though servile Subjection came in after Sin yet if Man had not Fallen there should have been degrees of Superiority and Inferiority And there should have been distinction of Sexes and dignities c. Obj. 4 John 7.22 Christ maketh an opposition between two Laws one of Circumcision and another of the Sabbath And he saith Circumcision is kept not because Moses Instituted Circumcision but because it was from the Fathers And because Moses's Law of the Sabbath was given after the Law of Circumcision therefore it is that Infants are Circumcised upon the Sabbath and yet the Sabbath is not broken Answ The Sabbath was given after Circumcision with the rest of the Ceremonies belonging to it which Christ especially meaneth here But the Moral part was given to Adam before his Fall He maketh Opposition here but between the Ceremony of Circumcision and the Ceremony of the Sabbath The less necessary Ceremony to give place to the greater And the Jews say when a Child was to be Circumcised upon the Sabbath yet the morning Sacrifice behoved to be Offered first before the Child was Circumcised and then all the rest of the Ceremonial Worship in the Sabbath gave place to Circumcision Obj. 5 And whereas they urge us That there is no Example of the Patriarches who kept the Sabbath before the Manna was sent down Answ It may seem out of Job That they kept the Sabbath in his time which was before the Law was given It is said Job had Seven Sons N. B. and they went and Feasted in their Houses every one his day Job 1.4 And then it is subjoyned Job 1.6 That there was a day when the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord. Now who were the Sons of God here but Job's Children N. B. who Assembled themselves to worship God upon the Seventh day Obj. They say that these words God rested the Seventh day and Sanctified the Sabbath aâ—â— set down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way 〈◊〉 Anticipation because God promised to Sanctifie that day afterwards Answ This carries no probability with it that God is said to Sanctifie it because he was purposed to Sactifie it afterwards For then he might be said to Sanctifie Moriah when he Created it because afterwards he was to build the Temple there and to Sanctifie the Pascha and the Pentecost because afterwards he was to appoint them for holy uses FINIS THE Sunday-Sabbath's Rest FROM CONTROVERSIES CHAP. I. Of the Thesis or Position Section I. THE Thesis or Position Our sunday-Sunday-Sabbath or Lords-day is the very same day of the week which was anciently observed by Jews and Gentiles for the Solemn day of their Solemn weekly Worship before Israels coming out of Aegypt and after that by the Gentiles Sect. II. The explanation of the Thesis 1. We call it Sunday 1. Because it is vulgarly so called and best known by the generality of the Nation 2. Because the Jews anciently so called it and observed it in memorial of God their Sun * Ps 84.11 Creating the World and that eminentest part thereof the Sun * Exod. â—0 11 If so long after the Creation no don 't but anciently neaâ—eâ— the Creaâ—ion 3. Because the Gentiles of old called it Sunday though upon an ill occasion that they on that day Worshiped the Sun But it is to our purpose to note the number of the day not the iniquity the observation not the misapplication of the day ¶ 2. We call it Sabbath 1. Because many Christians so call it and own it against all Jewish Saturday Sabbatarians 2. Because the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sabbath signifies rest which rest for Body and Soul we have mostly on this day 3. Because in some way of proportion the time of our Sabbath day answers to that of the Jews both being a Seventh day of the week ¶ 3. We call it The Lord's day 1. Because the Scripture so calls it I was saith St. John the Disciple of Christ in the Spirit on the LORDS DAY * Rev. 1.10 meaning our Sabbath or Sunday which we call the Lord's day For surely if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords Supper doth sufficiently distinguish that Spiritual Supper of the Communion to all ingenuous men from all common Suppers then so doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord's day sufficiently distinguish to all not willfully blind that special day from all other days For it follows 2ly That we call our Sabbath the Lord's day because it was the day of the Lord Christ's Resurrection from the Dead wherein he rested from his Sufferings and we thereby from our Sins and Condemnation 'T is true That the day of Christ's Resurrection is by the same Apostle called the First day of the week * Joh. 20.1 But 't is as true That this same First day was the Jews and Gentiles Sabbath for Two thousand four hundred fifty four years viz. From the Creation to the reduction of Israel our Aegypt and was the Gentiles Sabbath long after that 3ly We call it the Lord's Day because on that day in every week we solemnly worship the Lord Christ with the Gospel Worship which the Lord himself hath Instituted Sect. 3. The probation or proof of the said Thesis being made good by the orderly succeeding of the following Chapter N. B. the latter strengthning the former it may be hoped that according to the TITLE there will follow a cessation and rest of all Controversies about the Sunday Sabbath or the Lord's day either by the Quotidian or Hemerion Sabbatarians that pretend no one day but every day should be as a Sabbath Or by the Plurian Sabbatarians that would not have all days to be Sabbaths but would have more then one day in Seven Or by the Prosabbatarians that are wholy for the Jewish Sabbath Or by the Antisabbatarians that are against the Jewish Sabbath in the behalf of the Christian Sabbath Or touching the morality of thâ— Sabbath in general Or touching the warrantrie of Christian Lord's day Sabbath Or touching the Scruple whether to calâ— the day of Solemn Worship Sunday or Sabbath day oâ— Lord's day CHAP. II. Of the Natural and Artificial day Sect. 1. THE Natural day of Twenty four hours as it is vulgarly called is with any people the space of time between Sun-rising and Sun-rising or between Sun-setting and Sun-setting called by the Learned the Horizontal day Sect. 2. The parts of this Natural day are two The one is the Artificial day that is the days Light The other part is by relative consequence the Artificial night that is the Nights darkness belonging to that day So that the Artificial day is the whole space between Sun-rising and Sun-setting CAP. III. Of the ancient beginning of the Natural day Sect. 1. THE Artificial day or Day-light was anciently before Israels going out of Aegypt counted the beginning or former part of the Natural day and the Night the latter part of the said natural day This appears three ways
of the Sun or Sunday was the very same day which we call THE LORD'S DAY We have already in several Sections and Paragraphs of the fore-going Chapters dropped some proofs of this But now we shall bring more particularly direct and express Testimonies to this point ¶ 1. Dr. F. White and Dr. Heylin though they were Opposers of the Morality of the Sabbath do confess That Christians of the first ages because they observed the Sunday for their Sacred Services bowing in Prayer towards the East were upbraided for Worshippers of the Sun though they neither Worshiped the Sun as the Heathen nor called the day of their Worshiping God Sunday as they called it but the Lord's day being their Sabbath or Sacred day of REST to the Lord. Therefore if Sunday had not been with the Heathen who were Sun Worshippers indeed a weekly day of solemn Worship there had been no cause of that upbraiding by the Jews or Heathen-Gentiles (a) White of the Sabbath and Heylin part 2. p. 53. But we have more approved Authors then these as it follows ¶ 2. Sozomen telleth us That Constantine Commanded Diem Dominicum quem Hebraei primum Hebdomadae appellant craeci Solis deputant a cunctis celebrari (b) Sozom. Eccles Histor L. 1. c. 8. That is Constantine commanded that the Lords day which the Jews call the First day of the week and the Greeks depute to the Sun to be celebrated of all Whence it is justly inferred That Constantine then held That the Day which the Heathen-Greeks deputed to the Sun was the very same which we call the Lord's day ¶ 3. Coeli Rhodignin tells us Nos jure optimo diem quem Mathematici Solis vocant Domino ascripsimus dicavimusque illius Cultui totum mancipavimus That is with the greatest Equity we have ascribed and Dedicated to the Lord and wholly given up to his Worship that day which the Mathematicians call THE DAY OF THE SVN (c) Coel. Rho. Antiq. L. 13. c. 22. ¶ 4. Bonaventure tells of the pious fraud that Christians acted to rob the Sun of its Idolatrous Worship and transfer the observation of that day to Christ His Words are these Secundum Gentiles dies Dominicus primus est Cum Principio illius diei incipit dominari principalis Planeta Sol propter quod vocabant eundem Diem Solis exhibebant ei venerationem Vt ergo error ille excluderetur reverentia cultus Solis Deo exhiberetur praefixa fuit Dominica Dies qua populus Christianus vacaret cultui Divino (d) Bonavent 3. Dist 37. That is According to the Heathen the LORD'S DAY is a CHIEF day when in the beginning of that day the Principle Planet the SUN begins to Rule For which cause they called it the Day of the SUN and gave Worship thereunto To the intent therefore that Error might be shut out of doors and that reverence of Worship of the Sun might be given to God The LORD'S DAY was prefixed wherein the Christian people gave themselves to Divine Worship For a close of this Chapter we add a Fifth Paragraph ¶ 5. Justin Martyr doth diverse times in his Works call the LORD'S DAY 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE DAY OF THE SVN as then the Gentiles or Greeks called it (e) Just Mar. Apol. 2 pro Christian 2. centur So also Tertullian sometimes calles it Diem Solis Sunday sometimes Diem Dominicum The Lord's day And in the Edicts of Constantine Valentinian Valens Gratian Honorius Arcadius Theodosius all of them Christian Princes our LORDS DAY is commonly called Dies Solis Sunday A DIAGRAM OR Representation as to the Eye of the Summe and Design of the whole Treatise preceding CHAP. X. THE PREFACE To the said DIAGRAM THE Jews as we have shewed were to begin their Sabbath at the Even next before the succeeding Morning And after the immediate Morning or Day-light preceding Levit. 23.32 Consequently the rest of the Seven days of the Week so began or else they could not measure out the Sabbath to begin as aforesaid As also the Jews Festivals and Solemnities would justle out or rob one another of their due time when diverse come together As Levit. 23.5 6 7 8. In the Fourteenth day of the First Month at Even is the Lord 's Passover On the Fifteenth of the same Month is the Feast of Vnleavened-bread c. Grotius on v. 32. of that Levittic tells us punctually the mode of this Mutation Cum dies per annum inaequales fint c. That is Seeing that days by the year are unequal and in Summer the Sun sets much more slowly or laterly as to us then in the Winter the Hebrews begin their Rest on the Sabbath six hours after the Noontyde Now for an example to the point in hand Let us consider the Measures anâ— Mutations of Friday Saturday and Sunday in this Diagram The Diagram or Representation According to the Jews Account 1. FRIDAY which was thâ— day of the Week when Christ suffered iâ— as to the beginning thereof put back to take its beginning at the immediate preceding Evening of that day as but now is aforâ— described by Grotius viz. it began at the sixth hour after thâ— Noon or Twelve of the Clock 2. SATVRDAY consequentially which was the day of the Weeâ— wherein Christ lay in his Gravâ— did begin at the immediate succeâ—ding Evening of that Day 3. SVNDAY therefore whicâ— was the day of the Week wheâ— Christ arose from the Grave bâ—gan at Sunday Evening And 〈◊〉 that Evening with the Day-lighâ— next following make the Thirâ— day And so in the rest of the day of the Week proportionably Thus ye see the Jews Measure and Computation of the Week by Days by the Example of the three Days before exprest The Parallelogram what proportion the Christian Account holds with the Diagram of the Jewish According to the Lord Jesus Christ Account 1. But Christ by his Resurrection beginning the Third Day That is Sunday in the Morning which takes to it naturally the succeeding Evening to make it a compleat day calling it the Third Mat. 20.19 Mal. 9.31 10.34 Luk. 18.33 24.7 2. Now as linck after linck in a Chain Friday begins that day of 24. hours at Friday-morning SATVRDAY begins at Saturday Morning 3. SVNDAY begins at Sunday Morning And so all the Evenings re-associated with their Mornings move forward and slip into their natural places the Sun constantly measuring out a Night to every Day and naturally makes the Night the latter part of its race as if the Sun rested after its Labour in the day whilst it gives good nights rest to the labouring man And now as the close of the Diagram ye may behold Sunday-Sabbath standing by it self distinguishedly in Mode Measure and Order Thus The Jewish Sabbath doth consist 1. Of the Evening which began Six hours after the Noon At which they killed their Paschal Lamb. 2. Of the Dark-night at which time Israel went out of
That it is Credible that the first Fathers were taught of God concerning the manner of Worship And from the same God received the Religion of that Day Thus ye have a glance of Rivet's Third Argument The rest of Rivet's Arguments for the Original of the Sabbath to have been from the Beginning of the World I shall omit and dismiss untoucht both because Rivet himself confesseth That they are not of any great moment if the Three former and chiefer would not prevail as also because I here give the Reader notice that the main of them would be touched in our ESSAY CAP. V. D. Heylyn is Opposed in the Matter and Substance of the present Question of the Original of the Sabbath 1. By Learned Dr. Willet 2. By Worthy Mr Weemes both which contend for the Truth not in single Combat with every particular opposed but to assert and corroborate in gross and in common the main of the Controversy 1. HEylyn * In his History of the Sabbath makes the Challenge That those words Gen. 2. And God blessed the Seventh day c. are there delivered by way of Anticipation Anticipations saith he of the same nature not strange in Scripture No Law imposed by God on Adam touching keeping of the Sabbath The Fathers afore the Law kept not the Sabath c. So Heylyn Verba sine rebus 2. Doctor Willet's Answer Willet On Ger. 2. v. 3.14 in opposition thereunto on Gen. 2.4 Cites and Asserts as follows Here we have the Institution of the Sabbath saith Willet which afterward was revivd by the promulgation of the Moral Law We refuse therefore the erroneous Opinion of Tostatus and * In Gen. Lib. 1. p. 223. Pererius two Popish Authors who think that this Sanctifying of the Sabbath is here mentioned by way of Anticipation being not Instituted till the time of Moses For say they every day to man in the state of Innocency should have been a Sabbath Neither was there any positive Precept given to Adam in Paradise but only that of not eating the forbidden fruit But in this affirming they are grosly deceived 1. Man had now Transgressed before the Sabbath was Instituted as after shall be proved And therefore they do out of time urge the State of Man's Innocency 2. If Man had continued in that State seeing he was appointed to keep the Garden and not to live idly no not in Paradise it is most like that even then he should have kept the Sabbath as a rest and Intermission even from such Labour as became that place and as a Symbole unto him of a further perfection to be attained unto 3. That the Sabbath was Instituted now the Creation being finished it may appear by the Fourth Commandement Exod. 20.11 where this Reason of the Law is given For in Six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth c. 4. It is also evident that the Sabbath was kept by Godly Tradition before the Moral Law was given as appeares Exod. 16.23 To morrow is the Rest of the holy Sabbath to the Lord. N. B. 5. Thus the ancient Fathers Jerom Austin The ancient Fathers alledged and Origen ground the Institution of the Sabbath upon God's Example in this place Jerom. trad in Gen. 2. Aust Ps 80. And Origen thus answereth Celsus Lib. 6. objecting If God were weary that he need to rest God rested saith he that we resting from our labour should celebrate that day Thus of Doctor Willet Of Weemes in Chap. 6. CAP. VI. Now for a close let us hear Learned Weems speaking punctually and fully to the Question in his Exercitations divine Command 4. p. 229. Quest QVestion Whether the Sabbath was from the begining or not Ans The Lord setteth down his Example for Imitation to us because he rested that day that we may learn That the Institution of the Sabbath was from the beginning Which is contrary to them who hold That the Sabbath was not ordained to be kept till after the Lord had rained down Manna Ex. 16. Obj. And they say that these words The Lord rested from all his Works the Seventh day were a Reason added to Moses's Sabbath when the Law was given but not to Adams's Sabbath before the Fall Answ But we answer In the reasons of the Commands there is something Natural from the Begining and something added by Moses As in the respect of the 5th Commandement this was Juris Naturae of natural right given to Adam and all his Posterity viz. Honour thy Father and thy Mother THAT THY DAYS MAY BE LONG that is live happily here and then to be Translated to another life But his was Juris Mosaici of Mosaical right That thy days may be long in THE LAND WHITHER THOU ART TO GO So this was Juris Naturae of Natural Right in the Reason added to the Sabbath Thou shalt rest from all thy Works because God rested from his Works But this is only Juris Mosaici only of Mosaical Right That the Sabbath should be a Sign between God and them and belongeth not to Adam's Sabbath Ezek. 20.10 I brought them out of Egypt and gave them my Sabbaths that they might be a sign between me and them The Sabbath was 〈◊〉 particular Sign to them of their bringing out of Aegypt And they should always remember to keep it because the Lord brought them out of Aegypt The Sabbath was from the Beginning but it was accessory to the Jewish Church that it was made a Sign as the Rainbow was from the Beginning the Reflex of the Sun in a Cloud But it was not a Sign to the World until the Deluge Obj. 2 But they say we read nothing in the whole History of Genesis of the Sabbath or that any of the Patriarcks kept it Ans We read nothing that the Adulterous and Incestuous persons were put to Death before Judah's time N. B. Did the Patriarches suffer this sin to be unpunished all this time And is it probable that the Holy Men of God who Sacrificed to the Lord and Worshiped him had not a certain time for his Worship determined to them The Lord Sanctified the Sabbath as soon as he had rested from his Works and set up the Sun and the Moon Lemaguadim which is the Hebrew word used afterwards in the Law for the holy Convention ad stata tempora i. e. Set appointed times What appointed times were then for his Worship N. B. if not the Sabbath For as yet they had none of their Aniversary Feasts Obj. 3 Again they say That the words set down in this Law That thou mayst rest and thy Servant may rest belonged not to Adam's Sabbath For Adam before the Fall was not wearied and there should have been no servile Subjection before the Fall Therefore these words belong only to Moses's Sabbath Answ Although Adam should not have been wearied in dressing of the Garden yet it behoved him to rest that he might exercise himself only in the Worship of God And
ERRATUM Page 74. Sect. 7. Line 1. rea◠Uncontradictably AN ESSAY Concerning the Sabbath OR THE SABBATH-DAYS REST FROM CONTROVERSIE Wherein is asserted That our CHRISTIAN SABBATH Lords-day or Sunday is the very same day of the Week which was Anciently observed by the Jews and Gentiles for the Solemn day of their Solemn weekly Worship before Israels coming out of AEGYPT and after that by the Gentiles PREFACED With an INTRODUCTION thereunto touching the true meaning of Gen. 2. v 2 3. And on the Seventh day God ended his work and rested that day and blessed and sanctified it In parvo magnum By N. Homes D. D. LONDON Printed for the Author 1673. THE EPISTLE TO THE Reader INgenious and Ingenuous Candid Reader I had thought that by this time I had been Rude donatus freed from any further attendance at the Press having toyled so much and so long in that Warfair But seeing that neither all Men nor all pretenders to Learning are yet satisfied about our Christian Sabbath some Hesitating about the time others about the number a third sort about the morality of it And others on the other hand encouraging me to set forth this Irenicon I yielded to them their desire Of which that I might not be fond as of a birth of my Brain I anticipated it by following in some degree Quintilian's advice to the Author of any Book Nonumque prematur in annum ut refrigerato inventionis amore tanquam Lector perpenderet That he should suppress his Treatise for Nine years whereby he cooling the fervor of his Affectionate love to his own invention he might peruse and weigh it rather as the Reader of it then the Author This Counsel I have followed halfe way my judgment in Opposition to fond Affection leading me thereunto Quartumque repressit in annum and supprest this Treatise this Four years and upon the same account as aforesaid viz. to prevent doting upon it But when its Lease was out it was releast and got abroad into the World more to oblige Conscience to a more serious solemnizeing the Lord's-day and to mind us of that Eternal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sabbatisme of which it is the Typical Representation A fit Subject for my old Age and all that are ancient in days Yet let no man Dream that in this Treatise I dote as if that little Learning I have had made me besides my self or that it is now too late for me to meddle with Mathematical Numbrings Measurings and Revolutions of times So that they dare say I cannot make good the Title of the Book I think I may as boldly say such Confidents endeavour to advance their nescience above anothers Knowledge yea and indeed to make rash Censoriousness to ride in Triumph over sober Consideration For they judge of things as we say unsight and unseen and so make their illiterateness ad hoc to be the measure of another mans discoveries But he only that is Learned is able duly to judge of a Man of Learning Nor doth God discover all truths at once Heb. 1.1 nor to all men alike to some more to some less One Micajah let me speak it without boasting my self but in a way of Apology for my loneliness in this Tenet I say one Micajah in 1 King 22.6 c. was in the right when Four hundred false Prophets were in the wrong And so was Elijah in the right when the Four hundred and fifty Prophets of Baal and the Four hundred Prophets of the Groves greatly erred 1 Kings 18. v. 19. c. And of latter times one Paphnutius by his Wisdom and strength of Reason turned a whole Council A memorable story Men building on false Principles are sure to erre in their Conclusions For Example The Sabbath say most is the Seventh day from the Creation which say we cannot be because no Mortal Man could ever tell where the Sun first appeared to the World N. B. whether in the East or in the West whether at Noon or at Midnight whereby to fix the Beginning and the Ending of the Natural Sabbath-day that is The Natural Seventh day of Twenty four hours Besides no one day so measured out could be comensurate to make an Vniversal Seventh day to serve all Nations to begin their Sabbath at the same hour For the Sun in its swift Course makes in every hour a new Horizon and so a new hour to every Nation according to their various Situations So that the Seventh day from the Creation is quite out of doors N. B. and the Seventh day after Six days labour in every Countrey must be taken into the room thereof In this Essay as I follow no Common Rode or plural of Authors so nor do I as if displeased tread upon any mans heels that hath gone before bearing Witness to the Divine Authorization and Morality of the Sabbath though on different Principles But my greatest care is least the Reader should not be as clear in his apprehensions of my expressions as I am in this Notion touching the Identity and sameness of our Lord's Day or Sabbath with that from the Creation to Israels coming out of Aegypt The Reader therefore N. B. that is desirous to understand is intreated studiously to read the whole and then compare and ponder part with part and then impartially judge of all And may perhaps thereby be provoked and be enabled to speak more fully to the Point then I have done as a looker on we say sees oft-times more then he that plays the Game If I have broken the Ice another may wade further Truth say the Ancients lies hidden in a quick-Spring-Well therefore is not drawn out but by degrees And every degree gives Light into further Truth Impossibles as deemed become possible possibles to appear probable probables to evidence themselves demonstrable Is it impossible for a Master of Reason to imagine this Supposition That he sees Noah in his Ark and while he there sees him one while in the upper room of the Ark another while in the lower that still he sees him in the Ark No more is it impossible for a man to conceive that whiles he considers the Sabbath day in the upper region of the time of the natural Sabbath day of Twenty four hours to wit in the Evening or consider the Sabbath in the lower Region of it namely in the Morning and beginning of the said day that still it is Materially the same Sabbath day though Formally it became the Jews Sabbath as limited by Moses's Administration And it becomes formally the Christian Sabbath as it was first stated by the Patriarchs before the Flood c. and afterwards stablished by Christs Resurrection I shall conclude with this confidence in the sight of God that if I have not promoted the Stablishment of our Christian Sabbath which was my whole design I am sure it is not prejudiced by Nathanael Homes THE INTRODUCTION Concerning the ESSAY Touching the SABBATH CAPITULUM I. 1. The Thesis
was finished is such a thing was in Gen. 2. Is neither expresly asserted nor is by any circumstances of that Scripture evinced Therefore out of that place of Scripture it cannot be proved 1. Rivet's Reply The truth of the Proposition we grant as clearer then the Sun But the truth of the Assumption we deny And those things that are brought by Gomarus for the contrary do not at all eradicate our Assertions but are meer suppositions without proof Namely That these things Gen. 2. are not inserted by Moses as if at that very time they had been done but to shew that this History of the finishing of the World and of the Divine rest on the Seventh day might be kept in perpetual Memory by the Israelites So he As if both may not be viz. The thing done and the memory of it kept in mind also For subordinate things are not contrary This for a tast of the First Argument CAP. III. Rivet's Second Argument for us That the Sabbath was Instituted from the Beginning of the World and by him defended 1. The Argument from Heb. 4.1 c. 2. Gomarus his Answer 3. Rivets's Keply Rivets Argument in a Rhetorical way 1. THE Argument is from the Epistle to the Heb. Chap. 4. v. 1. c. And is this When the Apostle would describe the Spiritual Rest promised by God and would shew it was another Rest different from the Sabbatisme which the Jews observed according to the Law And also different from the Rest in the Land of Canaan into which Joshua conducted the People he saith those words in Psal 95. v. 11. â—â—sware IF THEY SHALL ENTER INTO MY REST were pronounced by David although the works of God were finished from the Foundations of the World where he citeth that place in Gen. 2. And sheweth That the promise of Rest made to the Believers included in the threatning made to the Vnbelievers of excluding them from the Rest cannot be understood of the Rest of the SABBATH because now the works of God having been finished from the Foundations of the World God had rested the Seventh day from all his Works From all which follows That the Rest of the the SABBATH day began according to the Apostle from the finishing of God's Works after the Sixth day For it shews that men even then entred into that Rest from the time the World was finished For in vain he had said these words From the finishing of the works of God from the Foundation of the World if THAT SABBATH began after Two thousand years and more 2. Gomarus in answer to this Argument saith That it nothing moves him not through forgetfulness of that place of Scripture nor for want of a solid answer but because he could not observe in it any mention at all concerning the Sabbath for Rest and the Worship of God And adds further No Argument he believes could be thence drawn but such as would be absurd and void of any colour of an Argument 3. To this Rivet replies These words saith he of Extenuation and contempt Gomarus opposeth to our words which we objected as of great moment to the matter in hand The Apostles Argument appears to be this Rivet's Argument in a Syllogistical way God by the mouth of David excludes Unbelievers from his Rest But he doth not exclude them from that Rest with which he rested from the Foundations of the World after the finishing of the Works of Creation because that Rest was now long since past Nor doth he exclude them from the Rest in the Land of Canaan because many Unbelievers entred into it Therefore There remains a Third Sabbatisme into which they shall not enter The force of our Argument in that consisteth That no reason can be given why the Apostle should except that Rest from the Foundations of the World If it no ways appertained to men and if under the rest of God he did not understand that which he prescribed to men by his own example that he might shew that Rest not to be it of which David speaks because David could not promise that Rest which from the Beginning of the World was by Gods Example Instituted by or in the Sanctification thereof Amd thus ye have a touch of Rivets 2 Argum. CAP. IV. Rivet's Third Argument for us by him defended 1. The Argument from the Piety of the Patriachs 2. Gomarus his Answer 3. Rivet's Reply 1. THE Third Argum. taken from Reason was this The Patriarchs and other Believers before Moses according to their Piety towards God had their set times for Religion and Reformation according to their Power Therefore they observed the Seventh day of the week for that purpose Which may be propounded otherwise viz as Wallaeus * Cap. 3. Dissert propounds it Nullo modo saith he c. that is It is no way likely the Patriarchs all that while that Two thousand years and upward ran out had no set times wherein they might remember the benefits of God in the Creation of Heaven and Earth N. B. or that they might give to God a publick Worship or give to themselves and their Generations outward helps or means towards Piety when as concerning the Worship it self which they exhibited there is frequent mention or wherein they might permit a breathing and respit to their Servants Hand-maid and Cattel N. B. If therefore they had any fixed time it is altogether Consentaneous to reason that they would use that day of the Sanctification whereof there was extant so perspicuous a Testimony and not any other days of which there is no footstep to be found in all the Old Testament The same thing did * Com. in 4 Precep Calvin before that insinuate When God saith he delivered to the Saints the Right of Sacrificing it is not Credible That the observation of the Sabbath was omitted But by reason of the pravity of Human disposition that which among the prophane Gentiles was utterly extinct and in the Of-spring of Abraham was almost worn out of use God renewed by his Law that the Sabbath should be honoured with an holy and inviolable Observation 2. Gomarus Answers That which with Calvin was not Credible is with Gomarus not only Credible but also the consequence from Godly mens Worshiping to that day wherein God rested or from God's example is infirm because nothing hinders but that they might convene at some other convenient time for their publick Exercise of Religion 3. Rivets Answer by way of retortion thus It is Manifest then saith he that among all those that Convened for Publick Worship they Convened in a Convenient time The Question now is Qu. what is that time which ordinary day was it We who have known that God rested the Seventh day which the Authors of the contrary Judgment cannot deny who also confess That God prescribed to the People of Israel the Seventh day for Publick Worship because in it he rested doth seem to us not ill to Collect
God commanded the Jews to take into their Sabbath the next preceding Evening then either we must say The Jews Sabbath began the Evening next AFORE our Sabbath-day-light began or else that the Jews Sabbath began at the Evening AFTER our Sabbath-day-light began If we say AFTER then one whole day is lost in the computation of time If we say AFORE then we have that we contend for viz. That the Jews Artificial Sabbath-day of Day-light and the Christians Artificial Sabbath of Day-light were Materially as to Day-light the very self same as before at the very first change of the Sabbath Thus of the Second Conclusion ¶ 3. Conclusion to be cleared afore named is That both Sabbaths the Jews and ours in several respects and on several accompts are much the same 1. They are the same Materially as to Day-light not only in the same Horizon of which Jerusalem is the Centre point as was said in the First Conclusion but also in that Horizon which encircleth England and Judaea excepting about four or five hours that Day-light begins in Judaea so much sooner then with us in England as is demonstrable upon the Globe 2. They are the same reputatively that is They are reputed and esteemed the same day of the week in number For what is the Reason that the French and Dutch are said to keep the Twenty fifth day of December for the Feast of the Nativity of Christ and yet we English also are said to keep the same Feast on the Twenty fifth day of December though we keep it Ten days Old Style after them beyond Sea that observe New-Style Ten days before us I say what is the Reason but because the French and Dutch ever since that Pope Gregory altered their Year begin their Months sooner by Ten days then we do Just so it is in the Matter of the Sabbath namely both Jews and Christians all of them keep their Sabbath on the same day of the Week viz. on the SEVENTH day of the Week and that the Reason why the Seventh day of the Week with the Jews comes to be almost a day sooner then it doth with the Christians is because the Jews began their Week near a day sooner this they did formerly before the change of it at their coming out of Aegypt and sooner then the Heathen Gentiles did and the Christians now do 3. Both Sabbath days the Jews and Ours are the same boundarily For as the Six days of Man's Labour do bound out the Jews present Sabbath Six days saith the Fourth Commandement Shalt thou Labour and do all thy Work but the Seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God So all the Six days of our Labour are the boundary of our Christian Sabbath for after our Six days of our Labour we keep our Sabbath not sooner nor later And the natural necessity of the thing constreins For the Sabbath must either relate to the Six days of God's Work of Creation or to the Six days of Man's Labour in his Vocation Now it cannot relate to the Six days of God's Work of Creation and so to the day of God's Rest For then either the day of God's Rest and the Jews Sabbath must be the same beginning in all places at Sun-setting where-ever the Jews did or ought to observe their Sabbath which cannot be except the Earth were all a flatt and not a round Globe as we see by sence both on the Globe and on the Hills and Mountains of the Earth how their roundness makes the day begin successively over the whole Earth Or else the day of Gods Rest did at the first and still doth begin in this computation of a Seventh sooner in some places then in other and so first at one particular place whiles it was no where else the day of God's Rest either of which are so against sence and reason that no understanding man can rationally imagine it Therefore the bounding and measuring out of the Sabbath must relate to the Six days of Man's Labour in his Vocation as 't is directed in the Fourth Commandement immediatly after which Six days of our Labour follows the Seventh day for Rest So that in this respect also the Jews Sabbath and our Sabbath are the same The Close THus have I Laboured in this small Treatise with great Ventilations and Careful thoughts to give rest to others hoping that upon due consideration of what hath been cleared in the precedent Treatise touching the Seniority of our Christian Sabbath before the Law The sameness in several respects of both Sabbaths at this day And that the Crown of Morality is rather Set Worn or to be worn on the head of our Christian Sabbath then on the Jewish Our Christian Brethren of the Saturday Sabbatarians will be brought off from the Errour of their Opinion and out of that discomfort and those encumbrances that attend the Practise thereof Which is the Prayer of their hearty well-wishing Friend N. H. FINIS