2. Further Six days shalt thou labor no excluding the solemn Worship of God out of those six days for it would be no Sin to hear a Sermon or set some hour apart for Prayer any of these six days as it is for a Man to work upon that day of seven which God sets apart for himself 3. And yet further which is most of all to be taken notice of six days c. rest one not injoyning the last of seven which was instituted before but only six parts of the time shall be for your selves the seventh shall be mine So Gen. 47. 14. you shall have four parts saith Joseph the fifth shall be Pharaoh's let all be divided into five parts four shall be for your selves the fifth shall be for the King not telling them which fifth but only one of five Thus Lev. 23. 27. let all be divided into ten you shall have nine the tenth shall be the Lord's not appointing them which tenth but only one of ten So here I find not one word for the last of seven Moreover I perceive nothing at all in God's Example for it nothing there but one day in seven but when the last day of seven is required of Israel that refers to the Covenant of Works their labouring first doing all they had to do and so to rest which was a sign as I have proved of the Covenant of Works and a Pledg of their Obligation in their Restipulation with God according to the Tenour of that conditional Covenant hence their Sabbath was called a perpetual Covenant Exod. 31. and with that Covenant it is gone for ever Yet one day in seven as a day of Rest and solemn Worship is still to be the Lord 's by virtue of the fourth Command and tho God's Example of resting is mentioned yet it must be acknowledg'd to relate to some special end and purpose which may not only refer to Man's good but to God's ceasing from the Work of Creation for ever which being the first and greatest Work then done the day of his finishing his Work was to be observ'd upon that reason But when Christ God-man came and also had finished the Work of Redemption and ceased from his Work as God did from his there is the same moral reason why the Day in which he rested from redeeming i.e. the first day of seven should be our day of Rest because this is a far greater Work than that of Creation as shall be made plain and clear hereafter For we in Gospel-days as foretold shall not remember the old Heavens and the old Earth any more the new carrying away the Glory of that i.e. remember them no more by the observation of that old seventh day To this purpose Mr. B. of Dorchester Now I say God's Example under the Covenant of Works in working six days and then resting is no ways obligatory on us tho it was on Israel under the same old Covenant But we must ground and bottom our Observation of one Day in seven upon Christ's ceasing and resting from his Works and his Institution of a new Day upon the tenor or nature of the Covenant of Grace to rest first and then work six days not for Rest or to rest c. but from that Rest Christ enter'd into on the first day of the week when our Rest and Justification was compleated which we enter actually into when we first believe Now the reason saith Mr. B. to Mr. Banfield why herein I dissent from you Mr. B. of Dorchest p. 40. 't is this God blessed the seventh Day and sanctified it but not as it was the last day of the seven but as it was the day of his Rest declaring thereby Creation-work to be perfected Neither was his resting so far as I can see the ground of his blessing and sanctifying it but as consider'd in conjunction with the reason of his Rest i.e. his finishing his Creation and also with the Result and Consequence of his Rest viz. his magnifying and honouring that day for the time being above all other days for the greatest work in being For 1. God's resting cannot refer to any thing but his ceasing from creating-work because otherwise he ceaseth not working * My Father saith our Lord worketh hitherto and I work and his Example of resting as some learned Men observe is not alledged here to lay an obligation on our Conscience that that same Day we must observe for ever 2. It seems to relate to what God himself did rather than any way propounded as an Argument to prove that for which 't is urged Take a parallel case 1 Cor. 11. 23. where we have the Institution of the Lord's-Supper repeated out of the Evangelists and Christ's Example is related as to the time when which was not only in the Night but that particular Night in which he was betray'd Now this is not recorded as a binding Rule on us for our Imitation That is historically related and so may this of God's Example in the fourth Commandment There is one thing more worth noting Dr. Twiss Dr. Owen and many other learned Men cannot see how it can be said that God sanctified the seventh day Gen. 2. but that it must refer to Adam in Innocence as his duty to keep it and not that God then only by Destination Decree and Purpose set it apart for his Church and People to observe in after-times Now grant it was as I have last hinted pray do not they say as much as this comes to in respect of the Gospel-Sabbath Do not they say that in the fourth Command both in the first part and close of that Precept God only set apart or sanctified one day in seven and so conclude the original Sanctification of the first day of the week is comprehended in the fourth Commandment which I will not deny but was not this near 2000 years before he design'd his People should observe it or that it was the absolute Duty of any so to do And as there was an interval from Adam to Moses of such a state of God's People and things as render'd them not capable to observe the Seventh-day Sabbath according to the Law of it so there was an interval of such a state of the Church and things under the legal Covenant from Moses to Christ as render'd them not capable to observe the Lord's-day according to the design and purport of God therein tho that Day was by God's Destination set
chiefly because to them were committed the Oracles of God Now Stephen shews by the Oracles of God are meant the Ten words Act. 7. 33. who told the Jews Their Fathers received on Mount Sinai the lively Oracles to deliver them saith he to us i. e. us Jews Now I argue thus If the Gentiles had the same lively Oracles or Oracles of God given to them then in this the Jews had not the advantage above the Gentiles He doth not speak of the Advantage the Jews had as to the clearest Revelation of those Oracles to them above the Gentiles but of the giving of them to the Jews and not to the Gentiles 3. Again two or three times Paul expresly affirms that the Gentiles had not the Law and were without the Law For when the Gentiles which have not the Law c. Rom. 2. 14. What is more plainly expressed The Gentiles he saith had not the Law that is as given by Moses tho they had the Law written in their Hearts So elsewhere he says 1 Cor. 9. 21 22. Vnto the Jew I became a Jew that I might gain the Jews to them that are under the Law as under the Law c. to them that are without the Law as without the Law being not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ that I might gain them that are without the Law Three times he here affirms the Gentiles are without the Law Object He means the Ceremonial Law Answ True they were without that Law as well as the Decalogue Law but he cannot here refer to the Ceremonial Law because it is such a Law as the Gentiles were under to Christ or as it is in the hand of Christ which must intend the Moral Law for no Gentile Believer or Unbeliever was under the Ceremonial Law to Christ because utterly abolished but so is not the Moral Law in which sense we are without the Law to God but under the Law to or as it is in the hand of Christ 4. Take this Argument The Gentiles shall not be judged by Moses's Law That Law which the Gentiles shall not be judged by they were never under but the Gentiles shall not be judged by the Law of Moses therefore they were never under that Law For proof of the major Proposition see what Paul saith Rom. 2. 12. For as many as have sinned without Law shall be judged without Law and as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law By the first he means the Gentiles and by the latter the Jews And from hence the Apostle proceeds to evince that as the Gentiles shew'd the Works of the Law written in their Hearts they should be judged by that Law but not as that Law was formerly written by Moses in two Tables of Stone ver 15. As to the minor Proposition can any suppose that if the Gentiles had been under Moses's Law yet they should not be judged by it Sure none can Obj. If the Gentiles were not under the Law Christ came not to redeem them for he came to redeem none but such as were under the Law Gal. 4. 5. Answ The old World was under the Law and Covenant of Works and the Curse thereof in the first Adam it was his first Transgression that brought all the World under the Curse of the Law or breach of the first Covenant and not the Law as given by Moses tho that Law 't is true pronounceth that Curse afresh on those that continued not in all things contain'd therein For by one Man's Offence Death reigned by one Rom. 5. 1â— 17 18. c. By one Man Sin entered into the World and Death by Sin Therefore as by the Offence of one Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation c. Thus we were all under the Law of the first Covenant and as the Law is written in our Hearts but we were not all under that Ministration of the Law given by Moses Obj. If all the World became guilty by the breach of Moses's Law then all the World was under it but this Paul affirms Rom. 3. 19. Now we know whatsoever things the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the World may become guilty before God Answ Paul in the precedent Chapter and what goes before in this had proved that the Gentiles were under Sin and were all guilty before God for violating the Law written in their Hearts See Chap. 2. 12. and 3. 10. Well what of this the Gentiles then were cast and found guilty that way yet they were not all but part of the whole World And from hence he in this 19th Verse comes again to speak of the Jews who were under Moses's Law and saith What the Law that is Moses's Law saith it saith to them who are under it meaning the Jews and what the Consequence of this is he shews i. e. that every mouth might be stopped not the mouths of the Gentiles only but the mouths of the Jews also that so all the World that is both Jews and Gentiles might become guilty before God I hope all are and will be convinc'd that this is directly the meaning of Paul if they consider the scope and coherence of the Text. And thus I have clearly proved that the Law of the Decalogue or Moses's Law was not given to any but the Jews and proselyte Strangers and therefore from that it cannot be the Duty of believing Gentiles to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath Object But it is again objected That the Apostle James injoineth the Royal Law upon believing Gentiles and the Royal Law is the Law of the Decalogue therefore all were under the Law of the Decalogue which forbids Adultery Murder c. Answ 1. It is a hard case that Men Jam. 2. 8 10 11 12. about fulfilling the Royal Law opened to prove their fond Notions should put such an Interpretation on a Text of Scripture as is directly contrary to other plain Texts for unless they can prove we mistake those Scriptures newly mentioned which say that Moses's Law was only given to the Jews and not to the Gentiles besure they urge this to no purpose but mistake the sense of the Apostle as others do about what he says concerning Justification 2. We never deny'd but readily grant that all believing Gentiles are oblig'd to keep the whole moral Law or all simple moral Precepts as they are in the hand of our Lord that one Lawgiver of which this Apostle speaks but I have proved that the precise Seventh-day Sabbath is not a simple moral Precept nor any part of the Morality of the fourth Commandment and therefore not intended here Therefore it followeth that Man may fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture and yet not observe the Seventh-day Sabbath 3. The Apostle James clears the matter himself So speak and so do as they that shall be judged by the Law of Liberty ver 12. He
can refer in these words to no Law but that of Christ or rather Christ's Gospel or to the Law as in his hands who hath fulfilled the whole Law for us by his own perfect Obedience and hence we are delivered from the Law as in the hand of Moses because as so considered it was not a Law of Liberty but a Law of Bondage or that which gender'd to Bondage And he shews it is a Rule of Righteousness to us only as Christ is our Lawgiver whose Law is a Law of Liberty but as he that offended in one point was guilty of the breach of the whole Law there he clearly alludes to the Law as in Moses's hand and as a Covenant of Works We are not to do nor speak nor live as the Law in Moses's hands directs or as he was a Lawgiver for then we should be under perpetual Bondage and nothing is more plain than that Moses's Law as to the strict observance of its Precepts brought the Jews into Bondage 't is call'd a Yoke of Bondage Gal. 5. 1 c. But so speak and so do as they who shall be judged by the Law of Liberty that is the Gospel for not by the Law as in Moses's hand but by the Gospel we shall be judged at the last day who live only under that Ministration And from hence let such as keep the Seventh-day Sabbath take heed lest they are brought into Bondage by obliging themselves to observe the whole Law since I have prov'd it was appointed as a sign or pledg of the Covenant of Works binding them to universal and perfect Obedience who were on their Sabbath-day not to think their own Thoughts nor speak their own Words but to make the Law of God their delight so as not to sin which none ever did or could do save Jesus Christ who thus kept the Sabbath even as long as he liv'd for us on the Earth that we might enter into his Rest or into the Antiâ—â—pical Sabbath Thirdly The third Argument to prove it is not the Duty of Gentile Believers to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath from the fourth Commandment in the Decalogue is Because that Law as there written and given is taken out of the hand of Moses as a Lawgiver as well as it was a Covenant of Works and put into the hand of Christ as Mediator My Brethren The moral Law taken out of the hand of Moses as a Lawgiver and put into the hand of Christ as Mediator could our Adversaries prove that the Law on Mount Sinai was given to all the World and so to believing Gentiles which I have shewn it was not yet this would not in the least do their business for the believing Jews are now no longer under the Law no not as the moral Law was given by Moses as a Rule of Life any more than they are not under it as a Covenant of Works 1. Indeed my Work is partly done in this respect already by what I have said in opening the plain sense of the Apostle James in that place just now mentioned 2. This appears because we have but one Lawgiver Isa 33. 22. namely Jesus Christ The Lord is Judg the Lord is our Lawgiver the Lord is our King he will save us that is Jehovah our Righteousness who came to save us There is one Lawgiver Jam. 4. 12. who is able to save and to destroy Now is not this our Lord Jesus Christ Obj. He doth not say we have but one Answ But 't is imply'd Paul says there is one God and one Mediator Doth not this imply that there is but one God and but one Mediator Who are you now that will introduce another Lawgiver a Co-partner or a Co-rival with Christ to partake of part of his Honour 3. Because our Lord declares that all Power is given to him in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28. 18 19. all Power consider'd as Mediator for as he is God it was not given to him but was his own essentially But this is a Power delegated to him i. e. all Power as sole Lord and Lawgiver to his Church who only is the Head thereof therefore we must look to him for Laws and how to be governed He governed by a Substitute before but now being come himself the Substitute is utterly devested of his Power 4. The Moral Law as a Rule of Righteousness must only be in the hand of Christ because our Lord saith the Law and the Prophets were until John Luke 16. 16. that is Moses and the Prophets were as Teachers by whom God spake to the People that is at the time of their Ministration and Prophecy but now the date of their Ministration is near expir'd they have Moses and the Prophets But in the Transfiguration which was a Figure or Representation of Christ's glorious Gospel-Church or Kingdom and his Ministration Moses disappear'd with Elias who being one of the chiefest Prophets might signify all the rest and John also The Disciples would have three Tabernacles one for Moses one for Elias and one for Christ i. e. they would have been under their Ministrations as Lawgivers and Teachers and would have them to share with Christ of that Glory But lo a Voice was heard from the Cloud saying This is my beloved Son hear him and when they lifted up their Eyes they saw no man but Jesus only Moses and Elias were gone and tho the Writings of Moses and the Prophets are of great use still for Comfort and Instruction Heb. 1. 1 2. c. yet now God only speaks to us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things On him all the Father's Love and Glory doth terminate no Lord no Ruler no Lawgiver but he is to be heard he being the Truth it self and having receiv'd the whole Counsel of the Father has revealed all things that we are to believe and practise He is the great Prophet Moses spoke of whom we are to hear in all things Acts 3. 22 23. Must we 〈◊〉 to Moses to know how Christ is to govern â—s Church or take any Law from him No â—is would be to eclipse the Glory of Christ 5. Because the Servant was not to abide in the â—ouse for ever viz. as a Lawgiver that is â—s Ministration of the Law was to cease 6. Because the moral Law or the Decalogue 〈◊〉 deliver'd by Moses had several things in it â—at only pertained to the Israelites or to the â—gal Church-state of the Jews and was given â—y him as a Covenant of Works mind the Preface to that Law Exod. 20. and the Proâ—ise annexed to the fifth Commandment Hoâ—our thy Father and thy Mother that thy days â—ay be long in the Land which the Lord thy God â—veth thee These things shew that the Law â—ven by Moses was not to last but till the end 〈◊〉 that Dispensation and Church-state 7. Because we are not come to Mount Sinai Heb. 12. 18. â—ot to receive the Law as there delivered
bringing a better hope did And so much was Jesus made a Surety of a better Testament In all this it is plain that it is the whole Frame of the Mosaical Law that is changed and the New Testament set up in its stead Heb. 9. 18 19. Neither was the first Testament dedicated without Blood For when Moses had spoken every Precept to all the People according to the Law c. Here the Law before said to be changed is said to contain every Precept And Ephes 2. 15. it is the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances which Christ abolished in his Flesh which cannot be exclusive of the chief part thereof Object This is the Doctrine of the Antinomians that the Law is abrogated even the Moral Law Answ It is the Doctrin of the true Antinomians that we are under no Divine Law neither of Nature nor of Christ But it is the Doctrin of Paul and all Christians that the Jewish Mosaical Law is abolished Object But do not all Divines say that the Moral Law is of perpetual Obligation Answ Yes because it is God's Law of Nature and the Law of Christ Object But do not most say that the Decalogue written in Stone is the Moral Law and of perpetual Obligation Answ Yes for by the word Moral they mean Natural and so take Moral not in the large sense as signifying a Law de moribus as all Laws are whatsoever but in a narrower sense as signifying that which by nature is of universal and perpetual Obligation So that they mean not that it is perpetual as it is Moses's Law and written in Stone formally but as it is that which is natural And they mean that materially the Decalogue containeth the same Law which is the Law of Nature and therefore it is materially in force still But they except still certain Points and Circumstances in it as the prefatory Reason I am the Lord your God that brought you out of the Land of Egypt and especially this of the Seventh-day Sabbath Quest How far then are we bound to keep the Law Answ 1. As it is the Law of Nature 2. As it is own'd by Christ and made part of his Law And therefore no more of it bindeth directly than we can prove to be either the Law of Nature or the Law of Christ Thus Mr. B. Object But Christ saith he came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets but to fulfil them and that not one jot or tittle of the Law shall pass away till all be fulfilled Answ The whole Moral Law Christ hath fulfilled in our Nature for us and in our stead in his Life And by his Death he hath antitypically fulfilled all the Prophecies concerning himself in reference to such things and hath abolished the Ceremonial Law also for till then not a tittle of that could pass away Is a fulfilling the Law a destroying it Besides all simple moral Precepts of the Law as in Christ's hand stand firm for ever therefore he came not to destroy the Law yet is he the end of it for Righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10. 4. tho as a Rule of Life in his hands it obligeth them perpetually Moreover Ch. 5. 20. Brethren 't is said the Law enter'd Chap. 7. 9. that the Offence might abound c. and the Commandment came c. Now this entering of the Law and coming of the Commandment The use of the Law at in Christ's hand chiefly refers to the Law as it is in Christ's hand set home with Power by the Spirit upon the Conscience The bare entrance of the Law on Mount Sinai as in Moses's hand was with Thundering and Lightning but without Rain I mean without Contrition or Brokenness of heart Men may read Moses's Law and hear it preach'd every day nay write it on the Walls of their Houses and carry it in their Bosoms but yet it may have no operations on their Hearts no 't is the Ministration of the Law in Christ's hand by his Spirit that wounds the Conscience pierces and melts the hard Heart that God's Law may be written there The Ministration of the Law in Christ's hand answers the chief design of God in giving it forth and renders the Minstration of it by Moses of little or no use for as in his hand it is done away but the Law by the Spirit greatens Sin or makes Sin abound and Grace superabound Sin thus by the Law becomes exceeding sinful and it doth not only wound but slay the Soul Sin taking occasion by the Commandment Rom. 7. 11 12. deceived me and by it slew me Wherefore the Law is holy c. O blessed be God for the Law as it is in Christ's hand Thus Sin reviv'd 〈◊〉 I dy'd saith Paul I dy'd as to any hope of Justification or eternal Life by the Law The Jews who had the Law only as in Moses's hand were puff'd up or fill'd with Pride they as Paul before Conversion or the coming of the Commandment in and by the Spirit as in Christ's hand were alive so he thought himself alive in a justified state but when the Commandment came it was then quite otherwise with him So that Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it and also to make it of great use to all that receive the Spirit of Christ which Spirit is a Spirit of burning before it is a Spirit of Consolation or a Spirit of Boâ—dage before it is the Spirit of Adoption and so a Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ Gal. 3. 24. Thus we do not make void the Law through Faith but establish it God in Christ hath magnified the Law and made it honourable and that three ways 1. In sending his own Son in our Nature to keep it perfectly and to die for our breach thereof Christ was made under the Law to this very end O how doth it magnify the Law to see Godman thus conform to it and die to bear the Penalty thereof for us 2. He magnifieth the Law in putting it into the hands of his own Son as Mediator to give it forth Doth not the Dignity and Glory of the Lawgiver add to the Glory of the Law given Is not Christ a more glorious Person than Moses See Heb. 1. 8 9 10. 2. 2 3. This Man was accounted worthy of more Glory than Moses Heb. 3. 3. But alas some would have Moses partake of some part of Christ's Glory he must be their Lawgiver 3. By making of it as in Christ's hand of far greater use to Believers as I have shewed than ever it was in the hands of Moses and so to answer God's Design in it Let me only add that all Moses's Law even the Decalogue was political as one observes God's Law was for the particular political Government of the Jewish Nation as a typical Church and political Body and therefore when their Kingdom or Policy ceased the Law as Political and their figurative Sabbath could not
c. of falâ—â— Brethren that went from Jerusalem and taughâ— the believing Gentiles that unless they were circumcised and kept the Law of Moses they coulâ— not be saved or that it was needful for them 〈◊〉 to do ver 15. 1. Pray observe the matter well for noâ— we may expect to hear if ever whether 〈◊〉 be the Duty of believing Gentiles or not 〈◊〉 keep the Seventh-day Sabbath because thâ—â— was none of the least Precepts of the Law 〈◊〉 Moses and this was one thing no doubt which these false Brethren taught them to observe 2. All the great and chief Apostles meet together abont this matter and consulted what Answer to send and they had the extraordinary presence of the Holy Ghost with them â—o dictated to them what to write 3. And this was the Result Act. 15. 29. viz. For it seem'd â—â—d to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you greater Burden than these necessary things that â—abstain from Meats offer'd to Idols and from â—ood and from things strangled and from Forâ—cation from which if ye keep your selves ye â—ll do well Fare ye well Note these things were forbidden in the â—â—w and these things they commanded them â—t to do but not one word that they should â—â—ep the Sabbath given in Moses's Law this is â—ne of those things they should observe therefore it is not the Counsel or Mind of the â—oly Ghost that Gentile Believers should keep at Day 6thly Act. 20. 27. Paul says positively that he had not â—â—nned to declare to the Saints all the Counsel of â—d Ver. 20. And how he kept back nothing that was proâ—able to them but had shewed them all things c. â—ow I challenge any Man in the World to â—ew that Paul ever made known or shew'd â—em this thing viz. that it was their Duty to â—â—ep the Seventh-day Sabbath therefore I inâ—â—r this is none of the Counsel of God nor â—ofitable to Believers in Gospel-days From â—hence I argue thus i.e. Arg. 1. Paul declared all or the whole Counâ—â— of God Paul did not declare the Seventh-â—â—bbath Ergo that is none of the Counsel of â—od 2. If he did declare the Seventh-day Sabbath 〈◊〉 make it known to the Saints to be God's Counâ—â— some one Man or another can shew us the â—ace where it is written but no one Man can â—â—ew us the place where it is written that he declared or made known to the Saints that the seventh-seventh-day Sabbath was the Counsel of God Ergo it is none of the Counsel of God to 〈◊〉 Saints or Gospel-Believers 7thly The holy Spirit saith our Lord 〈◊〉 receive of mine Joh. 16. 13 14. and shew it unto you Again 〈◊〉 saith The Spirit of Truth shall guide you 〈◊〉 all Truth But the Spirit of Truth neither guides Believers into the observation of the seventh Day c. in the Word or New Testament nor by his inward Motions Influence and Operations on their Hearts therefore it 〈◊〉 none of their Duty to observe that Day 8thly If not one Gospel-Church observed 〈◊〉 Seventh-day Sabbath in meeting together as 〈◊〉 Church to discharge the Duties of 〈◊〉 Worship then it is not the Duty of Believerâ— in Gospel-days to observe it But not onâ— Gospel-Church c. observ'd the Seventh-day Sabbath c. Therefore 't is not Believers Duty in Gospel-days to observe it Let them shew us where one Gospel-Church did observe that day in meeting together as 〈◊〉 Church to discharge the Duties of Gospel Worship and I will give up the Cause So much in this respect there is in an Apostolical Precedent in my Judgment for what was the Practice of one Church as a Church was the Duty and Practice of every Church 9thly Gentile Believers ought not to observe the Seventh-day Sabbath because the Churches in the Gospel time observed in Religious Duties and Worship the first day of the week and we are not required to keep two days in every week in God's solemn Worship 10thly Because the Law of God written in the Hearts of all Believers doth not teach them to observe the Seventh-day Sabbath And this brings me to the last general Argument Sixthly No Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath written in the Hearts of God's New Covenant Children If it be not the Duty of believing Gentiles to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath from the Law written by the Spirit of the living God in the Hearts of all his New-Covenant Children it is not their Duty to keep it because by no other Law I have proved it is their Duty and now I shall prove that it is not their Duty to keep it by virtue of this Law 1. If it was their Duty by this Law to keep â—â—t the holy Spirit besure had left it written in the New Testament for whatsoever Law is written in our Hearts it is but the same in substance in respect to all simple moral Precepts with what is written in the New Testament 2. Consider that God expresly says in the new Covenant Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts Saith Paul 2 Cor. 3. 3. Written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of Stone but in the fleshly Tables of the Heart This shews we are not to go to the Tables of Stone to Mount Sinai for the Law of God now the Antitype of that is come God's Finger has wrote his Law in better Tables tho naturally our Hearts were like Stone yet his Spirit can and hath written his Law there What is God's Law but a Transcript or a gracious Impression of his holy Nature or his Divine Image stampt on our Souls Now then read this blessed Book ye New-Covenant Saints look within ye holy and renewed ones and see if you can find the knowledg of the seventh Day or that you have this Precept written in your Hearts and inward parts Were you ever by this Law led to know or reproved for not observing the Seventh-day Sabbath Let me close this with an Answer given to Tillam by Mr. Warren 1. Tillam saith Warren on the Sabb. p. 18 19. It was written in Adam's Heart and for this he quotes Rom. 2. 2. That it was written afterwards in Tables of Stone for which he cites Gal. 3. 19. 3. That it is written in the fleshly Table of renewed Hearts To which Mr. Warren answereth speaking to the latter The Experience of almost all renewed Hearts in Heaven and Earth doth contradict it for to speak in the Language of Eliphas â—ob 5. 1. Call now if there be any that will answer thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou turn either Scripture-Saints or Church-Saints ask St. Paul St. Cyprian St. Chrysostom St. Augustine and they will tell you that your antiquated Sabbath was so far from being in their Hearts that they have wrote against it with their Pens Turn over the Works of the eminent Fathers Add
be waved the day after the Sabbath this is spoken in contradistinction to the Feasts spoken of in the 2d Verse which are elsewhere called Sabbaths but here is an Emphasis laid on the word the Sabbath i. e. the Sabbath spoken of ver 3. And that it is not meant of any of those fore-mentioned Feasts appears in that there are not any particular Feasts mentioned but there is a Command to observe them and the word is in the plural number there Therefore no particular Feasts as the first day of unleavened Bread but the Seventh-day Sabbath is directly here meant For wherever there is mention of the Sabbath without a restriction to any other Feasts it is to be understood of the Seventh-day Sabbath as Exod. 16. 15. To morrow is the Rest of the holy Sabbath the Emphasis limits it to the seventh-day Sabbath and that because there is â—o other Feast particularly spoken of Secondly Tradition has handed it down to us that the day of Pentecost was the first day of the week and it is the day call'd Whit-sunday Now if Tradition has failed here it fails also as to their seventh day for how do we know this is the first day or yesterday was the seventh but by Tradition Thirdly Here I might mention many learned Writers yea all generally do affirm that Pentecost was the first day of the week Thus Dr. Heylin Hist of the Sab. par 2. p. 13. who was no friend to the Lord's-day or Christian Sabbath saith that Pentecost was the first day of the week Mr. Durham saith the same On the ten Command p. 263. Mr. Cawdrey and Mr. Palmer say that Pentecost was the first day of the week and answer the Arguments brought against it Sab. Rediv. p. 491. Dr. Wallis says Christ Sab. p. 37 38. Pentecost was the first day of the week and proves it from Levit. 23. 15. The morrow after the Sabbath the Priest was to wave the Sheaf-Offering And then he proceeds ver 15 16. To the Feast of Pentecost or Feast of Weeks ye shall count unto you from the morrow of the Sabbath from the day you brought the Sheaf of the Wave-offering seven Sabbaths shall be compleat even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days inclusively taken as the manner of the Scripture reckoning is and must needs be so here It was called the Feast of Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks as Deut. 16. 9 10. which Feast was the morrow after the Sabbath i. e. on the first day of the week Dr. Owen saith Owen on the Sabb. p. 289. Pentecost was the first day of the week When the Lord Christ intended conspicuously to build his Church upon his Work and Rest by sending the Holy Ghost with his miraculous Gifts upon the Apostles he did it on this day which was then among the Jews the Feast of Pentecost or of Week Then were the Disciples gathered together with one accord in observance of the day signalized to them by his Resurrection Acts 2. 1. And by this doth their Obedience receive a blessed Confirmation as well as their Persons a glorious Endowment with Abilities for the Work they were immediately to apply themselves to And hereon did they set out to the whole work of building the Church on that Foundation and promoting the Worship of it which on that day was especially to be celebrated Thus Dr. Owen Mr. Rich. Baxter likewise proves that Pentecost was the first day of the week Baxt. on the Sabb. p. 168. when the Holy Ghost came upon the Apostles and saith he it is not a trifle that the first Sermon to the People was preach'd by Peter on that day and three thousand converted by it and baptized Dr. Vsher also fully clears that Pentecost was the first day of the week always as you shall near by and by who hath finally resolved this Doubt 4 I have another Medium by which to prove it was on the first day of the week that â—he Sheaf-Offering was to be waved before the Lord which is this No doubt but God did hereby signify that our Lord Christ should on that day rise from the dead 1 Cor. 15. who is said to be â—he first-fruits of them that slept The Wave-Offering was I say a shadow of Christ's Reâ—urrection The Wave-Offering was a Sheaf of the first ripe Fruits of Harvest and was to be offered the morrow after the Sabbath So Christ â—s the first-fruits of that great Harvest of the Saints blessed Resurrection and he rose again â—n the morrow after the Sabbath and so answered the Type Here we have the Gospel Sabbath or gospel-Gospel-day of Worship confirm'd by our Lord Jesus Christ As for those who assign the Institution of his day to the Apostles It is not as Reverend Owen observes Owen p. 293. to be imagin'd that they knowing â—he day observed under the Law of Moses was â—emoved would fix on another day without immediate direction from the Lord Christ For indeed they delivered saith he nothing to be constantly observed in the Worship of God but what they had his Authority for 1 Cor. 11. 23. But to return back because the Sabbatâ—â—iâ—â—s deny that Pentecost was the first day of the week I shall here endeavour further to confute them and finally to resolve this Doubt recite some Pages out of a Reverend Author Mr. Warren the substance oâ— which I perceive he took out of a printed Letter wrote by the famous Vsher to Dr. Twiss who hath I think put an end to this Controversy That Pentecost is the first day of the week is generally taken by Christian Writers Proofs that Pentecost was the first day of the week and so it may be evidently proved by the Scripture Let plain Scripture determine the matter I look into the Statute Laws of Moses concerning 〈◊〉 Feast of Pentecost Exod. 34. 21 22. Six days shalt thou 〈◊〉 but the seventh thou shalt rest both in earing-time and in Harvest And thou shalt observe the Feast of Weeks of the first-fruits of Wheat-Harvest Lev. 23. 10 11 12 15. When ye are come 〈◊〉 the Land which I give unto you and ye shalâ— reap the Harvest thereof then ye shall bring 〈◊〉 Sheaf of the first-fruits of your Harvest to 〈◊〉 Priest and he shall wave it together with 〈◊〉 offering of a Lamb without blemish on the 〈◊〉 row after the Sabbath he shall wave it And ye shall count unto you from the morrâ—â— after the Sabbath from the day that ye bringâ—â—â— the Sheaf seven Sabbaths shall be complâ—â— even to the morrow after the seventh Sabbath ye shall number fifty days So Numb 28. 26. Deut. 16. 7. Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee begin to number thâ—â— seven weeks from such time as thou beginâ—◠〈◊〉 put the Sickle to the Corn. From the Harmony of which four Teâ—â—◠〈◊〉 appears that this Feast had three 〈…〉 Names which were all made good at that solemn
Mistake lie at their door for certainly a mistake it is and that the morrow after the Sabbath could not be the Passover is clear because 2. It must be such a Morrow after the Sabbath as never falls upon the weekly Sabbath the reason is plain because it is the beginning of Harvest when they put in their Sickle to the Corn or their Harvest Levit. 23. 10. Which the are expresly forbidden to do upon their weekly Sabbath Exod. 34. 21 22. Six days thou shalt labour but on the seventh thou shalt rest both in earing Time and Harvest And see how this is coupled with the Feast of first Fruits in the very same place Thou shalt observe the Feast of Weeks c. 3. Observe it if the morrow after the Sabbath Levit. 23. had been the Morrow after the Passover this would often have fallen on the weekly Sabbath for the Passover being fixed upon the 15th of Nisan whenever this 15th of Nisan fell upon the Friday the morrow after it must be Saturday and so they must begin to reap their Harvest on the weekly Sabbath against the express Command of God The Hebrew Doctors foresaw this Inconvenience and had no other way to salve it but by affirming that this reaping did drive away the Sabbath and that it was lawful on the Sabbath-day A most impious Opinion for it crosses the very Letter of God's Law in â—aring-time and harvest thou shalt rest 4. The morrow after the Sabbath at the beginning of their Account must be such a Morrow as concludes it Levit. 23. 15 16. therefore it could not be the morrow after the Passover-Sabbath or any Festival for there was no such Sabbath at the end of any Account whatsoever 5. The Passover-Sabbath was fixed to a certain day of the Month namely the 15th of the first Month Numb 28. 17. and thus all their other Festivals had their fixed days But this Feast of Pentecost is no where affixed in all the Books of Moses to any certain day of the Month Nor indeed could it be unless God should make a Ceremonial Law to cross the Law of Nature or rather limit the course of Divine Providence to ripen their Corn just against such a day of the Month which as Dr. Vsher observes is a very great presumption that the Feast of Pentecost was a moveable Feast but immoveable as to the day of the Week so varying that it might always fall upon the day immediately following the ordinary Sabbath 6. The Antitype is the best Key to unlock the Type And this is clear in the New Testament for that Christ was our first Fruits in reference to his Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 20. St. Paul assures us and that he rose from the dead on the morrow after the weekly Sabbath all the four Evangelists do inform us And Tho. Tillam has granted that these things must be punctually fulfilled by Christ as well in the Time * Truth or Antitype as in the Type From his own Grant therefore I conclude that the Day of first Fruits was the first day of the Week and therefore was the Day of Pentecost to the everlasting honour of that Lord's Day and the Glory of God the Holy Ghost who sanctified it by his Presence and Power sending down a new supply of Tongues from Heaven as if all the Tongues upon Earth were not sufficient to sound forth the Praises of this Redeemer and spread the Gospel all over the World on the first day of the Week as an earnest whereof there was a glorious beginning made on this Day The Gospel was now published to some of all Nations there being a great concourse even of every Nation under Heaven met at Jerusalem Acts 2. 5. and at this Meeting three thousand Souls were converted and baptized ver 41. A double Baptism was indeed dispensed this Day the Apostles were now baptized with Fire and three thousand Converts with Water which was such a Solemnity as the Church of God never saw the like to that day nor since Our Adversary Tillam Confesses Pag. 81. that this was the most glorious Sabbath that ever the Church enjoyed only he perswaded himself and others it was the Saturday-Sabbath but herein he befools himself and deceives others 5. 'T is strange indeed any should once suppose the Feast of Pentecost could ever fall on the Seventh-day Sabbath because as the Wave-Offering was to be offered the morrow after the Sabbath so from that very day inclusively they were to count seven Sabbaths and then the morrow after the last of the seven was the fifth day i. e. Pentecost I need not say any more to this To conclude after all attempts to the contrary the Glory of the Spirit 's Mission rests on the first day of the Week This day the Church of Christ was visited from on high the Promise of the Father was sent the blessed Spirit came the Disciples were assembled Peter preached and three thousand were converted and baptized and all this is written Why the Church assembled as Mr. Sprint argues Why on this Day Why the Holy Ghost Why preaching why conversion and administration of the Sacraments Why the Promise of Christ accomplished all on this Day but still to declare the Will of Christ in appointing blessing and sanctifying of this Day to his Church and making it a day of publick solemn Worship as a Day in all its Prerogatives above all other Days A Day of Christ's Resurrection by which we are justified in which he ceased from his Work as God did from his on the Seventh and so hath the same reason for a Day of Rest the Day 〈◊〉 the Holy Spirit 's descension by whom we are sanctified a Day of assembling and preaching on which Sinners were converted and Believers edified by which the whole Trinity is glorified And where is he now who said none can prove one whole first Day was kept in religious Worship in all the New Testament Was not this first Day so kept and established for us to observe and keep from morning to evening SERMON II. The Institution and Foundation of the first Day proved from Heb. 4. 8 9 c. That it is the Day which the Lord hath made for Divine Worship That the Disciples and Primitive Churches assembling together upon that Day is a full proof of the same MY Brethren I have endeavoured to prove that the first Day of the Week our Lord Jesus Christ hath appointed to be the special Day of Rest and for the Worship of God under the Gospel First By virtue of his Command who was with his Disciples forty days giving them Commandments c. before his Ascension which are not expressed Secondly Because Pentecost was the first day of the Week when this Day was confirmed by the miraculous effusion of the Holy Ghost But to proceed Thirdly My next Argument shall be taken from Christ's Resting or ceasing from his Works upon that day as God did from his And this indeed
I take to be the Foundation of the observance of the first Day and that which I mentioned last is a clear confirmation thereof In order to do this consider that each Day to be observed either under the Law or Gospel must be comprehended in the fourth Command and that the change of the old Day takes not away the perpetual Obligation of one day in seven nor the reason of that positive perpetual Law Now there are but two great and general Instances in which God is said to rest viz. 1. That after the first Creation was finished God rested from all his Work namely from Creation-work so as he never will create any material thing again to the end of the World As to his creating the Soul that is not the creating of any new Species of Beings 2. The Rest of God-man after he had finished the Work of Redemption or the second Creation which is never to be repeated Now there is a moral Reason which is deducible from the fourth Commandment that whenever God rests there is a Foundation of a day of Rest for Man comporting with the nature and tendency of each Covenant to which that Rest doth refer Thou shalt do no manner of Work c. for in six days c. The word for implys a moral Reason which makes it applicable to any Rest of God therefore to God's Rest from the Work of Redemption I mean that of God-man which is also deducible from Heb. 4 Christ rested from his Work as God did from his Therefore there remaineth a Rest for the People of God Heb. 4. â— 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he that is entered into his Rest hath also ceased from his Works as God did from his Here is the Institution of the Lord's Day For tho this Rest hath a particular relation to the Gospel-day of Rest i. e. of that Grace Rest and Peace Christ procured for us by his doing all that we had to do and of that burden of Punishment he bore which we had to undergo for our Sins yet not exclusive of a particular Sabbath or day of Rest but it is directly intended here as the Foundation and Institution of it because that Rest in the former Verses which has a more particular respect to the Rest in Canaan is spoken of not excluding God's resting the Seventh-day Now in pursuit of this I shall here cite some material Passages out of Dr. Owen on the Sabbath who has fully confirmed what I here assert How the Creation of all things was finished Dr. Owen on the Sab. p. 256. and the Rest of God and Man that ensued thereon hath been saith he declared It hath also in part and sufficiently as to our present purpose been evidenced how the great Ends of the Creation of all in the Glory of God and the Blessedness of Man in him with the Pledg thereof in a sabbatical Rest were for a season as it were defeated and disappointed by the entrance of Sin which brake the Covenant that was founded in the Law of Creation and rendered it useless unto those Ends Hence it could no more bring Man to rest in God but yet there was the continuation of the obligatory Force of the Law and Covenant and hence of the Sabbatical Rest in the Church of Israel with the especial application of its Command to that People In this state of things God had of old determined the Renovation of all things by a new Creation a new Law of that Creation a new Covenant and a new Sabbatical Rest to his Glory by Jesus Christ And this Renovation of all things accordingly to be accomplished in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 17 18. 'T is said Old things are past away and behold all things are become new the old Law the old Covenant old Worship Pag. 258. old Sabbath and all that was peculiar to the Covenant of Works as such in the first Institution of it and its renewed Declaration on Mount Sinai all are gone and antiquated And what now remains of them as to any usefulness in our living to God doth not abide on the old Foundation but on a new Disposition of them by the Renovation of all things in Christ Eph. 1. 10. A new Law of Obedience is introduc'd by the new Creation in Christ Jesus And there is a great Renovation thereof shewed in God's writing his Law in our Hearts not here to be insisted on God brings over * That is God brings over the Law as given on Mount Sinai into the hands of Christ in this State the use of the first Law as renewed and represented in Tables of Stone for a directive Rule of Obedience to the new Creature whereby the first original Law is wholly supply'd Hereunto he makes an addition of what positive Laws he thinks meet So the Moral Law tho materially always the same yet this old Law as brought over into this new State is new also for all old things are become new And it is now the Rule of our Obedience not merely to God as Creator but to God in Christ bringing us into a new Relation to himself in the Renovation of the Image of God in our Souls and the transferring over of the Moral Law as a Rule accompanied with new Principles Motives and Ends. And now observe all the Rests of God are founded in his own Rest in his Works for a pledg hereof a day of Rest must be given and observed But as the Apostle tells in another case Pag. 262. The Priesthood being changed Heb. 7. 12. there must also of necessity be a change of the Law so the Covenant being changed and the Rest which was the end of it being changed and the way of entering into the Rest of God being changed a change of the Day must of necessity thereon ensue And no Man can assert the same day of Rest precisely to abide as of old but he must likewise assert the same way of entering into â—t which yet as all acknowledg is changed The day first annexed to the Covenant of Works that is the seventh day was continued under the old Testament because the outward Administration of the Covenant of Works was continued But now the new Covenant being absolutely established and the other abolished both as to its Nature Use Efficacy and Power no more to be represented nor proposed unto Believers even the whole of it Yea and its renewed Administration under the Old Testament being removed taken away and disappearing Heb. 8. 13. the precise day of Rest belonging unto it was to be changed also and so it came to pass On these Suppositions we lay Pag. 164. § 7. and ought to â—ay the observation of the lord's-Lord's-day under the New Testament according to the Institution of â—t or Declaration of the Mind of Christ who â—s our Lord and Lawgiver concerning it A New work of Creation or work of a new Creation is undertaken and compleated * Isa 65.
17. ch 66. 22 23. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Rev. 21. 1. Rom. 8. 19. 20. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 6. 15. This new Creation is accompanied with a new Law and Covenant or the Law of Faith and Covenant of Grace Rom. 3. 27. ch 8. 2 3 4. Jer. 31. 33 34. Heb. 8. 8 9 10 c. To this Law and Covenant a day of holy Rest unto the Lord doth belong which cannot be the same with the former no more than it is the same Law or same Covenant which was originally given Heb. 4. 9. Rev. 1. 10. That this day was limited and determined to the first day of the week by our Lord Jesus Christ is that which shall now further be confirmed First Pag. 366. On this day he rested from his Work by his Resurrection for then he laid the Foundation of the new Heavens and new Earth and finished the Works of the new Creation when all the Stars sang together and the Sons of God shouted for Joy On this day he rested from his Works The drift of the Apostle here is to shew how the first day is established as our day of Rest under the Gospel as God did and was refreshed as God was for tho he worketh hitherto in communication of his Spirit and Graces as the Father continueth to do in his Works of Providence after the finishing of his Works of the old Creation tho these Works belong thereunto yet he ceaseth absolutely from that kind of Work whereby he laid the Foundation of the new Creation henceforth he dyeth no more and on this day was he refreshed in the view of his Works for he saw it was exceeding good Now as God's Rest This the Doctor shews the Apostle chiefly intends and his being refreshed in his Work on the seventh day of old was a sufficient Indication of the precise day of Rest which he would have observed under the Administration of that original Law and Covenant so the Rest of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his being refreshed in and from his Work on the first day is a sufficient Indication of the precise day of Rest to be observ'd under the Dispensation of the new-Covenant now confirm'd and established And the Church of Christ could not pass one Week under the New Testament Pag. 267. or in a Gospel-state of Worship without this Indication For the Judaical Sabbath as sure as it was so and as sure as it was annexed to the Mosaâ—â—l Administration of the Covenant was so far abolish'd as not to oblige really the Disciples of Christ in Conscience to the Observation of it whatsoever any of them might for a season apprehend And if a new day was not now determined there was no day or season appointed for an observance of an holy Rest unto the Lord nor any pledg given us of our entering into the Rest of Christ Accordingly this Indication of the gospel-Gospel-day of Rest § 10. and Worship was imbraced by the Apostles who were to be as the chief Corner Stones in the Foundation of the Christian Church For immediately they assembled themselves on that day and were confirmed in their Obedience by the Grace of our Lord in meeting with them thereon Joh. 20. 19 26. And it appears on this day only he appeared to them when they were assembled together altho occasionally he shewed himself to sundry of them at other seasons Moreover from this time forward this day was never without its solemn Assemblies as shall further be cleared afterwards Thus the Doctor He then proceeds further to prove more fully from this of Heb. 4. the Foundation and Institution of the Lord's-day in which he has certainly not only out-done all Expositors before him but hath made it very plain that the first day is here by the Apostle declared to be established by Christ's Rest and our resting in him and to be the day of Rest and solemn Worship under the Gospel as God's resting from his Work was the Foundation of the old Sabbath He cites Heb. 4. 3 11. moreover he opens the many Rests mentioned Pag. 269 230 231 c. and proves the Rest spoken of in the Psalms to intend the Rest of Christ and his People in the Gospel-Dispensation and not the eternal Rest above but that Rest which all that believe do enter into after Christ had done all our Work and ceased or finished his Work for ever as God finished his and as a pledg of his Rest hath left us a day of Rest There remaineth therefore a Sabbatism for the People of God Here is both the Foundation and Institution of the first day as a day of Rest or a Gospel Sabbath and the manner of our entering into it as well as the abrogation of the old day The Foundation Pag. 279. saith he of the whole is laid down ver 10. For he that is entered into his Rest § 20. has ceased from his Works as God did from his i. e. that as God ceased working rested and took satisfaction and complacency in his Work never working any more in creating and so a Rest followed on that day so Christ ceased and rested from the Work of Redemption on the first day and a Rest followed for us on that day he taking Rest and Complacency in his Work There is the Rest of the one and the other and these saith he also have their mutual proportion Now God rested from his own Work of Creation 1. By ceasing from creating only continuing all things by his Power in their order and propagation to his Glory 2. By his Respect to them and Refreshment in them as those which expressed his Excellencies and set forth his Praise and so satisfied his glorious Design 1. So Christ also must cease working i. e. he must die no more suffer no more but only continue the Work of his Grace and Power in the preservation of the new Creation and the orderly increase and propagation of it by his Spirit 2. He takes delight and satisfaction in the Works he hath wrought for he sees of the travel of his Soul P. 284. and is satisfied In brief all that he did and suffered in and from his Incarnation to his Resurrection as Mediator of the Covenant with all the Fruits and Effects and Consequences of what he so did whereby the Church was built and the new Creation finished belongs to his Works His Rest that ensued on these Works hath two parts 1. A cessation from his Works which was eminent and answered God's Rest from his Works 2. Satisfaction in his Works and the glorious Product of them as those which had an Impression on them of his Love and Grace Psal 16. 7. Now lest any should suppose that Christ rather ceased from his Works Christ ceased from his Work on the day of his Resurrection P. 284. Sect. 23. when he died because it is said 't is finished c. which certainly refers to all those things that were Types or
Prophecies of him to that time for the Work of Redemption could not be finished till he rose from the dead Take what the Doctor further saith to this It remains saith he only that we enquire into Christ's entrance into his Rest both how and when he did so even as God entered into his on the Seventh-day For this saith he must limit and determine a Day of Rest to the Gospel-Church Now this was not his lying down in the Grave His Body indeed there rested for a while But that was no part of his mediatory Rest as he was the Founder and Builder of the Church For 1. It was part of his Humiliation Not only his death but his abode and continuance in the state of death was so and a principal part of it For after the whole human Nature was united to the Person of the Son of God to have it brought into a state of dissolution or to have the Body and Soul separated from each other was a great Humiliation And every thing of this nature belonged to his Work and not to his Rest 2. This separation of Body and Soul under the Power of Death was penal a part of the Sentence of the Law which he underwent And therefore Peter declares that the Pains of Death were not loosed but by his Resurrection Acts 2. 24. This therefore could not be his Rest or any part of it 3. Nor did he first enter into his Rest at his Ascension then he indeed took possession of his Glory But to enter into his Rest is one thing and to take possession of Glory another And it is placed by the Apostle as the Consequent of his being justified in the Spirit 1 Tim. 3. 16. But this his entring into Rest was in and by his Resurrection from the dead For 1. Then and there he was freed from the Sentence Power and Stroke of the Law being discharged of all the Debts of our Sins which he had undertaken to make satisfaction for Acts 2. 24. 2. Then and therein were all Types all Predictions and Prophecies fulfilled which concerned the Work of our Redemption 3. Then and therein his Work was done which answered to God's Creating-work 4. Then and therein he was declared the Son of God with Power Rom. 1. 4. Thus did the Author of the new Creation P. 286. Sect. 24. the Son of God the builder of the Church having finished his Work enter into his Rest And this was on the morning of the first day of the Week And hereby he did limit and determine the Day for our Sabbatical Rest under the New Testament for now was the old Covenant utterly abolished and therefore the Day which was the Pledg of God's and Man's Rest therein was to be taken away and accordingly was as we have proved And this is that which the Apostle affirms as the substance of all he hath evinced P. 287. Sect. 25. namely that there is a Sabbatism for the People of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is framed by our Apostle from an Hebrew Original with a Greek Termination and he useth it as that which is comprehensive of his whole sense which no other word would be for he would shew there is a Sabbatical Rest founded in the Rest of God God-man remaining for the Church and therefore makes use of the same word whereby God expressed his own Rest when he sanctified the Seventh-day for a day of Rest thereon Again he further proves that the Apostle asserts an Evangelical Sabbath or day of Rest to be constantly observed in and for the Worship of God under the Gospel Thus far and to this effect speaks Dr. Owen 'T is my Brethren the Apostle's business in this Chapter as the Doctor has proved to shew an Institution of the first day of the Week and this upon the great Work of Redemption and Christ's resting from his Works as God did from his as also the manner of his entering into his Rest which was not till all our Work was done by our Surety and our Burden was born by him for us for till then we could not enter into his Rest And being in his Rest he has appointed this Day as a Pledg thereof that we may begin with God give him the first Day and so seek first the Kingdom of God First as to the early days of our Life first in the Day and first in every day of the Week Brethren we have Rest before we work or labour for it and so work from Rest Life and Peace and not work for Life or to enter into Rest that way as they were to do under the old Covenant Remarkable is that passage of Paul As many as walk according to this Rule that is the Rule of the new Creature or new Creation Peace be on them And as in matters of Worship so in respect to the new Day of Worship the Apostle pronounceth Peace to such c. And thus I have shewed how the first Day was confirmed by the miraculous effusion of the Spirit and also the Foundation and Institution of this Day as here laid down by the Apostle Fourthly The first Day made by the Lord for a Day of Rest Joy and Gladness in God's Worship My fourth Argument to prove the Institution of the first Day of the Week shall be taken from Psal 118. 22 23 24. The Stone that the Builders refused is become the head Stone of the Corner This is the Lord 's doing and it is marvellous in our sight This is the Day the Lord hath made we will be glad and rejoice in it 1. Pray observe that our Lord became the Head-stone of the Corner on the day of his happy Resurrection on this day the Gospel-Church took its beginning On this day he entered into his Rest and was invested with actual Victory over all his Enemies and clothed with Soveraign Power and Authority as King and Law-giver 2. Well and what saith the Holy Ghost This is the Day the Lord hath made 1. He speaks as all Expositors note of the particular day of Christ's Resurrection 2. And that this is the Day which the Lord hath made How made God created that and every day of the Week at first But this Day is constituted or made for some special end and use above any other day in the Week Nothing lies more plain in the Text than this 3. The Lord hath made it i. e. instituted or appointed it to these great Ends not the Apostles not the Church not Man but the Lord himself hath made it 4. And then the Gospel-Church and all Gospel-Believers signified by this word we resolve upon this Great Authority to observe it we will rejoice and be glad in it Here it is foretold that God hath singularly made created or instituted this Day for us to meet together and to worship him with joy and gladness of heart and accordingly we have proved it was confirmed I challenge any man to shew us a
Lord on that day appear'd unto them first in the morning of that day to Mary Magdalen Mark 16. 9. and after that perhaps about Noon he appeared in another form to two of them as they walked in the Country And in the Evening of the same day he appeared to many of the Disciples together Then the same day at evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut where the Disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews Ver. 19. came Jesus and stood in the midst of them and saith unto them Peace be unto you Observe how the Holy Ghost records it the same day again the first day of the week is twice mentioned that we no doubt should take notice how he approved of their assembling on that day and of his honouring this precise day by his appearing three times to one or another of them upon it And then after eight days again his Disciples were together and Thomas with them then came Jesus the doors being shut and stood in the midst and said Peace be unto you Joh. 20. 26. Observe that here was one seventh day or Jewish Sabbath between the time of their first assembling and his appearing to them and the second assembling and his appearing And I shall prove anon by an express Text that he did not appear on any other day of the week betwixt these two first days Object 'T is objected It was not the next first day but after eight days Answ 1. Tho this makes nothing for their seventh day yet would they have it to be on the second day of the week rather than on the first having no mind to honour that Day Christ hath honoured 2. But this pretended Objection is a meer Figment or idle Dream Their second meeting saith Dr. Young Pag. 5. Cyril l. 12. in Joh. p. 10 26. was the eighth day from the first inclusive Cyril affirms it was the eighth or lord's-Lord's-day the first and last being included What tho it be said after eight days is it not also said that Christ after three days should rise again Mark 8. 31. yet our Lord rose from the dead on the third day of his Burial not after the third day So also 't is said Luke 2. 21. When eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the Child i. e. on the eighth precise day it was not on the ninth for the Holy Ghost speaks of the eighth day current and not finished So here after eight days or on the eighth day is all one It might also be on the evening of the eighth day But see what Dr. Wallis saith to this who gives many Instances to the same purpose Christian Sabb. p. 20 21 22. What we call saith he a third day Ague the Latins call a Quartan and what we call every other day they call a tertian Joh. 2. 19. Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up again that is on the third day They tell Pilate This Deceiver said After three days I will rise again meaning thereby the third day after inclusively and therefore they pray that the Sepulchre may be made sure till the third day not longer After eight days Jewish Sabb. p. 170. saith Mr. Warren were come that is on the eighth day which reckoning the Resurrection-day inclusively was just that day sevennight or the next first day of the week Moreover let it be considered that this was as I hinted before the second solemn Apparition of our blessed Saviour after he rose from the dead For read Joh. 21. 14. when he appear'd the next time to them 't is said This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his Disciples after he was risen from the dead tho this was not on the first day I mean the third time he appeared to them for they were then a fishing Yet note that they neither met together nor did he ever appear to them as we read on the seventh Day no he was far from honouring the old Sabbath now abolished after any such manner Nor do we read of any solemn assembling and of his Apparition to them but on the first day only And ought not this duly to be considered Has the Holy Ghost left this on record for no purpose Therefore note that here are two Precedents or Examples for our Imitation to meet or assemble together on the first day of the week Were there but one such Precedent that they assembled together and of our Lord 's owning them in it by his most gracious Presence and by breathing on them upon the seventh day as I have said we should not further contend with our Brethren in this matter Moreover the third time of their general assembling together or all with one accord in one place was I have proved on the first day of the week also namely on the day of Pentecost Object Tho they did meet together on the first day of the week yet it was for fear of the Jews and so no Rule for us Answ 1. Evident it is that the Apostles and Primitive Christians did celebrate the first day and this was either by Divine Appointment or for some other Reasons peculiar to themselves If by Divine Appointment then it is a Rule and Warrant for us but if for some Reasons peculiar to themselves then some can assign those Reasons The principal Reason alledged is you hear for fear of being persecuted and therefore they could not meet on the seventh day and this made them observe the first 2. Persecution must not hinder us in our Obedience to God what disown God or his Day of Worship desert his holy Sabbath No had the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath remained they could not have done thus without great Sin tho it cost them their Lives 3. And can it be once imagin'd had they by slavish fear neglected to keep that Sabbath and changed the only time of meeting together to another day that our blessed Lord would have owned them in so doing or vouchsafed his most gracious Presence to them no certainly he would had he appeared to them rather severely have rebuked them for their great Iniquity and not have said Peace be unto you 4. Besides it would have been a very absurd method to avoid Persecution not to meet on the Jewish Sabbath because they knew how superstitious the Jews were and that they would not attempt any such thing on their sabbath-Sabbath-day I mean to persecute imprison or any way molest them had they met on that day And 5. Of all days of the week they might rather expect to be disturbed persecuted or imprisoned had they met together on the first day especially on that very first-first-day our Lord rose from the dead because the Guard of Soldiers were commanded to be together till that day and besure would not soon or just on the morning of the third day be discharged Besides their not finding the dead Body might inrage the Soldiers against the Disciples should they
solemn Worship And so all along down to this day 't was kept and observ'd even by our blessed Reformers as the Lord's-day or a Day of his appointing c. Therefore from the whole we note it was no Popish Innovation nor as Tillam falsly affirms a Device of Antichrist who changed Times and Laws c. But no more at this time SERMON IV. Proving there is one day of the week in season to preach the Word and that it is the first Day That Collections by Divine Authority are to be made every first Day c. and that the Churches did meet on that day That God hath inflicted dreadful Judgments on such as have profaned the lord's-Lord's-day Several Arguments further urged shewing when the lord's-Lord's-day begins and how it ought to be observed SEventhly The Lord's Day is that Day in season in which the Word ought to be preached c Another Argument for the observance of the first Day shall be taken from Paul's Charge to Timothy Preach the Word be instant in season and out of season c. 2 Tim. 4. 2. From whence I note there is one day above all others in the week as the day in season when the Word is to be preached 1. In season implies a fit time for doing a Work and so here a particular day Christ hath appointed for his Worship Prayer Preaching and Administration of all other Ordinances 2. But if there was not one precise day appointed by Christ to the end and all days were alike under the Gospel then on all days the Word would either be in season or out of season but since there is a time in season and times out of season I argue there is one special Day appointed for those great things to be done upon 3. Solomon saith Eccl. 3. 1. to every thing there is a season and a time to every Purpose under Heaven i. e. a certain set time appointed by God to be observed with the greatest diligence to the end for which it is ordained And hath God set a time to every thing and for every Purpose and Work and yet set no particular time for his Worship This cannot be for we have proved one day in seven he claims from the fourth Command and in Gospel-times it must be the first Day of the week 1. Because the old Sabbath is gone 2. Because on this day Christ rested from all his Works as God did from his 3. Because this Day he owned and confirmed by the miraculous effusion of his Spirit 4. Because on this Day his Disciples met together and he approved it by his gracious appearance and preaching Peace to them 5. Because 't is called the Lord's-day 6. Because no Church met in a special manner on any other day in the New Testament So that this Day is the day in season or there is none at all but that can't be because there is a special season appointed to every thing and purpose under Heaven 4. This Day is the day in season because it sutes with the state of Gospel-Believers we first entering into Rest through Jesus Christ who has done for us all we had to do and born all those Burdens we were to bear in order to our entering into Rest therefore it can't sute with us to keep the old Sabbath which injoyn'd the Creature to do and live i.e. to labor to do all that God commanded in obedience even to the whole Law if ever they would have Rest and Peace So that the Jews Day shewed they were to work for Life according to the tenor of the first Covenant but our Day shews we work from Life and we have Rest Life and Peace first or are justified and so obey and this from better more Evangelical Principles So that in Comparison of this day this special season all other days of the week are out of season for Gospel-work and Service Eightly The first day of the week is appointed by Christ under the Gospel to be observed Collections for the poor Saints to be made upon the first day of the week because all the Gospel-Churches were required this day to make Collections for the poor Saints 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. As I have given order to the Churches of Galatia even so do ye upon the first Day of the week let every one lay by him as God hath prospered him that there be no Gatherings when I come 1. Observe what was the Practice of one Church as a Church was the Practice of every Church Besides Paul saith that the same thing he had given Orders about in the Churches of Galatia and so no doubt in all Churches 2. Paul in causing the Churches to be obedient in this matter received this Authority from Christ as he intimates plainly enough in 1 Cor. 14. 37. If any Man think himself to be a Prophet or spiritual let him acknowledg that the things I wrote unto you are the Commandments of the Lord. And elsewhere he shews that without the same Authority he durst not make the Gentiles obedient either by word or deed 3. Here is a Duty injoyn'd then by Christ's Authority on all the Churches and not by Paul any other ways than ministerially which is upon every first Day to make Collections for the poor Saints they must deposite their Alms all on the same day which could not be done unless the Churches did assemble upon that day and besure it was injoyned on that day because they then did meet together for solemn Worship and because such Acts of Mercy suted Sabbath-Duties and were well-pleasing to God 4. Besides no Man can assingn a reason why the Churches should be required on every first Day to make Collections for the Poor if it were not the usual Day in which they assembled themselves together Object That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Greek for one and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may as well be rendered one day of the week as the first day of the week Thus Mr. Bamfield on Acts 20. 7. Answ Take Dr. Wallis's Answer Christian Sab. p. 30 31 40 41. viz. Surely this Author cannot think that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth any where signify other than the first Day of the week Moreover all who well understood the Greek-Tongue agree that the word is here the same as in Mat. 28. 1. Mark 16. 2. Luk. 24. 1. Durham on the Commands p. 269. 'T is clear saith one to be the first Day of the week since the same Phrase used by the Evangelists is made use of here by the Apostle who no question follows the Evangelists Moreover our Adversaries acknowledg and cannot help it that by that Greek Phrase used by the Evangelists is meant the first Day of the week tho call'd one of the Sabbaths or the first from the Jewish Sabbath therefore this is a meer Cavil Now every one knows who understand any Dr. Wallis thing of this nature that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the proper name
take so much pains and to travel so far for and in the due Celebration of the Lord's-day as if another should do the like without his Occasions and Circumstances it would be a profanation of it 3. I do not believe it unlawful to dress a Dinner or Supper on the Lord's-day Refreshments helpful to Nature so far as to refresh it that it may have a supply of Spirits to go on chearfully in the Duties of holy Worship saith the Doctor are lawful and useful to macerate the Body with Abstinences on this day is required of none and to turn it into a Fast or to fast upon this day is generally condemn'd by the Antients Wherefore to forbear provision of necessary Food for Families on this day is Mosaical and the enforcement of the particular Precepts about not kindling a Fire on this day baking and preparing the Food of it the day before cannot be insisted on without a Re-introduction of the seventh Day precisely to whose observation they were annexed and thereby of the Spirit of the old Covenant 1. Provided always these Refreshments be seasonable for the time of them and not when publick Duties require our attendance on them And 2. Accompanied with singular regard to the Rules of Temperance As 1. That there be no appearance of Evil. 2. That Nature be not charged with any kind of Excess so far as to be hindered rather than assisted in the Duties of the Day 3. That they are accompanied with Gravity and Sobriety and Purity of Conversation To which let me add certainly Masters of Families ought to take heed they do not put their Servants upon greater Labour on that day * Nor their Beasts neither since God allows them this one day of the Week for Rest than needs must so as to hinder them from a due attendance as often as possible on God's publick Worship Now what Dr. Owen saith quite differs from that overheated Zeal which appeared in some Godly Ministers in former times What think you of what Dr. White †Bishop of Ely on the Sabbath p. 235. Mr. Tho. Rogers Pref. before the Articles relates in his Treatise of the Sabbath concerning some Zealots in his time about sixty years ago I have read and many there be alive which will justify it how it was preach'd in a Market Town in Oxfordshire that to do any servile Work or Business on the Lord's-day is as great a Sin as to kill a Man or to commit Adultery It was preached in Somersetshire that to throw a Bowl on the Sabbath-day is as great a Sin as to kill a Man It was preached in Norfolk that to make a Feast or Wedding Dinner on the Lord's-day day is as great a Sin as for a Father to take a Knife and cut his own Child's Throat It was preached in Suffolk I can name the Man and I was present when he was convened before his Ordinary for preaching the same that to ring more Bells than one on the Lord's-day to call the People to Church is as great a Sin as to commit Murder Such unaccountable Zeal hath done no small mischief to the Cause of Christ Two things I observe from what the Doctor notes 1. That these Men thought we are under the like Obligation in observance of the first Day as the Jews were on their seventh Day 2. That they thought the Morality of the fourth Commandment consisted in the observation of the lord's-Lord's-day or the first Day of the week and so is a pure Moral Precept both which I utterly deny and the contrary I have proved Secondly in the Affirmative I do say that the first Day tho it be of mere positive Right ought to be observed wholly to the Lord He that observes a day let him observe it to the Lord and day much more the lord's-Lord's-day 1. To the Lord not to our selves i.e. for our external Profit or Pleasure 2. To the Lord that is the whole day not a part of it but the whole day from Morning to Evening III. That we begin the Day early in the Morning first in private and then in Family Devotion 1. In reading some part of God's Word and 2. In Prayer laying aside all worldly business but what is of absolute necessity and as much as in us lies all worldly Discourse and earthly or worldly Thoughts that the Lord on his Day may have our Hearts as well as our Ears Tongues and Feet and then to attend the publick Worship and that early on the first Day of the week to seek Jesus as Mary Magdalen did Certainly it is a horrid shame in any to take more liberty for Sleep or otherwise to gratify the Flesh on this day than they do on other days of the week when imploy'd in doing their own Business Do Men require the whole Day and with the greatest care and diligence to do their Work And doth not the holy God require our utmost care and diligence in his Work and Service Mal. 1. 14. Cursed is the Deceiver which hath in his Flock a Male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing c. Again it is said Jer. 48. 10. Cursed be he that doth the Work of the Lord negligently or deceitfully that is with a cold and careless Spirit My Brethren God is a great King and a jealous God for his Name and sacred Worship Levit. 10. 3. and he will be sanctified by all that draw near to him And we must I say shew greater Care and Zeal in our serving him on his Day if possible than in doing Work for Man 1. He requires it of us Eccl. 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might 2. He more deserves it from our hands Should a Servant come to his day's Work at ten a Clock certainly his Master would soon turn him off O take heed lest God severely rebuke you for your sloth and carelesness in not attending early on his publick Worship IV. In the Evening to close the lord's-Lord's-day in reading instructing our Families and in repeating what we have heard or in meditating thereon and in Prayer and singing of Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Thus the Primitive Christians kept the Lord's Day * Read Dr. Young on the Lord's Day of the next Age to the Apostles V. Preparation for the Publick Worship is very necessary therefore besure you always come into the Church from your Closets bearing your Ministers upon your Hearts that so the Word of God may run and be glorified and your own Souls secretly fed and edified together And let no small matters hinder you neither the length of the way nor weather say with your self Sure I would not make these a plea or excuse were I to receive some great earthly Profit VI. As to the Publick Worship that consists in reading God's Word Preaching Prayer and singing of Psalms with a free and charitable contribution for the poor Saints on every First-day of the Week
and if our Congregations do not need such a weekly Collection yet it ought to be made for others who may need our help In which Contribution every one save Receivers ought to be Givers according to their Ability tho it be but two Mites and often on this day also the Lord's Supper is to be celebrated These were the practices of the Primitive Christians as Dr. Young abundantly hath shewed out of the Writings of the first Antient Fathers as Ignatius Justin Martyr c. VII Meditation is a great Duty on the Lord's Day On the Sab. p. 345. as Dr. Owen shews and this 1. In respect of God himself whose Glory we must make our end in all we do We ought to meditate on the Majesty Greatness Omnisciency and Holiness of God in our Approaches to him in Prayer and hearing his Word c. and so on all the days of our lives 2. We ought to meditate on Jesus Christ in a peculiar manner as the special Author of that Ordinance in which we approach to him and come together to celebrate Consider his Rest God takes up his Rest in Christ his Satisfaction and Complacency in him and in the Way and Covenant of Rest for us thro him therefore this is a sutable Subject of Meditation on this day 3. Let us meditate upon the Glory and Excellency of Christ's Person and of his wonderful Love 4. The Day it self and its sacred Services are to be meditated upon and those Privileges we are partakers of On this Day our Rest was perfected for then Christ rose again for our Justification and spoke Peace to his Disciples and so he doth to us On this day we were justified in Christ accepted in Christ pardoned in Christ as in our Head and Representative on that very first-First-day he rose from the Dead Therefore let Faith on this day be exercised and let us labour for thankful Hearts and rejoice with singing on this day which the Lord hath made to this end Caution Let all take heed that none profane the Lord's Day nor any way cast contempt upon it which may be done many ways 1. By doing servile Work on this day out of a covetous mind How some profane the Lords Day and so instead of doing the Lord's Work on his day they do their own 2. By walking in the Fields for their own carnal pleasure and recreation O this is an abominable Evil. 3. In gaming and playing or sporting on the Lord's Day 4. In taking upon them needless Journeys to visit their Friends because they cannot they pretend spare any other day to do it for fear of outward loss to themselves and Families Christ shall suffer the loss of his Honour and Service rather than they will lose any part of one of their own days 5. Some will not spare time on working days for themselves or Servants to take a Potion of Physick to remove Distempers of the Body but refer it to the Lord's Day which certainly is a horrid Evil And can they think God will bless that Physick Is it not Sacrilege to rob God of his Day for any external advantage which he hath dedicated and set apart for his own Worship c. He that converts any time of the Lord's Day Watson 's Body of Divinity p. 335. saith one to worldly Business is a worse Thief than he that robs on the High-way for such a Thief does but rob Man but this Thief robs God he robs him of his Day 6. Such as spend part of it in casting up their Debts or setting their Shop-books right 7. Such as take liberty to lie long abed on the Lord's Day and prefer their carnal Ease above the Honour of Christ and his sacred Worship to the reproach of his Church and grief of his Ministers 8. Such as spend more time on the Morning of the Lord's Day to dress and trim their Bodies than they take in Prayer Reading and Meditation to prepare their Souls for God's holy Worship These should be taken notice of and reproved perhaps all the Morning is spent thus and not two Minutes either in Prayer Reading or Meditation 9. Such as neglect coming into the publick Worship of God on the Lord's Day till perhaps near half the Dutys of Worship are over by this God is provoked and shame attends our Assemblies and our Sacred Religion is exposed to reproach How far do the Papists for Zeal in their false Religion out-do many who would be thought the most refined Protestants How early are they at their Devotion on this day as well as on other days of the Week Let us reform in this case for the Lord's sake or else throw off our Profession God's Soul loaths lukewarmness let us either be hot or quite cold lest God spew us out of his Mouth 10. In worldly and needless Discourses how much time on the Lord's Day is this way idly wasted and the day this way profaned as well as in many other ways which I shall now omit to mention To close all Let us make due preparation for the Worship of God on his Day and rejoice at the approach thereof wherein we have a Prize for our Souls put into our hands and may injoy God's Presence if not wanting to our selves This is the Queen of Days as Ignatius called it which God hath crowned with Blessings on which day the Spirit most gloriously descended and the dew of the same Spirit still falls upon our Souls and we may write This was the day of our new Birth and in which Christ often carried our Souls into his Banquetting-house and also feasted us with the fat things thereof This know assuredly as you grow cold in respect of the day of Worship you do certainly grow cold as to the Worship it self and in this lies one of the great Evils of our present Day What Zeal did attend Christians in this Nation in former times and how religiously did they observe the Lord's Day Let us call to mind our espousal Love and do our first Works lest Christ remove our Candlesticks out of their places FINIS ADVERTISEMENT THE confession of Faith put forth by the Elders and Brethren of many Congregations of Christians baptized upon Profession of their Faith in London and the Country The Third Edition with almost forty of the Ministers Names prefixed to it As also the Catechism agreeable to the Confession of Faith owning Election and final Preseverance necessary for the Instruction of Youth in the Fundamentals of Religion The Remainder of the Impressions of these two Books with the full and true Right of printing of them for the future are sold to the Bookseller Mr. Marshal at the Bible in Grace-Church-street London It is desired that all Persons that are desirous to promote such useful Books may apply themselves to the said John Marshal to be furnished with them Books printed for and sold by John Marshall in Grace-Church-street writ by Mr. Benj. Keach THE Display of Glorious Grace or the Covenant of Peace opened in fourteen Sermons lately preached In which the Errors of the present day about Reconciliation and Justification are detected The Breach Repaired in God's Worship or singing of Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs prov'd to be an holy Ordinance of Jesus Christ Wherein the chief Arguments of many Learned Divines who have wrote on that Subject are recited as Mr. Cotton of New-England Mr. Sydenham Dr. Roberts Dr. Owen Mr. Caryl Dr. Du-Veil Mr. Wells c. With an Answer to all Objections As also an Examination of Mr. Isaac Marlow's two Papers one called a Discourse concerning Singing c. the other An Appendix wherein his Arguments and Cavils are refuted Spiritual Songs being the Marrow of the Scripture in Songs of Praise to Almighty God c. with 100 Divine Hymns on several occasions as now practised in several Congregations in and about London The second Edition with a Table of Contents