exercise the Ministerial function imployed Peter to Preach and by his Sermon at the Third Hour converted Three thousand at the Ninth hour Five Thousand He held the Angels of the Asian Churches in his right hand and out of his mouth went a two-edged sword the Sword of the Spirit namely the Word of God All this is very agreeable to the nature of a day wholly devoted to Religion 4. The Holy Apostles and Disciples Upon the First of the Week when the Disciples came together to break Bread Paul preached to them Act. 20.7 Here are actions very suitable to the design of a Sabbath Preaching and Administring the Holy Sacrament The Time when these actions were performed is the First of the Week This was a constant custom we never read that the Apostle in any place where he found none but Disciples did upon the old Sabbath communicate with them in those Ordinances which the Gospel has appointed Now as touching a Collection for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia so do ye Vpon the first of the week let every one of you lay up by him in store 1 Cor. 16.1 2. The duty here enjoyned is a Collection for the Saints The Apostle did design That it should be very liberal according to the estate of every Man Why he should wave the second third fourth fifth day of the Week and pitch upon the First for the doing of this generous and pious Work cannot be conceived except upon the First of the Week the Disciples of Christ use to meet and be engaged in such Religious performances as have a tendency to excite the mind to Christian liberality These were the thoughts of S. Chrysostome Hom. 43. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was an idoneity and fitness in the day to dispose and lead them to the acts of Charity This custom was not only amongst the Corinthians but all other Christians The Epistle is addressed to all who in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.2 and it was not only upon one or two First days but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the First day of every Week There remaineth therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the keeping a Sabbath to the people of God For he that is entred into his rest he also hath ceased from his works as God did from his Heb. 4.9 10. These words are directed to the Hebrews who were inclinable thro' the efficaey of former impressions to disvalue the institutions of the Gospel That the Apostle might prevail with them to yield a chearful conformity to those appointments He demonstrates That Christ is more valuable than Moses and stiles their deserting the Gospel a departure from the living God and cites Psalm 95. which has a peculiar aspect upon the state of the Church under the Messias In it are described his Disciples under these names the People of his pasture the Sheep of his hand Their solemn meeting to Worship O come let us worship the duties performed at this meeting as Prayer Let us kneel before the Lord our maker v. 6. Singing of Psalms Let us make a joyful noise unto him with Psalms v. 2 3. Hearing the word if you will hear his voice v. 7. a particular day on which all these duties are to be performed To day if you will hear This day being intended for a Sabbath at which time all spiritual advantages are administred which tend to the bringing the Soul into truest satisfaction and rest an exhortation is given to the People not to harden their hearts as the Israelites did in the provocation lest they be deprived of this rest as the Israelites were of theirs in the land of Canaan Now because there are several sorts of rests recorded in the Scripture The heavenly rest in the world to come the rest of the old Sabbath rest in the land of Canaan the Apostle makes it manifest that it is none of these which the Psalmist means but the rest of a Sabbath under the Gospel Not the heavenly for the rest here spoken is confined to a certain day v. 7. Whereas the rest above is every day without interruption Not the rest of the old Sabbath for that was at the beginning when the works were finished from the Creation of the World But the rest mentioned by the Psalmist is some future thing under the Gospel as I have sworn if they shall enter Not the Rest in the land of Canaan If Jesus had given them rest then he would not afterwards have spoken of another day From these premises it is concluded there remaineth therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the keeping a Sabbath day to the people of God under the Gospel And that we may know this Sabbath is the resurrection-Resurrection-day and by consequence the First of the Week it is added for he which entred into his rest hath ceased from his works as God did from his God the Father upon the Last of the Week ceased from his works and made it a day of rest unto his people Therefore God the Son has done the like with the First of the Week he then putting a period to his state of Humiliation and ceasing from his labour and trouble which he did undergo in the accomplishment of the work of our redemption I was in the Spirit upon the Lord's day Rev. 1.10 By the Lord's day we can understand no less than a day appointed by our Blessed Lord and devoted to his Honour and Worship This day must necessarily be the First of the Week For S. John in expressing this circumstance of Time designs a credit to his relation and therefore must necessarily mean some day which was very well known by this name at the writing of the Revelation It is manifest by Ignatius who was his contemporary That the common name then given to the First of the Week was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This day God was pleased to signalize by a communication of the Holy Ghost in some extraordinary measures S. John was in the Spirit upon it In the words there is an allusion to the manner of speaking amongst the Hebrews who say that a man besides the Soul which he is ordinarily endued with has another Spirit given to him upon the Sabbath which they stile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an excellent Soul Manass Ben. Is reconc Buxt Syna Jud. c. 11. p. 288. Such allusions we have in the very Context The Seven Spirits v. 4. have a plain aspect upon the Seven Angels which the Jews say do constantly attend the throne of God And the Governours of the Asian Churches are called Angels with respect to the Rulers in the Synagogues which were known by that name 5. The testimony of the following ages He who consults the Writings which are extant will meet with these four Things which being laid together will amount to what has been asserted 1. That the First of the Week was owned by Christians as a Day of Worship 2. As a Sabbath
about V. It cannot in reason be less than one whole Day every Week which will be evident if we consider 1. The Object of our Worship Were we to live the days of Methusalem he might challenge every moment of our time as a just debt and if all be due reason will not allow That so considerable a portion as a Week should pass without a solemn dedication of a Seventh part of it to his service Let us suppose one man to owe unto anothers as much or more than his whole estate is worth the rule of equity will not allow him to offer less than the Seventh part in order to the compounding his debt and the just satisfaction of his Creditor 2. The Nature of Worship In it the Glory of God the eternal happiness of the Soul the temporal felicity of the Community are highly interested The difficulty in the right discharge of it is equal to the importance The Prince of this World makes it his work to hinder it The natural tempers of Men furnish him with a signal advantage to compass his design There is an inbred Love in us to sensible objects which are apt to ingenerate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Athenagoras speaks Leg. 〈◊〉 Christianis p. 30. This is the reason why the Second Commandment which relates to Worship is fortified with so many inducements to obedience One taken from the power of God to punish offenders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Another from his will to exert his power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Third from the execution of his Will upon the off-spring of those which offend visiting the iniquity c. A Fourth from his kindness to the obedient shewing mercy c. Had it not been difficult to confine our selves within the bounds of this Precept the fence which is set about it would not have been so strong If the Worship of God be a matter of such difficulty and of the greatest importance then it requires a very large proportion of our time to be spent in the performance of it and if so was it left to our own disposal we could not in justice allot less than the Seventh part 3. The pattern of the triumphant Church In Heaven a perpetual Sabbath is celebrated The glorified Spirits are constantly imployed in worshipping him who liveth for ever and ever Rev. 4.10 This heavenly example the Church Militant must makes as near an approach unto as the circumstances of this present life will permit she being obliged to endeavour That the will of God may be done on earth as it is in heaven Matt. 6. v. 10. Those who are most exercised with the incumbrances of this world have nothing to plead in their own behalf why they may not come up so nigh to this celestial pattern as to devote One Day of every Week to the concerns of Religion 4. The practice of the Militant Church not only under the Law but before From the beginning of the Creation the Time for Solemn Worship was no less than One whole Day every Week as is evident from the testimony of the Author to the Hebrews altho' the works were finished from the foundation of the world For he spake in a certain place of the Seventh Day on this wise And God did rest the seventh day from all his works Heb. 4.3 4. Here is an evident remembrance of a day of rest not only to God but to Men. For the design of the Apostle is to prove out of the 95. Psal That there remains a rest to the people of God under the Gospel In order to this purpose he shews it is not the rest of the Seventh from the Creation which the Psalmist had his eye upon If the Seventh here mentioned had not been a rest to the people of God but only to God himself there would have been no necessity of such care to distinguish it from that other rest which is concluded still to remain to the people of God 2. That time is expressed when this rest commenced from the foundation of the world The works then finished are represented as the ground upon which the Sabbath was instituted It cannot with reason be imagined That the foundation should be laid at the beginning and the superstruction not built upon it as some think till above Two Thousand years after This Assertion receives a great deal of strength from the early division of Time into Weeks Noah had his eye upon the Hebdomadal Cycle Gen. 8.10 12. A Week is represented as a period familiarly known in Jacob's time Gen. 29.27 God himself did point out this division by his own example distinguishing the Six Days by peculiar Works the Seventh by rest A universal consent prevailed amongst all the Eastern Nations about this particular The testimony of Joannes Philoponus is known 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 7. c. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It is agreed amongst all Nations That there are Seven Days which by a constant revolution constitute all time Georgius Syncellus in his Chronology which begins with Adam and ends at Dioclesian asserts That the Patriarchs divided their time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that the division into Months and Years is of later date Josephus against Appion says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. There is no City whether Greek or Barbarian to whom was unknown 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the division of Time into Weeks was from the beginning and a week consisted of seven days and one of those were a Sabbath or a day of rest the Sabbath must needs be from the beginning There is no record which makes mention of a week that doth not suppose the Sabbath to be a part of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst the Greeks is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Hebrows which Theophilus Antiochenus says E. z. ad Autol. p. 91. All Men had knowledge of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Sacred Oracles sometimes is put for a week the denomination of the whole being taken from the principal part Lev. 23.15 In the book entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is expressed That for many weeks the Seventh Day was celebrated as a day of rest The Chaldee Paraphrast upon the Title of Psalm 92. useth these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Song which the first Man sang on the Sabbath-day and upon the first verse of the Canticles the first Song Adam spake at the time when his sin was pardoned and the day of the Sabbath came and protected him Cain and Abel are said to bring their Sacrifices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the end of days by which we must understand theh period of a year or a month or some other term there being no division of time so early as that into Weeeks and nothing here can be so well understood by the end of Days as the end of a Week which was the Sabbath Indeed it is objected That if the Sabbath was so early as hath been
and better information about this great concern he was pleased to work Six Days and rest One and set it apart for his Worship and Service This peculiar right he challengeth to himself in the Fourth Precept of the Decalogue Six Days shalt thou labour but the Seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God That is a Day of his own designation and appointment In the New Testament our Blessed Saviour is declared to be Lord of the Sabbath which can import no less than that he has an absolute power to determine it and that none have authority to alter what he is pleased to do It is an evident injury to attempt to meddle with that of which another is the Lord without his leave and privity God created Man He best knows his strength and ability He has a clear prospect of the molestations and necessities this sublunary state will expose him to He fully understands what time is fit to be spent in worldly business and what in the concerns of Religion Men have no certain rule to determine by for all People and Nations If it had been left to them the result of such a concession would have been nothing but ataxy and confusion Their secular imployments are very various some are more incumbred than others Some live in plenty and ease some are exposed to penury and severe labour It cannot be expected That they shall all agree about this time being their condition is so different God who is only able to encrease supplies and give more strength where more work is required must necessarily be the most convenient Arbitrator in this case to set out how much time is ordinarily to be allowed to Men for their terrestrial affairs and what proportion is to be reserved for their celestial VII This Time which reason tells us ought to be left to the Divine designation is determined in the Fourth Command to one in Seven as a proportion perpetually to be devoted to Religious Worship Here Three Things are to be proved 1. That it is one in Seven and not the last of the Seven which is enjoyned by the Fourth Command 2. That the Sabbath of the Fourth Command one in Seven is perpetual and not to continue only during the Jewish Oeconomy 3. This proportion is by the Command to be devoted to Worship and not only to corporal rest 1. It is one in Seven and not the Seventh from the Creation which is enjoyned by the Fourth Command If we fully ponder the words nothing else can be concluded from them Remember the sabbath-Sabbath-day to keep it holy It is not said Remember the Seventh day from the Creation but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a day of rest All that the expression signifies is That a whole day must be set apart and devoted to the honour of the Supreme Being And lest we should be at a loss how often it must be done the quotum is set out Six days shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God The Seventh not the seventh from the Creation but the Seventh with relation to the Six days of labour and as the Six do not signifie those precise days on which the World was made but such a proportion of time as is fit for the dispatch of secular concerns so the Seventh which follows must be taken in the same sence not for the Seventh precisely from the formation of the World but for one in seven whether the first or the last as God shall please to appoint Even as the fifth part of the encrease of Aegypt which Pharaoh was to have Gen. 47. v. 24. doth not signifie the Fifth in order but the Fifth in proportion that is one of five the fruits being equally divided into so many portions After the proportion is thus set forth the reason is expressed For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth and rested the seventh The force of this reason lies not in the priority or order of these days God in the first six days created the World and rested the seventh but in the quotum or number God took six days neither more nor less for the production of the Universe and rested one Therefore thou shalt work six days and observe one as a day of rest unto the Lord. Thus the harmony betwixt the reason and the concession of six days for labour is very plain For if the World was created within six days then the same allowance of time is sufficient with the Divine Benediction upon mens endeavours to preserve it and make a provision of all things necessary for life This is not so conspicuous if we lay the Emphasis upon the first six days and as they are taken so must the Seventh be So that altho' it was the Seventh pricisely from the creation on which God rested yet the Seventh here is not intended to signifie that precise day but the quantity and proportion of time only which is contained in it The rule of S. Austin is applicable to the present case propter illa Bellarm. tom 2. p. 683. quae aliquid significant illa quae nihil significant adferuntur The conclusion deduced from these premises gives us a further evidence Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it Here is no mention of the seventh but a Sabbath day a general word which may be applied as well to the first as the last of the week This makes a clear discovery That the particular day on which God rested is not intended in the reason of the Command For if that had been the design of it no place had been more convenient to express it in than the conclusion which is nothing but the result of what went before In other places the Seventh is mentioned but here only a Sabbath-day Why the Spirit of God who is not obnoxious to any defect of memory should change the phrase cannot be imagined except he intended by using this general word to give a greater latitude and not to confine the Sabbath to the particular Seventh from the Creation Nothing can be drawn from the words to discountenance this interpretation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put without an article whereas Exod. 16. v. 26. where the particular day is set forth the article is prefixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the six days for labour are expressed without any Emphatical character 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as the six days are taken so must the seventh be What is objected That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remember intimates That the Precept enjoyns that Sabbath which was given before and that was the last of the week and that the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 determine them to the signification of that day only doth not merit any great consideration One in Seven was enjoyned long before It bears the same date with the last of the Seven Now the
repeated These words the Lord spake and added no more Deut. 5.22 Altho' the reason taken from the Creation of the World Exo. 20. is totally omitted If the absence of this reason makes no alteration upon the Precept but the whole Law is said to be spoken altho it be wanting then the presence of a new reason taken from the deliverance out of the Aegyptian servitude cannot have any influence upon it either to make it Ceremonial or Moral The secondary reasons of a Ceremonial Command may be Moral and of a Moral Ceremonial and Positive It is to be observed That the reason we speak of has relation but to one particular in the Command namely the enjoyning of Masters to make the Sabbath a day of rest unto their Servants as well as to themselves Now to make the whole Command Ceremonial upon the account of an extrinsecal and secondary reason relating only to one circumstance in it I leave it to every unbiassed mind to determine whether it be agreeable to the usual rules of discourse 4. There is no inconvenience which will follow if we assert That as we are bound to the Fourth Command so likewise to the same measure of rest which that Precept limiteth A rest only in general is required and that in order to the keeping of One Day in a Week Holy This being the end and the end always modifying the means we have assurance That such a measure of rest is only understood as has a tendency to promote this purpose All who believe the Lord's day to be grounded upon Apostolical authority must necessarily grant that we are bound to rest upon it from all those works which are not reconcileable with the end of the institution namely The devoting of the whole day to the honour and worship of Christ If there be any stricter measures of rest enjoyned upon the particular Seventh from the Creation by any other Law it nothing concerns us no more than the day it self It is not true That the Fourth Command doth forbid all work whatsoever For if this was the sence of it it would be repugnant to the Law of Nature which requires That works of necessity piety and mercy be done at all times There was a Law amongst the Heathens That no work should be done on their feast days when Vmbro and Scaevola were consulted about the meaning of it they notwithstanding the strictness of the words made answer That such work might be done which did relate ad Deos ad urgentem vitae utilitatem quod praetermissum noceret What kind of work the Fourth Command prohibits may be collected from the words of it Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but the Seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work that is any which appertains to thy particular calling or function which might with equal advantage have been dispatched in the week time Therefore when servile work is expresly forbidden on the Passeover c. and dressing of meat allowed but on the Sabbath in the Fourth Command all work all work imports no more than servile Therefore the Chaldee Paraphrast expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opus servile and that which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lev. 23.7 is expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only Ex. 12.16 Deut. 16.8 All the difference is That what is expressed in more general terms in the Fourth Precept is more explicitly and particularly set down in the Law touching the Passeover c. This will be very evident if we consider That the Passeover sometimes happened to be upon the Sabbath as in the year when our Blessed Lord was crucified and therefore by reason of these Two Solemnities meeting together That Sabbath is stiled a high day Jo. 19.31 If on the Passeover all servile work is forbidden and dressing of meat allowed but on the Sabbath all work whatsoever whether servile or not servile then by the Law of God the Jews were bound to contradictions when the Passeover fell upon the Sabbath they were bound and not bound to dress meat by the Law of the Sabbath they were bound not to do it By the Law of the Passeover they were bound to do it For the Lamb by a divine Precept was to be roasted with fire Irenaeus and S. Cyprian limit the work prohibited in the Fourth Command to servile work The Alexandrian Edition of the LXX L. 4. c. 19. c. 20. Cypr. de Sp. San. interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opus servitutis Num. 29.7 It cannot in reason be thought That the Fourth Command prohibits the dressing of meat or kindling of fire on the Sabbath which speaks nothing of these particulars When as those particular Laws which carry a much fairer and more probable appearance of such an interdiction upon an exact inquiry will be found to import no such matter As for the dressing of meat the words usually alledged are these To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord bake that which will bake to day and seethe that which will seethe and that which remaineth lay up for you to be kept until the morning Exod. 16.23 This Text speaks of the Manna of which a double portion did descend from Heaven on the day preceding the Sabbath Of this portion one they might bake and seethe and eat that day the other part they were to lay up unbak'd and unsodden Bake that which you will bake and seethe that which you will seethe and that which remaineth not of what was baked or sodden but of what was gathered over and above the daily proportion That lay up to be kept till the morning This is plain from the miracle expressed in the next verse They laid it up till the morning and it did not stink neither was there any worm in it If it had not been raw the glory of the miracle had been celypsed Before they reserved some which they had gathered contrary to God's Command and it was putrified in the morning and now they reserve a portion according to his Command and no putrefaction is in it If it had been baked or sodden it would have been thought That that was the reason why it was not corrupted as before Indeed in the fifth ver it is said On the sixth day they shall prepare that which they shall bring in that is If any have a mind not to eat it raw but to prepare it for food whether by grinding it in Mills beating it in a Mortar Num. 11.8 or any other toilsome way all such elaborate preparations must be finished upon the Sixth day they containing too much servile work for a Sabbath Yet notwithstanding all this it does not appear from the Text but that upon the Sabbath they might do in order to a more immediate preparation of it what Christians usually do about their food on the Lord's day As for the
intimation of any particular delinquency which the Rest of the Sabbath of the Fourth Command typifies our cessation from Not from all For betwixt the Type and the thing signified there ought to be some resemblance which is not discernable betwixt the Souls Rest from some enormities and the Rest of the Body The Soul then rests from sins of omission when it is conversant about the discharge of those duties which are devolved upon it This kind of Spiritual Rest consists in operation and the Rest of the Body bears no resemblance to the operations of the Soul Now I have finished the Seventh Proposition the solemn Time for Worship which ought to be no less than One Day every Week determined in the Fourth Command to One in Seven as a proportion perpetually to be devoted to Divine Worship VIII This proportion One in Seven was determined to the Jewish day by another Precept which was to oblige only till the Jewish Oeconomy had a period put to it Here are Two things to be evinced 1. That the Jewish Sabbath was set out by a Law distinct from the Fourth Command 2. That this Law was to continue no longer than the Jewish Oeconomy 1. The Jewish Sabbath was set out by a Law distinct from the Fourth Command This Law we find Exod. 16.23 To morrow is the rest of the Sabbath and likewise Exod. 31.15 In the seventh is the Sabbath of rest Here in both places the word is double 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rest of the Sabbath and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sabbath of rest but in the Fourth Command it is single 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which can import no less than some difference and distinction betwixt the Two Laws The reason of the duplication may be this The Jews being under a twofold Command the Law concerning the particular Day and the Law touching the Proportion They had a double Sabbath namely the last of the Week and the Sabbath of the Fourth Command which is One Day in a Week The Fourth Command enjoyning only vagum quid One in Seven and this vagum taking up its rest for a time in the particular Jewish day That day is stiled Sabbatum Sabbati the rest of the Sabbath of the Fourth Command The calling afterwards the Tenth Day of the Seventh Month and the Seventh Year of release by the same name doth not weaken this observation The name is first given to the Jewish weekly Sabbath upon the grounds expressed and then afterwards applyed unto those times to signifie That the Jews ought to make the Rest of the Sabbath the pattern of their Rest on those Solemnities and therefore when the day of expiation is so stiled Lev. 23.32 in the LXX these words occur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You shall sabbatize or imitate in the observation of this yearly solemnity the Rest of the weekly Sabbath When the year of release is so named Lev. 25. The Vulgar Latin plainly points at this imitation Sabbatizes Sabbatum This Law is likewise mentioned Nehem. 9.13 14. In the Thirteenth verse We have an account of the whole Decalogue under these names Right judgments true laws good statutes and commandments That by these we are to understand the Ten Commandments and nothing else is clear in that it is said That God himself gave them from Mount Sinai God gave there immediately by himself the whole Decalogue and no other Laws After the Ten Commandments are thus expressed of which number the Fourth is one it is said in the next Verse And thou madest known unto them thy holy Sabbath and commandedst them precepts and statutes and laws by the hand of Moses thy servant Here the particular Jewish day is expressed as a thing distinct from the Sabbath of the Fourth Command and reckoned amongst the Precepts Statutes and Laws which were given by the hand of Moses Therefore there must be some distinction betwixt the Sabbath as it lies amongst the Ten Commandments and the particular Jewish day The Tradition of the Jews is not disagreeable to what has been represented The Fourth Command reacheth to the stranger within the gate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Solomon Jarchius glosseth The particular Jewish Sabbath according to the common opinion extends no further than to those of their own nation More Nevo P. 2. c. 30. pag. 283. P. 3. c. 43. pag. 471 Maimonides intimates That there was a Sabbath given to them in particular and a Sabbath likewise given to all the scope of which was That the Seventh part of the life of a Man might be free of toil and dedicated to the remembrance of the Creation In the Six Hundred and Thirteen Precepts commonly reputed by the Rabbins to have been given to Moses upon Mount Sinai the Sabbath according to the collection of Abraham Ben Kattani as it lies in Exod. 20.8 makes the Twenty Seventh as it lies in Exod. 23.12 makes the Seventy Ninth Now the Sabbath in the 23. of Exod. is undoubtedly the last of the week therefore the Sabbath in the Twentieth must be something else Nothing can be so properly thought upon as the proportion of time the immutable rule of the Church's rest in all ages 2. This Law concerning the particular day on which the Jews rested was to continue no longer than the Jewish Oeconomy The day of the resurrection of our Blessed Lord put a period to it Upon the Sabbath immediately preceding it is said That the Women which came with Christ from Galilee rested according to command Luk. 23.55 56. Tho' the Disciples had observed many of the Jewish Sabbaths before yet this expression according to command is never used till now which intimates That there must be some special reason for it and what can this be but only to shew how far the Disciples might go in the celebration of the old day according to Precept namely to the Resurrection of Christ If they went any further it was without command That being designed to continue no longer Indeed the Apostles did afterwards frequent the Synagogues upon the Jewish Sabbath but it is never said that they entred into them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to custom Act. 17.2 It was a custom for them for a while to comply with the Jews in some things which were in reality abrogated and to seek the gaining of them by prudential condescensions and accommodations to their weakness After this time was in some measure over and ignorance of the liberty procured by Christ from the rites of the ceremonial became less excusable we find the Jewish Sabbath by degrees fully declared against as an antiquated rite It is represented 1. As a day equal with others 2. As a beggarly element 3. As a shadow that was vanished away 1. As a Day equal with others One man esteemeth one day above another another esteemeth every day alike Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind he that regardeth a day regardeth it to the Lord and
power over the Sabbath is to the same purpose with that power over those things whatsoever they be The things mentioned in the former Verses are the Shew-bread and Sacrifices which he put a period to and did erect other constitutions in the room of them We have already proved That the old day is annulled by him The First of the Week is stiled the Lord's day what can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be but an effect of that power which the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was invested with Pray That your flight be not on the Sabbath-day Mat. 24.20 It appears from hence That a Sabbath would be observed about Forty Years after these words were spoken for the flight mentioned in them was upon the account of the Roman Army stiled the abomination of desolation which about that time besieged and took Jerusalem called the holy place It is not said Pray that you be not put upon this extremity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the Sabbath then in use but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a general word which may be applyed to the first as well as the last of the Week This Sabbath is to be celebrated by the Disciples for he treats them privately v. 3. and we cannot think he would use such an emphatical expression which has a tendency to beget an awful regard to the Sabbath here mentioned in case they had not been concerned in the observation of it about the time which Christ had his Eye upon no other Sabbath was observed by the Disciples but the First of the Week About Two and Twenty Years after his Death we find it kept in a very full Assembly Act. 20.7 After which there is not the least mention of the celebration of the Jewish day in the New Testament but on the contrary S. Paul condemns the observation of it Coloss 2.16 This Epistle was written not long before his Martyrdom when he was in his bonds at Rome c. 4. v. 18. Therefore we have reason to believe That our Blessed Saviour had his Eye upon the First of the Week when he exhorted the Disciples to pray That their flight might not be on the Sabbath day As a Winter-flight would have been prejudicial to their bodies So likewise to fly upon the Sabbath when they were to be ingaged in the most solemn addresses to the Divine Majesty would be really disadvantageous to their Souls Indeed it is pretended That our Saviour's words were occasioned either by the foresight of some trouble to the Disciples from the superstitious Jews who would certainly hinder them in their flight upon their Sabbath or else of some molestation in their own Consciences arising from their being not fully weaned from the observation of the Ceremonial Rites To which I reply That no such thing could in reason be feared as the being hindred by the Jews because before the time which is spoken of they had laid aside their Superstitious conceits about sitting still or the going only a Sabbath-days journey when they were in capital dangers and received it as a Maxim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That when life is exposed to hazard the rest of the Sabbath may be dispensed with Tho' the Essenes refused to submit to this rule yet they being a very inconsiderable party in respect of the Pharisees and Sadducees and without any power of inflicting penalties they could be no impediment to the Christians in their flight As for the trouble arising from their own Consciences That cannot be supposed because they had full instructions before this time about the abolition of the Ceremonial Appointments All S. Paul's Epistles in which there are clear expressions about this matter were written before the destruction of Jerusalem If his Doctrine was not prevalent with them yet it cannot be imagined that they should be more superstitious in this particular than the Jews which were not converted and they made no scruple before this time either to fight or fly upon the Sabbath in case of danger as I have already intimated I pass from the words of Christ to his Actions as his Resurrection his appearing after his Resurrection the particular Acts done by him at his appearance The old Sabbath being discharged and the Fourth Command still for One in Seven as is evident by the premises we have a fair indication from the Resurrection of our duty to put a peculiar honour upon the First of the Week above all other days and account it the Christian Sabbath All days in themselves are equal That which alters this equality and advanceth one day above another is the eminence of the work which is done upon it The Resurrection of Christ being the consummation of the new Creation and of our redemption from the direful effects of the primitive Apostasie is the most eminent performance the World has been acquainted with Were we left to our own conduct what day could we make choice of to be the day of our Solemn Worship and rest from those labours which are not reconcileable with it Euseb de laud. Const Euseb vit Const 628. Vales l. 4. c. 18. Nazian 〈◊〉 43. Basil Hexam Hom. 2. but this which is ennobled with so transcendent a work Upon this account the antient Christians stiled it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 really the first the highest of all the first-fruits of days Samuel made it an argument That Saul was chosen King because there was none like him a man higher than the people from the shoulders upwards The First of the Week being advanced by the Resurrection and made much taller than any other of the Seven we may truly say Behold the Day which the Lord hath chosen to be the Queen of Days as Ignatius stiles it As the rising of Christ from the dead upon the First of the Week promotes our belief that it is the day which God has appointed in the room of the old Sabbath So likewise his appearing upon it after the Resurrection no less than five times upon the self-same day once to Mary Magdalen Mat. 28.9 10 11. Luk. 24.33 34. Jo. 2.19 v. 26. then to the Women the third time to the Two Disciples the fourth to Peter the last to the Eleven Eight days after taken inclusively he appeared again when the Disciples were met which was punctually upon the First of the Week This day was singled out by him for the first and last most eminent manifestation of himself by his Spirit The first to the Disciples at Pentecost when the Holy Ghost descended upon them in cloven Tongues Rev. 1.10 The last to S. John to whom the future state of the Church was revealed For what end were all these appearances but to inform future ages That the First of the Week is a day most acceptable to him and to assure them of his special presence when they convene upon it for his solemn Worship To all this I might add the particular acts which he did at his appearance He invested his Disciples with power to
of that inclination which is in Men to believe That the inward acts of the Soul are no further sinful but as they break out into external it is the wisdom of the supreme Law-giver in the conclusion of those Laws which are intended as a perpetual rule of righteousness to annex one relating to these inward acts on purpose to undeceive and to leave us without the least pretence if we be not concerned in the reformation of them All this being duly considered it will be evident That the Sabbath of the Fourth Command One in Seven is therefore perpetual because it is a part of the Decalogue which is designed to be a rule of our obedience in all ages It is said indeed That this Precept cannot have the same priviledge with the rest to bind always Because to all mankind it can import no more than a circumstance of time which is not of such consequence as to challenge a place amongst the Moral Laws of God Whereas to the Jews it did import the Creation of all things by the True God and their deliverance out of Aegypt The maintaining the Morality of it gives a scandal to those who have been seduced by it to keep Saturday as their Sabbath It is plainly a ceremonial Law the Rest of it was instituted to commemorate the Aegyptian servitude and the deliverance from it Deut. 5.15 We cannot be bound to the Precept and not to the same measure of rest which the Precept limiteth It forbids not only servile work such as was prohibited on the first and last days of the Passeover but all work such as kindling fire dressing meat which ought to be done on the Passeover-day To all which I will reply in order 1. Mankind may be divided into Jews and Gentiles Gentiles are such as are converted to the Christian Faith or not converted Those who are be the persons here concerned Whatsoever did make the Fourth Command a matter of moment to the Jews will make it of the like importance to them As for the Creation of the World by the True God they are every jot as much concerned in it and do as sincerely believe it as the Jews As for the deliverance out of Aegypt if it be considered That they are accounted as Abraham's Seed ingrafted into the same stock with the Jews and become one people with them the partition-wall being taken down by Christ it will follow if the Jews were concerned in that mercy the converted Gentiles must be so too Tho' they were aliens formerly yet after a naturalization is passed upon them their concernments are the same with those who were born subjects The Christian Church is divided into Twelve Tribes Dial. cum Tryph. p. 353. Rev. 7.4 Justin Martyr speaking of himself and others which keep the Commands of Christ says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We are called p. 365. and are the true children of Jacob and Israel and Juda and Joseph and David and God and afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are the true stock of Israel Lactantius gives the reason quia in illorum locum adoptione successimus because we succeed L. 4. de verâ Sapient p. 277. and come into their place by adoption 2. The maintaining of the morality of the Fourth Precept gives no scandal If there be any in the case it is taken and not given What if they who keep Saturday for their Sabbath ground their practice upon the perpetuity of it Must we believe the ground is not good because that which is built upon it by such persons is bad An infirm house may stand upon a good soil Had the Apostle any reason to dislike his foundation because some did build wood hay and stubble upon it If any scandal be given upon inquiry it will be found that the contrary doctrin doth administer it in far greater measures Those who defend the Morality of the Command deny Saturday to be contained in it Their reasons I have already laid down The Epilogue which denies the Morality asserts that Saturday is expresly contained in it Now when those who are inclined to keep Saturday as a Sabbath find it granted to their hand That that very day is enjoyned by the Precept and then consider That this very Precept is placed in the very heart of those Laws which were immediately given by God written upon Tables of Stone preserved in the Ark confirmed by Christ Bellar. l. 4. de just c. 6. p. 930. and commended by the Apostles received by the Church and inserted into her Liturgy and Catechism It is more than an even wager That they will instantly fall upon the observing Saturday as their Sabbath It had been good That the contriver of this objection had considered the words of Origen before he had so deeply charged his adversary L. 6. cont Cel. p. 313. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It is a very great fault in disputing if any accuse others of opinions as unsound when their own Sentiments are chargeable with the same crime 3. The Fourth Command is no ceremonial Law I willingly grant That the Jewish day was Typical but no such thing appears concerning the Sabbath enjoyned by this Precept The reason taken from the bondage of the Israelites in Aegypt and their deliverance from it Deut. 5.15 doth not demonstrate any such thing All that can be concluded from thence is That the rest required is a commemoration of that condition and their being taken out of it The thing commemorated being past and a ceremony a shadow of a thing to come The rest of the Fourth Precept cannot be ceremonial upon this account If it be said That the deliverance out of Aegypt was Typical and therefore the rest designed to commemorate it must be so too I answer That blessings may be considered in a twofold respect either as a benefit which was past or as a shadow of that which was to come The rest commanded was to commemorate the deliverance in the first sence For the Law being given to all certainly the end of the rest was to commemorate the benefit which was obvious to all and not the shadow which was understood by few or none in comparison at that time Now this deliverance as a real mercy being of concernment to the Gentiles after their inoculation into the Jewish stock I cannot see how the command is in danger of being discharged upon the account of its relation to this favour Upon the same ground we may say That the whole Decalogue is annulled because this kindness is expressed in the Preface of it as a motive to Obedience The reasons of the Fourth Command are either Primary or Secondary The Primary is That God may have a fit time for his Solemn Worship The Secondary are to commemorate the Creation and deliverance out of Aegypt The first is essential to it and cannot be divided from it The secondary are extrinsecal and separable and therefore the whole command is said to be