A PERSWASIVE To the Stricter OBSERVATION OF THE LORDS DAY In pursuance of His MAJESTIES Pious Order and Directions to PREACHERS Particularly about the Observation of the LORD's DAY c. By Matthew Bryan L. L. D. Licens'd June 16t h 1686. LONDON Printed for S. Keble at the Turks Head in Fleetstreeet and D. Brown at the black Swan and Bible without Temple Bar 1686. Reverendo admodum In Christo Patri ac Domino D. PETRO Providentiâ Divina WINTONIENSI EPISCOPO Et nobilissimi Ordinis à periscelide dicti Praesuli Dignissimo Copiarum sub Rege maximè pio ac Martyre CAROLO primo Duci fortissimo In Exilii Miseriis Benignissimi CAROLI Secundi servo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 invicto Rebellibus Occidentalibus sub Rege Serenissimo JACOBO Secundo Terrori Et Armis Precibus Regis Regnique Opitulatori Bonorum Fautori Improborum Malleo Ecclesiae Anglicanae Strenuo Vindici Et Ornamento M. B. Hanc de die Dominicâ pie observandâ Concionem coram Londinensibus habitam Humillimè cum devotissimâ Veneratione Offert A PERSWASIVE TO THE Stricter OBSERVATION OF THE LORDS DAY Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy 'T IS an old Observation in which there is a great deal of truth though sometimes urg'd for very ill ends particularly to discountenance that great Gospel Ordinance of Preaching Nil dictum quod non dictum prius which I might English in the words of Solomon though spoken by him on another account Eccles 9.1 There is no new thing under the Sun There is nothing done or said but it has been done or said already Tho this might seem to supersede all further Inquiries and attempts to document and instruct the World and dispence knowledge and at once upbraid and silence the Undertaker by telling him that what he does is but actum agere to do that which is done already yet certainly in regard there dwell in us treacherous and unfaithful memories and dull and drowsie affections unapt especially to Spiritual and Divine Things it cannot be denied that an honest Remembrancer is as necessary and useful as the most eloquent Instructer to be imagin'd which St. Peter seems to acknowledge by magnifying the office of a Remembrancer no less than three times in one Chapter 2 Pet. 1.12 13 15 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things tho ye know them and be established in the present truth Yea I think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance moreover I will endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have these things alwayes in remembrance We less want the knowledge than the practice of our duties 'T is not so much the furnishing our heads with a richer treasure of speculations as the profitable improvement of what we know that is or ought to be the great end of Preaching The inculcating of duties therefore must needs be both necessary and advantagious the putting men in mind of what they know already Now amongst the several duties which in faithfulness I must put you in mind of I think it not unseasonable to put you in remembrance of that which this Day or rather the Lord of this Day requires of you viz. The hallowing and sanctifying of the Sabbath of late so much neglected and prophaned amongst us Give me leave therefore following the Example of St. Peter to put you in remembrance of these things tho you know them and be established in the present truth and duty Duty may some say Ay would you would satisfie us to that For that 's the scruple that lies upon our spirits We know indeed that the first day of the Week according to the Scripture computation is enjoyn'd by humane Law under a Penalty to be kept solemn and sacred for the Worship of God which seems to be contrary to the positive command of God held forth in the fourth Commandment which by the Example of God himself seems to intimate and command the observation of the Seventh Day from the Creation as the Sabbath of the Lord to be kept by the Lord's people Now the Fourth Commandment you say is of moral and perpetual obligation part of that Doctrine which you say is a Rule of Life to a Believer and every Sunday we are taught after pronouncing of this Commandment to beg mercy and pardon for our breach of it and strength better to keep it for the time to come in that short ejaculation Lord have mercy upon us and inoline our hearts to keep this Law Now it seems strange that we should be oblig'd to a duty so seemingly contrary to the Fourth Commandment which yet we are taught to acknowledge obedience to and beg God to incline our hearts to keep it when as at that very time it seems to us that we openly break it not keeping that Day which is there mentioned This I confess has been a scruple that has troubled the spirits of many and drawn some into a practical error For satisfaction therefore of the scrupulous and confirmation of the conscionable observers of the Christian Sabbath I shall labour to shew you the indispensable Obligation of it And to that end I have for my Subject pitch'd my thoughts on the Words of the Commandment which seem to speak so much against it but before I have done I hope you 'll conclude with me that the observation of the Christian Sabbath is not inconsistent with the duty held forth in the Text Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy In speaking to this Argument I shall do these three things 1. Shew you the divine Institution of the Christian Sabbath which we now celebrate that to observe and keep it is our duty and that in obedience to the Command of God 2. I shall shew you the manner how the Duty is to be performed wherein the right and due Observation of the day consists 3. And lastly I shall make some reflection on the whole by Application 1. My first undertaking shall be to shew you the Divine Institution of the Christian Sabbath which we now celebrate that to observe and keep it is our duty and that in Obedience to the Command of God And truely Brethren this Truth ought to be well settled and fixed in our minds as that which will mightily perswade us to the conscionable performance of the duty of the day for if I apprehend it to be only of humane Institution and the Command of Man how will it abate the value and esteem which otherwise I should have for it strangely lessen my Veneration and Reverence how will it damp my zeal and clip the wings of my rising and exulting Joy which would be the result of this consideration This is the day which the Lord hath made the inference would then be easie and natural Let us rejoyce and be glad in it Sirs Whilst I believe that the Observation of this
day is but the Command of a mortal dying man my esteem is no more for it than for another day But when I believe and am perswaded and consider that 't is the Command of the God that made me the God that redeemed me and the God that shall shortly come to judge me O how will this raise my mind and enliven my affections and check my floath and quicken my zeal and awaken my Conscience to a sense and conscionable performance of my duty And therefore I would willingly fix this as a great truth and immoveable principle in your minds that to observe and keep this day in your Duty and that in Obedience to the Command of God And here the better to make way to what I intend I must premise these two things 1. That the Fourth Commandment is moral i. e. of perpetual Obligation as to the substance of it 2. That our Saviour Christ who was Lord of the Sabbath had power to make what alteration he pleas'd as to the ceremonial part of it 1. That the Fourth Commandment is moral i. e. of perpetual Obligation as to the substance of it tho ceremonial for Circumstance if not then there are but nine Commandments under the Gospel for what was purely ceremonial relating to the Jewish Oeconomy is abolished and in vain are we taught to pray after the rehearsal of this Commandment Lord have mercy us and incline our hearts to keep this Law To keep some Time holy the to Lord for his Solemn Service is absolutely moral which the Light of Nature prompts men to Now 't is plain a Sabbath God must have by the perpetual Ordinance of the Fourth Commandment Remember to keep Holy the Sabbath Day i.e. that day which for the time being God hath marked out and appointed for his own And he hath declar'd his will concerning the limitation of it Six days shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the seventh is the Sabbath The Seventh from the Creation was enjoyn'd to be kept by the Jews in remembrance of the Creation according to God's own example In six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth and rested the Seventh Day which was observed before the giving of the Law on Sinai Well but Christians observe not this seventh day which the Jews did do they then break the Commandment God forbid no they do not break the Commandment and this will appear by the second thing which I have to premise viz. 2. That our Saviour Christ who was Lord of the Sabbath had power to make what alteration he pleas'd as to the Ceremonial part of the Commandment Our Saviour tells the Jews St. Mark 2.28 that the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath He was so indeed for 't was he that made the VVorld and gave the Law on Sinai And he shew'd the true use of the Sabbath that 't was made for Man and not Man for the Sabbath and as Lord of it he had power to make what Alteration he pleas'd Now the Alteration he made was about the circumstance of time not as to the matter of the Commandment one day in seven but as to the Circumstance of time i. e. which day in seven he pleas'd Now if I can prove to you that our Saviour Christ alter'd the circumstance of time and that that time which the Christians now observe is that Alteration I hope you 'l conclude with me that the observation of the Christian Sabbath is no breach of the Fourth Commandment but an indispensable duty incumbent upon the Church of Christ and that it is so will appear by these Arguments 1. The First I shall draw from the immediate authority of our Saviour who to let the VVorld know that his pleasure was to translate the Jewish Sabbath which was Saturday the seventh from the Creation to the first day of the VVeek was pleas'd First To Honour this day with his Resurrection from the dead which was on the first day of the VVeek when he had finish'd the work of our Redemption as he had before on the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath finish'd the work of our Creation The Jewish Sabbath slept its last in the Grave with Christ and at his Resurrection immediately enter'd the Lords day from the very day of the Resurrection of Christ St. Ep. ad Jan. 19. c. 13. Austin derives the beginning of the Gospel Sabbath The Lords day saith he by the Resurrection of Christ was declar'd to be the Christians day Dominicum diem quem vobis Salvatoris noctri Resurrectio consecravit c. Id. de Verb. Apost serm 15. and from that very time it began to be celebrated as the Christians Festival This was the First day of our Saviours appearing to his Disciples and during the forty days he remain'd up on Earth after his Resurrection he appear'd to his Disciples usually upon the first day of the VVeek and gave them Orders about the things concerning his Kingdome 2. He honoured this day with the first mission of the Holy Ghost Act. 2.1 c. When the day of Pentecost was fully come c. Pentecost that year fell on Sunday the first day of the VVeek VVhich I thus plainly prove to you There were three Solemn Feasts which were appointed the Jews every year The Feast of the Passeover The Feast of Harvest And the Feast of Tabernacles as you may read Exod. 23.14 15. The Feast of Harvest styl'd Deut 16.9 the Feast of Weeks was fifty days after the Feast of the Passeover Lev. 23.15 16. This Feast of VVeeks is the same which St. Luke calls here Pentecost which is a Greek VVord fignifying the fiftieth day and retain'd in our English Translation which time we now call Whitsunday VVhich we observe is always seven weeks after Easter Now this day which was seven weeks after the Passeover fell that year on Sunday when the Holy Ghost descended as will appear if you consult Joh. 19.14 31. Where you find that the day our Saviour was Crucified was the day of the preparation of the Passeover and the next day was the Sabbath on which the Passeover that year was celebrated which is therefore stil'd an high day v. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great day i.e. a very solemn day in respect of the concurrence of a double celebrity the Sabbath and the Feast of the Passeover Now reckon seven Weeks from the Passeover which was Saturday the Jews Sabbath to the day of Pentecost inclusively which makes up the compleat number of fifty days and you 'll find that it fell on Sunday the first day of the Week on which the Holy Ghost discended as it were to give birth to the Christian Sabbath which had it's conception at Christs Resurrection And Grotius noteth from Exod. 19.1 that it was the day the Law was given on and so on which the Spirit was given for the new Law So much for Christs immediate Authority If any say that all this is but conjectural that
〈◊〉 For so S. Athanasius saith expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Lord translated the Sabbath to the Lords day Whether he did this immediately by himself or by his Apostles inspired by him all comes to one That it was so translated is evident and a Christian Name given it being not call'd the Sabbath and when we call it so stiling it the Christian Sabbath it is not strictly and properly but analogically and by way of allusion to the Jewish Sabbath which was a day of rest but the proper and peculiar and Evangelical Name is the Lords day which the Jews stil'd the first day and the Gentiles Sunday But it matters not much by what Name we call it whether Sabbath or Sunday or the First Day so that we allow the divine right and Institution and observation of it Only I must observe to you that the Lords day is the most proper and peculiar and Evangelical Notion which was observ'd and us'd not only in the Apostles times but in the succeeding Ages of the Church which is an historical Evidence of the divine Institution of the day that it was not instituted by the Church succeeding the Apostles but by the Apostles themselves and the usage derived to the succeeding Ages of the Church by Apostolical Tradition and the day generally observed by the Church immediately after the Apostles days and so forward as I could shew you at large by the Testimony of the * St. Ignatius who was St. Johns Disciple makes it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Queen the Lady paramount among the other weekly days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. After the Sabbath let every Friend of Christ make the Lords day a Solemn Festival says the same Ignatius Upon the Sunday 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a common assembly both of Citizens and common people is held c. says Just Mart. Apol. 2. Upon that day i. e. Sunday we Christians meet together in the common Assembly c. says Tertullian Apol. cap. 39. We Christians assemble our selves with much diligence upon the Lords day to praise God c. Clemt Rom. Const Ap l. 2. c. 63. St. Basil de Spir. Sanct. 27. Numbers the Observation of the Lords day amongst Apostolical Traditions And St. Augustine's general Golden Rule proves it to be so Quod universa tenet Ecclesia nec Conciliis institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi authoritate Apostolica traditum rectissimè creditur Aug. de Bapt. c. Donatist l. 4. cap. 24 Plin. Ep 97. ad Trajanum lib. dec p. 434. essent soliti stato die ante lucem convenire carmenque Christo quasi Deo dicere secum invicem seque Sacramento c. Ancients But I shall only take particular notice of the Testimony of an Enemy as to the matter of fact that the Observation of the day was as old as the Apostles and that is the famous Heathen Pliny who inform'd the Emperor Trajan in whose Reign the Apostle St. John liv'd that it was the use of Christians on a stated day by which he could mean no other than the Lords day to meet together to sing their Hymnos antelacanos their Hymns to Christ as God before day-break and to bind themselves by a Sacrament not to do any wickedness c. This is the Testimony of a great Heathen whose report as an Historian is not to be questioned Nay the observation of this day was so taken notice of by the Heathen in the Primitive persecutions before any Imperial Edict or Canon of Council enjoyn'd it that it became a constant interogatory to the Christians when brought upon their Tryal and Examination Have you kept the Lords day To which their answer was ever ready I cannot intermit it for I am a Christian and the Law of God prompts me to it Now put these things together the historical Notices which occur in Scripture of the Apostolical Institution and Observation of the day and their Approbation of it in others for certainly they would not have approv'd of it but vigorously oppos'd it had it been an usurpation and contrary to the mind of Christ these things I say together with the concurrent testimony of the succeeding Ages of the Church and not only of Friends but Enemies too I think sufficiently prove the Apostolical Observation of the day and consequently the Divine Institution of it and that in obedience to the Command of God in this precept Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy which may be prov'd by an Enumeration or induction of particulars what Christ the Son of God did that God the Father did who sent him into the World what the Spirit the Holy Ghost did that Christ who sent him did and what the Apostles who were inspir'd with the Spirit did that the Spirit himself did Thus in their first Council Act. 15.28 It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us and the Spirit was to lead them into all Truth and bring all things to their remembrance c. Now I have prov'd to you both by Scripture and History that the Apostles did command and institute and approve of the Observation of the Lords Day And if they did it the Holy Ghost did it and if the Holy Ghost did it Christ the Son did it and if Christ did it God the Father himself did it who here commands us Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy So that there are two things whereon the Divine Right of the Lords Day is founded Upon the moral Equity of the Fourth Commandment and upon Evangelical Institution Our Church reduceth the Institution of this day as a weekly day to the Fourth Commandment and as the first day of the Week she foundeth it upon Apostolical practice and tradition For which I might refer you to the Words of the Homily of the place and time of Prayer As concerning the time which Almighty God has appointed his people to assemble together solemnly Book of Homilies p. 214. it doth appear by the Fourth Commandment of God Remember saith God that thou keep Holy the Sabbath day Vpon which day as is plain in the Acts of the Apostles the people accustomably resorted together and heard diligently the Law and the Prophets read among them And albeit this Commandment of God doth not bind Christian people so straitly to observe and keep the utter Ceremonies of the Sabbath day as it was given unto the Jews as touching the forbearing of Work and Labour in time of great necessity and as touching the precise keeping of the seventh day after the manner of the Jews For we keep now the first day which is our Sunday and make that our Sabbath that is our day of rest in the honour of our Saviour Christ who as upon that day rose from death conquering the same most triumphantly Yet notwithstanding whatsoever is found in the Commandment appertaining to the Law of Nature as a thing most godly most just and needful for the setting forth of Gods Glory
are others that are partial Observers of the day who think it their duty to go to Church and be present at divine Service and attend the publick Ordinances and performances and in that they do well and are to be commended and I wish there were more that did so but then they think that the duty of the day is over they take little care to prepare themselves or their Families before they go to Church and as little when they come from thence that they may digest what they have heard and receiv'd there by Catechizing Examining Meditation Conference reading singing of Psalms and Prayer which are the private and Domestick duties of the day The Sabbath must be our delight on which we must not think our own thoughts nor speak our own words nor do our own Works nor find our own Pleasures that is we must forbear and withdraw our minds and affections Isa 15.13 from such studies and employments upon that day whereby the same might be polluted or prophaned It must be sacred to God and be spent in his service and in Spiritual Communion with him which is to be promoted not only by publick but private Duties On the other side there are some that pretend themselves very careful and conscientious in the performance of private duties but neglect the publick vainly imagining and concluding that they can pray and read the Scriptures as well at home as at Church yea and read as good a Sermon perhaps better as they can hear at Church Admit it to be true yet one duty must not justle out another The same God who has commanded private has injoyn'd also publick duties The Children of Israel could undoubtedly read the Law and did and pray too in their private Tents and Houses yet by God's Command they must repair to the Tabernacle in the Wilderness and the Temple at Jerusalem to hear the Law and attend the publick Worship and Service Our great Evangelical Lawgiver does not only command his Disciples to pray in secret but openly i. e. in the Congregation not only in the Closet but the Synagogue and Temple to which he invites his Disciples both for publick Prayer and Preaching not only by precept but example too He bids them hear the Scribes and Pharisees which sit in Moses's Chair and does himself Preach in the Synagogue and the Temple to which he shew'd so great a Veneration in obedience to the antient precept ye shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary that he exercis'd an unusual severity in purging it of the pollutions and abuses which he observed there He made a scourge of small Cords and whipt out the prophaners of it styling them Thieves and Robbers sacrilegiously polluting that holy place dedicated to holy Uses It is written my House shall be call'd an House of Prayer but ye have made it a Den of Thieves Mat. 21.13 So that he that has commanded private has injoyn'd also publick duties his publick Ordinances were not made in vain to each of which duties we must pay a due respect Our obedience must be regular and uniform I have respect unto all thy Commandments says David One duty must not excommunicate another Publick must not justle out private nor private publick duties And he that allows it to be so is but a partialist in Religion and does his duty but by halves and is in God's account as if he did it not all A partial observing of the Sabbath is but little better than a total neglecting of it the not keeping it duely equivalent to the not keeping any at least a very lame and imperfect Observation as it will one day appear by the Censure of Him who judgeth not as man judgeth who will not be mock'd or impos'd upon with fallacious appearances or a partial piece meal Obedience Thus you see who are justly reprovable by this Doctrine viz. 1. Those who keep the Jewish but not the Christian Sabbath 2. Those who keep both 3. And especially those who keep none at all or at least in such a manner as is equivalent to the not keeping of it 2. Give me leave now to add a word of Exhortation which may besuitable to all at least none ought to be offended at it not the conscionable Observers of the Lord's day for to admonish and warn and exhort them to do the duty which they do already is but monendo laudare to praise whilst we admonish and the Arguments which are us'd to perswade them that do not may serve at least to remember and confirm and establish those that do their duty And then for the loose and prophane and careless whom I will suppose to be convinc'd of their duty and that they ought to keep the Christian Sabbath exhortations and perswasions must needs be as necessary and suitable for them as Physick is for the sick and diseased I beseech you therefore brethren to use St. Paul's words to the Hebrews suffer the word of Exhortation and that it may be the more prevalent and successful to the end for which it is design'd viz. to perswade Christians to a due and conscionable Observation of the Lords day I will lay before you these Arguments or Motives drawn from the following Considerations 1. Consider that not to keep the Sabbath but to break and prophane it is to sin against the Light and the Law of Nature which prompts the rational Creature to set a part some time for the Solemn VVorship of God the great Being in whom he lives and moves and has his Being of which the Heathen were sensible by the dictates and Light of Nature as St. Paul observ'd to the Athenians Acts 17.28 where he refers to a verse of Aratus a Greek Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In him we live and move and have our being For we are also his off-spring Now the Laws of gratitude require some grateful Returns to a benefactor which the Heathen thought themselves oblig'd to make to God their chief benefactor but not knowing the true God they therefore did VVorship many of which they made Images and representations in Wood and Stone and Silver and Gold to which they instituted divine VVorship and Solemn times for the performance of it in which they were very devout and serious and would not rob their God And O! how will their blind Devotion shame and condemn the indevout negligent careless Christian 'T will undoubtedly at the great day when the account of all the VVorld shall be scann'd over and every one judg'd according to his VVorks Then will Christ Jesus the great judge of the VVorld lay open O Christian both thine and the Heathens VVorks He will then animadvert upon their diligent and blind Devotion and thy negligence and zealless cold performances Here stands a poor blind Heathen who had only the dimmer and obscurer Light of Nature and yet how devoutly did he fall down to his stock and his stone and keep inviolable the time sacred to the honour of his