and better information about this great concern he was pleased to work Six Days and rest One and set it apart for his Worship and Service This peculiar right he challengeth to himself in the Fourth Precept of the Decalogue Six Days shalt thou labour but the Seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God That is a Day of his own designation and appointment In the New Testament our Blessed Saviour is declared to be Lord of the Sabbath which can import no less than that he has an absolute power to determine it and that none have authority to alter what he is pleased to do It is an evident injury to attempt to meddle with that of which another is the Lord without his leave and privity God created Man He best knows his strength and ability He has a clear prospect of the molestations and necessities this sublunary state will expose him to He fully understands what time is fit to be spent in worldly business and what in the concerns of Religion Men have no certain rule to determine by for all People and Nations If it had been left to them the result of such a concession would have been nothing but ataxy and confusion Their secular imployments are very various some are more incumbred than others Some live in plenty and ease some are exposed to penury and severe labour It cannot be expected That they shall all agree about this time being their condition is so different God who is only able to encrease supplies and give more strength where more work is required must necessarily be the most convenient Arbitrator in this case to set out how much time is ordinarily to be allowed to Men for their terrestrial affairs and what proportion is to be reserved for their celestial VII This Time which reason tells us ought to be left to the Divine designation is determined in the Fourth Command to one in Seven as a proportion perpetually to be devoted to Religious Worship Here Three Things are to be proved 1. That it is one in Seven and not the last of the Seven which is enjoyned by the Fourth Command 2. That the Sabbath of the Fourth Command one in Seven is perpetual and not to continue only during the Jewish Oeconomy 3. This proportion is by the Command to be devoted to Worship and not only to corporal rest 1. It is one in Seven and not the Seventh from the Creation which is enjoyned by the Fourth Command If we fully ponder the words nothing else can be concluded from them Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy It is not said Remember the Seventh day from the Creation but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a day of rest All that the expression signifies is That a whole day must be set apart and devoted to the honour of the Supreme Being And lest we should be at a loss how often it must be done the quotum is set out Six days shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God The Seventh not the seventh from the Creation but the Seventh with relation to the Six days of labour and as the Six do not signifie those precise days on which the World was made but such a proportion of time as is fit for the dispatch of secular concerns so the Seventh which follows must be taken in the same sence not for the Seventh precisely from the formation of the World but for one in seven whether the first or the last as God shall please to appoint Even as the fifth part of the encrease of Aegypt which Pharaoh was to have Gen. 47. v. 24. doth not signifie the Fifth in order but the Fifth in proportion that is one of five the fruits being equally divided into so many portions After the proportion is thus set forth the reason is expressed For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth and rested the seventh The force of this reason lies not in the priority or order of these days God in the first six days created the World and rested the seventh but in the quotum or number God took six days neither more nor less for the production of the Universe and rested one Therefore thou shalt work six days and observe one as a day of rest unto the Lord. Thus the harmony betwixt the reason and the concession of six days for labour is very plain For if the World was created within six days then the same allowance of time is sufficient with the Divine Benediction upon mens endeavours to preserve it and make a provision of all things necessary for life This is not so conspicuous if we lay the Emphasis upon the first six days and as they are taken so must the Seventh be So that altho' it was the Seventh pricisely from the creation on which God rested yet the Seventh here is not intended to signifie that precise day but the quantity and proportion of time only which is contained in it The rule of S. Austin is applicable to the present case propter illa Bellarm. tom 2. p. 683. quae aliquid significant illa quae nihil significant adferuntur The conclusion deduced from these premises gives us a further evidence Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it Here is no mention of the seventh but a Sabbath day a general word which may be applied as well to the first as the last of the week This makes a clear discovery That the particular day on which God rested is not intended in the reason of the Command For if that had been the design of it no place had been more convenient to express it in than the conclusion which is nothing but the result of what went before In other places the Seventh is mentioned but here only a Sabbath-day Why the Spirit of God who is not obnoxious to any defect of memory should change the phrase cannot be imagined except he intended by using this general word to give a greater latitude and not to confine the Sabbath to the particular Seventh from the Creation Nothing can be drawn from the words to discountenance this interpretation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put without an article whereas Exod. 16. v. 26. where the particular day is set forth the article is prefixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the six days for labour are expressed without any Emphatical character 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as the six days are taken so must the seventh be What is objected That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remember intimates That the Precept enjoyns that Sabbath which was given before and that was the last of the week and that the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 determine them to the signification of that day only doth not merit any great consideration One in Seven was enjoyned long before It bears the same date with the last of the Seven Now the
repeated These words the Lord spake and added no more Deut. 5.22 Altho' the reason taken from the Creation of the World Exo. 20. is totally omitted If the absence of this reason makes no alteration upon the Precept but the whole Law is said to be spoken altho it be wanting then the presence of a new reason taken from the deliverance out of the Aegyptian servitude cannot have any influence upon it either to make it Ceremonial or Moral The secondary reasons of a Ceremonial Command may be Moral and of a Moral Ceremonial and Positive It is to be observed That the reason we speak of has relation but to one particular in the Command namely the enjoyning of Masters to make the Sabbath a day of rest unto their Servants as well as to themselves Now to make the whole Command Ceremonial upon the account of an extrinsecal and secondary reason relating only to one circumstance in it I leave it to every unbiassed mind to determine whether it be agreeable to the usual rules of discourse 4. There is no inconvenience which will follow if we assert That as we are bound to the Fourth Command so likewise to the same measure of rest which that Precept limiteth A rest only in general is required and that in order to the keeping of One Day in a Week Holy This being the end and the end always modifying the means we have assurance That such a measure of rest is only understood as has a tendency to promote this purpose All who believe the Lord's day to be grounded upon Apostolical authority must necessarily grant that we are bound to rest upon it from all those works which are not reconcileable with the end of the institution namely The devoting of the whole day to the honour and worship of Christ If there be any stricter measures of rest enjoyned upon the particular Seventh from the Creation by any other Law it nothing concerns us no more than the day it self It is not true That the Fourth Command doth forbid all work whatsoever For if this was the sence of it it would be repugnant to the Law of Nature which requires That works of necessity piety and mercy be done at all times There was a Law amongst the Heathens That no work should be done on their feast days when Vmbro and Scaevola were consulted about the meaning of it they notwithstanding the strictness of the words made answer That such work might be done which did relate ad Deos ad urgentem vitae utilitatem quod praetermissum noceret What kind of work the Fourth Command prohibits may be collected from the words of it Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but the Seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work that is any which appertains to thy particular calling or function which might with equal advantage have been dispatched in the week time Therefore when servile work is expresly forbidden on the Passeover c. and dressing of meat allowed but on the Sabbath in the Fourth Command all work all work imports no more than servile Therefore the Chaldee Paraphrast expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opus servile and that which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lev. 23.7 is expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only Ex. 12.16 Deut. 16.8 All the difference is That what is expressed in more general terms in the Fourth Precept is more explicitly and particularly set down in the Law touching the Passeover c. This will be very evident if we consider That the Passeover sometimes happened to be upon the Sabbath as in the year when our Blessed Lord was crucified and therefore by reason of these Two Solemnities meeting together That Sabbath is stiled a high day Jo. 19.31 If on the Passeover all servile work is forbidden and dressing of meat allowed but on the Sabbath all work whatsoever whether servile or not servile then by the Law of God the Jews were bound to contradictions when the Passeover fell upon the Sabbath they were bound and not bound to dress meat by the Law of the Sabbath they were bound not to do it By the Law of the Passeover they were bound to do it For the Lamb by a divine Precept was to be roasted with fire Irenaeus and S. Cyprian limit the work prohibited in the Fourth Command to servile work The Alexandrian Edition of the LXX L. 4. c. 19. c. 20. Cypr. de Sp. San. interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opus servitutis Num. 29.7 It cannot in reason be thought That the Fourth Command prohibits the dressing of meat or kindling of fire on the Sabbath which speaks nothing of these particulars When as those particular Laws which carry a much fairer and more probable appearance of such an interdiction upon an exact inquiry will be found to import no such matter As for the dressing of meat the words usually alledged are these To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord bake that which will bake to day and seethe that which will seethe and that which remaineth lay up for you to be kept until the morning Exod. 16.23 This Text speaks of the Manna of which a double portion did descend from Heaven on the day preceding the Sabbath Of this portion one they might bake and seethe and eat that day the other part they were to lay up unbak'd and unsodden Bake that which you will bake and seethe that which you will seethe and that which remaineth not of what was baked or sodden but of what was gathered over and above the daily proportion That lay up to be kept till the morning This is plain from the miracle expressed in the next verse They laid it up till the morning and it did not stink neither was there any worm in it If it had not been raw the glory of the miracle had been celypsed Before they reserved some which they had gathered contrary to God's Command and it was putrified in the morning and now they reserve a portion according to his Command and no putrefaction is in it If it had been baked or sodden it would have been thought That that was the reason why it was not corrupted as before Indeed in the fifth ver it is said On the sixth day they shall prepare that which they shall bring in that is If any have a mind not to eat it raw but to prepare it for food whether by grinding it in Mills beating it in a Mortar Num. 11.8 or any other toilsome way all such elaborate preparations must be finished upon the Sixth day they containing too much servile work for a Sabbath Yet notwithstanding all this it does not appear from the Text but that upon the Sabbath they might do in order to a more immediate preparation of it what Christians usually do about their food on the Lord's day As for the
lawful to worship brass or any other matter All this if duly pondered will assure us That there is no Commission from God for Image-Worship but on the contrary an explicit prohibition God has made a peremptory declaration that he will make no such grant My Glory will I not give to another nor my Praise to graven Images Isa 42.8.48.11 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth exclude every thing from having any interest in his Glory which hath an essence distinct from the Divine Nature It is not reconcileable with his immutable Sanctity to condescend to any such Concession To alienate his peculiar Worship and Glory is an act intrinsecally evil Indeed the Romanists say They do no such matter His peculiar Worship is always accompanied with an apprehension of infinite excellency residing in the Object which it is terminated upon and no such thing is believed by them concerning Images To which we reply That peculiar Worship is either internal or external Tho' internal which includes such an apprehension is not given to Images yet external is which consists in outward signs appropriated by Nature or Institution to import and signifie it He is not only injurious to God who alienates the whole but he who exhibits any part of it to a Creature He is accounted a Traitor who pays part of the Tribute to another Prince which is peculiar to his own The Israelites tho' they did not apprehend that Aaron and Jeroboam's Calves were invested with the incommunicable perfections of the Deity yet they are charged with Idolatry upon the account of the external Worship they gave to them The Arrians lie under the same imputation in the Writings of the Fathers because they worshipped Christ whom they believed not to be God The Christians in Julian's time did think they had contracted the same guilt when thro' fraud they were unwittingly induced to give external Honour to those Idols of which they had in their hearts a perfect abhorrence SECT III. Concerning the True Worshippers of God WHat is to be spoken concerning this Head I shall reduce to these Three Particulars I. Who they be that are obliged to Worship II. How they are to perform their duty III. What end they are to propose to themselves in the doing of it I. Who they are that lie under an obligation to Worship Religion being a reasonable Service those who are concerned in it must be endued with Reason and Understanding and these are either Angels or Men. The Angels Enjoying the favour of being admitted to the Beatifical Vision are under a willing necessity of being engaged in the highest acts of Religion The constant disclosures of the Divine Glory do command from them the most reverential regards They are stiled Cherubims to import That they are always upon the Wing prepared to execute the Divine Pleasure and Seraphim to denote their Zeal in the discharge of their obligations Their conformity to the great command of Love we have an Apodictical Evidence of in their rejoycing at the Conversion of a Sinner and the Renovation of the Divine Image in him They are so absolute in the performance of the Duties of Religion that their Practice is propounded as the Pattern of our Obedience Thy Will be done in earth as it is in heaven When the Second Person in the Sacred Trinity was introduced into the World that the infirmities of humane Nature with which he was cloathed might be no temptation to them to make any abatement in their usuall addresses a special Command is given Let all the Angels of God Worship him Heb. 1.6 Men Who are those whom we here inquire after are either Secular or Ecclesiastical Secular are not exempted from Religious Worship It is said That the Earth has a double motion one about its own Axis another about the Sun Secular men must imitate the Earth besides their motion about their Earthly affairs they must have another about their Celestial The Lord who bestows the World upon them has reserved a Rent to himself Religion concerns every man in whatsoever Function he is engaged Particular Vocations like Pharaoh's thin ears of Corn must not devour the General When any enter upon their Civil Imployments they do not cease to be Creatures invested with Reason and so long as they continue in that capacity they ly under an indispensable obligation to pay a Religious Homage to that Eternal Spirit by whose Incubation they were formed Neither do they cease to have a passionate desire for their own happiness and no man can enjoy any measure of this without a union with the Supreme Good the dissatisfactions which often emerge while we are in the embraces of these sublunary fruitions do openly proclaim them not to be the seat of real Beatitude and Union with the Supreme Good cannot be expected except we with all integrity Serve and Worship God Whatsoever our employment is we continue to be Creatures of that Species towards whose redemption an infinite price has been deposited and therefore must remain under the strictest obligations to be Religious This is the Apostles argument Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God It is an hyperbole of ingratitude not to be ingaged in these actions which have the most direct aspect upon his honour from whom so signal a benefit is received No worldly concern can cancel our obligations to him who has parted with his own Son in order to the procurement of our Redemption from the greatest Misery and Vassalage Lastly God is the Fountain of all that Wisdom whereby any are fitted for their Callings All from the Shovel to the Scepter from the lowest to the highest are instructed by him He teacheth Princes to Rule and guides the Husbandman to manage the instruments of Agriculture Those who have this dependence upon God offend against the clearest dictate of Reason if they refuse to intermit their labour that they be employed in the most solemn agnitions of him The noise in this sublunary state about secular matters will make no harmony in the ear of the Supreme Being except such Rests and Pauses be intermingled with it Upon this account the Apostle adviseth That every one abide in his Calling in which he is called with God Let our Function require never so much of our attendance yet God must not be excluded Some time must be spared for the immediate acts of his Solemn Worship As Secular Men are concerned in this Sacred Work So likewise much more those who are Ecclesiastical I mean such Persons as are solemnly Ordained and Consecrated to the performance of some Religious Offices The necessity of them will be manifest if we consider that a part of that Service which the Gospel requires in particular the being an Embassadour to the Son of God is a work of such importance that every capacity is not agreeable to it It doth not become every one to stand in this relation to an Earthly Prince much less to the Heavenly Now men usually are no
not constantly employed in those actions which have the most direct aspect upon the Divine Honour are the necessities of this present Life Now there is no person of what quality soever so incumbred but he without being wanting to his secular concerns may spare some intervals every day and dedicate them to this sacred purpose Deut. 17.19 Princes who are exercised with the most important affairs are required daily to read in the Book of the Law David was Seven times a day concerned in the Praises of God Psal 119. v. 164. Alphred the Saxon King dedicated Eight Hours of every day to the concerns of Religion Charles the Fifth after his retirement was so frequent in his Devotion that it is said of him That he spoke oftner with God than with Men. The Jews use to repair to their devotion in their Synagognes or Schools Three Times a-day in the Morning from Sun-rising till about the Fourth Hour This they stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Afternoon about the Ninth Hour Leo Moden p. 32. which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Evening at the beginning of the Night this they name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Cyprian represents the Christians as being always ready to give their adoration unto God De Orat. Dom. p. 154 Besides these Daily addresses there are many occasional ones which we are to make to Heaven The Supreme Moderator who rules the World is various in the methods of his government He is pleased sometimes to interrupt the usual course and administer just occasion either of extraordinary joy and triumph or else of the deepest sorrow and dejection The light of Reason has directed all Nations to dedicate some portion of their Time to the remembrance of such signal emergencies and the honour and worship of him by whose interposals they are brought to pass Of this kind are the Feasts of Purim Jo. 10.22 and Dedication The First occasioned by the signal disappointment of Haman's Policy The Second by the Purification of the Temple by Jndas Maccabaeus To these we may reduce the Festival of the Law Nehem. 8.9 which the Jews still observe upon the Three and Twentieth day of Tisri They stile it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the account of their joy for having finished the reading of the five books of Moses according to the division of them into so many Sections as there be weeks in the year They had their Fasts likewise in the Tenth Month occasioned by the besieging of Jerusalem in the Fourth by the taking of it in the Fifth by the overthrow and burning of the Temple in the Seventh by the killing of Gedaliah Parallel to this is the practice of the ancient Christians who weekly fasted upon the daies when Christ was betrayed and Crucisied yearly before the Passeover There were likewise in use among them Solemn Days appointed to perpetuate the Memory of the Martyrs and the goodness of God in furnishing them with magnanimity to give so signal a testimony of the reality of the Christian Faith Besides these stated days occasioned by some particular dispensations reason doth suggest unto us That there ought to be a solemn time peculiarly devoted to the honour of Jehovah If S. Peter and Paul have their particular days set apart to preserve their memory and those honourable thoughts in us which their holy and exemplary conversation deserves certainly God doth justly challenge a peculiar time to be Consecrated to the remembrance and Adoration of his peerless Perfection transcendent Dominion and unparallel'd Goodness The Wise Man tells us Eccl. 3.1 To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven And if to every purpose then certainly to the Solemn Worship and acknowledgment of the matchless Excellency and unlimited Soveraignty of the Supreme Being For this is the great purpose which God designs in the New Creation That he may have a chosen Generation to shew forth the Praises of him Who hath brought them out of darkness into his marvellous light Upon this account the Israelites had not only their daily Sacrifice Morning and Evening their Yearly Solemnities where the Males appeared but likewise a Solemn Day every Week when all of both Sex were obliged to own the Soveraignty of Jehovah and their relation as Subjects to him Therefore their Sabbath is represented as a sign That Jehovah was their God Ezek. 20.20 Earthly Princes are not only owned by the daily respect which the Court gives unto them by the occasional obeysance of their Subjects upon the account of some particular favours but likewise there is usually a fixed and stated Time for the payment of that homage whereby their Supremacy is owned It is as reasonable that there should be as solemn and peculiar Times for all the Subjects of Jehovah to make their due acknowledgments and render their tribute of Honour and Worship to him The Heathens by the light of Nature Macrob. Saturn l. 1. c. 16. p. 226 were directed not only to appoint the dies intercisi which were but in part devoted to the honour of their Deities but likewise a more solemn time which was entirely dedicated to this purpose That this most Solemn Time may be the better understood I will lay down the following Propositions 1. God requires That we give to him not only a Mental and inward Worship but that we express it by external actions Our Bodies as well as our Souls being made and redeemed by him we cannot but lie under an indispensable obligation to Worship and Glorifie him with both II. Our external acknowledgments of the Divine Majesty must not only be in private but in publick Not only when we are alone but in Communion and conjunction with others For we undoubtedly are bound to Worship the Fountain of all our Blessings in such a way as hath the most direct and efficacious influence upon the promotion of his Honour His Honour is more advanced by the joint and united performances of his Servants than by their solitary devotions For the more manifest and full our Religious acknowledgments are the more Honour must necessarily accrue to him And we cannot but believe that the Agnition is more full and apert when holy Men joyn together in their Sacred Addresses than when they act a-sunder and confine themselves to their several apartments III. The Solemn Time for these joynt performances of Religion ought to be stated and fixt by some known constitution otherwise How shall the several members of the Ecclesiastical Community know when to convene in order to the discharge of their duty IV. It is expedient That it should be taken out of some part of a Week For our Souls naturally being under an indisposition to the concerns of Religion the sooner the time for Solemn Worship returns the more useful it will be in preventing that deadness which will be apt to surprise us before a larger Circle such as a Year or Month can come
about V. It cannot in reason be less than one whole Day every Week which will be evident if we consider 1. The Object of our Worship Were we to live the days of Methusalem he might challenge every moment of our time as a just debt and if all be due reason will not allow That so considerable a portion as a Week should pass without a solemn dedication of a Seventh part of it to his service Let us suppose one man to owe unto anothers as much or more than his whole estate is worth the rule of equity will not allow him to offer less than the Seventh part in order to the compounding his debt and the just satisfaction of his Creditor 2. The Nature of Worship In it the Glory of God the eternal happiness of the Soul the temporal felicity of the Community are highly interested The difficulty in the right discharge of it is equal to the importance The Prince of this World makes it his work to hinder it The natural tempers of Men furnish him with a signal advantage to compass his design There is an inbred Love in us to sensible objects which are apt to ingenerate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Athenagoras speaks Leg. 〈◊〉 Christianis p. 30. This is the reason why the Second Commandment which relates to Worship is fortified with so many inducements to obedience One taken from the power of God to punish offenders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Another from his will to exert his power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Third from the execution of his Will upon the off-spring of those which offend visiting the iniquity c. A Fourth from his kindness to the obedient shewing mercy c. Had it not been difficult to confine our selves within the bounds of this Precept the fence which is set about it would not have been so strong If the Worship of God be a matter of such difficulty and of the greatest importance then it requires a very large proportion of our time to be spent in the performance of it and if so was it left to our own disposal we could not in justice allot less than the Seventh part 3. The pattern of the triumphant Church In Heaven a perpetual Sabbath is celebrated The glorified Spirits are constantly imployed in worshipping him who liveth for ever and ever Rev. 4.10 This heavenly example the Church Militant must makes as near an approach unto as the circumstances of this present life will permit she being obliged to endeavour That the will of God may be done on earth as it is in heaven Matt. 6. v. 10. Those who are most exercised with the incumbrances of this world have nothing to plead in their own behalf why they may not come up so nigh to this celestial pattern as to devote One Day of every Week to the concerns of Religion 4. The practice of the Militant Church not only under the Law but before From the beginning of the Creation the Time for Solemn Worship was no less than One whole Day every Week as is evident from the testimony of the Author to the Hebrews altho' the works were finished from the foundation of the world For he spake in a certain place of the Seventh Day on this wise And God did rest the seventh day from all his works Heb. 4.3 4. Here is an evident remembrance of a day of rest not only to God but to Men. For the design of the Apostle is to prove out of the 95. Psal That there remains a rest to the people of God under the Gospel In order to this purpose he shews it is not the rest of the Seventh from the Creation which the Psalmist had his eye upon If the Seventh here mentioned had not been a rest to the people of God but only to God himself there would have been no necessity of such care to distinguish it from that other rest which is concluded still to remain to the people of God 2. That time is expressed when this rest commenced from the foundation of the world The works then finished are represented as the ground upon which the Sabbath was instituted It cannot with reason be imagined That the foundation should be laid at the beginning and the superstruction not built upon it as some think till above Two Thousand years after This Assertion receives a great deal of strength from the early division of Time into Weeks Noah had his eye upon the Hebdomadal Cycle Gen. 8.10 12. A Week is represented as a period familiarly known in Jacob's time Gen. 29.27 God himself did point out this division by his own example distinguishing the Six Days by peculiar Works the Seventh by rest A universal consent prevailed amongst all the Eastern Nations about this particular The testimony of Joannes Philoponus is known 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 7. c. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It is agreed amongst all Nations That there are Seven Days which by a constant revolution constitute all time Georgius Syncellus in his Chronology which begins with Adam and ends at Dioclesian asserts That the Patriarchs divided their time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that the division into Months and Years is of later date Josephus against Appion says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. There is no City whether Greek or Barbarian to whom was unknown 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the division of Time into Weeks was from the beginning and a week consisted of seven days and one of those were a Sabbath or a day of rest the Sabbath must needs be from the beginning There is no record which makes mention of a week that doth not suppose the Sabbath to be a part of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst the Greeks is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Hebrows which Theophilus Antiochenus says E. z. ad Autol. p. 91. All Men had knowledge of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Sacred Oracles sometimes is put for a week the denomination of the whole being taken from the principal part Lev. 23.15 In the book entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is expressed That for many weeks the Seventh Day was celebrated as a day of rest The Chaldee Paraphrast upon the Title of Psalm 92. useth these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Song which the first Man sang on the Sabbath-day and upon the first verse of the Canticles the first Song Adam spake at the time when his sin was pardoned and the day of the Sabbath came and protected him Cain and Abel are said to bring their Sacrifices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the end of days by which we must understand theh period of a year or a month or some other term there being no division of time so early as that into Weeeks and nothing here can be so well understood by the end of Days as the end of a Week which was the Sabbath Indeed it is objected That if the Sabbath was so early as hath been
represented it would have been observed by the Patriarchs and the celebration of it recorded in the book of Genesis and that the Jews are generally of opinion that it was not instituted till after the Israelites were delivered out of Aegypt To which I reply That Genesis is but a short History and it cannot be expected That all things done by those Holy Men should be recorded in it Mat. 19.8 The Law against Polygamy was from the beginning and yet it is passed over in silence in that History and not to be found but in obscure expressions throughout the Old Testament There is no doubt but there was a positive Law concerning Sacrifice as early as the day of Abel who is said by Faith to offer up his oblation Heb. 11. And yet the memory of it is not extant in Genesis Tho' many of the Hebrews assert the Sabbath to be instituted after the coming out of Aegypt Yet others every jot as considerable as they give it an earlier date as the Chaldee Paraphrast Josephus Philo Judaeus Manasse Ben Israel and upon far better reasons It is not always the Major part where we have a freedom of judgment but the Senior which must be our guide and which is so we may discern by the solidity of the grounds which the testimony is built upon From all this it appears That the solemn time for Worship before the coming of Christ even from the beginning was no less than one whole Day in a week and if it was so frequent before his manifestation in our Nature the signal effusion of the Spirit when the Sun of Righteousness was not many degrees above the Horizon it ought not to be less frequent among us who are blessed with the enjoyment of fuller disclosures It is a rule which S Chrysostome gives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It behoveth us to shew forth the more virtue because the grace of the Spirit hath been poured out in larger measures It would be a bad requital If we who have the fruition of more Spiritual Blessings than the Jews should be less frequent than they were in those acts which have the most direct aspect upon the Divine Honour Lastly That no less than the Seventh part of a Week ought to be devoted to the Solemn Worship of God we may collect from the writings of the Heathens They speak of a Seventh Day every Week which they accounted Sacred Testimonies of this nature are produc'd out of Linus by Aristobulus Euseb praep Evan. l. 13. c. 12 13. and out of Callimachus by Clemens Alexandrinus This Seventh Day they accounted Sacred not as the Dies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were but in the same sence as the Jewish Sabbath Aristobulus a Jew speaking of it says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Homer and Hesiod plainly declare having derived their knowledge from our Bibles that the Seventh Day is Sacred Therefore it must be according to his opinion Holy as it lies in those Authors in the same sence as it is accounted Sacred in the Bible Clemens Alexandrinus affirms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Stromd 5. only the Hebrews but the Greeks know the Seventh to be Sacred This Seventh day is not as some would suggest the seventh of the Month but of the Week Clemens and Eusebius cite the forementioned Authors to prove That a weekly Sabbath was known to the Heathens and not a Monthly and they were much more competent Judges of their meaning than any now can be De Opisic What Philo asserts concerning the Seventh of the Week is very agreeable to their thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It is not a feast only of one City and Region but of all and may be properly and worthily stiled a universal solemnity and the Birth-day of the World Altho' at the first the Gentiles did derive this notion from the Hebrews by Tradition yet had it not been very consonant to the light of reason it would not have met with so universal an entertainment The Testimonies produced out of Tacitus Selden de jure Nat. Gen. Ovid Martial c. to evince That the Gentiles did look upon the weekly Sabbath as a rite peculiar to the Jewish Nation are very reconcileable with what is asserted At the time when those Authors wrote tho' it had been common anciently it was proper and peculiar to the Jews in Two regards 1. In respect of the particular Day it was the last of the week whereas the Day amongst the Gentiles was the first When the several days of the week came to be dedicated to the Planets That Day which was devoted to the Sun did out-strip the rest and in the thoughts of the Gentiles as much out-shine them as the Sun doth the other six Planets Upon this account Phoebus is stiled by Aeschylus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seld. p. 435. Venerandus septenarii princeps He being the chief among the Seven and courted in a peculiar manner with religious veneration 2. In respect of observation The Jews then were under a great degree of Superstition and placed the celebration of their Sabbath principally in bodily rest The Romans who had conquered them finding their Religion in worshipping one God was a condemnation of their addresses to a plurality of Deities they were highly exasperated against them and fastened upon this particular of bodily rest to disgrace them representing as tho' the seventh part of their time was spent in sloth and idleness Septima quaeque dies turpi damnata veterno Tanquam lâ—ssati mollis imago Dei These Two considerations make it plain That altho' the Heathens did devote one day every week to the honour of their Supreme God yet they might represent the Jewish Sabbath as a rite peculiar to a Jew the Jewish day being not the same with theirs and the manner of the celebration quite different This may be the cause why the Lord's-day was by those of them who were converted to the Christian Faith received without the least scruple an ancient custom had made it familiar to them the alteration was only in the object Before it was dedicated to the Sun now to the Sun of Righteousness And now I have finished the Fifth Proposition The chief Solemn Time for Worship ought to be no less than One whole Day in every Week VI. It is highly reasonable to believe That the setting out the just Time should be left to the Supreme Being Tho' he has granted to the Church a liberty to appoint days for Mourning and Rejoycing upon occasional emergencies as is evident by the practice of all Ages Yet there is all the appearance of reason to incline us to think That he has reserved to himself the appointment of the chief Solemn Time for the agnition of his Soveraignty and Dominion over us He alone set forth this Time at the beginning Tho' he might have created the World in a moment Yet for our instruction
Spirit of God being about to set out this proportion alone as a rule for all ages as well under the Gospel as under the Law and looking back upon the great neglect of it in Aegypt and foreseeing the oppositions it would meet with tending to extinguish the memory of it he is pleased in the very front of the precept which enjoyns it to place tins word Remember As for the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing can be necessarily collected from it to enforce our belief that the last of the Seven is designed in the Precept for this article is many times found where it has no such determining influence as Deut. 8.3 Man doth not live by bread only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here doth not signifie this or that kind of Bread but leaves it in its general signification Lev. 18.5 Which if a man do he shall live in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is without any Emphasis and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expounded by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without aw article Rom. 10.5 When this article is Emphatical it must be collected from the reason of the thing or the circumstances of the place When the Holy Spirit doth design a peculiar determination by it it is often joyned with a separated Pronoun as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speak to this young man Zach. 2.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the self same day Gen. 7.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this house and this City Now we have nothing of this nature in the Fourth Command to oblige us to believe such a determining Emphasis in it but on the contrary the reason of the thing and all circumstances duely considered highly favour the sence which has been given The Fourth Commandment is encompassed with Moral Laws and placed in the very Centre of a perpetual rule of righteousness Our interpretation gives the most intelligible account why it should have this situation It is generally asserted That the last of the week was Typical but none have discovered the least tittle of Ceremoniality in one in seven This is reducible to the Laws of Nature which are usually reckoned to be of Two sorts either such as are discovered by the Light of Nature or else such as being made known by revelation are approved of by that Light Institut Justinian Arnold vin com p. 52. Altho' the equity of devoting just One in Seven to the Worship of God is not so manifest as generally to be pitched upon without the aid of revelation yet it being disclosed to be the mind of God it finds a very ready entertainment All agree That some time is to be set a part and what proportion can be more equal and convenient Gell. l. 3. ◠10. noc At. de Etruriae originibus Seld. de jur Nat. Gen. p. 376. Qu 69. p. 432. than the Seventh Varro made it his business to discover an excellency in this number above others Postellus observes That antiently at Rome one day in seven was sacred tho' not the same with the Jewish day The Author of the Question and Answer ad Orthodoxos ascribed to Justin Martyr takes notice of some peculiar marks of honour upon this number and says it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more valuable and eminent than others Now if the observation of one in seven appertains to the Moral Law and the last of the seven to the Ceremonial we ought to interpret the Fourth command for one in seven and not the last For the whole Decalogue being designed for a Royal Law an everlasting rule and standard for all ages certainly every Command in it is to be construed in such a sence as doth most fully comply with this intention in the Law-giver This interpretation makes the fourth Precept like to the others it stands in conjunction with for they do not descend to any particulars The First Command doth not name Saturn Mars or Mercury but keeps in the general Thou shalt have no other Gods The Second doth not mention the image of any particular Deity The Third doth not name assertory or promissory Oaths The Fifth doth not nominate any individual which stands in the relation of a Father or Mother So the Fourth doth not express the particular day of Worship but confines it self to that which is more general One in Seven whether it be the first or last as God shall please to appoint It is not difficult to discern the temper of this Law by the genius of the other precepts which are its companions Lastly There are many very considerable for Learning and Judgment who favour the interpretation which has been given S. Chrysostome glossing upon these words Hom. 16. Gen. 88. p. Fron. Duc. God rested the seventh day and sanctified it says From hence we are taught to set a-part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one day in the circle of week for the exercise of spiritual duties Aquinas affirms That the last of the seven is not contained in the Fourth Command Preceptum de observatione Sabbati est secundum aliquid morale c. secundum hoc inter praecepta Decalogi computatur non autem quantum ad taxationem temporis quia secundum hoc est ceremoniale P. 2. Q. 100. art 3.22 Q. 112. art 4. The Precept concerning the observation of the Sabbath is in some respect moral and in that sence it is accounted amongst the Ten Commandments and not as it sets out the particular time because that was ceremonial In the Homily of Time and Place these words occur By this Command meaning the Fourth we ought to have a time as one day in the week wherein we ought to rest yea from our lawful and needful works For like as it appeareth by this Commandment That no Man in the six days ought to be slothful and idle but diligently to labour in that state wherein God hath set him even so God hath given express charge to all Men That upon the Sabbath-day which is now our Sunday they should cease from all weekly and work-day labour c. Mr. Hooker asserts Eccl. pol. l. 5. p. 378 379. That we are bound to account the Sanctification of one day in seven a duty which God's immutable Law doth exact for ever Mr. Mede speaking of the Fourth Precept Diatr of the observation of the Sabbath c. p. 240. says Where it is called in the Command the Seventh day that is in respect of Six days and not otherwise and therefore whensoever it is so called those six days of labour are mentioned with it The Seventh therefore is the Seventh after six days of labour nor can any more be inferred from it The example of the Creation is brought for the quotum One day in Seven as I have shewed and not for the designation of any certain day for that Seventh Curcellaeus is of the same mind De Esu Sangu p. 64. Notare oportet nihil
Seal the Faith of the Gospel with his blood He asserts That Moses received the lively Oracles to give unto us Act. 7.38 The lively Oracles are the Ten Commandments They are stiled Oracles because they were laid up in the place from whence God used to give forth his Oracles and lively in opposition to the dead Oracles of the Heathens which were observed to languish and fail about the time of the manifestation of Jesus Christ whereas the Ten Commandments were then in their full vigour These Precepts Stephen a sincere Convert to the Faith of Christ says Moses received That he might deliver them to us In this number he includes himself as standing in the relation of a Christian the whole Chapter being intended as an Apology for that profession Therefore the Decalogue concerns us not only by virtue of the matter of it but the Tradition and delivery by Moses To this are very consonant the words of S. Paul Honour thy Father and thy Mother which is the first Commandment with promise That it may be well with thee and thou mayst live long on the earth Eph. 6.2 3. This Promise is here mentioned with a design to quicken those who were Christians and no Israelites by birth to give a chearful obedience to the Fifth Command The Apostle endeavours That it may have this effect upon them by declaring their particular interest in it This is the first Commandment with promise as well to you Ephesians as those who are Jews If his meaning had been That this is the first Command which was given with promise to the Jews only therefore do you who are Ephesians conform to it the strength of the argument had been lost It is no good consequence That because length of days was promised to the Jews That therefore the Gentiles should enjoy the same priviledge Many temporal blessings were entailed upon that people which Christians can make no just claim to The Gospel is a more refined dispensation under the Law there was less of the Spirit and more of Temporal things While Christians are in the Sea of this world they cannot expect that the tide of external blessings should be as great as it was under the Judaical Oeconomy Now there is nothing in the whole Decalogue which in appearance is more appropriated to the Israelites than this Promise Those words That thy days may be long in the Land seem to have a particular aspect upon the land of Canaan and if that in the Decalogue which seems to be most appropriated is notwithstanding not so but common to Christians then that which seems to be less appropriated is likewise common to them and by consequence the whole Decalogue It is a known rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If that which has a greater appearance of being is not neither is that which has less Lastly The words of S. James are of the same importance For he that said do not commit adultery said also do not kill c. 2.11 These two Commands are perpetual and oblige all Christians The reason of their obligation is not taken from their intrinsick nature but the authority of him who published them in the time of Moses That that time and place is aimed at is evident from v. 8. Fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture that is The Scripture and Writings of Moses where the Law is laid down and the manner of its being spoken by God upon the Mount related This reason whereby these Two Commands become obligatory under the Gospel extends to every particular precept in the Decalogue He that said thou shalt not kill thou shalt not commit adultery said likewise Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy All these were spoken at the same time in the same manner immediately by the mouth of God unto the People which cannot be affirmed of any of the Laws which are not contained in that Combination And if there be the same reason for the obligation of the whole Decalogue amongst Christians as there is for the Sixth and Seventh Precepts then the whole doth oblige them and will continue so to do to the World's End Very consonant to this is the Testimony of Theophilus Antiochenus who speaking of these Two Laws which S. James mentions together with the other parts of the Decalogue which he stiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 useth these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moses the servant of God was a Minister of this divine Law to all the world In this he asserts no more than what the Apostle had done before him Rom. 3.19 What things soever the Law saith it saith to them which are under the Law that all the world may become guilty before God By the World we must understand not only Jews but Gentiles as most evidently appears by the ninth verse It is impossible that the whole World should be obnoxious to guilt upon the account of disobedience to the Moral Law as it lyes in the Old Testament had it not been intentionally given to it The Constitutions which go under the name of Clemens Romanus Constit Apost l. 6. c. 19. represent the Decalogue as a compleat and perfect Law appertaining to Christians Irenaeus speaks of two sorts of Divine Precepts L. 4. c. 26. p. 344. particularia which are appropriated to the Old Testament and eminentiora summa which are common to the Old and New The Scholiast upon the place reckons the Decalogue amongst the last it being designed by God as a perpetual rule for his people in all ages For this Gloss he had authority enough from Irenaeus himself L. 4. c. 39. c. 31. who afterwards represents the Decalogue as the Law of Nature and at the coming of Christ to receive extension and enlargement but no dissolution To these Testimonies we may add the consent of our own Church which she has sufficiently discovered in her placing the Ten Commandments as delivered in the Twentieth chap. of Exodus in the very Catechism which Children are to learn and obliging the people in the Liturgy after the reading of every Precept to use such words as import That it is a Law obligatory to them To say That She by the word Law understands sometimes the Law only in the mystical and Spiritual sence is very incongruous for she makes no discrimination but enjoyns the continuation of the same form of Speech to the last Command A Precept without the Letter is no Law at all It is a known rule That when the literal sence of a Law is repeated the whole Law is abrogated For the Letter is the foundation whatsoever is besides is the superstructure The superstruction must necessarily fall when the foundation is removed Tho' the spiritual sence of a Law may be of use when the Letter is discharged yet it is not to be accounted as the sence of that which is now a Law but of that which was formerly so The spiritual sence of the Ceremonial Law is still of use yet
of that inclination which is in Men to believe That the inward acts of the Soul are no further sinful but as they break out into external it is the wisdom of the supreme Law-giver in the conclusion of those Laws which are intended as a perpetual rule of righteousness to annex one relating to these inward acts on purpose to undeceive and to leave us without the least pretence if we be not concerned in the reformation of them All this being duly considered it will be evident That the Sabbath of the Fourth Command One in Seven is therefore perpetual because it is a part of the Decalogue which is designed to be a rule of our obedience in all ages It is said indeed That this Precept cannot have the same priviledge with the rest to bind always Because to all mankind it can import no more than a circumstance of time which is not of such consequence as to challenge a place amongst the Moral Laws of God Whereas to the Jews it did import the Creation of all things by the True God and their deliverance out of Aegypt The maintaining the Morality of it gives a scandal to those who have been seduced by it to keep Saturday as their Sabbath It is plainly a ceremonial Law the Rest of it was instituted to commemorate the Aegyptian servitude and the deliverance from it Deut. 5.15 We cannot be bound to the Precept and not to the same measure of rest which the Precept limiteth It forbids not only servile work such as was prohibited on the first and last days of the Passeover but all work such as kindling fire dressing meat which ought to be done on the Passeover-day To all which I will reply in order 1. Mankind may be divided into Jews and Gentiles Gentiles are such as are converted to the Christian Faith or not converted Those who are be the persons here concerned Whatsoever did make the Fourth Command a matter of moment to the Jews will make it of the like importance to them As for the Creation of the World by the True God they are every jot as much concerned in it and do as sincerely believe it as the Jews As for the deliverance out of Aegypt if it be considered That they are accounted as Abraham's Seed ingrafted into the same stock with the Jews and become one people with them the partition-wall being taken down by Christ it will follow if the Jews were concerned in that mercy the converted Gentiles must be so too Tho' they were aliens formerly yet after a naturalization is passed upon them their concernments are the same with those who were born subjects The Christian Church is divided into Twelve Tribes Dial. cum Tryph. p. 353. Rev. 7.4 Justin Martyr speaking of himself and others which keep the Commands of Christ says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We are called p. 365. and are the true children of Jacob and Israel and Juda and Joseph and David and God and afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are the true stock of Israel Lactantius gives the reason quia in illorum locum adoptione successimus because we succeed L. 4. de verâ Sapient p. 277. and come into their place by adoption 2. The maintaining of the morality of the Fourth Precept gives no scandal If there be any in the case it is taken and not given What if they who keep Saturday for their Sabbath ground their practice upon the perpetuity of it Must we believe the ground is not good because that which is built upon it by such persons is bad An infirm house may stand upon a good soil Had the Apostle any reason to dislike his foundation because some did build wood hay and stubble upon it If any scandal be given upon inquiry it will be found that the contrary doctrin doth administer it in far greater measures Those who defend the Morality of the Command deny Saturday to be contained in it Their reasons I have already laid down The Epilogue which denies the Morality asserts that Saturday is expresly contained in it Now when those who are inclined to keep Saturday as a Sabbath find it granted to their hand That that very day is enjoyned by the Precept and then consider That this very Precept is placed in the very heart of those Laws which were immediately given by God written upon Tables of Stone preserved in the Ark confirmed by Christ Bellar. l. 4. de just c. 6. p. 930. and commended by the Apostles received by the Church and inserted into her Liturgy and Catechism It is more than an even wager That they will instantly fall upon the observing Saturday as their Sabbath It had been good That the contriver of this objection had considered the words of Origen before he had so deeply charged his adversary L. 6. cont Cel. p. 313. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It is a very great fault in disputing if any accuse others of opinions as unsound when their own Sentiments are chargeable with the same crime 3. The Fourth Command is no ceremonial Law I willingly grant That the Jewish day was Typical but no such thing appears concerning the Sabbath enjoyned by this Precept The reason taken from the bondage of the Israelites in Aegypt and their deliverance from it Deut. 5.15 doth not demonstrate any such thing All that can be concluded from thence is That the rest required is a commemoration of that condition and their being taken out of it The thing commemorated being past and a ceremony a shadow of a thing to come The rest of the Fourth Precept cannot be ceremonial upon this account If it be said That the deliverance out of Aegypt was Typical and therefore the rest designed to commemorate it must be so too I answer That blessings may be considered in a twofold respect either as a benefit which was past or as a shadow of that which was to come The rest commanded was to commemorate the deliverance in the first sence For the Law being given to all certainly the end of the rest was to commemorate the benefit which was obvious to all and not the shadow which was understood by few or none in comparison at that time Now this deliverance as a real mercy being of concernment to the Gentiles after their inoculation into the Jewish stock I cannot see how the command is in danger of being discharged upon the account of its relation to this favour Upon the same ground we may say That the whole Decalogue is annulled because this kindness is expressed in the Preface of it as a motive to Obedience The reasons of the Fourth Command are either Primary or Secondary The Primary is That God may have a fit time for his Solemn Worship The Secondary are to commemorate the Creation and deliverance out of Aegypt The first is essential to it and cannot be divided from it The secondary are extrinsecal and separable and therefore the whole command is said to be
kindling of fire it is manifest That the Text commonly alledged Exod. 35.3 must undergo some restriction for the Priests were bound to bake the Shew-bread and set it hot upon the Table every Sabbath Lev. 24.5 8. 1 Sam. 21.6 And to offer up the Sacrifice of the Sabbath which could not be done without the kindling of fire Altho' the fire which came down from heaven was constantly upon the Altar and so continued till it came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the house of eternity or Temple where it was renewed yet it is plain That it was daily maintained by a supply of new fewel The Priest was to lay wood every morning on it Lev. 6.12 And so soon as the old fire had disjoyned the particles and put them into motion new fire must necessarily be kindled This is taken notice of by Munster upon the Text Judaei hoc praeceptum c. The Jews think this Precept is to be observed in the Letter and therefore they hire Christians to kindle their fire on the Sabbath not considering it was lawful for the Priests to make a fire on the Sabbath for the daily Sacrifice All this doth manifest that the Text which is under consideration must not be taken in that latitude which it seems to have at the first view and if it must have some limitation it cannot be better restrained than to what is expressed in the Context The thing treated of is the work of the Tabernacle tho' many cautions had been given concerning the forbearance of servile work on the Sabbath upon any private account yet some might be apt to think That work tending to the preparing of materials for the composing that Sacred Tent was lawful For the prevention of such thoughts before the description of what was requisite is entered upon this Precept is laid down That in order to any such work whether the melting of Silver Gold or any other metal which might be necessary about the Sanctuary not so much as a fire should be kindled And now I have finished the second branch of the Proposition That the Sabbath of the Fourth Command One in Seven is perpetual and not to continue only during the Jewish Oeconomy I will proceed to the Third This proportion One in Seven is by the Command to be devoted to Divine Worship and not only to corporal rest Besides Bodily rest there is mention likewise of a Sanctification of the Sabbath as a thing distinct from it Sanctification is represented as the end Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy The rest as a means to advance this work In it thou shalt do no work Corporal labour being an impediment to the exercise of Religion If the end and the means are always distinct then Sanctification must import something different from the rest of the day and this can be nothing but the devoting of it to the Solemn Worship of God This we may collect first From the order of the Commands in the First is prescribed who we must Worship Thou shalt have no other Gods but me In the Second How we must not Worship him Thou shalt not make any graven image of him In the Third How we must with holy reverence Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain In the Fourth We have the solemn time when this Service must be performed Remember the Sabbath to sanctifie or set it a-part for this Sacred Work Upon the account of the relation which this Command has to the other Three Precepts of the first Table The keeping of it is put for the observation of them all Isa 56.2 And the Jews have a saying That the Sabbath is equivalent to all Commands Secondly The Blessing of the Sabbath God blessed the Sabbath-day Here is something contained in these words which imports a special benediction It is no such Emphatical Blessing for a day to be devoted meerly to idleness That day is most blessed on which God is most honoured But God has more honour by the honest actions of Men in those vocations in which he has placed them than he can have by meer sloth and a total cessation from labour without any respect to his Sacred Worship Thirdly The practice of the Israelites upon the Sabbath They had a holy Convocation Lev. 23. Reading and Preaching out of Moses and the Prophets Act. 15.21 Luk. 4.16 17. Solemn places to resort unto for the performance of these sacred duties Leo Modena p. 114. Ps 74.8 To this the practice of the modern Jews is very agreeable and believed by them to be grounded upon the Fourth Command as is manifest by the words of Manasse Ben Israel Concil p. 149. in his Comment upon that Precept Notabilis error est putare otii ergo Sabbatum institutum esse c. It is a remarkable error to think That the Sabbath was instituted for rest For idleness being the mother of all vice upon this supposition more hurt than good will come from the Sabbath Quare statuere omnino opertet c. Wherefore it is necessary to assert That the Sabbath was instituted that man might readily all worldly cares being laid aside apply himself to the study of the Law have recourse to Synagogues and Academies consult his Teachers about weighty portions of Scripture and hard Questions which he is ignorant of Maimonides says Huls p. 240 Five Precepts are necessary to be complied with in order to a due observation of the Sabbath The first is to rest on the Seventh the Second to Sanctifie the day So that in his thoughts to rest from bodily labour and to sanctifie or keep holy the Sabbath are two distinct things Philo Judaeus says That the Fourth Command enjoyns that the Seventh day be spent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these words import more than a sitting still The Rabbins generally believe that Divine Worship is contained in it L. 4. c. 30. Hist l. 1. c. 4. Irenaeus and Eusebius are of the same mind So that I cannot see what reason there is for that conclusion which we meet with in the Epilogue I conclude therefore that which will seem strange to unskilful people L. 3. c. 21. p. 192. That the only thing commanded by the Letter of the Fourth Command is to rest from bodily labour upon the seventh day of the week in which God rested from whence it is called a Sabbath The grounds of this perswasion are these The Precept extends to Cattle which are in no capacity to do any thing appertaining to a Sabbath but rest from their labour and likewise to strangers that is such as were not circumcised but Converts from Idols and Proselytes of the Gate As the Israelites were bound to see their Cattle they did not work so likewise to these strangers They of themselves were under no obligation being tyed only to the Seven Precepts which the Sons of Noah received from him of which number the Sabbath was none To keep holy the Sabbath signifies only
he that regardeth not a day regardeth it not to the Lord Rom. 14.5 6. By a Day here we must understand the Time then in controversie Tho' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 has an indefinite sound yet the Apostle doth not intend that it should signifie any day and by consequence include the Lord's day As his representing meats and drinks to be indifferent ver 2 3. doth not depretiate the Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper and sink them into an equality with our common bread and drink so neither doth his putting days upon the same level make all days of the same rank with the Lord's day This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought to be limited to the matter in hand That which occasioned the Apostle to write thus were the different opinions among those who were converted to the Christian Religion He who was formerly a Jew had an esteem for the old Sabbath-Passeover c. above other days The Converted Gentile had an equal regard for them The old Sabbath in particular was earnestly contended for by the Ebionites Those who regarded not this day are set upon equal terms with those who did If this day in the Apostle's apprehension had not been equal with others no account can be given why he that did not regard it is so gently treated and not rather sharply reproved for his contempt The reason why he who had a respect for it is so tenderly handled is because he was brought up under the Mosaical Oeconomy and it could not be expected that he should in an instant be disingaged from those impressions which his education had made upon him The Apostle was glad That he had entertained the rudiments of Christian Religion and used all the tenderness imaginable towards him that he might invite him into a more intimate acquaintance with it Lest this accommodation should seem to import a compliance with his errour he stiles him weak v. 1. And lest too great an advantage might be given to the Gentile who was inclined to set him at nought upon the account of this difference v. 10. He so far as prudence would permit draws at concealment over his own inclination to either party and exhorts them to ripen their minds to a Plerophory Let every one be fully perswaded in his own mind 2. As a beggarly Element How turn you again to the weak and beggarly elements ye observe days months and times and years Gal. 4.9 10. The Apostle writing to those who were of greater growth deals more roundly with them He tells them That he was afraid of them upon the account of their adhering to the old Sabbath which was now antiquated That this very time is intended is plain from the word Days Here are words enough besides to import all other seasons which were set a-part by the Law as Months Times Years Months Their New Moons Times Their Passeover Pentecost Feast of Tabernacles with other Solemnities Years The Year of Release and the Year of Jubilee Therefore nothing is left for Days to signifie but their weekly Sabbaths These days are stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beggarly elements with relation to Ebion's name which signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a beggar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Eusebius notes Hist l. 3. c. 21. So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are as much as elements formerly belonging to the Church in her minority and taken up by Ebion In the number of those things which he and his complices maintained Eus Hist l. 3. c. 12. we find the Jewish Sabbath to be one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they observed the Sabbath The Days here mentioned being put indefinitely must be interpreted of the choicest of Days in the Jewish account in the thoughts of those who adhered to the ceremonial rites none were comparable to their weekly Sabbaths It was a common saying amongst them That he who denieth the Sabbath is like to him who denieth the whole Law and he who observeth the Sabbath altho' he should worship Idols his sins would be forgiven Philo Judaeus calls the weekly day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tract 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Rabbins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Queen attributing to it a Soveraignty over other days Gem. Sanhe c. 7. In the Talmud Turdnnus Rufus who is conceived to be the same with Titus the Emperour is represented as asking Rabbi Akiba why the Sabbath was more excellent than other days This question could arise from no other ground but that unusual esteem which he observed the Jews to entertain of it Lastly Days do signifie such as the Jews were formerly in bondage to This is clear from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage v. 9. There were no days to which that people were so much in bondage as their Saturday-Sabbaths They were under such a degree of servitude That they durst not use the liberty Nature allows every man in his own defence They and their City were taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio Hist l. 56. on the day of Saturn making no resistance They were bound and tyed by their Superstition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if they had been in a net The Five radical Precepts which Maimonides recites as necessary to be submitted unto in order to a due celebration of the Sabbath they did beat out into an infinite number of niceties and to each of them they were so much in bondage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Huls p. 242. that they believed That the not observing of them had hitherto hindred the coming of the Messias This being duely considered will release us from that fear which some have been possessed with as tho' the pressing this Text might prove prejudicial to the Lord's-day for it is manifest That such days only are here condemned as the Jews had formerly been in bondage to which cannot be asserted of the Lord's day which was never owned by them 3. As a shadow which is vanished Let no man judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new-moons or Sabbath days which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ Coloss 2.16 In order to a right understanding of this place it is to be premised That many things under the Mosaical Law were of a figurative and typical Nature The Apostle treating of some of them says These things hapned to them for types 1 Cor. 10.11 and the Law has a shadow of good things to come Heb. 10.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are properly the first lineaments of an effigies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is drawn in its full perfection God having an intention to give us Christ the express image of his person under the Gospel was pleased according to the methods of Art to furnish the Jews with the first lineaments of this image under the Law Amongst
as a prediction concerning the Kingdom of the Messias It appears likewise That this day of power must be celebrated as a Sabbath Upon it the people shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 populus devotionum a people wholly devoted to the Lord then they shall offer to him their solemn Services and voluntary oblations stiled by the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have likewise the place where this devotion shall be in the beauties of holiness So the Sanctuary is stiled Psal 29.2 This day of devotion must be the Resurrection-day and by consequence the First of the Week It is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of thy power which intimates such a day as in the time of Messias is most eminent for the manifestation of a Divine Power there is no day equal in this respect to the day of Resurrection In the raising Christ from the dead was put forth the exceeding greatness of his power the operation of the might of his strength Eph. 1.19 20. When he was raised All power was given to him both in heaven and earth Mat. 28.18 Tho' these words were not spoken upon the Resurrection-day yet the power mentioned in them was then conferred At the conclusion of that day we read of the effects of it in giving a Commission to the Disciples To teach all nations and preach the Gospel to every creature Mark 16.15 It is not strange that the day of Solemn Worship should be stiled a day of Power and Strength The Seventh Month which answers to our September is called Ethanim mensis fortium 1 Kings 8.2 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 robur The Jews give the reason because in that Month the Solemn Worship of God which is the safeguard of the Community was more frequent than in any other On the First Day was the Feast of Trumpets on the Tenth the Feast of Expiation on the Fifteenth the Feast of Tabernacles on the Three and Twentieth Festum retentionis The Hebrews did account their Sabbath as a day of Power They say Circumcision was deferred to the Eighth day That the Child might have the advantage of a Sabbath to strengthen it against that Time As the Title so the action appropriated to this day argues it to be the First of the Week namely The generation of the Son of God It is said of the Resurrection-day This day have I begotten thee Acts 13.33 Then was he declared to be The Son of God with power Rom. 1.3 The same thing in a Poetical manner is affirmed to be done upon the Morning of this day of Power From the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy Youth This Morning must be related to some day and to what day better than the day of Power These words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast the dew of thy youth the Septuagint interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or I have begotten thee This exposition being Literal has some encouragement from the common rule That in the expounding of Scripture we are not to let go the proper and adhere to an improper sence except we are compelled to it from some other Text. Other Scriptures are so far from putting this necessity upon us That they conspire to cast a favourable aspect upon the interpretation which is given The next Prophetical Testimony is in the 118. Psal v. 24. This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it Here is mention of the Resurrection-day For upon the day here spoken of The stone which the builders refused became the head of the corner v. 22. The same thing is said to be done on the day on which Christ rose from the dead Act. 4.10 11. The stamp of divine Authority is impressed upon this day This is the Day which the Lord hath made not by Creation so he has made every day but by a special Institution Here is the end for which it is made That we may joy and be glad in it The Worship of God is always to be performed with Spiritual rejoycing at this time for the Mercies of the Messias Gangren Syn. Can. 18. The ancient Church did never appoint a Fast upon the lord's-Lord's-day mourning being not reconcileable with the reason of its Institution Lastly Here is the place where this day is to be observed the Sanctuary Open to me the gates of righteousness into which the righteous shall enter v. 19 20. The gates of righteousness import as under the Law the doors of Tabernacle Temple Synagogue so under the Gospel the doors of Churches into which the Righteous are to enter upon the First of the Week to Worship God and express their grateful acknowledgments of the love of Christ in the work of Redemption To this we may add the prediction of Isaiah From one new moon to another and from one sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord Is 66.23 This Prophecy has an evident aspect upon the times of the Gospel God promiseth the bringing in a People to Christ They shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord saith the Lord v. 20. He promiseth Ministers to instruct this People under the name of Priests and Levites v. 21. Evangelical Ordinances under the name of new heavens and new earth v. 22. The time is foretold when this People are to attend upon these Ordinances From one new moon unto another and from one Sabbath to another As there will be Festivals confined to certain months So likewise a solemn day every week under the Gospel when all flesh shall come to Worship What can this be but the Lord's day which all Christians whether formerly Jews or Gentiles did devote to the acts of Religious Veneration If the words may be read as they are in the Margin of our Bibles from Sabbath to his Sabbath which is very agreeable to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great advantage will accrue to the Cause we maintain For as the People here spoken of are the People of Christ the Ministers the Ministers of Christ the Ordinances the Ordinances of Christ So by his Sabbath we must understand the Sabbath of Christ According to this interpretation it is predicted That all would depart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the old Sabbath and come together upon a new one called his Sabbath to Worship God 3. Our Blessed Lord. For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day Matt. 12.8 Our Saviour here assumes unto himself a title of Power He calls himself Lord of the Sabbath This power was communicated unto him He had it as he was Son of Man This Communication was not made without a design and some ponderous reason The only design visible to us is That he might make some alteration about the Sabbath He is said not only to be Lord but Lord even or also which imports That he has a power over something else in this place besides the Sabbath and that his
power over the Sabbath is to the same purpose with that power over those things whatsoever they be The things mentioned in the former Verses are the Shew-bread and Sacrifices which he put a period to and did erect other constitutions in the room of them We have already proved That the old day is annulled by him The First of the Week is stiled the Lord's day what can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be but an effect of that power which the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was invested with Pray That your flight be not on the Sabbath-day Mat. 24.20 It appears from hence That a Sabbath would be observed about Forty Years after these words were spoken for the flight mentioned in them was upon the account of the Roman Army stiled the abomination of desolation which about that time besieged and took Jerusalem called the holy place It is not said Pray that you be not put upon this extremity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the Sabbath then in use but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a general word which may be applyed to the first as well as the last of the Week This Sabbath is to be celebrated by the Disciples for he treats them privately v. 3. and we cannot think he would use such an emphatical expression which has a tendency to beget an awful regard to the Sabbath here mentioned in case they had not been concerned in the observation of it about the time which Christ had his Eye upon no other Sabbath was observed by the Disciples but the First of the Week About Two and Twenty Years after his Death we find it kept in a very full Assembly Act. 20.7 After which there is not the least mention of the celebration of the Jewish day in the New Testament but on the contrary S. Paul condemns the observation of it Coloss 2.16 This Epistle was written not long before his Martyrdom when he was in his bonds at Rome c. 4. v. 18. Therefore we have reason to believe That our Blessed Saviour had his Eye upon the First of the Week when he exhorted the Disciples to pray That their flight might not be on the Sabbath day As a Winter-flight would have been prejudicial to their bodies So likewise to fly upon the Sabbath when they were to be ingaged in the most solemn addresses to the Divine Majesty would be really disadvantageous to their Souls Indeed it is pretended That our Saviour's words were occasioned either by the foresight of some trouble to the Disciples from the superstitious Jews who would certainly hinder them in their flight upon their Sabbath or else of some molestation in their own Consciences arising from their being not fully weaned from the observation of the Ceremonial Rites To which I reply That no such thing could in reason be feared as the being hindred by the Jews because before the time which is spoken of they had laid aside their Superstitious conceits about sitting still or the going only a Sabbath-days journey when they were in capital dangers and received it as a Maxim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That when life is exposed to hazard the rest of the Sabbath may be dispensed with Tho' the Essenes refused to submit to this rule yet they being a very inconsiderable party in respect of the Pharisees and Sadducees and without any power of inflicting penalties they could be no impediment to the Christians in their flight As for the trouble arising from their own Consciences That cannot be supposed because they had full instructions before this time about the abolition of the Ceremonial Appointments All S. Paul's Epistles in which there are clear expressions about this matter were written before the destruction of Jerusalem If his Doctrine was not prevalent with them yet it cannot be imagined that they should be more superstitious in this particular than the Jews which were not converted and they made no scruple before this time either to fight or fly upon the Sabbath in case of danger as I have already intimated I pass from the words of Christ to his Actions as his Resurrection his appearing after his Resurrection the particular Acts done by him at his appearance The old Sabbath being discharged and the Fourth Command still for One in Seven as is evident by the premises we have a fair indication from the Resurrection of our duty to put a peculiar honour upon the First of the Week above all other days and account it the Christian Sabbath All days in themselves are equal That which alters this equality and advanceth one day above another is the eminence of the work which is done upon it The Resurrection of Christ being the consummation of the new Creation and of our redemption from the direful effects of the primitive Apostasie is the most eminent performance the World has been acquainted with Were we left to our own conduct what day could we make choice of to be the day of our Solemn Worship and rest from those labours which are not reconcileable with it Euseb de laud. Const Euseb vit Const 628. Vales l. 4. c. 18. Nazian 〈◊〉 43. Basil Hexam Hom. 2. but this which is ennobled with so transcendent a work Upon this account the antient Christians stiled it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 really the first the highest of all the first-fruits of days Samuel made it an argument That Saul was chosen King because there was none like him a man higher than the people from the shoulders upwards The First of the Week being advanced by the Resurrection and made much taller than any other of the Seven we may truly say Behold the Day which the Lord hath chosen to be the Queen of Days as Ignatius stiles it As the rising of Christ from the dead upon the First of the Week promotes our belief that it is the day which God has appointed in the room of the old Sabbath So likewise his appearing upon it after the Resurrection no less than five times upon the self-same day once to Mary Magdalen Mat. 28.9 10 11. Luk. 24.33 34. Jo. 2.19 v. 26. then to the Women the third time to the Two Disciples the fourth to Peter the last to the Eleven Eight days after taken inclusively he appeared again when the Disciples were met which was punctually upon the First of the Week This day was singled out by him for the first and last most eminent manifestation of himself by his Spirit The first to the Disciples at Pentecost when the Holy Ghost descended upon them in cloven Tongues Rev. 1.10 The last to S. John to whom the future state of the Church was revealed For what end were all these appearances but to inform future ages That the First of the Week is a day most acceptable to him and to assure them of his special presence when they convene upon it for his solemn Worship To all this I might add the particular acts which he did at his appearance He invested his Disciples with power to
day 3. As a Day preferred before the old Sabbath 4. As a Day instituted by Christ in the place of the old Day The First is manifest from Justin Martyr Apol. 2. p. 99. Apol. c. 39. who says That all Christians use to meet together upon it for the Worship of God Tertullian gives an account of the whole Solemnity of the day Eusebius says Hier. de Script Ecc. Euseb l. 4. c. 22. That it was celebrated by all Christians dispersed throughout the World If it had not been universally observed no account can be given why the Ebionites who did keep Saturday in a conformity to the Jews should celebrate the Lord's day That they might be agreeable in their practice to the Christians and why the contest grew so high about Easter whether it should be upon the Lord's day There had been no ground for this dispute in case the First of the Week had not then been honoured above all other days If this day was so generally devoted to Religion then there was a cessation upon it from all those secular imployments which are not reconcileable with so sacred a purpose and such a cessation is an ingredient essential to the constitution of a Sabbath Secondly We find sometimes the First of the Week to be expresly called a Sabbath-day as appears by the words of Gregory Nyssen He stiles it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De resurr Christitom 2. p. 814. Par. Ed. In Psalm explan Prologus p. 335. De temp p. 257. and represents this as the reason because the only begotten Son of God rested upon it from all his works S. Hilary owns it by the same name Nos octavâ die quae ipsa prima est perfecti Sà bbati festivitate laetamur S. Austin speaking How the glory of the old Sabbath was transferred to the First of the Week concludes in these words Sic quoque ritè sanctificamus Sabbatum Domini Isychius says concerning the Resurrection-day In Lev. 23. Haec est altera dies Sabbati The name whereby the Lord's day was anciently called amongst Aethiopian Christians Scaliger de emend tem l. 7. p. 645. is Sanbath Zachristos the Sabbath of Christ The Rythmes concerning a Jew in the time of Henry the Third make it manifest That this name was familiarly applyed to the First of the Week The Jews words to those who offered him their help to pull him off the Jakes upon Saturday were Sabbata nostra colo de stercore surgere nolo Mat. Par. Our Sabbath I so highly prize That from this dung I will not rise The Christians did reply the Lord's day being next Sabbata nostra quidem Solomon celebrabis ibidem Then Solomon it must be thy fate Our Sabbath there to celebrate It is stiled by our own Church the Sabbath-day in the Ecclesiastical Constitutions Can. 70. Thirdly It is represented as a day much preferred by Christians before the Jewish Sabbath It had so much the pre-eminence That the Last of the Week by Spectators out of the Church and the better and sounder part of those within had little or no notice taken of it or deference paid to it The Jews observing the singular regard the Christians had for the First of the Week called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of the Nazarites Avodah Zar. Hor Hebr. 320. It was a common maxim among them On the day of the Nazarites a Jew must not negotiate with a Christian The Gloss interprets a Nazarite to be one who follows the errour of him who commanded his Disciples to keep holy the First of the Week Buxt L. Rab. 1384. In voc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rab. Bechai commenting upon that expression behind one in the midst Is 66.7 says That it either denotes the cross of the Edomites or their solemn Feast-day By the Edomites he means Christians For the Jews in their private records where they give a greater indulgence to their blasphemous humour assert That the same Soul which was in Esau Lex Rab. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did pass into Christ from thence his followers are called by this name The Feast-day which he terms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fixed or stated time for Christian Worship is no other but the Lord's day When Pliny attempts to represent the crimes which the Christians were guilty of he sets this in the front Quod soliti essent stato die ante lucem convenire carmenque Christo tanquam Deo dicere That they were wont to meet upon a certain day and to sing a Hymn unto Christ as unto God If it had been usual for them to meet upon the old Sabbath as well as the Lord's day Pliny who made it his business to inquire into their practice would have discovered it and then it would have been statis diebus not stato die Here is only mention of one particular day That this was the Lord's day is apparent from Ignatius Ad Magnes who lived in the time of Trajan to whom Pliny wrote He represents the Jewish Sabbath as a working day and attributes to the Lord's day a dominion over it The celebration of Sunday was so constant amongst the Christians that the Heathens conceived That they gave some veneration to the Sun Which misapprehension occasioned the words of Tertullian Diem Solis laetitiae indulgemus aliâ longè ratione Cor. Mâ—l quà m religione Solis The Heathen Inquisition use to put this question to the Martyrs Dominicum servâsti hast thou kept the Lord's day The answer was I am a Christian I cannot intermit it Ignatius calls the First of the Week the Queen of days and if it was the Queen it had a Sovereignty over all other days and would not permit the old Sabbath to sit in the same Throne with it Non benè conveniunt nec in unâ sede morantur Majestas Amor. Queens and Lovers will not agree In the same Throne long to be Justin Martyr asserts That the old Sabbath is of no use after the time of Christ Whereas when he speaks of the Lord's day he says That all Christians meet upon it hear the Prophets read have a word of Exhortation spoken to them and the whole performance is concluded with Prayer and a collection for those who are in distress These duties use to be discharged in the Synagogues upon the Old Sabbath but that being abrogated they are now translated to the New The Council of Laodicea declares That Christians ought not to rest on the Jewish Sabbath but work preferring the Lord's day before it The Church anciently was so far from having any respect to the old day Or. 29. p. 282. Hâ—er 30.31 Hist Eccl. l. 4. c. 22. Buxt l. Rab. vo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that those who believed That they were under an obligation to observe it were branded with the infamy of heresie 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Nazianzen the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphanius the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉