here that looke as man standing in innocency had cause thus to returne â—rom the pleasant labours of his weekly paradise imployments as shall be shewn in due place so man fallen much more from his toilsome and wearisome labours to this his rest again And therefore as because all creatures were made for man man was therefore made in the last place after them so man being made for God and his worship thence it is that the Sabbath wherein man was to draw most neare unto God was appointed after the creation of man as Peter Martyr observes For although man is not made for the Sabbath meerly in respect of the outward rest of it as the Pharisees dreamed yet hee is made for the Sabbath in respect of God in it and the holinesse of it to both which then the soule is to have its weekly revolution back againe as into that Rest which is the end of all our lives labour and in speciall of all our weekly labour and work Thesis 8. As therefore our blessed rest in the fruition of God at the end and period of our lives is no ceremony but a glorious privilege and a morall duty it being our closing with our utmost end to which we are called so it cannot be that such a Law which cals and commands man in this life to returne to the same rest for substance every Sabbath day should bee a ceremoniall but rather a Morall and perpetuall Law unlesse it should appeare that this weekly Sabbath like the other annuall Sabbath hath been ordained and instituted principally for some ceremonious ends rather than to be a part and indeed the beginning of our rest to come there being little difference between this and that to come but onely this that here our rest is but begun there it is perfected here it is interrupted by our weekly labours there it is continued here we are led into our rest by meanes and ordinances but there we shall bee possessed with it without our need of any helpe from them our God who is our rest being then become unto us immediately All in All. Thesis 9. Were it not for mans worke and labour ordained and appointed for him in this life he should enjoy a continuall Sabbath a perpetuall Rest. And therefore wee see that when mans life is ended his sunne set and his worke done upon earth nothing else remaines for him but only to enter into his perpetuall and eternall Rest All our time should be solemne and sacred to the Lord of time if there were no common worke and labour hâ—re which necessarily occasions common time why then should any think that a weekly Sabbath is ceremoniall when were it not for this lifes labour a perpetuall and continuall Sabbath would then be undoubtedly accounted morall It s hard for any to thinke a servants awfull attendance on his Lord and Master at certaine speciall times not to bee morally due from him who but for some more private and personall occassions allowed him to attend unto should at all times continually be serving of him Thesis 10. The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and no Scripture phrase and therfore not proper fitly and fully to expresse the question in controversie to wit whether the fourth Commandment bee a morall precept The best friends of this word finde it slippery and can hardly tell what it is and what they would have to be understood by it and hence it is become a bone of much Contention a fit mist and swampe for such to fight in who desire so to contend with their Adversaries as that themselves may not bee known either where they are or on what ground they stand Yet it being a word generally taken up and commonly used it may not therefore be amisse to follow the market measure and to retaine the word with just and meet explications thereof Thesis 11. They who describe a morall law to bee such a law as is not typically ceremoniall and therefore not durable doe well and truely expresse what it is not but they doe not positively expresse what it is Thesis 12. Some describe and draw out the proportions of the morall law by the law of nature and so make it to bee that law which every man is taught by the light of nature That which is morally and universally just say some which reason when it is not mis-led and the inward law of nature dictateth by common principles of honesty or ought to dictate unto all men without any outward usher It is that say others which may be proved not only just but necessary by principles drawne from the light of nature which all reasonable men even in nature corrupted have still in their hearts which either they doe acknowledge or may at least bee convinced of without the Scriptures by principles still left in the hearts of all men But this description seems too narrow For 1. Although it be true that the law naturall is part of the law morall yet if the law morall be resolved into the law of nature only and the law of nature bee shrunke up and drawne into so narrow a compasse as what the principles left in corrupt man onely suggest and dictate then it will necessarily follow that many of those holy rules and principles are not the law of nature which were the most perfect impressions of the law of nature in mans first creation and perfection but now by mans apostacy are obliterated and blotted out unlesse any shall thinke worse than the blinde Papists either that mans minde is not now corrupted by the fall in losing any of the first impressions of innocent nature or shall maintaine with them that the Image of God of which those first impressions were a part was not naturall to man in that estate 2. It will then follow that there is no morale discipline as they call it that is nothing morall by discipline informing or positively morall but onely by nature dictating which is crosse not onely to the judgements but solid Arguments of men judicious and most indifferent 3. If that onely is to be accounted morall which is so easily knowne of all men by the light of nature corrupted then the imperfect light of mans corrupt minde must bee the principall judge of that which is morall rather than the perfect rule of morality contained in the Scripture which Assertion would not a little advance corrupt and blinde Nature and dethrone the perfection of the holy Scripture Thesis 13. They who define a morall law to be such a law as is perpetuall and universall binding all persons in all ages and times doe come somewhat nearer to the marke and are not far off from the truth and such a description is most plaine and obvious to such as are not curious and in this sense our adversaries in this cause affirme the Sabbath not to be morall meaning that it is not a Law perpetuall and universall Others on the contrary affirming that it is morall intend
rest as this and as afterward it sell out in the finishing of the work of redemption it might have been as well upon such a day as this but it was not then so and hence the rest day fell as it were accidentally upon this and hence it is that Gods example of rest on that particular day doth not necessarily binde us to observe the same seventh day morall examples not alway binding in their accidentals as the case is here although it be true that in their essentials they alway do Thesis 134. There is no strength in that reason that because one day in seven is to be consecrated unto God that therefore one yeere in seven is to be so also as of old it was among the Jewâ—â— for beside what hath been said formerly viz. that one yeere in seven was meerly ceremoniall one day in seven is not so saith Wallaeus but morall God gave no example whose example is onely in morall things of resting one yeere in seven but he did of resting one day in seven I say beside all this it is observable what Iunius notes herein The Lord saith he challengeth one day in seven jure creationis by right of creation and hence requires it of all men created but he challenged one yeere in seven jure peculiaris possessionis i. by right of peculiar possession the Land of Canaan being the Lords land in a peculiar manner even a type of Heaven which every other Country is not and therefore there is no reason that all men should give God one seventh yeer as they are to give him one seventh day By the observation of one day in seven saith he men professe themselves to be the Lords and to belong unto him who created and made them and this profession all men are bound unto but by observation of one yeere in seven they professed thereby that their Countrey was the Lords and themselves the Lords Tenants therein which all Countreys not being types of Heaven cannot nor ought to doe and therefore there is not the like reason urged to the observation of a seventh yeere as of a seventh day Thesis 135. Look therefore as 't is in the second Commandement although the particular instituted worship is changed under the Gospel from what it was under the Law yet the generall duty required therein of observing Gods own instituted worship is morall and unchangeable so t is in the fourth Commandement where though the particular day be changed yet the duty remains morall and unchangeable in observing a seventh day there is therefore no reason to imagine that the generall duty contained in this precept is not morall because the observance of the particular day is mutable and yet this is the fairest colour but the strongest refuge of lies which their cause hath who hold a seventh day to be meerly ceremoniall Thesis 136. If it be a morall duty to observe one day in seven then the observation of such a day no more infringeth Christian liberty then obedience to any other morall Law one part of our Christian liberty consisting in our conformity to it as our â—ondage consists in being left to sinne against it and therefore that argument against the morality of one day in seven is very feeble as if Christian liberty was hereby infringed Thesis 137. It was meet that God should have speciall service from man and therefore meet for himselfe to appoint a speciall time for it which time though it be a circumstance yet it s such a circumstance as hath a speciall influence into any businesse not onely humane but also divine and therefore if it be naturally it may be also ethically and morally good contributing much also to what is morally good and therefore the determination of such a time for length frequency and holinesse may be justly taken in among the morall Laws he that shall doubt of such a powerfull influence of speciall time for the furthering of what is specially good may look upon the art skill trade learning nay grace it self perhaps which he hath got by the help of the improvement of time a prophane and religious heart are seen and accounted of according to their improvements of time more or lesse in holy things Time is not therefore such a circumstance as is good only because commanded as the place of the Temple was but it is commanded because it is good because time nay much time reiterated in a weekly seventh part of time doth much advance and set forward that which is good Thesis 138. That Law which is an homogeneall part of the morall Law is morall but the fourth Commandment is such a part of the morall Law and therefore it is morall I do not say that that Law which is set and placed among the morall Laws in order of writing as our adversaries too frequently mistake us in that it is therefore morall for then it might be said as wel that the Sabbath is ceremoniall because it it is placed in order of writing among things ceremoniall Lev. 23. but if it be one link of the chain and an essentiall part of the morall Law then it s undoubtedly morall but so it is for its part of the Decalogue nine parts whereof all our adversaries we now contend with confesse to be morall and to make this fourth ceremoniall which God hath set in the heart of the Decalogue and commanded us to remember to keep it above any other Law seems very unlike to truth to a serene and sober minde not disturbed with such mud which usually lies at the bottome of the heart and turns light into darknesse and why one ceremoniall precept should be shuffled in among the rest which are of another tribe lineage and language hath been by many attempted but never soundly cleared unto this day surely if this Commandment be not morall then there are but nine Commandments left to us of the morall Law which is expresly contrary to Gods account Deut. 4. To affirm that all the commands of the Decalogue are morall yet every one in his proportion and degree and that this of the Sabbath is thus morall viz. in respect of the purpose and intent of the Lawgiver viz. That some time he set apart but not morall in respect of the letter in which it is exprest it is in some sence formerly explained true but in his sence who endeavours to prove the Sabbath ceremoniall while he saith it is morall is both dark and false for if it be said to be morall only in respect of some time to be set apart and this time an individuum vagum an indeterminate time beyond the verges of a seventh part of time then there is no more morality granted to the fourth Commandment then to the Commandment of building the temple and observing the new moons because in Gods command to build the Temple the generall purpose and intention of the Lawgiver was that some place be appointed for his publike worship and in commanding to
holy Ghost Rev. 22. yet it 's a grosse mistake and most absurd to make every metaphor or similitude and allusion to be a type for the husbandman sowing of the seed is a similitede of preaching of the word Mat. 13. and yet it 's no type of it an effectionate lover and husband is in sundry Scriptures a similitude and resemblance of Christs affection and love to his Church and spouse the head and members of mans body are similitudes of Christ the head and the Church his members but will any affirm that these are also types of Christ and just thus was Paradise and the Tree of life in it they were similitudes to which the holy Ghost alludes in making mention of Christ and his Church but they were no types of them there was typus fictus in them or arbitrarius which is all one with a similitude but there was no Typus destinatus therein being never purposely ordained to shadow out Christ for the Covenant of works by which Adam was to live is directly contrary to the Covenant of grace by faith in Christ Rom. 11.6 by which we are to live Christ is revealed only in the Covenant of grace and therefore could not be so revealed in the Covenant of works directly contrary thereunto Adam therfore was not capable of any types then to reveal Christ to him of whom the first Covenant cannot speak and of whom Adam stood in no need no not so much as to confirm him in that estate for with leave I think that look as Adam breaking the first Covenant by sinne he is become immutably evill and miserable in himself according to the rule of justice in that Covenant so suppose him to have kept that Covenant all his posterity had been immutably happy and holy not meerly by grace but by the same equity and justice of that first Covenant and hence it follows that he stood in no need of Christ or any Revelation of him by types no not to confirm him in that Covenant I know in some sence whatever God communicates to his creature in way of justice may be saîd to be conveyed in a way of grace if grace be taken largly for that which is conveyed out of Gods free will and good pleasure as all things in the world are even to the acceptance of that wherein there is most merit and that is Christs death and satisfaction for sinne but this is but to play with words for it 's clear enough by the Apostles verdict that grace strictly taken is opposite to works Rom. 11.6 the law of works which only reveals doing and life to the law of faith which only reveals Christ and life under which Covenant of grace Adam was not and therefore had no types then to shadow out Christ to say that Paradise and the Tree of life were types by way of anticipation as some lately affirm is as much as to say that they were not types then and therefore neither these nor the Sabbath were Ceremoniall then and that is sufficient for what we aim at only 't is observable that this unsound expression leads into more palpable errours for as they make the Tree of life Typicall by Anticipation so they make the marriage of Adam and Eve and consequently the marriage of all mankinde typicall and then why should not all marriages cease when Christ the Antitype is come nay they make the rivers and precious stones and gold in Paradise thus Typicall of Christ and his Church Rev. 21. and then why may they not make the Angels in heaven Typicall because men on earth who pour out the Vials are resembled to them and why may not men riding upon white Horses be typicall because Christ is so resembled Rev. 19.11 Pererius who collects out of Hugo de vict a type of the whole new Creation in all the works of six daies first Creation may please himself as other Popish Proctors do with such like shady speculations and Phantasmes and so bring in the Seventh day for company to be Typicall also but a good and healthfull stomack should be exceeding fearfull of a little feeding on such windy meat nor do I think that Hugo's new creation is any more Antitypicall to the first six daies Creation then Damascenes types in the fourth Commandment who makes Thou thy son thy daughter thy servant the stranger to be types of our sinfull affections of spirit and the oxe and the asse figures of the flesh and sensuall partâ— both which he saith must rest upon the Sabbath day Thesis 179. If therefore the Sabbath was given to Adam in innocency before all types nay before the least promise of Christ whom such types must shadow forth then it cannot be in its first and native institution typicall and ceremoniall but morall and therefore in it's first and originall institution of which we speak it did not typifie either our rest in Christ from sinne in this life or our rest with God in heaven in another life or any other imagined rest which mans wit can easily invent and invest the Sabbath with but look as our Saviour in reforming the abuses in marriage câ—ls us to the first institution so to know what is perpetuall in the Sabbath it 's most safe to have recourse hither which when it was first observed we see was no way typicall but morall and if man no way clogg'd with sin and earth had then need of a Sabbath have not we much more Thesis 180. As before the Fall the Sabbath was originally and essentially morall so after the fall it became accidentally typicall i. it had a type affixed to it though of it's own nature it neither was nor is any type at all God affixed a farther end unto it after the Fall to be of farther use to type out somewhat to Gods people while in the substance of it it remaineth morall and hence it is that a Seventh day remains morall and to be observed but not that Seventh day which was formerly kept nor have we that end of resting which was under the Law but this end only that we might more immediatly and specially converse with God which was the main end of the Sabbaths rest before mans fall for if the Sabbath had been essentially typicall then it should be abolished wholly and no more remembrance of it then of new moones and Jubilees but because it was for substance morall being extant before the fall and yet had a type affixed to it after the fall hence a Seventh day is still preserved but that Seventh day is now abolished and hence new moons and other Jewish Festivals as they are wholly Ceremoniall in their birth so they are wholly abolished without any change of them into other daies as this of the Sabbath is in their very being Thesis 181. There are sundry Scriptures alledged to prove the Sabbath to be typicall and ceremoniall out of the old and new Testament as Isa. 66.23 Gal 4.10 Rom. 14.4 5. Col. 2.16 but if
out the rest of three daies in the grave and why may not Christs rest from labour in his sleep be as well the antitype as Christs rest from the actions of this life in his grave Thesis 188. Why may not our labour in the six daies be made a type of our labouâ—ing in sin as well as the Sabbath a type of our sanctification and rest from sin as some would have it Why may not our Libertines make abstinence from adultery forbidden in the seventh Command a type of our spirituall chastity as the Gnosticks did of old as well as the rest from labour on the Sabbath a type of our rest from sin And by this liberty how easie is it for fâ—othy allegorizing wits which my heart abhors to typifie as it were and allegorize all the commandments out of the world Theâ—â—â— 189. The rest on the Sabbath may be considered either in respect of Gods example in himself or his command to man out of himself Now the rest of the Sabbath as it is exemplary in God cannot be a type of any thing because God never made himself an example of any ceremoniall thing Gods own immediate acts cannot without much injury to God be made types and ceremonies if therefore there be any thing of the rest of the Sabbath typicall it is so in respect of mans rest on it commanded unto him of God but whether and what it doth typifie we shall speak to in its proper place Thesis 190. There wants not sufficient proof that the Gentiles generally practised and approved a seventh daies Sabbath and that it was highly honoured among them as very sacred This truth both Tertullian Eusebius Iosephus and Philo have formerly affirmed Aretus also especially learned Rivet have lately vindicated and made good against all the exceptions of Gomarus and others insomuch as that the last refuge both of Gomarus and Primrose is this viz. That all those Heathens who writ about the Sabbath and in honour of it received not their light from nature but from the writings of the Iewish Common-wealth all those heathenish testimonies about the Sabbath being published and writ long after the delivering of the law upon mount Sinai And therefore they think this no argument to prove that this law was practised ever since the world began or that it was known by the light of nature by which it might be evinced to be morall but by this answer we shall scarce know any thing to be according to the light of nature by the writings of the Heathens for all their writings are since Moses time if they be of any credit but suppose they did not know it by the working power of the light of nature yet if they approved of and honoured this day when it was made known by other means so that rhey knew it by the approving light of nature as the authors alleaged make good it s then sufficient to prove the seventh day morall even by the light of nature And although Seneca and some others scoft at the Jewish Sabbaths as if they lost the seventh part of their time thereby yet we know that mens lusts wil give them leave to scoffe at that which yet their consciences chastise them for beside I think those scoffs were not so much at the seventh day as at their â—â—ict and ceremonious observance thereof as also of their seventh yeeres wherein it s no wonder if that the light of nature should not so clearly see Thesis 191. The light of nature in the Gentiles especially in matters of the first Table was very imperfect dim and corrupt Hence it is that we cannot expect to â—inde any perfect light of nature in matters of the Sabbath some glimmerings and dark practices herein are sufficient to prove that this Law is naturall although the exact proportion of time for rest should not or could not by any reasoning of corrupt nature be perfectly found out their observation of holy daies and festivals did argue some imperfect light of nature left concerning the Sabbath which once nature had more perfectly as old walls and rubbish doe argue old and great buildings in former times but suppose they could not finde out exactly the seventh part of time and so dedicate it to God for his Sabbath yet the want of such light argues only the want of perfection of the light of nature which we should not expect to finde in the present light of nature in matters of the first Table and in this of the Sabbath and therefore t is no argument to prove the Sabbath not to be of the Law of nature because the perfect knowled of the exact time thereof is not left in corrupt nature now Thesis 192. Suppose the Gentiles did neither know nor were ever reproved particularly by any of the Prophets for breaking the Sabbath yet this doth not argue that they were not bound to sanctifie a Sabbath and that it was no sin for them to neglect the Sabbath for it was a priviledge of the Jews to have Gods Oracles revealed to them and especially this of the Sabbath Nehem. 9.14 Rom. 3.2 so it was a curse upon the Gentiles to live without Christ and so also without Sabbaths Ephes. 2.12 The times of which ignorance God is said to wink at Acts 17.30 not by excusing them for the breach of Sabbath or other sins but by not reproving them for it as neither he did for many other morall transgressions which notwithstanding were sins The Patriarchs were not condemned expressely till Moses time by Mr. Primrose account for their Polygamie that we read of and yet it was a sin all that time against the very first institution of marriage and why might not the breach of the Sabbath be a sin much more longer among the Gentiles and yet none of the Prophets reprove them particularly for the same And therefore M. Primrose hath no cause to mark this argument with chalke and with all attention as he cals it viz. That the breach of the Sabbath among the Gentiles was no sin because it was not any where particularly reproved by the Prophets of God for we see by what hath been said upon what weake crutches it stands Thesis 193. The Gentiles shall not be condemned only for what they did actually know and did not practice but also for what they did not actually know yet might and should have known The Gentiles did know that that some daies were to be kept holy to God saith M. Primrose and they should have known the fittest proportion and most suitable frequency of such daies which the same author acknowledgeth to be morall therefore they should have known the seventh daies Sabbath and possibly might have known it if they had not held truth in righteousnesse but made improvement thereof for in this sense habenti dabitur to him that hath shall be given to wit more of the same kind of lâ—ght whether naturall morall or Evangelicall if common light in all these more common light
which notwithstanding may be morall although it be not so immediatly known Thesis 198. If we speak of the law of corrupt nature largely taken for that law which when 't is made known by divine determination and declaration is both sutable and congruous to naturall reason and equity we may then say that the Law of the Sabbath is according to the light of nature even of corrupt nature it self for do but suppose that God is to be worshipped and then these three things appear to be most equall 1. That he is not only to have a time but a speciall time and a fit proportion of time for worship 2. That it 's most meet that he should make this proportion 3. The Lord having given man six daies and taken a Seventh to himself mans reason cannot but confesse that it is most just to dedicate that time to God and for my own part I think that in this respect the law of the Sabbath was as fairly writ on mans heaâ—â— in innocency as many other morall laws which none question the morality of at this day but disputes about this are herein perhaps uselesse Thesis 199. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper may be administred meet circumstances concurring every Lords day nay upon the week daies often as they did in the primitive persecutions and hence our Saviour limits no time for it in the first institution thereof as he did for the Passeover of old but only this As oft as you doe it doe it in remembrance of me Hence it will follow that now under the Gospel there is no set Sabbath as M. Primrose would because our Saviour at the first institution of the Lords Supper limits no particular day for the celebration thereof as once he did for the Passeover for though there is an appointed speciall time as shall hereafter appeare for the publique exercise of all holy duties not being limited to those times but enlarged to other times also hence there is no reason why our Saviour should institute a set Sabbath when he instituted the Lords Supper as the proper time of the celebration thereof as it was in case of the Passeover Thesis 200. It is no argument to prove the Sabbath to be ceremoniall because it is reckoned among ceremonials viz. shew-bread and sacrifices as M. Primrose and Wallaeus urge it out of Mat. 12.1 2 3. for 1. upon the same ground fornication and eating of idolothytes are ceremoniall because they are ranked among ceremonials viz. bloud and things strangled Act. 15.29.2 upon this ground the Sabbath hath no morality at all in it no more then shew-bread and sacrifices which were wholly ceremoniall 3. The Sabbath is in the same place reckoned among things which are morall as pulling a sheep out of a pit upon the Sabbath day an act of humanity why may it not then be as well accounted morall 4. One may as well argue that the not keeping company with Publicanes and sinners was a ceremoniall thing because the Lord Jesus useth the same Proverbiall speech I will have mercy not sacrifice Mat. 9.13 upon which he defends the lawfullnesse of pulling the ears of corn upon the Sabbath day in this Mat. 12.15 the scope therefore of this place is not to shew the nature of the Sabbath day whether it be ceremoniall or morall but the lawfullnesse and morality of his act in eating the ears of corn upon this day and thus the arguments of our Saviour are very strong and convicting to prove the morality of such an act but no way to prove the ceremoniality of the Sabbath for that is the scope of our Saviour that mercy to the hungry is to be preferred before the Sacrifice of bodily resting upon the Sabbath M. Primrose indeed replies hereto and tels us that mercy is to be preferred before sacrifice or ceremoniall duties but not before morall duties and therefore Christ preferring it before the rest on the Sabbath the Sabbath could not be morall but we know that mercy in the second table is sometimes to be preferred before morall duties in the first table a man is bound to neglect solemn praier sometime to attend upon the sick it 's a morall duty to sanctifie some day for a Sabbath saith M. Primrose and yet suppose a fire be kindled in a town upon that day or any sick to be helped must not mercy be prefer'd before hearing the word which himself will acknowledge to be then a morall duty Thesis 201. When Christ is said to be Lord of the Sabbath Mat. 12.8 the meaning is not as if he was such a Lord as had power to break it but rather such a Lord as had power to appoint it and consequently to order the work of it for his own service M. Primrose thinks That he is said to be Lord of it because he had power to dispense with the keeping of it by whom when he would and that Christ did chuse to do such works upon the Sabbath day which were neither works of mercy or necessity nay which were servile which the Law forbade for Christ saith he as mediatour had no power to dispense with things morall but he might with matters ceremoniall and therefore with the Sabbath How far Christ Jesus might and may dispence with morall laws I dispute not now I think Biell comes nearest the truth in this controversie only this is considerable suppose the Sabbath was ceremoniall yet it 's doubtfull whether Christ Jesus who came in the daies of his flesh to fulfill all righteousnesse could abolish or break the law ceremoniall untill his death was past by which this hand-writing of Ordinances was blotted out Colos. 2.14 and this middle wall of partition was broken down Ephes. 2.14 15 16. But let it be yeelded that Christ had power to break ceremoniall laws then before his death yet in this place there is no such matter for the words contain a clear proof for the right observance of the Sabbath against the over-rigid conceptions of the superstitious and proud Pharisees who as they thought it unlawfull for Christ to heal the sick upon the Sabbath so to rub out and eat a few corn ears upon it although hunger and want and perhaps more then ordinary in the Disciples here should force men hereunto which was no servile work as Mr Primrose would but a work of necessity and mercy in this case and our Saviour proves the morality of it from the example of David eating the Shew-bread and those that were with him preferring that act of mercy before sacrifice and abstinence from Shew-bread and hence our Saviour argues That if they attending upon David might eat the Shew-bread much more his hungry Disciples might eat the corn while they attended upon him that day who was Lord of the Sabbath and that they might be the better strengthened hereby to do him service These things being thus where now is there to be found any reall breach of the Sabbath or doing of any
pray that their flight may not be in the winter or Sabbath-day as it were easie to open these places against all Cavils and therefore it is for substance Moral Yet the word Sabbatisme Heb. 4.9 and the Apostles gradation from yeerely Holy-dayes to monthly new-moons and from them to weekly Sabbaths which are called shadowes of things to come Colos. 2.16 seemes strongly to argue some type affixed to those individual Sabbaths or Jewish seventh dayes and hence it is perhaps that the Sabbath is set among Moral Lawes in the Decalogue being originally and essentially Moral and yet is set among ceremonial Feast-dayes Levit. 23.2 3. because it is accidentally typical And therefore Mr. Brabourne need not raise such a dust and cry out Oh monstrous very strange what a mingle-mangle what a hâ—tch-potch have we here what a confusion and jumbling of things so farre distant as when Morals and Ceremonials are here mingled together No verily we do not make the fourth Commandment essentially Ceremonial but being acidentally so why may it notwithstanding this be mingled among the rest of the Morals Let one solid reason be given but away with words Thesis 21. If the question be what Type is affixed and annexed to the Sabbath I think it difficult to find out although mans wanton wit can easily allegorize and readily frame imaginations enough in this point Some thing it typified Christs Rest in the grave but I feare this will not hold no more then many other Popish conjectures wherein their allegorizing Postillers abound Bullinger and some others think that it was Typical in respect of the peculiar Sacrifices annexed to it which Sacrifices were Types of Christ Numb 28.9 And although much might be said for this against that which Mr. Brabourne replies yet I see nothing cogent in this for the multiplying of Sacrifice which were 〈…〉 on this Day proves rather a specialty of worshipping God more aboundantly on this Day then any Ceremonialnesse in it for if the offering of Sacrifices meerly should make a day Ceremonial why did it not make every Day Ceremonial in respect of every dayes offering of the Morning and Evening Sacrifice Some think that our Rest upon the Sabbath not God the Fathers Rest as Mr. Brabourne turnes it was made not onely a resemblance but also a Type of our Rest in Christ of which the Apostle speaks Heb. 4.3 which is therefore called a Sabbatisme vâ—r 9. or a keeping of a Sabbath at the word signifies What others would inferre from this place to make the Sabbath to be meerly Cermonial and what Mr. Brabourne would answer from hence that it is not at all Ceremonial may both of them be easily answered here again as already they have been in some of the former Theses Some scruples I see not yet through about this text inforce me herein to be silent and therefore to leave it to such as think they may defend it as one ground of some affixed Type unto the Jewish Sabbath Thesis 22. Learned Iunius goes before us herein and points out the Type affixed to that Sabbath For besides the first institution of it in Paradise he makes two other causes which he calls Accessory or affixed and added to it 1. One was Civill or Civil that men and beasts might rest from their toilsome labour every week 2. Ceremoniall or Ceremonial for their solemne Commemoration of their deliverance out of Egypt which we know typified our deliverance by Christ Deut. 5.15 Some think indeed that their deliverance out of Egypt was upon the Sabbath day but this I do not urge because though it be very probable yet it is not certaine onely this is certaine that they were to Sanctifie this Day because of this their Deliverance and 't is certaine this Deliverance was Typical of our deliverance by Christ and hence 't is certaine that there was a Type affixed to this Sabbath and because the Scripture is so plain and expresse in it I 〈◊〉 inclined to think the same which Iunius doth that this is the Type rather then any other I have yet heard of against which I know many things may be objected onely it may be sufficient to clear up the place against that which Mr. Brabourne answerâ— to it Thesis 23. The Deliverance 〈◊〉 of Egypt saith he is not 〈…〉 as the ground of the Institution of the Sabbath but onely as a motive to the observation thereof as it was more generall in the Preface to the Decalogue to the obedience of every other command which notwithstanding are not Ceremonial for God saith I am the Lord who brought thee out of Egypt therefore keepe thou the first the second the third the fifth the sixth as well as the fourth Commandment and therefore saith he we may make every Commandment Ceremonial as well as the Sabbath if the motive of deliverance out of Egypt makes the Sabbath to be so This is the substance and sinewes of his discourse herein and I confesse its true their Deliverance out of Egypt was not the first ground of the institution of it but Gods Rest after his six dayes labour yet it was such a ground as we contend for viz. a secondary and an annexed or affixed ground And that it was not a Motive only to observe that day as it is in the Preface to the Decalogue but a superadded ground of it may appear from this one consideration viz. because that very ground on which the Lord urgeth the observation of the Sabbath in Exod. 20.11 it is wholly left out in the repetition of the Law Deut. 5.15 and their deliverance out of Egypt put into the rome thereof for the ground in Exod. 20.11 is this Six daies God made Heaven and Earth and rested the seventh day and sanctified it but instead of these words and of this ground we finde other words put into their roome Deut. 5.15 Remember thou wast a servant in the Land of Egypt and that the Lord brought thee out thence with a mighty hand therefore the Lord thy God commandeth thee to Keepe the Sabbath Which seems to argue strongly that these words are not a meer Motive but another ground of the observation of the Sabbath And why might not the generall Motive in the Preface of the Decalogue serve as a sufficient Motive to the obedience of this Commandment if there was no more but a Motive in these words of Deutr. and therefore I suppose this was also the ground and affixed Type unto the Jewish Sabbath Thesis 24. But still the difficulty remains for Master Brabourne will say that those were but humane reasons but what ground is there from Scripture for the institution of another Sabbath as well as of the abrogation of the old which if it be not cleared I confesse this cause sinks here therefore let it be again observed that we are not to expect such evidence from Scripture concerning this Change as fond and humorous wit sometimes pleads for In this controversie namely That Christ should 〈◊〉
darkenesse is not so called Night but the separated darkenesse Gen. 1.3 when God separated the light into one Hemisphere and darknesse into another Thesis 84. But this arguing is almost against the expresse Letter of the Text Gen. 1. wherein it is most evident that light was created after darknesse had bin some time upon the face of the deepe which darknesse cannot be part of the Day-light no more then blindnesse is a part of sight and therefore is a part of the Night before this conceived separated darkenesse could exist Beside the separation of darknesse from light doth not make any new darkenesse which is a new denominated darkenesse but is the same darkenesse which was at first onely the separation is a new placeing of it but it gives no new being to it Thesis 85. Suppose also that light and darknesse are contraria privantia yet 't is not true either in Philosophy or Divinity that the habit must alway actually goe before the privation in the same subject for the privation may be first if it be in subjecto capaci i. e. In a subject capable of the habit for silence may be before speech in a man and blindnesse and deafenesse in a man who never saw nor heard a word because man is a subject capable of both and so here darknesse might be before light because this subject of the first matter was capable of both Thesis 86. Nor is it true in Divinity that the darkenesse and light were at first separated into two Hemispheres or if they were yet what orthodox Writer affirmes that the supposed separated darkenesse onely is called Night Thesis 87. For looke as the darkenesse did overspread the whole Chaos and all the dimensions of it at the same time why might not the light the habit be extended as far as was the privation before and that at the same time there being no globe or dense body of earth and waters existing as now they doe at that time created and consequently no opake and solid body to divide betweene light and darkenesse and so to seprate them into two Hemispheres as by this meanes it is at this day unlesse we imagine miracles without necessity and that God then miraculously did it when there was no necessity of it For the Element of fire being figuratively called light it being as Iunius shewes proprietas essentialls ignis being also created in the superiour part of the vast Chaos might therefore be cast downe by a mighty hand of God there being no ordinary meanes of Sun or Stars yet created to do it into all the inferiour Chaos and so make day And the ascending of this light upwards againe might make it to be Night and therefore although God separated between light and darkenesse yet this separation seâ—mes to be rather in respect of time then in respect of place or two Hemispheres for the light when it was east downe separated and scattered the darkenesse and so excluded it so that when there was light there was no darknesse when darkenesse there was no light and thus they succeeding and excluding one another the Lord is said to separate them one from another but not into two imagined Hemispheres by which imagination of two Hemispheres it will be also very difficult to set downe when it was day and when it was night at this time of the Creation because in respect of one part of the Chaos it might be called day in respect of the other Hemisphere of the Chaos it might be called night and therefore it seems more suitable to the truth that the descending of the Light made day thorowout the whole Chaos remaining and the ascending of it to its proper place successively made night which as it answers many curious questions about the nature and motion of this light so it yeelde a more then probable argument that if the day-light continued twelve houres which none question why should not each night continue as long and therefore that the first darknesse did continue such a time before the creation of the Light Thesis 88. But suppose this locall separation into two Hemispheres was granted yet it will not follow from hence that this separated darknesse onely is called night and that the darkenesse before was no part of it for if the day and night began at the imagined division of light and darknesse then this division being in an instant of time neither could the day be before the night nor the night before the day but both exist and begin together and then it will follow that the beginning of the first day was neither in the morning nor evening in darknesse nor light in night nor day but that it began in the morning and evening day-light and dark night together which is too grosse for any wise man to affirm nor would the God of Order do it Againe if the first darkenesse which was prâ—eexistent to this Hemisphericall light and darknesse was no part of the night then much lesse was it any part of the first day-light and so no part of the naturall day which if any should affirm they must deny the creation of the world in six dayes for its evident that the Heavens and Earth were made in the time of the first darknesse Thesis 89. To say that this first darknesse was part of the morning and did belong to the morning-light as now some time of darknesse in the the morning is called morning and therefore is called the womb of the morning Psal. 110.2 is a meer shift to prove the beginning of time to be in the morning and an evasion from the evidence of truth For 1. This first darknesse must either be the whole night consisting as the light did of about twelve houres and then it cannot possibly be called morning or belong thereunto or it must be part of the night and that which came after the light another part of it and then we may see a monstrous day which hath part of its night before it and part after it beside its contrary to the Text which makes the whole morning together and the whole evening together the whole day-light together and so the whole night together 2. That darknesse which by an improper speech we make to belong to the morning in our ordinary account is the latter part of the night or of the darknesse but we read not in all the Scripture nor is it suitable to any solid reason to make the first beginning of Night or darknesse as part of the morning Now this first darknesse which is the beginning of darknesse is called night at least is the beginning of night and therefore cannot be called morning but evening rather as we usually call the first beginning of darknesse after day light Thesis 90. That expresse Commandment Lev. 23 32. to celebrate the Ceremoniall Sabbath from Even to Even doth strongly prove the beginning of the morall Sabbath at the same time for why else is it called a Sabbath of rest but because
improve the day no better then the beasts that perish Thesis 2. And as the rest of the Day is for the holinesse of it so is all the labour of the Week for this holy rest that as the end of all the labour of our lives is for our rest with Christ in Heaven so also of the six daies of every weeke for the holy Rest of the Sabbath the twilight and dawning of Heaven For the eighth Commandement which would not have us steale commands us therefore to labour for our Families and comforts in all the seasons of labour This fourth command therefore which not onely permits but commands us to labour six daies must have another respect in commanding us to labour and a higher end which cannot be any thing else but with respect to the Sabbath that as we are to watch unto prayer so we are to worke unto the Sabbath or so worke all the Weeke day that we may meet with God and sanctifie the Sabbath day Thesis 3. As therefore the holinesse of the Sabbath is morall because it is the end of the day so is the Rest of the Sabbath the immediate means to that end morall also Looke therefore what ever holy duties the Lord required of the Iewes which were not ceremoniall the same duties he requires of us upon this day so what every Rest he required of them for this end he exacts of all Christians also Thesis 4. Those that make the Sabbath ceremoniall imagine a stricter Rest imposed upon the Iewes then Christians are now bound unto because they place the ceremonialnesse of the Sabbath in the strict Rest of it but we are bound to the same Rest for substance of it and the ground for a stricter rest then we are bound unto will be found too light if well pondered Thesis 5. For though it be sayd that the Iewes might not bake nor seeth meat upon this day Exod. 16.23 no nor make a fire upon it Ex. 35.3 no nor gather sticks upon it without Death Numb 6.15.30 all which things Christians now may lawfully do yet none of these places will evince that for which they are alledged Thesis 6. For first it is not said Exod. 16.23 bake and seeth that to day which may serve you next day but that which remains viz. which is not sod nor baked lay it up untill the Morning and consequently for the morrow of the next day which being thus laid up I doe not finde that they are forbidden to bake or seeth that which remaines upon the next day but rather if they must use it the next day they might then bake it or seeth it that day also as they did that of the sixt day and without which they could not have the comfortable use of it upon the Sabbath day indeed it was as unlawfull to grind and beate the Manna in Mills and Morters mentioned Numb 11 8. upon this day as now to thrash and grind Corne this day the meale therefore which did remaine is not forbidden to be baked or sod upon this day nor would Gods speciall and miraculous providence appeare in preserving it from wormes and stinking if there had been any bâ—king of it the day before and not rather upon the Sabbath Day Thesis 7. Although also they were forbidden to kindle fire upon this lay Exod. 35.3 in respect of some use yet they are not forbidden so to do in respect of any use whatsoever For there was fire kindled for the Sabbath sacrifices and it would have bin a breach of the rule of mercy not to kindle a fire for the sick and weake in the wildernesse Nehemiah also a man most strict and zealous for the Sabbath yet had such provision made every day as could not be drest nor eaten without some fire upon the Sabbath day Neh. 5.18 and the Sabbath not being a fast but a feast in those times as well as those hence it s not unsutable to the time to have comfortable provisions made ready provided that the dressing of meaâ— be not an ordinary hindrance to publike or private duties of holinesse upon this day Exod. 12.16 this kindling of the fire here forbidden must therefore be understood in respect of the scope of the place viz. not to kindle a fire for any servile work no not in respect of this particular use of it viz. to further the building of the Sanctuary and Tabernacle made mention of in this Chapter for it s said whosoever shall do any worke therein 1. any servile worke which is more proper for the weeke time shall be put to death verse 2. there is therefore either no dependance of these words in the third verse with those in the second or else we must understand it of kindling fires restrictively for any servile worke which is there forbidden not only the Iewes but us Christians also Thesis 8. The man that gathered sticks on the Sabbath Numb 15.30 was put to death what for gathering of sticks onely why then did not the just God put them to death who were the first offenders and therefore most fit to be made examples who went out to gather Manna upon this day Exod. 1â— This gathering of sticks therefore though little in it selfe yet seemes to be aggravated by presumption and that the man did presumptuously breake the Sabbath and therefore it s generally observed that this very example followes the Law of punishing a presumptuous transgressor with death in this very Chapter and though it be said that they found a man gathering sticks as if it were done secretly and not presumptuously yet we know that presumptuous sins may be committed secretly as well as openly though they are not in so high a degree presumptuous as when they are done more openly the feare of the Law against Sabbath breakers might restrain the man from doing that openly which before God was done proudly and presumptuously and though Moses doubted what to do with the man who had that capitall Law given him before against Sabbath breakers yet they might be ignorant for a time of the full and true meaning of it which the Lord here seemes to expound viz. that a Sabbath breaker sinning presumptuously is to be put to death and although it be doubted whether such a Law is not too rigorous in these Times yet we do see that where the Magistrate neglects to restraine from this sinne the Lord takes the Magistrates work into his own hand and many times cuts them off suddenly who prophane his Sabbath presumptuously and t is worth enquiring into whether presumptuous Sabbath breakers are not still to be put to Death which I doubt not but that the Lord will either one day cleare up or else discover some specialty in the application of this judiciall Law to that Polity of the Iewes as most fit for them and not so universally fit for all others in Christian Common-vvealths but this latter I yet see no proofe for nor doe I expect the clearing up of the other while
in regard of the bare abstinence from work but that having no work of our own to mind or do we might be wholly taken up with Gods worke being wholly taken off from our own that he may speak with us and reveale himselfe more fully and familiarly to us as friends do when they get alone having called and carried us out of the noyse and crowd of all worldly occasions and things Thesis 14. Holy rest therefore being for holy work it may not be amisse to enquire what this work is and wherein it consists for which end I shall not instance in any the particular severall duties in publique and private of holinesse and mercy because this is to be found in all who write upon this subject I shall onely speake of that kind of holinesse which the Lord requires in all publique and private duties and is to run thorow them and as it were animate them and in truth to finde out this and observe this is one of the greatest difficulties but yet the greatest excellency of a Christian life It consists therefore in these five things Thesis 15. The first The Holinesse upon this day ought to be immediate I doe not meane without the use of publique or private means but in respect of worldly things for we are commanded to be holy in all manner of conversation all the week in our worldly affaires 1 Pet. 1.17 Holinesse is to be writ upon our cups and pots and hors-bridles and ploughs and sickles Zach. 14.20.21 but this holinesse is more immediate we enjoy God by and in the creature and in our weekly occasions and providences but do we think that there is no more holinesse required upon the Sabbath verily every day then should be our Christian Sabbath which is most false and therefore some more immediate holinesse is required now on this day which is not then nor required of us every week day and what can this be but drawing neer to God this day more immediately and as neer as mortall man can do and casting aside the world and getting out of it and so to be neere God in Prayer in hearing the Word in Meditation c Psal. 95.5.6 if it were possible to be with and enjoy Christ in Heaven where there are no meanes we should this day long for it and prize it but because this cannot yet be and that the Lord comes down from Heaven to us in his ordinances and thereby makes himselfe as neer to us as he can in this fraile life hence we are not onely to draw neer to Ordinances but to God and Christ in them upon this day and so be as neere them with greatest immediatenesse that we can Psalm 42.1 2. Psalm 63.1 2 3. Adam did enjoy God in his calling the week day but this was not so immediate as he was to have upon the Sabbath day Thesis 16. The second is this holinesse ought not only to be immediate but also speciall and in our endeavours after the highest degree and with the greatest intention of holinesse for we are bound every day to be holy in more immediate and neere approaches to God some time or other of the day but now we are called to be more specially holy because both the day and our selves are now set apart for it in a more speciall manner we are to love feare delight in God and pray to him and muse on him every day but now in a more speciall manner all these are to be done the Sabbath is not onely called holy but holinesse to the Lord Exod. 31.15 which shewes that the day is exceeding holy and suitably our affections and hearts ought therefore so to be the Sacrifice on this day was to be doubled Numb 28.9 the Lord would have double honour from us this day that as in the weeke time we are sinfully drowned in the cares of this world and affections thereto so upon every Sabbath we should be in a holy manner drowned in the cares and thoughts and affections of the things of God and hence we are commanded to call the Sabbath our delight and not to think our own thoughts or doe our own workes this day Esay 58.13 David said Psalm 43.4 that he would goe to the Altar of God the place of publique worship to God his joy yea his exceeding joy so are we not onely to draw neere to Altar Word Sacraments Prayer but to God in them nay to God in them as our exceeding joy our exceeding love our exceeding feare c. especially upon this day there is scarse any week but we contract soyle from our worldly occasions and by touching worldly things and we suffer many decayes and lose much ground by temptations herein now the Lord pitying us and giving us a Sabbath of Recovery what should we doe now but return recover and renew our strength and like the Eagle cast our bils and stand before our God and King this day of State and Royall Majesty when all his Saints compassâ— his Throne and presence with our most beautifull Garments mourning especially that we fall so farre short of Sabbath acts and services we should not content our selves with working-day holinesse joyes feares hopes prayers praises but Sabbath joyes feares praises must be now our ornaments and all within us must be raised up to a higher straine that as God gives us this day speciall grace means of grace seasons of grace speciall occasions of grace by reviewing all our experiences the week past so there is good reason that the Lord should be honoured with speciall holinesse this day Thesis 17. The third is This holinesse ought to be not onely immediate and speciall but constant and continued the whole day together For upon every day of the week we are to take some time for converse with God but our worldly occasion soon call us off and that lawfully but Sabbath holinesse must be constant and continued all the day if the Lord was so strict that he would not lose a moments honour in a ceremoniall day of rest Levtt 23 3â— what shall we thinke the Lord expects upon this day which is morall the Lord would not be honoured this day onely by fits and flashes and sudden pangs which passe away as the early dew but as t is in the Psalme for the Sabbath It s good to sing of his loving kindnesse in the morning and of his faithfulnesse every night Psal. 92.1 2. and though this be a wearisome thing to the flesh to be so long pent in and although we cannot perfectly doe it yet it s a most sweet and glorious work in it selfe to think that the infinite glorious God should call a poor sinfull creature to be with him and attend upon him all the day long to be ever with the Lord is best of all but next to that to be with him a whole day together they that see how fit they are to be for ever banisht from the presence of the most High and how exceeding
his time till Christs Ascension if since that time they bring it a peg lower and make it to be a humane Constitution of the Church rather then any Divine Institution of Christ Iesus and herein those that oppose the Morality of it by dint of argument and out of candor and conscience propose their grounds on which they remaine unsatisfied I do from my heart both highly and heartily honour and especially the labours of Master Primrose and Master Ironside many of whose Arguments and Answers to what is usually said in defence of the Morality of the day who ever ponders them shall finde them heavie the foundations and sinewes of whose discourses I have therefore had a speciall eye to in the ensuing Theses with a most free submission of what is here returned in answer thereto to the censure of better minds and riper thoughts being verily perswaded that whoever finds no Knots or Difficulties to humble his spirit herein either knows not himselfe or not the Controversie but as for those whose chiefe arguments are reproaches and revilings of embittered and corrupt hearts rather then solid reasons of modest minds I wholly decline the pursuit of such creatures whose weapons is their swell and not any strength and do leave them to his tribunall who judgeth righteously for blearing the eyes of the world and endeavouring to exasperate Princes and make wise men beleeve that this Doctrine of the Sabbath is but a late Novelty a Doctrine tending to a high degree of Schisme a phanatick Iudaizing like his at Tewksbury Sabbata sancta colo i. e. a peece of Disciplinary Policy to advance Presbytery a superstitious seething over of the hot or whining simplicity of an over-rigid crabbed precise crack-brain'd Puritanicall party the righteous God hath his little dayes of judgment in this life to clear up and vindicate the righteous cause of his innocent servants against all gainsayers and who sees not but those that will be blinde that the Lord hath begun to do something this way by these late broyles the controversie God hath with a Land is many times in defence of the controversies of his faithfull Witnesses the sword maintaines argument and makes way for that which the Word could not those plants which not many yeers since most men would not beleeve not to be of Gods planting hath the Lord puld up the three innocent Fire-brands so fast tyed to some Foxes tayles are now prety well quencht and the tayles almost cut off this cause of the Sabbath also the Lord Iesus is now handling God hath cast down the Crownes of Princes stained the Robes of Nobles with dirt and blood broken the Croziers and torne the Miters in peeces for the controversie of his Sabbath Jer. 17.27 he hath already made way for his Discipline also which they feared the precise Sabbath would introduce again by such a way as hath made all hearts to ake just according to the words never to be forgotten of Mr. Udal in his Preface to the Demonstration of Discipline The Councel of Matiscon imputed the irruption of the Goths into the Empire to the prophanation of the Sabbath Germany may now see or else one day they shall see that one great cause of their troubles is that the Sabbath wanted its Rest in the dayes of their quietnesse England was at rest till they troubled Gods Sabbath The Lord Iesus must reign the Government of his House the Laws of his Kingdom the Solemn days of his worship must be established the cause of his suffering and afflicted servants not of our late religious scorners at Ordinances Lawes and Sabbaths who are now at rest from their labours but in former times wept and prayed and petitioned and preacht and writ and suffered and dyed for these things and are now crying under the Altar must and shall certainly be cleared before men and Angels Heaven and earth shall passe away before one tittle of the Law much lesse a whole Sabbath shall perish But while I am thus musing me thinks no measure of tears are sufficient to lament the present state of times that when the Lord Iesus was come forth to vindicate the cause and controversie of Sion there should rise up other Instruments of spiritual wickednesses in high places to blot out the name and sweet remembrance of this Day from off the face of the earth the enemies of the Sabbath are now not so much malignant time-servers and aspiring brambles whom preferment principally byassed to knock at the Sabbath but those who have eaten bread with Christ a generation of professing people do lift up their heel against his Sabbath so that what could not formerly be done against it by Angels of darknes the old Serpent takes another course to effect it by seeming Angels of light who by a new device are raised up to build the sepulchres of those who persecuted the Prophets in former times to justifie all the books of sports the reading of them yea all the former present profanations yea scoffs scorns against the Sabbath day For as in former times they have Ceremonialized it out of the Decalogue yet by humane constitutiō have retained it in the Church so these of later times have spritualized it out of the Decalogue ye out of of all the Churches in the world For by making the Christian Sabbath to be only a spirituall Sabbath in the bosome of God out of Heb. 4. they hereby abolish a seventh dayes Sabbath and make every day equally a Sabbath to a Christian man This I hope will be the last but it is the most specious and fairest colour and banner that ever was erected to fight under against the Christian Sabbath and is most fit to deceive not only some sudden men of loose and wanton wits but especially men of spirituall but too shallow minds In times of Light as these are reputed to be Satan comes not abroad usually to deceive with fleshly and grosse forgeries and his cloven foot for every one almost would then discerne his haltings but with more mystical yet strong delusions and invisible chaines of darknesse whereby he bindes his captives the faster to the judgment of the great day And therefore the watchword given in the bright and shining times of the Apostle was to Try the Spirits and Believe not every Spirit And take heed of Spirits who indeed were only fleshly and corrupt men yet called Spirits because they pretended to have much of the Spirit and their doctrines seemed only to advance the Spirit the fittest and fairest cobwebs to deceive and intangle the world in those discerning times that possible could be spun out of the poysonfull bowels of corrupt and ambitious wit The times are now come wherein by the refined mysticall divinity of the old Monks not only the Sabbath but also all the Ordinances of Christ in the New-Testament are allegorized and spirituallized out of the world And therefore 't is no marvel when they abolish the outward Sabbath because of
a spirituall Sabbath in Christ if through Gods righteous judgment blinding their hearts they be also left to reject the outward Word because of an inward woâ—d to teach them and outward Baptisme and Lords Supper because of an inward Baptisme by the Holy Ghost and spirituall Bread from Heaven the Lord Christ Iesus and all outward Ordinances Ministries Churches because of an inward Kingdome and Temple and the Argument will hold strongly that if because they have an inward Sabbath of Rest in the bosome of Christ which I deny not that they may therefore cast away all externall Sabbaths they may then very well reject all outward Baptisme Lords Supper all Churches all Ordinances because herein there is also the inward Baptisme spirituall feeding upon Christ and inward Kingdome and Temple of God But thus they wickedly separate and sever what God hath joyned and may well stand together through the madnesse of which hellish practise I have long observed almost all the late and most pernicious errours of these times arise and those men who have formerly wept for Gods precious Sabbaths and Ordinances and have prayed for them and pleaded for them and have offered their lives in sacrifice for them and fought for them yea that have felt perhaps the comfort sweetnesse and blessing of Gods Sabbaths yea the redeeming and saving-power of Gods Ordinances to their owne soules yet through pretences of more spirituall enjoyments above and beyond and without all these they can part with these their old friends without weeping and reject them as polluted rags and fleshly formes and dark vailes and curtaines which must be drawne aside that so they may not hinder the true Light from shining in them This therfore is the reason why the love of manâ— at this day is grown cold toward the external Sabbath because the internall and spirituall Sabbath is now all in all And therefore many men walk either with bold consciences and will observe no Sabbath or else with loose consciences thinking it lawfull to observe it if men will injoyn it but noâ— thinking that they are tyed and bound therunto from any precept of God That place of Hebrews 4. which they so much stick to wants not light to demonstrate that the Sabbatisme there may well agree not onely with the internall but the outward Christian Sabbath but some of the ensuing Theses will serve to cleare up these things This onely I feare that because of these indignites done thus to Gods Sabbaths even by the under-workings of some of Gods owne people that the time hastens wherein if no man should speake yet the right hand of the sore displeasure of a provoked God by plagues and confusion upon the glory of all flesh will plead for his own Name and for that in speciall which is engraven upon the forehead of his holy Sabbaths Jerusalem remembred with regret of heart in the dayes of her affliction and misery all her pleasant things and especially this of the Sabbath Lam. 1.7 If the dayes of our rest and quietnesse cannot make us to relish the good things of his Temple in the fruition of our Sabbaths then doubt not of it but that the dayes of our affliction shall make a remnant to remember that they were pleasant things of all the mercies of God to Israel this is reckoned to be one of the greatest that he gave his Lawes to Israel Psal. 147.19 20. And of all Lawes this of the Sabbath For so the remnant of the Captivity acknowledged it Nehem. 9.14 who perhaps had far lower thoughts of it before their bondage And if the very making of it known be such a sweet mercy what then is the rest and peace of it the blessing and comfort of it for which I doubt not but many thousands are admiring God in heaven at this day And shall a shady imagination of an every-day-Every-day-sabbath make us sell away for nothing such a heavenly and precious season and make it common The Lord Iesus wisht his Disciples to pray that their flight from Jerusalem might not be in winter nor on the Sabbath-day Matth. 24.20 accounting it a great misery that his people should lose the publike benefit through the disturbance of any of one Sabbath-day for be it Iewish or Christian Sabbath I now dispute not sure I am it was a Sabbath-day which it seemes was to continue after Christs Ascension to the Father and therefore not wholly ceremonial And shall we account it no affliction or misery to fight or flie to ride or go to work or play to heare the Word in publike or stay at home upon the Sabbath-day Is it no mercy in these dayes to injoy many Sabbaths which was so sore a misery in Christs account and in the Apostles dayes to lose but one if mans heart be lost in the necessary cumbers of the weeke upon the Sabbath the Lord is wont to recall it again to him if any feare that the time of Grace is past the continuance of the Sabbaths the speciall seasons of grace confutes him if a mans soul be wearied with daily griefs and outward troubles the bosome of Iesus Christ which is in speciall wise opened every Lords day may refresh him and shall we have and professe so little love to such a time more precious then gold to humbled hearts as to cast away such a rich portion of precious time and make it common under a pretence of making every day a Sabbath which is either impossible to do or sinfull the loudest voice one of them of the love of Christ which now sounds in the world continually in the yeers of his people is this Come into my bosome ye weary sinners and enjoy your rest and the next voice to that is this of the Sabbath to call us off from all occasions and then to say to us Come to me my people and rest in my bosome of sweetest mercy all this day Which call would not be a mercy if it were every day for then our owne occasions must be neglected which the wise and fatherly providence of God forbids and spirituall work onely minded and intended which God did never command Nor should any marvel that the voyce of the Law should containe such a voyce of Love and therefore should not think that this controversie about the Law or for this one law of the Sabbath is unfit and unsutable to these Evangelicall and Gospel times for although the Law is dreadfull and full of terrour as considered without Christ and is to man fallen a voyce of words and a voice of terrour and feare which genders unto bondage yet as it is revealed with reference to Christ and a people in Christ so every Commandment doth spirare amorem as he speaks and breaths out Christs love for which the Saints cannot but blesse the Lord with everlasting wonderment that ever he made them to know these heart-secrets of his good will and love especially then when he writes them in their hearts and thereby gives
creation as the morality of a day 125 55. It is not in mans liberty to take any one of the seven dayes in a week to be the Christian Sabbath 126 56. A determined time is here required but not what nature but what counsel shall determine and consequently this or that seventh day 130 57. The force of Gods example in resting the seventh and working six dayes how far it extends 132 58. No reason that God must have a seventh yeer because he will have a seventh day 134 59. How a circumstance of time is capable of morality 137 60. The Law of the Sabbath is a Homogeneal part of the Moral Law and is therefore Moral and whether it be Moral in respect of the letter 138 61. Whether the Decalogue is said to be the Moral Law in respect of the greater part only 139 62. The Law of the Sabbath hath equal glory with all the other nine Morals and hath therefore equal morality 140 63. The Sabbath was given as a moral law to man in innocency 151 64. The Sabbath said to be sanctified Gen. 2 not meerly in a way of Destination or Anticipation 162 65. Adam in innocency might need a Sabbath 174 66. No types of Christ given to man in innocency 177 67. The Sabbath was no type in respect of its original institution 178 68. The Heathens by the light of corrupt nature had some kind of knowledge of the Sabbath 189 69. The Law of nature diversly taken and what it is 194 70. No argument to prove the Sabbath ceremonial because Christ appointed no special day for the Lords Supper 198 71. No argument to prove the Sabbath ceremonial because it is reckoned among the ceremonials 199 72. Christ is not said to be the Lord of the Sabbath because it was ceremonial 200 73. Though the Sahbath be made for man yet it is not therefore ceremonial 201 74. A fond distinction of the Sabbath in sensu mystico literali 202 75. Although we are bound to rest every day from sin yet we are not therefore to make every day a Sabbath 203 76. The Sabbath was not proper to the Jewes because they only were able as some say to observe the exact time of it 204 77. An answer to M. Carpenters and Heylins new invented argument against the morality of the Sabbath 206 FINIS PART I. The Morality of the Sabbath Wherin the chief Arguments used by Gomarus Mr. Primrose Mr. Ironside Mr. Broad with sundry others against it are briefly answered the reasons for it more fully cleared Wherein also the great Controversie whether the whole Moral Law contained in the Decalogue be a Rule of life to a Beleever is occasionally and distinctly handled THE MORALITY OF THE SABBATH Thesis 1. TIme is one of the most precious blessings which worthlesse man in this world enjoyes a jewell of inestimable worth a golden stream dissolving and as it were continually running downe by us out of one eternity into another yet seldome taken notice of untill it is quite passed away from us Man saith Solomon knowes not his time Eccles 9.12 It is therefore most just and meet that he who hath the disposing of all other things lesse precious and momentous should also be the supreme Lord and disposer of all our times Thesis 2. He who is the disposer of all our times is the soveraigne Lord of our persons also and is therefore the utmost and last end of both for if our persons and all our times bee of him they are then to be improved for him as he sees most meer Thesis 3. Now although all creatures in the world are of God and for God so that being of him they receive their being from him as their first efficient and being for him are therefore preserved and governed by him as their utmost end yet no other inferiour visible creature is set so near to God and consequently is not in that manner for God as man is Thesis 4. For although all inferiour creatures are made lastly for God yet they are made nextly for man but man havinâ— nothing better than himselfe between him and God therefore made both lastly and nextly for God and hence is that no inferiour Creature which comes out and issuâ—eth from God hath such a reflux and returne againe bacâ— unto God as man hath because in and by this reflux anâ— returne into him mans immortall being is eternally preâ—served like water running into the Sea againe from whence it first came Thesis 5. For whatever is set next and as it were contiguous to eâ—ternall is eternall Omne contiguum aeâ—erno spirituali est aâ—ternum say some and hence it is that the soule is eternall because it is made nextly for God and as it were conâ—tiguous to him The body also shall bee eternall beâ—cause contiguous to the eternall soule But no other inâ—feriour Creatures are thus eternall For although they bâ— made nextly for man yet so as that they are firstly for thâ— body which is of it selfe mortall and not eternall anâ— therefore not being contiguous to that which is spirituallâ— eternall are not so themselves and the reason of this iâ— because all inferiour Creatures as they come out from God so their motion is toward man for whom they aâ—â— nextly made and they go out strait forward from God as it were in a strait line toward man to the last end anâ— terme of which strait line when they are come in the serâ—vice of man they then cannot proceed any further and dâ— therefore perish and cease to be without reflecting or reâ—turning back againe immediately unto God But maâ— being made immediately and nextly for God hath therforâ— his motion so toward God as that he returnes immediatelâ— unto him againe and is not led in a strait line but led 〈◊〉 it were about in a circular motion and hence returning immediately to him he is hereby eternally preserved iâ— him for whom he is immediately made and unto whom hâ— is nextly contiguous as hath been said Thesis 6. Now although in this returne of man to God suppoâ—sing it to be internall regular and spirituall mans blesseâ— being once lost is hereby recovered and preserved in God yet when man is left unto himselfe the motions of his soul out of this circle in straying from God are innumerable and would be endlesse if God who set him next unto him selfe did not some time or other recall returne and â—ead him back again as it were in a heavenly circle into himself Thesis 7. Look therefore as when man hath run his race finished his course and passed through the bigger and larger circle of his life he then returnes unto his eternall rest so it 〈◊〉 contrived and ordered by divine wisdom as that he shall â—n a speciall manner returne unto and into his rest once â—t least within the lesser and smaller circle of every week â—hat so his perfect blessednesse to come might be foretasted every Sabbath day and so be begun
particular precepts saith hee perhaps unawares are conclusions flowing from these principles out of Matth. 22. And are the principles good in themselves and suitable to humane nature and doe not all the conclusions participate of their nature For what are all particular precepts but particular unfoldings of love to God and love to man If all the precepts of the second Table be morall which doe onely concerne man why should any of the first fall short of that glory which doe immediately concerne God Shall man have six and all of them morally good and God have but foure and some one or more of them not so Is it comely and good to have God to be our God in the first Commandment to worship him after his owne minde in the second to give him his worship with all the highest respect and reverence of his Name in the third and is it not as comely good and suitable that this great God and King should have some magnificent day of state to be attended on by his poore servants and creatures both publikely and privately with speciall respect and service as oft as himselfe sees meer and which we cannot but see and confesse to be most equall and just according to the fourth Commandment If mans life must bee divided into labour and rest is it not equall and good if wee have six dayes that God should have a seventh If the bruit beasts could speake they would say that a seventh dayes rest is good for them Exod. 23.12 and shall man who hath more cause and more need of rest even of holy rest say that it is not good for him even to rest in the bosome of God himselfe to which he is called this day Take away a Sabbath who can defend us from Atheisme Barbarisme and all manner of Devilisme and prophanesse And is it evill thus to want it and shall it not be good to have it I confesse if God had commanded a perpetuall Sabbath it had not then been good but sinfull to observe any set Sabbath but if God will have man to labour for himselfe six dayes and this labour be morally good being now commanded why is it not then as good to observe a seventh in rest to God being also commanded of him Thesis 31. It is therefore at least an indigested assertion of those who affirme that the Decalogue sets out the precepts of the law of Nature and yet withall doth superad certaine precepts proper to the Jewish people in which last respect they say all men are not bound to the observance thereof and they produce the fourth Commandment for proof but in respect of the first they are But although in the application of a law something may bee proper to the Jewish people yet with leave of the learned there is never a law in it but it is morall and common to all for to make any law in the Decalogue proper is an assertion springing from a false and blinde principle viz. That that law onely is morall which is naturall not naturall as suitable to humane nature but which is seene and knowne by the common light of corrupt nature without the helpe of any externall usher or teacher If also any lawes in the Decalogue be proper how will any finde out and discerne morall lawes which concerne all from proper laws which appertaine onely to some For if God hath made such a mingling and not severed morall lawes by themselves then man hath no law or revelation by any dictinct and severed lawes left unto him to discerne lawes proper and peculiar from laws morall and common which how pernicious it may bee to mens soules to bee left to such uncertainty as also how injurious to God and crosse to his maine ends in discovering morall lawes let the wise consider for if they say that wee must flye for help herein to the light of corrupt nature then as hath been shewn an imperfect light and a blinde guide and a corrupt judge must be the chief rule of discerning that which is morall from that which is peculiar and proper for doubtlesse such a kinde of light is the light of corrupt nature Thesis 32. Some thinke that those commandments onely are morally good which the Gospel hath declared and confirmed to be so and by this shift they thinke to avoid the absurdity of flying to the blinde guide of corrupt nature to judge of these colours viz. what is morall and what is not Mr. Primrose therefore excludes the fourth Commandment from being morall the other nine being ratified by the light of the Gospell which this he saith is not but if his meaning be that there must be a generall ratification of lawes morall by the verdict of the Gospell then the fourth Commandment cannot be excluded from being morall because it hath a ratification in generall from the Gospell for therein wee read that the morall law is holy just and good Rom. 7. and that Christ came not to destroy the least jot or tittle of the law Matth. 5. much lesse a whole law of the fourth Commandment In the Gospel also God promiseth to write his Law upon our hearts wherein the fourth Commandment is not excepted But if his meaning beâ— this that the Gospell must particularly mention and so make a particular ratification as it were by name of every morall law then his assertion is unsound there being many judiciall lawes of Moses of which some are wholly morall others containing in them something of common and morall equity which we have no expresse mention of in the blessed Gospell and let him turne over al the leaves of the Gospell hee shall not finde that proportion of time which himselfe affirmes to be morall in the fourth Commandment to bee expressely and particularly mentioned in the Gospell and therefore that also must be excluded from being morall upon his owne principles as well as what we contend for in this Commandment so to bee Thesis 33. Some of those who maintaine the law of the Sabbath to be ceremoniall affirme that every Law in the Decalogue is not morall upon this ground to wit because the Law is called Gods Covenant which Covenant they shew from sundry instances not only to comprehend moralls but also ceremonialls for they make it the excellency of the Decalogue to comprehend as a short epitome all Gods Ordinances both morall and ceremoniall which epitome is more largely opened in the writings of Moses where not onely morall but also ceremoniall lawes are expressed and dispersed And hence they thinke that as the other nine are the summary and epitome of all morall Ordinances so the fourth Commandment which was kept with the practise of Ceremonies was the summary and epitome of all the ceremoniall ordinances and hence the fourth Commandment becomes ceremoniall But for answer to this wily notion unjustly father'd upon Austin and Calvin by some it may thus farre be granted that as the word Law is sometimes taken more strictly for
will see themselves forced unto by the shifts and fallacies of the adversaries of the truth herein the Commandments of God are exceeding broad according to Davids measure Psalme 119 96. and very comprehensive and hence the generals include many particulars and sometime the particulars have a speciall respect to things more general as is evident in the second and fifth Commandment which Synechdoche Master Broad acknowledgeth to bee in all other commands except the Sabbath wherein he wil have no generall understood but onely a commandment to observe that particular day onely that so he may go one step further then some of his betters and utterly abolish the morality of this command but whether this Commandment is so narrowly restrained will appeare more fully in shewing the truth of this distinction out of the CoÌ„mandment more particularly Thesis 50. Those things first which are primarily and more generally morall and morally commanded are these three 1. That there be some solemne convenient time set apaâ—t for Gods worship 2. That this time be not any small pittance of time but a solemne day of worship bearing the most meet proportion to those dayes man hath for himselfe 3. That this day be not any day indefinitely which man sees meet but as 't is in the Commandment the Sabbath or Rest day which God himself interprets and determines to a seventh day Some of our Adversaries in this Controversie will not acknowledge any set time or day to be morall by vertue of this Commandment because they think that That particular seventh day from the creation is onely commanded but now abolished under the Gospel and it onely is commanded they say because it is onely expressed and made mention of in the Commandment I confesse that That particular seventh is expressed and pointed at but not onely expressed as wee shall shew in fit place but suppose it were granted that That seventh onely is expressed yet it will not follow that therefore a seventh day and consequently a day and consequently a time of worship is excluded for look as 't is in the second Commandment we see the worship of a graven Image is particularly forbidden and yet that which is more generall is also herein forbidden viz. the worship of God by humane inventions and why may not the like generall bee enjoyned by commanding that particular seventh in the fourth Commandment Others of our adversaries on the contrary acknowledge therefore that in this particular seventh which they make ceremoniall something more generall and morall is herein required but this generall they limit to a time or some day of worship but a seventh day which is more generall then that particular seventh yet lesse generall then a day or time they fly from this as from some serpent or bugbear and will not admit it as any thing generally morall in this Commandment But it is very observeable in this Controversie that upon the same grounds on which they would exclude this generall of a seventh from being morall they may as well exclude their owne generals viz. a time or a day from being morall for if they thinke it irrationall that because a particular seventh day is required that therefore a seventh day more generall cannot be commanded why is it not as irrationall upon the same ground to exclude a time a day also Surely a seventh day lyes nearer the bosome of a particular seventh and is of nearer kin to it then a day And I marvaile that they should gather a solemne time and day of worship which is more generall rather then a seventh out of that particular day as not possibly to be intended although in a manner expressed in the Commandment it selfe I know there are some who thinke that there is nothing generally morall in this Commandment but a seventh day which unlesse it bee well and warily explicated I then crave leave to concur thus farre with our adversaries viz. That a solemne time and a day of worship are generally morall in this command but not onely morall but that a seventh day also which God shall determine is generally yea principally morall also in this Commandment Thesis 51. First therefore That which is most generally morall in this command is that which is called Tempus cultus or the time of worship now this time must either be indeterminate time which necessarily attends all acts of worship and duties of piety or else determinate and solemne time Indeterminate time is not required here because to make a speciall commandment about such a time would be both needlesse and ridiculous for if it bee impossible that any duty should bee performed without such time then where-ever that duty is required the time which necessarily attends it must bee supposed and enjoyned in the same commandment Some determinate and solemne time is therefore herein generally though not onely commanded Thesis 52. T is a scruple to some to know to what commandment solemne time should be referred to which the answer is easie that the same things may bee referred in severall respects unto severall commandments and so may this Solemne time may be referred to the second Commandment where solemne worship in respect of the meanes of worship is required in some respect to the first Commandment which requiring us to acknowledge God as our soveraigne Lord and happinesse he would have us therefore to have some full scope of time to be serlous and solemnly taken up in the worship of him But it 's referred to this fourth CoÌ„mandment as it stands in a generall reference and relation to a seventh dayes Sabbath wherein this generall of solemne time is swallowed up and preserved and verily if the six days labour be required in the fourth Commandment in case it be done in reference to the seventh days rest much more all solemne time of worship as it stands in reference to a Sabbath day Thesis 53. The worship it selfe therefore is not required in this Commandment if only the time of worship be enjoyned and if ignorance or prejudice did not by asse and sway mens judgements from the naked and genuine meaning of each Commandment it would soon appear that the whole worship of God it selfe is contained in the three first Commandments and therefore nothing left that could possibly be enjoyned by the fourth but onely the time I know a time of worship may in some respect be called worship but the worship it selfe in all other respects is not required in this but in other Commandments for in the first Commandment we are to have God to be our God by love of him trust to him delight in him c. which nature as it were cals for if God be our God then all that which we call naturall worship is required here and if devised formes of worship bee forbidden in the second Commandment which are of humane invention and institution then all Gods instituted worship must bee commanded herein and if vaine and irreverent manner of worship be forbidden
in the third Commandment then all common worship as some call it or rather all that holy and reverend manner of worship which we owe to God is required in the same command and if all naturall instituted and common worship or holy manner of worship be required in the three first commands I marvaile then how any worship any further then as a time of worship may be called worship can be required in this fourth command The time therefore and not the worship it selfe is required herein for if any worship be required it 's either the whole worship of God or some speciall kinde of worship if the whole worship then there should be no worship of God required directly in the three first Commandments but the very same which is commanded in the fourth also which grosse Tautology is most absurd to imagine in the short summe of these ten words but if any speciall kinde of worship should be required and not the whole then the Sabbath day is sanctified to some one kind of worship rather then to the exercise of all kind of worship which is most false and prophane for who will affirme that the Sabbath is to bee sanctified suppose by that kinde of worship which is publick and not private also by externall and not by internall worship also by naturall worship in love and fear God c. and not with instituted in the use of all Gods Ordinances and that with all holy preparation and reverence also Thesis 54. The exercise of worship is one thing the worship it selfe is another 't is most true that the holy exercise of all worship is here required but most false that the worship it selfe is so The worship it self is required in the three first commands but the speciall exercise of all this worship at such a time is required in the fourth Command the exercise of holinesse and holy duties is here required as the end and a holy rest as a meanes thereunto and in this respect it is true which Wallaeus observes viz. That it is not a bare and naked circumstance of time but the rest it self from labour and the application of the day to holy uses which is here enjoyned but doth it therefore follow that the worship it self and the holy duties themselves are here directly commanded which he seemes to maintain no verily no more then that works of mercy in the second Table are required in this fourth Command of the first Table because the exercise of mercy and love as well as of piety and necessity is required also in this Command Thesis 55. It is generally and frequently affirmed by those who seek to support the morality of the Sabbath to wit that the exercise of worship and holy duties at this time is required for the duties sake as at other times the time is required for the times sake by which words they seem to make the bare circumstance of time to bee required here but this assertion had need be understood with much candor and the true explication of it for in some sense its most true which our Saviour affirms that man is not made for the Sabbath or the time of it Mark 2.27 Thesis 56. This time therefore may be considered two wayes 1. Abstractly 2. Concretely 1. Abstractly for the bare circumwance of time abstracted and stript from all other considerations and so it is very absurd to imagine all the holy duties of the Sabbath to be for the time as if God and all his holy worship should give homage unto and attend upon a naked empty circumstance Time in this respect is rather for the worships sake 2. Concretely as it is wholly sanctified and set apart for God or as it is a holy time set a part for holy rest that so man might attend upon God and in this respect all holy duties are for this time because in this respect they are for God who is all in all in holy time And therefore Wallaeus need not put us upon search to see whether the holy rest of the day be required in the second or any other Command for 't is not affirmed by any that the naked circumstance of time is here onely required without any holy rest but that a holy time of rest is herein commanded and therefore to bee referred to this command hence also it is most false which some affirme viz. That the rest from ordinary labours on this day as it is connected with holy duties of worship without which they cannot be performed is as necessary now as when the Jewish Sabbath was in being but otherwise out of these duties there is no holy time of rest commanded For such a restraint of time to holy duties as makes the time holy for the duties sake so that no time is holy but in the performance of holy duties and these duties upon narrow examination onely publick duties doth but open a gap for licentiousnesse voluptuousnesse sports May-poles and Dog-markets and such like prophanesse out of the time of holy publick worship or what private worship each man shall think most meet For in this sense holy duties are for the time because the whole day being sanctified holy duties are therefore to attend and in this respect are for this time and not the time for them viz. That when the time of the exercise of some holy duties doth cease the time of holy rest or holy time must then cease also Thesis 57. Nor should it seeme strange that holy duties should attend holy time and be for the sake of such time because although it bee true that this time is sanctified that man may performe holy duties yet man is now called to the performance of all holy duties that he may lastly honour God in all holinesse in such a speciall time Which time if any humane power onely should put any holinesse in and it therefore should be attended on what would it bee else but an observing of dayes and times condemned by the Apostle Romans 14. Gal. 4. which dirty ditch of observing times they unawares fall into who plead against a determined Sabbath sanctified of God and yet would have some time and day observed by the appointment of men For the observation of such dayes which God shall appoint cannot be condemned as an observing of times but the observation of dayes which humane wisedome shall think fit may be quickly reduced to such a transgression Thesis 58. If any think that there is a peculiar manner of holinesse and of worshipping God herein required which is not required in any other Commandment it may bee readily granted if by peculiar manner of sanctification be meant a more speciall degree and manner of exercising the whole worship of God in respect of such a time but it doth not therefore follow that any new kinde of worship which Wallaeus hence pleads for is required herein for this higher degree and speciall manner of worship is not the substance of any new worship
the destruction of a civill government so to crown every day with equall honour unto Gods set dayes and Sabbaths which he hath anointed and exalted above the rest this anarchy and confusion of dayes doth utterly subvert the true Sabbath to make every day a Sabbath is a reall debasing and dethroning of Gods Sabbath Thesis 69. 'T is true that every day considered materially and physically as a day is equally holy but this is no argument to prove that therefore every day is morally and theologically holy for those things which of themselves are common may by divine appointment superadded to them become holy witnesse the dedicated things of the Temple and so 't is in dayes and times under the old Testament we see some dayes were more holy by Gods appointment then others and yet all dayes then were materially and alike holy Thesis 70. 'T is true that under the new Testament all places in a safe sence are equally holy but it doth not follow from hâ—nce as our Adversaries would inferre that therefore all times are so and Wallaeus himself confesseth the argument to be invalid for it was not easie nor meet but very dissonant from divine and heavenly wisdome to appoint in his word all particular places where his people should meet their meetings being to bee in so many thousand severall Countries and various situations which places are indeed for their generall nature commanded and necessary but in respect of application to circumstances of this and that place and countrey the variation of them is almost endlesse and therefore very incongruous and uselesse to set them downe in the word but it was not so in respect of solemne time or a solemne day of worship for herein the Lord might easily appoint a particular day to be observed according to the rising and setting of the Sunne proportionably throughout all the world and the Scripture hath expressely fore told in respect of place that neither in Ierusalem Iudea nor Samaria but that in every place incense should bee offered up to God Malach. 1.11 but it hath not so spoken but rather the contrary in respect of time Thesis 71. Nor is any time morally holy in this sense viz. instrumentally holy or as an instrument and meanes by which God will convey any spirituall and supernaturall grace as Sacraments now doe and sacrifices of old did but being sanctified of God they are holy seasons in which God is pleased to meet and blesse his people rather then at other times and dayes of our owne devising or of more common use reserving onely the Lords prerogative to himselfe to work at other times also more or lesse as he sees meet Indeed it 's true that by our improvement of our time and of such times the Lord sweetly conveyes himself to us yet still 't is not by time it self nor by the day it self but as he conveyes himself to us by holy things and at holy places as the Ark and Temple so in holy times Thesis 72. There are indeed sundry Scriptures which to one who is willing to have all dayes equall may carry a great bredth and make a specious shew and I ingeniously confesse that upon a rigidum examen of them they are more weighty and heavy than the disputers in this controversie usually feele them and therefore they doe more lightly cast them by and passe them over and it is to bee wished that those who doe not think that all dayes are equall yet will not acknowledge a seventh day to be morall had not put weapons unawares into the hands of others strengthening them thereby to destroy the morality of any day and so to lay all dayes levell for I scarce know an argument or Scripture alledged by any Germane writer against the morality of a seventh day but it strikes directly against the morality of any day which yet they acknowledge to be morall Thesis 73. The fairest colour and strongest force from Gal 4.10 and Col. 2.16 lies in the gradation which some suppose to be intended in both those places Ye observe saith the Apostle dayes and moneths and times and yeares Gal. 4.10 Wherein the Apostle seemes to ascend from the lesser to the greater from dayes which are lesse then moneths and therefore weekly Sabbath dayes to moneths from moneths or new moones to times which are higher then moneths and by which is meant their annuall feasts and fasts ordered according to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fittest seasons of the yeare and from times he ascends yet higher to yeares viz. their Sabbaticall yeares because they were celebrated once in many years sometime seven sometime fifty years by which gradation it seems evident that the observation of dayes which are lesse than moneths and therefore of weekly Sabbaths are hereby condemned The like gradation is urged from Col. 2.16 where the Apostle seems to descend from condemning the greater to the condemnation of the lesser Let no man judge you saith the Apostle in respect of a holy day new moon or Sabbath dayes there holy dayes seem to bee their annuall or Sabbaticall dayes their new moones are lesse than them being every moneth and therefore by Sabbath days they inferre must needs be meant the weekly Sabbaths lesse than new moones Indeed some understand by dayes and times in Gal. 4. heathenish dayes but hee speaking of such dayes as are beggerly rudiments under which not the Heathens but the Children of the old Testament were in bondage verse 3. hee must therefore speak not of Heathenish but of Iewish dayes I know also that some understand that of Col. 2.16 to be meant of Iewish and ceremoniall Sabbaths which were annuall but this the Apostles gradation seems to overthrow Thesis 74. To both these places therefore a threefold Answer may bee given First Admit the gradation in them both yet by dayes Gal. 4.10 is not necessarily meant all weekly Sabbath dayes for there were other dayes Ceremoniall which the Iewes observed and which the Iewish teachers urged besides the Sabbath to instance onely in Circumcision which they zealously prest Gal. 5.3 which we know was limited unto the eighth day and which they might urge as well as Circumcision it selfe However look as the Apostle when he condemnes them for observing times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Fit seasons he doth not therin condemn them for observing all fit seasons for then wee must not pray nor heare the word in fit seasons but hee condemnes the Iewish Ceremoniall times and seasons so when he condemnes the observation of dayes the Apostle doth not condemne the observation of all dayes for then dayes of fasting and feasting must be condemned as well as dayes of resting under the new Testament but the observation of Ceremoniall dayes which the Iewes observed and false teachers urged and indeed the Apostle speaks of such dayes as were beggerly elements and rudiments now Iames speaking of the morall law which comprehends Sabbath dayes hee doth not call it a beggerly law
but a roiall law Iam. 2.8.12 nor doth hee make subjection thereunto to be the bondage of servants as that was Gal. 4.9 but the liberty of children and therefore called a royall law of liberty Secondly Suppose the weekly Sabbath bee here comprehended under dayes as also that by Sabbaths is meant weekly Sabbaths Col. 2.16 yet hereby cannot be meant the Christian Sabbath but the Iewish Sabbath for the Apostle condemnes that Sabbath and those Sabbath dayes which the Iewish teachers pleaded for among the Colossians now they never pleaded for the observation of the Christian Sabbath but were zealous and strong procters for that particular seventh day from the creation which the Iewes their fore-fathers for many yeares before observed and for the observation of which some among us of late begin to struggle at this day Now as was said admit the gradation we doe not observe the Iewish Sabbath nor judge others in respect of that Sabbath no more than for observing new moones or holy dayes we do utterly condemne the observation of that Sabbath If it bee said why doe we not observe new moones and holy dayes as well by substituting other dayes in their roome as we doe a Christian Sabbath in the room of that Iewish Sabbath wee shall give the reason of it in its proper place which I mention not here lest I should bis coctam apponere These places therefore are strong arguments for not observing that seventh day which was Iewish and ceremoniall but they give no sufficient ground for abandoning all Christian Sabbaths under the Gospel Thirdly there is a double observation of dayes as Wallaeus and Davenant well observe 1. Morall 2. Ceremoniall Now the Apostle in the places alledged speakes against the Ceremoniall and Pharisaicall observation of dayes but not morall For dayes of fasting are to be observed under the Gospel the Lord Christ our Bridegroom being now taken from us when our Saviour expressely tels us that then his Disciples even when they had the greatest measures of Christs spirituall presence should fast Matth. 9.15 16. But wee are to observe these dayes with morall not ceremoniall observation such as the Iewes had in sackcloth ashes tearing haire rending Garments and many other Ceremoniall trappings we are to rend our hearts and cry mightily unto God upon those dayes which is the morall observance of them So 't is in respect of the Sabbath no Sabbath day under the Gospel is to bee observed with ceremoniall or pharisaâ—call observation with Jewish preparations Sacrifices needlesse abstinence from lawfull worke and such like formalities but doth it hence follow that no dayes are to bee observed under the Gospel with morall observation in hearing the Word receiving the Sacraments singing of Psalms c. There was no morality in the new moons by vertue of any speciall commandment and therefore it is in vaine to aske why new moons may not be observed still as well as Sabbaths provided that it be observatione morali for there is a morality in observing the Sabbath and that by a speciall command which is not in new moons and holy dayes and therefore as we utterly abandon all that which was in the Sabbath ceremoniall so we doe and should heartily retaine and observe that which is morall herein with morall observance hereof Thesis 75. There were among the Jews dayes ceremonially holy as well as meats ceremonially uncleane now in that other place which they urge against the observation of any dayes under the Gospel Rom. 14.5 therein dayes ceremoniall are compared with meats ceremoniall and not morall days with ceremoniall meats It is therefore readily acknowledged that it was an errour and weaknesse in some to think themselves bound to certaine ceremoniall dayes as well as it was to abstain from certain ceremoniall meats but will iâ— hence follow that it is a part of Christian liberty strength to abandon all dayes as ceremoniall and that it is a part of Christian weaknes to observe any day under the Gospel this verily hath not the face of any reason for it from this Scripture wherein the Apostle doubtlesse speaks of ceremoniall not morall dayes as shall appear our Christian Sabbaths be And look as it is duty not weaknesse sometime to abstaine from some meats as in the case of extraordinary humiliation as wee see in Daniel Dan 9. and 11. so it may be duty not weaknesse still to observe some dayes I say not the seventh day for that is not now the question but some dayes are or may be necessary to bee observed now Thesis 76. If any man shall put any holinesse in a day which God doth not and so think one day more holy than another this is most abominable superstition and this is indeed to observe dayes and of this the Apostle seems to speak when he saith Ye observe dayes But when the Lord shall put holines upon one day more then upon another we do not then put any holines in the day but God doth it nor doe we place any holines in one day more then in another but God placeth it first and this is no observation of dayes which the Apostle condemns in those that were weak but of the will of God which he every where commands Thesis 77. There is as some call it Sabbathum internum externum i. an internall and externall Sabbath the first if I may lawfully call it a Sabbath is to be kept every day in a speciall rest from sin the second is to bee observed at certaine times and on speciall days now if that other place Isa. 66.23 which is much urged for the equality of all days be meant of a continuall Sabbath so that those words from Sabbath to Sabbath if they signifie a constant continuall worship of God indefinently then the Prophet speaks of an internall Sabbath which shall in speciall be observed under the Gospel but this doth not abolish the observation of an externall Sabbath also no more then in the times before the Gospel when the people of God were bound to observe a continuall Sabbath and rest from sin and yet were not exempted hereby from externall Sabbaths onely because more grace is poured out upon the people of God under the new Testament then under the old and under some times and seasons of the new Testament and some people more then at and upon others hence this prophesie points at the times of the Gospell wherein Gods people shall worship God more spiritually and continually then in former times But if by this phrase From Sabbath to Sabbath be meant succession i. one Sabbath after another successively wherein Gods people shall enjoy blessed fellowship with God from Sabbath to Sabbath successively in the worship of him one Sabbath after another then this place is such a weapon in their owne hands against themselves as that it wounds to the heart that accursed conceit that all dayes should be abandoned by those under the new Testament But suppose that by Sabbath
and shadowes and figures when once the substance is come to wit when they come in this life to the highest attainment which is the bosome of the Father which bosome is the true Sabbath of a Christian man Now I confesse that the bosome of God in Christ is our rest and our All in All in heaven and our sweet consolation and rest on earth and that we are not to rest in any meanes Ordinances Graces Duties but to look beyond them all and to be carried by them above them all to him that is better than all to God in Christ Jesus but to make this bosome of God a kinde of canker-worme to fret and eat out the heart and being not only of all Sabbaths and Ordinances of worship but also of all duties and graces of Gods Spirit nay of Christ Jesus himself as he is manifested in the flesh and is an externall Mediator whom some lately have also cast into same box with the rest Being sent onely as they think to reveale but not to procure the Fathers love of delight and therefore is little else than a meere forme and so to cease when the Father comes in the room of all formes and so is All in All This I dare say is such a high affront to the precious bloud of Christ and his glorious Name and blessed Spirit of grace that he who hath his Furnace in Zion and his fire in Ierusalem will not beare it long without making their judgements and plagues at least spirituall exemplary and wonderfull and leading them forth in such crooked wayes with the workers of iniquity when peace shall be upon Israel Are these abstracted notions of a Deity into the vision and contemplation of whose amazing glory without seeing him as he is in Christ a Christian they say must be plunged lost and swallowed up and up to which hee must ascend even to the unaproachable light the true and onely Sabbath Are these I say the new and glorious light breaking out in these dayes which this age must wait for which are nothing else upon narrow search than Monkish imaginations the goodly cob-webs of the brain-imagery of those idolatrous and superstitious hypocrites the Anchorites Monks and Fryers who to make the blinde and simple world admire and gaze upon them gave it out hereby like Simon Magus that they were some great ones even the very power and familiars of God Surely in these times of distraction warre and bloud if ever the Lord called for sackcloth humiliation repentance faith graces holinesse precious esteem of Gods Ordinances and of that Gospel which hath been the power of God to the salvation of thousands now is the time and must Gods people reject these things as their A. B. C and must the new light of these times be the dreames and visions and slaverings of doting and deluded old Monks Shall the simplicity of Gospel-ministery bee rejected as a common thing and shall Harphius his Theologia Mystica Augustinus Elutherius Iacob Behmen Cusanus Raimundus Sebund Theologia Germanica and such like Monk-admirers be set up as the new lights and beacons on the mountaine of these elevated times Surely if so God hath his time and wayes of putting a better relish to his precious Gospel and the crosse of Christ which was wont in Pauls time to be plainly preached without such popish paintings and wherein Gods people knew how to reconcile their sweâ—â— rest in the bosome of the Father and their Sabbath day Thesis 81. If sinne which is the transgression of the law bee the greatest evill then holines which is our conformity to the law is our greatest good If sin be mans greatest misery then holinesse is mans greatest happinesse It is therefore no bondage for a Christian to be bound to the observance of the law as his rule because it onely binds him fast to his greatest happinesse and thereby directs and keeps him safe from falling into the greatest misery and woe and if the great designe of Christ in comming into the world was not so much as to save man from affliction and sorrow which are lesser evils but chiefely from sinne which is the greatest evill then the chiefe end of his comming was not as some imagine to lift his people up into the love and abstracted speculation of the Father above the law of God but into his owne bosome onely where only wee have fellowship with the Father above the Law of sinne Thesis 82. The bloud of Christ was never shed to destroy all sense of sin and sight of sinne in Beleevers and consequently all attendance to any rule of the law by which means chiefely sinne comes to be seen but he dyed rather to make them sensible of sinne for if he dyed to save men from sin as is evident 1 Iohn 3.5 Tit. 3.14 then hee dyed to make his people sensible of sinne because hereby his peoples hearts are chiefely weaned and sever'd from it and saved out of it as by hardnesse and unsensiblenesse of heart under it they chiefely cleave to it and it to them and therefore we know that godly sorrow workes repentance never to be repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 And that Pharaoh's hardnesse of heart strengthened him in his sin against God unto the last gasp and hence it is also that the deepest and greatest spirit of mourning for sin is poured out upon Beleevers after God hath poured out upon them the spirit of grace as is evident Zach. 12.10 11. because the bloud of Christ which was shed for the killing of their sinne now makes them sensible of their sinne because it 's now sprinkled and applyed to them which it was not before for they now see all their sins aggravated being now not onely sinnes against the law of God but against the bloud and love of the Son of God It is therefore a most accursed doctrine of some Libertines who imagining that through the bloudshed and righteousnes of Christ in their free justification God sees no sinne in his justified people that therefore themselves are to see no sinne because now they are justified and washed with Christs bloud and therefore lest they should be found out to bee grosse liars they mince the matteâ— they confesse that they may see sinne by the eye of sense and reason but faith being crosse to reason they are therefore to see the quite contrary and so to see no sinne in themselves by the eye of faith from whence it followes that Christ shed his bloud to destroy all sight and sense of sin to the eye of faith though not to the eye of reason and thus as by the eye of faith they should see no sin so it will follow that by the same bloud they are bound to see no law no not so much as their rule which as a rule is index sui obliqui and in revealing mans duty declares his sinne I know that in beholding our free justification by the bloud of Christ we are to exclude all law
a sinner as a sinner had need consider what they say for is it to a sinner as possest with Christ and receiving of him or as dispossest of Christ not having of him but rather refusing and rejecting of him If they say the first they then speak the truth but then they raze down their own pernicious principle that Christ and Gods love belongs to them As sinners If they affirm the latter then they do injuriously destroy Gods free grace and the glory of Christ who think to possesse promises without possessing Christ or to have promises of grace without having Christ the foundation of them all For though the common love of God as the bare offer of grace is may be manifested without having Christ yet speciall actuall love cannot be actually our own without having and first receiving of him And if the Spirit of God convince the world of sin and consequently of condemnation while they do not beleeve Ioh. 16.9 I wonder how it can then convince them of pardon of sin and reconciliation before they do beleeve unlesse we will imagine it to be a lying spirit which is blasphemous These things not considered of have and do occasion much errour at this day in the point of evidencing and hath been an inlet of deep delusion and open gaps have been made hereby to the loose waies and depths of Familism and grosse Arminianism and therefore being well considered of are sufficient to clear up the waies of those faithfull servants of the Lord who dare not sow pillows nor cry peace to the wicked much lesse to sinners as sinners both from the slanderous imputation of legall ministrations after an old Testament manner as also of making works the ground of faith or the causes of assurance of faith the free offer being the ground of the one and the free promise the cause and ground of the other Briefly therefore 1. The free offer of grace is the first evidence to a poor lost sinner that he may be beloved 2. The receiving of this offer by faith relatively considered in respect of Christs spotlesse righteousnesse is the first evidence shewing why he is beloved or what hath moved God actually to love him 3. The worke of sanctification which is the fruit of our receiving this offer is the first evidence shewing that he is beloved If therefore a condemned sinner be asked whether God may love him and why he thinks so he may answer Because Jesus Christ is held forth and offered to such a one If he be further asked why or what he thinks should move God to love him he may answer Because I have received Christs righteousnesse offered for which righteousnesse sake only I know I am beloved now I have received it If he be asked lastly how he knows certainly that he is beloved he may answer safely and confidently Because I am sanctified I am poor in spirit therefore mine is the kingdom of heaven I do mourn and therefore I shall be comforted I do hunger and thirst and therefore I shall be satisfied c. We need in time of distresse and temptation all these evidences and therefore it is greatest wisdom to pray for that spirit which may clear them all up unto us rather then to contend which should be the first And thus we see that the whole morall law is our rule of life and consequently the law of the Sabbath which is a branch of this rule We now proceed to shew the third branch of things generally and primarily morall Thesis 120. Thirdly Not only a day nor only a rest day but the rest day or Sabbath day which is expressed and expressely interpreted in the Commandment to be the seventh day or a seventh day of Gods determining and therefore called The Sabbath of the Lord our God is here also enjoined and commanded as generally morall For if a day be morall what day must it be If it be said that any day which humane wisdom shall determine whether one day in a hundred or a thousand or one day in many years if this only be generally morall then the rule of morality may be broken because the rule of equality may be thus broken by humane determination For it may be very unequall and unjust to give God one day in a hundred or a thousand for his worship and to assume so many beside to our selves for our own use There is therefore something else more particularly yet primarily morall in this Command and that is The Sabbath day or such a day wherein there appears an equal division and a fit proportion between time for rest and time for work a time for God and a time for man and that is a â—â—venth day which God determines A fit proportion of time for God is morall because equal man cannot determine nor set out this proportion God therefore only can and must A day therefore that he shall determine is morall and if he declares his determination to a seventh A seventh day is therefore morall Gomarus confesseth that by the Analogy of this Commandment not one day in a thousand or when man pleaseth but that one day in seven is morall at least equal fit and congruous to observe the same and if the Analogy he speaks of ariseth virtute mandati divini or by vertue of Gods Commandment the cause is in effect yielded but if this Analogy be made virtute libertatis humanae so that humane liberty may do well to give God one in seven because the Jews did so and why should Christians be more scant then I see not but humane liberty may assume power to it self to impose monthly and annuall holy daies as well because the Jews had their new moons and yearly festivals and by Analogy thereof why may not Christians who have more grace poured out upon them and more love shewn unto them under the Gospel hold some meet proportion with them therein also as well as in Sabbaths But it can never be proved that God hath left any humane wisdom at liberty to make holy daies by the rule of Jewish proportions Beside if humane wisdom see it meet and congruous to give God at least one day in seven this wisdom and reason is either regulated by some law and then 't is by vertue of the law of God that he should have one day in seven or 't is not regulated by a law and then we are left to a loose end again for man to appoint what day he sees meet in a shorter or a longer time his own reason being his only law and this neither Gomaras nor the words of the Commandment will allow which sets and fixeth the day which we see is one day in seven which not man but God shall determine and therefore called The Sabbath of the Lord our God Thesis 121. The hardest knot herein to unloose lies in this to know whether a seventh day in generall which God shall determine or that particular Seventh day from the creation be
time to be sanctified rather then a fifth a fourth or a ninth not simply because it was this seventh or a seventh but because in his wise determination thereof he knew it to be the most just and equall division of time between man and himself and therefore I know no incongruity to affirm that if God had seen one day in three or four or nine to be as equall a proportion of time as one day in seven that he would then have left it free to man to take and consecrate either the one or the other the Spirit of God not usually restraining where there is a liberty and on the other side if he had seen a third or fifth or ninth or twentieth part of time more equal then a seventh he would have fixed the bounds of labour and rest out of a seventh but having now fixed them to a seventh a seventh day is therefore morall rather then a fourth or sixt or ninth day because it is the most equall and fittest proportion of time all things considered between God and man the appointment therefore of a seventh rather then a sixt or fourth is not an act of Gods meer will only as our adversaries affirm and therefore they think it not morall but it was and is an act of his wisdom also according to a morall rule of justice viz. to give unto God that which is most fit most just and most equall and therefore although there is no naturall justice as Mr Primrose cals it in a seventh simply and abstractly considered rather then in a sixth or tenth yet if the most equall proportion of time for God be lotted out in a seventh there is then something naturall and morall in it rather then in any other partition of time viz. to give God that proportion of time which is most just and most equall and in this respect a seventh part of time is commanded because it is good according to the description of a morall law and not only good because it is commanded Thesis 131. 'T is true that in private duties of worship as to reade the Scriptures meditate pray c. the time for these and the like duties is left to the will and determination of man according to generall rules of conveniency and seasonablenesse set down in the word mans will in this sence is the measure of such times of worship but there is not the like reason here in determining time for a Sabbath as if that should be left to mans liberty also because those private duties are to be done in that time which is necessarily annexed to the duties themselves which time is therefore there commanded where and when the duty is commanded but the time for a Sabbath is not such a time as naturally will and must attend the action but it 's such a time as Counsell not nature sees most meet and especially That counsell which is most able to make the most equall proportions of time which we know is not in the liberty or ability of men or Angels but of God himself for do but once imagine a time required out of the limits of what naturally attends the action and it will be found necessarily to be a time determined by counsell and therefore our adversaries should not think it as free for man to change the Sabbath seasons from the seventh to the fifth or fourth or tenth day c. as to alter and pick our times for pâ—ivate duties Thesis 132. There is a double reason of proposing Gods example in the fourth Command as is evident from the Commandment it self the first was to perswade the second was to direct 1. To perswade man so to labour six daies together as to give the seventh or a seventh appointed for holy rest unto God for so the example speaks God laboured six daies and rested the seventh therefore do you do the like 2. To direct the people of God to That particular Seventh which for that time when the Law was given God would have them then to observe and that was that Seventh which did succeed the six daies labour and therefore for any to make Gods example of rest on That Seventh day an argument that God commanded the observation of that Seventh day only is a groundlesse assertion for there was something more generally aimed at by setting forth this example viz. to perswade men hereby to labour six daies and give God the seventh which he should appoint as well as to direct to that particular day which for that time it 's granted it also pointed unto and therefore let the words in the Commandment be obseâ—ved and we shall finde mans duty 1. More generally set down viz. to labour six daies and dedicate the seventh unto God and then follows Gods perswasion hereunto from his own example who when he had a world to make and worke to doe he did labour six daies together and rested the seventh and thus a man is bound to do still but it doth not follow that he must rest that particular seventh only on which God then rested or that that seventh though we grant it was pointed unto was only aimed at in this example the binding power of all examples whatsoever and therefore of this being ad speciem actus as they call it to that kind of act and not to the individuum actionis only or to every particular accidentall circumstance therein If indeed man was to labour six daies in memoriall only of the six daies of creation and to rest a Seventh day in memoriall only of Gods rest and cessation from creation it might then carry a faire face as if this example pointed at the observation of that particular seventh onely but look as our six daies labour is appointed for other and higher ends then to remember the six daies worke of God it being a morall duty to attend our callings therein so the Seventh day of rest is appointed for higher and larger ends as Didoclavius observes then onely to remember that notable rest of God from all his works it being a morall duty to rest the Seventh day in all holinesse Thesis 133. It was but accidentall and not of the essence of the Sabbath day that that particular Seventh from the creation should be the Sabbath for the Seventh day Sabbath being to be mans rest day it was therefore suitable to Gods wisdom to give man an example of rest from himselfe to encourage him thereunto for we know how strongly examples perswade now rest bâ—ing a cessation from labour it therefore supposes labour to goe before hence God could not appoint the first day of the creation to be the Sabbath because he did then but begin his labour nor could he take any the other daies because in them he had not finished his work nor rested from his labour therefore Gods rest fell out upon the last of seven succeeding six of labour before so that if there could have been any other day as fit then for exemplary
the word Rested but we know how many waies some of the Hebrew â—enses look nor is it any matter now to trouble our selves about them this only may be considered That it is a meer uncertain shift to affirm that Genesis was writ after Exodus M. Ironside tels us he could give strong reasons for it but he produceth none and as for his authorities from humane testimonies we know it is not fit to weigh out truth by humane suffrages and yet herein they do not cast the scale for Genesis to be writ after Exodus for although Beda Abulensiâ— and divers late Jesuites do affirm it yet Eusebius Catharinus Alcuinns a Lapide and sundry others both Popish and Protestant writers are better judgmented herein and their reasons for Genesis to be the first-born as it is first set down seem to be most strong The casting of this cause therefore depends not upon such uncertainties and yet if this disorder were granted iâ— will do their cause no good as if need were might be made manifest Thesis 165. M. Ironside confesseth That Gods resting and sanctifying the Sabbath are â—â—etaneous and acknowledgeth the connexion of them together at the same time by the câ—pulative And and that as God actually rested so he actually sanctifed the day but this sanctification which he means is nothing else but destination or Gods purpose and intention to sanctifie â—t afterward so that in effect this evasion amounts to thus much viz. that God did actually purpose to sanctifie it about 2500. years after the giving of the Law but yet did not actually sanctifie it and if this be the meaning it is all one as if he had said in plain terms viz. that when God is said to sanctifie the Sabbath he did not indeed sanctifie it only he purposed so to do and although M. Primrose and himself tels us that the word sanctifie signifies in the Originall some time to prâ—pare and ordain so it may be said that the word signifies sometimes to publish and proclaim if they say that this latter cannot be the meaning because we reade not in Scripture of any such proclamation that this should be the Sabbath the like may be said upon the reasons mentioned concerning their destination of it thereunto Again if to sanctifie the day be only to purpose and ordain to sanctifie it then the Sabbath was no more sanctified since the Creation then ab aeterno and before the world began for then God did purpose that it should be sanctified but this sanctification here spoken of seems to follow Gods resting which was in time and therefore it must be understood of another sanctification then that which seems to be before all time again as God did not blesse the Sabbath in way of destination so neither did he sanctiffe it in way of destination but he did not blesse it in way of destination for let them produce but one Scripture where the word blessed is taken in this sence for a purpose only to blesse indeed they think they have found out this purpose to sanctifie in the word sanctified Isa. 13.3 but where will they finde the like for the word blessed also for as the day was blessed so it was sanctified and yet I think that the Medes and Persians in Isa. 13.3 are not called Gods sanctified ones because they were destinated to be sanctified for that work but because they were so prepared foâ— it as that they were actually separated by Gods word for the accomplishment of such work but our adversaries will not say that God did thus sanctifie the Sabbath in Paradice by his word and yet suppose they are called his sanctified ones in way of destination yet there is not the like reason so to interpret it here for in Isa. 13.3 God himselfe is brought in immediatly speaking before whose eternall eyes all things to come are as present and hence he might call them his sanctified ones but in this place of Gen. 2.2 Moses not God immediatly speaks of this sanctifying in way of Historicall narration only this destination which is stood so much upon is but a meer imagination Thesis 166. It cannot be denied but that it is a usuall thing in Scripture to set down things in way of Prolepsis and Anticipation as they call it i. to set down things aforehand in the history which many years hapned and came after in order of time but there is no such Prolepsis or Anticipation here as our adversaries dream so that when God is said to sanctifie the Sabbath in Genesis the meaning should be that this he did 2500. years after the creation for this assertion wants all proof and hath no other prop to bear it up then some instances of Anticipations in other places of Scripture the Jesuites from some unwary expressions of some of the Fathers first started this answer whom Gomarus followed and after him sundry others prelatically minded but Rivet Ames and others have scattered this mist long since and therefore I shall leave but this one consideration against it viz. That throughout all the Scripture we shall not finde one Prolepsis but that the history is evident and apparently false unlesse we do acknowledge a Prolepsis and Anticipation to be in the story so that necessity of establishing the truth of the history only can establish the truth of a Prolepsis in the history I forbear to give a taste thereof by any particular instances but leave it to triall buâ— in this place alledged of Gen. 2.2 can any say that the story is apparently false unlesse we imagine a Prolepsis and the Sabbath to be first sanctified in mount Sinai Exod. 20. for might not God sanctifie it in Paradise as soon as Gods rest the cause and foundation of sanctifying of it was existing will any say with Gomarus that the Sabbath was first sanctified Exod. 16. because God blessed them so much the day before with Manna whenas in the Commandment it selfe Exod. 20. the reason of it is plainly set down to be Gods resting on the seveth day and sanctifying of it long before Thesis 167. There is not the least colour of Scripture to make this blessing and sanctifying of the day to be nothing else but Gods magnifying and liking of it in his own mind rejoycing and as it were glorying in it when he had rested from his works and yet M. Primrose casts this block in the way for the blind to stumble at supposing that there should be no such Anticipation as he pleads for for surely if God blessed and sanctified the day it was a reall and an effectuall sanctification and blessing but this magnifying and glorying in it in Gods minde is no reall thing in the blessed God he having no such affections in him but what is said to be in him that way is ever by some speciall effects the simple and pure essence of God admitting no affections per modum affectus sed affectus as is truly and commonly maintained Thesis
The end of daies and why may not this be the end of the daies of the week a known division of time and most famous from the beginning of the world as Râ—vet demonstrates out of the best Antiquaries rather then at the end of the moneths of the yeere But 't is not good to wrastle with probabilities of which many are given which do rather darken then clear up this cause This only may be added that suppose the Patriarks observed no Sabbath from mans fall to Moses time yet it will not follow that man in innocency was a stranger to it because man in his apostacy forgot or did not regard to keep it Thesis 172. If therefore it was a duty which Adam and his posterity were bound to keepe by a Law given them in innocency Then it undeniably follows that the observance of a Sabbath doth not depend upon great numbers of people to sanctifie it for at first creation the number was but two and yet they both were bound to observe it then nor yet is it to be cast aside through any mans freedom from worldly imcumbrances whereby he hath liberty to serve God more frequently every day for thus it was also in the state of innocency and yet the Sabbath to be observed then It is therefore unsound which M. Primrose affirms herein viz. That the consecration of a certain day for Gods service is not necessary but then only when many troop together and make up the body of a great Assembly and that therefore it may be doubted whether the Patriarks having but small families and little cumber observed any Sabbath but rather served God alike every day with great ease and assiduity and that therefore there was no need nor cause of a Sabbath till they became a numerous people at mount Sinai But beside what hath been said how will it appeare that the posterity of Seth called the sons of God Gen. 6.1 2. were not a numerous people Or that Abrahams family was so small out of which he could gather three hundred fighting men to pursue five mighty Princes in battell But suppose they were few yet have not small companies and particular persons as much need of the blessing of a Sabbath and speciall communion with God therein as great numbers and troops of people Is not the observation of the Sabbath built upon better and surer grounds mentioned in Scripture then bignesse of number and freedom from cumbers not mentioned at all Thesis 173. If Adams fall was before the Sabbath as Mr. Broad and some others otherwise orthodox in this point of the Sabbath conceive by too much inconsiderate wresting of Psal. 49.12 Iohn 8.44 yet it will not hence follow that he had no such command in innocency to observe the Sabbath before his fall For whether man had fallen or no yet the thing it selfe speaks that God was determined to work six dayes in making the world and to rest and so to sanctifie the seventh that hee might therein be exemplary to man and consequently God would have given this law and it should have been a rule to him whether he fell or no and indeed the seventh daies rest depends no more upon mans fall then the six daies worke of creation which we see were all finished before the fall the seventh daies holinesse being more sutable to that state then the six daies labour to which we see he was appointed if Gods example had any force to direct and lead him thereunto Againe if the law of labour was writ upon his heart before he was actually called forth to labour viz. To dresse and keep the garden Gen. 2.15 why might not also the law of holy rest be revealed unto him by God and so answerably writ upon his heart before he fell or came actually to rest upon the Sabbath Little of Adams universall obedience to the Law of workes was as yet actuall while he remained innocent and yet all his obedience in time to come was writ upon his heart the first moment of his creation in the Image of God as it were aforehand and why might not thiâ— Law of the Sabbath be writ so aforehand And therefore M. Broad need not trouble himself or others in enquiring whether God sanctified the Sabbath before or after the first seventh day wherein God rested and if before it how Adam could know of the Sabbath before Gods compleat rest upon the first seventh day the cause of it for God was as well able to make Adam privy to his counsell aforehand concerning that day before Gods rest on it which was a motive to the observance of it as he was to acquaint his people with his purpose for a holy Passeover before the occasion of it fell out Mr. Broad indeed tels us that its most probable that God did not blesse and sanctifie the first Sabbath or seventh day of rest because it is not said that God blessed the Sabbath because he would but because he had rested in it but by his leave it is most proper to say that God at the end of the six daies worke had then rested from all his works and thence God is said to sanctifie and rest the seventh day his cessation from worke which is the naturall rest being the cause of resting the seventh day with a holy rest as we have shewn and therefore there is no reason to stay till the seventh day was past and then to sanctifie it against the next seventh day the first seventh day upon the ground mentioned being first sanctified and which Adam might be well enought acquainted with aforehand as hath been shewn Thesis 174. If the Scriptures may be judge of the time of mans fall which yet is not momentous to cast the balance either way in this controversie it will be found that neither Angels nor men did fall the sixt day before the Sabbath for then God looked upon all his works and they were very good Gen. 1.31 and therefore could not as yet be bad and evill by any sin or fall and now because it 's more then probable that if Adam had compleatly sanctified and stood one Sabbath he had stood immutably as I think might be demonstrated he therefoâ—e not standing a whole seventh day for then he could not have fallen and yet not being fallen the sixt day he therefore fell upon the Sabbath day that as the breach of every other command was wrapt up in that first sin so this of the Sabbath The objections against this from Iohn 8.44 that Satan was a murderer from the beginning and from Psal. 49.12 that man in honour did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or abide one night in that estate with some other conjecturall reasons taken from some of the Schoolmens Obs and Sols are easily answered by a serious and sober minde and therefore I leave them Thesis 175. Adams soul say some did not need a Sabbath because every day was a Sabbath to him nor did his body need it
because it was impassible say some nor subject to wearinesse in its work say others truly to what purpose then should any Sabbath be appointed unto him in that estate But we must know that the Hebrew word for Sabbath signifies holy rest and therefore as Rivet well shews it 's called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menuchah which signifies common rest from wearinesse hence it follows that the Sabbath being originally sanctified for holy rest not for common rest or rest from naturall wearinesse in labour Adam might therefore stand in need of a Sabbath though his body was not subject to any wearinesse in or after his labour Hence also although he was to live holily every day yet this hinders not but that his soul might then have need of the holy rest of a Sabbath For 1. Adam was to serve God in a particular calling then as is manifest from Gen 2.15 for he was then to keep and dresse the garden and to act with and under God in the government of many inferiour creatures Gen. 1.26 And thus his time being filled in serving God with all holinesse in his calling he might need a Sabbath nor was it lawfull for him to turn daies of work in his calling into daies of rest and so to keep a Sabbath every day no not in that innocent and happy estate for if it was contrary to Adams holy estate to work six daies how could it be agreeable or sutable to the holinesse of God to work six daies If God did labour six daies and rested a seventh without any need of a rest in respect of any wearinesse in his work why might not nay why should not man imitate and be like to his God in labour and rest although he was not subject to any wearinesse in his holy work 2. Though every day was to be spent in holinesse mediatly both in seeing God in the creatures and meeting with God in his labour and calling yet it was not unsutable nay it was very needfull in that estate to have one day in the week for more immediate and speciall converse with God and for God more immediatly and specially to converse with him Nor indeed was it suitable to Gods wisdom to confine mans holinesse either then or now either to holy labour only or to holy rest only for then he should not have been so like unto God who was exemplary holy unto man in both Speciall time for action wherein he closed with God more mediatly throughout the six daies labour might well stand with speciall time for contemplation of God upon the Sabbath wherein he was to enjoy God more immediatly Adam did not need a Sabbath upon the same ground of weaknesse that we do viz. because we cannot be earnest enough as M. Primrose objects in holy services to God upon the week daies but we see it did not sute Gods wisdom nor mans holy estate then to be intent and earnest only in the enjoyment of his rest to which his intention on his calling and labour then could not be any hinderance when the Sabbath came being free from such clogs of sin then as we are now prest down withall and therefore it is an unworthy expression but oft used by the same author and others viz. That it did derogate from the excellency of Adams condition to observe a seventh daies Sabbath and that the determination of a time then did argue Adams inability or want of inclination and affection to serve God ordinarily and that the observance of a Sabbath is a mark of a servile condition as of other holy daies under the law and that if Adam was able to serve God continually that it was then needlesse to limit him to a particular day and that if a day were needfull God would have left the choice thereof to his own freedom considering the wisdom and godlinesse wherewith God had endowed him These and such like expressions are but hay and stubble which the light of the truth delivered may easily consume Thesis 176. 'T is true the Saints and Angels in heaven have no set Sabbath but doth it therefore follow that the state of innocency on earth should have been in all things like and particularly in this to the staâ—e of glory in heaven No such matter For should there have been no marriage no dressing of the garden no day nor night c. in Paradise because there is no marriage nor dressing of gardens nor weeks nor reckonings of day and night in heaven If God hath work for Adam to do not only upon the Sabbath but upon the week daies also why might he not be said to glorifie God without stint or ceasing as the Angels do in heaven unlesse M. Primrose will say that Adams marriage and dressing the garden was a stinting and ceasing from glorifying God which either he must affirm or else his argument fals flat upon all four who thinks that Adam could not have any set day for a Sabbath because then he should not be like the Saints and Angels in heaven who glorifie God continually without stint or ceasing Thesis 177. They that think that the Sabbath was not given to Adam because it was given as a peculiar perogative and priviledge to the Jews and they that think that it was the Jews prerogative and priviledge because of such Scriptures as affirm that God gave unto them his Sabbaths Exod. 16.29 Nehem. 9.14 Ezek. 20.12 and such like they may as well imagine that neither the whole Decalogue or any part of it did belong to Adam because the very same thing is affirmed of it viz. That he gave his laws to Iacob his statutes and judgements to Israel Psal. 147.19 to them also it 's said were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3.2 The Sabbath therefore is not said to be given to them as a peculiar propriety to the Jews no more then other parts of the Decalogue but as a speciall mercy yea as a sweeter mercy in some respect then the giving of any other laws it being the sweetest mercy upon earth to rest in the bosom of God which the law of the Sabbath cals to and to know that it is our heavenly Fathers minde that we should do so upon every Sabbath day in a speciall manner without the knowledge of which law we have lesse light of nature to hold the candle to us to the observance of it then from any other laws to direct us to the obedience of them Thesis 178. It is affirmed but unwarily by some that the tree of life in Paradise was a type of Christ and thence some would infer that it was not unsutable to Adams estate and condition in innocency to be taught by types and that the Sabbath might therefore be ceremoniall supposing that it was observed by Adam in his innocent estate but although the tree of life and sundry other things in Paradise are made Similitudes to set forth Christ Jesus in his Church by the
we suppose that these places be meant of the weekly Sabbath which some deny and rigidly urge them we may quickly presse blood instead of milke out of them and wholy abolâ—sh as Wallaeus well observes the observation of any Christian Sabbath but this one consideration of a type affixed to it to make it so far forth ceremoniall and therefore alteâ—â—ble which for substance is morall may be as a right thâ—ed to lead us into a way of truth in this great contoversie and to untie many knots which I see not how possibly they can be otherwise unloosed and therefore we may safely say that that Seventh day is abolished because it hath a type affixed to it but that a Seventh daies Sabbath is still continued wherein there is no type at all Thesis 182. If any say why was now the ceremony affixed washt off and removed after Christs comming and so that Seventh day still continued as we see publique prayer is still used but the type of incense removed and the first-borne still retaine that which is morall the type affixed to them being now abolished The reason of this is because there is a necessity of the being of both both prayer and first-born for publique prayer must be and first-born must be and they cannot be changed into any other but there was no necessity of the continuance of that first Seventh day to be the Sabbath nay there was some cause to change it and another day might be our Sabbath as wel as that first look therefore as the Lord could have kept the Temple at Ierusalem meerly as a place of worship which at this day in the generall is necessary and have washed and wiped off the typicall use of it in respect of Christ yet the wisdom of the Lord abolished the very being of the Temple because that place might be as well changed into another and least through the typicalnesse of it mans corrupt heart should abuse it so I may say concerning the Sabbath it did not sute with the wisdom of God to wipe off the ceremony affixed to that Seventh day when it might well be changed and so keep that day considering how apt mens ceremonious and superstitious hearts are to abuse such times or places unlesse the very types be abolished with the things themselves Thesis 183. 'T is true the Sabbath is called a sign between God and us Exod. 31.13 Ezek. 20.20 but it doth not follow that therefore it is originally significative and typicall for it may be only accidentall â—o by reason of a type and signe affixed yet upon narrow search of this place so much stood upon no type at all can hence be proved because a signe is mentioned for it is not necessary to think that that it is a typicall and sacramentall signe as circumcision and the Passeover were for it might be only an indicant sign and declarative as Num. 16.38 17.10 and as the fruits of Gods regenerating Spirit are signs of our translation from death to life 1 Ioh. 3 14. which signes still continue and if it be such a signe it is rather a strong argument for the continuance of the Sabbath then for any abolition or change thereof Thesis 184. The Sabbath being no visible signe of invisible grace it cannot therefore be any Sacramentall sign or typicall t is therefore an indicant and declarative signe of our communion with God and God with us of our interest in him and of his in us and therefore in those places Exod. 13.31 and Ezek. 20.20 where t is called a sign it is not made a signe simply and nakedly considered in it selfe as all Sacramentall and typicall signes be but it is so called in respect of our keeping of it or as it is observed and kept and therefore it runs in way of promise Ezek. 20.20 If ye hallow my Sabbaths they shall then be a signe between me and you and you shall know hereby that I am the Lord your God and although the Sabbath it selfe be called a signe Exod 31. yet it is explained vers 13. to be such a signe as to know hereby that the Lord our God sanctifies us and in Ezek. 20.20 that we may know hereby that he is the Lord our God for we know he is the Lord our God if he sanctifies us and that we are his people if we sanctifie or be sanctified of him and in this respect it becomes not onely a signe but a mutuall signe between God and us and in no other respect as Wallaeus would stretch it and hence it is that whoever makes a conscience of sanctifying the Sabbath aright shall not long want assurance of Gods love by this blessed signe Thesis 185. What type should be affixed to the Sabbath and of what it is thus typicall and significative is not a little difficult to finde out and being found out to prove it so to be in handling the Change of the Sabbath I shall positively set down what I apprehend only at the present it 〈◊〉 not be amisse to cast in a few negatives of what it is not for mens wits in imagining types and allegories are very sinfully luxurant unlesse God check them in such kinde of divinity Thesis 186. The type lies not in the day of worship for the greatest adversaries of the Sabbath place a morality therein nor doth it lie in a seventh day for though seven be made a number of perfection yet what sober minde ever made a type of seven more then of six or ten Some have made the week a short summary and epitome and resemblance of that old prophesie of the worlds continuance for 6000. yeares a thousand years being with God but as one day and the seventh thousand the great day of rest and peace to the weary world but this is a doubtfull assertion at best or if true yet it is not therefore properly a type or if it be yet not such a type as was to cease at the comming of Christ as our adversaries would have the Sabbath but when the Antitype is come of that seven thousand years If therefore it lies any where it is in it as in a rest day or a day of rest Thesis 187. Some make the rest of the Sabbath a type of Christs rest in the grave and if it could be proved I durst not oppose it but it is but gratis dictum affirmed by some godly learned who herein symbolize with Popish postillers who please themselves much in this and such like allegoricall significations of the Sabbaths rest For if Christ did neither enter into the state of rest till his resurrection nor into the place of rest untill his ascension how then could the rest of the Sabbath type out his rest in the grave which was part of his most heavy labour of humiliation Act. 2.24 and no part of his rest unlesse it was in respect of cessation therein from actions of naturall life but the rest of one day is very unfit to resemble and type
servile work or maintenance of any unnecessary work which the fame learned and acute writer imputes to our Saviour which I had almost said is almost blasphemous Thesis 202. It 's no argument that the Sabbath is not morall because it 's said Mark 2.27 that man is not made for it but it for man for saith Mr Ironside man is made for morall duties not they for man For let the Sabbath be taken for the bare rest of the Sabbath as the Pharisees did who placed so much Religion in the bare rest as that they thought it unlawfull to heal the sick on that day or feed the hungry so man is not made as lastly for the bâ—re rest but rather it for man and for his good but if by Sabbath be meant the Sanctification of that rest so man is made for it by Mr Primrose own confession Nor our Saviour speaks of the Sabbath in the first respect for the rest of it is but a means to a further and a better end viz. The true sanctification of it which the Pharisees little lookt unto and therefore he might well say that the Sabbath was made for man the rest of it being no further good then as it was helpfull to man in duties of piety or mercy required of man in the sanctification thereof M. Primrose confessing that man is made for the sanctification of the Sabbath would therefore winde out from this by making this sanctification on the Sabbath to be no more then what is equally required of man all the week beside but he is herein also much mistaken for though works of piety and mercy are required every day yet they are required with a certain eminency and specialty upon the Sabbath day and thence 't is that God cals mens to rest from all worldly occasions which he doth not on the weeke daies that they might honour God in speciall upon the Sabbath as shall hereafter appear Thesis 203. It 's a monkish speculation of M. Broad to distinguish so of the Sabbath in sensu mystico and sensu literali as that the mysticall sense like the lean and ill-favoured kine in Pharoah's dream shall eat up the literal sense and devour Gods blessed and sweet Sabbath for the Lord never meant by the Sabbath such a mysticall thing as the resting from the works of the old man only every day no more then when he commands us to labour six daies he permits us to labour in the works of the old man all the six daies Thesis 204. For though it be true that we are to rest every day from sin yet it will not hence follow that every day is to be a Christians Sabbath and that no one day in seven is to be set apart for it For 1. Upon the same ground Adam should have had no Sabbath because he was to rest from sin every day 2. The Jews also before Christ should have rejected all Sabbaths because they were then bound to rest from sin as well as Christians now 3. Upon the same ground there must be no daies of fasting or feasting under the Gospel because we are to fast from sinne every day and to be joyfull and thankfull every day I know some Libertines of late say so but upon the same ground there should have been none under the law neither for they were then bound as well as we to fast from sin 4. Hence neither should any man pay his debts because he is bound to be paying his debt of love to God and all men every day 5. Hence also no man should pray at any time in his family nor alone by himself solemnly because a Christian is bound to pray continually And indeed I did not think that any forehead could be so bold and brazen as to make such a conclusion but while I was writing this came to my hearing concerning a sea-man who came to these coasts from London miserably deluded with principles of Familisme who when an honest New-English man his Cabbin-mate invited him to go along and pray together considering their necessities he would professedly refuse to doe it upon this ground viz. Dost not pray continually Why then should we pray together now 6. The Commandment of the Sabbath doth not therefore presse us to rest only from such works as are in themselves evil which God allows at no tiâ—â— but from the works of our callings and weekly imployments which are in themselves lawfull and of necessity to be attended on at some time It is therefore a loose and groundlesse assertion to make every day under the Gospel to be a Christians Sabbath day Thesis 205. To think that the Sabbath was proper to the Jews because they only were able to keep and exactly observe the time of it being shut up as M. Primrose saith within a little corner of the earth and that the Gentiles therefore are not bound to it because they cannot exactly observe the time of it in severall quarters of the earth so far distant is a very feeble argument For why might not all nations exactly observe the rising and the setting of the sun according to severall climates by which the naturall day and so this of a Sabbath is exactly measured and which God hath appointed without limitation to any hour to be the bounds of the Sabbath as it sooner or later rises or sets were not the mariners of the men of Iudah bound to observe the Seventh day in all the severall coasts where they made their voyages did God limit them to the rising or setting sun of Iudaea only what colour is there to think thus of them indeed it 's true that in some habitable Northern coasts the Sun is not out of sight some moneths together but yet this is certain if they know how the year spends into moneths they can exactly reckon the weeks of those moneths and therefore can exactly tell you the daies of which those weeks consist and therefore they have their exact rules and measures to know East and West the place of the sun-rising and sun-setting and consequently to know the Sabbath daies and yet if they should not exactly know it their will to do it is herein as in other things accepted of God Thesis 206. If this truth concerning the morality of the Sabbath did depend upon the testimony of ancient writers it were easie to bring them up here in the rear notwithstanding the flourishes of the great Historian but this hath been done sufficiently by others nor doth it sute our scope who aim at only the clearing up of the meaning of the fourth command which must stand firm the heaven and earth shall fall asunder the Lord will rather waste kingdomes and the whole Christian world with fire and sword then let one tittle of his Law perish the land must rest when Gods Sabbaths cannot Lev. 26.34 and although I wish the Ministry of Christ Jesus a comely and comfortable maintenance as may richly testifie his peoples abundant thankfullnesse for the feet of
what Mr. Brabourne and Mr. Primrose have alledged against the same The second Part. LONDON Printed for Iohn Rothwell 1650. The generall Contents about the change of the Sabbath 1. SVfficient Light in the Scriptures for the change of the Sabbath Thes. 1. 2. Apostolicall unwritten-traditions no ground for the change of it Thes. 2. 3. Neither Churches custome or any Imperiall Law ground of the change of it Thes. 3. 4. How the observation of the Christian Sabbath ariseth from the fourth Commandement Thes. 4. 5. How 〈◊〉 day in the week may be called the seventh day Thes. 7 8. 6. The will of God the Efficient cause the Resurrection of Christ the morall cause of the change of the Sabbath Thes. 10. 7. The Asceâ—tion no ground of the change of the Sabbath Thes. 13. 8. The 〈…〉 spoyled in his first Creation by the sin of man hence the Day of Rest may be well changed Thes. 16. 9. Neither the three dayes resting of Christ in the grave nor the 33. yeers of Christs labour the ground of our labour and rest now Thes 18. 10. Not only Christs Resurrection but an affixed Type to the first Sabbath is the ground of the abrogation of it Thes. 20. 11. What the affixed Type to the Sabbath is Thes. 21. 12. The meer exercises of holy duties upon a day are not any true ground to make such a day the Christian Sabbath Thes. 25. 13. How holy duties on a day may evince a Sabbath day Thes. 26. 14. The first day of the week honour'd by the Primitive Churches from the Commandment of the Lord Iesus Thes. 27. 15. The Apostles preaching on the Iewish Sabbath doth not argue it to be the Christian Sabbath Thes. 30. 16. The first day of the week proved to be the Christian Sabbath by Divine Institution Thes. 34. 17. The first place alledged for the Christian Sabbath Acts 20.7 cleared by nine considerations Thes. 35. 18. The second place from 1 Cor. 16.1 2. cleared from seven considerations Thes. 36. 19. The third Scripture Rev. 1.10 cleared by two 〈◊〉 branches Thes. 37. 20. How the Christian Sabbath ariseth from the fourth Commandment although it be not particularly named in it Thes. 40. 21. The error of those especially in the Eastern Churches who observed two Sabbaths Thes. 41. 22. How the work of Redemption may be a ground for all men to observe the Sabbath Thes. 42. 23. How far the Iudgement of God upon prophaners of the Lords Day is of force to evince the holinesse of the Sabbath Thes. 44. The Change of the Sabbath THESIS 1. THe change of this day from the last to the first of the week although it be confirmed by an ancient custome yet the true reason and grounds of so great a change are not so fully known Sacred writings not so expresly setting down as it doth in some things of lesse concernment the causes hereof And many of the Arguments heaped up and multiplyed by some for the change of it which may seem of great weight while they want an adversary at the other end of the Scale to ballance them Yet upon sad examination and search into them they prove too light and consequently occasion the temptation of scrupling the truth and validity of others more cleare We are therefore with more warinesse and humility of mind to search into this Controversie and with much thankfulnesse and modesty to accept that little light which God gives us in greater as well as of much light which he is pleased to lend us in smaller matters Pascimur apertis exercemur obscuris was his speech long since concerning the Scriptures There is no truth so clear but mans loose wit can invent and mint many pernicious Cavils against it and therefore in those things which shine forth with lesse evidence it is no wonder if it casts such blots and staines upon them as that they can fear 〈…〉 discerned Nil magis inimicum veritati acumine 〈…〉 therfore be wise with sobriety remember that in this and such like Controversies the Scriptures were not written to answer all the scruples and objections of Cavillers but to satisfie and stablish the consciences of poor beleevers And verily when I meet with such like speeches and objections as these viz. Where is it expressely said that the old Sabbath is abrogated and what one Scripture is there in the N. Testament declaring expressely that the Lords day is substituted and put in its roome I cannot from such expressions but think and fear that the ignorance of this change in some doth not spring so much from deficiency and want of light on Gods part but rather from perversnes on mans part which will not see nor own the tâ—uth because it is not revealed and dispensed after that manner and fashion of expression as mans wit and phantasie would have it Like Naaman who because the Prophet went not about the cure of his Leprosie in that way and fashion which he would have him did not therefore for a time see that way of cure which God had revealed to him For the Holy Ghost is not bound to write all the principles of Religion under Common-place heads nor to say expressely In this place of Scripture you may see the old Sabbath abrogated and the new instituted for we find no such kind of expressions concerning Pauls Epistles and many books of Scripture that this or that Epistle or book is Canonical which yet we know to be so by other evidences We know also that the Holy Ghost by brief hints of Truth gives occasion of large Comments and by writing about other matters tanquam aliud agens it brings forth to light by the By revelations of great concernment which it saw meet purposely in that manner to make known And as in many other things it hath thus done so especially in this of the Sabbath So that if our hearts like Locks were fitted to Gods Key they would be soon opened to see thorough the difficulties of this point which I confesse of all practicall points hath been most fuâ—l of knots and difficulties to my own weaknesse Thesis 2. To make Apostolicall unwritten inspirations notified and made known in their dayes to the Churches to be the cause of the change of the Day is to plough with a Popish Heifer and to cast that Anchor on which deceivers rely and by which they hope to save themselves when they know not how otherwise to defend their falshoods Thesis 3. To make Ecclesiasticall Custome established 〈◊〉 by the Imperiall Law of Constantine to be the 〈◊〉 of the change is to make a prop for Prelacy and a step to Popery and to open a gap to all humane inventions For if it be in the Churches power to appoint the greatest Holy day why may not any other Rite and Ceremony be imposed also and if it be free to observe this day or not in respect of it selfe because it wants a divine institution and yet necessary to
the Westerne and more remote parts and therefore they might more powerfully infect those in the East and they to gaine or keep them might more readily comply with them Let us therfore see into the reasonâ— of this change from one seventh unto another Thesis 10. The good will of him who is Lord of the Sabbath is the first efficient and primary cause of the institution of a new Sabbath but the Resurrection of Christ being upon the first day of the week Mark 16.9 is the secondary morall or moving cause hereof the day of Christs resurrection being Christs joyfull day for his Peoples deliverance and the worlds restitution and new Creation it is no wonder if the Lord Christ appoint it and the Apostles preach and publish it and the primitive Christians observe it as their holy and joyfull day of rest and consolation For some notable work of God upon a day being ever the morall cause of sanctifying the day hence the work of redemption being finished upon the day of Christs Resurrection and it being the most glorious work that ever was and wherein Christ was fiâ—st most gloriously manifested to have rested from it Rom. 1.4 hence thâ— Lord Christ might have good cause to honour this day above all others and what other cause there should be of the publike solemne Assemblies in the primitive Churches upâ—n the first day of the week then this glorious work of Christs Resurrection upon the same day which began their great joy for the rising of the Sun of righteousness is scarce imaginable Thesis 11. No action of Christ doth of it selfe sanctifie any time for if it did why should we not then keepe as many Holy dayes every year as we find holy actions of Christ recorded in Scripture as the superstitious Crew of blind Papists do at this day But if God who is the Lord of time shall sanctifie any such day or time wherein any such action is done such a day then is to be kept holy and therefore if the will of God hath sanctified the day of Christs Resurrection we may lawfully sanctify the same day and therefore Mr. Brabourne doth us wrong as if we made the Resurrection of Christ meerly to be the cause of the change of this day Thesis 12. Why the Will of God should honour the day of Christs Resurrection as holy rather then any other day of his Incarnation Birth Passion Ascension It is this because Christs rising day was his resting or Sabbath day wherein he first entred into his rest and whereon his rest began For the Sabbath or rest-Rest-day of the Lord our God only can be our Rest-day according to the fourth Commandement Hence the day of Gods rest from the work of Gods Rest from the work of Creation and the day of Christs Rest from the work of Redemption are only fit and capable of being our Sabbaths Now the Lord Christ in the day of his incarnation and birth did not enter into his rest but rather made entrance into his labour and sorrow who then began the woâ—k of Humiliation Gal. 4.4 5. and in the day of his passion he was then under the soâ—est part and feeling of his labour â—n bitter Agonies upon the Crosse and in the Garden And hence it is that none of those days were consecrated to be ouâ— Sabbath or rest-dayes which were days of Christs labour and sorrow nor could the day of his Ascension be fit to be made out Sabbath because although Christ then and thereby entred into his place of Rest the third Heavens yet he did not then make his first entrance into his estate of rest which was in the day of his Resurrection the wisedome and will of God did therefore choose this day above any other to be the Sabbath day Thesis 13. Those that goe about as some of late have done to make Christs Ascension-day the ground of our Sabbath-day had need be fearefull left they lose the truth and goe beyond it while they affect some new discoveries of it which seems to be the case here For through Christ at his Ascension entred into his place of Rest yet the place is but an Accidental thing to Christs Rest it selfe the State of which was begun in the day of his Resurrection and therefore there is no reason to prefer that which is but accidental above that which is most substantiall or the day of entrance into the place of his Rest in his Ascension before the day of Rest in his Resurrection beside it s very uncertain whether Christ ascended upon the first day of the week we are certain that he arose then and why we should build such a vast change upon an uncertainty I know not And yet suppose that by deduction and strength of wit â—t might be found out yet wee see not the Holy Ghost expressely setting it down viz. That Christ ascended upon the first day of the week which if he had intended to have made the ground of our Christian Sabbath he would surely have done the first day in the week being ever accounted the Lords day in Holy Scriptures and no other first day do we find mentioned on which he ascended but only on that day wherein he arose from the dead Thesis 14. And looke as Christ was a Lambe slaine from the foundation of the World meritoriously but not actually So he was also risen againe in the like manner from the foundation of the world meritoriously but not actually Hence it is that look as God the father actually instituted no Sabbath day untill he had actually finished his work of Creation so neither was it meet that this day should be changed untill Christ Jesus had actually finished and not meritoriously only the work of Redemption or Restoration And hence it is that the Church before Christs coming might have good reason to sanctifie that day which was instituted upon the actuall finishing of the work of Creation and yet might have no reason to observe our Christian Sabbath the work of Restoration and new Creation and rest from it not being then so much as actually begun Thesis 15. Whether our Saviour appointed that first individuall day of his resurrection to be the first Christian Sabbath is somewhat difficult to determine and I would not tie knots and leave them for others to unloose This only I aime at that although the first individuall day of Christs Resurrection should not possibly be the first individuall Sabbath yet still the Resurrection of Christ is the ground of the institution of the Sabbath which one consideration dasheth all those devices of some mens Heads who puzzle their Readers with many intricacies and difficulties in shewing that the first day of Christs Resurrection could not be the first Sabbath and thence would inferre that the day of his Resurrection was not the ground of the institution of the Sabbath which inferâ—nce is most false for it was easie with Christ to make that great worke on this day to be the ground
but not that they brake Bread every day in the Temple or from house to house or if they should yet the bâ—eaking of Bread in this verse is meant of Common not Sacred Bread as it is verse 42. where I think the Bread was no more Common then their continuance in the Apostles Droctrine and Fellowship was Common and therefore in this 46. verse the phrase is altered and the Original word properly signifies ordinary Bread for common nourishment And yet suppose they did receive the Sacrament every day yet here the breaking of Bread is made mention of as the opus diei or the speciall businesse of the day and the day is mentioned as the special time for such a purpose and hence no other day if they break Bread in it is mentioned and therefore it s called in effect the day of meeting to break bread Nor do I finde in all the Scripture a day distinctly mentioned for holy duties as this first day of the week is wherein a whole people or Church meet tâ—gether for such ends but that day was Holy the naming of the particular day for such ends implies the Holinesse of it and the time is purposely mentioned that others in after times might purposely and specially observe that Day 8 Nor is it said that the Disciples met together the night after the first day but it s expressely said to be upon the first day of the week and suppâ—se as Mr. Brabourne saith that their meeting was noâ— together in the morning but onely in the evening time to celebrate the Lords Supper a little before the shutting in of the day yet it s a sufficient ground for conscience to observe this day above any other for holy services although every part of the day be not filled up with publike Church duties for suppose the Levites on the Jewish sabbath should do no holy publike duty on their own Sabbath untill the day was farre â—pent will Mr. Brabourne argue from thence that the Jewish Sabbath was not wholly holy unto God But againe suppose the latter part of the day was spent in breaking of Bread yet will it follow that no other part of the day was spent before either in any private or publique holy duties possibly they might receive the Lords Supper in the evening of this Sabbath for the time of this action is in the general indifferent yet might they not spend the rest of the morning in publike Duties as we know some do now in some Churches who are said to meet together to break Bread the latter part of this day and yet sanctifie the Sabbath the whole day before Suppose it be not expressely said that they did shut up shopwindwes at Troas and forsake the Plough and the Wheele and abstaine from all servile work yet if he beleeves that no more was done this day but what is expressely set downe Mr. Brabourne must needs see a pitiful face of Christ in the Lords Supper and people comming â—ushing upon it without any serious examination or preparation or singing of Psalms because no such Duties as these are mentioned to be upon this Day 9. Lastly Master Primrose like a staggering man knowes not what to fasten on in answer to this place therefore tels us that suppose it was a Sabbath yet that it might be taken up from the Churches Liberty and Custome rather then from any Divine institution But besides that which hath been said to dasht his Dreame Thes. 27. the falsenesse of this common and bold assertion will appeare more fully in the explication of the second text 1 Cor. 16.1 2. which now followes wherein it will appeare to be an Apostolical and therefore a Divine Institution from Jesus Christ. Thesis 36. In the second of the places therefore alledged 1 Cor. 16.1 2. These things are considerable to prove the first day in the week to be the Christian Sabbath and that not so much by the Churches practise as by the Apostles precept For 1. Although it be true that in some cases Collections may be made any day for the poore Saints yet why doth the Apostle here limit them to this day for the performance of this Duty they that translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon one day of the week do miserably mistake the phrase which in Scripture phrase onely signifies the first day of it and beat their forheads against the maine Scope of the Apostle viz. to fixe a certaine day for such a Duty as required such a certaine time For they might by this translation Collect their Benevolences one day in foure or ten yeers for then it should be done one day in a week 2 The Apostle doth not onely limit them to this time but also all the Churches of Galatia verse 1. and consequently all other Churches if that be true 2 Cor. 8.13 14. wherein the Apostle professeth he pressâ—th not one Church that he may ease another Church but that there be an equality and although I see no ground from this Text that the maintenance of the Ministry should be raised every Sabbath day for Christ would not have them reckoned among the poore being labourers worthy of their Hire and although this Collection was for the poore Saints of other Churches yet the proportion strongly holds that if there be ordinary cause of such Collections in every particular Church these Collections should be made the first day of the week much more carefully and religiously for the poore of ones own Church and that in all the Churches of Christ Jesus to the end of the world 3. The Apostle doth not limit them thus with wishes and counsels onely to do it if they thought most meet but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 1. as I have ordained or instituted and therefore bindes their consciences to it and if Paul ordained it certainly he had it from Christ Jesus who first commanded him so to appoint it who professeth that what he had received of the Lord that onely he commanded unto them to do 1. Cor. 11.23 4. If this day had not been more holy and more fit for this work of Love then any other day he durst not have limited them to this Day nor durst he have honoured this Day above any other in the weeke yea above the Iewish seventh Day For we see the very Apostle tender alway of Christian Liberty and not to binde were the Lord leaves his people free for thus doing he should rather make snares then Lawes for Churches 1 Cor. 7.27.35 and go expressely against his own Doctrine Galat. 5.1 who bids them stand fast in their Liberty and that in this very point of the observation of dayes Galat. 4.10 But what fitnesse was there on this Day for such a service Consider therefore 5. That the Apostle doth not in this place immediatly appoint and institute the Sabbath but supposeth it to be so already as Mr. Primrose is forced to acknowledge and we know Duties of Mercy and Charity as
Initiation into Christs mystical Body 1 Cor. 12.12 it now stands by vertue of that general Rule by which Circumcision it selfe was administred viz That the Seale of initiation into Christs Body be applyed to all the visible members of that Body and hence children are to be now Baptized as once they were Circumcised being members of Christs Body So the first day of the week being instituted to be the Lords Day or Lords Sabbath hence it followes that if the first seventh which is now abrogated was once observed because it was the Lords Sabbath or the Sabbath Day which God appointed by the very same Rule and on the very same ground we also are bound to keep this first day being also the Sabbath of the Lord our God which he hath now appointed anew under the New Testament Thesis 41. It is true that some of the Primitive Churches in the Eastern parts did for some hundred of yeers observe both Sabbaths both Iewish and Christian. But they did this without warrant from God who allowes but one Sabbath in a week and also against the Rule of the apostles for I think that Paul foreseeing this observation of dayes and Iewish Sabbaths to be stirring and ready to creep into the Church that he did therefore condemne the same in his Epistles to the Galatians and Colosians and that therefore Christian Emperours and Councels in after-times did well and wisely both to condemn the observations of the one and withal honour the other Thesis 42. Although the work of redemption be applyed unto few in respect of the special benefits of it yet Christ by his death is made Heire and Lord of all things bring now set down at the right hand of God and there is some benefit which befalls al the world by Christs Redemption and the Government of all things is not now in the hand of God as Creator but in the hand of a Mediator Heb. 1.1 2. Heb. 2.8.9 Iohn 5.22 Colos. 1.16.17 1 Tim. 4.10 Iohn 3.35 and hence it is no wonder if all men as well as a few elected selected and called be commanded to sanctifie the Lords Day as once they were the Jewish seventh day the work of Christ being in some respect of as great extent through all the worke of Creation as the work of the Father And therefore it is a great feeblenesse in Master Brabourne to go about to vilifie the worke of Redemption and extoll that of Creation above it and that therefore the Sabbath ought still to be kept in reference to the work of Creation which concernes all men rather then in respect of Redemption which he imagines concerneth onely some few Thesis 43. The Lord Christ rested from the work of redemption by price upon the day of his Resurrection but he is not yet at rest from the work of Redemption by power untill the day of our Resurrection and Glory be perfected But it doth not hence fellow as Master Primrose imagines that there is no Lords day Instituted in respect of Christs Resurrection because he hath not nor did not then â—est from Redemption by power for look as the Father having rested from the works of Creation might therefore appoint a Day of Rest alâ—hough he did not nor doth not yet rest from Providence John 5.17 So the Lord Christ having finished the great worke of Redemption he might justly appoint a day of Rest although his redeeming workly by power was yet behind Thesis 44. The heavie and visible judgements of God revealed from heaven against prophaners of this our Lords day Sabbath will one day be a convincing Argument of the Holinesse of this Day when the Lord himselfe shall have the immediate handling and pressing of it Mean while I confesse my weaknesse to convince an adversary by it nor will I contend with any other Arguments from Antiquity for the observation of this Day but these may suffice which are alledged from the Holy Word THE BEGINNING OF THE SABBATH Wherein five severall Opinions about the beginning of the Sabbath are set down the Arguments commonly used for the four first of them are answered and the truth of the fifth for its beginning in the Evening confirmed BY THOMAS SHEPARD Pastor of the Church of Christ at Cambridge in New-England The third Part. LONDON Printed for Iohn Rothwell 1650. The generall Contents concerning the Beginning of the Sabbath 1. FIve severall Opinions concerning the beginning of the Sabbath Thesis 2. 2. The time for beginning of the Sabbath not according to the various customs of divers Nations Thesis 3. 3. The time of the Artificiall day not the beginning and end of the Sabbath as it begins and ends Thesis 13. 4. The beginning of the Sabbath not midnight Thesis 28. 5. The morning doth not begin the Sabbath Thesis 48. 6. That place of Mat. 28.1 usually alledged for the beginning of it in the morning cleared Thesis 50. 7. The Resurrection of Christ not aymed at by the Evangelists to be made the beginning of the day although it be of the change of it Thesis 58. 8. John 20 19. cleared Thesis 59. 9. Pauls preaching till midnight no argument of the beginning of the Sabbath in the morning Thesis 64. 10. The various acception of the word Day and Morrow to answer many proofs alledged for beginning the Sabbath in the morning Thesis 68. 11. Some that hold in the beginning of the Sabbath was from Even to Even untill Christs Resurrection and then the time was changed confuted Thesis 69 70. 12. There is not the like reason for the Sabbath to begin at the first moment of Christs entrance into his rest as for the first Sabbath at the beginning of Fathers rest Thesis 71. 13 The reasons for the Change of the day are not the same for the change of the beginning of the day Thesis 73. 14. The conceived fitnesse for the beginning of the Sabbath in the morning rather then in the evening is a vanity Thesis 75. 15. The Evening begins the Christian Sabbath Thesis 76. 16. The place Gen. 1.2 cleared Thesis 78. 17. The Darkenesse mentioned Gen. 1.2 was not punctum temporis Thesis 81 81. 18. The separation of Light and darkenesse Gen. 1 2. cleared Thesis 86.87 19. Levit. 23.32 provâ—s the beginning of the Sabbath at Evening Thesis 90. 20. Nehemiah an exemplary pattern beginning the Sabbath at Evening Thesis 94. 21. Those that prepared for the buriall of Chriâ—t began their Sabbath in the Evening Thesis 97.98 22. Christs lying three dayes in the grave Thesis 100. 23. Those Nothern Countries who have the Sun in view divers weeks together in a yeer yet know when to begin the day Thesis 101. The Beginning of the SABBATH THESIS 1. IT S a holy labour saith one to enquire after the Beginning of holy Rest. The Sabbath cannot be so sweetly sanctified unlesse we know the time when to begin and end it the different apprehensions of such as have inquired after the Truth in this particular have mad way for
and the Lord allows it nay it would be sin and idlenesse in many not to doe it besides that sleep and rest which is to be taken in the night it is in ordine or in reâ—erence to Day-labour and is as a whet thereunto and in this respect the whole weekly night as well as the day is for labour as the sleep we take on Sabbath night is in ordine or with respect to spirituall rest and so that whole naturall day is a day of spirituall rest It is therefore a vain thing for any to make the nights of the six working daies to be no part of the six working daies because they say they are given to man to rest and sleep in for upon the same ground they may make the Artificiall daies no daies of labour neither because there must be ordinarily some time taken out of them to eat drink and refresh our weak bodies in Thesis 17. If Nehemiah shut the gates of the City when it began to be dark least that night time should be prophaned by bearing burdens in it then certainly the time of night was sanctified of God as well as the day to say that this act was but a just preparation for the Sabbath is said without proofe for if God allows men six daies and nights to labour in what equity can there be in forbidding all servile worke a whole night together which God hath allowed man for labour and although we ought to make preparation for the Sabbath yet the time and measure of it is left to each mans Christian liberty but for a civill Magistrate to impose twelve houres preparation for the Sabbath is surely both against Christian liberty and Gods allowance also Again Nehemiah did this lest the men of Tyre should occasion the Jews to break the Sabbath day by bringing in wares upon that night so as if that night therefore had not been part of the Sabbath they could not therâ—â—y provoke the Jews to prophane the Sabbath day by which Nehemiah tels them they had provoked the wrath of God Thesis 18. A whole naturall day is called a day though it take in the night also because the day-light is the chiefest and best part of the day and we know that the denomination of things is usually according to the better part but for Mr. Brabourne to affirm that the word Day in Scripture is never taken but for the Artificiall day or time of Light is utterly â—alse as might appeare from sundry instances it may suffice to â—ee a cluster of of seven daies which comprehended their nights also Exod. 12.15 18 19.41 42. Thesis 19. To affirme that the Sabbath day onely comprehends the Day-light because the fiâ—st Day in Gen. 1 began with morning light is not only a bad consequence supposing the ground of it to be true but the ground and foundation of it is as certainly false as to say that Darknesse is Light for its evident that the first day in Genesis began with that darknesse which God calls Night Psal. 4.5 and to affirme that the first Day in Genesis 1. begins with morning Light is as grossely false as it is apparently true that within six Daies the Lord made Heaven and Earth Ex. 20 11. for before the creating of that Light which God calls Day the Heavens and with them the Angels and the Earth or fiâ—st matter called the Deepe which was overspread with Darknesse were created either therefore the Lord did not create the World in six Dayes or t is untrue that the first day in Genesis began with morning Light and I wonder upon what grounds this notion should enter into any mans head for though God calls the light Day and the darkenesse Night as we shall doe when speake of the artificiall Day yet withall he called the Evening of the morning the first day and what was this Evening and Morning Surely it s all that space of time wherein the Lord did his first dayes work now it s evident that part of the first Daies work was before God created the light and what though evening be oftentimes taken for the latter part of the Daylight yet it s too well known to those who have waded the deepe in this controversy that it is oftentimes taken not only for the bound between light and Darkenesse 1. e. the end of light and beginning of darknesse Ios. 10.26 27. Psal. 104.23 but also for the whole time of darknesse as t is here in this first of Genesis and as we shall prove in due place and therefore to affirm that the Hebrew word used by Moses for evening not to be naturally applyable to the Night because it signifies a mixture of light and darknesse in the Notion of it is a grosse mistake for the Hebrew word Gnereb doth not signifie a mixture of light and darknesse but onely a mixture because it is the beginning of darkenesse wherein all things seeme to be mixed and compounded together and cannot be clearly and distinctly discerned in their kinds and colours if Buxtorfius may be believed as is also evident Is. 29.15 and to affirm that the Day is before the Night even in this first of Genesis because Moseâ— sometimes sets the Day before the Night it may seeme 〈…〉 an Argument as to say that the Evening is before the Morning because Moses here sets the Evening before the Morning but this will not seeme rationall to them who make the Evening to comprehend the latter part of the Day-light and the Morning the first part of it Lastly to make the Light to begin the day because the time of light is a certaine principle of compuâ—ation the space of darknesse before that light was created being unknown is all one as if one should affirme that the time of Day-light was not the beginning of the Day because the space of that is also as much unknown For if we know that darknes was before light though we may not know how long it continued yet we do know certainly that the first Day began with darknesse and that this darknesse and light made up the space of 24 houres or of a naturall day as in al other daies works of creation and which is sufficient to break down this principle viz. that the first Day in Genesis began with Morning Light Thesis 20. Some say the Sabbath is significative of Heaven and therefore it onely comprehends the day light which is fit to signifie the lightsome Day of Heaven which darknesse is not but why may not Night-time signifie Heaven as well as Day-time for Heaven is a place of rest and the night is the fittest time for rest after our weary labours in the day Who teacheth men thus to allegorize how easily a thing is it thus to abuse all the Scripture and yet suppose it should signifie Heaven yet why may not the Sabbath continue the space of a naturall as well as of an artificiall Day considering that the naturall Day of the World or of
went before And I confesse the argument is strong and undeniable as the words lie under the glosse We must therefore enquire more narrowly into the true translation of the words and their meaning Thesis 55. That therefore which we translate the end of the Sabbath is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which words are variously translated we shall onely observe that the Gr. word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a double signification in frequent use among Greek writers 1. Sâ—mewhile it signifies Late Time or the extream and last time of the continuance of any thing as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the late time or latter time of the Day 2. Sometime it signifies a long Time after as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. a long time after the Trojan war Now in this place it is to be translated and in this latter sence thus A long time or a good while after the Sabbath was ended as it began to dawn to â—hâ— first day of the week c. which interpretation if it be made good will clear up this difficulty viz. that the Jewish Sabbath did not end at the dawning of the First day of the week but long before nor indeed durst I incline to this interpretation if I did not see the Evangelists the best interpreters one of another making the same to my hand Thesis 56. For first Mark who writ after Matthew and is best able to interpret his words expresly saith that the Sabbath was past when the women came to the Sepulchre his words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sabbath being past Mar. 16. 1. Hence therefore if Matthews words should be translated Late on the Sabbath or towards the end of the Sabbath then the Sabbath was not already past as Mark affirms but drawing toward an end Mark therefore telling us that the Sabbath was ended and yet not telling us when it ended why should we not Harmonize the Evangelists by Mathews words which tels us that it was long before 2. The time of the coming of some of the women to the Sepulchre as it was upon the first day of the week so it was some time within the night and hence Mark tels us it was very early Mark 16.2 which cannot be at the rising of the Sun onely when t is said also that they came to the Sepulchre for that is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valde mane or very early Again Luke tels us that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very early or in the depth of the night for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frequently signifies the time of the night when Cocks crow I forbear to instance in Greek Writers because the Evangelist Iohn clears up this most fully who expresly saith that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it being yet dark and though it be said Mark 16.2 that the women came to the Sepulchre about rising of the Sun yet Piscator and others interpret that of their last actuall coming to it their preparation for it being very early while it was yet dark night and it seems there was two comings by several of them to the Sepulchre for its evident that Mary who had most affection came to the Sepulchre while it was yet dark the rest of them possibly preparing thereunto However the Evangelists be reconciled this is evident that the first stirring of the women about that work from which they abstained upon the Sabbath day was very early in the depth of the morning Darknesse before the Day-light when some would begin the Christian Sabbath and from hence it follows 1. That if the Sabbath was not past even before this dark time of the night began but rather ended when the first day of the week began to dawn then it will follow that these holy women did not rest the Sabbath according to the Commandment for we see they are this night busie about those things which they did forbear to do because of the Sabbath Luke 23.52 2. Hence it will also follow that if the Sabbath was not ended before this dark time of the night but onely at the dawning of the Day-light then our Saviour could not arise from the dead the First day of the week but within the dark night of the Jewish Sabbath for Mary came when it was dark and the Lord Christ was risen before she came and how long before no man can tell but its evident that Christ arose the first day of the week Mark 16.9 and therefore the Sabbath was ended long before 3. If therefore the Sabbath was past at the dark time of the night how then can the Sabbath begin at morning Light and if it was past when it was thus dark when then could the Sabbath end but when this night did first begin and if this was so it was then truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good while after the Sabbath was ended when this dawning toward the first day began according to the interpretation given Thesis 57. It is true indeed that this time of darknesse is called morning and hence some would infer that the Sabbath begins in the morning but suppose it be so called yet it is not called morning Light at which time they plead the Sabbath should begin and it is improperly called Morning because as hath been formerly shewn it is preparatively so men usually preparing them for the work of the Day-light following Morning is also frequently taken in Scripture for any early time Eph. 3.5 and so this night of the first day of the week wherein the women arose to their work was an early time and therefore called morning Again suppose a double morning be acknowledged as there was a double evening yet it will not follow that this morning belongs onely to the day following for it may belong to the night before for as where there are two evenings spoken of the former belongs to the day the latter to the night so if we grant two mornings the latter morning may belong to the day ensuing and the former to the Night preceding if therefore any plead for the beginning of the Sabbath at the morning light these places of the Evangelist will not bear them out in it it being dark morning when Christ arose if they say it begins in the dark morning then let them set exactly the time of that dark morning wherein Christ arose and when they would begin it but no wit of man I feare is able to demonstrate this Thesis 58. And surely its of deepe consideration to all those who would have the beginning of the Sabbath to be just at the time of the Resurrection of Christ on the morning That not any one of the Evangelists do set forth or ayme to set forth the exact time of Christs Resurrection they tell us indeed the exact time of the womens preparation and comming to the Sepulchre and of the Earthquake and feare of the Souldiers and that these things were done in the morning but none of them
before or after but say it was lost alas poor forlorn Night that art thus strangely forsaken what a strange kind of night is this which belongs to no day what a mishapen lump of time art thou and yet how canst thou be part of time that art part of no day but onely as they say of Time flowing and running on without head or foot week or day Thesis 71. They tell us That in Joshua's time when the Sunne stood still and in Hezekiah's time when the Sunne went back that there was as great a perverting of the order of Time as this comes to and that there is as good reason to alter the time upon such a special and wonderfull occasion as Christs Resurrection as there was to disorder the course of time then but the weaknesse of this answer may appear from these things 1. That in the dayes of Ioshuah and Hezekiah there was no such monstrous mishapen piece of time cut out as here is imagined for though the Sunne stood still suppose about twelve hours in Ioshuas time and so made a day of 36 hours yeâ— these twelve hours were part of that day and of that which ordinarily makes the day viz. the motion of the Sun aboue the Earth which is ordinarily once in 24 houres onely the Lord stopt it a while and so made it a longer day and yet measured by the ordinary measure of a day viz. the Sunne compassing the earth which this night is not 2. Though some part of the weekly time was changed in some respect yet no part of sacred and Sabbath time was perverted by either the Sunnes standing still or its going back because though these things were longer then ordinary yet they were but ordinary daies in this sence viz. because there was no more to either day then that which ordinarily makes a day to wit that space of time wherein the Sun circularly compasseth the whole earth For though a seventh part of time be morally due to God man having six daies for himselfe yet this is to be understood as each day is measured by and made up of the whole compleat motion of the Sunne circling the earth now though these daies were longer then usuall in those famous times yet they were onely such daies as were made by this motion and hence there was no change or perverting of the time of the Sabbath but God hath his due then orderly But here we must make a new and strange beginning of time by leaving out a whole night and denying God a seventh day according to ordinary account and reckoning and must fall to a disorderly beginning upon pretence of a more then ordinary occasion which yet we see was not so in those extraordinary times of Hezekiah and Iosuah 3. In the daies of Iosuah and Hezekiah there was some necessity of prolonging those daies and that in a course of providence supposing that God would worke wonders by his providence but what necessity is there to begin the day when Christ did first arise for this action falling out upon the first day might sanctifie the whole day which in ordinary course should have begun at Evening we see the whole fifth of November is sanctified upon an occasion which hapned about nine or ten of the Clock and the Evening of the Passeover was sanctified before the Angel passed over the Israelites at midnight which was the occasion of the sanctification of that day what need or necessity was there to leave a whol night out of weekly account and lose such a part of precious Treasure 4. It was for the manifestation of the marvellous glory of God in the eyes of all the World good and bad to make that violation as it were of the course of Time in 〈…〉 of Iosuah and Hezekiah but what glory doth Christ gaâ—â— in the eyes of others by making the Day to begin at the Time of his Resurrection by the losse of the whole Evening before out of the account of weekely Time or what glory doth Christ loose if he should begin the day at Evening when the Iewish Sabbath ended when as the whole day thuâ— iâ— celebrated and sanctified for his glory in respect of his Resurrection upon this Day and therefore 't is a great mistake to imagine as much reason for the violation of the course of Time in respect of Christ Resurrection which makes so little for the glory of Christ as there was for the variation of Time in the daies of Iosuah and Hezekiah which made so apparently and evidently and exceedingly for the glory of God and the honour of those who were Types of Christ Thesis 72. To say that there is a necessity of beginning the Christian Sabbath when Christ first entered into his Rest the first moment of his Resurrection because the Father began the Jewish Sabbath the first moment of his Rest after his six daies Labour is not solid nor sound For there was a necessity for God the Father to begin his Rest at the end of his workâ— otherwise a morall rule had not bin observed viz. That a seventh pâ—â—t of Time be sanctified for six dayes being finished in creating the World there was now a necessity of sanctifâ—ing the seventh Day wherein his rest began least a morall rule should be exemplarily broken but there was no such necessity here for the whole Evening of the first day may be sanctified upon occasion of Christs Rest on some part of that day and no morall rule broken hereby nay there had bin a morall rule broken if the Christian Sabbath had not begun upon this Evening because hereby God should have lost a Sabbath Day within the compasse of seven dayes as they are measured by the Sun and this is directly crosse to the morality of the fourth command for if a whole night be lost as these men reckon only Time flowes on they say then it must be full seven daies and a halfe before God have a Sabbath to begin and this absurdity in the course of Time I believe will not be found in Iosuahs time nor in altering the beginning of the yeere in Moses time Exod. 12. for â—o morall rule was 〈◊〉 upon by these and such like alterations Thesis 73. It is an ungrounded assertion to say that the Reasons of the change of the Day are the same for the change of the beginning of the Day 〈◊〉 There was a Type affixed as hath bin shewen to that It 〈◊〉 Sabbath but I never yet heard of any Type in respect of the beginning of the Sabbath 2. Divine will and 〈◊〉 on changed 〈…〉 viz. That God hath one day in seven given him but God could not begin the Sabbath with excluding the Evening before Christ arose without breach of this Rule as hath bin shewenâ— the day might be kept and changed without breach of that rule but the beginning could not be changed but there would necessarily follow some breach thereof Thesis 74. To thinke that the Sabbath must needs begin
it is to be spent in duties of humiliation as the other Sabbath in duties suitable to the nature of it and hence the Lords care is greatly exact herein 1. That no servile work be done because it is a Sabbath verse 31 32. 2. That it be spent and sanctified from Even to Even meaning like as you do your weekly Sabbaths And hence the Lord saith not You shall celebrate your day of Atonement from even to even but the Lord usually wrapping up arguments in his words Your Sabbath as if he should say You would account it a prophane thing not to celebrate your ordinary weekly Sabbath from even to even or to do any servile work on that day this day is a Sabbath and therefore you must sanctifie it from even to even and therefore do no servile work herein Thesis 91. To imagine as some do That the ordinary Sabbath began at another time because here God makes a new command that it be from even to even in opposition to the other Sabbaths beginning and that otherwise it had been enough to say You shall celebrate this day as a Sabbath one may from the same ground imagine that in other Sabbaths they might do any servile work because here also 〈◊〉 are forbidden it for it may be as well said that other 〈◊〉 had been enough to say You shall sanctifie this day as you do other Sabbaths here therefore is no new institution of time from the beginning of the Sabbath but of a new Ordinance together with the application of time according to common and ordinary account and the Lord expresseth from even to even which makes up a naturall day left mans heart which is soon weary of duties of Humiliation should interpret it of an artificiall day to prevent which mistake the Lord had good reason to set the distinct bounds of it from even to even Thesis 92. Nor can this Evening be fairly interpreted of the former even before Sun set as taking in that also for this evening is to begin at the evening of the ninth day verse 32. which evening of the ninth day is not the evening of that day about two or three of the clock for the tenth day onely is called the day of Atonement verse 27. and therefore part of the ninth day is no part of the Atonement day but as Iunius well expounds it at the evening of the ninth day puta qua nonus dies definit at that nick of time which is the communis terminus of the end of the ninth day and beginning of the tenth you shall then celebrate your Sabbath which curious exactnesse of the Lord is partly to expresse his zeal for the full and plenary observation of the day that he may not lose a moments time of honour as also to shew what care they should have of holding out from the first point to the last period of that Sabbath Thesis 93. And therefore it is a groundlesse deduction from the Text to make this day to be of extraordinary length and so an unfit measure for our ordinary Sabbath And to say that there was a ceremony in beginning this day at even is but gratis dictum and can never be made good unlesse it be by such fetches of wit which can mould the plainest History into the Image of a goodly Allegory a most impudent course of arguing in Austins judgement and in his time Thesis 94. If the Sabbath do not begin at evening why did Nehemiah an exemplary Magistrate command the Gates to be shut when the Gates of Ierusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath Nehem. 13.19 was it not left the Sabbath should be prophaned that night by bringing in of wares and burdens thorow the Gates as well as in the ensuing day is it not expresly said that he set his servants at these Gates that there might be no burden brought in upon the Sabbath day is it not expresly said that he set the Levites to keep the Gates to sanctifie the Sabbath day verse 19 22. Now if this 〈◊〉 was no part of the Sabbath how could they then be said to sanctifie the Sabbath thereby Thesis 95. To imagine that Nehemiah did this to prevent the prophaning of the Sabbath day after is as if a man should shut his doors at noon against such Thieves as he knows will not come to hurt him untill mid-night be past It would be weaknesse in a Magistrate to take away any considerable part of the week which God allows for labour to prevent that evil on the Sabbath which he knows he is sufficiently able to prevent at the approach of the day it self for Nehemiah might easily have shut the Gates in the morning if the Sabbath had not begun before and might have better done it then to cut so large a Thong out of the week time to prevent such defilement of the Sabbath day Thesis 96. When therefore the Gates of Ierusalem began to be dark or as Iunius renders the words quum abumbrarentur portae i. when they were shaddowed by the descent of the Sun behind the mountains which compassed Ierusalem and so did cast a shadow of darknesse upon the Gates of the City somewhat sooner then in other places lesse mountainous this shadow being no part of the dark night is truly said to be before or as the Hebrew is before the face or looking out of the Sabbath for although the Sabbath be said to begin at Sun-set yet t is to be understood not of the setting of the body of the Sun visibly but of the light of the Sun when darknesse begins to be predominant over the light and men are forced to forsake their work now just before this Nehemiah shut the gates at the common term and end of the six daies labour and the Seventh dayes rest and therefore t is a weak objection which some make to say that this evening was not part of the Sabbath because the Gates are said to be shut before the Sabbath Thesis 97. It s said the women who prepared spices for our Savioâ—â—â— body that they rested the Sabbath which is evident to be in the evening and this they did not superstitiously as some say but according to the Commandment Luk. 23.53 54 55 56. if therefore these women began to rest according to the commandment of God upon the evening then the evening by the same Commandment is the beginning of the holy Rest of the Sabbath It is not onely the commandment of God that one day in Seven be sanctified but also that it be sanctified from even to even Thesis 98. Now that they began to rest in the evening is evident from these considerations 1. That our saviour dyed the Ninth hour Luke 23.44 46. which was about three of the clock in the afternoon A little after this Ioseph begs his body and takes it down because it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or preparation for the Sabbath Mark 15.42 in which preparation it s said that the
Sabbath did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 draw on shine forth Luke 23.54 now this shining or breaking forth of the Sabbath cannot be meant of the day light morning shining forth for its a meare dream to think that Ioseph should be so long a time in doing so little work from Saturday in the afternoon untill the next morning light onely in taking of Christ from the Crosse wrapping him in Linnen and laying him in his own Sepulchre which was not far off but neer at hand also Iohn 19.42 The shining forth of the Sabbath also stopâ— the women from proceeding to annoint Christs Body after they had brought their Spices and therefore if the shining forth of the Sabbath had been the morning after they might certainly have had sufficient time to do that work in the shining forth therefore of this Sabbath was in the latter evening in which the Sabbath began and it s said to shine forth by a metaphor because it did then first appear or draw on or as Piscator and sundry others think because about that time the stars in Heaven and the Lamps and Candles in houses began to shine forth which is just then when darknesse is predominant which is the beginning of the Sabbath at evening time 2. If that evening had not begun the Sabbath why did not the women who wanted neither conscience nor affection nor opportunity annoint his body that evening but defer it untill the night after what could stop them herein but onely the conscience of the Commandment which began the Sabbath that evening 3. Either the Sabbath must begin this evening or they did not rest the Sabbath according to the Commandment for if they began to keep the Sabbath at morning light then if they rested according to the Commandement they must keepe it untill the next morning light after but its manifest that they were stirring and in preparing their Oyntments long before that even in the dark night before the light did appeare as hath been formerly shewn Thesis 99. Why the women did not goe about to embalme Christs body the beginning of the dark evening after the Sabbath was past but staid so long a time after till the dark morning cannot be certainly determined perhaps they thought it not suitable to a rule of God and prudence to take some rest and sleep first before they went about that sad work and might think â—he morning more fit for it then the dark evening before when their sorrowfull hearts and spent spirits might need mercy to be shewn them by taking their rest awhile first They might also possibly think it offensive to others presently to run to the embalming of the dead as soon as ever the Sabbath was ended and therefore stayed till the dark morning when usually every one was preparing and stirring toward their weekly work Thesis 100. The Lord Christ could not lie three daies in the grave if the Sabbath did not begin at evening and for any to affirm that the dark morning wherein he arose was part of this first day and did belong thereunto is not onely to overthrow their own principles who begin the Sabbath at the beginning of day light morning but they also make the beginning of the Sabbath to be wholly uncertain for who can tell at what time of this dark morning our Saviour arose Thesis 101. T is true there are some parts of the habitable world in Russia and those Northern Countries wherein for about a moneths time the Sun is never out of sight now although they have no dark evening at this time yet doubtlesse they know how to measure their naturall daies by the motion of the Sun if therefore they observe that time which is equivalent to our dark evenings and sanctifie to God the space of a day as t is measured by the circling Sun round about them they may then be said to sanctifie the Sabbath from even to even if they do that which is equivalent thereunto they that know the East West South North points do certainly know when that which is equivalent to evening begins which if they could not do yet doubtlesse God would accept their will for the deed in such a case Thesis 102. If therefore the Sabbath began at evening from Adams time in innocency till Nehemiahs time and from Nehemiahs time till Christs time why should any think but that where the Jewish Sabbath the last day of the week doth end there the Christian Sabbath the first day of the week begins unlesse any can imagine some Type in the beginning of the Sabbath at evening which must change the begining of the day as the Type affixed did change the day or can give demonstrative reasons that the time of Christs Resurrection must of necessity begin the Christian Sabbath which for ought I see cannot be done And therfore it is a groundlesse assertion that the reasons of the change of the day are the same for the change of the beginning of it and that the chiefe of the reasons for the evening may be as well applyed against the change of the day it selfe as of the time of it But sufficient hath been said of this I shall onely adde this that there is no truth of Christs but upon narrow search into it hath some secret knots and difficulties and so hath this about the beginning of the Sabbath t is therefore humility and self-deniall to follow our clearest light in the simplicity of our hearts and to wait upon the Throne of grace with many tears for more cleare discoveries untill all knots be unloosed FINIS THE SANCTIFICATION OF THE SABBATH WHEREIN The true Rest of the Day together with the right manner of Sanctifying of the Day are briefly opened BY THOMAS SHEPARD Pastor of the Church of Christ at Cambridge in New-England The fourth Part. LONDON Printed for Iohn Rothwell 1650. The generall Contents upon the Sanctification of the Sabbath 1. THe word Sabbath what it signifies Thesis 1. 2. All weekly labour for the Rest of the Sabbath Thesis 2. 3. The Rest of the Sabbath the meanes for a higher end Thesis 3. 4. As strict a Rest now required as was formerly among the Iewes and those places cleared which seeme contrary Thesis 4 5. 5. What worke forbidden on the Sabbath Day Thesis 10. 6. Servile worke forbidden and what is a servile worke Thesis 11 12. 7. The holinesse required upon the Sabbath in five things Thesis 14. 8. A lamentation for prophanation of the Sabbath The Sanctification of the Sabbath Thesis 1. THe word Sabbath properly signifies not common but sacred or holy Rest. The Lord therefore enjoyns this Rest from labour upon this day not so much for the Rest sake but because it is a Medium or means of that holinesse which the Lord requires upon this day otherwise the Sabbath is a day of idlenesse not of holinesse our cattell can rest but a common rest from labour as well as we and therefore its mans sin and shame if he
the temper of the Times is loose and luke-warme Thesis 9. Considering therefore that some vvorke may be done upon the Sabbath and some not and that mans heart is apt to run to extreames either to grosse prophanesse or Pharisaicall strictnesse vve are therefore to enquire what workes we must rest from and what not from upon the Sabbath Day Thesis 10. If the Scriptures may be judge herein we shall finde that vvhen they forbid all manner of worke they interpret this of Servile Worke. The vvorke forbidden in the annuall Sabbaths vvhich did but shaddow out the rest on this Sabbath it is servile vvorke Levit. 23.7 8. and hence the rest on the Sabbath in this fourth command is opposed to the labour on the weeke daies vvhich is properly servile lawfull to be done then but unlawfull upon the Sabbath Day Thesis 11. The Schoolmen and some of their late Idolizers like the Pharises of old over blind in interpreting the spiritualnesse of the Law of God describe a servile worke in that manner so as that the grinding of water-mills and wind-mills as also the counsells of Lawyers to their Clients the Herring Trade of Fishermen are with them no servile works on this day and indeed they scarce make any worke servile but what is slavish and externall bondage and burden Thesis 12. But if we consult with Scriptures and the very words of this fourth Commandement we shall finde two things concurring to make up a servile worke 1. If any worke be done for any worldly gaine profit or livelyhood to acquire and purchase the things of this life by which is the principall end of weeke day labour Eph. 4.28 1 Thes. 4.12 this is a servile worke all one with what the Commandement calls Thy work Hence buying selling sowing reaping which are done for worldly gaine are unlawfull on this day being therefore servile works hence also worldly sports and pastimes which are ordained of God to whet on worldly labour not necessary every day but onely at some seasons are therefore most proper appurtenances unto daies of labour and are therefore unlawfull upon this day holy Times are no more to be sported on then holy places hence also on the other side to rub the eares of Corne to dresse meat for comfortable nourishment of man because they respect not worldly gaine are no servile workes nor yet unlawfull but may be more lawfully done for the comfort of man then to lead his horse to the water this day Luke 6.2 13.15 14.5 hence also such works as are done onely for the preservation of the Creatures as to pull a sheepe out of a ditch to quench fire in a Towne to save Corne and Hay from the sudden inundation of Water to keepe Fire in the Iron mills to sit at sterne and guide the ship and a thousand such like actions being not done properly for worldly gaine are not unlawfull God himselfe not ceasing from workes of preservation when he did from those of creation hence also such works as are not works of immediate worship but onely required necessarily thereto as killing the Sacrifices in the Temple travelling a Sabbath daies journey to the publique assemblies being no servile workes for outward gaine are not unlawfull upon this day 2. Such worldly works which though they be not done for worldly gaine or profit yet if by a provident care and foresight they might be done as well the weeke before or may as well be done a week after the Sabbath these also are servile works for thus the Commandment expresseth it Six daies thou mayst doe all thy work meaning which can be done as well the week before and if all cannot be done it may therefore be as well done the week after Hence the building of the Tabernacle which was not so much for mans profit as Gods honour because it might be done upon the six daies seasonably enough hence it is prohibited upon the Sabbath day Exod. 31. If a man hath Corn in the field though he may pretend that the weather is uncertain and it is ready to be brought into the Barn yet he is not to fetch it in upon the Sabbath day because there is no eminent danger of spoyle the Munday after and then he may fetch it in as well as upon that day the like may be said concerning Sea mens setting sayle upon the Sabbath day though they be uncertaine of a faire gale upon the day after Yet we must trust Gods providence who almost in all such matters keeps us at uncertainties hence also the sweeping of the house ought not to be done now if it may as well be done the day before so also to buy any things at shops or to wash clothes if they may be done the week before or after they must not be done upon this day hence on the other side works of necessity which cannot be so conveniently donâ— the day before or after are not unlawfull upon this day as to flie in persecution to watch the City to fight with the Enemy Math. 24.24 2 Kings 1.2 Hence also works of necessity not onely for preservation of life but also for comfort and comelinesse of life are not unlawfull for t is a grosse mistake to thinke that works onely of absolute necessity are allowed onely upon this day for to lead an Ox to water which in the strictest times was not disallowed of is not of absolute necessity for it may live more then a day without it onely its necessary for the comfort of the life of the beast how much more is allowed to the comfort of the life of man the Disciples possibly might have lived longer then the Sabbath without rubbing Corn eares and men may live on Sabbath daies generally without warm meat yea â—hey may fast perhaps all that day yet it is not unlawfull to eate such meat because its necessary for the comfort of life Hence also to put on comely garments to wash hands and face and many such things as are necessary for the comelinesse as well as the comfort of life are not unlawfull now there is sometime an inevitable necessity by Gods providence and sometime a contracted necessity through want of care and foresight in this case the work may sometime be done provided that our neglect beforehand be repented of in a word he that shall conscientiously endeavour that no more work be done on the Sabbath then what must be done for the ends mentioned that so he may have nothing else to doe but to be with God that day shall have much peace to his own conscience herein against Satans clamours hence lastly not onely outward servile work but servile thoughts affections and cares are to be cast off this day from the sight of God as others are from the eyes of men servile thoughts and affections being as much against the fourth Commandement as unchaste and filthy thoughts against the seventh Thesis 13. That we are to abstaine from all servile work not so much
unworthy to come into it cannot but infinitely and excessively prize that love of Jesus Christ this day to come and enter into his rest and lie in his very bosome all the day long and as a most loving friend loth to part with them till needs must and that the day is done Thesis 18. The fourth is This holinesse ought not onely to be immediate speciall and constant but all these holy duties are thus to be performed of us as that hereby we may enter into Rest so as that our soules may finde and feele the sweet of the true Rest of the Sabbath and therefore it must be a sweete and quieting holinesse also for the Sabbath is not only called a Sabbath of Rest in respect of our exemption from bodily labour but because it is so to be sanctified as that on this day we enter into Rest or such a fruition of God as gives rest to our soules otherwise we never sanctifie a Sabbath aright because we then fall short of this which is the maine end thereof untill we come so to seeke God as that we finde him and so finde him as that we feele Rest in him in drawing neare to him and standing before him that as God after his six daies labour did Rest and was refreshed in the fruition of himselfe so should we after our six daies labour also be refreshed in the presence of the Lord That in case we want meanes upon the Sabbath yet he may be in lieu of them unto us and in case we have them and finde but little by them conveyed to us yet that by that little we may be carried on the wings of faith beyond all meanes unto that Rest which upon this day we may find in his bosome that as Christ after his labours entred into his Rest Heb 4. so we ought to labour after the same Sabbatisme begun here on earth but perfected in Heaven that after all the weary steps we tread and sinnes and sorrowes we finde all the weeke yet when the Sabbath comes we may say returne unto thy Rest oh my soule The end of all labour is rest so the end of all our bodily and spirituall labour whether on the weeke-daies of Sabbath day it should be this Rest and we should never think that we have reached the end of the day untill we Taste the Rest of the Day nor is this Rest a Meteor in the Ayre and a thing onely to be wisht for but can never be found but assuredly those who are wearied with their sinnes in the weeke and wants on the Sabbath and feele a neede of rest and refreshing shall certainly have the blessing viz. the Rest of these seasons of refreshing and rest and the comforts of the Holy Ghost filling their hearts this day Isa. 10.2 3 4. Isa. 56.5 6 7 8. Isa. 58.13 14. Psal. 36.7 8. Not because of our holinesse which is spotted at the best but because of our great high Priests holinesse who hath it written upon his forehead to take away the iniquity of all our holy Offerings Ex. 28.36.38 and who hath garments of grace and bloud to cover us and to present us spotlesse before the face of that God whom we seeke and serve with much weakenesse and whom at last we shall finde when our short daies worke here is done and our long looked for Sabbath of glory shall begin to dawn Thesis 19. Now when the Lord hath inclined us thus to Rest and sanctifie his Sabbath what should the last act of our holinesse be bvt diffusive and communicative viz. in doing our utmost that others under us or that have relation to us that they sanctifie the Sabbath also according to the Lords expresse particular charg in the Commandement Thou thy Sonne thy Daughter thy Servants the Stranger within thy Gates the excellency of Christs holinesse consists in making us like himsele in holinesse the excellency and glory of a Christians holinesse is to endeavour to be like to the Lord Christ therein our Children Servants Strangers who are within our Gates are apt to prophane the Sabbath we are therefore to improve our power over them for God in restraining them from sinne and in constraining them as farre as we can to the holy observance of the Rest of the Sabbath least God impute their sinnes to us who had power as Eli in the like case to restrain them and did not and so our Families and Consciences be stained with their guilt and bloud Thesis 20. And if superiours in Families are to see their Gates preserved unspotted from such provoking evils can any thinke but that the same bond lies upon Superiours in Common Wealths who are the Fathers of those great Families whose subjects also are within their Gates and the power of their Jurisdictions the Civill Magistrate though he hath no power to impose new Lawes upon the Consciences of his subjects yet he is bound to see that the Lawes of God be kept by all his Subjects provided alwaies that herein he walke according to the Law and Rule of God viz. that 1. Ignorant Consciences in cleare and momentous matters be first instructed 2. Doubting Consciences have sufficient means of being resolved 3. Bold and audacious Consciences be first forewarned hence it is that though he hath no power to make Holy daies and to impose the observation of them upon the Consciences of his subjects because these are his own Lawes yet he may and should see that the Sabbath Day the Lords holy Day that this he observed because he doth but see to the execution of Gods Commandement herein By what Rule did Nehemiah not onely forbid the breach of the Sabbath but did also threaten bodily punishment upon the men of Tyre although they were Heathens yet were they at this time within the Gates and compasse of his Jurisdiction Nehem. 13.21 certainly he thought himselfe bound in conscience to see that the Sabbath should not be prophaned by any that were within his Gates according to this fourth Commandement If Kings and Princes and civill Magistrates have nothing to do in matters of the first Table and consequently must give any man liberty to Prophane the Sabbath that pretends Conscience why then doth Ieremy call upon Princes to see that it be not prophaned with promise of having their Crownes and Kingdomes preserved from wrath if thus they do and with threatning the burning up and consuming of City and Kingdome if this they do not Ieremy 17.19.25.27 If civill Magistrates have nothing to do herein they then have nothing to do to preserve their Crownes Kingdomes Sceptets Subjects from fire and Bloud and utter ruine Nehemiah was no Type of Christ nor were the Kings of Israel bound to see the Sabbath kept as Types of Christ but as nursing Fathers of the Common-Wealth and because their own subjects were within their Gates and under their power and therefore according to this morall Rule of the Commandement they were bound not onely to keepe it themselves but
to see that all others did so also 'T is true civill Magistrates may abuse their power judge amisse and thinke that to be the command of God which is not but we must not therefore take away their power from them because they may pervert it and abuse it we must not deny that power they have for God because they may pervert it and turne the edge of it against God for if upon this ground the Magistrate hath no power over his Subjects in matters of the first Table he may have also all his feathers pul'd from him and all his power taken from him in matters of the second Table for we know that he may work strange changes there and perveâ—t Justice and Judgement exceedingly we must not deny their power because they may turne it awry and hurt Gods Church and people by it but as the Apostle exhorts 1 Timâ— 1.2 to pray for them the more that under them we may live a peaceable life in all Godlinesse and Honesty it s a thousand times better to suffer persecution for Righteousnesse sake and for a good Conscience then to desire and plead for toleration of all Consciences that so by this cowardly device and lukewarme principle our owne may be untoucht it was never heard of untill now of late that any of Gods Prophets Apostles Martyrs faithfull Witnesses c. that they ever pleaded for liberty in errour but onely for the Truth which they preacht and prayd for and suffered for unto the death and their sufferings for the truth with Zeale Patience Faith Constancy have done more good then the way of universall toleration is like to doe which is purposely invented to avoyd trouble Truth hath ever spread by opposition and persecution but errour being a Child of Satan hath fled by a zealous resisting of it Sick and weake men are to be tender'd much but Lunatick and Phrantiâ—â— men are in best case when they are well fettered and bound a weake Conscience is to be tendered an humble Conscience tolerated errours of weaknesse not wickednesse are with all gentlenesse to be handled the liberty given in the raign of Episcopacy for Sports and Pastimes and May-games upon the Lords Day was once loathsome to all honest minds bat now to allow a greater Liberty to Buy Sell Plow Cart Thrash Sport upon the Sabbath day to all those who pretend Conscience or rather that they have no Conscience of one day more then another is to build up Iericho and Babel againe and to lay foundations of wrath to the Land for God will certainly revenge the pollutions of his Sabbaths if God be troubled in his Rest no wonder if he disturbes our peace some of the Ancients thinke that the Lord brought the flood of Waters upon the Sabbath day as they gather from Gen. 7.10 because they were growne to be great prophaneâ—s of the Sabbath and we know that Prague was taken upon this day The day of their sinne began all their sorrowes which are continued to this day to the amazement of the World when the time comes that the Lords precious Sabbaths are the dayes of Gods Churches Rest then shall come in the Churches peace Psal. 102.13.14 The free grace of Christ must first begin herein with us that we may finde at last that Rest which this evill World is not yet like to see unlesse it speedily love his Law more and his Sabbaths better I could therefore desire to conclude this doctrine of the Sabbath with teares and I wish it might be matter of bitter lamentation to the mourners in Sion everywhere to behold the universall prophanation of these precious times and seasons of refreshing toward which through the abounding of iniquity the love of many who once seemed zealous for them is now grown cold the Lord might have suffered poore worthlesse sorrowfull man to have worne and wasted out all his daies in this life in wearinesse griefe and labour and to have filled his daies with nothing else but work and minding of his own things and bearing his own necessary cumbers and burdens here and never have allowed him a day of rest untill he came up to heaven at the end of his life and thus to have done would have been infinite mercy and love though he had made him grind the Mill only of his own occasions feele the whip and the lash onely of his daily griefs and labours untill dark night came but such is the overflowing and abundant love of a blessed God that it cannot containe it selfe as it were so long a time from speciall fellowship with his people here in a strange land and in an evill world and therefore will have some speciall times of speciall fellowship and sweetest mutuall embracings and this time must not be a moment an houre a little and then away againe but a whole day that there may be time enough to have their fill of love in each others bosome before they part this day must not be meerly occâ—sionall at humane liberty and now and then least it be too seldome and so strangenesse grow between them but the Lord who exceeds and excels poor man in love therefore to make all sure he sets and flxeth the day and appoints the time and how to meet meerly out of love that weary man may enjoy his rest his God his love his Heaven as much and as often as may be here in this life untill he come up to glory to rest with God and that because man cannot here enjoy his daies of glory he might therefore foretaste them in daies of grace and is this the requitall and all the thanks he hath for his heart-breaking love to turne back sweet presence and fellowship and love of God in them to dispute away these daies with scorne and contempt to smoke them away with Prophannesse and madde mirth to Dreame them away with Vanity to Drinke to Sweare to Ryot to Whore to Sport to Play to Card to Dice to put on their best Apparrell that they may dishonour God with greater pompe and bravery to talke of the World to be later up that dâ—y then any other day of the Weeke when their own Irons are in the fire and yet to sleepe Sermon or scorne the Ministery if it comes home to their Consciences to tell Tales and breake Jests at home or at best to talke of Forraigne or Domesticall newes onely to passe away the time rather then to see God in his Workes and warme their hearts thereby to thinke God hath good measure given him if they attend on him in the Fooreâ—oone although the After-noone be given to the Devill or sleepe or vanity or foolish pastimes to draw neere to God in their bodies when their Thoughts and Hearts and Affections are gone a Hunting or Ravening after the World the Lord knowes where but farre enough off from him do you thus requite the Lord for this great love oh foolish people and unwise do you thus make the daies of your
rest and joy the daies of the Lords sorrow and trouble do you thus weary the Lord when he gives rest unto you was there ever such mercy shewen or can there be any greater love upon Earth then for the Lord to call to a wicked sinfull Creature which deserves to be banisht for ever out of his Presence to come unto him enter into his Rest take his fill of love and refresh it selfe in his Bosome in a speciall manner all this day And therefore can there be a greater sinne above ground committed out of Hell then thus to sinne against this love I do not thinke that the single breach of the Sabbath as to sport or feast inordinately is as great a sinne as to murther a man which some have cast out to the reproach of some zealous for the observation of the Sabbath day truly the Lord knows for I believe their milk sod over if thus they said but I speak of the Sabbath under this notion and respect and as herein Gods great love appeares to weary sinfull restlesse man as a day wherein all the treasures of his most rich and precious Love are set open and in this respect let any man tell me what greater sinne he can imagine then sinnes against the greatest Love The same sinnes which are committed upon other daies in the Weeke are then provoking sinnes but to commit these sinnes upon the Sabbath Day is to double the evill of them Drinking and Swearing and Rioting and vaine Talking c. are sinnes on the weeke-day but they are now but single sinnes but these are such like sinnes on the Sabbath Day are double sinnes because they are now not only sinnes against Gods command but also against Gods Sabbaths too which much aggravates them and yet men mourn not for these sinnes had the Lord never made knowne his Sabbaths to his Churches and People in these daies they might then have had some excuse for their sinne but now to prophane them since God hath made them knowne to us especially the English Nation and People to do it upon whom the Lord hath shined out of Heaven with greater light and glory in this point of the Sabbath above any other places and Churches in the World what will they have to say for themselves with what Fig-leaves will they hide this nakednesse before the Tribunal of God The Lord might have hid his Sabbaths from us and gone to another People that would have beene more thankfull for them and glad of them then we have beene and yet he hath beene loth to leave us and doe we thus require the Lord surely he hath no need of the best of us or of our attendance upon him upon these daies it s onely his pitty which seeing us wearied with sorrowes and wearying our selves in our sinnes makes him call us back to a Weekly rest in his Bosome who might have let us alone and tyred out our hearts in our own folly and madnesse all our daies and do we thus requite the Lord Certainly the time will come wherein we shall thinke as once Ierusalem did in the daies of her affliction of all our pleasant things we once had in the daies of our prosperity â—ertainly men shall one day mourne for the losse of all their precious time who mispend it now and above al times for the losse of their precious pleasant Sabbath seasons of refreshing which once they had given them to finde rest and peace in when â—he smoke of their tormenting everlasting burning shall ascend for ever and ever wherein they shall have no rest day nor night you shall remember and thinke then with teares trickling down your dry cheâ—ks of the Sabbaths the pleasant Sabbaths that once you had and shall never see one of those daies of the Sonne of man more you shall mourne then to see Abrahams bosome a farre off and thousand thousands at rest in it where you also might have bin as well as they if you had not despised the rest of God here in the bosome of his Sabbaths You shall then mourne and wring your hands and teare your haire and stampe and grow mad and yet weepe to think that if you had had a heart to have spent that very time of the Sabbath in seeking God in drawing neare to God in resting in God which you dispend in idle Talke and Idlenesse in Rioting and Wantonnesse in Sports and Foolishnesse upon this day you had then been in Gods Eternall Rest in Heaven and for ever blessed in God It s said Ierusalem remembred in the day of her affliction all her pleasant things when the Enemy did mock at her Sabbaths and so will you remember with sad hearts the loose of all your pretious seasons of grace especially then when the Devills and Heathens and damned Outâ—asts who never had the mercy to enjoy them shall moâ—k at thee for the losse of thy Sabbaths Verily I cannot thinke that any men that ever tasted any sweetnesse in Christ or his Sabbath and felt the unknown refreshings of this sweet Rest but that they will mourne for their cold affections to them and unfruitfull spending of them before they die otherwise never goe about to bleare mens eyes with Discourses and Invectives and Disputes against them or with carnall Excuses for your licentious spending of them for doubtlesse you taste not and therefore know not what they are and you will one day be found to be such as speake evill of the things you know not Heare ye despisers and wonder and perish is the infinite Majesty and glory of God so vile in your eyes that you do not thinke him worthy of speciall attendance one day in a Weeke doth he call you now to Rest in his Bosome and will you now kick his Bowels despise this Love and spit in his Face doth he call upon you to spend this day in holinesse and will you spend it in Mirth and Sports and Pastimes and in all manner of licentiousnesse Hast thou wearied God with thine iniquities and thy selfe in thine iniquities all the weeke long for which God might justly cut thee off from seeing any more Sabbath and doth the Lord Jesus instead of recompencing thee thus call you back againe to your resting place and will you now weary the Lord againe that he cannot have rest or quiet for you one day in a Weeke Oh that we could mourne for these things And yet walke abroad the face of the whole earth at this day and then say where shall you finde almost Gods Sabbaths exactly kept viz. with meet preparation for them delight in them with wonderment and thankfulnesse to God after the enjoyment of them all the world knowes to whom the barbarous Turks do dedicate their Frydayes the Jewes also how they sanctifie their saturdayes to the Lord Iehovah indeed but not unto the Lord their God What account the Papists put upon the Sabbath's not only their writings which level it with all other Holy-dayes but also their loose
practice in sports and revellings upon this day beare sufficient witnesse and oh that we had no cause to wash off this spot with our teares from the beautifull and pleasant face of the glorious grace and peace which once shined in the German Churches by whose Graves we may stand weeping and say this is your misery for this your provoking sin Scotland knows best her own integrity whose lights have been burning and shining long in their clearnesse in this particular But England hath had the name and worn this Garland of glory wherewith the Lord hath crowned it above all other Churches But how hath that little flock of slaughter which hath wept for it and preacht and printed and done and suffered for it beene hated and persecuted who have been the scorne and shame and reproach of men but a company of poor weaklings for going out a few miles to hear a faithful painful Preacher from those idle Shepheards who either could not feed them with knowledge and understanding at home or else would not do it through grosse prophanesse or extream idlenesse And now since God hath broken the yoke of their oppressors and set his people at liberty to returne to Sion and her solemne assemblies as in dayes of old and hath given to them the desires of their hearts that they may now be as holy on the Sabbath as they will without any to reproach them at least to countenance such reproaches of them now I say when one would think the precious Sabbaths which so many of Gods servants in former time have brought down to this generation swiming in their teares and prayers and which many in these dayes have so much looked and longed for that every eye should be looking up to Heaven with thankfulnes for these and that every heart should embrace Gods Sabbaths with teares of joyfulnesse and bid this dear and precious friend welcome and lie and rest in their bosome and so I doubt not but that England hath yet may a corner ful of such precious Jewels to whom Gods Sabbathâ— are yet most precious and glorious and who cannot easily forget such blessed seasons and meanes in them whereby if ever the Lord did good unto them they have been so oft refreshed and wherein they have so oft seen God wherein they have so oft met with him and he with them but whose heart will it not make to relent and sigh to hear of late a company not of ignorant debosht persons malignants prelatical and corrupt and carnal men but of such who have many of them in former times given great hopes of some feare of God and much love to Gods Ordinances and Sabbaths and now what hurt the Sabbaths Ordinances of the Lord Jesus therein have done them I know not but it would break ones heart to see what little care there is to sanctifie the Sabbath even by them who think in their judgments that the day is of God What poore preparation for it either in themselves or families what little care to profit by it or to instruct and catehize their families and to bring them also it love with it what secret wearinesse and dead-heartednesse almost wholly unlamented remains upon them what earthly thoughts what liberty in speech about any worldly matter presently after the most warning Sermon is done that the Lord Jesus hath scarce good carcasses and outsides brought him which cannot but threaten more crows to pick them unlesse they repent and yet this is not so sad as to see the loosenesse of mens judgments in this point of the Sabbath whereby some think a Sabbath lawful but not necessary in respect of any command of God nay some think it superstition to observe a weekly Sabbath which should be every day as they imagine they have allegorized Gods Sabbaths and almost all Gods Ordinances out of the world and cast such pretended Antichristian filth and pollution upon them that spiritual men must not now meddle with them nay verily all duties of the moral Law and fruitful obedience and holy walking and sanctification graces and humiliation and such like are the secret contempt of many and the base drudgery for a â—ll-horse and legal Christian rather then for one that is of an Evangelical frame and herein Satan now appears with the ball at his foot and seems to threaten in time to carry all before him and to kick and carry Gods precious Sabbaths out of the world with him and then farewel dear Lord Jesus with all thy sweet love and life if Sabbaths be once taken from us by the blind and bold disputings of wretched men authority as yet upholds them which is no small mercy and the savour of Christs sweetnesse in them and the external brightnesse of the beauty of them do still remaine on many with that strength and glory that it is not good policy for the prince of darknesse now to imploy all his forces against the gates of the Sabbath but the time hastens wherein the assault will be great and fierce and I much fear that for the secret contempt of these things the Lord in dreadful justice will strengthen delusions about this day to break forth and prosper and then pray you poor Saints of God and hidden ones that your flight may not be in the Winter nor on the Sabbath day but woe then to them that give suâ—k woe then to the high Ministry that should have kept these gates woe then to that loose and wanton generation rising up who think such outward formes and observation of dayes to be too course and too low and mean a work for their enobled spirits which are now raised higher and neerer God then to look much after Sabbaths or Ordinances graces or duties or any such outward forms for I doubt not but if after all the light and glory shining in England concerning Gods Sabbaths if yet they are not thereby become precious but that the Lord will make them so by his plagues if this sin once get head God will burne up the whole world and make himself-dreadful to all flesh untill he hath made unto himself a holy people and a humble people that shall love the dust and take pleasure in the very stones of his house and love the place where his Honour dwels and long for the time wherein his presence and blessing shall appear and be poured out upon the Sabbath day It 's matter of the greatest mourning that they above all other should trouble Gods rest wherein perhaps their souls have found so much rest or might have done that in these times wherein the Lord Jesus was coming out to give unto his house his Ordinances and unto his people his Sabbaths and dayes of rest every way that now they above all others should offer to pull them out of his hand tread them under foot and hereby teach all the prophane rout in the world to do the like with a quiet conscience and without any check by their reasonings that now when
God is wasting the Land and burning down its glory for the sins against his Sabbaths that just at this time more then ever they should rise up to polute and prophane this day The Lord grant his poor people to see cause at last to mourn for this sin that the rest of the Sabbath may be rest to their souls especially in this weary hour of Temptation which is shaking all things and threatens yet greater troubles unto all flesh The Lord Jesus certainly hath great blessings in his hand to poure out upon his people in giving them better dayes and brighter and more beautiful Sabbaths and glorious appearances but I fear and therefore I desire that this unwise and unthankful generation may not stand in their own way lest the Lord make quick work and give those things to a remnant to enjoy which others had no hearts to prize FINIS * Deus quâ— principium dat esso qua finis firmat stabilit esse datum Gibbeâ—â— de lib. Dei creat Field of the Church chap. 2. * Tu hic ordâ—nem considera alia creantur prepter hominem ideo post illa coâ—ditur homo Homo vero ad Dei cultum ideo statem post illius creationem Sabbathi benedictio sanctificatio inducitur Pet Mart. in prac 4 m. Aug. de lib. arb li. 1 ca. 3. * Camer in Matth 16. Câ—â—â—et Pral in â—â—p Mat. 16. * Alex Hal. paâ—t 3. Q. 32. Art 1. Irons Q 2. cap. 8. * Driedo de lib. Christ. lib. 3. cap. 3. Vasquez To. 2. Dis. 12. Suarez metaph Disp. 10. Sect. 2. Surifingâ— de Deo Tract 3. Disp. 1. Sect. 32. Wal. disserâ— de 4. prac ca. 3. Cameâ— praâ— in Mat. ca. 16. White Treat of Sab. day p. 26 28. Ibid. Prim. par 2. cap. 7. Sect. 13 14 15. Ibid. * Vid. Thes. 9. * Pâ—aecoptâ—rum mâ—ralium tâ—â—pâ—ex est gradus c. Aqui. 1 2. q. 10â— art 11. Aquin. 1.2 q. 99. art 2. 100 arâ— â— Vid. Course of conformity pag. 114. Aquiâ— 1 2 q. 98. Art 5. Zanchy in 4. Praec Prim. 2. par cap. 6. S. 8. Irons quest â— cap. 9. * So Iuniâ—â— Wâ—llet in loc Prim. part 2. cap. 6. S. 8. par 2. cap. 6. l. 12. Pisc. prâ—fat on Exod. Vid. Pisc. prâ—f in Exod. Vid Iun. de Pol. Mos. Irons quaest 2. cap. 8. Irons quast 2. cap. 9. Prim. par 2. cap. 6. Sect. 15 19. Gom. Invest Orig. Sab. ca 5 Breer p. 47 48 Wal. dissers de prâ—c 4. c 4. * Heylin Broad Tract de Sob cap. 4. Wal. diss de 4 prâ—â— cap. 5. Wal. ibid. Doâ— Wal. dissert de 4. praec c 6. In hoc quarto praeceptâ— aliquem peculiarem sanctificationis modum mandarâ— quae in aliis praeceptis non mandatur a nobis quâ—que extra controversiam debâ—t collâ—â—ari â—um in his decem verbis Tautologia supervacuâ— non committâ—â—ur Wal. Ibid. Wal. diss de 4 praes cap. 51 Vid Rain de Eccles. Rom. Idol l. 2. c. 3. Object 1. Object 2. * Vid. Thes. 34 Object 3. Gom. Inv. sent Orig. Sab. ca 5. Prim par 2. cap. 6. Sect. 15. Prim. par 2. cap. 6. S. 3 4 5. Ibid. Sect. 6. Wal. dissert de 4. pâ—aec Wal. diss de 4 prâ—â— cap. 5 Prim. part 2. c. 6.8.15 Daven in Col. 3. Wall in 4. praec * Iohn 16. â— H. Den. Saltmarsh Sparkles of glory p 265. * I. S. Calv. adv Liberâ— Vid. Tauleâ—i vitâ— Saltmarsh Sparkles p. 243. Town Ans. to Tayl. Psal. 19.12 ☜ Iun. Thes. de bon oper Saltmarsh Overflowing of Christs bloud Bulling in loc Chamieâ— dâ— oper Necess cap. 3. Cham. de Oper. Necâ—s cap. 4. Ps. 119.4 5 1 Ioh. 2.3 4 3.14 2 Thes. 2 1â— 14. Isa. â—8 3 1 Thes. 1.4 5 6. * Viz. that the Gospel belongs to sinners as sinners No universall redemption the ground of faith Prim. part 2. cap. 6. S. 24. Prim. part 2. cap. â— S. 24. Part. 2. cap. 7. S. 4. Wal. disâ—ert cap. 1. Jun. Annal. Explic. in Lev. 25. Prim. part 2. cap. 6. Jun. Paral. B. Manusâ— of Sab. Wal. diâ—â— de 4. praeâ— cap. 3. Prim. part 2. cap. 10. S. 15. Prim. part 2. cap. 1. S. 14. Irons Q. 1 cap. 4. Jun. in Gen. 2. Irons Q. 1 cap. 4. Gomar Inv. Seâ—â— Orig. Sab. 126. Prim. part 2. cap. 2. S. 1. Prim. part 2. cap. 2. S. 5. Prim. part 2. cap. 2. s. 19. Irons Q. 1 cap. 2. Prim. parâ— 1. cap. 2â— S. 4. Broad Tract c. 1. Ibid. Greg. Val. Tom. 5. disp 7. Q. 4. Alex. Ales. part 2 Q. 86. Riâ—et in Com. 4. Ibid. s 19. Ibid. s. 18. Irons Q. 1 cap. 2. Damas. â—4 â—id Orth. cap. 24. * Change of Sabbath Aret. loc Com. de Sab. Rivet in Com. 4 dissert de orig Sab. Prim. part 1. cap. 3. s. 9. Prim part 1. cap. 3. S. 3. Aquâ— 1â— 2â— Q. 91. art 1. Prim. part 1. cap. 6. Prim. part 2. cap. 2. Wal. diss de 4. prae cap. 2. Prim. part 1. cap. 7. s. 3. Vide Spriâ—â— on Sabb. Ironsides answer to 30 Argum. Qu. 5. c. 17. Austin Prim. part cap. â— Hey lin Hist. l. 2. * Lake Theses Jun. Ann. in Gen. 2.3 Iron Qu. 5. cap. 89. Gomar Invest Sent. orig Sab. cap. 9. Primr par 3. cap. 5. Primr par â— cap. 5. Ibid. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Primr par 3. c. 6. Primr par 3. cap. 7. Rivet Dissert De orig Sab. cap. 10. Opin 1. Opin 2. T. Brabourne I.N. Nehem 13.19 Opin 3. * 2 Cor. 11.25 Opin 4. Weemes on the fourth Command Vid. Iun. in loc August ep 48.
yet oh that in this matter of the Sabbatâ— God would betimes awaken and that these weakâ—nesses might stirre up their strength for I mucâ— feare and foresee that if it be not done there is aâ— houre and a nick of temptation in such a juncture 〈◊〉 times approaching wherein the enemy will come 〈◊〉 like a flood and rise up from all quarters against the Doctrine of the Sabbath and then farewell all the good dayes of the son of man if this be lost which then men shall desire to see and shall not see them I have therefore been the more willing to let my owne shame and weaknesse appeare to the world if so it be found if this might be any meanes of doing the least good for keeping up the price of Gods Sabbaths in the hearts of any I have therefore spent the more time about the Morality of the Sabbath because the clearing up of this gives light to all the rest The generall CONTENTS of the Theses concerning the Morality of the Sabbath 1. GOD is the superiour disposer of mans time Thes. 1 2. Man who is made next to God and to return to his rest at the end of the larger circle of his life is to return to him at the end of the lesser circle of eveâ—y week Thes. 7 3. What a Moral Law is not 10 11 4. How a Divine Law may be said to be Moral 14 5. What a Moral law is strictly taken 16 6. A Moral Law considered in a strict sense is not good meerly because commanded but is therefore commanded because it is good 17 7. What is that goodnesse in a Moral Law for which it is commanded 21 8. By what Rules may that goodnesse be known which are foure 24 25 9 Divers consectaries flowing from the description of a Moral Law 1. That Divine determination of something in a Law doth not alway take away the morality of it 26 2. That those are not Moral laws only which are known to all men by the light of corrupt nature 29 3. That the whole Decalogue in all the parts of it is the Moral Law of God Thes. 30. where Objections are answered to 38 10. Three sorts of Laws which were among the Jewes Moral Ceremonial Judicial 38 11. The true state of the Question whether the Sabbath be a Moral or Ceremonial Law 43 12. The agreement on all hands how far the Law of the Sabbath is Moral 44 13. Something general is agreed on and whether it lies under this general viz. a seventh day 46 14. The chief means of resolving this controversie in opening the meaning of the fourth Commandment 47 15. The things which are Moral in the fourth Commandment are either primarily or secundarily moral 48 16. Those things which are primarily generally moral in the forth Commandment are 3. 1. A time of worship 2. A day 3. A 7th day determined 17. Not the worship it self but only the solemne time of it is required in the fourth Commandment 53 18. How holy duties are for time 56 19. Instituted worship is not directly required in the fourth but in the second Commandment wherein the meaning of the second Commandment is occasionally cleared against Wallaeus 59 20. If the moral worship it self be not required herein much lesse is the whole ceremonial worship 63 21. Neither the publike worship only nor Jewish holy dayes required in this fourth Commandment 64 22. Not a part of a day but a whole day is moral by the fourth Commandment 65 23. Gods wisdome did rather choose a whole day together for special worship then borrow a part of every day 66 24. The sin of Familists and others who allow God no special day but make all dayes equal 68 25. How any day is said to be holy and that though all places are alike holy yet all dayes are not therefore alike holy 69 70 26. Answer to such Scriptures as seem to make all dayes alike holy under the New Testament 72 73. to 79 27. The chief reason why some abolish the day of the Sabbath in the fourth Commandment is because they abandon the whole Decalogue it self as any Rule of life unto his people 79 28. An inward Sabbath may well consist with a Sabbath day 80 29. The great controversie whether the Law be a rule of life to a beleever discussed in sundry Theses 81 30. The Spirit is not the rule of life 86 31. Not the will of Gods Decree but the will of his command is the rule of life 91 32. The fundamental Errour of Antinomians 93 33. The rule of the Law is kept in Christ as matter of our justification not sanctification 94 34. How Christ is our Sanctification as well as our Justification 95 35. Duties of Christian thankfulnesse to God were not performed by Christ for beleevers under that notion of thankfulnesse but by way of merit 97 36. Whether a beleever is to act in vertue of a command 98 37. The sin of those who affirme that Christian obedience is not to be put forth by vertue of a command 100 38. To act by vertue of a Commandment and by vertue of Gods Spirit are subordinate one to another 101 39. Whether the Law is our rule as given by Moses on mount Sinai or only as it is given by Christ on mount Sion 102 40. How Works and Law-duties are sometime commended and sometime condemned 105 106 41. The new creature how it is under the Law 107 42. How the children of God under the Old Testament were under the Law as a Schoolmaster and not those of the New 108 43. How the Gospel requires doing and how not and about conditional promises in the Gospel 110 44. Various motives to obedience from the Law and Gospel from God as a Creator and from Christ as a Redeemer do not vary the Rule 111 45. Unbelief is not the only sin 112 46. Three evils arising from their Doctrine who deny the Directive use of the moral Law 113 47. The sin of such as deny the humbling work of the Law under Gospel ministrations 114 48. Their Errour who will not have a Christian pray for pardon of sin or mourn for sin 115 49. Whether Sanctification be a doubtful evidence and may not be a just evidence and wheâ—â—er the Gospel and all the promises of it belong to a sinner as a sinner and whether sight of corruption be by the Gospel the setled evidence of salvation as some plead for 117 50. Whether the first evidence be without the being or only the seeing of grace 118 51. The true grounds of evidencing Gods love in Christ cleared 119. 52. Not only a day nor only a Sabbath day but a seventh day determined is the last thing generally moral in the fourth Commandment 120.122 53. That which is particularly moral herein is this or that particular seventh day 123 54. The morality of a Sabbath may be as strongly and easily urged from the Commandment of observing that particular seventh day from the
and standing in the roome of all mankinde Hence as nothing was writ then but what was common to all men so such things thus writ were good for all men and suitable to all men it being most injurious to God to think that any thing evill should be imprinted there if therefore it bee proved that the law of the Sabbath was then writ upon mans heart then it undenyably followes that it is meet and suitable to all men still to observe a Sabbath day and indeed to the right understanding of what is suitable to man as man and consequently morall there is nothing more helpfull than to consider of our primitive estate and what was suitable to our nature then for if that which is morall in marriage is to be searched for in the first and ancient records of our first creation by the appointment of our Saviour I then know no reason whatever others object but morality in all other lawes and duties is there to bee sought also for although our originall perfection is now defaced and lost and in that respect is a merum non ens as some call it yet it had once a being and therefore in this controversie we may lawfully enquire after it considering especially that this being which once it had may be suffiently knowne by the contrary being of universall corruption that is in us now as also by the light of the Scriptures in which the searcher and maker of all hearts declares it unto us and indeed there are many morall duties which will never appeare good and suitable to man but rather hard and unreasonable because impossible untill we see and remember from whence we are fallen and what once we had Thesis 26. If therefore a morall law command that which is suitable to humane nature and good in it selfe then it followes from hence which was toucht before that divine determination of something in a law doth not alway take away morality from a law for divine determination is many times no more but a plain and positive declaration of that which is suitable just and good and equall for man to observe now that which points out and declares unto us the morality of a law cannot possibly abolish and destroy such a law For a morall law commanding that which is suitable and good as hath been shewne it is impossible that the Commandment which determineth and directeth to that which is good that by this determination it should overthrow the being of such a good law nay verily particular determination and positivenesse as some call it is so farre from abolishing as that it rather addes to the being as well as to the clearing up and manifestation of such a law For if it be not sufficient to make a morall law that the thing be good in it selfe but that also it must be commanded then the Commandment which many times onely detemines to that which is good and consequently determination doth adde unto the being of a morall law Thesis 27. There is scarce any thing but it is morally indifferent untill it falls under some divine determination but divine determination of twofold 1. Of such things which are not good fit or needfull for man to observe without a command as Sacrifices and Sacraments and such likes now herein in such lawes positive determination may be very well inconsistent with morality and it may bee safely said that such a law is not morall but rather positive and thus the learned sometimes speak 2. Of such things as are equall good in themselves needfull and suitable for man and here particular determination and morality may kisse each other and are not to be opposed one to another and hence it is that if Gods Commandment positively determines us to observe any part of instituted worship suppose Sacraments or Sacrifices yet such lawes are not morall although it bee morall in generall to worship God after his owne will because the things themselves are not good in themselves nor needfull but if God shall determine us to observe a Sabbath day this determination doth not take away the morality of the command because it being good in it selfe to give God the meetest and fittest proportion of time for holy Rest and the commandment declaring that this seventh part or so is such a time hence it comes to passe that this time is good in it selfe and therefore determination by the commandment in this case doth not abolish the morality hereof It is a morall duty to pay tribute to Caesar to give to Caesar that which is Caesars hence because a man may give too much or too little to him that determination which directs us to that particular which is Caesars due and most meet for him to receive and us to give that is best in it selfe and is therefore morall so prayer is a morall duty but because a man may bee tempted to pray too oft or else too seldome hence determination of the fittest and this fittest season makes this or that morall So 't is here in the Sabbath I doe willingly and freely professe thus farre with our Adversaries of the morality of the Sabbath that it is a morall duty to give God some time and day of holy Rest and worship as 't is morall to give Caesar his due and to pray to God but because we may give God too many dayes or too few hence the determination of the most meet and fittest proportion of time and particularly of this time makes this and that to be also morall If no day at all in generall was good and fit for man to give to God and God should notwithstanding command a seventh day then the commandment of such a day with such positive determination could not bee morall any more then the determination of sacrrifices and such like But every day say some of our Adversaries some day say others of them being acknowledged to be equall just and good and most meet to give to God hence it is that determination of a seventh day doth not abolish but clear up that which is morall because it points out unto man that which is most meet and equall Hence therefore it follows that a seventh day is therefore commanded because it is good and not good meerly because commanded Determination also declaring what is most meet declareth hereby that this commandment is also morall and not meerly positive and ceremoniall which not being well considered by some this fourth commandment having some more positivenesse and determination then divers of the rest hath therefore been the chiefe stumbling stone and rock of offence to many against the morality of it by which they have miserably bruised themselves while they have endeavoured to destroy it upon so grosse a mistake Thesis 28. It is true that God out of his absolute soveraignty and good pleasure of his will might have determined us to observe a fourth a ninth a twentieth part of our time in holy rest more or lesse as well as to
or five or four there being no naturall justice in the number of seven more then in the number of six or four but the answer is easie that if man may give unto God superstitiously too many or prophanely too few and if the appointment of God hath declared it self for a seventh and that the giving of this seventh be most just and equall then let it be considered whether it be not most satisfactory to a scrupling conscience to allow God a seventh day which he hath appointed which is confessed to be most just and perpetually equall and consequently morall and if there be a morall and perpetuall equity to give God one day in seven then 't is no matter whether there be any more naturall equity therein then in one in five or six the disputers of this worlâ— may please themselves with such speculations and shifts but the wisdom of God which hath already appointed one day in seven rather then in six or ten should be adored herein by humble mindes in cutting out this proportion of time with far greater equity then man can now readily see 7. Because deep corruption is the ground of this opinion the plucking up of Gods bounds and land-marks of a seventh is to put the stakes into the Churches hands to set them where she pleaseth or if she set them at a seventh where God would have them yet that this may be submitted to not because God pleaseth but because the Church so pleaseth not because of Gods will and determination but because of the Churches will and determination that so it being once granted that the Church hath liberty to determine of such a day she may not be denied liberty of making any other holidaies or holy things in the worship and service of God and that this is the main scope and root of this opinion is palpably evident from most of the writings of our English adversaries in this controversie Thesis 123. A seventh day therefore is primarily morall yet as was formerly said Thesis 48. there is something else in this commandment which is secundarily morall viz. This or that particular seventh day I will not say that it is accidentally morall as some do but rather secundarily and consequently morall for it is not morall firstly because it is this particular seventh but because it hath a seventh part of time divinely proportioned and appointed for rest falling into it and of which it participates to give almes to the needy is a morall duty and primarily morall but to give this or that quantity may be morall also but it is secundarily morall because it flowes ex consequenti onely from the first for if we are to give almes according to our ability and others necessity then this or that particular quantity thus suting their necessity must be given which is also a morall duty so 't is in this point of the Sabbath Thesis 224. Hence it follows that this Commandment enjoynes two things 1. More generally a seventh 2 More particularly this or that seventh and in speciall that seventh from the Creation this or that seventh are to be kept holy because of a seventh part of time appointed falling into them A seventh day also is to be kept holy by vertue of the Commandement yet not in generall but with speciall eye and respect to that particular seventh wherein this generall is involved and preserved That seventh from the Creation is commanded because of a seventh falling into it and a seventh also is commanded yet with a speciall eye to that seventh wherein it is involved And therefore 't is a vaine objection to affirm that if a seventh be commanded that then â—o particular seventh is or if any particular seventh be so that then a seventh is not for the Commandement we see hath respect to both for what is there more frequent in Scripture then for generall duties to be wrapt up and set forth in some particular things instances and examples and consequently both commanded together and after narrow search into this Commandement we shall finde both the generall and particular seventh not onely inferring one the other but both of them in a manner expresly mentioned Thesis 125. When those that plead for the morality of the fourth Command in respect of a seventh day would prove it to be morall because it is part of the Decalogue and set in the heart of it with a speciall note of remembrance affixed to it c. Mr. Ironside and others doe usually dash all such reasonings out of countenance with this answer viz. That by this argument That particular seventh from the creation is morall which we see is changed for say they that also is set in the heart of the Decalogue with a speciall note of remembrance also But the reply from what hath ben said is easie viz. That that also is indeed morall only 't is secondarily morall not primarily and therefore as we have shewn was mutable and changeable the primary morality in a seventh immutably remaining the morall duty of observing a seventh day is not changed but only the day If Mr. Primrose could prove that there is nothing else commanded in this fourth command but only that particular seventh from the creation he had then enough to shew that this day being justly changed the Commandment is not morall of perpetuall but out or this particular seventh which now is changed himself acknowledgeth that out of it may be gathered the morality of a day and why not of a seventh day also as well as of a day He saith that it is a bold assertion to say that this genus of a seventh is herein commanded But why is it not as bold to affirm the same of a day for out of that particular seventh whence he would raise the genus of a day we may as easily and far more rationally collect the genus of a seventh day Thesis 126. Nor will it follow that because a seventh is morall that therefore any one of the seven daies in a week may be made a Christian Sabbath For 1. We do not say that it is any seventh but A seventh determined and appointed of God for holy rest which is herein commanded 2. The Lord hath in wisdom appointed such a seventh as that man may have six whole daies together to labour in and hence it follows that divine determination without crossing that wisdom could not possibly fall upon any other daies in the Cycle of seven but either upon the last of seven which was the Jewish or the first of seven which now is as shall be shewn the Christian Sabbath 3. As God hath appointed one day in seven for mans rest so in his wisdom he so orders it as that it shall be also a day of Gods rest and that is not to be found in any day of the week but either in the last of seven wherein the Father rested or in the first of seven wherein the Son rested from his work also Thesis 127. 'T
is true that the Sabbath day and that seventh day from the creation are indifferently taken sometimes the one for the other the one being the exegesis or the explication of the other as Gen. 2 2 3. Exod. 16.29 and elsewhere but that it should be only so understood in this commandment Credaâ— Iudaeus Apella non ego as he said in another case I see no convicting argument to clip the wings of the Scripture so short and to make the Sabbath day and that seventh day of equall dimensions Although it cannot be denied but that in some sense the Sabbath day is exegeticall of the seventh day because the commandment hath a speciall eye to that seventh from the creation which is secundarily morall yet not excluding that which is more generally contained in that particular and consequently commanded viz. a seventh day or The Sabbath day Thesis 128. M. Primrose would prove the exegesis That by the Sabbath day is meant that seventh day only from the creation because God actually blessed and sanctified that Sabbath day because God cannot actually blesse a seventh being an unlimited indefinite and uncertain indetermined time The time saith he only wherein he rested he only actually blessed which was not in a seventh day indetermined but in that determined seventh day But all this may be readily acknowledged and yet the truth remain firm for that particular seventh being secundarily morall hence as it was expressely commanded so it was actually and particularly blessed but as in this seventh a generall of a seventh is included so a seventh is also generally blessed and sanctified Otherwise how will M. Primrose maintain the morality of a day of worship out of this commandment for the same objection may be made against a day which himself acknowledgeth as against a seventh day which we maintain for it may be said that That day is here only morall wherein God actually rested but he did not rest in a day indefinitely and therefore a day is not morall let him unloose this knot and his answer in defence of the morality of a day will help him to see the morality of a seventh day also That particular day indeed wherein God actually and particularly rested he particularly blessed but there was a seventh day also more generall which he generally blessed also he generally blest the Sabbath day he particularly blest that Sabbath day and in blessing of that he did virtually and by Analogy blesse our particular Christian Sabbath also which was to come As Moses in his actuall blessing of the tribe of Levi Deut. 23.7 10. he did virtually and by Analogy blesse all the Ministers of the Gospel not then in being And look as when God commanded them to keep holy the Sabbath in ceremoniall duties he did therein virtually command us to keep it holy in Evangelicall duties so when he commanded them to observe that day because it was actually appointed and sanctified and blessed of God he commanded us virtually and analogically therein to observe our seventh day also if ever he should actually appoint and blesse this other Thesis 129. The distribution of equity and justice consists not alway in puncto indivisibili i. in an indivisible point and a set measure so as that if more or lesse be done or given in way of justice that then the rule of justice is thereby broken ex gr it 's just to give alms and pay tribute yet not so just as that if men give more or lesse that then they break a rule of justice so 't is in this point of the Sabbath a seventh part of time is morall because it is just and equall for all men to give unto God who have six for one given them to serve their own turn and do their own work in yet it is not so just but that if God had required the tribute of a third or fourth part of our time but it might have been just also to have given him one day in three or two or four for in this case positive determination doth not so much make as declare only that which is morall And therefore if Mr Primrose thinks that a seventh part of time is not morall upon this ground viz. because it is as equall and just to dedicate more time to God and that a third or fourth day is as equall as a seventh it is doubtlesse an ungrounded assertion for so he affirms That although it be most just to give God one day in seven yet no moâ—e just then to dedâ—cate to him one day in three or six And suppose it be so yet this doth not prove that a seventh day is not morall because it is as equall to give six as seven no more then that it is no morall duty to give an alms because it may be as equall to give twenty pence as thirty pence to a man in want If furthermore he think that it is as equall and just to give God more daies for his service as one in seven out of humane wisdom and by humane consecration not divine dedication then it may be doubted whether one day in two or three or six is as equall as one day in seven for as humane wisdom if lest to it self may readily give too few so it may superstitiously give too many as hath been said But if four or three or six be alike equall in themselves to give to God as one in seven then if he thinks it a morall duty to observe any such day in case it should be imposed and consecrated by humane determination I hope he will not be offended at us if we think it a morall duty also to observe a seventh day which we are certain divine wisdom hath judged most equall and which is imposed on us by divine determination we may be uncertain whether the one is as equall as we are certain that a seventh day is Thesis 130. Actions of worship can no more be imagined to be done without some time then a body be without some place and therefore in the three first Commandments where Gods worship is enjoined some time together with it is necessarily commanded if therefore any time for worship be required in the fourth command which none can deny it must not be such a time as is connaturall which is necessarily tyed to the action but it must be some solemne and speciall time which depends upon some speciall determination not which nature but which Counsel determines Determination therefore by Counsel of that time which is required in this command doth not abolish the morality of it but rather declares and establisheth it God therefore who is Lord of time may justly challenge the determination of this time into his own hand and not infringe the morality of this command considering also that he is more able and fit then men or Angels to see and so cut out the most equall proportion of time between man and himself God therefore hath sequestred a seventh part of
observe New Moons that some time be set apart for his worship and so there was no more necessity of putting Remember to keep the Sabbath holy then to remember to keep holy the new moons And look as the commandment to observe new moons cannot in reason be accounted a morall commandment because there is some generall morality in it viz. for to observe some time of worship so neither should this of the Sabbath be upon the like ground of some generall morality mixed in it and therefore for M Ironside to say that the law of the Sabbath is set among the rest of the morall precepts because it is mixtly ceremoniall having in it something which is morall which other ceremoniall commands he saith have not is palpably untrue for there is no ceremoniall law of observing Jewish moons and festivals but there was something generally morall in them viz. That in respect of the purpose and intention of the Law-giver some time be set apart for God just as he makes this of keeping the Sabbath Thesis 139. To imagine that there are but nine morall precepts indeed and that they are called ten in respect of the greater part according to which things are usually denominated is an invention of M. Primrose which contains a pernicious and poysonfull seed of making way for the razing out of the Decalogue more laws then one for the same answer will serve the turn for cashiering three or four more the greater part suppose six remaining morall according to which the denomination ariseth For although it be true that sometime the denomination is according to the greater part viz. when there is a necessity of mixing divers things together as in a heap of corn with much chaff or a Butt of wine where there be many lees yet there was no necessity of such a mixture and jumbling together of morals and ceremonials here M. Primrose tels us that he doth not reade in Scripture that all the Commandments are without exception called morall and therefore why may there not saith he be one ceremoniall among them But by this reason he may as well exclude all the other nine from being morall also for I reade not in Scripture that any one of them is stiled by that name Morall And although it be true which he saith That covenants among men consist sometime together of divers articles as also that Gods Covenant taken in some sence sometimes did so yet the Covenant of God made with all men as we shall prove the Decalogue is ought not to be so mingled neither could it be so without apparent contradiction viz. That here should be a covenant which bindeth all men in all things to observe it and yet some part of it being ceremoniall should not binde all men in all things it commands nor is there indeed any need of putting in one ceremoniall law considering how easily they are and may be reduced to sundry precepts of the morall law as appendices thereof without such shuffling as is contended for here Thesis 140. If this law be not morall why is it crowned with the same honour that the rest of the morall precepts are if its dignity be not equall with the rest Why hath it been exalted so high in equall glory with them Were the other nine spoken immediatly by the voice of God on mount Sinai with great terrour and majesty before all the people Were they written upon Tables of stone with Gods owne finger twice Were they put into the Arke as most holy and sacred so was this of the Sabbath also Why hath it the same honour if it be not of the same nature with the rest Thesis 141. Our adversaries turn every stone to make answer to this known argument and they tell us that it 's disputable and very questionable whether this law was spoken immediatly by God and not rather by Angels But let it be how it will be yet this law of the Sabbath was spoken and written and laid up as all the rest were and therefore had the same honour as all the rest had which we doubt not to be morall and yet I think it easie to demonstrate that this law was immediatly spoken by God and the reasons against it are long since answered by Iunius on Heb. 2.2 3. but it's uselesse here to enter into this controversie Thesis 142. Nor do I say that because the law was spoken by God immediatly that therefore it is morall for he spake with Abraham Iob Moses in the mount immediatly about other matters then morall laws but because he thus spake and in such a manner openly and to all people young and old Jews and Proselyte Gentiles then present with such great glory and terrour and majesty Surely it stands not saith holy Brighâ—man with the majesty of the universall Lord who is God not only of the Jews but also of the Gentiles speaking thus openly not privately and gloriously and most immediatly to prescribe laws to one people only which were small in number but wherewith all nations alike should be governed Mr Ironside indeed thinks that the Lord had gone on to have delivered all the other ceremonials in the like manner of speech from the mount but that the fear and cry of the people that he would speak no more to them stopt him but the contrary is most evident viz. that before the people cried out the Lord made a stop of himself and therefore is said to adde no more Deut. 5.22 It was a glory of the Gospel above all other messages in that it was immediatly spoken by Christ Heb. 1.2 2.3 and so Gods immediate publication of the morall law puts a glory and honour upon it above any other laws and therefore while Mr Ironside goes about to put the same honour upon ceremoniall laws he doth not a little obscure and cast dishonour upon those that are morall by making this honour to be common with ceremoniall and not proper only to morall laws Thesis 143. Nor do I say that the writing of the law on stone argues it to be morall for some laws not morall were mediatly writ on stone by Ioshuah Josh. 8.32 but because it was writ immediatly by the finger of God on such Tables of stone and that not once but twice not on paper or parchment but on stone which argues their continuance and not on stone in open fields but on such stone as was laid up in the Ark a place of most safety being most sacred and a type of Christ who kept this law and upon whose heart it was writ Psal. 40.6 7. to satisfie justice and to make just and righteous before God all that shall be saved of all whom the righteousnesse of this Law according to justice was to be exacted what doe these things argue but at least thus much that if any Law was to be perpetuated this surely ought so to be Mr. Primrose tels us that the writing upon stone did not signifie continuance of
example there was and is a present rule binding immediatly to â—ollow that example if therefore from the foundation of the world God made himself an example in six daies labour and in a seventh daies rest why should not this example then and at that time of innocency be binding there being no example which God sets before us but it supposeth a rule binding us immediatly therunto The great and most high God could have made the world in a moment or in a hundred years why did he make it then in six daies and rested the seventh day but that it might be an example to man It s evident that ever since the world began mans life was to be spent in labour and action which God could have appointed to contemplation only nor will any say that his life should be spent only in labour and never have any speciall day of rest unlesse the Antinomians who herein sin against the light of nature if therefore God was exemplary in his six daies labour why should any think but that he was thus also in his seventh daies rest Pointing out unto man most visibly as it were thereby on what day he should rest A meet time for labour was a morall duty since man was framed upon earth God therefore gives man an example of it in making the world in six daies A meet time for holy rest the end of all holy and honest labour was much more morall the end being better then the means why then was not the example of this also seen in Gods rest M. Ironside indeed is at a stand here and confesseth his ignorance In conceiving how Gods working six daies should be exemplary to man in innocency it being not preceptive but permissive only to man in his apostasie But let a plain analysis be made of the motives used to presse obedience to the fourth command and we shall finde according to the consent of all the Orthodox not prejudiced in this controversie that Gods example of working six daies in creating the world is held forth as a motive to presse Gods people to do all their work within six daies also and the very reason of our labour and rest now is the example of Gods labour and rest then as may also appear Ex. 31.17 And to say that those words in the Commandment viz. Six daies thou shalt labour are no way preceptive but meerly promissive is both crosse to the expresse letter of the text and contrary to morall equity to allow any part of the six daies for sinfull idlenesse or neglect of our weekely work so far forth as the rest upon the Sabbath be hindered hereby Thesis 157. The word Sanctified is variously taken in Scripture and various things are variously and differently sanctified yet in this place when God is said to sanctifie the Sabbath Gen. 2.2 3. it must be one of these two waies either 1. By infusion of holinesse and sanctification into it as holy men are said to be sanctified Or 2. By separation of it from common use and dedication of it to holy use as the Temple and Altar are said to be sanctified Thesis 158. God did not sanctifie the Sabbath by infusion of any habituall holinesse into it for the circumstance of a seventh day is not capable thereof whereof only rationall creatures men and Angels are Thesis 159. It must therefore be said to be sanctified in respect of its separation from common use and dedication to holy use as the Temple and Tabernacle were which yet had no inherent holinesse in them Thesis 160. Now if the Sabbath was thus sanctified by dedication it must be either for the use of God or of man i. either that God might keep this holy day or that man might observe it as a holy day to God but what dishonour is it to God to put him upon the observation of a holy day and therefore it was dedicated and consecrated for mans sake and use that so he might observe it as holy unto God Thesis 161. This day therefore is said to be sanctified of God that man might sanctifie it and dedicate it unto God and hence it follows that look as man could never have lawfully dedicated it unto God without a precedent institution from God so the institution of God implies a known command given by God unto man thereunto Thesis 162. 'T is therefore evident that when God is said to sanctifie the Sabbath Gen. 2.2 3. that man is commanded hereby to sanctifie it and dedicate it to the holy use of God Sanctificare est sanctifica â— mandare saith Iunius And therefore if M Primrose and others desire to know where God commandeth the observation of the Sabbath in Gen. 2.2 they may see it here necessarily implied in the word Sanctifie And therefore if God did sanctifie the Sabbath immediatly after the creation he commanded man to sanctifie it then for so the word Sanctified is expressely expounded by the holy Ghost himself Deut. 5.15 We need not therefore seek for wood among trees and enquire where and when and upon what ground the Patriarchs before Moses observed a Sabbath when as it was famously dedicated and sanctified i. commanded to be sanctified from the first foundation of the world Thesis 163. Our adversaries therefore dazled with the clearnesse of the light shining forth from the text Gen. 2.2 to wit that the Sabbath was commanâ—ed to be sanctified before the fall do fly to their shifts and seek for refuge from severall answers sometimes they say 't is sanctified by way of destination sometimes they â—ell uâ— of anticipation sometime they think the Book of Genesis was writ after Exodus and many such inventions which because they cannot possibly stand one with another are therefore more fit to vex and perplex the mind then to satisfie conscience and indeed do argue much uncertainty to be in the mindes of those that make these and the like answers aâ— not knowing certainly what to say nor where to stand yet let us examine them Thesis 164. To imagine that the Book of Genesis was writ after Exodus and yet to affirm that the Sabbath in Genesis is said to be sanctified and blest only in way of destination i. because God destinated and ordained that it should be sanctified many years after seems to be an ill favoured and mishapen answer and no way fit to serve their turn who invent it for if it was writ after Exodus what need was there to say that it was destinated and ordained to be sanctified for time to come when as upon this supposition the Sabbath was already sanctified for time past as appears in the story of Exodus 19.20 And therefore M. Primrose translates the words thus that God rested and hath blessed and hath sanctified the seventh day as if Moses writ of it as a thing past already but what truth is there then to speak of a destination for time to come I know Iunius so renders the Hebrew words as also