and this came as there wee finde to be abused even in the Apostles dayes Wee may Learne of S. Paul who was a pattern to them no doubt in the end and breaking up of the Congregation that they departed with prayer as he did Acts 20. 36. 9. Of what was done when the Congregation was broken up WHen the publick service was ended S. Paul went into an house where hee was invited and there prayed Acts 16. 16. Such no doubt as were well minded as the Bereans searched the Scriptures concerning the things taught them Act. 17. 11. But for this the Fathers tell us what people ought to do Saint Ambrose exhorted the people Ser. 33. tom 3. pag. 259. to be conversant all the day in prayer or reading or if any could not read that he should labour to be fed with conference Saint Chrysostome on Joh. 3. Hom. was offended with the people that then did not meditate on the word heard who was earnest with them that presently upon their comming home they would take the Bible into their hands and make rehearsall with their wives and children of that which had been taught them out of the Word of God But let us come to that which Iustine Martyr saith and Tertullian when they were departed out of the Congregation they ever remembred one another of those things which they had heard They went not saith Tertullian Apol. ca 30. 39. pag. 692. in Catervas Caesionum neque in classes discursationum nec in eruptiones lasciviarum sed ad eandem curam modesti◠pudicitiae ut qui non caenam caenassent quam disciplinam from this Fathers speech we may observe First That the Love-feast was a supper they abode then in the assembly late in the afternoone Secondly That at that Feast in the afternoone as may be gathered from Saint Augustine and Saint Basiles words they had care of Modesty and Chastity Thirdly That they received instruction for their souls as well as food for their bodies Fourthly Being departed from the Congregation they took heed not to goe into the route of Swash-bucklers nor into the Company of Ramblers such as did run up and down hither and thither not into the breaking out of the wanton and Lascivious sort But Fifthly they had care of the like modesty and chaste behaviour out of the Church which they shewed when they were in the Congregation Thus the primitive Christians kept the Lords day And if credit may be given to that which Theodoret writeth as Doctor Heylin cyteth him of the Festivalls in those times above 1200 yeeres agoe how they were Modestae Castae Temperantia plenae performed with modesty and great sobriety not as the Festivalls of the Gentiles in excesse and riot and also were solemnized with spirituall Hymnes and religious Sermons and that the people used to empty out their souls to God in fervent and affectionate prayers not without sighes and teares what may we think then of such godly Christians but that they devoutly and with high reverence observed the Lords day so much to be preferred before Festivalls as hath been before declared in Chapter thirteenth Hear what Durand saith in Rational lib. 5. de vesperis who telleth us of the Evening meetings wherein they did conferre of the holy Scriptures His words are these Postremò notandum est quòd religiosi ante Completorium permittunt collationem quae à sanctis patribus originem traxit qui dictis vesperis convenire de Scripturis sacris conferre solebant ad instar Operariorum ad recreationem ad invicem confabulantium ideoque tunc vitas vel collationem Patrum quae potius sunt ad recreationem delectationem legunt Eruditiores si dubium occurrerit interrogant CHAP. XVII How our Church would have our Sunday kept holy OUr Church hath taken order for the keeping holy of the Lords day For the better understanding whereof let us look into her certaine judgement evidenced by the undeniable Records established by the supreamest Authority and subscribed unto by all the Clergy of England The first is the book of Common Prayer confirmed by Act of Parliament 1. It maketh our Sunday to bee observed for an holy day 2. It appointeth our Assembling and therein to performe holy duties as First Prayer Secondly Reading the Scriptures Thirdly singing of psalmes Fourthly Sermons Fifthly Collections for the poore Sixthly The administration of the Sacraments Seventhly Prayers at the departure 3. And that the day may be well observed it ordereth this meeting both for the forenoone and afternoone calling the one Morning prayer for that it must begin in reason betime and the other Evening prayer because it must bring the evening with it So the times of Service should hold us but for the intermission betweene from the morning untill the evening 4. It ordereth the Ministers distinctly to rehearse all the ten Commandments and the people kneeling after every Commandment to aske God mercy for their transgressing of the same and grace to have their hearts inclined to keep every one of them and to write them in their hearts Now the Fourth Commandment by this rehearsall of ten and by the peoples prayer except the Minister mocke the people and the people mocke God and that by imposed duty from authority which God forbid we should thinke is acknowledged First To be a Law and Commandment of God not onely heretofore but now at this day Secondly To be one of the ten which God himselfe spake Thirdly That it is a Law and Commandment upon us that make this prayer Fourthly That we are bound to keep it Fifthly That of our selves we cannot be inclined in our hearts to keep it till God incline our hearts unto it Sixthly That we should have a joynt care together to observe it from our hearts Seventhly That we are to acknowledge our selves transgressours of it and stand in need to aske mercy of the Lord for the same Eightly That it is a mercy of God to encline our hearts to keepe it and to write it in our hearts Now the Fourth Commandment requireth a day to be kept holy as a Sabbath or rest day and therefore by this prayer are we to acknowledge it a Law to us and all bound in heart to affect it and to keepe it as the Lord hath commanded us The second is the Book of Canons or Ecclesiasticall Constitutions For the religious observation of this day by our Ecclesiasticall Constitutions First All people are tied to resort to the Church Secondly Not to depart out of the Church during the time of service or Sermon without urgent cause Thirdly That before Evening prayer Fathers Mothers Canon 59. Masters Mistresses should send their children servants and apprentices to be Catechised to be instructed and taught by the Minister for halfe an houre and more Fourthly All Canon 13. manner of persons within the Church of England shall celebrate and keep the Lords day commonly called Sunday and other holydayes as
commonly are they which follow most after sports And experience telleth us that such as most love pleasure are the least takers of pains the greatest Loyterers and the laziest work-men and labourers The third sort which get hardly their living with the sweat of their brows poore men and their poore children crave quiet rest and not painfull pastime For sports are often performed with greater labour of the body than the work of a mans vocation Rest is best for these and sporting and pastime needlesse in respect of their bodies 2 They are not needfull for the minde and spirit For what good can sports gameing and pastime afford man in this respect on this day after he hath been in Gods house Can they sharpen his desire to returne more chearefully to delight in holy duties It is impossible and the clean contrary is found by experience in such as turne the Sabbaths holy rest and their time which should be for meditation into pleasureable recreations They cannot this day set an edge on nor sharpen the spirit to make the body more vivacious chearfull and lively to goe about a mans calling trade art or profession in the week following 1 Sports and pastimes on one day have no such vigour and force to hold up the spirits for an after dayes worke It is the nights rest and not the sporting on the Lords day that doth it 2 They are not seasonable recreations on this day to quicken the spirits by them For seasonable recreations is in labouring time and is to be intermixt betweene labour and labour for to refresh the wearinesse of the spirits to returne speedily againe to labour Recreation is or should be as a baite to a Traveller a bit and away as a whetting to a Mowers sithe to cut afresh or as an houres sleepe in the day time short and sweet to a wearied man that must hold to his work But the Lords day is not the time of Labour but of rest There is a rest a night before there is a rest on the day and the nights rest following What needs then recreation in the time of so much rest when recreation hath ever relation to labour and not to ease 3 There is no cause of the dulling and blunting of the spirits on this day that there should need sports and pastimes for recreation For if the spirits be wearyed this day it is one of these waies following 1 Either with bodily labour about worldly businesse which ought not to be done which rather men should with tears bewaile than leaving labour to runne to sports for recreation 2 Or with the rest of the body in doing nothing but either standing idlely sit chatting or lying asleep like beasts and so become drowzie or lazie Because most persons ignorant of the heavenly use of an holy rest know not how to bestow the time but either about the world or about pleasures when they are out of the Church But the well instructed know how to spend it better and if slouthfull drowsinesse should take hold on them they know how to stirre their bodies by walking and in walking to meditate on Christ and his benefits alone or to have some to conferre with or to goe else alone to prayer or having a family to instruct them and so shake of their slouth and not by gaming sporting and playing 3 Or else the spirits are dull by going to the Church and there continuing for the time If this be alledged 1 I aske how long are such persons in the whole dayes space at the Church In some Parishes and too many of them one houre in the forenoone and lesse in the afternoone or an houre and halfe in the forenoone and as much in the afternoone and grant to the utmost in the whole day three houres and a halfe or foure houres and that also at divided times with a long pause betweene perhaps of three or foure houres Can foure houres in and about Christs Service and Worship in twenty foure dull and weaken the spirits of any which carry the name of Christians and have any life of saving grace in them 2 I aske againe of these lovers of pleasures first whether they come soone to Church and are at the beginning and so abide to the end Secondly while they stay there doe they not sleep or doe they not sit idlely gazing about or are they not carryed away with many by-thoughts If so as too true can they then plead the dulling of their spirits by so staying sinfully in the Congregation drawing neare with their bodies but in soule and heart be farre from God 3 I aske them are they indeed devout Worshippers and attentive hearers and doe they so understand themselves that they know what they have beene doing what they have reaped thereby then surely they cannot depart away dull in spirit but bee glad of that they have heard Act. 13. 48. Neh. 8. 12. glorifying the word of the Lord and so depart away with joy because they have understood the words declared to them Neither is it possible that they should be so possessed with such prophane dotage and folly that they should think if they found any dulnesse in hearing that sporting and playing gaming and pastime to be the meanes to remove such spirituall dulnesse and to recover their spirits to a more chearfull and quicker attendance to Gods word with joyfulnesse of minde and heart in the use of Gods ordinance So to think is both without religion and also void of very reason it selfe Therefore from hence and from the substance of all that hath beene said I conclude that on this day sports games and pastimes are needlesse and to be forborne And here I end praying thus for my selfe and others Oh Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep thy Law And this our sacred day to the honour of thy Sonne our Lord Jesus Christ And from Judaizing and Paganizing And from all prophanesse good Lord deliver us JOHN 7. 17. If any man will doe his will hee shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or no. Finis hujus Operis
time of the institution of those Feasts the time and place appointed when they were to be kept but no such thing in Genesis touching any future time for the observation of it for then the fancied destination had been clear and the question had been ended Thirdly There was no reason for the keeping of some of those solemn Feasts as the feast of weeks or of harvest Exo. 34. 22. because in the wildernesse they did neither sow nor reap So the Feast of Tabernacles after the gathering in of corn and wine Deut. 16. 13. because then they dwelt not in houses to make them boothes to remember that in the Wildernesse they so dwelt for as yet they were in Tents in the Wildernesse nor had they fields of corne nor vineyards to gather in corne and wine Therefore there was reason for destinating the observation of those Feasts till afterwards But such sound reasons of destinating the observation of the seventh day Sabbath for so many hundred yeers are yet to seek The Passeover they kept when it was instituted and after in the wildernesse Num. 9. 1. 5. and so no doubt other holy dayes then instituted such as then could be kept 4. Argument The reason and ground of the observation of the Sabbath was not till Israels comming out of Egypt Deut. 5. 15. where it is said that Israel was a servant in Egypt and that the Lord brought him out with a mighty hand Therefore the Lord his God commanded him to keep the Sabbath day We see hence that the keeping of the day did depend on such a deliverance therefore we may well acknowledge a destination for the observation till the ground of the observation become to passe which was not till then Answ 1 It is granted before that the cause and reason for the Sabbath was Gods rest Secondly in Exo. 20. 11. It is rendered as the only reason why God then commanded the observation of the Sabbath Nor did God himself give any other reason or ground for the keeping of it holy but only his blessing and sanctifying of the day on which he did rest Therefore this was the ground of observing the day which ground was laid down at the beginning of the world as before is acknowledged and therefore there was no need of a destination to expect another ground for the observation of the day so many hundred yeers after Thirdly Concerning deliverance out of Egypt it is prefaced by God himself before all the Commandments as a strong motive from his mercy to move Israel to the observation of every Commandment and not of the fourth alone For upon the rehearsall of that benefit the Lord gave them that his whole Law consisting of ten Commandments Fourthly the former part of verse 15. in Deut. 5. is to be read as within a Parenthesis so as the beginning of the later part of it at therefore must have relation to rest mentioned in the end of the fourteenth verse and not to the deliverance out of Egypt mentioned within the parenthesis as the ground of the Sabbath for if it be marked well it beginneth with remember that thou wast a servant to move them to pity their servants as God in mercy pitied them to bring them out of Egypt with so strong an hand So thus rightly understanding the text it is altogether impertinent to be brought for destinating the keeping of the seventh day till Israels deliverance out of Egypt It is to be lamented that men of good Learning should wrong Gods word with such a Misinterpretation to uphold a meere imaginary Destination which neither Wit nor Learning can make good 5. Argu. It is as clear as the Noon-day from Nehe. 9. 14. that the weekly Sabbath was made known to the Israelites under Moses at Sinai and not before unto their Fathers And therefore the place in Genesis must be understood by way of destination Answ 1 Note well the place in Nehemiah is restrained to Sinai whereof it is said that God made there the Sabbath known to Israel yet before that Israel knew and kept the Sabbath in the wildernesse of Sin Exo. 16. 1. 26. before they came to Sinai Secondly seeing they knew the Sabbath before they came to Sinai the words thou madest known must not be interpreted of a knowledge of bare information of that which they knew not before but of a knowledge of farther ratification at Sinai for there his holy Sabbath was made known to them 1. By his own person but before in Exod. 16. by Moses 2. Now more certainly by a lively voice and Gods own writing when before it was delivered by tradition to the Patriarches and not in writing 3. More fully concerning the persons which were to observe it not only the Parents Masters and Magistrates in their own persons but their Sons Daughters Men and Maidservants their Cattell and the Stranger within the gates 4. The manner also prescribed not to do any servile work on the day These things he made known unto them and all this to all Israel at once by his voice of Majestie from heaven which was never done before nor so made known to their Fathers Lastly if any yet will conceive it of such an informing them of which neither they nor their Fathers ever knew before I desire them plainly to shew me why God should conceale from all the holy men of God from Adam to Moses his resting on the seventh day his setting it apart for a Sabbath destinating it for his Church to rest on and to follow his example in time to come Let any one give any instance at any time where God really destinated any thing time place or person for future use and did not make any acquainted with it to live in expectation of it There may be instances given to the contrary Then this will follow that God destinating the seventh day for Sabbath in time to come as they say the destination was made known to the Fathers and therefore they knew of a Sabbath before the time that Nehemiah speaketh of especially considering what an Opposite doth freely acknowledge 1. That the seventh day might have been imployed as the Lords Sabbath 2. That some dayes doubtlesse were thus bestowed And 3. Perhaps that day Could then all the Fathers be simly ignorant of the seventh day Sabbath Thus have I shewed the strongest arguments for destination that I can read of in any of the last disputers for it Now I come to the Reasons against this fained destination Reason 1. EVery History is made of things existent but if the words in Gen. 2. 3. be to be understood of what God intended to doe and not what he then did the words should not bee historically taken but prophetically interpreted But Moses wrote in Gen. 2. 3. an history as all the words before and after and the words themselves plainely laid downe in the verse fully demonstrate Therefore is there no Destination except the destinated time to come were set downe expresly in the
Divine of both God is the Author and both binde the Conscience to obedience 2. The independancy of both for neither have any dependancy of mans will either to establish or alter them and both are in dispensable and unalterable by mans authority The Continuance of both are to be judged by Gods only will and intention albeit they be not both alike in their Natures in some things SECTION XXV How much of the Mosaicall Sabbath is in the Commandment to be kept holy THe Sabbath instituted by God and commanded to Israel in this fourth Commandment is to be understood not of some part but of the whole day 1. The time in the precept is a day not a part of a day nor the greater part much lesse some few houres in the day can be counted a day neither was it so with the Jews 2. Gods gift of six dayes we understand for full six dayes and so no doubt is the day of rest the Sabbath day to be taken in the Commandment 3. What God blessed and sanctified he sanctified wholly as holy things vessels Numb 31. 6. holy oyntment Exod. 30. 25. Garments and the like So holy places as the Tabernacle Exod. 29. 44. This nor those were holy only in part but wholly So is Gods holy time holy for the whole time 4. The people of God kept the whole day from the beginning to the end Exod. 16. 30. and this appeareth so in Nehe. 13. 19. and by the holy women followers of Christ Mark 16. 1. Luk. 23. 55 56. and 24. 1. 5. The reproofe of those that went out to seek Mannah in the morning before the Sun rose Exod. 16. 27. and the punishment of him that did gather sticks Num. 15. doth shew it that the whole day is to be set apart for the Lord. And though some works might be done yet the day was the Lords the wholeday 6. If the whole day was not the Lords then it was partly holy and partly unholy sacred and common too but in holy writ we reade not of any such partaking stakes with God Therefore we are to understand the whole day for Sabbath SECTION XXVI How the Day was kept THe people of God having ceased from their labours as the Law commanded Exod. 20. 8. and 31. 14. Luk. 23. 56. and betaking themselves to the holy rest and to make an holy use thereof unto the Lord it being an holy day and the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord Exod. 16. 23 and 35. 2. They thus observed the day and kept it holy I. Before the publike meeting 1. They began with private preparation as they were commanded 1. To look unto their feet before they entred into the house of the Lord Eccles 5. 1. 2. To reconcile themselves one to another Matth. 5. 23 24. 3. To be of a clean Conversation Ps 26. 6. else God regarded not their coming Isai 1. 12. 16 17. and 66. 3. Psal 50. 16 17. 4. To have an high esteem of their Assemblies as holy Convocations Lev. 23. 3. and the house as the house of God 1 Chr. 9. 27. Psâ— 27. 4. such were blessed as did abide there Psal 84. 4. II. In going It was 1. With singular affection of love to the place Psal 26. 8. and desire to dwell there Psâ— 27. 4. and vehement longing for it Psâ— 42. 1 2. and 84. 1 2. 2. With care for others exciting them to go the Pastors the people Jer. 31. 6. and they one another Jer. 50. 4 5 Mich. 4. 2. and the parties excited to be glad thereof Psa 122. 1. 3. It was with the voice of joy and praises Psa 42. 4. 4. Their end in going was to be taught and understand and that they might walk in Gods wayes Isai 2. 2. Nehe. 8. 13. III. At the entring and in the Congregation 1. They worshipped at the Gate and entrance Ezek. 46. 3. 2. They kneeled down before God Ps 95. 6. 2 Chr. 6 13. 1 K. 8. 54. and made their prayers Isa 56. 7. Esr 6. 10. Act. 16. 13. Luk. 1. 10. 1 Chr 16. 4 and 23. 30. 1 Cor. 14. 16. Some appointed for it 1 Chr. 6. 31. 32. and 16. 4. and 3. 1. Num. 6. 23. 3. They gave thanks Psal 26. 12. unto God Psa 35. 18. and 111. 1. standing 1 King 8. 55. to which the people answered Amen Amen and bowed their heads and worshipped Neh. 8. 6. 4. They sung Psalms 2 Chr. 29. 30. Psa 95. 2. and 92. see the Title a Psalm for the Sabbath and it was joy to some to be there Psa 84. 10. 5. The Scriptures were read Act. 15. 21. Deut. 31. 11 12 13. Luk. 4. 16 17. Act. 13. 15. 6. With the reading they had also afterwards the Word preached for the Priests office was to teach Mal. 2. 7. Deut. 33. 10. 2 Chron. 30. 22. and 35. 2. And it was a misery I. to want a teaching Priest 2 Chron. 15. 2. and II. for them to be ignorant of the Law in handling it Jer. 2. 8 or III. to have such as preached the word and yet not to live thereafter Mat. 23. 1. And this preaching was either an exposition of the words as they read them Neh. 8. 3. 8. or to make an exhortation or as we call it a Sermon upon the words as Christ did Luke 4. 16. 31. and 13 10. Mar. 6. 2. as Saint Paul did Act. 13. 15 16. and as it was usuall every Sabbath day Act. 15. 21. The peoples behaviour was they stood up Neh. 8. 5. They had their eyes upon the Teacher Luk. 4. 20. and their ears were attentive Neh. 8. 3. 7. There were Offerings and casting into the Treasury Mar. 12. 41. Luk. 21. 1. 8. In the Conclusion there was a blessing pronounced upon the people 2 Chron. 30. 27. Lev. 9. 22 23. as God commanded Num. 6. 23 27. and then did break up the Congregation Act. 13. Deut. 21. 5. and 10 8. 1 Chr. 23. 13. 43 and the people departed vers 42. IV. After the dismission of the Congregation It was the duty of all and no doubt some did 1. Meditate upon that they had heard for if this was dayly Psal 1. 2. then much more on this day Aben Ezra on Exod. 20 saith behold the Sabbath Datum est ad Consideranda â—peâ—a dei meditandum in Lege ejus 2. They searched the Scriptures afterwards touching the things taught Act. 17. 11. 3. They taught their children for this was a charge upon them dayly then much more no doubt now when they rested in their houses Deut. 6. 6 7. and 11. 19. 4. They were to be mindefull this day 1. Of their deliverance out of Egypâ— and how to shew mercy to their men and maid-servants to the strangers and to their very cattell Deut. 5. 14 15. 2. Of the Lord their God and how he did sanctifie them Ezech. 20. 20. Exod. 31. 13 14. 3. Of another rest spirituall here and heavenly hereafter Heb. 4. 9 11. 5. They this