inferiours will not be brought into order to joyne in Family Duties unlesse they conceive the Time determined to them for it at least by their Superiours That Family Worship then may be observed there must be Sufficient Time determined for it The Antecedent may be made good partly by what wee discoursed Chap. 6. about Family VVorship in Genenall the Necessity of it for Gods Honour and the Good of Soules and partly by the adding of a foure-fold Consideration briefely applyed to the case in hand 1. Experience shewes that in most Families their worldly businesses are so many and pressing that they have and can have but short and scanty Times of Continuance on the ordinary working Dayes for their joynt Family VVorship Many pretend they cannot have any at all for all their Families and specially not twice a Day according to what was discoursed before Though this is but a worldly pretence if it be meant ordinarily and will hardly we doubt serve for an excuse when God shall come to judge men for their worldly mindednesse as well as others sinnes and preferring the World getting goods and following pleasures and the like before conversing with Him and their own soules and the soules of their Families But however this confirmes that ordinarily such Times can be but scanty and short Therefore there is the more need that upon the chiefe solemne Time the extent of the Continuance be sufficient to afford a convenient space for Family VVorship over and above the Publike and to take away all excuse of want of leisure from every one 2. The need that all stand in to have their minds prepared and put into frame for the Publike VVorship calls for the same also If men come rawly and rudely from worldly thoughts and businesses into the Church and to the Publike Worship they will be in a great deale of danger to take Gods Name in vaine in it specially at the beginning and to lose a remarkable part of the benefit of it by the unpreparednesse of their minds specially such as are of lesse knowledge and lesse affection towards godlinesse And this cannot in reason be prevented any way so surely as by some Family Duties preparing every one for the Publike and taking them off from worldlinesse and secular cogitations and possessing them with an awe of the Duties they are going to performe more publikely 3. No lesse but rather much more the improvement of the Publike VVorship necessarily calls for consequent Family VVorship for memory and further affecting of every one by Repetitions and Prayers and Conferences Every one hath needs of this the best memories and the most zealous hearts how much more the weake in both respects and if any be able and zealous it is so much the more a necessary Duty in them to helpe others as much as may be This also we meane particularly repetitions will quicken the attentions of all sorts Neither the servants nor yet the Governours will afford themselves leisure to sleepe or gaze or muse of other matters during the Publike VVorship if the one must give account and the other must be able to require it and take it which he cannot if he himselfe have not given good attention 4. Finally the need that most have to labour with their Families to put more knowledge in them then they have particular helpe for in the Publike Services of the Day I meane the need of continuall catechising of them even beyond what is publikely done to those of their Family makes up yet further the necessity of having and observing sufficient Times for Family Duties of Worship besides the publike how long or how well soever continued And all this is so confirmed by the unhappy experience of those Families where this is not regarded not observed that consideration of it is more necessary then a prolixe discourse upon it He that lookes advisedly upon such Families shall see them come dropping in one after another late to the Publike Worship and when they are there sleepe oftentimes even in the morning or otherwise behave themselves so rudely as a man may be assured they neither honour God nor benefit their Soules by such services And after even though they seemed to be attentive and observant they have learned little or nothing at all oftentimes have forgotten the very Texts and the Chapters or Psalmes that were read and can tell nothing at all of what they might have learned and if they could remember somewhat for the present yet it is for want of whetting as the originall word is Deut. 6. in the charge given to Govenours of Families toward their children and so servants for want of giving or taking account of it for want of repetition and conference all is lost or most of it and specially all affection is dulled and abated which had a little edge perhaps by the Publike Ordinances And this most of all through the diversions of their minds as soone as the Publike Ordinances are ended to sports and play or to worldly worke and businesse which must needs succeed with the most if they be not determined to Family Duties afterward In a word looke upon such Families where the Lords Day is not observed by them within doores in such divine exercises of devotions before and specially after the Publike Worship and there will be found in the most very little sence of Religion of conscience toward God or their owne Soules So that we conclude this branch also That in as much as Religion cannot certainly stand among all men without Family VVorship the chiefe solemne sufficient Time must extend among all men to Family VVorship over and above the publike affording space for it and requiring that it be so imployed But this is not all yet XLVII 3. To solitary worship The third branch must be added which concernes Solitary Worship over and above both the other The sufficient Time we say must extend to that also besides the conjoyned worship publique domesticall To confirme this our former argument will once more stand in stead in this sort If Religion cannot certainly stand among all man without a convenient space of Continuance frequently observed for Solitary Worship by a mans self alone over and above conjoyned Worship with others then the chiefe solemne Time of Worship must necessarily be determined so largely for the Continuance as that it may extend to Solitary Worship besides conjoyned Worship But Religion cannot certainly stand among all men without a convenient space of Continuance frequently observed for Solitary Worship by a mans self alone over and above conjoyned Worship with others Ergo The chiefe Solemne Time of Worship must necessarily be determined so largely for the continuance as that it may extend to Solitary Worship besides conjoyned The Consequence of this argument hath strength afforded it from the former confirmations of like Consequences Yet may it admit this further descant upon the necessity of the Times being determined that it may be infallibly observed
proved The Minor is also infallible because that acknowledgment calls for as Frequent Worship of God as Nature can possibly point out and possibly give to God But we have already shewed how Nature doth point out clearly and distinctly two Revolutions of Time every Day and that it is infallibly possible to apply both of them to give God some Worship at least in a short Continuance as a minute or halfe a minute together Therefore not to give God so oft some Worship is against that acknowledgement and so a sin against the Law of Nature which also it is more then probable God meant to teach his people by the appointment of the daily morning and evening Sacrifice And this Frequency of twice every Day for some solemne Worship of God though it primarily respect Solitary Worship XXXIV 1 With respect to solitary worship which is as we said in a former Chapter the most Essentially and Properly Morall-Naturall solemne Worship and Perpetually necessary as being perpetually possible for even while a man is in the midst of a crowde it is possible for him to present to God such solitary and secret Worship as we have described to be solemne even the whole man being intent on no other thing for that while how short so ever the Continuance prove So that we cannot possibly conceive what can hinder a man and so what can excuse him from such tender of some solemne Worship to God solitary and single by himself twice every Day Namely between morning and noon and between noon and his sleeping at night Yet withall 2. As also to family worship we wish all those that have or may have company to joyn with them in Family Worship to consider seriously between God and their consciences whether the forementioned grounds for solemne family Worship be so far forth also Morall-Naturall as it is possible to be performed with any conveniency and then the Argument but even now mentioned laid together will not also evince it to be Morall-Naturall for such to performe solemne family worship as often namely twice a Day once in the morning or toward noon and once in the evening or at night We are very sensible That this will be a very harsh pill for many Readers to swallow familie Duties being so exceedingly neglected and even disputed against by very many as no where commanded in Scripture Therefore we only propound it againe to all consciences to weigh in sobriety what just hinderances they can have and so what excuses they can possibly plead which God will accept of if they tender him not such Worship so often they and all their families ordinarily And whether a quarter of an houre or halfe a quarter at a Time can be refused by any but minds forgetfull of the Soveraignty of God and the obligation they owe to Him for His Protection and Blessing Night and Day preserving from dangers and prospering endeavours and the dependance they have upon Him continually without whom sinne and misery will at all seiasons seze upon them and againe forgetfull that their Spirituall Happinesse lies in Him conversing with Him and pursuing and enjoying His Favour And then we suppose the issue of their religious and conscientious thoughts will be no other then that rather more and oftener then seldomer and lesse is due to God and necessary for them and their families for their owne good of soule and body spirituall and even temporall namely to secure a blessing upon themselves every way Daily XXXV Nature cannot make a conclusive determination of the Frequency But to returne to our Question whether thus often by a Conclusive Determination of the Frequencie for Solemne Worship and that the Law of Nature doth require no oftner then twice a Day Besides that if that be good which we have but now discoursed of twice required for solitary Worship and twice for family Worship also we have already gotten to four times a day instead of twice we add yet further that we cannot absolutely rest here for a certain definite and determinate number or Frequency For if we speake still Practically as we must in matter of Religion These determinations of twice or foure Times every Day will not infallibly satisfie the Law of Nature Nor indeed any other number of Frequency that can be named And so in a word we say That the Law of nature cannot possibly make a Conclusive determination of the Frequency of Time considered simply for Gods VVorship that is That so often should be peremptorily necessary for all men and no oftener and so that so often should be sufficient for all men generally considered The reason of it although some particulars might be yet obliged to some what oftener The reason hereof is plainly this That Practically it is possible to observe a revolution of Time wherein we may if we have hearts to it set our selves to Worship God even solemnely as oft as our minds cease from being taken up wholly with any worldly businesse and that such businesse will by any means admit an interruption of a minute or halfe a minute to lift up the soule to God in Prayer or Prayses and this may possibly be manifold Times in a Day even innumerable before hand And now the Law of Nature from those often mentioned and ever to be thought on acknowledgements of Gods being our Soveraigne Lord and of all our Time and our happinesse and so to be infinitely preferred before our selves and all our worldly businesses will be constantly calling upon us in all those Revolutions of Time to â—ender to Him some Worship how short soever And from this no consideration of Gods not only dispensation but command to imploy our selves in worldly callings and performe such worldly businesses as are necessary accordingly can be pretended to be a sufficient discharge absolutely and alwayes For we have before proved in the Chapter of Solemn Worship and it is not denied by any that we know That it is oftentimes a Duty which we now say is according to the Law of Nature not only in the midst of Worldly businesses to tender some Ejaculatory Worship to God namely Prayers and Praises But even upon sundry occasions to interrupt for a little while our Worldly businesses wholly to pray to Him and praise Him somewhat solemnly Therefore we say againe that these occasions being impossible to be numbred before-hand for any one man and much lesse for all generally there can be no certain Conclusive Determination of the Frequencie by the Law of Nature that just so often and no oftner should be necessary for solemn worshipping of God by all men And now from this we go on to our third Question propounded XXXVI Nature cannot make a conclusive determination of the Continuance and Frequencie jointly concerning the joyning of these two Respects of Time the Continuance and Frequencie both in one Conclusive Determination that is Whether the Law of Nature can possibly make a Conclusive Determination of
since the service of God is our perfect freedome if our Church say true in her prayers and are not to give God attendance constantly in Publique Worship and so constantly look after their soules And then what becomes of the Morality of the fourth Commandement for Publique VVorship and what of Publique Worship and a sufficient Time at least for it Morall Naturall It is beyond our wits how our adversaries can expedite themselves out of the intanglements of these contradictions whereas in our way all is plaine in three words God determining the Time to all all even sevants and inferiours are bound to observe it to His honour and the good of their soules so to be willing and carefull of it and they are free to observe it being willing notwithstanding any opposition of men Masters Parents or others And though they may and must regard Gods reservations and so stay at home to tend a sick person and do any thing which is truly necessary yet not upon slight pretences or trifling occasions and when they are at home they are to redeeme all Time possible to serve God and look after their soules by themselves And if for this they incurre their superiours displeasure they must trust God in that as well as if they would urge them to lye or do any other wickednesse XXXIII Proved by reason 2. Another proofe of our Antecedent against the Churches authority even for the Publique Worship in a word according to what hath been touchâ— in a former argument is that If the Church hath authority to commanded all its members to observe constantly that Time in Publique Worship which it determines to them It may command them 2 3 4 5. Dayes in a Weeke and 5. or 6. or 8. Houres of each of those Dayes both Masters and Servants Inferiours and Superiours and call them from their workes to publique Worship so often and so long But this must not be therefore the Church hath no such authority even for the Publique Worship and the Times for it A sixth argument is this XXXIIII Argument sixth The Church cannot make a perpetuall determination If the Church hath authority to make this determination of the chiefe solemne Time necessary and sufficient to its members for Religion Then it hath authority to make a perpetuall determination But the Church hath no authority to make a perpetuall determination Ergo The Church hath not authority to make this determination The Consequence may be thus confirmed that proportion of Time which is both necessary for Religion sufficient for Religion for the chiefe Time of Worship is in reference to men not to say in the nature of Perpetual For nothing can be taken from that which is necessary nor added by mans authority to that which is sufficient So that if the determination of the Church hath made the Time necessary and sufficient to Religion it hath made it withall perpetuall and unalterable The Antecedent that the Church cannot make a determination perpetuall Is partly proved by the confession of the adversaries in this case in hand For they dispute and argue divers of them for the Churches authority at this day to alter and change the Time the Lords Day not onely to some other Day of the week but to some other number greater or smaller Partly by the general confession of all Orthodoxe Divines even the Hereticall Papists also that all institutions determinations lawâ— of men even of the Church universall are in their own not â—e alterable and at least the Church universall may alter them in a generall Councell And so that it belongs to God only to make lawes perpetuall and unchangeable And therefore say we it belongs only to Him to make this determination of the necessary and sufficient chiefe solemne Time for all men and particularly for all the members of the Church which doing it is unquestionably in reference to men XXXIV Argument seventh perpetuall and unalterable A seventh Argument thuâ— proceeds If God have given the Christian Church this authority to determine the necessary sufficient chiefe solemne Time for Religion It is a burden to Christians that the Church have this authority to all its members Then it is by way of spirituall priviledge and liberty for Christians But it is not a spirituall priviledge or liberty to Christians to have this authority given to the Church Ergo God hath not given to the Church this authority The Consequence is not to be denyed 1. Because our adversaries do so much and so oft urge the notion of Christian liberty to prove Christians free from all Gods former determinations of Times even that of one day in seven for a Weekely Sabbath in the fourth Commandement and to prove that the Church is to determine the necessary and sufficient Time now 2. Indeed there can be no other reason imagined why God should set His Christian Church to make this determination or make voyde all His own former determinations but in favour to His people now for a spirituall priviledge and Christian liberty The Time of the Gospell being a Time of spirituall freedome above the Time of the Old Testament The Antecedent may be verifyed severall wayes 1. By the confession of the adversaries who say sometimes and offer at some reasons for it that the Christian Church may appoint and determine more and oftener dayes than the Jewes had determined to them by God himselfe And if it be absolutely left to the Church to determine they may determine as many as they will And so there wil be lesse liberty in that sence they plead for it lesse freedom for worldly occasions work and sports then the Jewes had or then we urge from the fourth Commandement for one whole Day in seven For two Dayes in a week or even twenty seven Holy dayes in a yeare besides the Lords dayes weekely which are in our Church if they must be observed at least by abstaining from all work as some urge in their bookes and to be sure the Ecclesiasticall Courts did urge in practise punishing all those that they could prove did work on any part even of a Holy day This we say was and would be lesse freedome then the Jewes had or then we would have if the Lords day were wholly observed and no other dayes strictly besides But they may determine as hath been said even twise thrise as many more dayes if they have such authority as we dispute of Where then is the liberty talked of 2. If the Church had not such an absolute authority to determine but as much as was of old one whole Day in seven And without an expresse prohibition or pregnant reasons to the contrary which our adversaries in their way have not yet alledged this cannot be denied by them And so keep the number and continuance still and onely change the Day as we say is done but by God not men We aske again where is the liberty talked of unlesse they will say
1. That there is a God 1. That there is a God Which even the most Barbarous and Savage people of the World in all Ages and even the worst of Atheists at some time or other have been forced to acknowledge The Frame of the Greater World Yea the Frame of the Lesser World Man doe Preach to every one vocally and as it were proclaime a Deity Rom. 1.20 IV. 2 That he must have Worship 2. That this God must be Worshipped by all reasonable Creatures capable of the knowledge of him and so of Worshipping him And this results from the former For nature it selfe cannot but conclude thus If there be a God it is but reason he should be honoured by all his Creatures that are capable of understanding what it is to honour him There is then a Naturall Homage and Allegeance due to God from all mankind by the very Law of their Creation and particularly the Praising and Magnifying of Him and so the performance of all other duties toward Him that He prescribes men to Worship Him by both with Soule and Body V. The Worship of God two fold 1. Ejaculatory described Now this Worship of God may be further distinguished into Ejaculatory and Solemne Ejaculatory is That which a man may tender to God either with the Heart alone or with the Tongue also in Prayer Praises Singing c. even in the midst of Worldly imployments sometimes Experience shewes the possibility of this sometimes and but sometimes For some worldly imployments as study and divers others do so wholly take a Man up both body and mind as without sensible interruption a Man cannot have leisure to tender so much as an Ejaculation to God for a while and much lesse to speake of him But other imployments doe admit now and then at least much freedome both for the mind and tongue So that even while the eyes and hands are busied in worldly worke as ploughing or spinning or weaving and the like one may without any interruption of what they are about lift up the soule to God and the voyce too for God and so worship Him immediately while withall they worship him mediately also in a worldly calling VI. Proved to be a duty for all men Now unto this kind of Worship of God every one of mankind is undoubtedly bound as much as it is possible for them to performe it And namely by those generall Precepts which bind Semper as the schooles speake that is on all opportunities though not ad semper at all moments without intermission Pray without ceasing Rejoyce evermore In every thing give thankes Trust in the Lord at all times Meditate in the Law of God day and night Speak of it when thou sittest in the house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest up And by that universall of all others Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy mind and with all thy strength All this we say infallibly calls for such Ejaculatory worship as much and as often as a man can possibly have leisure and at all seasons when he shall not thereby be interrupted in his necessary attendance upon his body and bodily occasions I say not that these commands require no more but Ejaculatory Worship But so much infallibly they do require and without this they are not satisfied how much or how often soever any one do tender Solemne Worship unto God And so indeed it is both our misery and our sinne That though in the Solemne Worship of God we are apt too apt God knowes to fall upon thoughts of the world of our worldly callings and businesses at least besides worse matters Yet in our ordinary callings we seldome remember God as we might and should It being too true of all in a degree which is the common Character of the ungodly To forget God and not to have him in our thoughts But however VII 2. Solemne described be it at the best that can be imagined with us in this kind this Ejaculatory Worship is not all the homage we owe to God But we stand further bound even every one of mankind to tender also Solemne Worship unto him And that is The presenting the whole man soule and body both together unto God Taking ones selfe wholly off from all worldly things and devoting themselves with all their strength altogether for a while to the service and Worship and enjoyment of God Setting aside all other businesses quite to attend meerly upon that for so long And this to be a duty as well as the former VIII Proofe of it being a duty obliging all men by two Reasons 1. God is Lord both of soule and body not only the forementioned Precepts evince speciall that of loving God with all thy heart c. besides manifold more in Scripture But even the Law of Nature necessitates to it whether we consider God or our selves our soules specially 1. God being our Creator not of our Soules only but also of our bodyes and Lord of all that man hath The glorifiing of him both with the soule and body too is and must needs be acknowledged the Principall end of Mans Creation For God made Man as all things else Principally for himselfe for His owne Glory And so it cannot be enough that man should serve and Worship Him by the by only or by fits and snatches meerly in Ejaculatory Worship while they are mainly busied and intent upon somewhat else But his Soveraigne Majesty and Dominion requires also sometimes such a Solemne and serious attendance upon him for the Illustration of His Glory as that a man should mind nothing else that while nor yet suffer any part or Member of His hand or foot or eye or any to be at all busie about any thing of the world As hereby acknowledging kimself wholly and altogether to belong to God and to hold all that he hath even his whole being from Him IX 2. The good of mans souls repuires it 2. Neither is it to be forgotten that even the good of mens soules for which in the second place Man was made and sent into the world requires the same For since the fall of man particularly and even before a full enjoying of God which is the soules happinesse cannot be had no not such as this life is capable of in the midst of worldly imployments though a man doe now and then even as often as it is possible for him by lifting up his soule to God in Holy Ejaculations get a little comfort and sweetnesse Therefore in this respect also it is necessary for men sometimes to attend wholly upon God specially we say since the fall being now fettered with so much corruption and filled with so much vexation and to have no diversion from any thing that his hands or eyes or any part of him are busied about But that the whole soule doe
windowes open toward Jerusalem Also his setting himselfe to seek the Lord by fasting though alone c. 9. Can it be reckoned lesse then Solemn VVorship We adde if many Christians all a Country or Kingdom over should agree to fast and pray upon one particular day every one in their Chamber apart alone this were without doubt a very Solemne service and worship yet Solitary and private We conclude then that as there is such a Duty required of every one apart at least sometimes which we call Solemne Worship so such a Duty being performed with the whole man is worthy to be called and counted Solemne And if Solitary Worship may deserve to be called Solemne then surely Family-Worship also is justly to be counted Solemne Such was the eating of the Passeover which was ever in private houses and Esthers Fast with her maids Est 4. three dayes one after another and the Humiliation mentioned Zach. 12. every family apart and their wives apart which seemes to be a Solitary VVorship yet Solemne undoubtedly So that all Solemn VVorship is not Publike But if any one would yet list to wrangle about the word Solemne let him but give us another fit word to describe such Solitary or Private VVorship of the whole man tendred unto God so seriously and it shall serve our turne sufficiently for the end we intend it for as we shall see hereafter Mean time we say that conjoyned VVorship XIV Family Worship proved a duty where it is possible to to be performed is also a necessary duty even so far forth Morall-Naturall and that in both the kindes of it Domesticall and Congregationall For in the second place The Honour of GOD and Good of Soules doe also require Family-VVorship from all such joyntly as live in Families where they have any to joyn with This appeares 1. Because it being God that hath placed men in a Community setting the solitary in families as the Psalmists phrase is Psal 68. it cannot be justly conceived that He should doe this meerly for their worldly conveniencies but rather chiefly that they should improve their society one with another to His Glory who is the Lord of them all together as well as of every one of them single and so that they should worship Him joyntly together as well as each of them solitarily and apart To which tends undeniably the forenoted charge given Deut. 6.6 7. These words that I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in the house Deut. 11.18 and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up For though it comprehend plainly Ejaculatory Worship in part as we have noted before yet it reaches further specially being added immediately unto the great Commandement ver 4. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy might And indeed how can any man love God with all his heart and soule and not be willing to joyne others to himselfe and himselfe to others as much as may be in the worship of God And how doth the Master of a Family love God with all his strength that imployes not his authority over all his Family to call them to worship God even in the Family with himselfe at least some times I say at least some times for we yet are but upon the Duty the consideration of the Time is to come afterward Therefore also we finde it a part of the unhappy character of Pagans Jer. 10.25 Whereas some to elude the strength of this Text for Family-Prayers alleadge that Psal 79.6 the words are the Kingdomes that call not upon thy name and so by Family here is meant no more then there by Kingdoms I answer The parallelling the two plates proves the thing more clearly for as the Kingdome is not said to call upon Gods name unlesse the King command publike meetings to that end and that is counted a Heathenish and ungodly Kingdome so is it with a Family where by the authority of the Governour there are no joynt meetings to pray to God devoted to the wrath of God The Heathen that know Thee not and the Families that call not on Thy Name And indeed how hath the Family that knowledge of God to be 1. Their great Lord and Master 2. The Author of their Peace among themselves that the Governour is gentle to the inferiours and the inferiours dutifull to the Governour and Superiour 3. The Author of all Blessings to them all Of health and strength to follow their businesse of successe and comfort in them How I say have they the knowledge of God if they agree not together to joyne in Worship of Him their Lord and in tendring Prayers and Praises for such things as they expect and receive from Him 2. The Good of soules calls for this also Every one needing helpe from others and all being helped by the Solemne services joyntly presented to God in the Family 1. In minding one another by mutuall testification of the common Allegeance and Homage they all owe to Him their great Soveraigne and so preventing the forgetting of Him 2. Withall affecting one another by example of reverence and devotion 3. They being also infallibly taught and minded of and provoked to some particulars of Duty and furnisht with some matter of comfort by every such service performed joyntly supposing that every ones heart joynes faithfully in it which before they were either ignorant or forgetfull of or backward to or should have missed if they had beene wholly and ever alone As reason cannot but insinuate and experience continually shewes It remains then that Domesticall and Family-Worship is a Necessary Duty and as farre as it is Possible even Morall-Naturall XV. Publike Worship proved a Duty 3. So is also Ecclesiasticall or Congregationall VVorship which is usually called Publike VVorship Even for the Reasons forenamed Gods Honour and Soules Good He is Lord of all societies and the Author of them as well as of Families And so is to have a tribute of VVorship and Glory from all joyntly The Lord having universall Dominion over all flesh should publikely be worshipped by societies of men G. Irons p. 261. as well as from any severally And Love to God cannot but promote this as much as is possible And the mutuall blessings expected and received by greater Communities as well as Families doe require the like according to just conveniences Which is so assuredly of the Law of Nature that all Nations that have ever been heard of have had their joynt Publike Solemne Worship And have had Persons set apart purposely for it Priests or Ministers for the more compleat performance of it Finally both Reason and Experience declare that the good of Soules both calls for publike Congregationall VVorship as also commends it as exceeding profitable and advantagious Not only in that
himselfe to be determined unto by some vow of his owne or Gods command or some Superiours whom he dare not disobey So that whatsoever is left indeterminate to such is to be reckoned as nothing as never any of it imployed for God and the soule Therefore the determination of the Continuance and Frequencie of Time for Religion is so Profitable that it cannot be too large or too frequent if it leave but enough for bodily necessities and and other necessary worldly occasions Religion also being the chiefe and most necessary businesse as hath beene said 2. But now for the Quando XIX 2. The season or order of beginning hath of it selfe no substantiall profitablenesse toward Religion though accidentally it may have some or Season of Beginning what day of any number of dayes or what houre or part of any day there being no validity or efficacie in it indeterminately and voluntarily applyed to Religion as we have also shewed unlesse meerely by accident A determination of it is no further profitable then as it may Accidentally serve to secure the other respects of Continuance and Frequencie before determined As if some hours foure or six of a day were determined It is profitable that the beginning be determined somewhat early that so interruptions may not prevent the observation of so many hours Also if a whole day be determined as for solemne humiliation once a quarter It is profitable to determine some particular day some while at least before hand least interruptions of busines not so well ordered as might have been upon foresight of such a day determined do disturbe the orderly and religious observation of it even by himselfe alone Also so farre as in any other accidentall respect a man can foresee any helpe on such a day or houre or the freedome of his owne spirits or better disposition of body or the like it may be profitable to him to determine such a season of beginning for himselfe Otherwise it is not ordinarily profitable at all what particular season whether it be this day or that the first or third or seventh or tenth of that revolution or this or that houre or beginning of such Continuance that is before determined God nor the Soule gaine not nor loose not either way XX. The Quando season or order of Time that is the particular dayes may be accidentally profitabâ—y determined namely to preserve the memoriall of some worke of God on such a day and accordingly to helpe to affect with thankfulnesse specially when appointed by God to that purpose But we must not forget that in Religion or toward it that is toward some particular Consideration in Religion there may be some Accidentall profit in some determination of the Quando or Season of Beginning some solemne Worship like unto which there is nothing for study or any civill businesse which we toucht in the beginning of the foregoing Chapter Namely some Memoriall of a speciall worke of God done upon that season that day Of which sort God instituted divers under the Old Testament undeniably and we say he did also one such Day under the New Testament the first Day of the weeke cald therefore the Lords Day in stead of the Old Seventh Day-Sabbath which was in memory of Christs rest from the worke of redemption as the former of Gods rest from the worke of Creation And men also both under the Old and New Testament have instituted some particular dayes in memoriall of Gods workes as upon such dayes as the dayes of purim in the booke of Ester and the feast of the dedication mentioned Joh. 10.22 and instituted in the Time of the Maccabees as we read 1. Mac. 4.59 And no man doubts but the Christian Church hath instituted divers such dayes of memoriall Our Adversaries affirming it even of the Lords Day it selfe But that we shall dispute with them about in due season Now for the profit of these institutions so farre and so long as God commanded or commands yet any there is no doubt some profit in that by a spirituall blessing even upon that day above another not commanded by him All his Ordinances being ever accompanied with a blessing unto and upon the right observers of them and accordingly at the very first institution of the Seventh Day Sabbath God is said to blesse it as well as to sanctifie it Nay first to blesse it then to sanctifie it though it was doubtles the same act as of purpose to secure the blessing to the observers of its sanctification Gen. 2.3 And withall it may serve in a degree to quicken not the memory only but the affections also toward God for such a benefit as the Worlds Creation and so for the other benefits of which some other dayes were appointed memorialls Gods command certainly make these memorials lively and operative for these purposes so long as he would have them to be so used XXI How far and in what case the Quando or particular day appointed by man only for a memoriall of any worke or benefit of God may be Profitable As for dayes instituted by men for memorials some little profit there may also be in determining the particular day in a revolution as somewhat serving to quicken and affect the mind with the occasion But then this must also be where it is certaine and clear that the day determined is answerable to the day of the benefit Or else if that be doubted of it is like to affect but very little indeed And the services also of the Day must be specially and affectingly applied to the occasion of the memoriall Or else again there will be very little if at all any profit by the determination of such a particular day Likewise it is to be remembred that upon the particular Dayes which God instituted under the Old Testament XXII The Quando or particular dayes appointed by God under the Old Testament were ordained by Him partly for a Typicall signification and so also had an accidentâ—ll profit But it is not 〈◊〉 with any under the New Testament appointed by God and much lesse of any appointed by Men. He was pleased to put some particular typicall signification relating to Christ the body of all those shadowes as the Apostle generally tells us of them all Col. 2.16 So that He made them for the time being for that infancie of the Church yet more profitable in this consideration of being Documents of some of the Mysteries of Christ In which use no Day appointed by Man of old ever did or could serve for any Profit Neither doth any Day now either of Gods or much lesse of Mans appointment God having put an end to all Typicall uses by the comming of Christ in the flesh and His suffering and resurrection But we say before His comming even the Quando or seasons of Times determined by God had some profit in them in those two Considerations and the Lords day hath still as a memoriall appointed by
of the Frequency and make it as Frequent as may be every day of the seven or even eveâ—â— Morning and Evening in each of the seven dayes and so make the Continuance shorter as it must needs be according to the greater Frequency Of which we thus propound our apprehensions in justification of the Wisdom of that Determination of God and so the Profitablenesse of it of One whole dayes Continuance only once in seven dayes rather then oftner for Frequency and with lesse Continuance We say then 7. That if we pitch upon an equall Proportion for the whole XXVIII The largest continuance with a lesser Frequency is better then the greatest Frequency with a lesse continuance as this for Instance it will appear more profitable by far to have the largest Continuance that may be with a Frequency somewhat remote as it is in the fourth Commandment then to have the greatest Frequency that may be with a Proportionably lesse Continuance And this may be evidenced both in Reference to Religion and also to worldly businesses In both Respects it will be found the most Profitable Determination to have it all upon one Day rather then divided into parcells upon every day of the seven or proportionably upon six or five or four or three or two dayes of seven We suppose the Proportion of a Day is about 14. or 16. hours namely the Ordinary waking Time of a Day which only can be applied solemnly to Religion as we shall see afterward Now this divided between two dayes is seven or eight hours a piece between three dayes is five hours a piece or little more between four Dayes about four hours a piece between five dayes about three hours a piece between six Dayes about two hours and a halfe a piece between all the seven Dayes about two hours a piece XXIX 1. With respect to Religion it selfe or little more Here now if we first consider the Businesses of Religion We have already shewed the great Profit of a whole dayes Continuance for the divers kinds of worship Solitary Domesticke and Publike and for variety of Duties in each kinde and compleat improvement of them all by full space for each and before the publike particuly to prepare for it and after it to make the utmost benefit of it But if we abate any of this Continuance by multiplying the Revolution more Frequently and specially the more we abate of it by the greater Frequency as of five or six or seven Dayes Some at least of this benefit must be prejudiced either the Publike or else the Domesticke or at least the Solitary worship must be neglected in some of those revolutions Or if all be still performed yet much more slightly because so scantiâ— and only some Duties in each kinde and not all that might well have been in a whole dayes Continuance or a very small pittance afforded to the severall Duties and so a very weake profit to redound particularly to mens souls by the observance of such Times The heart would often not be brought in frame till a great part of the Duty and perhaps of the whole Time for the various Duties were over-past and gone And another while that which was gotten of knowledge or Affection would straightway be lost again by Diverting the minde suddainly unto worldly Cogitations As is more then evident unto the consciences of Christians when after a Sermon heard on the weeke day at the Market they do whether Necessarily or Voluntarily immediately lay aside the thoughts of it and engage themselves in worldly businesses In such cases it is a very very little Profit that their souls make by such attendance upon God though for an hour or more together and with the best help of the publike Ministery unlesse the matter did very much sute with their present affections and so sinkes more then ordinarily deep into them Or that they specially call themselves to a serious account the next free hour they have to settle it upon their minds and consciences by meditation and Prayer And this they have often no leisure for on the week dayes till they have even forgotten the most of what they had heard But now in the Continuance of a whole Day they have not only leisure but in a manner a Necessity of laying to heart what specially they have learned in the publike Ministerie For all worldly businesses discourses or even cogitations being then unseasonable and unlawfull they have now no manner of excuse if they meditate not of what specially may and doth concerne their consciences and of which they have been that day instructed and put in minde And if they live among any that regard God at all they may have help from them for remembrance and affection both by conference of what they have heard even at meals besides other Times Neither can they have any discourse so proper as of that usually nothing of the world being then allowed ordinarily as was touched before A great deale more might be said to evidence the singular profit of having the Continuance with the largest that may be But we shall have occasion to speak of it again in the next Chapter and so we forbear to amplifie things now Only we must not forget to note that if we shall take our Adversaries proportion upon the Lords Day namely three or four hours which is about that proportion which the practise of our Church generally allots for the publike worship though we remember not that they any where vouchsafe to name such a Proportion diâ—…tly If we say we shall take this proportion to be solemnly observed in a weeks Revolution The matter in hand will be much more cleare that the whole proportion is more profitably determined together in one Continuance within such a Revolution then to have it broken into smaller Parcells by reason of the multiplication of the Frequency For this Proportion of three or four hours in a weeke is but about two hours of a Day if divided between two dayes and if between three dayes about an hour and a quarter If between four dayes about an hour in a day If between five dayes not an hour for each day If between six dayes not three quarters of an hour for each and if between 7. dayes about half an hour for every day Here now whereas the whole three or four hours would afford some discernable Profit if all upon one day and so make it one Continuance admitting them also a Reservation for going home to dinner because there would be some convenient roome for the varieties of publike duties though none at all according to their account for the private and so it might worke somewhat upon them yet if it came to be lessened by division into more dayes and so more Frequent Revolutions There would be either an exclusion of Prayer or Reading or Singing or Preaching or Catechising one or other of them not to name the Sacraments which are not usually every week but Baptisme only
Determinate solemne Time for Gods Worship is Morall Naturall This we must first Explaine and then we shall set upon the proofe of it For explication we desire it may be observed 1. 1. Meant onely of the Continuance and Frequency That We affirme it onely in regard of the quantity or Proportion of time but yet of that in both the respects of it the Quamdiu or Continuance and the Quoties or Frequency That some Determinate solemne Continuance is Morall Naturall and again some Determinate solemne Frequency is commanded by the very Law of nature namely according to our former description of the law of nature c. 1. That every reasonable man notwithstanding the present corruption of his nature may be forced to acknowledge it necessary to be given to God in duties of His immediate and solemne worship in regard of the importance of those respects of time for Religion Gods Honour and the good of mens soules And that accordingly duties must attend those Determinations of Time to fill up the whole Continuance and answer the revolutions But we say no such thing of the Quando season III. Not of the season or order of beginning by it self considered as not being of it self any way materiall to Religion as hath been discoursed before Only when the other respects are discerned to be determined there will also appeare some kind of necessity of some Determination of this also at least to secure mens helping one another and prevent their hindring one another who live in a neernesse together as we shall see more hereafter IIII. 2. Of those both single and joyntly 2. We affirme this Determination of the law of nature not onely of each of those respects single of some Continuance and some Frequency but of both of them jointly that some Determination of such a Continuance so often V. 3. Not remisse only nor conclusive nor exclusive but only Initiall and of such a Frequency with such Continuance is Morall Naturall and made by the very law of nature 3. That by the Determinations which we maintaine in this position to be made by the law of nature of these respects of time As on the one hand we understand more then a remisse Determination to say as many disputers do onely a convenient Time or a sufficient Time leaving both the termes and limits for length or shortnesse of Continuance and for Frequency or seldomenesse of Revolution wholly undesigned So on the other hand we meane not a conclusive Determination assigning exactly the limits on both sides much lesse an exclusive determination of which sort we have before noted that we find none absolutely given out by God any where in reference to the generall businesse of Religion But onely such Determination as we have before termed Initiall wherein the Initiall terme of either of those respects of Time of the Continuance and of the Frequency is determined that is the Continuance to be so long together at least and no lesse while as also the revolution so often at least and no seldomer So requiring somewhat both for Continuance and Frequency strictly and implying withall somewhat more in each respect but leaving that somewhat to some other Determination of God or man More plainly we meane that the Law of nature determines the Continuance in regard of the shortest proportion That so much together at least cannot but be necessary to be presented to God at one time or other of every manslife and so again That so often at least in a revolution to waite upon God solemnely in duties of Religion and Divine Worship cannot but be necessary to every man during his life upon earth VI. 2 Proved of the Continuance single And now we come to prove our Position 1. For the Quamdiu or Continuance single If there may be sin against the law of nature in giving God too little time at once in waiting upon him in the dutyes of solemne worship then some Determined solemne Time is Morall Naturall in regard of the proportion of continuance in his worship But there may be sin even against the law of nature in giving God too little Time at once Ergo. The consequence of this argument is undeniably confirmed by those sentences of the Apostle that whosoever sins transgresses the law for sin is the transgression of the law and where no law is there is no transgression So that if to give God never above halfe a minute at once in waiting upon him in any solemne worship be a transgression and sinne even against the law of nature then the law of nature Determines a solemne Time at least somewhat above that Propotion of Continuance and so a whole minute or three quarters of a minute or the like is a Determinate solemne Time by the law of nature and morall naturall or any other proportion of continuance that can be named or imagined smaller then this will serve to illustrate and confirme this consequence The Antecedent is no lesse certaine and cleare what ever conscience of the most corrupted man be called to judge if he wholly deny not a God and a worship due to him for all men cannot but confesse that it were sin never throughout a mans whole life to give God above halfe a minute at once or a quarter of a minute or any lesse proportion of continuance if lesse can be mentioned or observed As for instance that of the Publican Luke 18. when he smote his breast and cried Lord be mercifull to me a sinner this was a solemne Worship and continued a little longer then an instant and so was measurable for Continuance but never to give God a larger Continuance cannot but be acknowledged a sinne Ergo our conclusion is firme that some Determinate solemne Time above that proportion of Continuance is Morall-Naturall and determined even by the law of nature The like argument will serve mutatis mutandis for some Determinate solemne Time in regard of the Quotie VII Of the frequency single or Frequency single If there may be sin against the law of nature in wayting upon God too seldome then some Determinate solemne Time is Morall Naturall in regard of the Frequency of revolution But there may be sin against the law of nature in waiting upon God too seldome Ergo. The consequence is proved as before That where no law is there is no transgression no sin c. So that if it be transgression and sinne even against natures law never through a mans life to waite upon God in his worship above once then the law of nature Determines a solemne Frequency above the proportion of once and so twice at least in a mans life is a Determinate Time by the law of nature and so Morall Naturall The Antecedent is also undeniable by any one that hath not altogether forsworne all conscience and renounced all Religion in regard of God For whether by waiting upon God we understand presenting unto him Eiaculatory Worship which may perhaps be dispatched
further in any certain Determination of any more distinctly then we formerly asserted in the explication of this first Position XII 2. It is Morall by the first Commandement But we think good first to interpose our second Position noted in the Title of the Chapter That the Determinate Solemn Time forenoted and argued to be Morall-Naturall is within the compasse of the first Commandement To prove which we propound this ensuing Argument XIII Argum. That which requires that we give not God too little Time at once or too seldome Time in a revolution comprehends under it such a Determinate Solemn Time as hath been mentioned both for Continuance and Frequencie But the first Commandement requires that we give not God too little Time at once or too seldome Time in a revolution Ergo. The Major is cleare from the former grounds in that the Sin and the Duty must needs come both under the same Commandement The Minor may be two wayes confirmed 1. 1 Confirmation That Commandement which requires an acknowledgement that the Lord is our God and the soveraigne Lord of us and all our Time requires that we give Him not too little Time at once or too seldome Time in a revolution But the first Commandement requires that acknowledgement that the Lord is our God and soveraigne Lord of us and all our Time Ergo. The Major is certain because the sin of giving God too little Time at once and too seldome Time in a revolution is contrary to the forementioned acknowledgement The Time being therefore too little and too seldome for Him and His worship because He is the supreme Lord of us and all our Time and as we said before the Sin and the Duty must needs be both under one Commandement The Minor cannot be denied in that the affirmative part of the first Commandement being expresly to have the Lord for our God This necessarily includes the acknowledgement of Him to be our absolute Soveraigne and Lord of all our Time and whatsoever else we can call ours or else some other must be acknowledged Lord of it either our selves or some other creatures and to affirme that were to make such creatures our God Therefore the owning the Lord to be our God requires and comprehends such an acknowledgement and such duty and forbids such sin 2. The second confirmation of the Minor of the first Syllogisme XIV 2 Confirmation may be thus conceived That Commandement which requires the acknowledgement that God is our Happinesse requires that we give Him not too little Time at once or too seldome in a revolution for attendance upon Him and converse with Him But the first Commandement requireth that acknowledgement that God is our Happinesse Ergo. The Major is manifest from the former grounds again because the sin of giving God too little Time or too seldome Time is contrary to that acknowledgement of Him being our Happinesse For what ever a man counts his Happinesse he doth and can doe no otherwise then devote much and often Time to it to attend and enjoy it being carried to his Happinesse with all his strength And Love which is the immediate off-spring of such accounting any thing our Happinesse both commands a mans Time and all else of him in thankfulnesse and kindnesse and wisedome for the service of and converse with that object loved Neither can love afford to offend in giving too little or too seldome Time But it is a sin against love and a manifestation of the want of love so far forth to scanty or abridge Time either for Continuance or Frequencie The Minor is no lesse easily proved Because that is plainly our God which to serve and enjoy is our happinesse As for that reason mainly Money is called the covetous mans god Honour the ambitious mans god Pleasure the voluptuous Epicures and he whose happinesse it is to pamper his belly is he that makes his belly his god In like sort we have not the Lord to be our God which the first Commandement requires unlesse He be our happinesse or which comes to all one unlesse to serve and enjoy Him be our happines As then Prophanenesse Covetousnesse and Worldly-mindednesse are sins against the first Commandement undeniably and they so take up the Time for our own carnall selfe and the creatures as that they are the causes and the only causes why any gives God too little or too seldome Time so they prove that the sin of giving God too little or too seldome Time comes under the compasse of the said first Commandement and consequently that that first Commandement requires such a determinate solemne Time as we have spoken of XV. A Consequence thereof for Continuance and Frequencie both And this which we have now asserted considered by it selfe we conceive that every one even our very Adversaries will and must grant us But when we shall come to make our Inference from it Namely that not only a Remissely determinate Time for Religion but even an Initiall determination both of some solemne Continuance of Time and some solemne Frequencie of Revolution being commanded in the first Commandement both singly and jointly it will thence follow that nothing is left for the fourth Commandement but only the precise and conclusive determination of a whole Dayes continuance in the revolution of seven Dayes as the chiefe Time for Religion and so if the Commandement be not in force now for one Day in seven it is altogether void and there are not now ten Commandements but only nine When we say we shall thus urge them from hence as we suppose we may most justly and strongly they will interpose some Exceptions against this Position of ours concerning the first Commandement including such Determinations of Time as we have named of which kinde we have already met with some from some Discourses We shall therefore in the next Part where this application is properly to be made propound such Exceptions as we can conceive may be made against it and accordingly as we hope sufficiently satisfie them And then so many as dare not directly take away the fourth Commandement wholly will be forced to yield it in force as we contend for one Day in seven even from this very Argument besides all others Mr. Broad indeed hath ventured to be so audacious as to reject this Commandement wholly and one or two more of our Disputers doe now and then speak very broadly towards it as shall be noted in due place But we suppose the most even of those that as yet consent not with us for the perpetuity of one Day in seven are not yet grown to that confidence but that they will rather yield to our assertion of that then altogether to throw away the Commandement For their sakes it is and for other conscientious Christians who count themselves bound to cleave to the whole Decalogue for the Reasons before alleadged in the 2. 3. 4. and 5. Chapters that we take paines to maintaine that
All Time which is now by our Adversaries avouched to be Morall-Naturall belongs to the first Commandement and may be justified without any fourth Commandement at all And that therefore it needs not nor should not be now added to a purpose which is already satisfied and is not at all expressed in the words So that if we will have and hold a fourth Commandement still we must hold to the words of it and so to one Day in seven which is that we dispute for In the meane time we proceed to consider XVI How far Nature will cary us further in determination of Solemn Time whether the law of nature will carry us any further in this matter of Determinate and Solemne Time for Religion and how far As also whether the light of nature will not afford us some further direction about it where to seeke a further direction after that the law of nature hath nothing more to say distinctly of it Onely first Let us say a word concerning the Terme of the light of nature The Light of Nature and Law of Nature distinguished as different from the law of nature and because we adde it to the former Of which we say That by the light of nature we meane The understanding that men have by naturall principles in their mindes even notwithstanding the present corruption of nature whereby their Consciences either of themselves or awakened by others discourses come to prescribe the Lawes of Nature to them making them see by way of conclusion from those principles a necessity of duty to or against such and such things even though they have not heard of the Scripture or give no credit to their authority So that the Principles of reason concerning God or man are the light of nature and the Practicall conclusions drawn from thence are the Lawes of Nature XVII A caution to be observed in Arguments from the Law of Nature 2. Withall Forasmuch as we have diverse Times asserted and that undeniably That God is the Soveraigne Lord of us and all our Time and that it is also certaine That he hath no need of us at all nor of any of our Time Therefore whatsoever we shall argue as necessary by the Law of Nature to be imployed in Religion and the Solemne Worship of God we do not intend it in that sort as though God could not appoint it otherwise if he so pleased and so if any certaine word of his can be shewed that he will not have now this or that Proportion of Time It is not our purpose to argue for it against that expresse word of his no not under the pretence of the Law of Nature or ought else that can possibly be alledged But our intent is on the contrary so to discourse of the Law and light of Natures determining of Time or directing about it as may vrge the Consciences of Men where the Scripture is silent or is not heard in the case and so from the rules even of Nature to drive them to have recourse to the expresse words of Scripture in those cases where Nature is either at a losse or may seeme even to require more then in our present state on earth man is able to give So that we shall take these things for undoubted truths 1. That whatsoever Proportions of Time the Law and Light of Nature call for to be imployed in Religion are altogether necessary so farre forth as they are possible to men that have also necessary worldly businesses unlesse the Scripture expresse Gods will by way of Precept or at least of indulgence to be otherwise 2d. That if God doe in the Scripture expresly give us now under the Gospell an indulgence of any proportions of Times for worldly businesses that so farre as himselfe recalls it not by other Rules of his in Scripture The Law of Nature is not to be urged as necessitating to a religious imploying of those Times within the compasse of that indulgence further then those other Rules of Scripture doe againe inforce 3. That men have no pretence to urge an indulgence granted in the old Testament and particularly that of six dayes labouring about worldly businesse ordinarily and for the most part which is the expresse indulgence of the fourth Commandement and withall to reject the Commandemet it selfe for Religious Time to which this indulgence is but an appendix or adjunct For that the indulgence cannot in reason be longer lived then the Commandement to which it belongs If therefore that be annihilated and repealed so is the indulgence also that appertained to it And then if a new one can not be found we must either have recourse to the fourth Commandement againe as we doe and would perswade them also to doe or else we must trust only to the Law and light of Nature Which what command or indulgence of it selfe it will or can give us we now come to consider And that in some distinct questions 1. XVIII Foure general questions propounded Whether to the initiall terme of Continuance and Frequency that is the shortest and seldomest proportion to be determined for Religion which we have already proved done by the Law of Nature we may not find some further certaine determination by the Law of Nature of the Conclusive terme of Continuance single and so a conclusive determination of the longest Continuance considered single without any Frequency of Revolution 2. Whether also the same may be found of the Conclusive terme of Frequency and so a Conclusive determination made of the greatest Frequency single without adding any Continuance to it And if not yet how farre the Law and light of Nature will lead us towards it 3. Whether then the Law of Nature can possibly make a Conclusive determination of both those respects of Continuance and Frequency joyntly and so to make up the chiefe solemne Time of Worship And if not yet whether the light of Nature will not tell us that such a determination must necessarily be made for Religion And accordingly what conditions this determination must have which will direct them whether any Generall Rules of Scripture added to the light of Nature can suffice to the making of this determination by any man or number of men Or that we must needs seeke for an expresse determination of it in Scripture which then can be no other but that of the fourth Commandement for one Day in Seven 4. And finally whether after this setled the Law and light of Nature will afford us any helpe toward the determination also of the Quando season or order of beginning the particular Day of seven and the beginning of the Day at evening or morning or send us for this also to the Scripture And so we shall at last meet a most compleat determination of all the three respects of Time together for Religion and so the most solemne Time that can be Of all which in their order and with all convenient brevitie 1. Here for the first of
calling for a Revolution and Frequencie of a whole Day though we say not that it can pitch upon the Frequencie of a Seventh Dayes revolution Of which more anon XXX Another scruple satisfied If any after all shall say That we have forgotten to put into this Argument one thing before mentioned in the way to it namely That the Coninuance which the Law of Nature determines conclusively is the longest Continuance that naturall abilities can hold out unto at once which we have not yet affirmed of a Day VVe answer in a word 1. That we conceive it needlesse to take much paines to prove that the a Day of 24 houres is the longest Continuance at once that the naturall abilities of all mankind generally is able to bestow upon the worship of God or any other businesse For if sleep be so necessary as it is ordinarily to all men within that time which is a most formall interruption or breaking of the Continuance of any businesse as that not one of a hundred perhaps doth or can watch at any time a whole 24 houres together Then much lesse can it be imagined that all men should be able to hold out to a longer Continuance without such naturally necessary interruption 2. Also that we may justly say that after such a formall interruption as sleep upon the necessity of Nature is and a new Day in Nature beginning The next Time suppose any were further determined upon a mans waking were rather belonging to the Quoties or Frequencie as being a Revolution of a New Day as we said then simply to the Continuance so notoriously interrupted and ended from a necessity of Natures making Though also if there were an expresse and distinct determination further upon that second Day of any Continuance of Time then that determination were not neither a single determination of the Quoties or Frequencie but of it and the Quamdiu or Continuance jointly As in the Fast of Ester three Dayes one after another XXXI How far Nature determines the Frequencie And so we proceed to our second Question about the Law of Natures Determination of Time namely about the Frequencie How far the Law of Nature will lead us toward a Conclusive Determination thereof that is of the greatest Frequencie even single without any Continuance added to it and whether it can as well make a Conclusive Determination of the Frequencie as we have shewed that it doth of the Continuance For resolution hereof although it may seeme faire to affirme That if we shall speak according to the Naturall divisions of Time and so the Naturall revolutions distinctly observable by Naturall Rules even without art among all men all the world over the Law of Nature doth determine even conclusively the Frequency of every Day that is so often the Law of Nature doth require for the Worship of God from all men by way of command but no oftener though not forbidding oftener but only seldomer because Nature seemes to have no Frequenter distinct revolution then a Day And that it hath and is able to observe and take notice of and accordingly is able to Worship God even solemnely so often There being no impediment imaginable why within the Revolution of every Day a man may not give God some solemne Worship But we say though this seemes a faire assertion and sutable to what we had before of the Naturall Continuance of a Day yet if we shall speake Practically and Ethically as we did partly before of the Continuance we must deliver our selves somewhat otherwise and indeed so we must also in a meer Physicall or Astronomicall consideration of the Revolution of a Day And 1. XXXII Twice a day at least then in that consideration we say that the Law of Nature if it make any Conclusive determination of the Frequency of Time for Gods worship it must be of twice every Day Because there is indeed a two-fold revolution or Frequency observable in every Day Naturally the beginning and the end In each of which it is undoubtedly possible to tender to God some Worship And so it is Practically A mans first waking and his lying downe to sleepe are two distinct observable Revolutions appliable to Gods Worship we doe not now here speake of the Quando whether Natures Law doth command to take the first Time of waking and the last Time before sleep for solemne Worship that may be considered afterward But we say that these two are distinct and observable revolutions of Time in every Day And so each of them affording a remarkable possibility of Worshipping God The Law of Nature upon the former grounds of Gods being our happinesse and the Soveraigne Lord of all our Time cannot but determine both those Times to make a Conclusive determination of the Frequency if any such may be made or at least an Initiall determination that is so often at least as twice in every Day once in the morning and once toward night the Law of Nature doth determine for solemne Worship to every man This we meane of such Dayes as we call working Dayes out of which Natures Law determines twice every such Day to tender some solemne Worship to God As well as it doth the whole of one Day in a mans life as we discoursed before of which Day or any such Dayes we speake not in this Argument Because though the particular Duties are divers on such a Day and some to be repeated twice or oftener as prayer Yet this in the whole is counted but once one Continuance because no worldly thing unlesse by reason of present necessity for which a reservation is made may come in and interrupt the Continuance at all But now therefore when we speake of twice a Day we speake of those Dayes which are mainly for worldly businesses that even notwithstanding that they are so by Gods allowance and appointment N. B. whether in Nature or Scripture yet the Law of Nature doth determine a double Frequency of Religious services every such Day of every mans life Only we say not that any Continuance is strictly determined with this Frequency that so long a man must continue at his devotions twice every Day But that so oft at least for the Frequency the Law of Nature commands we thus in a word further make plaine XXXIII Confirmed by reason If it be sinne against the Law of Nature not to worship God every Day twice then the Law of Nature determines to every man the Frequency of every Day twice But it is a sinne against the Law of Nature not to Worship God every Day twice Ergo. The consequence hath been confirmed by like Arguments The Antecedent is also certainly thus made good That which is contrary to the acknowledgement of Gods being the Lord of all our Time and our happinesse is a sinne against the Law of Nature but not to worship God every day twice is contrary to those acknowledgements Ergo. The Major cannot be denied and hath often been
by too frequent revolutions specially which again will redound to the prejudice of Religion as before 5. If they make the proportion too scanty in the whole they sin unquestionably against Religion Gods honour and the soules good 6. If they find a Determination made by others wisely they sin if they offer to alter it any way that is to the worse 7. If they find it unfitly made in any respect they sinne if they alter it not for the better And the reason is the like for those that are to obey the Determination they sinne if they ascribe Authority and yeeld obedience to those to whom God hath given none and they sinne on the other hand if they deny Authority unto those to whom God hath given it or if they deny their obedience specially in a matter so neerely concerning Gods honour and the good of their soules Besides what is to be said of the proportion or distribution appearing equall or notoriously unequall of which anon So that in all this there is nothing for the consciences of all sorts of men that meddle or meddle not with this Determination obey it or obey it not to rest upon but a certaine Authority to be pleaded from the law of nature or Scripture for those that offer to make it or obey it Or a certainty that men have no such Authority left them by God And that our minor expresses which we beleeve we shall sufficiently confirme 1. For the Law of Nature we have already noted 1. IV. Neither by the law of nature That originally God is unquestionably the Soveraigne and absolute Lord of all Time and so that it primarily belongs to Him to determine the chiefe and necessary Times of His owne Worship 2. That the Law and light of Nature doth not determine nor cannot helpe men to determine Conclusively the Continuance and Frequency joyntly and so not the chiefe solemne Time of Worship for all men 3. And this is both confessed and urged against the fourth Commandement being Morall-Naturall for a Seventh Day Sabbath by all our adversaries that dispute about these things From all which it plainly followes that the Law of Nature doth not nor cannot grant unto men the authority of determining this chiefe Time of Worship necessary for all men But rather denies it them As being a thing against the light of Nature that they should have the authority of determining that which they have no light in Nature for the porportion of 2. For the Scripture there is as little for this authority there V. Nor by the Scripture as in Nature for we challenge our adversaries or any for them to to produce the Booke Chapter or verse of the Bible that gives any so much as an intimation that God hath put off this authority to men which was originally a part of His owne Prerogative Royall Is it any where said in expresse Words or to any such effect That God though He determined the Times of His Worship to His Church of old yet He will not doe so to His Church now under the New Testament Or that He will not have any one of His Antient determinations to stand in force in any respect But though it be still as necessary as ever to have solemne Times determined for Religion unto all men specially a chiefe Time to be ordinarily sufficient yet He utterly refuses to meddle any more in determining or distributing the proportions of it but leaves it wholly to men they may and shall and must determine it Is there we say any the least intimation of Gods putting this authority out of His owne hands into mens in the New Testament Or any thing like it of His not meddling with determining any Times to mankind till He had brought Israel out of Egypt But that Adam notwithstanding the contrary intimation to say the least of it now which we shall particularly discusse hereafter Gen. 2. was wholly left without any determination from God for any solemne Times and so all the Patriarkes Noah and Abraham and the rest till Moses his Time and till the fall of Manna Is it any where said or any reason of it to be gathered from Nature or Scripture that these had the whole authority of determining this necessary chiefe solemne Time for all men or that any else had it of mankind Some must have it God still or men We referre it then unto any conscience to judge whether it is fit to say or beleeve without any Scripture or Reason that God to whom it originally belonged and whose Honour and Service it so mainly concerned besides His care of mens soules did put it over to men we knew not to whom nor why All that can be pretended is that some of our adversaries say that there is no mention of Adam or the Patriarkes keeping the Seventh Day Sabbath No more say we is there of their keeping any sufficient Time any such chiefe Time as is proved and confessed to be necessary to be determined and observed for Religion We now argue not of the proportion but who determined it determined it was being so necessary to Religion for all men And it originally belonged to God Let them then that list or dare beleeve without the Scripture and against the light of Nature that He put it over to men We dare not And this may suffice for our first and generall Argument For as for that which is alledged for the Churches Authority now under the New Testment We shall come to consider it in the prosecution of our second Argument which is this If God have given to men this Authority to determine the chiefe solemne Time of Worship for all men VI. 2. Argum. this Authority is given necessary and ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe Time Then either He hath given it to every man single or to some speciall men for all the rest But He hath not given this Authority to every man single nor to some speciall men for all the rest Ergo He hath not given this Authority to men at all The Consequence of this Argument is most cleare and cannot be denied The Antecedent hath divers branches in sight and more that will appeare anon we must consider them severally and distinctly 1. For this Authority to be given to every man single 1. Neither to every man single to determine the chiefe solemne Time necessary and ordinarily sufficient for Himselfe It will we doubt not sound so unreasonable in every eare at the first that sundry Readers will be ready to blame us as wasting of Time unnecessarily in the very mention of it and much more in going about to disprove it Yet for all that we cannot but take notice that some of our disputers though we verily beleeve they mean no such thing as to assert it but reserve the Authority to the Church the Governours of it as they abundantly proclaime Yet sometimes speake very suspiciously towards it Thus speakes one of them The equity of
and in the Nature of the businesse to a whole Day and no lesse Continuance neither did ever any Orthodoxe Church speake otherwise of it though we know the Popish mock-fasts or foole fasts end often at noone so that all that the Church doth or the Christian Magistrate is to appoint and determine the particular Day or the Frequency of Dayes upon some speciall occasions and to declare that the Continuance is to be extended so long with penalties Civil or Ecclesiasticall on them that shall be knowne to transgresse it even within doores otherwise they doe not command properly any particular family or solitary Worship at all Or if they did were it not for those intimations of Scripture and the Nature of the businesse of solemne humiliation and the prevention of all tolerable ordinary excuses by the publike appointment no mans conscience were bound to observe the whole Day at home and in solitary Worship before and after the publike because of the Churches or Magistrates authority and determination for the reasons before set downe Another Argument followes which is a fifth against the Churches authority to determine the chiefe solemne Time Even against that authority which our Adversaries thinke most infallibly certaine to belong to the Church namely for the publike Worship Against which thus we argue XXX Arg. 5. The Church cannot command aâ—l her members to observe the time in publike worship If the Church have authority to determine the chief Time of Worship for all its members in reference to the publike Worship Then it hath authority to command all its members constantly to observe that Time in the publike Worship which it determines for it But the Church hath not authority to command all its members constantly to observe that Time in the publike Worship which it determines for it Ergo The Church hath not authority to determine the chiefe Time of Worship to all its members in reference to the publike Worship The consequence is certaine from the state of the question formerly laid downe 1. That the determination discoursed of makes the Time necessary to Religion and so commands all unto whom it is made to observe it constantly 2. Also our Adversaries doe every where make it Morall Naturall to observe publike worship and contend that it is the whole morality of the fourth Commandement to command publike worship and consequently a necessary and sufficient Time to be by the Church determined for it So that the determination of the Time for such publike worship is an expresse command of a constant observation of such publike worship even by vertue of the Law Morall Naturall and the whole remaining force of the fourth Commandement 3. Likewise it were a meer vanity and ridiculous folly to dispute for authority of determining Times and so a folly to determine them if men be not thereby bound as by a command to observe those Times once determined constantly except in the particular case of reservation of which we have often given touches before XXXI This is confessed by the adverse party G. Irons Now for the Antecedent It will be made good 1. By our Adversaries owne conceits contradicting themselves as we touched a while agoe in a like Argument Namely Though they make the publike worship Morall Naturall Yet doe they so farre forget themselves as to exempt shepheards diggers in mines servants sundry sorts of them at least as cookes and others and divers other people from any necessity of constantly observing the publike worship Insomuch as the translatour of Doctor Prideaux Lecture imputes it as strange superstition that a Towne of his acquaintance had not a piece of roast or baked meat to a Sundaies-dinner throughout the whole yeere which must needs be because all the servants went constantly to the publike worship An imputation to say no lesse of it worthy the pen of one of those S. Paul speaks of Phil. 3.19 whose God is their belly otherwise how durst he that would carry the face of a Christian reproach the Ministers of Christ as he there doth for teaching the people both Masters and servants to preferre the publike worship of God before the sacrificing to their owne bellies and so to take more care even of every poore servants soule by carrying them along to the publike worship of God then to provide for the pampering of their owne guts though with the pinching or starving of their servants soules But to let him passe we urge all of them and specially those that dispute that the fourth Commandement was not given to servants whether they will averre That a servant is bound by the Churches determination to keepe constantly to the publike worship from the first to the last of it every time that there is any Notwithstanding any Commandement to the contrary If their perhaps prophane Masters though they beare the names of Christians and that upon no allowable necessity will charge them to stay at home altogether or part of the Time before they goe to Church or come home before it is ended and specially if such ungodly Masters or parents shall threaten or beate their inferiours if they doe otherwise then they charge them We say againe what will they say a servant or inferiour is bound to in these cases which are every day one where or other Nay what is an inferiour free to in these cases Who hath a soule to save and so to looke after and a desire to use the meanes for it specially Gods publike worship having little or no helpe at all but hindrance rather in the family and exceeding little time for any solitary devotions They cannot here answer either way but they overthrow their owne Principles For either 1. They must say Servants and inferiours may and must keepe strictly to the Churches determinations for publike worship notwithstanding any contrary command or threatning or cruelty of their ungodly superiours Which they will not allow us to urge men to upon the Commandement and determination of God Himselfe and for this they deny this Commandement of the Sabbath to have layen upon Israel in Egypt and that the Lords day was strictly observed by the Primitive Christians under persecution If these things be urged against us they cannot reasonably urge servants and inferiours now to crosse their superiours upon the Churches determination even for the Publique Worship 2. Or on the other side they must say that servants and inferiours are not bound nay that they are not free by the Churches determination to the Times of Publique Worship because of these inconveniences And then they grant our Antecedent That the Church hath not authority to command all its members constantly to observe that Time in Publique VVorship which it determines to them Of will they say that servants and inferiours are not members of the Church or that the Churches determinations reach not to them but so far forth as their Masters and Parents will give them leave and that they are free or rather not free
Sabbath he promises in Gods name That they should be made joyfull in Gods house of Prayer and their services accepted by Him v. 3 6 7. So that spirituall comfort in God and His gracious acceptation of their services is the blessing promised to the faithfull observance of this Time appointed by God for the chiefe solemne Time of His Worship Neither can this be eluded by our Disputers as they offer to Except 1 throw off all the places of the Old Testament by saying that this Except 2 was typicall of Christ and our spirituall rest in Him from sinne or else that it belonged only to the seventh-day Sabbath which the Jewes observed and so either way and both wayes we have nought to doe with it For we have proved sufficiently Solut. that a solemne proportion of Time determined for Religion for the necessary and sufficient chiefe Time as the Weekly Sabbath then was undeniably is no typicall matter but a substantially-necessary thing to Religion and that there is need of a Blessing upon such Time whatever the proportion be unlesse it were all our Time or else it will not be sufficient And so the Blessing here cannot be to the Sabbath in any typicall respect but as that proportion of Time determined by God for the chiefe Time for Religion His worship and mens soules Inst And though they may happen to object the mention of Gods accepting of their burnt offerings and sacrifices upon His Altar which Sol. if referoed to our Times must needs be meant typically 1. This will not hurt our interpretation of this place since the difference is apparant enough between His calling for the observation of that which is so substantially necessary in the kind of it to Religion that is either this Proportion determined for the chiefe Time or some other and that which is plainly a figure and a type as all burnt offerings and materiall sacrifices were Of which kind there are now none such under the Gospel So that in this the Prophet only speaks in the language of the present time that while sacrifices were offered and burnt upon Gods altar by the conscientious observers of His Sabbath according to His command those services should bee accepted and after they were ceased their spirituall services of prayers and thanksgivings which are in stead of them under the Gospel Like unto that of David Psal 51. who first saith God would have no sacrifices from him but a broken and contrite heart yet afterward he saith God would accept young bullocks from him Sol. 2. v. ult And as for the seventh Day they urge so much we deny the emphasis to lie at all upon that though it were the particular Day then to be observed but wholly upon the Proportion though taking in that seventh Day because then in being and then only commanded by God But we have shewed our grounds of difference enough between these two in point of substance and necessity to Religion one Day in seven and that seventh Day And what needs more to be said we shall adde when hereafter we shall come to shew as we have promised it and are forced to repeat it oftener then we would that the seventh Day was not directly commanded in the words of the fourth Commandement nor at all as the substance and particular matter of them But only within the generall scope as then appointed by God elsewhere and so our Lords-day comes equally within it and is now become successour to it in the particular title to the Blessing as we shall see So that this place stands good for our having a Blessing on Gods determined Time His Sabbath observed both by Jew and Christian The other place is Isa 58. Where LXXIII Another text Isa 58.13 expounded after he had called to a most carefull observation of the Sabbath both negative and affirmative and that both outwardly in deed and word and inwardly in thought v. 13. he promises in Gods name a remarkable spirituall Blessing v. 14. Then shalt thou delight thy selfe in the Lord that is God will so afford thee His divine Blessing upon thy conscionable imployment with joy and cheerfulnesse calling the Sabbath a delight of that Day of Gods solemne appointment for the chiefe Time of His worship that all the week after thou shalt find a delight in the Lord thou shalt have a heart oft to think of Him even in the midst of thy worldly businesses and to redeeme Time also ever now and then from thy worldly businesses to converse voluntarily with Him and be glad of all opportunities so to doe not willingly missing any time any day when thou canst have freedome to converse with Him and attend upon Him And that this is the meaning of this Promise and Blessing understanding it Evangelically and not to an absolute perfection of delight in God in this world which is not to be found in sinfull man We desire no other proofe than the Consciences of Christians that keep the Lords day as Gods Sabbath by Him commanded and their very manifestation of it in the eyes of their very adversaries Namely that such as delight in the strict and exact observation of the Sabbath doe answerably delight or seem at least to delight in conversing with God at other times and every Day gladly wait upon God some time morning and night even they and their families too and at extraordinary times they delight to heare and pray publikely and to converse with Christians in a spirituall manner privately and to attend upon God by themselves alone when they can get leisure Which is unlesse men will say that all such are wilfull and grosse Hypocrites a reall Comment upon this Promise of the Prophet of delighting in God increased in men by the Sabbaths observation And on the contrary it is more then evident that the most of those that make no conscience of the Sabbath of the Lords day doe expresse very little or no delight in God or any true spirituall converse with Him at any other Time They care little for any other Opportunity of hearing His word they worship Him not at all or seldome or very slightly with their families and lesse perhaps if the truth were known in their own solitary devotions In a word the one sort though Gods commandement and indulgence together satisfie them that one Day in seven is ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe Time for God and their soules yet they cannot satisfie themselves their consciences towards God nor their longings after Him unlesse they besides both daily and extraordinarily redeeme what Time they can possibly or at least conveniently redeeme to waite upon Him and satiate their soules more and more in enjoying a spirituall converse with Him like a friend or lover whose felicity is to be with the party loved as much and often as may be The other sort though they have no ground to think that Time sufficient not regarding the Commandement yet they hardly or not at
oftener being not so necessary and so burdensome And therefore still this houre in a yeere or any other Continuance in any other Frequencie pitcht upon is above all other Times for Religion no other being equall to it VII Arg. 4. Nature requires a determination of a particular day Ergo. 4. If there must necessarily be together with the determination of the Continuance and Frequencie for the necessary sufficient chiefe Time also a particular determination of the particular day and houre wherein this houre in a yeere must be observed or else it is impossible to be observed by a whole Particular Church together constantly and much more impossible in regard of a whole Nation and most of all for all Christâ—ans and men all the world over Then when that particular Day and Houre is once determined by what authority soever in any Church as it must necessarily be as soon as the old seventh-day Sabbath was known to be abrogated All Dayes and Times are not equall in Religion under the Gospel even in regard of the particular Season or Order Day or Houre No other Day or Houre is equall to this determined Day or Houre but It above them all That particular Day wherein that Houre is to be observed is above all other Dayes and that particular Houre of that Day is above all other Houres even of the same Day As a King once chosen in an elective Kingdome and chosen he must be as soon as possible may be is above all other men in that Kingdome or Nation and none equall to him from henceforth whatever they were before his election And in reference to this election necessary to be made of a King that State is called properly a Kingdome even during the inter-regnum or vacancie and it cannot be said properly that all men are equall in that State because the Fundamentall Law of the State requires that one be above all the rest as King So that from the Law of Nature and the confessions of our Adversaries themselves It cannot be properly said that in any one of the Respects of Time Continuance Frequencie or Order all Times or Dayes are equall in Religion under the Gospel For that 1. The Law of Nature requires a determination of all the three Respects that so a chiefe Time may be observed 2. It then requires upon the supposition of Gods not determining now an undelayed immediate determination of all of them by the Church 3. It binds consequently upon the supposition of this determination left to the Church the Consciences of all under the Churches authority to that determination in all respects as well and as strongly as if God himselfe had expresly made it And so to all inferiors in the Church and superiors too unlesse endued with cleare authority to alter what is once ratified by God that Time so determined for Continuance Frequencie and Order also is necessary and unalterable and above all others 5. If God in the New Testament VIII Arg. 5. God ownes one day as his viz. the Lords-day Ergo. have owned one particular Day in a Revolution as His calling it the Lords day as He hath undoubtedly whatsoever ridiculously D. Gomarus hath fancied that it signifies only the day of the vision to John and no more Then how seldome soever it come about be it but once in a yeere Or whatever be meant by it whether the day of the Lords nativitie Christmasse day as it is called or of His resurrection Easter-day or any other day and how little soever be to be observed of it as holy and spent in Religion two houres or one houre or lesse Yet still in as much as it is intituled the Lords-day by the Spirit of God guiding St. Johns pen All Dayes and Times are not equall in Religion under the Gospel for Frequencie and the particular Day in that Frequencie For this Day in its Frequencie is above all other It alone and no other with it or besides it is honoured and graced with that Majestick and glorious title IX Arg. 6. The Church in all ages hath owned the Lords day Ergo. 6. If the Church in all Ages from St. Johns time be a sufficient Interpreter or living Dictionary of a word or phrase in Scripture as a man would thinke no man would offer to contradict that Then the Lords-day signifies both a Day in a Weekly revolution and not an Annuall Day and the first Day of the Week the Day after the old Sabbath which was the last Day of the Week On which first Day of the Week S. Paul being at Troas seven Dayes kept a speciall meeting and administred then the Sacrament and on that first Day of the Week he appointed at least the charitable collections to be taking it for granted that that Day was weekly observed as undeniably it was in the next Age and ever since Then also againe All Times and Daies are not equall in Religion under the Gospel But the Lords-Day the first Day of the Week for Order and Frequencie is above all other Daies and numbers of Daies One Day in seven and the first of the seven have that dignity in the New Testament to be owned as Gods as the Lords own time which no other Number or Day can pretend unto None so necessarie as this to be observed X. Arg. 7. The Lords day in all the three respects of Time most necessary to Religion Erg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perrincus al Dominum Scap. 7. If whatsoever God ownes as His possession by way of discrimination or difference from other things of the same kind uses to be wholly His no part or parcell of it for worldly use as it was with the Lords house and the like Then is the Lords day wholly the Lords wholly sacred the whole Continuance of it being the Lords possession to be wholly imployed in His immediate worship and service The Greeke word for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being plainly a Possessive belonging to the Lord. And then also again All Times and Daies are not equall in Religion vnder the Gospel even for Continuance as well as for Frequencie and Order But the Lords-day is in all the 3. Respects of Time more necessary to Religion than any other and so above all other Dayes and Times There being none besides this ennobled with such a relation to the Lord to be stiled by Himselfe His. None so every way or any way the Lords day as this For also XI Arg. 8. The Scripture ownes the Lords day as of his institution Ergo. 8. If Scripture may be safely interpreted by Scripture even about the nature and reason of a phrase or terme as that uses to be a generall rule among Divines except there be in the Text it selfe an evidence that it cannot be here taken as it is elsewhere or that it oppose some other undoubted truth Then besides all that hath been already noted of the Lords-day it is hereby also intitled to an Institution from the
Duties as that Day is usually spent in by these that are devout whether in publike or in the family or alone as Prayer for instance and reading the VVord are Parts of Divine Worship But even that the observation of this particular Day and that weekly all of it in varieties of Duties of Religion one or other all our waking time is also it selfe a Part of Divine Worship and beyond the nature of a meere Adjunct or Circumstance of VVorship VVe doubt not but they will be a great deale the more carefull and conscionable in the observation of the whole Day and every part and parcell of it II. The question explained To effect this we must first cleare what we meane by a part of worship and what by a meere adjunct or circumstance of worship and so state the question between us and those of the contrary opinion and then bring our arguments and vindicate them and our assertion from the contrary exceptions and objections VVe say then 1. What worship is and what a part of worship 1. Worship generally is the tender of our homage to God and giving Him immediate honour Accordingly a part of Worship is whatsoever is presented to God whether thing or action as a speciall homage and as an immediate honour to Him Or at least ought to be so if it be not 2. What an adjunct or circumstance of worship 2. An Adjunct or Circumstance of Worship which is meerly such is That which is not or ought not to be presented to God any speciall or immediate Honour to Him but only serves and is used as an accomodation to the performance of some thing or action which is properly Worship or perhaps is only an unthought of accident naturally or occasionally accompanying that thing or action which is Worship 3. Withall it is to be considered 3. The same thing may be both a circumstance and part of worship that the selfe same thing which in one case is but an Adjunct barely a meere Circumstance and â—o way a part of Worship may in another case be more then a Circumstance and a proper part of Worship being specially and immediately tending to Gods honour and tendred with that intention and to that end Some instances will cleare all this 1. The sacrificing of a Bullock or Sheep was a part of Gods worship under the Law 2. The Sexe that it was male or female The Age that it was so many moneths or weeks or yeers old The Colour that it was red or black or white Was in many cases a meere Circumstance not regarded nor to be regarded 3. Yet in some cases it must be a male not a female in others a female not a male So in some cases so young and no elder in others so old and no younger as in the firstling males it was to be seven dayes with the Dam nor more nor lesse Num. 19.2 and the eight day to be offered And in the Water of Expiation the ashes of the burnt Heifer was to be of a red Heifer of such an age precisely In all which those very circumstantiall considerations were properly parts of Worship Of the Homage to be tendred to God and immediately to His Honour 4. Furthermore it is to be observed how any thing III. 4. How any thing comes to be a part of worship whether seeming to be substance or circumstance comes to be a part of Worship Which may be resolved two wayes 1. As Worship comprehends under the terme both true worship and false worship or Right worship and Will-worship So the cause of it is our intention to present it as a speciall homage as was said and an immediate honour to God Such intention we say is the formall cause that such an action is Worship in him that presents it 1. The formal cause is our intention or such a thing in him that tenders it And without such intention no action is formally Worship in any man however it be in the nature of the action or in any other person that presents it As for instance The repeating of any sentence of Scripture or the Lords prayer intending thereby to honour God is a part of Worship But to repeat it to teach a child to spell or read or to understand a language or to use it as a charme or the like is certainly no Worship because it wants an intention of immediate honouring God by it So to kneele down before an Image or Crucifixe with intention to honour God by that action is Worship though false and idolatrous but to kneele down before it not seeing it nor thinking of it Or to pull out a thorne out of ones foot or the like is no Worship because againe here wants an intention of honouring God by such an action 2. The efficient cause is Gods command 2. But now as Worship denotes only true and right Worship So the proper efficient cause and that which both legitimates and necessitates such intention is the command of God What He commands to be presented to Him whether seeming substance or circumstance hath the nature of a speciall Homage and immediate Honour to Him and ought to be presented as often as it is presented with such intention From which command also flowes an answerable acceptation of such a commanded thing or action when accordingly performed with that intention And with that intention there may and should also be an expectation of such acceptation whereby the intention is proved in a mans conscience whether the matter be commanded or not For Will-worshippers expect an acceptation though without warrant And prophane Hypocrites though they pretend to worship God yet when they intend it not they expect no acceptation We say then our expectation of acceptation declares whether we tender such a thing as a part of Worship or use it as a meer circumstance IV. Gods command is either particular or generall 5. Yet againe Gods command of any thing as Worship is either expresse and particular of such a speciall thing or generall of such an affection which according to an allowance of presenting some kinds of things to Gods honour doth present such particulars or such a proportion sutable to the degree of the affection and other occasions Instances of the first were the daily sacrifices expresly commanded of the second Free-willing offerings and Vowes As we read of Salomons thousand burnt-offerings on the Altar at Gibeon and his mighty number of Peace-offerings two and twenty thousand Oxen and an hundred and twenty thousand Sheep Even these being acceptable fell under the generall command of Honouring the Lord with his substance which Salomon himselfe records sutable to those Times and his incomparable wealth and the like Considerations as of the great Solemnity of dedicating the house of the Lord c. 6. Once more the Command of God of things for His honour V. Gods command is either 1. By the Law of Nature may either be 1. By the
Law of Nature that is of things which in a Rationall and Ethicall Consideration according to the Light of Nature may be and are to His honour either constantly or accidentally as Prayer to Him Swearing by His name 2. Or by positive Law in Scripture and calling Him to witnesse or appealing to Him 2. Or by Positive Law in Scripture which is the only way now Or of old by Dreams and Visions and the like altogether by vertue of His divine institution and appointments As the use of Water in the Sacrament of Baptisme and of Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper which being things of common use for worldly purposes have no other aptitude to be immediately to His honour But from His owne Command 7. These things thus premised VI. The question stated first by us we shall briefely state our question thus We say the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Religion together with the particular Day for it is a part of worship and not a meer adjunct and circumstance only Hereby we mean that that Time observed for Religion is a part of our speciall homage to God and an immediate honour to Him And that it ought to be presented with such intention as being specially commanded by God partly in the Law of Nature namely the Continuance and Frequency being to the honour of God only in a Rationall and Ethicall Consideration and partly in Scripture as hath been shewed Chap. 10. And accordingly is specially acceptable unto God and such speciall acceptation may be and ought to be expected from God And so the Duties of Religion are then doubly worship and doubly acceptable both in reference to the Duties themselves and to the Times wherein they are performed Only still it must be remembred that all our acceptation is in and through Jesus Christ We say they are doubly Worship and doubly acceptable or trebly or foure fold as filling up together the whole Continuance commanded of a Day and answering the required observation of such a frequent Day and being presented upon the appointed particular Holy Day Like unto which there is now no other Time under the New Testament in this compleat sort Worship or so greatly acceptable Though there be some other Times that may have a little share also as we shall see anon In the meane time all our indeterminate and voluntary Times in any respect so far as they are voluntary are meere Circumstances of VVorship and no way to any speciall or immediate Honour to God in their observation nor any matter of speciall acceptation and so not to be presented with any such intention or expectation This is our opinion and meaning VII 2. By others 8. But now on the contrary others deny that under the Gospel any Time or Dayes at all are parts of Worship or that the Worship of God consists now at all in the observation of them Thus one resolutely O.R. p. 202.2 We deny that the worship of God can be placed in the observation of any Day unlesse we speak improperly Yet we acknowledge That in the Holy-Dayes there is a kind of worship of God as far as they are instituted to the Honour of God alone and the faithfull are congregated to them to holy performances But this is very improper indeed For besides that by being instituted to the Honour of God alone he meanes not that the Dayes instituted or observed are any speciall or immediate Honour to God positively but only that negatively they are reduced to His Honour when they are not instituted to the Honour of Creatures Saints or Angels among Orthodoxe Christians though they are among the Idolatrous Papists But besides this we say If the Faithfull congregating can make a Day a part of Gods worship then any Day or every Day of the Week or Yeere may be a part of Worship when the Faithfull meet to that purpose which no man affirmes p. 204.1 But heare him once againe The worship of God ought to be the end of the indiction of such Dayes But the Dayes themselves are no part of worship but an adjunct only or circumstance of worship If any man shall say The learned Professour speaks it only of the Holy Dayes appointed by the Church We answer VVe know he doth so But then he must remember that he makes the very Lords day to be of Ecclesiasticall constitution only which cannot make a thing a proper part of worship and so the same is appliable to the Lords-day also But he is not alone in this Assertion his Fellow Professour is of the same mind which we wonder at for the Lords-day when he puts this difference between the Jewish times and ours That the very Dayes D. Wal. de Sab. p. 93.95 and the Rest upon them was a part of worship to the Jewes But ours only a necessary circumstance thereof Another followes thus To speak properly a Day makes no part of Gods service Primr p. 250. 278. under the New Testament but is only an accidentall circumstance thereof And again Times appointed now make no part of Gods service and are not appointed but relative to the publike exercises p. 287. c. VVe need say no more for the stating the Question The difference is apparent They say The Time is only a necessary circumstance VVe say it is more than so a speciall part of worship VVhich thus we come to manifest by these ensuing Arguments That Time which the Lord requires out of all our Time VIII Arg. 1. It is Gods portion Ergo a part of worship as His peculiar portion is a part of worship But the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Religion together with the particular Day for it is that Time which God requires out of all our Time as His peculiar portion Ergo It is a part of worship The Proposition is made good by instances of other things which being challenged by God as His peculiar portion became thereby parts of worship parts of the speciall Homage due to Him immediately tending to His Honour As 1. The Place which God did peculiarly chuse out of all the Tribes to set His name there as the Place often is the Lords House the Lords Temple was by vertue of such Divine challenge of it a part of worship sc of the Ceremoniall worship undeniably and the presenting there their services was a speciall part of the Jewes homage to God and an immediate honour to Him as also a matter of speciall acceptation with God even so far as that no other legall services were otherwhere acceptable at all except upon extraordinary command as Elijahs was 1 King 18. And if it were so with Place then there can be no reason but it is so with Time now though not now in a typicall respect but morall whether naturall or positive it is all one 2. So was it also of old with the Tithes which God challenges as His peculiar portion out of every mans substance Lev. 27.30
32. It is said They are the Lords His part His tribute And so the payment of them was a speciall Homage to Him an immediate Honour a part of worship And that which is specially to be noted antecedent to any particular use which He meant to put them to and whereto He did afterward apply them sc the maintenance of His Priests Levites For this we read not of till Num. 18. which was divers yeers after Whereupon it is there and elsewhere said That the Lord is the portion of Levi that is Levi should enjoy the Lords portion of Tithes as also of Offerings But this use of them was secondary and we doe not say that in this considration the payment of them was properly Worship For it was not immediately to Gods honour but only mediate in as much as those Levites that were maintained by them were Gods Ministers That which made them Parts of Worship was antecedent as we said to this Namely Gods challenging them as His portion His own primarily and originally though now making the Levites His receivers Hence the witholding them is called robbing of God not defrauding or robbing the Levites Mal. 3. And if we understand aright This is that Sacrilege mentioned Rom. 2. where after the Apostle had twice said Thou breakest the same Commandements thou teachest others not to break Stealing and committing Adulterie he adds Thou that abhorrest Idols or Images dost thou commit Sacriledge Dost thou break the same Commandement viz. the second robbing God of part of His Worship by detaining His portion of Tithes However to be sure they were His portion formerly and so a part of His worship 3. And so was that share which God reserved to Himselfe out of the Midianites spoiles The Lords Heave-offering v. 29.41 Num. 31. which is called the Lords tribute the Lords portion And was His a part of homage to Him a part of His worship on that occasion antecedently to the speciall use He afterward allotted that also to be disposed of by Eleazar the Priest as we there read Now if these things by this meanes became parts of Worship So is it in reason with that Time which God challenges as His tribute or peculiar portion out of all our Time It must be a part of Worship in that it is His allotted to His Honour antecedent to any particular uses which it is put to to any particular Duties of Worship which yet become the imployment of it Namely one or other of them or more than one even all the varieties of Duties doe actually imploy this Time unto Gods Honour But antecedent we say to any particular Duties the Time being Gods His portion is to His Honour immediately and a part of Worship and consequently calling for some particular Duties of Worship to help imploy it to Gods honour In a word Though it cannot be actually imployed to Gods Honour without some particular Duties yet hath it a distinct consideration abstracted from the Duties As requiring and calling for and even commanding as we said formerly of Solemne Time in generall Duties to attend it some or other And so is distinctly by and of it selfe to the Honour of God immediately as well as the Duties themselves though not actually separated from all For that is a contradiction in Religion to say That a Time can be to Gods honour and not be imployed in some Religious Duties or other But we have said enough as we conceive to illustrate and evince the Proposition of our Argument That the Time which is Gods portion is a part of VVorship The Assumption That the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Religion is the Time which together with the particular Day for it God requires out of all our Time out of all mens Time as His peculiar portion that is above all other Time hath been proved abundantly in the foregoing Chapters 9. 10. And this we also conceived to be meant in those words of the fourth Commandement The seventh Day or a seventh Day one Day of seven is the Sabbath or a Sabbath of the Lord thy God or to the Lord thy God namely That he being the Lord of all thy Time as of all things else that are thine hath reserved to Himself and challenges for Himself while He allowes thee six Dayes mainly for thy woâ—ldly businesse this proportion of Time of one whole day of seven The Lords Day if from Divine Authority must needs be a part of worship and more holy then other Dayes G.I. pag. 16.9 as his peculiar portion to be sanctified imployed to His immediate honour And like to this as we conceive is the meaning in the New Testament of the terme of the Lords Day it is the particular Day which he hath taken and challenges to Himself as His peculiar portion out of all the Dayes of the Weeke to be sanctified wholly to His honour whence the conclusion followes inevitably That this Time in all the respects of it is a part of Gods worship a part of the speciall homage and tribute due to Him from all men and specially accepted by Him We proceede to another Argument IX Arg. 2. It is the observation of a morall Commandement of the first tab e. Ergo. properly respecting the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Continuance and Frequency jointly Thus The obedience to and observation of a morall Commandement of the first table is a part of Gods immediate worship But the observation of the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Religion is the obedience to and observation of a morall Commandement of the first table Ergo The observation of this Time is a part of Gods immediate worship Both the Propositions are confessed and granted by our Disputers Prim. p. 2. Therefore they must own the child issuing from such Parents The Major is thus expressed Whatsoever is morall is universally an essentiall part of Gods service The Minor thus The morall substance of the fourth Commandement is to have a Time regulate frequent c. And generally they all speake of a sufficient Time as morall naturall It is then a part of worship a proper and essentiall part of it by their own sentence But we will a little further prove and illustrate it also by our own grounds and not depend upon them 1. For the Major we say That the Commandements of the first Table do all of them plainly concerne the immediate worship and honour of God and all the objects of those Commandements namely the things and actions outward or inward commanded in them are matters of Divine worship Therefore the obedience to those Commandements the observation of them must needs be a part of worship of our Homage to God and redound to His immediate honour For 2. Whatsoever is to be presented to God by vertue of a morall Commandement of the first table is to be Presented to Him by all men as a speciall homage they all owe to Him as when a Landlord keeping court requires all his
Duties of worship But under the New Testament there is no such thing there is no Duty of Religion no particular Duty of worship that Morally and Theologically must necessarily be performed on the Lords-day and on no other Day Neither is there any particular Duty of worship Prayer only excepted which can never be wholly excluded when we have to doe with Religious Times or Duties of worship necessary to the observation of the Lords-day absolutely or infallibly So that in a Theologicall or Morall sense it is not proper nor true to say that either the continuance of a whole Day or the revolution of that whole Day once in seven Dayes or the particular Day the Lords-Day is a necessary circumstance to any particular act of worship But only to worship to Religion in general in the manner forenoted as commanded by God for the chiefe Time according to the Law of nature and Scripture and for the particular Day according to both Old and New Testament And in such a sense being Morally and Theologically necessary this Time in all the respects of it call it a circumstance or adjunct or what you will cannot be avoyded but it will have the nature of a part of worship according to any right description of it XIII Obj. 2. Answered But he still goes on striving rather to explaine then to deliver himself from his former Argument by instances As courser fare or meaner apparell in time of mourning hath no more holinesse in it then any other but only is subservient to worship and holinesse And as a Day of Fasting is no more holy then another but serves to holinesse c. Lastly as the houres of the morning and evening sacrifices every Day were not more holy then other houres of the Day but as circumstances only to be observed So for so he would inferre as we conceive the Dayes of the New Testament are but circumstances of worship not any parts of worship To this we answer First the difference between the things compared Sol. 1 at least as he seemes to understand them is very great as much as the Divine institution and the want thereof For he confesses that one Day in seven is morall and commanded by God in the fourth Commandement But as he seemes to take the other things we have no command for them Otherwise when God ever did as of old command the abstinence from some kind of meates from some kind of apparell and commanded sackcloth c. Those observations were a part of the legall worship And when God ordained an annuall Fast that very Day in its observation was a part of worship as well as the Sabbath But when men voluntarily set apart Dayes to Fasting and Prayer the particular Dayes are no parts of worship but only meanes subservient to the worship of God because they have no Divine command concerning those particular Dayes So when men appoint Holy-dayes as they are called they are no parts of worship but only circumstances subservient to it But if God have appointed any Time as even according to this Author He hath one Day in seven by the fourth Commandement that Time must needs be a part of worship as well as a necessary circumstance to Holinesse and Religion And this his third instance doth help to manifest For though the precise point or minute of Time was not commanded for the Morning or Evening sacrifice yet the Time was within a latitude It might not be before such an houre nor after such an houre as the Jewish Authors expressely name the bounds understood by them So that we may also well say that the observation of them within that latitude not sooner nor later was a part of Worship part of the Jewes speciall homage part of the immediate honour they owed to God and whereunto they were infallibly bound by Religion and conscience of Gods command namely to observe such seasons of Time strictly in such revolutions And to have performed the same services sacrifices which neglect of those speciall respects of Time had made them guilty of violation of Gods worship Also from hence they had intimations at least of promises of blessing and acceptation speciall even with relation to the very Times observed besides the particular services presented on them And the services then presented according to those times were more acceptable than others presented at their own voluntary times Therefore Elijah waits for the Time of the offering the evening-sacrifice 1 King 18. Even when he was to present his extraordinary sacrifice and worship And David mentioning acceptation saith not barely as a sacrifice but as an evening-sacrifice Psal 141. There came a speciall blessing to the three Kings distressed for water at the Time of the offering the meat-offering 1 King 3. And even in Daniels Day of solemne Humiliation and Fasting the Angel comes to him with a gracious and comfortable message at the Time of the evening sacrifice Dan. 9. All these intimations shew that there was a peculiar respect had to those Times those Houres both by men and even by God himself They were then specially acceptable and parts of worship The chiefe Time then the Sabbath much more Sol. 2 2. Let it be considered whether by this kind of arguing this Author do not make all Dayes under the Gospel equall and so in the issue contradict himself For if Times and Dayes now be not parts of worship but only necessary circumstances of worship in his sense then the LORDS Dayes are no holier no better then other Dayes on which any worship is performed For they are also necessary circumstances of that worship performed on them But to say and hold that one Day in seven is morall by the fourth Commandement is to say that all Dayes are not equall and if now this be not a contradiction let the Readers judge XIV Obj. 3. Answered He hath only one thing more to object That in the New Testament no such promises are made to the observation of our Day as were to the seventh Day of old but only to the exercises of piety and publique worship And hence he would it seemes infer that it is no part of worship Sol. 1 But to this we answer 1. We find no expresse promises made to the seventh Day in the beginning when it was as he holds given to Adam Yet no doubt were implyed in Gods blessing and sanctifying the Day and so it may be now Sol. 2 The promises were not made to speake properly to the seventh Day but to the Sabbath or rather to the observation in duties of piety and Religion which is the imployment of the Sabbath And if one Day in seven be required now as he holds the promises do in like manner belong to it What command of God or Ordinance of Religion is there Sol. 3 which is not attended in the very nature of the thing with promises As godlinesse in generall hath all the promises So every duty of godlinesse hath its share This Day then being commanded being Gods ordinance a duty of godlinesse in its observation is not without promises It was lesse needfull to make new promises to this Day in particular Sol. 4 since they are made already Gen. 2. Exod. 20. Esa 58. as we have seen unto Gods Day His Sabbath the Day of His appointment for the sufficient chiefe Time of His Worship Look therefore as the duties of the Day a holy rest fall on our Day by vertue of the fourth Commandement So by the same equity and analogie the Blessings annexed to that Day fall on our Day on the right observers of it And so all his Objections are satisfied And our Conclusion good The chiefe Time and the particular Day for it is a Part of VVorship not a meere Circumstance We will now close this Chapter XV. The testimonies and confessions of the adverse party Hooker Eccles Pol. lib. 5. p. 378. with some Testimonies and Confessions 1. The judicious Hooker holding one Day of seven to be morall and of perpetuall obligation by the fourth Commandement as we shall heare hereafter thus delivers his Judgement concerning the nature of this Time It cannot 〈◊〉 denied but the very Law of Nature it selfe requires the sanctifâ—â—ation of Times For which cause it hath pleased God heretofore 〈◊〉 exact some part of Time by way of perpetuall Homage Where by Homage he meanes a piece of part of service which we owe to God the Lord of time and us by the fourth Commandement 2. Heare our Adversaries G. Irons p. 88. Chalenging a tribute of our Time p. 70. G.D. p. 21. There ought to be a certaine part of our Time given to God p. 59. B. of E. p. 121. That God should have a Tribute of our Time for Publike VVorship was never by any man denyed to be Morall and Naturall By Tribute he meanes we suppose a Part of VVorship as Tribute paid to Kings is a Part of the Homage and Honour due to them 3. Another thus The Heathens had their Feasts and set Dayes consecrated to the worship of their gods That is as we thinke he cannot but mean Not only they did worship their gods on those Dayes but did observe those Dayes as a part of worship in honour of their gods 4. This followes also upon that of the learned Bishop The Religious observation of holy times is reduced to the fourth Commandement as a speciall to a generall But say we The Religious observation of holy times by the fourth Commandement is a part of worship 5. For this was preached at Court and not long since printed by Command D. Turners Sermon at Whitehall March 10. 1635. p. 19. Statut. 1 Carol. The Religious observation of the Lords-day who doubts but it is a part of Gods immediate worship 6. Finally The King and State have proclaimed as much Forasmuch as there is nothing more acceptable to God than the true and sincere worship of Him according to His holy will And that the holy keeping of the Lords-day is a principall part of the true service of God We have what we have argued for And with this we rest and end our first Part. FINIS