all with it as having ever judged it a bone of Contention needlesly striven about by reason of its ambiguitie And so by not being distinguished aright having bred much mistaking one of another and much confusion in Discourses of this Subject Why then we use it But because the World hath so taken it up that it will not easily lay it down again it is in a sort necessary to make use of it and accordingly to discourse a little of it in the very entrance of our Dispute by shewing how divers men take it diversly what we understand by it in this Controversie Though when all is said and done it will be still an ambiguous Terme and liable to mistakes and quarrels II. Divers Acceptions of it 1. The Notation of the word Morall relating to a Law signifies in it selfe any Precept serving to regulate the Manners of Men. And accordingly thus 1. There are some who seeme to take it sometimes as that it may and doth extend to all the Divine Laws in Scripture of what kind soever Thus that learned Bishop doth proceed B. of E. Tract of Sab. p. 26. Divine Law called Morall is a just Rule or Measure imposed by GOD directing and obliging to the obedience of things Holy Honest and Iust The same is simply Morall or Morall onely by some Externall Constitution of GOD. These Positive Lawes Morall are either Personall or Common to all Mankinde or to one Nation c. But this we conceive to be too large a sense for this is to make the Ceremoniall and Judiciall Lawes Primr of Sab. p. 4. among the Jewes to be Morall And he is told by one of his own side This is to speak against the ordinary Sense and Custome of all men 2. Acception of it who use to distinguish Morall against Ceremoniall and Iudiciall 2. Others againe take the word to signifie only that which is Naturall as if that only were to be termed Morall which is of the Law of Nature So the Author last named in the place cited in the Margent Ibid. This Law Morall all men take to be the Law of Nature and reciprocally they take the Law of Nature for this Law And thus also doe others take it or we understand them not The Morall Law saith one is that which concernes the manners of men C.D. Disc of Sab. p. 6. The Law Morall is the Law Natural G. Irons of Sab. q. 7. p. 77. as men and this commands those things which in themselves are acceptable and well-pleasing to God c. But say we the Law Naturall only cōmands such things Therefore the Law Naturall only in his judgement is to be called Morall This Sense of these men we think to be as much too narrow as the other was wide and to be too short to containe the full meaning of the word For whereas Vniversall and specially Perpetuall are even by their own confession Characters of a Morall Law there may we suppose and they too be found some Lawes which are but Positive and not Naturall which yet after they were once given did and doe concerne all men in all Ages to observe both under the Old Testament and under the New and so we think deserve the terme of Morall Lawes We therefore so understand the word 3. Our description of a Morall Law as to imply any Law of God exprest in Scripture whether it can be proved Naturall or not which from the time it was given to the end of the world binds all succedding Generations of their Posterity to whom it was given and more specially obliges the Church because the Scriptures the Word of God was specially written for them and comes specially to them And that there are such Lawes even in the Old Testament not Naturall yet in that sort Vniversall and Perpetuall we shall discover having premised briefly a Division of Lawes generally contained in Scripture And here III. Generall Division of the Laws of God letting passe the Personall Commands given to some particular men or women for themselves and one or two more and obliging none but them as that to Abraham To leave his Fathers house and afterward To sacrifice his Sonne And to Manoahs Wife How to order her selfe being with childe and her Sonne when he should be borne and some other such like which are easily discerned by their Extraordinary Quality Matter and Reasons not appliable to others Letting these passe we say The whole of Gods Lawes recorded in Scripture Ceremoniall and Iudiciall Lawes also called Judaicall and Mosaicall though all not first given to the Jewes may well be divided as it is usuall into 3. Ranks Ceremoniall Judiciall and Morall of which the two former are commonly called Judaicall or Mosaicall Lawes though divers of the Ceremonials were not first given by Moses nor to the Iewes only but in Ages before them For Sacrifices were as ancient as Cain and Abel Gen. 4. and no doubt from a Divine command or inspiration to their Father And 2. the Prohibition of eating Blood was given to Noah and all his Posteritie immediately after the Flood Gen. 9. Also 3. Circumcision was given to Abraham and all his Posteritie and their Families which were to grow into divers Nations Gen. 17. And perhaps some others besides these may be found which were given as Lawes before Israel became a People the People of God Why then they are so called But however because it is certaine that whatever of this kinde was given a Law to Posterities was renewed to Israel by the Ministery of Moses when God took them to be his people peculiarly therefore these and all other peculiarly given to them whether Ceremoniall or Judiciall which are not esteemed Perpetuall are termed Iudaicall or Mosaicall Lawes IV. Generall Nature of Ceremonials and Judicials The nature of which that we may briefly dispatch we are to conceive that the Nation of the Jewes taken to be Gods peculiar people was both a Church the only Visible Church that God then had upon Earth as also a Body Politick or Civill Societie And in both those considerations God himselfe was pleased to be their Lawgiver and besides the Morall Lawes which concerned them as Men together with all the rest of Mankind both towards God and one another He vouchsafed to ordaine them other Lawes as they were a Church but a Church in infancie and under age till the Messiah the promised Seed should come and these are usually called Ceremonials And others also as they were a Common-wealth to whom the Land of Canaan was allotted for an inheritance and from among whom that promised Messiah was to be borne And these Civill Lawes are they that are usually called Iudicials But for as much as these two considerations of their being a Church and a Civill State had both of them as we have intimated speciall relation unto Christ to come and so their very Land was a Typicall Land and their Nation a
of marying the Widow of a Brother dead without Children which was not so much an Allowance as a strict Precept but yet esteemed by Divines generally unlawfull now as was at large disputed in the famous Case of our King Henry the 8. having maried his Brother Arthurs widow and appears contrary to the law of Lev. 18.16 Lev. 20.21 Which Law of not marying the Brothers Widow being but Positive as we shall anon have our Adversaries confession for though God made it Morall to all Generations yet he was pleased then as he might to make that forenamed particular Exception from it among the Jewes in regard of preserving Inheritances in Families in that Land which he would have distinct among them for the Messiahs sake to know clearly of what Tribe he came and the like So then we esteem those properly Judicials which between man and man were Relatives to the Land of Canaan XII Morall Lawes described and expectation of the Messiah And all other not such nor Ceremoniall as before we esteem Morall And of these Morall Lawes we are now to speak somewhat more largely Of which we think it convenient to repeat the Description XIII The description of a Morall Law cleared in 5 branches and assigne some Reason of the severall parts of it and then proceed to the Division of it according to our Scope A Morall Law we say is any Law of God exprest in Scripture whether it can be proved Naturall * When we say a Morall Law bindes we deny not but God may dispence at his pleasure with any Morall Positive as in the case of Incest before noted or not which from the time it was giver to the end of the World bindes all succeeding Generations of their Posterity to whom it was given and more specially obliges the Church because the Scriptures the Word of God was specially written for them and comes specially to them Here we 1. say Any Law of God exprest in Scripture because the Scripture containes all the Lawes of God even those that are called Lawes of Nature and written plainly or at least in their Principles in all mens hearts as well as any speciall and Positive Institution of God The Scripture we say hath all and nothing is to be admitted no not under the Title of a Law of Nature what consent soever it may pretend to plead from the Heathens and Naturall men which is not warranted by Scripture in expresse words or certain consequence to be Gods Will and Command even now 2. We say whether it can be proved Naturall or not because we undertake to prove some Lawes perpetuall which we will not contend to be Morall Naturall 3. We say from the time it was first given as well because we esteem some Lawes granted to be Morall and given under the Old Testament not to be given at the Creation but many yeares after as that against Marying of Brothers and Sisters together of which we shall say somewhat anon as also because we suppose the Lawes concerning the two Sacraments of the New Testament and some other Evangelicall Laws to deserve the name of Morall being Perpetuall undeniably though not given till our Saviours comming in the Flesh 4. We adde which binds all succeeding Generations of their Posteritie to whom it was given that we may prevent the Quarrell of disputing of the manner of Promulgation For if it were given to the Parents the Transgression must needs be a Sin though of Ignorance in those of their Posterity who having lost the Knowledge of it had also forsaken the Practice And so even men account Ignorance of Humane law once clearly given not to excuse totally 2. That we may not include any who neither by themselves nor their ancestors ever heard of a Law if only Positive as the New Testament Lawes particularly which till the Gospel be preached in a Nation cannot oblige them if any Nation can be supposed never to have had them 5. Finally we say They more specially oblige the Church because the Scripture the Word of God was specially written for them and comes specially to them This addes a second Obligation even to the Lawes of Nature and so to all others formerly given and so Israel was the second or third time obliged to the Lawes of the Decalogue and some others because they had a renewed and so more undeniable Charge of them by Word and Writing and could not so much as plead Ignorance unlesse wilfull through neglect of the Scriptures which was specially given them to be Gods Statute-book and Authentick Record of his Lawes Of which so many as He was pleased to ordaine to be Perpetuall we ascribe the Terme of Morall unto as we have said And of these we say further and clearly XIV Morall Laws divided into Naturall and Positive though we have given intimations of it already That they are of two kindes Morall-Naturall and Morall-Positive Which agreeing in Perpetuity as far as we have already shewed doe differ in their distinct Properties as will appeare by their severall Descriptions to which we now proceed in their order And first a Law Morall-Naturall we think XV. Description of a Morall Naturall Law may thus properly be exprest A Law of Things necessary to be done or forborne toward God or Man our selves or others which the Nature of Man now though corrupted either doth acknowledge or may at least be convinced of to be such even without the Scripture from Arguments drawn from those Principles which are in the hearts of all men generally even now So that he must contradict some of those Principles which yeelds not to those Lawes specially when he is rationally urged with them Or more briefly thus A Law of Nature is a Law which may be proved not only just but necessary by Principles drawn from the light of Nature which all Reasonable men have still in their hearts We chuse to expresse it thus rather then as some others doe XVI Refusall of other Descriptions 2 Reasons against a first in a twofold Variety and as we conceive Erroniously on either hand 1. Some describe it by being written in mans heart at the first Creation But this we apprehend to be a very uncertaine not to say altogether impertinent Description For if we shall consider 1. That the Scripture no where characterizes any particular Law by these Titles of being a Law of Nature or written in mans heart at the first Creation 2. That all mens Natures are now corrupted and so created Nature is to us at this day a merum Non-ens with it we have nothing to doe in this Question because we cannot know all that was then written in mans heart But will we nill we our present Nature though corrupted must be the Judge according to the light it hath still left XVII 2. Another rejected Which Laws are absolutely necessary for all men and so Which are Laws of Nature 2. Others and perhaps the same men at
another time describe it by being written in the hearts of the Gentiles of old And so they goe to seek in Humane Authors for the generall Practice and acknowledgement of the Gentiles which where they finde wanting they deny such Lawes to be Lawes of Nature And under this pretence they strongly reject as they think the 4. Commandement for one Day in seven from being Morall by which they will understand only Morall-Naturall because it was not written in the hearts of the Gentiles not acknowledged nor practised by them of old XVII 2 Reasons of it But this description of Morall-Naturall we cannot admit for a double Reason 1. Because some Lawes had the Testimony of all the Heathens Practice and Acknowledgement generally and so seemes written in all their hearts which yet are so far from being Morall-Naturall that they were meerly Ceremoniall and are now abolished as the Law of sacrificing some materiall things to God a Sheep or an Oxe or Flowre or Wine or the like 2. And specially because the most undeniable Law of Nature or one of them that is or can be namely the worshipping of one only God shall not be Morall-Naturall if we stand to the proofe of the Generality of the Heathens Practice and Acknowledgement For all that know any thing know that they generally and even the very Jewes too very often before the Babylonish Captivity worshipped a Plurality of Gods If therefore the Gentiles not observing nor owning a seventh-day Sabbath be a sufficient proofe to evince the 4. Commandement not Morall though we contend not for its being Morall-Naturall as it commands so much and no more of solemne Time for Continuance and Frequencie together It will not only thrust out also the second Commandement from being Morall because it is apparent that all the World of old made and worshipped Images and so it is cleare that Law was not generally written in all their hearts But even the first Commandement will not be admitted to be Morall because all the World generally worshipped a plurality of Gods And so neither was the Law of having no other Gods but the Lord written generally in the hearts of the Gentiles We know some of the wiser Philosophers did indeed professe but one God as Socrates but even for that as they write he was condemned to death by his ungodly Countrymen Also it is certaine that it may be proved even from those Principles of the light of Nature remaining in the hearts of all Reasonable men now That there is but One GOD and so That we are to worship Him alone and so but One. Whence it followes that as there is now no other Judge of Lawes of Nature but our present Nature however corrupted so we say the Judgement must be made not simply according to first Apprehensions but awakened Principles Therefore also for a further clearing of these Lawes of Nature XVIII Degrees of Morall Naturall Laws 1. Principles Aquin. 2. â— 94 art 2. c. 1 we adde That they are not all of equall evidence or clearenesse but admit of Degrees And so they may be further distinguished 1. There are some Principles of Nature of which the Great Schooleman thus writes Although in themselves the Precepts of the Law of Nature are many yet may they all be reduced to this one Good is to be prosecuted Evill is to be avoyded 2. 2. Conclusions Some are Conclusions necessarily resulting from that Principle by way of Demonstration Which Conclusions as they arise at the first or second hand or the like may further be distinguished into immediate or mediate The immediate Conclusions are only two Immediate Mat. 2â— The first Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. And the second Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy selfe On these two Commandements saith our Saviour hang all the Law and the Prophets The mediate Conclusions are such 2. Mediate as doe also arise from the former Principle but by the interposition of the two former Conclusions And of this kinde are confessedly some even most of the Commandements of the Decalogue if not all But of this more anon The summe then of this Discourse of Naturally-Morall Lawes XIX Character of Laws Moral-Naturall is That their proper Character is To be in themselves not only just and convenient but even necessary in the Nature of the Laws themselves for all reasonable creatures such as Mankind are universally and perpetually to stand obliged unto toward GOD themselves and one another and which very Nature though corrupted may be forced to confesse such But now besides these Morall-Naturall Lawes XX. Description of a Morall-Positive Law there are we say others which we call Morall-Positive And these we describe to be Laws clearely laid down in Scripture in expresse words or certaine consequence which Nature though corrupted cannot reasonably deny to be just good and so convenient to be perpetuated according to the Lawgivers pleasure Though antecedent to His Will some way revealed to them it would not nor could not have judged them to be of themselves altogether necessary Nature even corrupted cannot deny but that it is fit that the Law-givers Will and Pleasure should stand for a Law with his Creatures and so though it could have discerned no necessity of such or such an Obligation by the light of Nature meerly as perhaps even created Nature could not in some of them yet such equity and equality and goodnesse being in them as they cannot but acknowledge them convenient and fit to be perpetuated unlesse God have exprest himselfe to the contrary These we call Morall-Positive Laws and esteem them universall to all their Posteritie to whom they were given and Perpetuall to them from the time they were given unto the Worlds end and so to all the Church in after ages unlesse where God was pleased to make any particular exceptions or exemptions And though we confesse God might have changed or abrogated any of these Lawes so qualified yet we doe not beleeve that He hath unlesse it be undeniably exprest of this or that particular Law in question Of which perswasion we shall give our grounds in due season And now upon this Distinction if we be not deceived the greatest part of the present Controversie in this Discourse depends It concernes us therefore to vindicate this fully and make good this ground before we proceed any further And that there are some Positive Lawes in Scripture thus Morall that is of universall extent after they were once given and perpetuall obligation we thus endeavour to make manifest XXI Proofes that there are such Laws 1. Gods Prerogative may make such First GODS Prerogative and absolute Dominion over all men as his Creatures as we touched before may authorise his Will to make such Lawes and to impose them upon the World and that even for a proof of his Prerogative Royall absolute dominion and consequently a Tryall of his Creatures Obedience And this
is in a manner acknowledged by one that yet makes exception to this Distinction Primr p. 5. It must saith he be the revealed will of GOD that matches Positive with Naturall Lawes and marks them with the silver stamp of Immutabilitie So we say it must be and so it is for XXII 2. His wil hath done so in severall Ages Secondly the same Will that was pleased to make Positive Laws universally and perpetually obligatory to the World of the same Age may no doubt make Lawes universall and perpetuall for both Ages of the World But God hath done the former as will appeare by these instances 1. For the old World even beginning with Adam and ending with Christ as Divines commonly make the period the Law of Sacrifices was an universall and perpetuall Law the practice whereof we find in the very beginning in Cain and Abel without doubt not without some Divine command to their Father and all succeeding Generations even of Heathens practised this 2. To Noah was a Law of this kind given for himselfe and all his Posteritie as cannot be denied Gen. 9. To abstaine from eating blood though afterward it was more specially renewed and applied to the Jews and the Gentiles lost it as they did other things even of the Law of Nature as we touched before 3. In the new World beginning with Christ At least for this Age. and continuing till the day of Judgement the two Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper are unquestionably Positive Lawes yet universall as soon as the Gospel comes to any and perpetuall and so may be termed Morall from the time they were given to the worlds end 4. Nay we have a Record of a Law Morall-Positive given to Adam even before his fall reaching to all his Posterity to the worlds end viz. The not eating of the fruit of the tree of Knowledge For that it bound all men appeares by too wofull experience all Mankind being sinners for breaking of it in and with Adam Therefore since God hath done thus from the beginning to give Positive Lawes and yet make them Morall Universall and Perpetuall we can see no reason but that there may be some other such for both Ages of the World Only we must looke that we pitch our mark aright upon those that are indeed so To which therefore we say further Thirdly that not only there may be XXIII 3 There are such still in force Confessed by the Adversaries themselves XXIV 1. in Sense C. D. p. 8. but that there are some other such Positive Lawes delivered in Scripture that from the time they were first given bind all Posterities in the Generations succeeding even in all Ages and this by the confession of the Adversaries themselves 1. in sense and 2. in plain words 1. In sense To which purpose let those words of one of them be considered That however all the Precepts of the Morall Law he meanes it of the Decalogue belong to the Law of Nature as being agreeable to Reason which is the rule of humane actions and are in that respect of perpetuall observation yet all of them are not of the same ranke nor belong in the same degree and manner to the Law of Nature Something 's there are which we by the instinct of Nature presently see to be good or bad c. Others there are that require more consideration of Circumstances and use of Discourse to apprehend and judge of them And lastly there are some to the knowledge whereof Humane Reason stands in need of Divine instruction And these two latter sorts specially the last though they in some sort belong to the Law of Nature and were haply at our first Creation written in the Tables of mans Heart in more plain characters and more easie to be read then now since the fall they are may in respect of the other be termed Morall not in regard of Nature dictating but in regard of Discipline informing Nature He speaks here of the last sort of Laws under the Title of Lawes of Nature which is more then we will say But afterwards qualifying the speech and calling them Morall not in regard of Nature dictating but in respect of Discipline informing Nature he saith the very same that we doe For Morale Disciplinae and Morale Positivum are one and the same Divine Instruction or Revelation contra-distinguished to Nature and Divine Imposition is altogether the same in point of Lawes Tract of Sab. pag. 3. To which purpose see another of their own Mr. Brerewood by name who being dead was forced first to speak against the Morality of the fourth Commandement yet this Distinction he acknowledgeth and applies to the fourth Commandement Morall is that which belongs to Manners 1. by the instinct of Nature as belonging to the inward Law written in our hearts Or 2. by Instruction of Discipline as being of the outward Law appointed by GOD as that of observing the seventh Day so that it may be termed Naturall which is more then we yet say as being not of the Institution of Nature but of the Discipline of Nature c. XXV 2. In expresse words Bp. of E. p. 27. Namely 1. Against Polygamie Proved Positive yet Morall Secondly in the very words the learned Bishop speaking of Lawes Positively Morall saith Some are common and generall to all Mankinde as the Law of Polygamie and Wedlock within some degrees mentioned Lev. 20. And that the Law against Polygamie published by Adam or by GOD himselfe to Adam at the first beginning For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and cleave to his wife and they two shall be one flesh Gen. 2. was indeed but Positive may be sufficiently concluded by that that many even of the holiest men after Abraham were Polygamists Of whom it were a wild sentence to say they lived continually in a breach of a Law of Nature Can it be supposed that those holy men who had the light of Divine revelation often should generally have wanted light about a Law of Nature or much lesse that they could have lived in a Practice against any light they had Divines also generally acknowledging the Negative part of the Lawes of Nature to binde ad semper and to be perpetually indispensable It was then a Positive Law yet Morall and therefore though ignorantly yet they sinned in breaking of it as appeares by what Malachy writes Mal. 2. And our Saviour specially argues from the institution of Mariage in the beginning Mat. 19. Again for the Lawes against incestuous mariages XXVI 2. Against incestuous Mariages proved Morall though Positive wherein we have at once many instances of Lawes Positively Morall That they were and are Morall appeares by Gods counting the Transgressions such Abominations when he speaks of them and saying that for them the Land of Canaan did spue out her Inhabitants though Gentiles And that they were yet but Positive appeares also by the speciall instance of Cain and Seth
marying their sisters and necessarily for there were no other women to marry yet had they not only leave but charge to increase and multiply Gen. 1. But considering that as was said before Negative Lawes of Nature bind ad semper and are held perpetually Indispensable It is not to be imagined that God would have necessitated them to break a Law of Nature but rather for the time have created them wives as he did to Adam It was therefore a Positive Law given after that time and so from thenceforth Morall Universall and Perpetuall And their Perpetuity is also acknowledged by all Divines and even many of the Heathens From all which as we have made our Distinction good XXVII Some inferences from those Confessions Pag. 31. so we may also note 1. That the Bishops 3. character of a Law simply and formally Morall by which he meanes Morall-Naturall That it is of universall and perpetuall Obligation is not sound and true because not convertible For himself hath given us here an instance of many Lawes common and generall to all Mankinde and consequently of universall and perpetuall Obligation which yet he confesseth to be positively Morall 2. And further if a Positive Law may be of perpetuall Obligation why may it not be of immutable Institution They were not then well advised who cavill at this Position as an affirmation without ground Hist of Sab. part 2. p. 177. and without reason or such a peece of Learning and Contradiction as was never put up to shew till in these latter times For what is that they quarrell at That a Positive Law should be immutable in it selfe Dr. Ames Theol. 2. c. 15. §. 6. So the Historian reports Dr. Ames his words But the Doctor if he look again did not say it was immutable in it selfe that is his addition but immutabilis plane Institutionis he meant it with respect to men on whom it was imposed who have no power to change the Institution of GOD For so he addes So that in respect of our duty and obligation it hath the very same force with those Lawes that were Naturall And again a little after This Positive Right on which this Institution is grounded is right Divine and in respect of men altogether immutable Mark you Sir in respect of men and Divine Institution it is immutable not in it selfe And we heard before that the revealed will of God may match Positive with Naturall in regard of Immutabilitie But besides these we have the approbation of this Distinction by other Authors Take one more Tract of Tithes Mr Carleton afterward a Bishop distinguishing of the right of Tythes saith thus Morall things are so either by Nature or by Institution as sanctifying a seventh day and Tithes And we cannot but wonder that these men who so stifly plead for Tithes to be due Jure Divino not Naturall but Positive shall yet cry out of this Distinction only when it is applied to the 4th Commandement for one day in seven Let them consider it XXVIII Agreements of Morall-Naturall and Morall-Positive Lawes The distinction now of Morall Lawes into Naturall and Positive being sufficiently cleared we shall only propound the further agreement of these Lawes and then conclude this Chapter They differ as afore and agree in 2 things besides Perpetuitie First in their Authority and force of Obligation A Positive Law in force doth as strongly binde the Conscience as a Naturall aeque though not aequaliter 2. In their Independence both depend upon God Pag. 31. and not upon the will of man and so are indispensable by humane authority The Bishop therefore misapplieth this peece of his 3d. Character as belonging to Lawes simply and formally Morall That no Authority of men or Angels can exempt or priviledge any from their Obligation For neither can they doe it in a Positive Law CHAP. II. Rules to know a Law to be Morall though but Positive THat there are Lawes of GOD Morall or Perpetuall I. What Positive Lawes are Morall which we henceforth take for one and the same thing though but Positive we suppose to have evinced in the former Chapter Yet we grant withall that sundry Lawes in Scripture being Positive are not Morall and those not only which were speciall to a Person or Nation but also some of them which were generall to the first Age of the World namely untill Christs comming Divers of these we confesse abolished and of no obligation under the New Testament Wherefore that we may make use of our Distinction and Assertion of some Lawes Morall-Positive as well as some Morall-Naturall we must in the next place lay down what kinde of Positive Lawes we hold to be still in force and upon what grounds we hold so of them By giving some Rules whereby it may be conceived how far we stand obliged with conscience of obedience to them And they are these or some of these which follow First II. Rule 1. Every Law of God though but Positive recorded in the Scripture is Morall and Perpetuall unlesse it be afterward found Repealed by God or Expired in the nature of it We will explaine this Rule and then prove it 1. Explained This Rule is propounded of all the Lawes of God generally as recorded in Scripture 1. Because the Fundamentall proofe of it is equally for both Testaments 2. Because some Lawes not only recorded in the New Testament but seeming to be ratified there as that of not eating Blood c. of which Law we shall speak somewhat anon are taken to be afterward repealed 3. Because some Lawes or Precepts of the New Testament are esteemed expired though not repealed as that Joh. 13. of washing one anothers feet Of anoynting the sick with oyle that they might recover Jam. 5. And perhaps some others are of a like nature 2. We say All Lawes are perpetuall except first God hath afterward repealed them that we may reserve to him the soveraignty of his Authority particularly over Positive Lawes which as they proceeded at first from his authority and pleasure so may any of them or all of them at any time by his pleasure and authority be taken away and repealed againe Or 2. It be expired of which by and by 3. By Gods repealing of any Law we understand any sentences of Scripture particularly of Christ and his Apostles declaring that it is not the will of God that such Lawes should any longer be counted in force whether they be named expresly as in some places they are or comprehended under those generall expressions concerning the Jewish Ceremonies calling them shadowes and Worldly Rudiments Col. 2. Weak and beggerly Elements Gal. 4. Carnall Ordinances imposed on them untill the time of Reformation Heb. 9. and a yoak which they were not able to beare Act. 15. which latter phrase will fetch in also some of the Judicials perhaps such namely as cannot now be observed by particular Christians without manifest prejudice much lesse
to undertake to prove Leâ— lata non irrita facta ian obligat Epis Win opusc pag. 148. that Tythes are due by divine right this Law saith he did sometimes oblige the Church as cannot be denyed but it is not now Abrogated therefore it binds still in which argumentation he must needs take our Rule for a ground A Law instituted in the old Testament not Abrogated in the New is of perpetuall obligation though it have no expresse ratification in the Gospel leaving therefore our adversaries at home to answer him we add yet a further proof of our Rule Thirdly otherwise the Church of God VII 3. Else no Canon till the New T. written immediately after the Death of Christ for many yeers together that is untill the New Testament was written had had no written Canon at all for their practice either toward God or toward men but were left meerly to the Law of Nature For the old Testament was it seemes quite disanulled at the Death of Christ at least in regard of all Positive Lawes that against Polygamie and all and as for the Morall they bound not the Christians as written in the old Testament or as some say as given by Moses but only as Lawes of Nature All which we conceive a great inconvenience in regard that Nature corrupted which is now to be the Judge as we said before is but a dimm Light in those in whom it is most clear And whereas it may be pretended that the Preaching of Christ and his Apostles might sufficiently supply the want of the written Law wee answer that though it might to the Gentiles who were strangers to the Scriptures of the old Testament yet not to the Iewes and those that conversed with them who could never have beene wrought upon to have embraced the Doctrine of the Gospel if it had not been grounded upon the Doctrine of the Law of the old Testament that is if they that Preached it had not called for Repentance for transgressions of the Law and urged still to the obedience of it as indeed both Christ and his Apostles do upon all occasions and without it also their Preaching would easily have been both forgotten and mistaken if there had been no grounds of Gods Law written by and upon which to settle the consciences of their hearers Fourthly VIII 4. Confirmed by Christ and his Apostles to all which we may in the last place adjoyne this consideration that if those places in the New Testament be observed some of them at least if not all where it is pretended that Christ or any of his Apostles do ratifie any of the Lawes of the Old Testament it will be found that they containe no such ratification as our adversaries pretend in this question For they will appear not to be spoken by way of such confirmation without which those Lawes ought to have been no longer accounted in force which in propriety of speech is a new imposition of them As when a King by his Proclamation confirms his former Proclamation which was voyd by the death of his Predecessor this is properly a new imposition of the same things by his Authority which after the former Kings death were not of any validity at all We say that the confirmation that the New Testament gives unto the Lawes of the Old Testament will not be found to be of this Nature but rather testifications of those Lawes standing in force and so alledging them to confirm their own Doctrine or to be a ground of it As our Saviour evidently Alledges a Text out of Gen. 2. to ground and confirm his Doctrine against divorce Mat. 19. and the Apostles in like manner as we shall give some other instances hereafter rather fetching their Authority in part at least from the books of the Old Testament in matters of practise as well as of Faith then lending strength to them by their owne Authority IX So that the very silence of the N. T. rather confirmes any Law then Abrogates it And so we suppose we may upon just reason inferre that the silence of the New Testament concerning a Law expressely and cleare-livered in the Old Testament is a confirmation rather then an abrogation of it or an intimation that it is expired judicious Divines giving this for a reason of the silence of the New Testament in diverse points which are most vehemently urged in the old as against incestuous marriages fore noted and that others are but slightly and as it were occasionally mentioned as the Lawes about Tythes and usury c. because they are so clearly and importunately pressed in the old And therefore till we see better reasons to the contrary then any we have yet met with in all our disputers books we must needs hold that all the Lawes of the Old Testament are perpetuated to this day if there be nothing against them in the New Testament by way of repealing them or at least in reason which might plead for an expiration And if any one think that by this assertion sundry of the Lawes which are usually counted judaicall will prove to be in force still we answer that perhaps it may prove so indeed And if we may have Liberty to expresse our apprehension of the Case in generall we must needs confesse that as we beleeve it lies upon our Consciences in particular to prove any particular Law this or that which we hold to be Ceremoniall or Judaicall to be such or else we cannot justly nor safely plead it to be Repealed or Expired if it be not named among such expresly in the New Testament So we are afraid that many Divines not to say some Churches and States now adayes have been a little too bold in rejecting sundry Lawes as meerly Judaicall which upon further advisement might perhaps be found Morall and Perpetuall To which our next Rule will speak some what more fully But before we proceed to that X. The Text Act. 15.28 29. expounded we will as we intimated before a promise in our Margent speak a little of that place Act. 15. for 3 causes specially One is that The things there mentioned to be Necessary to be observed when all the rest of the Jewish Ceremonies were discharged are not all of one kinde but one of them is Morall the other three Ceremoniall 2. Because not only some persons are yet tender in the point of eating Blood but also the Greek Church generally hold that Prohibition in force Therefore we will say somewhat at least toward the clearing of both these as also why the Ceremonies mentioned were continued then if they be not now in force 3. For that some light also may perhaps from hence be afforded to judge of some other Lawes But all briefly that we may not be held too long in any Digression from the main Intendment We find in that place Act. 15. XI 1. Why Fornication forbidden there being Morall four Laws by name recommended to the Christian
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
both these Respects of Continuance and Frequencie jointly and so doe make up the chiefe solemne Time for Worship And if not yet whether the Light of Nature will not then tell us that there must be such a Determination necessarily made for Religion and what conditions and qualifications it must have And so consequently where we are to seeke it and may be like or certaine to finde it In answer whereunto 1. Confessed by the adverse party we have in the first branch of this Question though it be so but in a few points besides about the main matters in the whole Argument our Anti-Sabbatarians full and constant agreement with us Namely in resolution of this Inquirie in the Conclusion though not altogether in the Argument proving it That the Law of Nature doth not make any such Conclusive Determination of both the Respects of Time the Continuance and Frequencie jointly for Gods worship So we suppose that it doth not nor cannot and so they say the same in sense with much earnestnesse in as much as they make it their principall argument against the fourth Commandements being Morall for one Day in seven because say they the Law of Nature doth not command any such thing Which Argument of theirs as appliable against the Moralitie of one Day in seven though we deny the Consequence of as taking Morall to be that which is Vniversall and Perpetuall though it be not of the Law of Nature whereas they by Morall will only understand Morall-Naturall as we have shewed in the first Chapter Yet we take hold of the Antecedent That the Law of Nature doth not command any such thing neither the Determinate Proportion of Continuance in such a Frequencie nor any other that is not distinctly strictly and conclusively And that they not hereafter recede from it we will make bold with the Readers patience to prove it our selves also upon our own grounds that so hoping to build very considerably upon it by and by we may not lay the weight of our fabrick in any matter of importance meerly upon their grants as we said but a while agoe or build as it were upon another mans foundation Thus therefore we argue XXXVII 2. Proved by strong reason If man by the light of Nature cannot judge any Continuance and Frequencie of Time jointly to be sufficient to be bestowed in Gods worship unlesse it be the whole of a mans Time that is the whole Continuance of every Day then the Law of Nature doth not make any such Conclusive Determination of the Continuance and Frequencie of Time joyntly for the worship of God But man by the Light of Nature is not able to judge any Continuance and Frequencie of Time jointly determined to be sufficient to be bestowed in Gods worship unlesse it be the whole of a mans Time that is the whole Continuance of every Day Ergo. The Consequence is certain 1. From the description of such a Conclusive Determination formerly given Namely that as it requires strictly so much so oft and so oft so much as is exprest so it requires not any more so oft nor so much any oftner then is exprest 2. From the Light of Nature being the ground of the Law of Nature and so the Law of Nature requires no greater proportion of Continuance and Frequencie jointly then the Light of Naaure must needs judge is sufficient For if it judge that unsufficient then the Law of Nature accordingly straight would require more and oftner And so the Conclusive Determination is not made till the Light of Nature have judged the proportion sufficient and that being not to be done there is no such Determination made by the Law of Nature The Antecedent is easily proved by appealing to the former principles of the Light and Law of Nature Of Gods being the Soveraigne Lord of us and all our Time and our happinesse For what can be said to satisfie these principles and to argue that sufficient Time is given to God unlesse He have all Where all that a man hath is due to another that debt is not satisfied neither can it be judged to be satisfied unlesse all be tendred to him Also where a mans whole happinesse lies lesse then all his time cannot be judged sufficient to be imployed toward that for what can be pretended to draw a man away from his happinesse when all that a man doth is but toward that The light of Nature then cannot judge lesse then all a mans Time to be sufficient to be given to God and bestowed in waiting upon Him and conversing with Him If it be said that the light of Nature will tell every man XXXVIII An objection Answered that he cannot live if he devote all his Time to waite upon God solemnly We answer 1. This will infer no more then that the Law of Nature upon that ground makes a Reservation for Naturall necessities of sleep and eating and such like and so providing necessaries meerly for preservation of a mans bodily life and still calls for all the rest of the Time 2. That it being altogether uncertaine by any rules or principles of the light of Nature how much Time is altogether absolutely necessary for those naturall necessities of the body it helps to make it impossible for a man by the light of Nature to say that such Continuance and Frequency of Time whatsoever can be supposed is sufficient for God For if Nature can give more this is not sufficient and it is still uncertaine whether Nature can give more or else it will be uncertaine whether Nature can give so much leaving room for those Naturall necessities of the body We conclude then that the Law of Nature neither doth nor can Determine the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Continuance and Frequency jointly And so that we are so far from Asserting That the Law of Nature Determines us to one in seven or that one day in seven according to the fourth Commandment is Morall-Naturall as the sufficient Time conclusively determined for Religion That we say the Law of Nature would rather command more often a day or more then that proportion of fourteen or sixteen hours of a weeke and call for one day of every six or five or four or three or each other day or half or more of every day But indeed none of all this certainly or conclusively because as we said the light of Nature can in no wise Determine how much is sufficient for Religion or how much worldly necessities can possibly admit Our Antisabbatarian-Adversaries therefore may hereafter spare their Arguments whereby they labour to prove the fourth Commandement for one day in seven not to be Morall-Naturall For we also avouch it and have helped to prove it though little to their advantage as we suppose as we shall shew them anon XXXIX Yet Nature sayes a Determination of a chiefe time is necessary We passe then to the second branch of our Inquiry about this chief Time and
universall or peremptory determination of this Continuance distributively betweene the Solitary Worship the Family Worship and the Publike Worship that is there is no need That all men should be bound to such an exact or strict Continuance in each of these single But so the whole Continuance be shared betweene all three and the Publike be not so short as to afford no remarkable space for an affecting prayer and preaching and the like and so no remarkable benefit to be gotten by it nor so long as to tyre out the spirits and disappoint those that dwell farre off of conveniency of returne to their family and solitary devotions besides the regard of bodily necessities It can hardly be blamed though some be longer and some shorter in publike and so in the rest For as much as God still hath and so also every ones soule hath the full Continuance determined and allotted which conscionably observed in the varieties of those Duties may be and will be ordinarily sufficient for their consciences and soules good and so acceptable to God though sometimes more of the Time be spent in publike and sometimes more in private And so at last we have done with the proofe of the necessity of such a chiefe solemne Time to be determined for the necessary and ordinarily sufficient Time for all men It remaines that now in the last place we come to argue By whom this determination must be or may be made But for that the next Chapter is purposely reserved this having been already drawne out to a more then ordinary length through the necessary dependance of so many matters contained in it And yet there is one thing behind for the close of this Chapter LII How farre the Law of Nature commands about the Quando or season And that is a briefe discourse about the Quando season or order of beginning when once the former determination is Conclusively setled for the Continuance and Frequency of the chiefe solemne Time How farre the Law or light of Nature will guide or command about this or any generall Rules of Scripture Leaving the question by whom it also is to be determined unto the following Chapter and here only touching in a few words for many will not need about it It having no such substantiall profit as the Continuance and Frequency toward Religion but only accidentall as is needfull to be againe and againe inculcated to our adversaries who would cast off all that was heretofore determined by God because this is taken away Touching we say how farre it is necessary that there be any determination strictly and conclusively of the Quando season or order of beginning that is for the particular Day of that number that is determined for the chiefe Time of Worship and even of the beginning of that Day sooner or later at evening or morning this or that houre Now this I shall dispatch in foure Propositions 1. There is a necessity that some particular Day of such a number determined be determined before that number can be constantly observed 2. There is a necessity that to all that live within the reach one of another and so may possibly be helpes one to another or hindrances one to another the same particular Day of such a number be determined and so farre at least the same season of beginning the Day that all may afford convenient helpe to each other and none prove hindrances one to the other 3. It seemes most consonant to the Law and light of Nature and Scripture-reason that unlesse God determine it otherwise Himselfe the beginning of the Day should be in the morning that is after midnight rather then in the evening before 4. It seemes greatly conducible to the honour of God from all mankind and to the generall Communion of Saints all the world over that the same particular Day of such a number should be determined to all men of the same age that is from Adam to Christ and the same from Christ to the Worlds end all the World over to observe it according as that Day begins with them in the Countries where they live and are LIII 1. It is necessary that some Day be determined For the first of these It may easily be made good even by this one Consideration That making the instance in any one number as suppose one Day in ten be determined it thence inevitably followes that the very neglect of determining another particular Day makes the Determination fall upon the last of the ten For when all the other nine are slipped over and none of them determined the last of the ten unavoidably must be observed the first revolution and withall remaines for ever after determined unlesse a new Day be afterward determined by as sufficient authority as was in the determiner of the number and then also without an alteration of the determination of the number the new determination can only be placed upon one particular Day namely the first of the ten And so if it be done by sufficient authority it may be done without any violation or alteration of the determination of the number at all For the strength of the determination of the number lies in these things 1. That there should be but one Day for Religion to nine for worldly businesse and againe but nine for worldly businesse to one for Religion and neither more nor lesse either way ordinarily 2. That those nine Dayes being the number of working Dayes should come all together and the Day for Religion not come between them for then sometimes there would be lesse then nine together and sometimes more Now this is observed plainly and undeniably in both respects in the instanced change from the tenth Day to the first Day For in those two Revolutions of twice ten Dayes there are but two Dayes for Religion the last of the first ten and the first of the latter ten and there is twice nine Dayes for worldly businesse and in each Revolution either number of nine worldly Dayes are entirely all together and the Dayes for Religion come not in to break the number as they would doe if the second Day were determined for then there would be one Day for work only and the next for Religion and so not nine work-dayes together and again if the ninth Day were determined then there would have been in that Revolution but eight Dayes together for work and a ninth not a tenth Objection according to the determination formerly setled for the number observed for Religion If any say that this would be how ever but for once and that were no great matter specially if Religion lose nothing by it as by bringing the Day sooner it would not We answer It is true if the authority be sufficient Answer to change the number the matter is not of importance But if the authority that would change the order of the particular Day from the tenth to the ninth or so and ever after keep a tenth from
ordinarily sufficient ordinary or extraordinary 3. By the Determination of this chiefe Solemne Time as ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe Time we meane that the Determination is onely conclusive that no greater proportion in the whole nor longer Continuance so often nor oftner so much need ordinarily be determined or observed by all men for the chiefe Time of Worship and not that this is to be the only time to be observed which were to make it an exclusive Determination or the only Time to be determined for any of mankind what occasions so ever may be But this is sufficient we say for the chiefe Time in reference 1. To Gods acceptation 2. To the benefit of souls 3. To sober consciences 4. How it belongs not to men but to God security and satisfaction 4. By the Determination not belonging to men but to God for this chiefe Time as also for the particular day of it we meane that all the authority that men have about it is but declarative and obedientiall not legislative or decisive Men have onely to exercise their Wisdomes to find out what Determination God hath made of it in his written word and how much reason there is to acknowledge the wisdome and graciousnesse of Gods Determinations in all the respects And not to set their wits a work to find out of themselves or from any generall grounds of nature or Scripture other Times as necessary and sufficient for this chiefe Time for all men or any other particular day which God hath not appointed Again the Authority that any of mankind have even Princes and Magistrates the Church Synods and Councells is only to cause their inferiours as much as in them lyes to observe together with themselves Gods determination of these Times and not to take upon themselves the Authority of determining any other proportion Continuance or Frequency for the necessary and ordinarily sufficient chiefe solemne Time then God hath Determined to their hands already in His holy Scripture For to God we say this Determination even now belongs and ever did since Time was that is God who is undeniably and originally the soveraigne Lord of all men and times of the times of all men hath reserved to himself as a parcell of his prerogative royal from the worlds beginning to the worlds end the Determination of the chiefe solemne Time for all men necessary and ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe Time and of the particular dayes for it And accordingly these are to be found in His writter word namely an expresse Determination of the chiefe solemne Time for Contiunance and Frequency and a sufficient designation of the particular dayes for it in both ages of the Church II. The question confirmed The question thus stated we shall propound sundry sort of arguments to confirme our position some against mens authority whether taken severally or any number of men together and some expresly for Gods authority Again some concerning all the respects of Time together others concerning the Continuance and Frequency joyntly which make up the chiefe Time and that both in reference to the necessity of so much and so often and to the sufficiency of it for the chiefe Time others concerning either of those respects in speciall the Continuance and the Frequency and finally some which refer specially to the particular dayes And first we begin to oppugne Mens authority generally III. It belongs not to men to determine it the first argument no such authority is given them and to shew that it belongs not to them to determine the chiefe solemne Time of Worship for all men Thus we reason That Authority which neither the law of nature grants unto men nor the Scripture any where expresses or gives the least intimation of is not to be rested on or beleeved in a matter of such importance in Religion as the Determination of this chiefe solemne Time is But neither the law of nature grants nor the Scripture any where expresses or gives the least intimation of any such authority granted unto men to determine the chiefe solemne Time of Worship Ergo Such an authority is not to be rested on or beleeved in a matter of such importance in Religion as this Determination of the chiefe solemne Time is The Major we may easily confirme 1. Hist Sab. part 2. pag. 20. From the words of one of themselves in another case Non credimus quia non legimus But more from the nature of conscience which can have no other rule or ground in matters of importance but either the law of nature or the Scipture which latter indeed alone is so complete a treasury of all the will of God towards us as what is not at least insinuated there is in no wise to be admitted in any matter of importance in Religion whether of beleefe or practise For as much as it containes at least we say by way of insinuation all that the law or light of nature doth or can say toward Religion and having exprest many things more which the light or law of nature is not able to discover or speake to And therefore a Conscience dares lay no waight upon what the Scripture is wholly silent in and much lesse when the law of nature doth not pretend to speake for it neither Now that this Determination of the chiefe solemne Time of Worship for all men is a matter of mainest importance in Religion we suppose we have abundantly shewed in the two former Chapters beyond the deniall of any Conscience unto which we may breefly adde that it is a thing of singular waight in reference both to superiours and inferiours those that may pretend or offer to make this Determination or neglect to make it and those again that obey it being made by others or obey it not For on every hand there is sin unavoydable if we follow not the will of God revealed in nature or in His Word 1. If they take upon them to make this Determination to whom God hath given no such authority they grievously sin to usurpe upon his Prerogative Royall or to usurpe authority not granted them 2. If they neglect to make it to whom God hath granted the Authority they sin also in being wanting to so necessary a duty and businesse of Religion or perhaps also to the rectifying the superstitious conceit of those that think it determined by God when it is not 3. If those that have Authority make it too large in the whole proportion in that they sin in being over burdensome to men and rendring the service of God tedious and irkesome and making men to throw it off for the burdensomnesse of it even beyond that proportion which perhaps they would have been contented to have observed if it had been more moderately appointed 4. If they distribute the proportion too unequally between the Continuance and Frequency here again they sin in prejudicing either Religion by too short continuances or too seldome revolution or worldly businesses over much
they are hereby yet more affected by a more Generall Example recommending the Worship of God but also because by the Solemne Ordinances of Prayer the Word and the Sacraments Administred and Dispensed and used in Publike multitudes are at once taught and minded of and provoked to the Duties they owe to God and Man better then their own solitary thoughts and endeavours or only their Families helping them could ordinarily have attained unto And this so much the rather because of the gifts which God to this purpose hath endued His Ministers with who by His appointment are set apart mainly for the Publike VVorship exceeding those which others have usually or ordinarily Yet by the advantage of Publike VVorship every particular Person present both enjoyes the benefit of the Ministers gifts of Prayer and specially of his knowledge and wisedome in interpreting the Scriptures and rightly dividing them for the edification and consolation of every one and so may reape in one houre the strength of that which hath been growing divers yeeres and feed upon that which hath been gathering divers dayes More we shall not need to adde concerning this at this time Because every conscience both feeles the gaine and encrease of spirituall good and comfort by the publike Ordinances as also by their earnest desire and seeking after them proclaime it sufficiently to others As also because to this generally our adversaries are frequent enough in affording their Testimonies And therefore also we will here spare the paines to quote any of them Hereafter we shall have occasion to make use of some of them Now we shut up this Chapter with summing up for a conclusion That both Solitary and Conjoyned VVorship in Families and Churches are Solemne and Necessary Duties required of all men so farre as hath beene said and so Morall-Naturall And now what time is required for all this we shall consider in the Chapters that follow CHAP. VII Generall Considerations about Time and its Profitablenesse in Reference to Morall Actions of Importance THe Necessity and Morality of Solemne VVorship having been in the former Chapter discoursed of I. Scope of the ensuing discourses about Time We are now to take in hand the consideration of the Time which may be or is to be allotted to it both generally and for the performance of the severall kinds of Worship Noted Driving it to this scope to shew by the Profitablenesse that may be in a wise determination of Time for Religion and Gods Solemne Worship That the determination of one day in seven for a Sabbath which we find in the fourth Commandement is a Law substantially profitable for all men in all ages to be bound unto Which then upon the grounds formerly laid of the Morality of such a Law though but Positive unlesse God be found to have clearly repealed it if we can vindicate from the supposed repeale which some contend for as we believe we shall we shall have demonstratively proved the perpetuity of that fourth Commandement in that Consideration and gained the Principall Fort striven for in this Cause And then the residue will be easie to be dispatched and made ours To this end we suppose it convenient to discourse first II. Why we first handle it generally with respect to Civill Actions concerning Time in generall as it may referre to humane Actions even Civill and that for two Causes 1. That hereby if it be possible we may gaine upon mens prejudices and take them of while we make it appeare that we wrest not things about Time to our purpose beyond the Nature of them but that whether we ever meddled with Religion or not Yet the considerations we shall note are reall and certaine even in ordinary businesses and civill affaires And so bringing our Cause before the barre of Reason and Nature to which our adversaries have appealed from the words of the Scripture we may take from them all evasions and wayes of shifting 2. That hereby the whole matter may be more cleare and distinct for every one to conceive and beare away when it is first set down generally with an Application to Civill Actions and afterward particularly shewed to agree to matters of Religion and Gods Solemne VVorship III. Why we use so many distinctions and divisions And apply them a second Time Melim est doctos onorare notis quam rudes fraudare discendis Leo Magnus Phil. 3.1 To write the same things to me indeed it is not grievous But for you it is safe And if in the former part we shall seeme to some somewhat too curious in spinning out distinctions and divisions we crave a respite of such censure untill we have added our Application wherein it will appeare that not one of all those divisions how nice so ever it seems but hath some Profitable not to say Necessary Vse toward the clearing and giving light to this most important controversie On the contrary if we be charged by others to tautologize in our Application of things to Religion in the following part We wish such to consider that many of the Notions being New and not of ordinary observation it may be more excusable to say some things a 2d time over which pregnant wits might have sufficiently understood and remembred by once mentioning them then by a single mention of any thing of importance to endanger the loosing of any ordinary readers apprehension or memory in a discourse of such length and weight as this is These things thus premised we fall to our worke to scanne the Nature of Time in reference to Humane and Morall Actions IV. Time an adjunct yet may be substantially profitable Time generally considered is a naturall adjunct and circumstance accompanying Humane Actions of what kind soever But yet such a circumstance as hath according as it may be ordered a reall as I may say a substantiall influence into the businesses for which such Action is performed and so may be substantially Profitable unto the maine businesse even according to naturall reason and in a constant course supposing the businesse not to be effected by one single and momentaneous Action V. This consideration hath been hurtfully neglected And Place unfitly paralelled with Time in Religion Which reallity of the effect of Time toward Morall Actions being not observed or not regarded by disputers in this Cause hath bred much confusion and occasioned manifold mistakes as appeares even by that one most common Assertion of all the adversaries That Time and Place are equall circumstances in Religion Which how false it is and how prejudiciall not to our Cause only but to Religion it selfe If we doe not anon demonstrate beyond the possibility of any reasonable deniall we shall despaire of ever prevailing in the Cause we have undertaken But on the contrary if we shall make manifest as we are confident by God helpe we shall That the one namely Time is of exceeding importance in Religion even without respect to any particular institution
action is once done or a businesse finisht it is all one in Naturall reason whether the Time belonging to it were antecedently indeterminate or determinate as being then exactly equall one to another and as exactly measurable or computable one to the other Yet is there between them before-hand even in Civill actions a great and remarkable difference namely as much as between may and must for which they deserve to be carefully observed and distinguished into their natures and degrees XIV Indeterminate Time is attendant on businesse To begin with indeterminate Time The nature of this is to be meerly an attendant upon actions and businesse and a meere circumstance Necessary indeed but not in any Ethicall or Morall consideration but meerly Physicall and Naturall as a shadow is a necessary that is a naturall attendant upon any body in the sun-shine in as much as it is simply impossible in Nature to performe any action without the concomitance and attendance of Time But on the other hand the nature of determinate Time is to be a commander of businesse requiring the aitendance of such actions as are for the businesse And it is as necessary Ethically to performe some such actions according to the determinations of Times as it is Physically to have some Time to accompany actions But withall it is to be observed and the observation will prove of much weight as we shall see That even indeterminate Time to some businesses and namely such as admit of variety of degrees may prove a circumstance of much importance to the advancement or disappointment of a mans end in his actions even according to Reason and Nature and in an ordinary and constant course We will instance in the businesse of Learning which to attaine to is a Students businesse and his end though not ultimate and unquestionably admits of great varietie of degrees And toward it divers actions are directed as attendants on his Masters or Tutours teaching and to give him account of his learning and conversing with his Fellow-Scholars or Fellow-Pupils or Fellow-Students in acts and exercises of Learning Disputations and Orations and the like As also studying reading and meditating by himselfe XV. Yet profitable even voluntarily applied Proved for his further progresse and increase in Learning Now to all this we say even Indeterminate Time may in some respects be of much importance towards the furtherance or hinderance of his businesse of Learning according as any voluntarily without any antecedent determination applies himselfe and imployes his Time Namely this is true of the two first respects of Time the Quamdiu or Continuance and the Quoties or Frequencie which are the two affections of the Quantity or Proportion of Time These are in themselves though indeterminate very materiall and as we may say substantiall circumstances in the businesse of Learning But it is not so with the Quando or season of Beginning For take that altogether indeterminately and it is of no value or efficacie at all to the speeding or putting back of Learning that is not in it selfe though perhaps it may be somewhat by accident A little further to explaine these things will be worth our paines and so we will consider each of these respects severally as also joyn the two first together as far as they agree in this Observation in hand Here then 1. we affirm that the Quamdiu or continuance of Time XVI 1. In the Continuance even altogether Indeterminate and uncertain before-hand and only prolonged by a mans own will according to present affections and occasions or shortened accordingly doth answerably promote a mans Learning or defeat it For infallibly the longer supposing his bodily spirits not tyred a Student continues attending his Tutour and receiving directions and instructions from him or exercising himselfe with others in matter of Learning or hearing them or studying by himselfe and so in any of these or all these continues the pursuit of Learning the more he prospers and the lesse while he continues the lesse he advances in such learning So that a man may both foretell of two Students of equall capacitie and opportunity of helps that he who hath bestowed even altogether voluntarily and without any antecedent determination a longer Time such Day upon Learning hath gotten more that Day then the other that bestowed lesse Time As also by observing the progresse of two such any Day he may even without all examination which of them continued longest at his study or with his Tutour and the like conclude and pronounce demonstratively That he who hath profited most did continue longest and he who hath profited lesse did continue a shorter time 2. We say the like of the Quoties or reiteration of Time XVII 2. In the Frequencie even altogether uncertaine and indeterminate till a mans own minde made him voluntarily returne to his study That the frequencie of such returne to study and to his Tutour for helpe and the like or the seldomnesse of it doth exceedingly set forward or keep back a mans Learning For infallibly he that reiterates it every day twise a day or so prospers and goes on and he that returnes to it but once or twise a week or moneth or yeere makes little or nothing of it in comparison Other things being equall as we touched before So that here again a man may both foretell and judge infallibly between two otherwise equall which is or will be the better Proficient namely he that is more frequent in returning to his study and he the worse that reiterates it remarkably seldomer Also by discerning their different progresse he may without examination say demonstratively Such an one studied more Dayes in a Week or Moneth or Yeere and such an one fewer XVIII 3. In both 3. Insomuch as taking these two Considerations of Time together they are the usuall Periphrasis of a good Scholar or Student He is one that continues and keeps close to his study for a good while together when he is at it and is diligent in returning to it constantly day by day Or in going often to his Tutour or frequenting Acts and Exercises and the like whereby Learning is gotten XIX 4. An evidence of Affection 4. Withall it is not to be forgotten That even such Voluntary applying of Time indeterminately much or little together and often or seldome where there is no necessary or just impediment is a most evident and undeniable demonstration what speciall affection a man hath to Learning much or little Neither is it almost possible for a man to expresse his own love or anothers to Learning or want of love to it but by imploying at least somewhat about the Proportion of Time the Continuance long or short and the Reiteration often or seldome for such imployment XX. 5. And Wisdome 5. Finally This application of the continuance and frequencie of Time to any thing hath so great an influence into all businesse of importance that we usually count
also the Determinations themselves in the residue of the Times will be a great deale more certain to be observed by this allowance of such really important necessities The taking away of an excuse saving sometimes the main of a Duty which else under the pretence of prejudicing a necessary present businesse would have been wholly neglected as an unreasonable command Accordingly therefore we find sufficient intimations in the Scripture and particularly by our Saviours pleading with the Pharisees on that occasion That works of mercy to any of Mankind and even to a Beast as the lifting them out of a pit or even leading them forth to water are Reservations made by God himselfe out of the strictest Determinations of Time for Religion namely out of the Sabbath And the same Equity is generally held by the strictest Divines to extend to all such businesses of Necessity which could neither have been done the Day before nor can be deferred to the next Day As the quenching of a fire breaking out in a Hay-stack though in a field and remote from any dwelling house and the like Further particulars of which Reservations to be gathered from the instances of our Saviour and His discourses about them and other generall expressions we shall have occasion again hereafter to examine As also that to us now under the Gospel there is some further allowance in this kinde then was to the Jewes of old We being more freed from all reall burdens then they were Only it must still be remembred that Gods indulgence herein must be so far from making us think the Determinations to be of no force as our Adversaries most absurdly argue against the whole Doctrine and Law of the Sabbath from those expressions of our Saviour about these Reservations as we shall see that we ought rather to esteem our selves the more obliged to them since God is so graciously pleased to condescend to us as to prefer our naturall and worldly necessities in such cases before His own immediate services But doubtlesse if we thinke His services and our Soules necessities any matters of regard at all we shall not see any just ground to think that God ever meant by such Reservations for particular cases and occasions to lay all Time levell and referre all to mens courtesies whether they will give Him any back again or how much or how little often or seldome And so we have done at length with this Discourse about the Profitablenesse of Determinations of Times for Religion generally XLIV The Conclusion together with some Intimations of Application more particular unto the Determination of one Dayes Continuance in the frequent revolution of seven Dayes according to the fourth Commandement But the full application cannot be made till we have added also the Considerations that concerne the Necessity of this or that kind of Determination and this or that Manner and likewise scanned whether the chiefe Determination for the necessary and ordinarily sufficient chiefe solemne Time can be profitably made by any other but God himselfe To which two Points we shall speak by His assistance in the two following Chapters And if in this already or in any that follow we shall seem to any too prolixe and tedious We must desire them to consider that the Argument is not only of great importance but also hath hitherto been handled very confusedly in this Point about the Nature of Time which yet is one of the main hinges upon which the whole Controversie depends even by all the Adversaries as well as the friends of our or rather of Gods cause for His Solemn Time and Day of Holy Rest We have therefore been desirous to beat things out so as that any attentive Reader may see clearly the way we goe and the strength of the Arguments on which we ground our Cause that so far as is possible and as God shall vouchsafe to blesse we may satisfie all Consciences even of ordinary Readers which we much misdoubt we should not have done if we had strived to contract our selves unto the quicker apprehensions of the more pregnant wits while withall we assure the one and other sort that we take no further delight in expatiating either in matter or words then we judge it necessary to the clearing of doubts which others or our own minds have made about the whole or any part of this undertaking CHAP. IX A Determine Solemne Time for Gods Worship is Morall Naturall and that in the first Commandement And what kinde and manner of Determination of Time for Religion may be proved necessary by the Law or Light of Nature and generall rules of Scripture I. Determinate Time is 1. Morall Naturall THE Generall nature of Time in Religion as well as in civill actions and the Profitablenesse of the Determination of it for Religion as well as for Learning or any other civil businesse hath been in the foregoing chapters at large considered and discoursed of Now we are to proceed to a higher step concerning it Namely the Necessity of its Determination for Religion Gods honour and the good of mens soules of which though we have also spoken somewhat in generall already Yet are there further considerations to be set down about it and particularly What kind of Determination of any one of the respects of Time single or of any two of them jointly or of all three of them together is necessary for Religion As also what manner of Determination Remisse Initiall or Conclusive according to what may be proved from Generall rules of the law and light of nature Applyable to all men in all ages all the world over and generall rules also of Scripture without allegation of the fourth Commandement or any such determination exprest in Scripture But onely to consider whether those generall rules will not necessitate us to have recourse to the fourth Commandement for the determination conclusive of the Continuance and Frequency joyntly for all mankind now that come to the knowledge of it as well as for the Jewes of old and to the first Day of the week the Lords-Day for the season or order of beginning to count and so for the particular day to be necessarily observed by all Christians to the worlds end As also to make us acknowledge that the same Continuance and Frequency of one Day in seven was given to Adam and all his Posterity according to Gen. 2. together with the last Day of seven from the beginning of the Creation for the season and order And this is the taske of this and the next Chapter chiefely for the laying down the Positive grounds of our tenents generally reserving the discussion of particular exceptions and objections to the following parts where we shal deale with the severalls in their order distinctly To begin then II. 1 Explained we propound two Positions in the forefront of this discourse about the necessity of Determinate Time for Religion according to the Title of this Chapter whereof the first is Some
Question the Anabaptists and they and we are all agreed They have no Adversary in this Cause But yet this is nothing For they may as well say this of all Times and Dayes under the Law as under the Gospel That all were materially equall and in themselves considered By the Sun-rising or setting no Theologicall difference appeared in any of them no more than now Here then lies no scruple Ames Medal Theol. lib. 2. c. 15 sect 50.53 2. It is also granted That the Church may set apart some Times and Dayes for publike Worship But with some limitations before insinuated 1. That they be not accounted as necessary to Religion or as essentiall parts of Gods Worship 2. That they be not esteemed and used as properly Holy so farre that it should be unlawfull to change them or to imploy them in any but sacred uses 3. Lastly that they be not esteemed as efficacious meanes of Holinesse and Blessing in reference to the particular Times Dayes or Houres to the observers of them But in this sense againe nor we nor the Anabaptists we thinke will much contend with them For the Anabaptists granting a publike Worship by Assemblies must needs confesse That there must be some Times or Dayes set apart for orders sake to that use and that every one may know when to joyne with the publike Assemblies B. of E. p. 132. Yea we are told that some of them did judaize and kept the Saturday-Sabbath as instituted of old by Divine authority and not the Sunday as being in their opinion and our disputers too but of humane institution There was therefore no reason to quarrell with the Anabaptists concerning the inequallity of Dayes if this be all the difference Rather it seemes the Anabaptists were offended at this that those Dayes which man only had instituted were called Holy dayes and observed as they conceited in that manner and with that opinion of Holinesse c. as those of Gods institution were to be observed 3. Nor is there any question made by any side Whether Divine institution alone doe not make any Times this or that particular Day or Houre properly Holy and necessary to Religion For this is granted there were some Dayes so made Holy under the Law And the reason is the same under the Gospel If God institute or perpetuate any 2. Our dissent Our opinion explained 4. But herein as we conceive lies the businesse and difference betweene us That we say All Times under the Gospel are not equall in reference to Religion But that some Times in the severall respects of Time some expresse and definite Continuances some expresse and definite Frequencies or Revolutions and some expresse and definite Seasons or particular Dayes are necessary to Religion and properly Holy so as they may not be changed abrogated or otherwise imployed by man and so necessary above others in sensu composito not by a Physicall necessity of ordinary nature but by a Theologicall necessity Consentancum est rationi naturali vel potius moraliter necessarium est ut fasti sint dice Suarez lib. 2. de Relig c. 2. or Ethicall and Morall as some other besides us have expressed themselves And that so it should be sin in all men except in the cases of reservation admitted by God to interrupt solemne Times not to observe those particular Times and Dayes which is not to be said of other Dayes and Times Our disputers contrarily do maintaine That no expresse or definite Continuances or expresse and definite Revolutions or expresse and definite particular Dayes 3. The contrary opinion explained are so necessary to Religion as that all men or all Christians should be guilty of sin for the in observation of them more then of others This we say is that which many of their reasonings apparantly tend unto and which they must meane if they understand themselves Also we cannot deny but that at other times they say that which will not stand with this as we shall even here by and by shew them But we cannot help that if they contradict themselves as they doe in more things than one but only by shewing it them and our Reasons on the one side As we shall here now doe for our Assertions to win them fully to them if it may be We say then for the confirmation of our Position IV. Confirmations of our Assertion Arg. 1. Nature determines a whole day at least once Ergo. and refuting of theirs 1. If the Law of Nature determine at least once in every mans life a whole Dayes continuance expresly as necessary to be altogether spent in Religion as we have argued in the ninth Chapter then is not all Time equall under the Gospel in respect of Continuance for Religion No other proportion will satisfie the Law of Nature no not two or three Halfe-Dayes in stead of one whole Day And so this Continuance of a whole Day may not by man be abrogated altered or alienated and is more properly Holy than any other Continuance of Time for Religion that is than any other that is lesse For greater there can be none in Nature as hath been shewed 2. If the Law of Nature determines for every Work-day of a mans life at least a double Frequencie of attendance upon God V. Arg. 2. Nature determines for twice every day Ergo. as necessary unto all men which we have also argued in the forenoted place Then is not all Number or Frequencie of Times equall in Religion Or all Times equall in respect of an expresse Frequencie or Revolution so often Halfe the Day spent in Religion will not suffice to discharge from the second due attendance nor ten times upon the Day before or the Day after compensate for that neglect Because the Continuance being not here determined the Service may be so suddenly dispatcht as nothing but want of Will and Devotion can be assigned as the cause of not tendring that double proportion on the most busie Day that any man hath in his whole life VI. Arg. 3. Nature requires a determination for Continuance and Frequencie Ergo. 3. If the Law of Nature require any determination of Time at all for Continuance and Frequencie jointly as we have also proved at large and all our Adversaries also acknowledge under the termes of a Sufficient Time to be Morall-Naturall Then whosoever be the determiner of this sufficient Time or whatever the proportions be though but an houre in a yeere yet is not all Time equall in Religion under the Gospel for Continuance and Frequencie both For this houre in a yeere is necessary to Religion and so properly holy and unchangeable by man who may not take a shorter Continuance or lesse Frequencie because this is necessary not a longer Continuance and greater Frequencie because this is sufficient for the chiefe Time lesse and seldomer being against the Law of Nature which cannot be said of other Continuancies and Frequencies more large Yet againe more and
say there is no such thing to be affirmed of the proportion of Place in any of the dimensions or all of them or of the Vbi of Place where one waits upon God in it selfe considered and in reference to a mans owne particular devotion in solitary worship or even to domesticke or publike worship after the bodily conveniences forenoted be satisfied A little low narrow closet is equall to a large high wide roome And the open field of many miles long and broad which hath no limit but the aire within the reach of the eye on any side nor no other covering or bound of height but the Canopy of Heaven is equall to either And a cave or grot under ground equall to them all and none of them more or lesse conducible toward Religion then other Time therefore and Place are not equall circumstances in Religion But this must be shewed more particularly 2. By observation of any ones progresse in Learning XXVII 2. Proficiencie in Religion argues a longer Time imployed nothing of Place or Religion above another of equall capacitie and other helps A man may certainly judge even without being told that the best Proficient hath imployed at least indeterminately larger proportions of Time for Continuance or Frequencie or both toward Learning and Religion than the other who is behind-hand But who can say so of Place Who can judge whether he hath been in a wide roome or a straight within the house or in the field in a Church or besides the very High Altar as the language hath been of late and the devotions of some even where-ever they have travelled He had need be a Prophet that could tell where such an one had prayed or read for it can never be gathered from his Pietie gotten or not gotten Therefore againe Time and Place are not equall circumstances in Religion 3. The like is evident XXVIII 3. Longer Time imployed argues greater proficiencie not so Place in judging of proficiencie in Religion or Learning other things being equall by the Proportion of Time spent and observed toward it Who so hath observed most and oftnest Time may infallibly be judged to have advanced more than he that hath observed lesse and seldomer And againe a man may by the like reason certainly foretell without a Prophetick spirit That he that observes two houres for anothers one and so proportionably a greater Continuance and Frequencie remarkably will make a remarkable benefit above the other answerable to his Time But can any man so judge or so foretell by the Place the Roome where a man studies or prayes or the like If he would offer to speake so superstitiously of a Church or Chancell or the very High Altar yet rationally he cannot neither will the event or examination credit his confidence Therefore still Time and Place are not equall circumstances in Religion XXIX 4. A longer Time imployed voluntarily argues greater affections to Religion No place doth so 4. A mans imploying voluntarily and indeterminately much or little often or seldome Time upon study or devotion God and his soule is a cleare demonstration supposing no accidentall hindrances of his greater and earnester affections than another mans that doth otherwise and that other mans sleight and faint affection to spirituall things But doth the Place a man is in or goes to shew any such thing unlesse that it declare a care of being free from accidentall hindrances for which sometimes a wide field is the best securitie Or of having accidentall helps as in a Librarie or the like And yet in that Field or Librarie a man may be idle and sleight and heartlesse even scarce pray or study at all though that were his errand thither But so it is not if a man observe Time For then he cannot but pray and the like and continue his affection in some sort Or else he altogether loses his Time and observes it not Againe then we say Much Time imployed in Religion demonstrates beyond deniall much devotion and affection to it And little proclaimes it to be little And so often or seldome But what doth the largenesse of the Place commend or the narrownesse disparage What doth the frequent returne to the same Place or the change of Place discover of a godly disposition or a worldly Againe then Time and Place are not equall circumstances in Religion XXX 5. There is wisdome in redeeming Time to Religion not Place 5. He is a wise man that orders his Time aright for his most important businesses as Study to a Scholar Religion to a Christian that though he could not determine the Proportion before-hand yet redeemes Time with the greatest largenesse that may be for these things for Continuance and Frequencie both But what wisedome is there or can there be about the largenesse or frequent reiteration of Place unlesse meerly accidentall Or can a man be properly said to redeeme Place that is more quantity and roome for study or devotion The Philosopher said of old Solius Temporis honesta est avaritia It is only commendable to be covetous of Time of large proportions of it to redeeme it and imploy it to the most usefull and important purposes The very Sentence excludes covetise of Place and largenesse of that or any thing of it Reason and Religion say the same Perpetually then the Conclusion is to be repeated Time and Place are not equall circumstances in Religion The evidence of this will yet be more cleare if we come to compare determinate Time solemne consecrated Time with determinate or consecrated Place toward Religion the profit and necessity of either generally and particularly both with reference to Solitary Worship and Conjoyned whether Domestick or Ecclesiastick Which will afford us many more differences For to begin with the generall XXXI 6. A Time determinate is morall-naturall So is not Place 6. A determinate Time for Religion is required by the Law of Nature And the Law of Nature doth at least initially determine an expresse Continuance and Frequencie both that it may be no lesse nor no seldomer as we have formerly argued Also without a Sufficient Time determined for all men We have proved from the Light of Nature That Religion cannot stand among all men We put all these together for brevity sake But is there any such thing in reference to Place A determinate Place That there should be a Law of Nature Theologicall not Physicall commanding a determinate set Place for Religion for any mans single and solitary Worship or for Domestick or even for Ecclesiastick What Religious morall necessity can there be in it Since we saw before There is not cannot be any substantiall profit toward Religion in the proportions or reiterations or variations of Places One roome is as good as another and no better and an open place as good as a closed roome and no better Pauls Crosse and Pauls Church are equall Norwich Green-yard and the Cathedrall Also when men goe about to build a
in an instant or imperceptible Time or solemne Worship which cannot but take up some more remarkable Continuance In either sence and in both none can chuse but acknowledge that it were sin never throughout a mans whole life to waite upon God but once even though that once should be continued as long as ever any man in the world did wait upon God even fourty dayes and fourty nights as Moses did miraculously upon Mount Horeb once and a second time Therefore this Conclusion is also infallible That some determinate solemne Time above once for Frequencie is Morall-Naturall VIII Of both jointâ—y Again the same Argument will also serve to prove a joint Determination of somewhat both for Continuance and Frequencie together even by the Law of Nature thus If there may be sinne against the Law of Nature in waiting upon God too little while at once though one do wait upon Him often and in waiting upon Him too seldome though one do wait upon Him a good while together for once then a determinate solemne Time is Morall-Naturall both for some Continuance and some Frequencie together But there may be sinne against the Law of Nature in waiting upon God too little while at once though one doe wait upon Him often and in waiting upon Him too seldome though one doe wait upon Him a good while together for once Ergo. The Consequence stands good upon the former proofes so also doth the Antecedent for what heart can deny but the Continuance of halfe a minute were too little at once constantly for Gods worship though a man did reiterate it for Frequencie every Day and even divers times every Day And again who can but acknowledge that to worship God solemnly but once or twice in a mans life were too seldome how long soever he continued at it when he did worship Him The Conclusion then is beyond gainsaying That a Determinate Solemne Time is Morall-Naturall both for Continuance above a quarter of a Minute and for Frequencie above once or twice in a mans life time IX An Objection prevented two wayes If any now wonder why we have troubled our selves or our Readers with so many words about so plain a matter as this seems to be which also all that handle these Disputes seem to grant abundantly We desire such to receive satisfaction from a two-fold Answer which we offer in this behalfe X. Answ 1. First that throughout this whole Discourse we chuse rather to prove what we assert than to be beholding to our Adversaries for granting it as well to satisfie the consciences of all Readers as for that we know not whether our Adversaries in this question of the Sabbath will be alwayes so liberall as to grant all that now in their books they sometimes doe Which we are in more suspition of because we find as we shall put them in mind often in the ensuing Discourse that they doe ever now and then retract their grants of divers things which if they would steadily have held to they would have been forced to have come unto us in the maine as we hope to give them to understand ere we hâ—ve done 2. But withall we cannot chuse but professe XI Answ 2. that in particular we have not as yet been able to observe in their writings any such constant and clear confession of these things we have now taken paines to prove as we conceive necessary to be expresly set downe for a right foundation of understanding of these disputes For though all of them usually affirme in sense if not in expresse termes That one Day in seven for frequencie is very agreeable to the Law of Nature and that lesse then one in seven it may not be and that Christians must not give God lesse then the Jewes did and such like speeches which we shall note hereafter in their due place And some of them offer also now and then to say That a Day which when we speak of we mean for Continuance a Day together is of the Law of Nature which is more then we yet have said Yet soon after like men that have trod upon a Quagmire or a Serpent they step back again and as having granted more then they can well afford us or then indeed will well stand with their cause they fall off again to meere generals and uncertainties under the notions of a sufficient and convenient Time and such like doubtfull phrases which without some particularizing come in effect to nothing more then a more then a meere indeterminate Time as we have noted in the former Chapter and never so much as grant explicitely and clearly any distinct Determination at all by the Law of Nature either for the Continuance so much as a Minute at once or for the Frequencie once in a Yeere which hath made us apprehend it necessary to set down somewhat at least of our own by way of ground-work and lay our foundation as low as may be and so try what we can further build upon it in due season While withall we doubt not but we may rise divers steps higher both for the Continuance of Time for Worship and for the Frequencie then those we have discoursed of hitherto As namely That all men will confesse that 1. for the Continuance single the Law of Nature doth determine every man to somewhat more then a quarter of an houre then halfe an houre even to a whole houre at least as to a necessary proportion to be given to God at one time or other during a mans life and that it were sin even against the Law of Nature if a man should never in all his life give God a whole houre at once And 2. for the Frequencie single that the Law of Nature doth determine every man to somewhat more then twice in his life even more then twice in seven yeeres more then twice in every yeere of his life every quarter of a yeere every moneth even once at least every day as a necessary proportion to be given to God in a Revolution And that it were sin even against the Law of Nature to worship God seldomer then so in some manner Also 3. Putting both these Respects together and the Law of Nature doth still determine every man to at least an houre together We say not every Day but at least every Moneth as a necessary proportion to be given to God and that lesse at once every moneth or seldomer so much as an houre were sin even against the Law of Nature And this we are perswaded even very corrupted Nature will not find in their hearts to deny nor can they upon the former Principles of Gods being the Lord of all our Time and our Happinesse And further also then so we might perhaps goe but we are not willing to particularize too far by way of guesse because nothing certain can be concluded on uncertainties Therefore we will rather make triall whether the Law or Light of Nature will help us any
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