place in Hosea 3 That he doth therefore begin a new argument against the Pharisees consisting of two things the first of the end and intention of the Law which was the good of man the other from his own office which was to be head both of men and Angels and therefore being to dispose of all things which tended unto mans good 4 That he intended by those words to rectify their superstitious conceits of the Sabbath As if he had said you magnify the Sabbath as if it were one of the greatest of all the commandements a maine end of mans creation but you must know that it was made for man and not man for it as were all the legall rites and ceremonies And if this be so I that am the Messiah am by my office Lord of the Sabbath and can and will abrogate the same in due time And that this abrogation of the law of the Sabbath was that which our Saviour did there at least insinuate unto them is plaine if we compare the text with that other of S. Matthew where he tels them that he is greater then the Temple having absolute jurisdiction a Templum Sabbatho serviebat ipse autem dominus erat Sabbathi Mald. in locum and Lordship over all Legall and Mosaicall rites Secondly that for which no man is to be censured and condemned is not a Morall Law for the Law of nature teacheth us to condemne the transgressors of all Morall precepts but no man is to be judged or condemned for the Sabbath b Col. 2.16 Col. 2.16 If any man say that the Apostle speaketh of the other feasts of the Iewes which also are called Sabbaths not of the seventh-day Sabbath in the commandement I answere First that he contradicts all Ancient and Moderne expositions Secondly that in all other places of Scripture where mention is made of their Sabbaths the weekly Sabbath is also included Nehem. 20.33 Esai 1.13 Hose 2.11 why not here Thirdly the Apostle had reason to have excepted this especially considering that his doctrine in that place is a doctrine of liberty for in cases of this nature unlesse men have their bounds set them they easily turne their lawfull and warrantable liberty into unwarrantable licentiousnesse Fourthly it is not likely nor agreeable to any rule that when all which are denominated are expressed as Sabbaths that which doth denominate viz. the weekly Sabbath should be excepted but on the contrary Fiftly the enumeration of the text is sufficient New-moones Holydaies What Ceremoniall feasts had the Iewes distinct from their weekly Sabbath which stands not under one of these heads Either therefore the Apostle useth tautologies which is not likely his discourse being in that place Polemicall a Multa festa habebant Iudaei quaedam quotanuis celebrari oportebat quaedam ineunte quolibet mense quaedam fingulis septimanis ut SabbathoruÌ„ haecomnia tanguntur ab Apostolo hoc in loco Salisbut in locum Or that Tripartite enumeration of new-moones holy daies Sabbath daies includeth also the weekly Sabbath Lastly the weekly Sabbath which the Iewes observed and circumcision were the two maine heads of Iudaisme for which in those times the Seducers so much contended therefore this weekly Sabbath is there especially to be understood Thirdly that which is a shadow of good things to come whose body was Christ cannot be a morall law for morall duties are eternall verities no fleeting and vanishing shadowes But the Sabbath in the fourth Commandement was such a shadow of good things to come As hath in part appeared by that place of the Apostle Heb. 4. and shall be farther evidenced in that which followes and hath generally been taught by all a Epâ—ph l. â— hae 8. Antiquity Ergo. Fourthly that which cannot be deduced out of the principles of naturall reason rightly informed without revelation cannot be Morall But the sanctifying of the Sabbath as it is set downe in the letter of the fourth commandement cannot be so deduced For first naturall reason cannot teach us that one of seven must be observed much lesse that it must be the seventh from the creation or that it must be one of seven in imitation of Gods rest For though men by the light of nature may know the creation and that God was the Creator I will adde though it be impossible the order how things were made yet that all this was done in sixe daies which is the ground of the Sabbath naturall light cannot reveale Neither can nature teach that a whole day from evening to evening is to be kept holy For this is the rule of the Sabbath in the fourth commandement which is rather against nature For nature teacheth to calculate from morning to evening as b Aquinas 1 â— 2. ae q. 74. Art 3. ad Sextum Aquinas sheweth nor doth nature shew us that straight exact resting from all manner of works as the Commandement and the exposition thereof given by Moses doth require If any man say that some shreads of all these were found amongst the Heathen in practice and that they were doubtlesse guided thereunto by the light of nature He speaks nothing to the purpose The question being not of their practice but the principles of naturall reason which must be produced and the deduction made according to those principles Now let any Philosopher or Divine laying aside his Bible make the demonstration out of meere naturall principles erit mihi magnus Apollo Fiftly which is also a Manifestum est itaq non aeternum nec spirituale sed temporale fuisse praeceptuÌ„ quod aliquando cessaret Tert. advers Iud. Tertullians reason whatsoever is de facto abrogated and abolished for practice whether by Christ or his Apostles cannot be morall for precept For whatsoever is morall must be perpetuall but the letter of the fourth Commandement is thus abolished for practice For first not the seventh from the creation but the eight is observed Secondly this eight was never observed by the Christians as the Iews observed their seventh neither for time from evening to evening nor for manner in any respect Lastly we keep not our day upon the same reason and ground with theirs as in memory of the creation of the deliverance out of Egypt of the fall of Mannah but of Christs resurrection Nor to the same end to represent unto us our spirituall rest in Christ For the faithfull have already obtained that for parts though not degrees neither was the Lords-day ever appointed to Shadow out unto us the eternall consummation thereof in Heaven The letter therefore of the fourth Commandement is in all the branches thereof vanished and abolished Ergo. Sixtly that which is morall admits no dispensation upon any ground of necessity Charity Piety or what else soever And this b Chrysost Hom. 40. in cap. 12. Math. St Chrysostome makes good saying in those things which are altogether unlawfull as whatsoever is forbidden by a morall Law 〈◊〉 excuse whatsoever
pleased to give a copy thereof in writing to his people and in them to his whole Church for ever The Morall law therefore of which we speak in this place in its proper and restrained sence is not every rule of right reason but only that which is naturally engraven upon the conscience So that the Schooles have well distinguished the rules of right reason into three kinds First there be some so common and obvious as that man retaining humane reason cannot erre in them as that God is to be loved good to be embraced evill to be avoided and such like practicall principles ex terminis evidentia and all conclusions necessarily and immediatly flowing from the same And so Morall saith b Non omnia decalogi praecepta sunt de lege naturae strictè acceptà lib. 3. sent dist 37. q. 1. art 2. con 1. Duo praecepta negativa primae tabulae sunt de lege naturae propriè â—b con 2. Gab. Biel extends it selfe but only to two Commandements of the decalogue Thou shalt have no other Gods but me and Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine For it being a naturall principle nay c Quod Deus fit est primum principium complexorum Bradvv de causâ Dei lib. 1. cap. 12. the first and ground of all the rest that there is a God those practicall conclusions are known of themselves without farther teaching Lawes thus Morall are utterly undispensable even by God himselfe who cannot deny himselfe Secondly some of these rules and directions of manners are not so obvious and manifest of themselves yet such as every vulgar and mean capacity may easily find out even by the light of nature as that parents are to be honoured that God is publikely to be worshipped with d Secundae tabulae praecepta sunt de lege naturae non strictè sed largè accepta Biel ib. con 3. the precepts of the second table These are not so plaine and evident as the two former and therefore men doe the more easily erre in them as we see by the practice both of heathens and of the ignorant Christians These may in particular cases be dispensed with e Non rapiebant alienum quia Deus erat superior verus Dominus omnium bonorum Aegypti totius univer sitatis ita poterit transferre Dominium infilios Israel Biel. ib. Dub. 4. by changing the nature of the things about which they are conversant as hath already been shewed Thirdly some of the rules of right reason directing mens actions are yet more dark and obscure then the former and therefore are known only to wise men or by revelation Such are all good positive lawes superadded to those of the decalogue either by God or man and may be stiled Responsa prudentum the answers of the wise In this last and largest construction of Morall all the Holy rites prescribed by Moses being appendices to the fourth commandement and all the Iudicials appendices to the severall precepts of the first and second table may be termed Morall The question therefore is not of this kind of Morality but of the two former only viz. Whether the law of the Sabbath be either a principle in nature known and evident of it selfe or at least such as every man that hath the use of pure naturall reason may without revelation easily find out For that it is under positive precept in the fourth Commandement was never doubted We must in the next place understand how we speak of the fourth commandement in this question whether of the whole and every part thereof or of one or more parts and clauses And first there are that say that according to the law of God and rules of right reason there ought not to be in the time of the Gospell any distinction of daies as being directly contrary to Christian liberty So our Anabaptists Perfestists Libertines On the other side there are that affirme every letter and Syllable therein to be Morall as the lews and such Christians as in this particular doe Iudaize expresly as the Familists and others together with our rigid Sabbatharians who although they stand not for that very day of which the commandement speaketh the seventh from the creation as the others yet keep the Lords day as being a seventh intended also in the commandement and to be observed in all things according to the sound of the letter by all men in all ages which is no better then implicit Iudaisme And herein they stand for ought I know alone unlesse they will claime kindred of the ancient Hereticks the Ebionites There are others in the third place that affirme the fourth commandement to be partly Morall partly Ceremoniall And this is the most generall voice of Divines ancient and moderne Protestants Papists Lutherans Calvinists except those before named But this their agreement is not without great disagreement some affirming in one sence some in another some of more some of fewer branches of the commandement Many in the Popish Schoole with some Protestants especially Lutherans put morality in two clauses the first is Remember thou keep holy the resting day where a day is commanded say g Morale est sanctificare unum è septem Baldvv c. de Sab. casu 2. Manet hoc morale esse nimirum aliquod tempus vel diem aliquem singulis septimanis ad exercitia divina peragenda tribuendum Conradus Dietericus dom 17. post Trin. Morale est quod sacra requies die septimo non determinatè hoc vel illo sed uno è septem piè observanda est Thum. in expl d ee they in generall They second is the seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God wherein say they the former generality is restrained and determined to be one of seven But k Evanescant nugae pseudoprophetarum qui Iudaic â opinione populum superioribus saeculis imbuerunt nihil aliud asserentes nisi abrogatum esse quod caeremoniale erat in hoc mandato id vocant su â linguâ septimae diei taxationem remanere vero quod morale est nempe unius diei observationem in hebdomade Calv. instit lib. 2. c. 8. Calvin and all those that insist in his steps flye from this as from false doctrine and Iudaisme I meane this latter assertion for they joyne with them in the former and acknowledge a morality for a set day but say they the determination to one in seven or five or ten c. is wholy arbitrary and in the power of the Church to prescribe And herein Calvin hath the voices of many both Papists and Lutherans One thing more must be added that when Divines put morality in the first clause Remember thou keep holy the resting day those words may undergoe a twofold consideration for they may be taken Either formally as they lye in the commandement and thus considered they are not Morall because they speak of that particular Sabbath given unto the Iewes even the
together to haue seene the sight and to haue gloryfied God for the same But I doe not obserue that our Saviour affected either ostentation or publication of his Miracles but pro renatâ shewed his glory in them as occasions offered themselues By this therefore which hath been said our third Conclusion doth appeare viz. That the Iewes might lawfull haue done whatsoever was not only of absolute necessity but also of conveniency unlesse in such things as were expressely forbidden them Fourthly It s also as I conceiue out of question that Christian liberty hath freed us by the Gospell from some part at least of the burthen of the Sabbath in regard of the strictnes of that rest which was commanded the Iewes This proposition is found in expresse tearmes in our Sabbatharians Treatises unlesse in some one or two who would perswade Christian people to Super-Iudaize Keeping the Lords day in a stricter and more precise manner then ever the Iewes kept the Saturday Sabbath But this being a strange fancy and almost singular I trust this fourth conclusion also will passe without contradiction And there is good reason it should for not only the rest of the Sabbath but the strictnesse of that rest was Typicall as hath been already shewed prefiguring that accurate holinesse which God requires of his people and that fulnesse of joy and perfection of happinesse unto which Christ admits us that belieue his Gospell Besides the whole Christian Church in all ages hath delivered this for an undoubted truth and b Vacent tanquam Christiani Qui inventi fuerint Iudatizare anathema sint Con. Load c. 29. abhorred a Iewish resting on the Lords day and ever accursed it where they found it By this then it is plaine that in the time of the Gospell we are not only allowed the same things on our day of rest which were permitted the Jewes upon their Sabbath but even those things also which they were expresly inhibited And if this be so it must needs follow that since no particular works are forbidden us as were forbidden them and in generall works either of absolute extreme or of moderate and convenient necessity are allowed us as well as them no restraint at all lies upon us in things appertaining to common life Fiftly there is notwithstanding a cessation from works required of Christian people under the Gospel upon all daies of their publique worship and Assemblies For nature her selfe teacheth all men saith c Natura dâ—ctat aliquanâ—ò vacandum quieti orationi Dei. Gers de decem praecept Gerson sometimes to rest from their owne imployments and to spend that time in the praises of God prayer to him This is evident of it selfe and therefore there is scarce any Nation so barbarous void of reason which obserues not this Law written in their hearts by sequestring sometime or other to such rest The Turks nay the Indians haue their Sabbaths And indeed these two viz to attend Gods publique worship and at the same time to follow our own imployments are incompatible and imply a contradiction as on the other side to be taken up with our owne affaires and neglect Gods publike worship is open irreligion and prophanenesse This conclusion therefore will passe for currant upon both sides also Sixthly Although the Law of nature in the Generall and Morall part of the fourth Commandement requires us to rest upon the day of Gods publique worship yet how long we are bound to abandon the labours of our callings either before or between or after the publique worship is neither set down in Scripture nor can be determined by the Law of Nature Generall directions the light of every mans conscience will suggest unto him and may be deduced out of the writen word concluding that whatsoever may hinder either the worship it selfe or our profiting thereby should be forborne and avoided But when we descend to practice no generall rule is or may be given For as they say Practica est multiplex and no Law can justly be framed of Particulars in this kinde For all men are not alike of themselues that which may be an impediment to one may not hinder another more time is allow'd some men though to dispatch but a little businesse then others need haue for weighty matters How therefore to governe our selues therein we must haue some other direction besides the generall rule and dictate of nature Ob. If any man say that the case is already overruled by Moses in the Commandement which requires a whole dayes rest of twenty foure houres of all men whatsoever Resp I answer that this is to proue a thing unknown by that which is more unknowne For the Christian Church knowes no such commandement of Moses as being her children under the Gospell the letter of the Law of Moses being wholy ceremoniall as hath formerly been shewed Seventhly Therefore it must needs be that the determinate time of cessation from works together with the manner in regard of the strictnes thereof is wholy left to the power and wisdome of the Church and Magistrate It is therefore the common direction of the Casuists d Quilibet eâ— die abstine at ab omni labore aut mercatione aut alio quovis laborioso opere secundum ritum consuetudinem patriae quam consuetudinem Praelatus spiritualis illius loci cognoscens non prohibet quod si aliqua super talicoâ—â—uetudine â—â—bietas occurrat consulat superiores Gers de Decal praecepâ— that men abstaine from the works of their severall callings according to the custome of the place in which they live and if any scruple happen to arise herein they should consult with their Superiors in the Church and Communâ—â—y who only may dictate unto them their pleasures herein And thus hath it been in all ages of the Church with great variety contrariety of Lawes and constitutions as the state of the times wherin they lived required How it was before Constantines time who was the first ChristiaÌ„ Emperour the History of the Church doth not shew but very imperfectly This we may be assured of that had their cessation from works been such as at this day is pressed on mens consciences by our Sabbatharians CoÌ„stantine might haue sau'd his labor in ordering this point Constantine having begun divers Synods in particular nationall Churches followed together with sundry Lawes of Kings and Princes in their Territories dominions some restraining others enlarging the peoples liberty For when some had brought the people even to a Iewish superstition equaling if not exceeding that which is now required by the Adversaries Others taught the people to stand fast in this part of their Christian liberty For proofe whereof I will only trouble the Reader with two instances Synodus e Quia ersuâ—sum est populo die dominicâ cum caballis bobus vehiculiâ—itinerari non debere neque ullam rem ad victum comparare c. Syn. Aurel. 32. c. 10. Aurelianensis Can.
revelation From hence to clude that therefore God appointed them the Sabbath is no good consequent for God appoints men many duties but prescribeth no certaine time of performance For time is no part of the worship but an accident and adjunct thereof left for the most part to discretion and opportunity I hope that no man will deny but that God is publikely worshipped amongst us upon Holy-daies Wednesdaies and Frydaies and yet God never sets us thosetimes From the worship thereof to inferre the time is no good deduction But let all be granted that God both prescribed worship and time the Sabbath at most is but a positive precept as the sacrifices also were no morall duty which is the thing aimed at in this question and shall be handled in that which followeth Lastly the testimonies of the learned are not and as I conceive cannot be very many and those that are may easily be reconciled To begin with Philo the very addition which is given him that he is a Iew is sufficient exception against his testimony And so for M. Broughton it may be reputed a part of his Rabbinicall learning to which he was so much addicted M. Calvin is not constant to himselfe in this point for in his book of a Perpetuam islam cessationem Iudaeis repraesentahat unius diei ex septem observatio Cal. inst l. 2. c. 8. Institutions he plainely speaks thereof as given to the Iews by Moses b Videtur Deus per diem septimum populo suo delineâsse futurū sui Sabbathi in ultimo die perfectionem Ibid. not by God to Adam Catharinus and Alcuinus are held but Innovators amongst the Schoolemen in this point and are generally forsaken of all their followes Lastly that of Zanchius is but a fancy of his own and that also far fetched and thus much of the first question CAP. V. The second question is proposed whether the letter of the fourth Commandement be a morall precept A Law being once enacted we take into consideration the binding power thereof for all lawes doe naturally bind all such upon whom they are imposed untill it doth appeare that they be repealed Hence though Critickes say lex à legendo yet Divines take up another Etymology lex à ligādo it s therefore a law because it doth oblige But all Lawes being not of the same kind doe not bind after the same manner neither as they are lawes nor as they are intended by the lawgivers This is most true not only of humane lawes whose authors are men but of such also as proceed immediatly from God himselfe For there be some lawes of his which oblige all people nations and languages upon the face of the whole earth even every son of Adam Others of them are prescribed either to particular persons or some one people nation only some of them also are of perpetuall and everlasting continuance never to be revoked others were ordained only for a certaine period of time Lawes of the first kind are properly stiled morall which are in both the forenamed respects universall the dictates of nature and included in the divine essence which is not subject to any shadow of change Lawes of the latter kind are all the ceremoniall and judiciall ordinances The second question therefore is whether the fourth commandement of the Decalogue be a morall law binding all men throughout all ages to the end of the world or whether it were given only to the Israelites till the fulnesse of time and exhibiting of the Messiah The affirmative seems to some men as cleer as the day it selfe and to be a point of that high consequence in religion as that we ought rather to suffer as Martyrs then to quit this truth We will therefore muster up all such arguments as make to this purpose CHAP. VI. The arguments for the affirmative are propounded and enforced ANd first it is alleadged that all the commandements of the Decalogue are morall being parts and branches of the law of nature But the fourth commandement is one of these placed in the very heart of the rest spoken by Gods owne mouth written by Gods own finger and that in tables of stone to teach us their perpetuity laid up with the rest in the Arke therefore the fourth commandement must needs be morall Secondly if this be not morall as well as any of the rest not only Moses but God himselfe who placed it so might seeme purposely to confound things of different natures intending as it were to breed distractions in the Church as we see at this day But this is no way to be imagined for God is the author of peace and not confusion therefore doubtlesse the fourth commandement is equally morall with all the rest Thirdly that which is naturally written upon the hearts of the very heathen themselves must needs be morall but the whole fourth commandement is thus naturally written Ergo. First the Sabbath must be the seventh day for this number was ever reputed the number of perfection and the holy number not only a Cyprian de Spiritu S. S. Cyprian so cals it but Homer also Hesiod and Callimachus Secondly the whole day was spent even by heathens after an holy manner in publique worship and private contemplation Thirdly they also observed their Sabbaths with severe strictnesse from all manner of works Their Idolatrous Priests affirmed that the holy daies were polluted if any work were done in them By all which it is plaine that the very Heathen observed the Sabbath not by revelation for this they never had but by the very light of nature therefore c. Fourthly that commandement is moral which hath all the characters of morality As first that it appertaines to all nations in all ages Secondly that the more understanding amongst the Heathen approved and taught it Thirdly that it may be discerned by reason rightly informed Fourthly that it containes something which is necessary to humane nature to attaine its end and finall happinesse Fiftly that it is such as if it were observed with the rest would make the conversation of man compleat without the addition of any other law but all these markes of morality are to be seen in the fourth commandement The two first are apparent by the precedent argument for it was ever observed approved and taught by Heathens in all ages The third is a necessary consequent of the former for if the Heathens observed it this their observation must needs proceed from reason rightly informed The fourth no man can be so wicked as to deny for if any thing be necessary to bring men unto everlasting happinesse it is the observation of the Sabbath The last also is evident for if all the rest of the Decalogue together with this were observed what need we any other lawes either of God or man Ergo. Fiftly that commandement is morall whose reasons are morall but such are the reasons in the fourth commandement As the first which is taken from the equity
can be pleaded to make it lawfull A man must not lye no though it be a holy fraud Commit Idolatry Rebellion Murther Theft to save his life nay his soule or a thousand soules But the fourth Commandement admits of many excuses and dispensations and that when neither Charity Piety nor necessity require I never heard a Physitian blamed for tending his Patient on the Sabbath though not in extream danger nor a Sheepheard condemned for following or folding his flock upon that day yet the folding of Sheep is neither a worke of Piety towards God nor mercy to the cattell which would be better unfolded only it 's a matter of profit to the owner The c Laurent in Tert. advers Iudaeos ex Rabbinâ—s in Ios c. 6. Iewish Rabbins tell us that the children of Israel never kept but the first Sabbath during their whole pilgrimage in the wildernesse No man will say they were forced by necessity to this long intermission d Chrysost ib. St Chrysostome is of opinion e Abraham cuÌ„m consensiâ— occidere filiuÌ„ non consensic in homicidium quia debitum erat eum occidi per mandatum Die qui est dominus vitae mortis Aquin 12. q. 100. art 8 ad 3. how justly I say not that our Saviour in his own person brake the Sabbath when no occasion compelled him thereunto As when he made clay with his spittle for the blind mans eyes If any object that even morall lawes admit of dispensations as in the case of Abraham who was commanded to sacrifice his owne sonne and of the Israelites who were also commanded to robbe and spoile the Egyptians The f Communitèr dicitur quòd Deus mutare potest materiam praeceptorum sed manente materiâ non potest dispensare Vig. c. 15. v. 7. Schoolemen have long since untied this knot distinguishing between the dispensation of the law and the mutation or change of the thing concerning which the commandement is given And this change of the thing may be made in regard of some of the commandements by the omnipotent soveraignty of the Lord but not in others God by prerogative royall over all create beings may call for any mans life by the hands of whom he pleaseth as in Abrahams case He may likewise deprive any man of his propriety in any of his goods and so give them as a prey to another as in Israels case But God cannot change the matter of other Commandements as make himselfe more Gods then one or worthy to be dishonoured So then in the forenamed particulars there was no dispensation in the commandement but an alteration in the things And the reason of this distinction is plaine for had the Egyptians continued the lawfull owners of their Iewels and ray ment the Israelites must have been theeues keeping them from them without their consents God can no more make theft to be no theft then deny himselfe Object But perhaps you will say that the matter of the fourth commandement is also changed in the former instances the law not dispensed with at all Ans I answere that the matter of the fourth commandement is the seventh day the sanctifying thereof the forme but how the seventh day can be changed and not be the seventh day to the Physitian or sheepheard or any other is not imagineable Omne quod est dum est necessariò est Whatsoever hath being whilest it hath being must necessarily be that which it is Seventhly whatsoever is contained under the name of legall sacrifice in the old Testament is not morall for not only the Leviticall sacrifices but even those which were offered by Adam and the Patriarches were Ceremoniall But the Sabbath is referred unto this head by g Mat. 9.13 vide Mald. in locum In voce Misericordiâ Synecdoche est notando nam sub hoc nomine Christus omnia humanitatis officia comprehendit ut nomine sacrisicâ—â— omnes caeremonias quiequid est externum Marlor Christ himselfe disputing with the Pharisees and citeing against them the Prophet Hosea For as under mercy are comprehended all works of love to our neighbours so under the title of sacrifice are contained all the rites of the Mosaicall Law Eightly that Commandement for the observing whereof man was not made is not Morall h Ordinatur homo ad Deum non per interiores actus mentis sid etâ—am per exteriora opera quibus divâ—â—am servitutem prositetur ista opera cultus Caeremonia vocatur Aquin. 1. 2â— q. 99. art 3. in corp for therefore God made man that by the observation of the Morall Law he should beare his own image in the world serving him in righteousnesse and holinesse to the glory of his Creator But man was not made to keep the Sabbath in regard of any circumstances of the commandement but on the contrary the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath Therefore c. Ninthly that Law which determines Ecclesiasticall rites and ceremonies prescribing set times of holy worship and the outward solemnities there of is not Morall but Ceremoniall This I take to be a Theologicall Maxime among all sorts i Lex Caeremontalis est quae praescribit riâ—us Ecclesiasticos externas Caereinonias sacrificia vasa loca tempera But. loc com of Divines the reason is because the law Morall being the same with that of Nature doth not descend to any particular circumstances But the fourth commandement prescribes and determines set and particular times of holy worship and the outward solemnities of the same saying the seventh is the sabbath in it thon shalt doe no manner of work Therefore c. Lastly may be produced many witnesses of all kinds * Ignat. Ep. ad Magnes Ignatius saith that old things are passed away applies it to the Sabbath in the fourth Commandement k In quibus fingulis lex non dicam impossibilis infirma sed planè ià m mortâ—ae Orig lib. 6. in Rom. cap. 8. Origen upon these words of the Apostle the law was weak through the flesh expounds it of the Ceremoniall law which saith he understood according to the letter and so observed was weak and not able to doe us good His first instance is in the law of the Sabbath l Tertul. adversus Iudoeos Tertullian calleth it a Temporall Sabbath m Iam temporegratic revelatâ— observatio illa Sabbathi quae unius dici vacatione figurabatur ablata est ab observatione fidelium Aug. in Gen. ad lit lib. 4. c. 11. S. Augustine doth every where distinguish the fourth from the other as being Ceremoniall and not belonging to the new Testament n Hier. lib. 28. in Galatas S. Ierome makes it a Iewish observation o Literalis illa observatie Sabbathi sonantis requiem non dantis indictus saerisifciorum ritus interdictus porcinae carnis esus pluvia est ex illa nube Mosi descendens sed nolo in hortum meum descendat Bern.
the motions of sinne are set on work by the law Besides if the rule given were a certaine Maxim then on the contrary that law against which humane corruptions doe least rise which without question are the Commandements of the first table should be least Morall which I think no man will affirme But to passe by this I would gladly know against what in the Sabbath mans corruptions be so rebellious I doubt not but you will say against the strict and holy observation thereof but the manner how the law bids is one thing and the manner how the day is to be observed is another of which we shall also speak in due place To the ninth taken from experience in forraine parts in the first place I answere that the reformed Churches of God beyond the seas are much beholding unto you for branding them with laying religion on the back setting up Atheisme and Epicureisme And I believe many of this judgement are as free from those evils as any Sabbatharian in the world But strange it is that some men cannot vent their novell fancies unlesse like new wine they break the old bottles of love Perhaps you will say men will take liberty to be prophane when all tye of conscience is taken off as when the Morality of this law is denied But we must know that the conscience is not let loose as is supposed but only bound in another way as we shall see hereafter It hath ever been the custome of all sorts of people thus to palliate their errours under the titles of holinesse To the tenth the Homily is very briefe in this point the Summa totalis is this First that although God be at all times to be glorified for his mercies yet his pleasure is there should be set time for this purpose Secondly that this Commandement given in the Decalogue doth not bind us Christians as it did the Iewes Thirdly that whatsoever is found in the Commandement appertaining to the Law of Nature as a thing needfull to the setting forth of Gods glory ought to be received of all men Lastly that the set time of Gods publique worship ought to be on one day of seven This indeed which is last seemes to be something but seemes only for it must receive construction according to the foundation on which the Homily buildeth viz. that nothing herein is Morall but what appertaineth to the law of nature Seeing therefore that this particular cannot be deduced out of the Law of nature the Homily never intended it for Morall Ob. It will be said that then the Homily doth contradict it selfe for if nothing but what is naturall must be retained and one in seven be not naturall how can the Homily affirme that one in seven must for ever be observed and that by the will and commandement of God himselfe Sol But for answere hereunto first let it be considered that the Homily speaks by way of exhortation ad populum and in treatises of this nature every passage is not rigorously to be pressed for advantage in disputation This favour must be yeelded to all the popular tractates of the ancient Fathers else many things may well be quarelled at in them Secondly let the passage it selfe be well construed and the Homily clears it selfe for it saies indeed that Gods commandement was so to the Iewes but the Christians have followed this example voluntarily and of their own choice and if of their own choice then doubtlesse not by any necessity of Morall precept To the eleventh what if the Church retaine and read this amongst the Moralls Doth she not also appoint by her Liturgy Leviticus and Deuteronomy to be read amongst other parts of Scripture Or doe we thinke with the Maniches that the old Testament is not the word of God or with the Anabaptists that it appertaines not unto vs. We retain and read the Ceremoniall law in our congregations not so much for the Ceremonâ—es themselves which are vanished away as for those eternall truths of which they were shadowes And as we retain and read them so we also pray unto God for his mercy and grace that wee may fulfill and practise them so farre forth as they doe concerne us There be therefore two things which we aske in that short petition following the commandement First that our hearts may be graciously inclined to sanctify all such times as are set apart for Gods publique worship Secondly that as long as we live here in the vale of misery and sinne we may be enabled by his grace to keep a perpetuall spirituall Sabbath in righteousnes and holines and peace of conscience all our daies To the twelfth this takes deep impression amongst the vulgar who have been taught their ten Commandemens perhaps for their prayers from their cradles and therefore stand for this tanquam pro aris focis But in one word to give them satisfaction the argument is denied for there are and ever will be ten Morals though the letter of the fourth be Ceremoniall That God must have his set and appointed Sabbaths which is the essence life spirit of that Commandement is for ever Morall though the circumstances expressed in the text be Ceremoniall And this is no novell assertion but the common doctrine of all antiquity And therefore a S. Chrys Hom. 40. in Math. S. Chrysostome speaking of this commandement insteed of Remember to keep holy the seventh day reads remember to keep a spirituall Sabbath And b Aug. in Exod lib. 20. cap. 172. S. Augustine expresly saith that the nine rest as they are literally set downe are doubtlesse to be observed in the new Testament but that one of the Sabbath was given under the vaile of Moses and mystically commanded His reason is out of the text when Moses saith he returned from God out of the mount and had received from him the patterne of the Tabernacle and all holy things he speaks to the people only of the Sabbaths observation by which it appears that this was given only as the head of the Ceremonials c Alia quippâ— nona sicut praecepta sunt in novo testamento observanda minimè dubitamus illud autem unum de Sabbatho adeo iâ— Mysterio praeceptum fuit ut hodiè à nobis non observetur sed solum quod significabat intuemur Inter omnia illa decem praecepta solum id quod de Sabbatho positum est figuratè observandum praecipitur Aug. ad Ian ep 119. In istis decem praeceptis exceptâ Sabbathi observatione dâ—catur mihi quid non sit observandum à Christiano Aug. de spirit lit c. 14. The same Father disputing in another place how the Commandements of the Decalogue were a killing letter as well as the Ceremonies makes frequent distinction between this one of the Sabbath and the rest affirming that not only this but those nine also were a killing letter So that St Chrysostome and St Augustine acknowledged ten commandements Morall but with our
others or if any doe few I presume will believe him therein Secondly if the Christian Holyday were to consist of a certaine determinate number of houres either the new Testament which alone speaks of this day or the Church of Christ who alone observes it would have directed us where to begin those houres and where to end them For the Iewes were expresly so directed but neither the new Testament nor the Church of Christ hath given any such directions If any say we need no such new information in this point having already the same which the Iewes had in the fourth Commandement we shall I hope give him satisfaction in the answere to the first Argument of the precedent chapter which it doth concerne Thirdly if a Lords night be to be sanctifyed as well as the day this night and all the parts thereof must differ from other nights by some speciall appropriation to the Lord as the day differs from other daies But how can this be unlesse we rest not at all that night in our beds or serve God by dreames and visions Which to affirme were notoriously absurd Ob. If any man demand how did the Iewes then keep their Sabbath from evening to evening Sol. I answere that the reason is not the same for the very corporall rest of the Iewes was simply and of it selfe a Sabbath daies duty so that it was as unlawfull for them not to Rest in their beds that night as to work about their callings that day which I think no man will affirme of Christians under the Gospell Fourthly there is no morall law in nature nor positive law in Scripture but is in it selfe possible to all men in all parts of the world in regard of the thing commanded But a naturall day-Sabbath as it is made to consist of a day and a night is absolutely impossible for some men in some parts of the world in regard of the thing commanded in some parts there being nothing but day and in other places nothing but night for a long space together This is so apparent as needs no proofe Therefore c. Ob. It is objected that the Iewes also by this rule might have been as we say perplext had they at any time travailed towards either of the Poles Vnto which I answere Sol. First that the Iewes were in a manner confined unto the land of Canaan except in cases of necessity for the blessing and promise was annexed thereunto being therefore stiled the Lords Land Commerce indeed they had with other nations which proved their ruin but for any voyages they made or Colonies they deduced we read none Solomon it is true sent a navy unto Ophyr which is Peru as most conceive or as Iosephus some place in the East Indies Iehosaphat attempted the like but his ships were broken at Ezion Geber 1. Kings 22 48. For though Solomons navy found prosperous successe intending therein the glory of Gods house yet Iehosaphat having no such warrantable grounds failed in his expectation Some think that the Iewes travelled and tâ—â—ded into that part of the Indies which at this day we call New-England for there they finde a harbour which the natives call Nahum-Keik the harbour of him that comforts or of him that repents It 's usuall in this language to have contrary significations But let it be granted that they meet with some Hebrew words in that tongue what nation is there in whose language you may not make the like observation Say also that the Iewes travailed into the East and west Indies for Gold and Spices I think it easy to shew that those parts of the world in which are either continuall day or night were not known untill after Christ and the destruction of Hierusalem In a word had the Iewes at any time travailed into such places where they could not have kept their Sabbath from evening to evening it had been sinne unto them For when a man shall by any voluntary action of his own cast himselfe into an utter impossibility of fulfilling any positive precept of the law of God it becomes evill unto him though otherwise it be both lawfull and commendable The case therefore is not the same with the Iewes and us in this point they being precisely bound both to places and houses from both which Christ hath set us free The objection is of no weight Fiftly to make the night part of the Lords day to be observed by the Church of Christ is contrary to the ground of the institution thereof which is the Resurrection of Christ For Christ rose not in the night but early in the morning and being risen his Resurrection hath no night But how can the night remember us of that which hath no night If we keep the night before we solemnize not Christs resurrection for he was not as yet risen if the night after we seeme to be enemies of his resurrection as if the Sunne of righteousnesse were set the second time whereas r Rom. 6 9. Christ being risen dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him If any man say he keepeth not the night as a part of the Lords day the memoriall of Christ Resurrection but as a part of his Sabbath in the fourth Commandement He seemeth expresly to forsake Christ and to cleave to Moses and being weary of being a Christian defires to turne Iew. Sixtly A night Sabbath is contrary to the end of the Institution under the Gospell which was Gods publique worship in the congregation for other use thereof we find not in holy Scripture If any man object collections to be made for the poore private prayers and christian exercises c. we shall God willing speak thereof also in its place But night assemblies for the publique worship except in time of persecution are contrary to the Apostles Rule * 1. Cor. 14.40 let all things be done decently and in order Experience in former ages hath made it manifest what abuses were practised under such pretences Ob. If any man say that the publique was appointed for the day and the private for the night Sol. First there is no such rule in Scripture Secondly the Church hath no such custome Thirdly private night-conventicles are as little nay farre lesse to be trusted then publique meetings in the night Lastly the practice of the primitive Church was utterly without any set number of houres and there was much variety in their observation sometime they began their publique worship on Saturday after supper as in Syria and Aegypt Some-time they began their Lords day about the s Tempus publici conventûs fuit Anteluâ—anum Con. Antis cap. 11. dawning the time as they conceived of Christs Resurrection others also began upon satturday noon and held on untill Sunday morning At this day our Sabbatharians are devided in this point some affirming from evening to evening others from morning to morning others from midnight to midnight so that their position of a twenty-foure houres Sabbath
nothing more then when they come to specificate their tenent and shew how it is divine Sure it is that whatsoever is of divine ordination must be so either from God the Father in the law of nature or some positive precept of the old Testament Or from God the Sonne in some precept of the Gospell or from God the holy Ghost inspiring the Apostles * Iohn 16.13 leading them according to the promise of Christ into all truth Some therefore affirme a divine institution of the Lords day from God the Father grounding themselves upon the morality of the letter of the fourth commandement But this savouring too much of Iudaisme and the commandement speaking precisely of another day is generally exploded Others therefore pretend an institution from God the Sonne by Evangelicall law but being required to shew some word of Christs establishing this observation faile in their proof and are taken upon a Nihil dicit The third opinion therefore is now become most universall viz. That it is an institution from God the holy Ghost in and by the Apostles And this tenent is wisely taken up it being such a hiding place out of which men cannot so easily be drawn as out of the former especially considering that they extend to this purpose Apostolicall inspirations to the uttermost latitude for they were inspired say they what and how to teach the Church in all things And these inspirations whensoever they became notified to the Church were and are to be esteemed divine institution whether written or not written in Scriptures wherein they seeme to imitate young Respondents in Philosophy who use to shelter themselves under the secret qualities of naturall things which they know their Opponents cannot easily discover Or rather they are glad to plow with a Popish Heifar Tradition of which a Sacra nostrorum anchora est ubi nulla suppetat nostrarum falsitatum probatio Spal 2. de repub c. 11 ◠51. Spalatensis saith It is the very sacred anchor on which our men rely when they know not how otherwise to defend their falsehoods and against which themselves also have made ample invectives For the better clearing therefore of this point it is necessary something be said First of Apostolicall inspirations Secondly of Apostolicall traditions Concerning the first the Apostles we all know sustain'd a threefold person For we may consider them either as Apostles by extraordinary mission sent to plant the Gospell or as ordinary Pastors to govern the Churches already planted or thirdly as private persons As Apostles they were infallibly inspired with all truths upon all occasions which might plant the kingdome of Christ and bring men unto the obedience of the faith the end of their mission being to beare abroad Christs name Acts 9.15 To this purpose they were also furnish't with the gifts of Tongues Miracles Healings Discerning of Spirits being immediatly directed by the holy Ghost As Pastors they had a twofold worke First to perform the duties of the man of God exhorting reproving correcting instructing in righteousnesse Secondly as Elders to rule well erecting such goverment in their planted Churches as might best sort with the times and states in which they lived Thus considered no doubt but they were also inspired but not in like manner nor measure as before For their inspirations as pastors were only such irradiations influences and concurrences of the Spirit as are afforded at this day to the Pastors of the Church unlesse by some personall miscarriages they procure unto themselves spirituall derelictions Thus the spirit is at this day present in all Ecclesiasticall Synods nay even with private ministers using the right meanes in their places even in their privat labours For the promise of Christ reacheth also unto them and he is present with them unto the end of the world Where notwithstanding we must remember that as all dictates of Ecclesiasticall Synods or dictates of private Pastors are not to be esteemed divine precepts because they are subject to error as daily experience makes it manifest even in such persons and assemblies as are most regular nay when their resolutions are most conformable to the word of God yet they are not divine ordinances So it must be conceived of the Apostles considered as the Churches Pastors without any impeachment at all to their Apostolicall dignitie We know that even the Apostles considered as Pastours were subject to mistake as appeares by b Gal. 3.11 St Peter who living at Antioch as a Pastour was iustly reproued by S. Paul how ever c Hoc excedit modum fraternae correptionis quae Praelatis à subditis debetur Aquin. in 4. sent dist 19. art 2. Stap. de Doct. princip c. 14. Stapleton and Aquinas gloze it for not walking as behoved a Pastor or Minister of the Gospell And in another place Paul and Barnabas consulting the Churches Pastors in what manner and with what company they should set about the worke of the Ministry dissented from one another and d Acts 15.39 that in such heat as it makes it apparent they were not both if either directed by the Spirit but as God by his providence overruleth affections bringing by them his owne purposes to passe Nay plaine also it is that although as they were Apostles they delivered nothing but what they had received yet as Pastors and governours of particular Churches they delivered some things of themselves not as dictates of Gods spirit So e 1. Cor. 7.6 V. 12. V. 25. V. 40. S. Paul I speake this by permission not of commandement to the rest speak I and not the Lord and I haue no commandement of the Lord and I giue my iudgment and againe after my iudgment Neither is f Non est consilium divini-spiritus sed pro eius maie state praeceptum Tert. Exhor ad Castit Tertullians glosse to be regarded for he was now infected with Montanisme when out of that Scripture to condemne all second Mariages as unlawfull he saith it is no advise but a binding precept for the Apostle speaks of himselfe and his owne judgment as contradistinct unto the Lord and the spirits revelation Ob. If any man say why then doth he adde that * V. 25. he hath obtayned mercy of the Lord to be faithfull and againe * V. 40. I thinke also that I haue the spirit of God Resp g Haec non absque Ironiâ dicta qua Pseudo-Apostolos taxat qui Paulum traducebant quasi alienus à spiritu Christi esset indignus qui coeteris Apostolis annumeretur Martyr in locu◠Peter Martyr will giue him satisfaction saying it was to adde the more weight and authority to his words in opposition to the false Apostles who were crept into the Church of Corinth and undervalved S. Pauls judgment But observe whether S. Paul to vindicate his reputation against them saith more or as much as some of our adversaries say of themselves upon all occasions when their dictates come to be
which I answere that such outward worship in publique coÌ„gregations should not have been required in that state of innocency for then the whole world should have been but one temple and all men therein but one Congregation as the glorified Saints make but one Quire whose antheme is day and night Praise Honour Glory and Power be to him that sitteth on the throne Wee may well conceive that if Adam had not fallen our estate should have been much like though much inferiour to the Saints in glory I know that b Aquin. pare 1. q. 44. art 31. Schoolemen commonly teach that Adam in the state of innocency should have beene a priest a Prophet and a King having to this purpose a personall kind of knowledge imparted unto him enabling him to be the head and teacher of all mankind But this being grounded upon a false principle viz That his originall righteousnesse of which his knowledge was a part was a supernaturall endowment superadded to the estate of pure naturalls must needs be a consequent like the antecedent out of which it is deduced Order then should have been in that estate for so there is amongst the Angels but no division of men into pastorall charges and congregations which neither are amongst the Angels nor shall be hereafter amongst the glorified Saints The precept therefore of the Sabbath to be observed by Adam in Paradise was in all respects superfluous Ergo. Secondly it is generally affirmed by c In principle mundi ipsi Adae Evae legem dedit ne defructu arboris plantatae in medio paradisi ederent quae lex iâ— sufficeret se esset custodita Tert. ad Iud. Divines ancient and moderne that Adam in the estate of innocency had but one positive law imposed upon him even that of the forbidden fruit neither doe we read of more in Scripture And this we commonly say with d Hoc tam leve preceptum ad observandum tam breve ad memoriâ retinenduÌ„ tanto 〈◊〉 inju titiâ violatum est quanto saciliori possit obser vantia custodiri Aug. â—e Câ—vâ—t l. 14. c. 15. S. Augustine made his disobedience the greater God requiring no more at his hands but if Adam had a commandement to observe the Sabbath God gave him more positive Lawes then one Ergo. If any man say he needed no positive law for the Sabbath being bound thereunto by the light of nature for nature teacheth men to keepe holy unto God those daies upon which they have received greatest mercies for this guided even the Heathens to their holydaies Answere I answere indeed that nature teacheth men thankfully to acknowledge Gods mercies but how and in what manner it must be done or that the same day must be kept holy upon which we receive them nature teacheth not For by this reason Adam should have kept the sixt day for in it he received from the hands of God an helper meet for him in it he and his wife received a blessing upon their Creation and full power and dominion over all creatures being thereby enstalled the happy Princes of the whole world Object If any say that though God did all this for them on the sixt day yet he had not given the operative power of propagation to the whole creation till the seventh day and without this their former day was nothing worth Answere I answere that indeed a In hoc discordat nostra translatio ab alia quam augustinus exponit nostrâ enim translatione consummatio operum oscribitur diei septimo in alia diei sexto utâ—â— autem veritatemâ—â—here potest distinguenda est rei duplex perfectio c. super sent l. 2. c. â— 15. 9 3. Aquinas both in his summes and upon the sentences affirmeth as much There is saith he a two-fold perfection the one wherein things receive their perfect being this all things had upon the sixt day the other which regardeth not the being but only the operation of things in being this was bestowed on creatures the seventh day for then God resting from giving being unto things began to set nature to the worke of propagation but any man may see First that this is only said without any ground Secondly that he was forced thereunto by labouring to reconcile the vulgar translation with that of Saint Austin the one reading in the seventh day the other in the sixt day God ended his worke Gen. 2.2 But what a small fly this is to choak so great a Camel will soone appeare for the text meaneth not that God did any thing upon the seventh day as Aquinas conceived but that b Inde ab hoc die destitit ab omni opificio Trem. in iâ—cum when the seventh day was come all things were finished nothing being defective either in regard of the first or second perfections of which the distinction speaketh Adam therefore had all things perfected and so delivered into his hands on the sixt day And c Hoc loco non dicit Deus rebus ipsis benedixisse sed diei Est 2. Dist 15. art 9. one observes rightly that the text saith God blessed the day not the creatures so that if it were true that nature binds us to keepe those very daies on which we have received mercies Adam was obliged to the Friday which I thinke no man will presume to affirme Thirdly whatsoever was commanded Adam in paradise was universally commanded unto all mankind in all their generations for we were all in Adam neither had our first parents any personall or temporary precept but the Law of the seventh-day Sabbath is of no such universall extent neither is it still in force The first appears because the d So Moses The Lord hath given you the Sabbath Exod. 16.29 So Nehemiah thou madest knowne unto them thy holy Sabbath by the hand of Moses thy servant Neb. 9.14 So Ezek. 20.12 reckoning up Gods favours to that nation saith moreover I gave them also my Sabbaths Scriptures doe ever appropriate the Sabbath as a peculiar rite prescribed the Iewes The second is also manifest for we observe not at this day that Sabbath which is said to have been given Adam which we must have done had it been commanded in paradise unlesse we could shew expresse precepts given to Adam to the contrary but such a countermaine certaine it is Adam never received Fourthly that which is eyther naturall or commanded in Paradise before the fall was not to be abrogated by Christ in the fulnesse of time the reason hereof is because that fulnesse of time wherein Christ came and did all things appertaining to the Messias is to be reckoned from the promise of the seed which was not made till after the fall that therefore which preceeded this promise appertained not to the Messias either to establish or abolish but the observation of that Sabbath which is pretended to have been commanded Adam in paradise is abrogated by Christ as he is the Messias even that day on
sanctificatio una qua sanctificatum est a Deo altera qua praecipieâ—atur Israeli Sanctificatio Deiest quâ dics septimus statim initio est quieti deputatus consecratus sanctificatio Israelis est diem septimum â— Deo quieti sanctificatum pro sancto habere Mus praecept 4. Musculus that there is a twofold sanctification of the Sabbath For both God sanctified it and Israel sanctified it God sanctified the Sabbath when presently from the begining he deputed and consecrated the seventh day unto rest Israels sanctifying was the keeping holy that day which God had long before deputed to be kept According to this twofold sanctification there is a twofold respect of the word Remember For in the commandement they are bid to remember the ground of the seventh-daies destination to this holy use from the begining In that of Deuteronomy they are bid remember the immediat ground or reason of the actuall institution and observation of the day The word therefore Remember in the commandement hath not as is supposed primarily any reference either to the works of God or to the finishing of those works but secondarily inclusively only as being the occasion of Gods destinating the day to be in time to come the Churches Sabbath which they are primarily and immediatly commanded to remember And in that other place Remember hath respect unto their deliverance out of Egypt as being the primary and immediat reason of the Sabbaths institution actuall observation And indeed if wee will speake of things as they are wee shall finde that the Sabbath could not congruously have been instituted and observed untill this time of their deliverance For now God makes to himselfe a glorious Church which before lay hid in private families in the midst of Idolaters without Ceremony without sanctuary and therefore without Sabbath for Sabbath and Sanctuary are relatives in Moses a Levit. 19.30 Ye shall keepe my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary No Sanctuary no Sabbath Now and not till now God hath a separated people unto himself and the Sabbath we know was given them as a pledge and seale of this separation Therefore the Prophet Speaking of the great favours of God to this people as distinguished from others saith b Ezek. 20.12 moreover I gave them my Sabbaths to be a signe betweene me and them that I am the Lord that sanctify them Where first the prophet speakes of them Emphatically he gave his Sabbaths to them and none but them to be a signe between him and them and none but them that he doth sanctify them and none but them and all this when he lifted up his hand unto them to deliver them Secondly he speaks of Sabbaths in the plurall number meaning all their three sorts of Sabbaths of daies months and yeares all which are made the signes and pledges of their separation That this is the common exposition of that place by all but himselfe is confessed by a Aliqui consent dici hic Sabbatha in plurali ut significet triplex Sabbathum primum dierum quod proprie dicebatur Sabbathum secundum mesium tertium annorum nam Sabbata haec o ania dedit Deus Iudaeis in signum salutis quietis danâ—â— per Christum Cor. Lap. Cornelius à Lapide the Iesuite as great an enemy to this destination as any other But if any list to be contentious herein declining this place as they doe that of the Colossians as if the prophet spake not of their weekly Sabbath but only of their other feasts the words of b Neh. 9.13.14 Nehemiah seeme to me as cleare as the noone-day saying thou madest knowne unto them thy holy sabbath the weekly sabbath and commandest them precepts and ordinances and lawes by the hand of Moses thy servant God we see made known now unto them not unto their fathers this weekly Sabbath by the hand of Moses his servant Ob. If any say it was now made known unto them only by way of remembrance reviving that old ordinance of his which had now been a long time intermitted by reason of their bondage in Egypt Sol. I answere that our Sabbatharians when it serves their purpose tell us that this law of the Sabbath and the practice thereof was ever on foot from the begining amongst the very heathen by the light of nature and that from hence the number of seven came to be so highly magnified amongst them if this be so it s in vaine to tell us now that the Sabbath was either forgotten or neglected especially in Egypt where all kind of knowledge at this time flourished how can that be revived which never perished Ob. You will perhaps reply to that place in Nehemiah that the whole morall law was given unto Israel by the hand of Moses in the wildernesse may we from hence conclude that therefore they never were in the world till then in precept or practice Sol. I answere that the text it selfe puts a remarkable difference between the other commandements of the decalogue and this of the Sabbath named there as the head of the Ceremonials and Iudicials For those words thou madst known unto them thy holy Sabbath and commandedst them precepts and ordinances and laws by the hand of Moses thy servant cannot in any congruity be understood of the morals which are immediatly engraven upon the conscience and I thinke are no where said to be made known by the hand of Moses But let this be granted yet let it be considered what he saith in the words immediatly going before Thou camest downe also upon mount Sinai and spakest unto them from heaven and gavest them right judgements and true lawes good statutes and commandements and then I conceive we may well conclude that when he addeth and thou madest knowen unto them thy holy Sabbath and commandedst them precepts and ordinances and lawes by the hand of Moses thy servant either he meaneth the same lawes spoken of immediatly before which were such a tautology as I think cannot be paraleld in Scripture or that the text apparently distinguisheth between the morals in the thirteenth and the ceremonials and Iudicialls of which the Sabbath was head in the fourteenth verse Ob. Fiftly it is objected that the words of the commandement in the twentieth of Exodus have expresse relation to the words of the story Genesis the second and that therefore the word Remember bids them look back to what God had appointed from the begining Now the words of the commandement speake not of any destination but of an institution therefore that also in Genesis must so be understood Answ I answere that since the booke of Genesis was written after the law was given as most of the learned acknowledge and were very easy to be demonstrated the contrary is most true that the words Gen. the second have relation to the words of Exodus the twentieth as being first written in the tables of stone and from thence transferred by the historian Neither doth the word
at that time When Moses saith it is the holy Sabbath the present tense is put for the future as is most usuall when we speak of daies or solemnities though novell and occasionall To the fifth we say that Noah in sending or forbearing to send forth his Dove was not guided by any rule of Religion For I would aske any sober man whether if Noah had sent out the Dove upon the Sabbath supposing a Sabbath to have been in the daies of Noah he had thereby sinned in breaking the Sabbath For if the Sabbath were broken thereby it must be either by the Dove flying on that day which were too ridiculous or by Noahs letting her out of the Arke and by this rule he that should open a casement of his house to let a bird abroad upon the Sabbath for Noah did no more should prophane it which to affirme is more then Iewish superstition But you will say Noah regarded not the flying of the Dove only he durst not doe it on the Sabbath because it was his own work and his thoughts should have been imployed about his worldly estate and condition which the d Esai 52. Prophet forbids This place of the Prophet we shall have fitter occasion hereafter to examine For the present it shall suffice to remember that Noah at this time though he were saved from drowning yet he suffered also under the common distresse of the flood Was it sin think you for Noah to think upon this calamity on the seventh day or to labour to know how neere God had set a period to that misery If a man were at sea where or in what part of the world he knew not would you hold him guilty of prophanesse if he should goe about to discry the land upon the Sabbath day But what other reason can be given of this seventh days expectation which is thus noted in the text Some perhaps will say because seven is the number of perfection that Noah might have conceived that God would compleat his Iudgement and make dry the earth upon some seventh day or that knowing that God made the world in seven daies of nothings he might hope that he would new make it againe as it were out of the flood in some such time But for mine owne part I doe not conceive that the observation of numbers was yet extant but rather that Noah was directed hereunto by the change of the Moone in every seven daies well a He resolved to open the windowes or flood-gates of heaven giving extraordinary strength of influence to the starres Bolton knowing that the element of water is most subject to this Planet as experience sheweth And there is no doubt to be made but that as God did miraculously both powre downe the flood and withdraw it so in both works he used the help of second causes and strengthned the naturall influences of those heavenly bodies This reason therefore doth no way conclude To the sixt which is the place of Iob. understanding by the sons of God Iob and his children and their standing before the Lord their keeping of the Sabbath If it be the interpretation of Pineda the Iesuit I think it is a singular phantasy of his owne But to give Pineda his due although he seeme to say that this sence may be gathered out of the septuagint yet he himselfe affirmes that by the sons of God in that place are meant the holy Angels and proves by many reasons borrowed from b Ex quibus omnibus efficitur vt qui filâ—â— Dei venerunt ut assisterent coram Domino Sancti Angeli nocessariò sint Pined ex Aquin part 3. q. 13. Aquinas that the title of the sons of God doth more often agree to the Angels then to men in holy Scripture This argument therefore as it is forsaken of reason so also of authority only we may note by the way that Iob offered sacrifice for his children every day not upon any one set day more religiously observed then another To the seventh be it granted that time hath ever been divided by weeks notwithstanding some say that before Israels coming out of Egypt we find no mention of them at all in Scripture But that there should be no such division of time without the seventh-day Sabbath hath no ground of reason For look how time came to be measured by quarters and months which was by the Sun and Moon set for that purpose in the heavens so likewise by weeks And therefore I make no question but that the heathen who never heard of a seventh-day Sabbath have weeks as well as months and years For men doe naturally observe the course of those great lights and by the revolution of the Sunne recken their yeares by the Moone their Months Now the subdivision of the moneth into weeks is chalked out unto them by the foure changes of the Moone This argument therefore seemeth to suppose that which is against the light of nature viz. that men first began to divide time by weeks and so adding week unto week made up the yeare whereas they are naturally taught first to accompt months and yeares and afterwards to subdivide these into weeks Lastly this argument supposeth that Adam observed the next day after his creation for a Sabbath which I suppose few will affirme sure I am none can prove To the eight be it granted that God never failes in necessaries that the points of faith and hope mentioned in the argument were behoovefull instructions for Adam and the Patriarches that they are also included in the ordinance of the Sabbath but that they are only shut up in this ordinance or that Adam and the Fathers before the law learned them not else where is no way to be yeclded For they might have them as questionles they had both by the light of nature and of revelation By naturall light for we must not think that Adam utterly lost the knowledge of his Creator or works of creation he knew after his fall a Gen. 3.12 the voice of God he knew also that God had given him the woman It was also known by the light of revelation in the promise of the blessed seed in which is comprised both our creation redemption and translation to a better life as b Mihi ne quid dissimutem non subinnui tantùm boc loto sed â—ltâ voce proclamari videtur relegatae gentis restituâ—io Park l. 1. de delcen one hath well observed Our creation in these words out of the earth wast thou taken and thou art but dust our redemption in those he shall break thine head our translation in the last clause till thou returne in which he proclaimes the restitution of Adam and his posterity that are his seed to the happinesse of Paradise not earthly but heavenly To the ninth we say the Patriarches no doubt did publikely worship God their altars and sacrifices make it manifest neither was it any will-worship in them but appointed by
day of Gods rest It is not á Sabbath but thé Sabbath even that which God sanctified and is pretended to have been as ancient as Adam The Sabbath must be the same with the seventh or else there is no tolerable sence or congruity in that Law Or Materially as challenging a tribute of our time As if it said put a part some certaine and set time from thine own employments for Gods publike worship and in this sence m Hocest quod usitatè rectè dicitur novum testamentum non genus quod morale est sed speciem quae caeremonialis est abrogâsse Chem. part 4. exam Morale est quant ùm ad hoc quo l homo leputet aliquod tempus vitae suae ad vacanduÌ„ divinis Aq. 2.2 ae q. 122. art 4. in corpore Festa quoà d genus instituta sunt quoad speciem manent in liber â potestate Ecclesiae Bald. c. de Sab. Casu 2. they affirme it to be Morall and not otherwise That God therefore must have some of our time allotted out for his publike service is the substance of that commandement to continue for ever unto the worlds end The whole letter as it is expressed in the decalogue is the shadow vanished away being either Ceremoniall Iudiciall or mysticall Therefore saith o An vero propter unum praeceptum quod ibi de Sabbatho positum est dictus est Decalogus littera occidens quoniam quisquis illum diem huc usque observat ficut litera sonat carnaliter sapit Aug. de spirit lit c. 14. S. Augustine he that keepeth the Sabbath as the letter soundeth is carnally wise not spirituall To which purpose p Quod in lege quae duabus tabulis lapide is conscripta est solum inter caetero in umbr â figurae positum est in qu â Iudaei Sabbathum observant ib. he speaketh continually And q Bedae Hexa Bede affirmes that the Apostles of Christ took clean away the letter of the Sabbath But we will as was promised descend to particulars declaring and following herein the footsteps of the holy Ghost and reverend Antiquity First that in regard of the rest and precisenesse thereof it was Ceremoniall Secondly that in regard of the persons it was Iudiciall Thirdly that in regard of the determination of the time and imitation of Gods rest it was mystically to be understood That is properly a leviticall ceremony which God commanded Moses in the Leviticall Law to shadow out Christ or his offices or his benefits and doctrine of the Gospell And therefore the Apostle defines the Ceremoniall Law to be r Heb. 10.1 Co. 2.17 a shadow of good things to come whose body is Christ These Ceremonials are farther marked unto us by s Vsus Caeremoniarum erat primo ut essent imagines cultus interioris secundo ut demonstrarent immunditiem hominis inhaerentem tertio ut palpabiles essent conciones de passione Christi quarto ut essent maceries quibus Jsraelis Ecclesia â— reliquis gentibus discerneretut Buc. de leg Divines by diverse characters First the Ceremonies were notes and badges of distinction between Iew and Gentile parts of the wall of separation set between them Secondly they were helps to discover unto them their naturall filthinesse in Gods sight Thirdly they did shadow out unto them that inward and invisible worship which God requireth of all such as worship him in spirit and truth Fourthly they were unto the people so many visible sermons of the death of Christ and glad tidings of the Gospell not that the ceremonials did alwaies look only to things to come for many of them had as it were two faces and pointed historically to things past as well as mysteriously to things to come The Passover did remember them of their deliverance out of Egypt the Pentecost of the law given in mount Sinai the feast of the Tabernacles of Gods protection of them the wildernesse the Sabbath of the Creation of the world in sixe daies Yet as s Quamvis instituta erant obrecordationem beneficiorum praeteritorum ut Sabbathum in memoriam creationis tamèn habebant coniunctam adumbrationem promissionem spiritualium beneficiorum in Christo exhibendornm scilicet Sabbathum gaudiâ—m spirituale et requiè confeientiae datam in Christo Ioh. Sarisb Episcop in Col. 2. v. 17. a learned Prelate of the Church hath observed all these had thereunto annexed the shadowes of things spirituall As their passover was a type of our redemption by the bloud of Christ their Pentecost of the powring out of the spirit writing Gods lawes in the tables of our hearts their feasts of Tabernacles of our present pilgrimage to Ierusalem which is above their Sabbath of the peace of conscience and joy of heart which we receive by a lively faith their new Moones of the Churches illumination So that their looking back to some remarkable Histories of things past did nothing hinder them from being shadowes of good things to come These therefore being the undoubted and generally received cognisances of Ceremoniall observances we must examine whether they doe agree unto the law of the Sabbath And first that the Sabbath was a part of the wall of partition given to distinguish Iewes from Gentiles appears both by the law and the Prophets keep you my Sabbath saith god by t Exod. 31.12 Moses for it is a signe between me and you in your generations that ye may know that I the Lord doe sanctisy you therefore shall ye keep my Sabbath And by z Ezek. 20 21â— Ezechiel the Lord saith I gave them also my Sabbaths to be a signe between me and them By comparing of which places plaine it is that God spake this not of their other feasts and solemnities the common evasion but also chiefly of the weekly Sabbath for though in the Prophet it be in the plurall number Sabbaths yet in Moses it is the Sabbath The Sabbath was a signe between God and his people viz. Of his covenant made with them having discarded all other nations making them only a holy and a peculiar people to himselfe leaving others in their pollutions and to their manifold abominations The Law of the Sabbath was of the same nature with that of the circumcision as a Ergo Sabbathum circumcisio in signum data sunt veri Sabbathi verae circumcisionis Hier. in Eze. 20. S. Hierom hath well observed upon that place of Ezechiel b Hoc quidem illustre esse voluit Deus discriminis symbolum inter Iudaeos profanas gentes unde diabolus quo infamiam aspergeret purae sanctaeque religioni per protervas linguas Iudaica Sabbatha saepe traduxit Cal. in Exod. praeceâ— 4. M. Calvin calls it an illustrious sign of greater note and use to separate the Iew from the Gentile then circumcision could be And this was the reason why the Devill raised up so many blasphemous tongues against it amongst the heathen c
which could not be without kindling of fires But I cannot conceive that any Mosaicall ceremony once instituted could be abolished till they were altogether nailed to the crosse especially having reference to any benefit which the faithfull receive from Christ as hath this of the Sabbath Now though the Iews rest were so strict and exact yet we may justly wonder at the penalty inflicted on the transgressors death since God passed over greater things with lesse censures as fornication and theft which are contrary to the Law and light of nature it selfe i Nisi eximium aliquid singulare fuisset in Sabbatho videri posset aequa atrocius iubere hominem interfici tantùm quoniam ligna deciderat Calv. in Exod. Calvin therefore saith rightly that unlesse there were some excellent and singular thing in the Sabbath more then is expressed in the letter it might seeme to savour of cruelty to put a man to death for gathering a few sticks and kindling a fire with sticks already gathered But saith he what was this great and excellent thing in the Sabbath Doubtlesse not the litterall rest for then the punishment should continue still the same and the precise observation of this rest ought to remaine It is therefore the mystery that is so excellent and highly esteemed of the Lord viz. that the faithfull should sanctify unto him an k Sabbathum commendatum est priori populo in otio corporali temporaliter ut sigura esset sanctificationis in requiem spiritus sancti Aug. ad Ian. ep 119. entire rest from all even the least servile works of sinne and Sathan leaving no one lust unmortified to raigne in them into which absolute liberty Christ will also at last bring us This is the meere reason why God doth by his Prophets so punctually stand upon the observation of the Sabbath because in the violation of the litterall rest they did in effect spurne at this spirituall rest which was the substance of that shadow If any man aske whether then under the Gospell no bodily rest be at all commanded we shall I trust in due time give him satisfaction herein when we come to those questions which concerne the Lords day The next thing in the letter of the commandement are the persons there named thy sonne thy daughter thy man servant thy maid servant cattell and stranger although l Damasc lib. 4. sidei vnbodox cap. 24. Damascen avoucheth it for Ceremoniall making children Servants Strangers a Type of our sinfull and naturall affections and the Oxe and the Asse figures of the flesh or sensuality Yet I rather consent with those amongst whom also are some of our adversaries in this question who affirme this passage to be partly Memorative looking back to their seruitude in Egypt partly Iudiciall teaching that mercilesse people that God expected that their servants nay their beasts should then at that time have rest and refreshing We have in the next place the prescribed time the seventh day even that day which God himselfe rested on which how and in what respects it was mysticall and figurative let others speak m Magdeb. Cent. 12. Petrus Alphonsus a Iew baptized in the Christian faith 1106 being then 40 yeares of age and having for witnesse of his baptisme Alphonsus that pious King of Aragon from whom he received the name of Alphonsus in honour of his worth and learning This Alphonsus I say presently upon his baptisme and being a Christian had many and great contestations with the Iewes from whom he revolted Amongst other things was questioned the law of the Sabbath which he affirmed to be Ceremoniall even in this very part thereof which concerned the time For said he as God the Father ended all his works in six daies and rested the seventh at the worlds Creation so the sonne finished his course also upon the same day and rested with it is finished on the seventh at the worlds redemption His conclusion therefore is that since that is accomplished of which the observation of the Sabbath was a signe it is altogether needlesse that any such observation should be longer continued And indeed it may well be thought to be more then casuall that Christ should pronounce his Consummatum est upon the Crosse much about the same time as we may probably conjecture in which God the Father made the woman last of all his creatures n Ipso die Sabbathi requievit in sepuichro postquà m sexto are consummavit omnia opera sua Aug in Gen. ad lit lib. 4. c. 11. St Augustine teacheth the same almost in the same words and o Omnes solennitates veteris legis fuerunt institutae in coÌ„memorationem alicujus beneficij divini vel iam exhibiti vel figurati ideo observantia Sabbathi in quâ commemoratur beneficium creationis figurabatur quies corporis Christi in sepulchro fuit potissima Durand lib. 3. dist 37. q. 10. ad quartum Durand also upon the third of the sentences and many others Lastly Gods example is proposed but upon this the Apostle hath a plaine comment when he saith he that entred into rest hath ceased from his own works as God did from his which being a reason of that which immediatly goeth before there remaineth a rest unto Gods people must needs make Gods resting from his works a Proto-type of our resting in Christ which is indeed the rest of God as St Chrysostome expounds it This day therefore of which the Commandement speaketh as of the day of rest is observed to have no evening annexed unto it as the others had when it is said the evening and the morning were the first day because Gods rest which we have in Christs is permanent to last for ever This p Ego vero non dubito quin Deus sex diebus condiderit mundum ac septimo quieverit ut documentum ederet summae operum suorum perfection is it a ut dum se typum proponit ad imitationem significat se ad veram fâ—licitatis metam suoâ— vocare Calv. in Exod. Mr Calvin puts to be out of question the meaning of the letter God saith he made all the world in six daies and rested the seventh to shew us the perfection of his works And therefore he proposed himselfe in the Commandement to be imitated by the Iewes in the Mosaicall law to teach them that he calls all them that believe in him to compleat perfect and everlasting happinesse even that spoken of Esai 66.23 CHAP. IX The Arguments for the affirmative examined THe first which is commonly famed for invincible and unanswerable is as weak as any of the rest All the Commandements of the Decalogue are Morall but still with that distinction and difference of Morality spoken of in the former Chap. All are Morall but every one in his proportion and degree and so is that of the Sabbath Morall it is for substance not circumstance Morall in regard of the purpose and intention of the Law-giver that some
the feasts of dedication of Churches or occasionall as marriages and Christning-dinners be forbidden Christian people as prophanations of the Lords day The second generall head and Lerna of perplexities is whether the duties of holinesse by which the day is sanctified be only acts of the publique worship of God in the Congregation or whether the private exercises also of Religion appertaine unto the day as necessary and immediate duties thereof and that during the whole time And under this head a world of particular cases are raised also and many times such as neither wise men nor learned men would imagine as daily appeares by experience to men of Pastorall employment in the Church But these and the forenamed particulars being delivered as Magisteriall dictates and conclusions out of the former Positions my purpose is only to make enquirie into the two generall heads under which they are contained For these being weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary and true iudgement the rest will evidence themselues as Corollaries CHAP. XXII The Question concerning the Corporall rest is proposed with the Arguments for the affirmatiue THat the outward bodily cessation from all secular employments whatsoever is of it selfe a duty of the Christians mans Feast-day may seeme to be proved by many undenyable arguments First that which is an essentiall duty of all Sabbaths in generall is an essential duty of every Sabbath in particular But the Lords day is the Christian mans Sabbath may so be called though improperly as hath beene formerly confessed and bodily rest is an essentiall duty of all Sabbaths in generall as appeares both by the very name of Sabbath which signifies as much as cessation and more expresly by the letter of the fourth Commandement In it thou shalt doe no manner of work confirm'd by the a Exod â—â— 15 commination of death from the Lords owne mouth upon all those that shall transgresse this Law Ergo c. Secondly the Prophets are the best Commentators of the Law and are therefore usually put together b Math. â—â— 40 The Law and the Prophets But the Prophet Isaiah saith that those who will honour the Lord in his Sabbath must not doe their owne works nor follow their own pleasures nor speak their owne words In which three whatsoever may be any businesse of our own is expresly forbidden us on the Lords Sabbath by which we honour him Therefore c. Thirdly in all Lawes whatsoever that is essentiall and for its owne sake commanded for whose sake other things in the Law are enjoyned according to the common Maxime Illud est perse propter quod est aliud But many things in the fourth precept are commanded that this duty of utter cessation from all secular employments may be performed For wherefore would God haue not only our Children and servants rest but our beasts also to rest unlesse only that all meanes and occasions of not resting might be taken from the Parents Masters and owners themselues Therefore c. Fourthly All theft is directly immediatly and for its owne sake forbidden and of thefts the cheife and capital is Sacriledge But to work upon the Lords day is theft nay sacriledge for we steale so much from God this day being his as we bestow upon our selues and our owne employments whereas on the contrary by resting on that day we abstaine from holy things and giue the Lord his own Therefore c. Fiftly whatsoever doth immediatly hinder any thing which God commandeth is immediatly forbidden in the Negatiue of every Affirmatiue This is a Maxime generally received in expounding the Decalogue But all kinds of works upon the Lords day whether serious or lusorie doe immediatly hinder that which God commands viz. To attend his worship and service suffering him to work effectually in us by his word and Spirit This Moses doth plainely teach us in saying * Lev. 23.3 There shall no work be done therein in is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings c. Where first he repeats his Commandement There shall no work be done therein Secondly he giues the reason for it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings It is not possible for you to performe the duties of the Lords Sabbath or that God should work on you therein unlesse there be an utter cessatioÌ„ from all kindes of works It stands also with reason for worldly imployments steale away the heart from holy things and according to our Saviours rule * Mat 6.24 We cannot serue God and Mammon Sixtly that which immediatly resisteth and overthroweth the Kingdome of God in us * Rom. 14.17 Which is righteousnesse peace ioy in the holy Ghost must needs be immediatly and for its owne sake forbidden by the Law of God But all secular imployments of what nature soever upon the Lords day immediatly resist and subvert the kingdome of God in us Righteousnesse take it how we will either for the righteousnesse of justification which is imputed or righteousnesse of sanctification which is inherent commeth by hearing groweth by praier is strengthned by meditating and conferring not by journying working and sporting on the Lords day and the more these are practised by us on that day the lesse righteousnesse must needs be in us The conscience also is deeply wounded by such grosse prophanations if it be not senselesse seared as appeares by the confessions of Converts Penitents and the Godly feele in themselues by daily experience And it cannot but diminish the joy of the holy Ghost for this is chiefly fed and nourished by holy meetings and godly exercises of religion Nay if it be true which many learned men affirme at least for probable that Christ shall come to judgement on the Lords day What little joy can any man finde in things earthly and sensuall on the day when for ought he knowes he may suddenly heare the voice of the Archangell summoning him before the Tribunall of the Lord whose Sabbath he is then prophaning Seventhly if there were no law prohibiting works on this day the very law of expediency were enough For it 's no way expedient on that day to make such a medly of things heavenly with things earthly to mix the holy things of God with things prophane base and vile things with things honourable and glorious this were to make the Lords-day a garment of linsy-woolsy But the Lords day and the duties thereof are things holy heavenly and glorious All secular imployments prophane vile contemptible The * 1. Cor. 6.2 Apostle calls the things of this life the smallest things Therefore c. Eightly that which was ever blasted in all ages with some extraordinary curse remarkable judgement is doubtlesse not only unlawfull but in an high manner abominable in Gods sight For the Lord * Exod. 34.6 being gracious long-suffering and slow to anger doth not usually reveale his wrath from heaven but against some unsufferable ungodlinesse of men But the prophanation of
the Lords day by servile works hath beene ever thus blasted whether done about sun-rising that day and being a matter of no great importance or after evening prayer in the afternoone to take away all evasions from the circumstance of time Of this there hath beene much and lamentable experience ever since the Kings Declaration he being confuted as it were herein by the King of Kings Ninthly The consent of the whole Church ever since Constantines time as appeares by the Edicts of that Emperour with sundry Synodicall constitutions in all ages many wholsome statutes made to this purpose in all parts of the Christian world The Fathers also haue been large in the same argument utterly condemning even those speeches and conferences which withdraw our mindes from the serious meditation of what we haue heard in the congregation a Chrys Ho◠5. c. 1. Math. S. Chrysostome hath much to this purpose which he doth also illustrate by two familiar similitudes The one of men that goe into the hot Bathes for their health as soone as they come out they retire themselues to rest and sweat in their beds least by going abroad about their businesse they depriue themselues of the benefit of their bathing The Lords day is as it were the day of the soules spirituall bathing in the living and wholsome waters of the word of God and the blood of Christ. This day therefore should be a most retired day wherein we should be secluded frō all earthly things least we depriue our selues of the wholsome profit thereof The second is of Scholars at Schoole when they haue their tasks sett them they labour and beat upon it the whole day and all is little enough Vpon the Lords day we sitt at Christ feet in his Schoole to be taught from his mouth What we haue heard from him in the Congregation must be our worke the whole day after unlesse we affect to be like broken vessels which receiue much but retaine little S. b Aug. in Ps 32. Augustine also bitterly inveighs against sports and pastimes upon this day and by name against Dancing saying a man were better upon the Lords day goe to plough By which it seems he condemnes all kinde of works and recreations concuring with that c Oportet Christianos in laude Dei gratiarum actione usque ad vesperam perseverare Syn. Tur. c. 4. Synod held at Tours in France which faith that Christians ought upon the same day to persevere in the praises of God and in giving of thanks untill the night To which purpose runnes the unanimous consent of all those worthies in the Church of England which haue treated on this subject almost since the Reformation CAP. XXIII The Arguments for the Negative are also related THE Negatiue also is supported by sundry reasons First that which is not under any Law Naturall or Positiue can be no essentiall duty unto which the conscience is bound under the penalty of sinne for where there is no Law there can be no Transgression But cessation from work upon the Lords day is under no Law Naturall or Positiue not naturall for it is neither a principle in nature knowne unto all men nor any conclusion to be deriv'd from any naturall principle I meane such a totall cessation as is here questioned For that men should haue times of rest and refreshing is naturall that God should haue part of our time sequestred for his worship is also naturall but neither the question nor arguments produced intend this naturall rest but an artisiciall kinde of cessation which our Sabbatharians haue fancied unto themselues and cannot be knowne unto us unlesse by Revelation Neither is it under any positiue precept for then it might be shewed in some Evangelicall writer and we need not fly to the Law and the Prophets of the old Testament to which satisfaction will soone be given Secondly Nothing commanded the Iew as a Ceremonie under Moses is or can be an essentiall duty of Religion unto the Christians in the time of the Gospell And the reason is plaine for the ceremoniall law was the application of things in their own natures indifferent to mysticall and holy uses and otherwise there could be no distinction between Morall Ceremoniall But that utter and totall cessation from works here spoken of was a ceremony commanded the Iew under Moses hath already been manifested Therefore c. Thirdly That which is not in it's selfe in its own nature an act of Religion cannot be in its selfe and its own nature a universall Christian duty binding all men under the penalty of sinne But an utter cessation from bodily labour upon the Lords day is not in its selfe and its own nature an act of Religion for then it must be some part of Gods worship inward or outward wherewith if rightly performed God is well pleased But God saith M. Calvin is not taken with any bodily rest and cessation of his creatures precisely and of it selfe considered upon what day soever which I think all men of sober mindes will acknowledge it cannot therefore be of it selfe a Christian duty upon the Lords day If any man say it is a part of Gods worship being an ordinance commanded by him Let him shew us any such command for the Christian festivall and I will subscribe Fourthly that which of it selfe doth no way further our spirituall edification in Christ is not a Christian duty binding the conscience upon any day But corporall rest from the works of our lawfull callings doth no way further our spirituall edification For if * 2. Tim. 4.8 Bodily exercise profiteth nothing bodily cessation profiteth lesse If any man say it helpeth much to Edification for by this meanes we may wholy attend the things of God I answer that is not the thing in question for then it edifieth not by and of it selfe but by and through the holy exercises If it be further said that it doth edifie remembring us of our spirituall rest required of us and the eternall rest promised unto us I answer that this Edification proceedeth not from the d Significatio alia est divina seu à Deo rebus addita a◠ob signationem cultum ut significatio Sacramentorum alia humana ecclesiastica hominū instituto rebus addita utsit occasio memorandi rem gestam illa est necessaria haec libera significatio dominicae est humanitūs Parae in Ro. 14. thing it selfe but as affix't thereunto by our own inventions and institutions And so the Surplice the Crosse standing at the Creed all Church Ceremonies doe edifie which yet of themselues are not Christian duties Fiftly if Christian liberty extend it selfe to things of greater consequence carrying with them far greater shew of divine command then doubtlesse we are much more free in things of lesse importance But we are left free under the Gospell to many things of greater weight as Vowing Fasting Preaching Catechizing receiving the Sacraments Confession
it will not be difficult to dissolue the arguments formerly alleadged To the first therefore I say it is utterly untrue that outward rest and cessation from secular employments is an essentiall duty of Sabbaths in generall but of Sabbaths properly so called which were only the Iewish weekly Sabbaths And this those very Scriptures used for confirmation doe make appeare being all of them branches of the law Ceremoniall The Lords day is a Sabbath but not properly so called and as the word doth signifie but Analogically and in its proportion And therefore the Christian Holy-day is no where stiled by this name either in Scripture or Antiquity as hath already been declared Lastly we deny not but there is a Rest which is Morall and eternall to all dayes of publique and solemne worship as it is laid downe in our fist Conclusion but not as any essentiall duty as essentiall is here taken that is of it selfe and its owne nature without reference to the publique worship For so it was to the Iewes in the fourth Commandement and so our Sabatharians now make it pressing the Letter of that precept in the same nay in a greater rigour then ever it did binde the Iewes This argument therefore is weake in all the parts thereof The second carrieth with it much weight with poore ignorant well-minded people as seeming to be the very words of the holy Ghost But how both they and the Text it selfe haue been abused hath already been shewed and need not here to be repeated We will only adde what the argument it selfe suggesteth that the Prophet Commenteth upon the Law and the Letter of the Law is wholy Ceremoniall as hath also been declared To the third That the Rest of the fourth Commandement was imposed upon Servants and Beasts to take away all occasions of travaile from their Masters and owners or that this was intended by the Law-giver herein is a groundlesse fancy and comes neere to wresting and perverting of Scripture For when the Law-giver shall with his owne mouth render a reason of his owne Law expressing what he aimed at in the severall clauses thereof it is not only vanity but presumption in any other to shew the depth of his reach to tell us of other reasons and those directly contrary to his and all this in his name as being sent from him with He saith It is so in this particular For God hath expressely expounded this clause in the Commandement and shewed his aime therein as first that it was to remember them of their labours in Egypt where they were servants entreated more like beastes then men Secondly it was the Lords goodnes extending it selfe euen to the meanest of his Creatures that their Servants Cattle might be refreshed as well as themselues not therefore for the Masters sakes as a restraint as is pretended but for the poore Servants and Beasts sakes to be refreshed thereby was this added in the Commandement God having thus rendred an account of this passage it is more subtile then solid savors more of acutenesse then of religion to affix to this exposition any glosses and conceits of our owne The fourth hath already been satisfied in the Question concerning the duration of the Lords day To the fift it is indeed true that all impediments of holy duties are forbidden by the same Commandement wherein the duty is required though not immediately as the duty it selfe but inclusiuely by way of reduction only as Privations are reduced to the same Predicaments with their habits But that all secular and civill works words thoughts are such impediments to the duties of the Lords day as are imagined unlesse they hinder us in the publique worship is utterly untrue The text of Leviticus speaks of the carnall Sabbathizing of the Iewes which being of it selfe a duty was broken by any thing done by them But we are Christians not Iewes And whereas it is suggested that secular diversions steale away the minde from holy things choaking the good seed of the word in us it being impossible to serue God and Mammon this is true indeed where the world is made an Idoll and a mans affections are immoderately set upon outward things and so the text alleadged doth expound it selfe Now every mans reason will tell him that there is a great difference between carking and careing for outward things which at all times is unlawfull as being the service of Mammon and the dispatching of some accidentall occurrent or secular discourses or ordinary affaires which are alwayes lawfull but when we ought to attend Gods publique worship To the sixth Were the Minor proposition true it would well neere follow that the actiue life should be most miserable and little better then prophanesse being by reason of infinite secular imployments made uncapeable of Righteousnesse Peace Ioy in the holy ghost a Magni maris fluctthâ—s quatior atque in navi wentis tempestatis validae procellis illidor Greg. dial S. Gregory indeed complaines that when he was taken out of his Monastery and made Bishop of Rome and by the greatnesse of his See forced to engage himselfe in the matters of the world it seemed a new tempest to his soule But what is this to some triviall imployments of particular men which may suddainly be trans-acted without tumult or distraction But to descend to the particulars It 's most true that faith which purifieth the heart is obtained by hearing the world strengthned by meditation and conference doth it therefore follow that by whatsoever else we doe we destroy or overthrow it It is as if in naturall things we should say naturall life doth consist in naturall heart and moisture both these be upheld by naturall food whatsoever therefore is not our naturall food overthroweth our naturall heate and moysture destroyeth naturall life in us and so war me cloathes in winner may kill Saving faith and our honest imployments of this life are so farre from being incompatible as that the one is preserved and cherished by the other when they are vndertaken and performed as they ought to be in the Lords presence with reverence and feare and obedience not intermitting the habituall bent of the soule towards heaven With these conditions the circumstance of time whether on this day or on that day is not materiall so the publique worship be not prejudic'd thereby The same is also most true of b Peractis saâ—r is anâ—mi gratià equiect quis piscetur aut simile quid jaciat non magis prophanat sabbathum quan Christus per sata â—llâ— de Sab. c. 5. Peractis sacris recreationes licitaesunt sed non carnales sâ—urriâ—es-quales in obsâ—â—nis â—udis â—osu chartaâ—â—â—â— tesseâ—acum compoâ—ationibus c. sed lusus priae nochi palesâ—rica exâ—â—citia jacuâ—atus simiâ—ia ad liberagem recreatione â—â—moâ—ò non â—â—ant cum neglectu caltus jacri qui ante omâ—iâ—pt aeceâ—ere dâ—â—er 〈◊〉 c. â— Recreations if they be honest in themselues and lawfull by the
Lord vnlesse we also adde thereunto sundry actuall performances the time and manners whereof they also shew us If therefore any difference be it is that we must be wholy taken up with such performances during the whole Sabbath for 24. houres and turne meere Euchites upon the day which is not required in other dayes But that the Sabbath is of no such length hath been already declared and that God giues no such continuate taskes of holy performances shall I hope before we part be made evident Secondly d Finis non seper est de substantià praecepti neque secundùm veros Theologos cadit sub praecepto Med. Inst Non idem est finis praecepti id de quo praeceptum datur Aquin. 1.2 qu. 100. art 9. ad 2. the end is not comanded by that Law in which the meanes are prescribed for though the precept of the end include also the precept of the meanes yet not on the contrary This proposition is laid downe by the Moralists as an undoubted maxime and doth evidently appeare For example when we are commanded to heare the word we are not by the force there of commanded to beleeue in Christ Iesus yet * Rom. 10.17 Faith as saith the Apostle cometh by hearing That rule which commandeth to beate downe the body and to keepe it in subjection doth not require of vs the vertues of humility chastity c. but on the contrary these being the end require the other as the meanes But the law of sanctifying a holy Sabbath is a law of the meanes whereby we are taught and enabled to serue the Lord in the private duties of holinesse and to exercise in our selues the graces of faith hope loue c. This also is plaine of it selfe and requires no farther proofe For why doe we resort to the congregation on the Lords day But partly to be instructed by the word partly to be inflamed with the loue of God and zeale unto his service the whole weeke after as well as to tender him our publike homage in acknowledgement of his soveraigne dominion Thirdly no affirmatiue precepts are to be extended beyond that which the letter doth containe though it be otherwise in precepts which be negatiue For example honour thy father and mother when we know what it is to honour our Superiours we haue the whole latitude of this Law It is not so I say in negatiues as appeares by our Saviours confutation of the Pharisees glosses upon the seventh Commandement But the law of the Sabbath is an affirmatiue precept and prescribes the publique worship of God in the congregation therefore is not farther to be extended Fourthly if all duties of piety and mercy whatsoever were commanded by the law of the Sabbath then were there no difference at all between this and the other precepts of the Decalogue at least for that day so that upon one day of every weeke the other Commandements were needlesse and superfluous But this is not to be affirmed Ob. If any say that one and the same duty may be under divers precepts Resp I answer that though this be most true yet must we not confound the Law of God and make an intricate maze thereof to the entangling of mens consciences for the Decalogue is said to be ten words ten for their number words for their distinction I denie not that one and the same duty may be under divers precepts but then they are diversly considered as referred to divers ends The object of different commandements may be materially the same but formally distinct So temperance and sobriety may be both under the sixt and under the seventh precept under the sixt as meanes of preservation of breath under the seventh as the helps unto chastity and mortification But what formality can distinguish the duties of holinesse on the Lords day from the same duties on other daies I know not if you say to sanctifie the Sabbath the question is begged and so nothing said Fiftly were the whole practice of Religion both publique and private the duty of the Lords day then it would follow which is also affirmed that to obserue the Lords day were impossible to any man in the state of corruption For I think no man unlesse he be some braine-sick Perfectist will challenge to himselfe such a measure of holinesse though but for a day But that the law of the Lords day is thus impossible being not a Legall but Evangelicall observation of positiue command for all such are light yokes and easie burthens is utterly untrue Therefore c. Sixtly nothing but what is naturall and eternall is commanded in the fourth precept of the Decalogue binding us under the Gospell but that private and personall acts of religion should be performed by us precisely upon this or that day of publique worship in that manner as is required is not naturall and eternall binding us under the Gospell For the Law of nature prescribes only in generall not any thing for any time or day or manner in particular Seventhly that which is no where spoken of much lesse commanded in the new Testament bindes not the conscience of any under the Gospell but the private exercises of religion upon the Lords day are not spoken of much lesse commanded in the new Testament For then such commands were easily shewed all men would readily submit themselues thereunto Eightly this manner of observation seemeth to change the nature of the Lords day from being the Christian Feast and transformeth it rather into a day of Fast humiliation For let their doctrine of Sabbathizing be compared to the doctrine of fasting and we shall finde them the same saue only that a totall abstinence from all things wherein nature delighteth is required in the one but not so in the other But we must not metamorphize the Lords day which is and ought to be the Christian mans Festivall wherein he should not only inwardly but out wardly also rejoice in the Lord his God Ob. If any say that the true beleiver takes no greater comfort then in the exercises of humiliation nothing being so sweet unto him as the teares of contrition Resp I answer that what the * Heb. 12.11 Apostle speaketh of affliction in generall That afterwards it yeeldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousnesse to them that are exercised thereby is true also of the day of humiliation of the bruising of the soule in particular the affliction is one thing the fruit thereof another this ioyfull that for the present grievous and doth not so well sort with the nature of the Lords day Vpon which ground it was expresly forbidden the e Hoc ab omni ecclesiâ Orientali Occidentali observatum contra haereticos Can. Apost 61. Christians by Antiquity to fast upon the Lords day Ob. But is it not lawfull then for a man to repent and be converted unto God comming out of the state of sin into the state of grace through the troubles and anguishes
thing be universally affirmed herein considering the different states graces and abilities of men To the ninth the Lords day is said to be holy no otherwise then other things which are consecrated to Gods publique and holy worship and how farre things of this nature are apt of themselues and therefore doe often cooperate unto holinesse in us hath already been declared To the tenth it is most true that God intended by the Law of the Sabbath to mind his people of the worlds creation in six dayes but that he did bind them thereby to contemplate the particulars thereof which few but Philosophers are able to doe I think no man will affirme So the Lords day was sett a-part for the memory of Christs resurrection But what those private duties are unto this I see not unles you say that article is to be studyed And to speak truth if men would upō this day preach Christ in publique spend their private meetings only upon this subiect for Christ is a Theame seldome insisted upon true Christianity would be better knowne mens consciences would be better setled those meetings more charitable and innocent and none could oppose them therein But as the Proverb is Quid haec ad Icphali boves to the continuate and un-interrupted exercises of which we speak Lastly those Authorities which are and may be brought to this purpose to which may be added that Canon of the Church of England in the dayes of King Edward for spending the Lords day in private prayer and thanksgiuing acknowledging our offences reconciling our selues unto our brethren visiting the sick comforting the afflicted releiving the necessities of the poore instructing children and servants in the nurture and feare of the Lord are not delivered by the Church or ancient Fathers as expositions upon the fourth Commandement as if they were the duties of the Lords day as it is a Sabbath but only as pious and Godly admonitions where by to traine up men in religion and allure them unto holinesse Num. 11.29 Moses would had been glad if all the Lords people had been Prophets but no man will say that Moses therefore commanded them to prophecy The * Acts 26.29 Apostle wisheth all men were such as himselfe was shall we therefore condemne as transgressours those that were not such It is so here for although the Church doe not account for evill doers those that either cannot or doe not spend the Lords day as aforesaid yet I assure my selfe that both the Magistrates and every good man will be glad to see men make a good progresse in true piety and religion But what may commendably be done by some and what must necessarily be done by all are distinct things and herein stands the present Question Ob. If any say that therefore the Sabbatharian tenent must needs be better and safer then the contrary Resp I answer it doth no way follow for though the practice may be better being rightly qualified which seldome is yet the doctrine is worse for First it is false in it selfe Secondly unnecessary burthens are laid upon the conscience Thirdly many doubtfull perplexities are occasioned thereby Lastly an apparant schisme is made and fomented in the Church CAP. XXXI Wherein is contained the conclusion of the whole setting downe a short delineation of both the opinions and tenents in these severall Questions FOR conclusion of the whole it will not be amisse to present the Reader with a summary of the doctrine on both sides that so with one cast of his eye he may be able to see both wherein they dissent and which is more rationall in it selfe and more suitable to the word of God And here let the Reader take notice first of that which a The observation of the Christian Sabbath Pag 15. Mr Sprint hath well observed that in the most materiall points we consentingly agree though in certaine circumstances we differ each one abounding in his severall fence which makes it strange to me that our Adversaries should so stick in these points even against Authority it selfe since we so consentingly agree in points materiall This I say being premised not to take notice of every thing which might be collected out of the severall treatises hitherto extant I conceiue that the finest thread in which these Sabbatharian positions can be spun may be thus drawn First that God having created Adam in Paradise revealed unto him the creation with the order and manner and time thereof within the compasse of six dayes That the seventh therefore was the day of his rest which he would haue observed as a Sabbath by him and his posterity That this day was most fit to be appointed not only in regard of God who then rested but in regard of man also who was on the seventh day to enter upon the domion of the world as the Master thereof and what better entrance then with the service of his Creatour in sanctifying the Sabbath day That hence came all his time to be divided by weeks the boundary whereof was and that by diuine institution the Sabbath God having blessed the seventh day and hallowed it That this hallowing the day was the declaration of Gods will not what himselfe meant to doe long after but what he would haue men to doe from that time forth in all their generations That thus it continued in the practice of the Patriarches before and after the flood for else it had been impossible for the Israelites to haue known as it is plaine they did by their gathering of Manna which were the six dayes of the creation and which the seuenth of Gods resting For sure we are the time was first divided into weeks moneths yeares being not knowne till by long observation found out by the course of the Sunne Moone That though in this manner the Sabbath was given Adam by positiue Law yet easy it is to follow the footsteps of nature guiding us thereunto For all men acknowledge even by naturall light that some time is to be sett a-part for the publique worship but being to seek of the proportion in speciall and portion in particular nature kindly reacheth forth her hand guiding us to these also assuming as followeth That not only some time but a sufficient proportion there of is necessarily required as to all other workes so to this of the publique service That reason teacheth it is fit the Creature should waite the leasure of his Creatour in the designation of this sufficient proportion the Creature being under his absolute power and being no equall carver to it selfe in things of this kind and reaping also greater comfort in any observance for which it hath the warrant of its Creatour That seeing the week was the originall partition of time it must needs be more convenient to sett one day of the week a-part for the service of God then one in a fortnight or one in a month That herein an uniformity ought to be observed by all man-kind throughout all generations