Selected quad for the lemma: rest_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
rest_n	day_n	labour_n	sabbath_n	6,576	5	9.5742	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66765	Paralellogrammation an epistle to the three nations of England, Scotland, and Ireland, whereby their sins being parallel'd with those of Judah and Israel, they are forewarned, and exhorted to a timely repentance, lest they incur the like condempation : to render it the more effectual, some considerable notions are therein expressed touching ceremonies, and things indifferent, the Lords supper, the civil government, the taking of oaths, the mark of the beast, the library of conscience, the great Sabbath, and the two witnesses, with other particulars of concernment interwoven / written by Geo. Wither.	Wither, George, 1588-1667.	1662 (1662)	Wing W3176; ESTC R11575	78,735	140

hath appeared to me in this my Loneliness that it may help strengthen the Faith and Hope of those who can receive it as it hath fortified mine to the making a large amends for all my Sufferings The better to explain it I must walk a little about by the way of Circumlocution that I may fetch in some collateral Notions which will be pertinent to my main Design Slight them not my dear Brethren though in some Circumstances I may differ from you in Judgement for if we continue in the Love of Christ Jesus and of each other that Love will at last bring us into all Truth make all who are of one house to be of one mind and cover a multitude of other sins as well as our Ignorances which are not wilfully contracted I proceed with my promised Illustration GOD Almighty all whose Actions are eternal when he was pleased to give a being unto Time and make a visible World seemed in some respects to work according to the manner of men the better to suit his workings to the natures and capacities of his Creatures as by making his Actings to be temporary and that which he could have perfected in one moment to be the work of six Ordinary Dayes In which time he having compleated all Created things and put them into an orderly way of procreating and continuing themselves by his assisting Providence and Superintendency it is said he rested the Seventh day and Sanctified it Not that he needed Rest or the setting apart of any portion of Time for himself who is LORD of Eternity but in respect only to mankind and to what should come to pass about the later end of Time The Consideration of that Rest and Sanctification dictated unto me that which I have discovered of the foresaid Mystery in the Illustration whereof I shall hint upon some particular Notions repugnant to what hath been commonly believed by many good men concerning the Sabbath wherein I hope to be as charitably censured as I consure those who sincerely declare their Judgements though they are not the same with mine I am not of their Opinion who suppose the fore mentioned Sanctification of a part of Time did imply that Seventh day which was afterward Commanded to be observed by the Jews when they were brought out of Egypt For it is said by Moses Deut. 5. 15. that the Sabbath at that time injoyned to be observed was Instituted for a Remembrance of that Deliverance as likewise to preserve them alwaies mindful to be merciful to Servants Cattel and Strangers as GOD was to them in vouchsafing Rest and Deliverance from their hard labour and cruel Taxmasters in the Land wherein they had been Strangers and Servants And the Sabbath being made for man and not man for the Sabbath it was chiefly for that end Commanded Nor do I think the Sanctifying of the Seventh day at the Creation or that which was injoyned to the Jews implyed the Sanctification of that which is called the LORD's Day which is observed by most Christians according to an antient custome for a day of Assembling together in regard upon that day of the week our Saviour Jesus Christ with whom the Jewish Sabbath was buried arose from Death to Life upon that day of the week Yet I my self do observe that day and acknowledge the observation thereof if not Judaically or Superstitiously kept and imposed to be a pious Custom and Institution as well tending to our edification in Faith and good life by our meeting to hear GOD's Word and communicate in other Pious Duties as toward a fulfilling that part of the Moral Law which is contained in the Ten Commandements and injoyneth an allowance of competent Rest and corporeal refreshment to Servants Cattel and Strangers who would else be oppressed by unmerciful Masters and Owners who either know not how to use their Christian Liberty or are ignorant what is due to the Creatures by the Law of Nature and for that reason provision hath been prudently made by the practise of the Church and by Christian Princes upon penalties for allowing of certain portion of time and they are not wilfully to be neglected nor superstitiously to be observed but for conveniency comliness and order sake that we may associate in the Service of GOD and communicate in holy Duties at such times to the edifying of each other yet over and above those times GOD provided a Supplement for Moral Rest and spiritual Contemplations by allowing to every Day a Night wherein to rest the body by sleep and to refresh the mind by Prayer and Meditations But I do not find that the LORD's Day was injoyned by any Evangelical Precept to be observed instead of the Jewish Sabbath and in such manner as that was Or that the said Jewish Sabbath was given at the Creation or at any time since by divine Institution to be an Universal Law to all Mankind or to any of another Nation save only to those who became Jewish Proselytes whilest the Ceremonial Law was in force For had it been otherwise then that seventh day should questionless have been universally made known and kept without scruple by other Nations without changing it into another day until it had been divinely done by the same Law-giver and that change declared at the promulgation of his new Covenant in the Gospel it being not in the power of any other to change his Ordinances or to warrant a variation from them in the least Punctilio whether they concern Faith or Manners The Observation of Dayes and Meats with such-like Ceremonies had their end in Christ and every man is left at liberty as concerning a Religious Observation of such things to do as the present necessity requires and as he thinks himself in his own Conscience obliged And therefore the Apostle implicitly reproving them who presumed to judge between another mans Conscience and GOD to whom only he stands or falls as his Servant expecteth every one to do as he is perswaded in his Conscience and saith Rom 14. He that observeth a day observeth it unto the LORD and he who observeth it not forbears the observation thereof in conscientious obedience to the LORD also which liberty he would not have given had a set day been essential to the morality of the fourth Commandment Therefore I am not offended with any one what day soever he observeth or observeth not who doth it Conscientiously not Contentiously neither condemning himself in that which he alloweth or disalloweth nor judging uncharitably of others who claim the like liberty of Conscience And I hope the conscientious sanctification of Dayes piously set apart for Religious Duties will be rather better then less observed by what I have hitherto or shall hereafter express for there be many to my knowledge who are more zealous in professing the observation of this or that day then in truly observing any day as they ought to do as also of many other Christian Duties and such Persons will take most

offence at what I have expressed It is also to be Considered that the Ceremonial observation of a seventh part of time for the competent rest of mens bodies and providing due nourishments and refreshments for the Soul as also for performance of Holy Duties neither is nor was or can be essential to the morality of Rest or of Religious Duties but Circumstantial and Ceremonial only in regard a due portion of time or any set time for these purposes cannot be just the same portion or a like expedient for all but must be more or less oftener or seldomer according to the differing strengths weaknesses ignorances or other defects necessities or occasions of Individual persons who shall need the same and who must take and be allowed such times and so much time as shall be necessary and is required by that morality which was written in the hearts of all men among the residue of universal Morals at the beginning of time And the Rest of that Mystical Sabbath which GOD is said to have sanctified as aforesaid is neither pertinent nor communicable to Beasts or meer natural Men or to any save to those Saints who are made one with GOD in Christ Jesus and who have wrought and are to work with GOD and him in the six dayes of a thousand years a piece upon the work of Regeneration and in maintaining Good against Evil until it shall obtain the Conquest These things considered the sanctifying of a more excellent Sabbath than that which was observed by the Jews or than that which is called the LORD's day seemeth to have been intended by that which GOD is said to have sanctified at the Creation and the Mystery which I would shew forth relating to a confutation of the Error occasioned by the long continuance of Wickedness and Tyranny in the World and which was in part discovered unto me by meditating the fore-going Circumstances is this GOD having finished his Work of Creation the sixth day wherein Man was also made for whose sake the World was made His Wisdom fore-seeing what the Devil's malice and humane curiosity would produce by desiring the knowledge of Good and Evil it was his good pleasure all his Operations as to things Temporary being in Number Weight and Measure and a thousand years with him but as one day and one day as a thousand years that as he had wrought six common dayes upon the work of Creation so his Intellectual and Reasonable Creatures having made themselves work by their Prevarications should have six mystical dayes of a thousand years a piece according to the vulgar Accompt wherein to do those works which they ought to do or had a desire to do that so they might have a sufficient time wherein to compleat their knowledge of Good and Evil according to their longing as aforesaid And the seventh day which GOD sanctified after the work of Creation is as I believe that mystical day of a thousand years or that seventh part of time be it sooner or later wherein Christ according to their expectation in the main whom you call Fift-Monarchy-men shall visibly Reign upon the Earth with his Saints as John hath Prophesied Revel 20. 5. At which time will begin that great and Everlasting Sabbath wherein they shall rest from their labours and wherein they who have seen Christ upon the Earth in his Humiliation shall there also behold him in his Glorification to the rejoycing of his chosen People and to the confusion of his Adversaries not in such a gross carnal manner as is fancied by some but as becomes glorified Bodies and as was partly typified by our Saviours Transfiguration upon the Mount when his Disciples then present well knew not what they either saw or said or as it was at the hour of his Ascention which is neither expressible or intelligible in the state wherein we now are During the first six thousand years of time Good and Evil are permitted to execute their distinct and mixt Powers and Faculties in working out their ends and in struggling for the mastery and manifestation of their Natures as they best can in and by all those who are to them respectively inclinable And when that six thousand years are compleated abating so much thereof only as the violent fury of the Devil Antichrist and their Confederates shall diminish of their own time within the last six thousand years then the Wickedness of the wicked the Righteous endeavours of good men so far forth as it is meerly their own and all that seems good or evil in their own strength weakness wisdom folly ungodliness or piety shall come to an end and be of no force or esteem Whereof the Devil began to be afraid when he said to Christ Art thou come to torment us before the time That seems to me the seventh day which GOD is said to have sanctified and to rest on after his six dayes work aforesaid and in my apprehension the preceding thousand years before that great Sabbath are the six mystical dayes wherein men should have permission as I said before to do those works which they had a desire to be doing for perfecting their knowledge in Good and Evil in this life after they had by disobeying GOD in our first Parents entered into a Confederacy with the Devil This sense of that Mystery I received not from men but by meditating an Interpretation of the first Chapters of the Old Testament by comparing them with the last Chapters of the New Testament and by what I collected out of that Prayer which Christ himself left unto us to be a Pattern of what we might absolutely pray for in regard whatsoever I am taught by him to pray for I am warranted undoubtingly to believe Now according to the Contents of that Prayer I do believe that the Name of our Heavenly Father shall be Hallowed upon Earth and his Kingdom come down visibly among us and his Will be here done as it is in Heaven which can never be until that great Sabbath I believe also That all who seek after his Kingdom which is to come with sincerity in the first place shall be daily fed with the bread of eternal life and supplied with all things necessary for prosecuting their Work in the mean time That our sins shall be forgiven us as we by his example forgive those who have trespassed against us That in all our Tryals and Temptations whereby GOD exerciseth our Faith we shall be delivered from whatsoever is evil in them and be at last partakers of his Kingdom Power and Glory even here upon Earth where we have suffered with him when that great Sabbath afore-mentioned begins and in Heaven for ever But you may think perhaps to your discouragement the mean while that time is very far off because by our ordinary Computation of Times and Years there will seem to be about 300 years unexpired of the last thousand of those 6000 years in which Antichrist with his Mystery of Iniquity was permitted

and Humility by which means that which had else been equivalent to a set-form of Prayer as to me is made my own extemporary devotion though partly personated by another man And by thus exercising the Principle of Love I neither give just cause of offence for the present nor disable my self to take opportunities to rectifie at another time that which I thought not then approvable in him that prayed When they in whose pious duties I was partaker kneeled I kneeled when they stood up or sate I did the same the like in all other indifferent things that I might not disturb their Devotions Moreover when heretofore in the Publick Assemblies they rose up at the repetition of the Creed I was not offended at it but pitied their ignorance who did it superstitiously For in the Primitive Times that posture was often used in true zeal to signifie to those Infidels and others among whom they lived their voluntary assenting to that Belief and as I remember it is recorded that the Christian Souldery in those dayes drew out their Swords thereby implying that they would defend that Profession to the death with hazard of their lives if need were Also when the Congregation communicated in receiving Bread and Wine I sate or kneeled as the rest did without irreverence in sitting or superstition in kneeling For I kneeled not to adore the outward Elements or the Table which is now termed an Altar but to put my self into an humble posture of addressing my heart to Jesus Christ in Thanksgiving and Prayer By which conformity in such indifferent things which many superstitiously observe and many as superstitiously omit I preserved peaceablness in those who would have been disquieted and otherwhile gained thereby an opportunity to rectifie the Judgments of some who make the observation or not observation of such indifferent things to be essential to their Religion and I am afraid that too many are only religious in the observing or not observing such punctilio's separating for trifles and being ignorantly affected or uncharitably disaffected to the vexation of themselves and others Upon these and the like considerations I heretofore conformed to the Discipline of the Church of England knowing in my own conscience as Paul said of an Idol that to me who made not conscience of worshipping thereof it was not only no Idol but as a meer nothing so for such as my conscience would permit without offence to my weak Brethren supposing such Forms of Prayer or Discipline as were continued or instituted by the first Reformers when they separated from Babylon were not contrivements of humane Policy only the better to withdraw the Peoples hearts from Romish Superstitions but sincerely established for the time being in that mode because they thought them edifying or because it was not in their power to perfect their intention or else which is my Judgment it was permitted so to be because the Providence of GOD would ripen that work by degrees as it might best advantage his Kingdom in the time to come according to his permissions at the wearing out of Jewish Ceremonies And I thinking it my duty to make the best use I could in my place of that Faculty which he gave me to render such humane Constitutions as I had not power to take away more edifying less superstitious composed about forty years past a Hymn for every observable day in the year to prevent that superstitious observation whereby GOD was dishonoured in those dayes and to the like intent conformed as aforesaid in some other indifferent things then practised until that Discipline was interdicted and perhaps had so done now it is restored but that I evidently perceived the Adversaries of sincere Reformation some of whom seemed to be Friends thereto have laboured to enslave us to their Judgment and others by the old way to bring us back again to Rome by drawing us a little nearer thereunto by pressing that upon us wherein we seemed at first to be separated from her pulling down setting up and adding what may advance their Designs under colour of repairing the old model of Reformation And ever since that Discovery I have desisted from that conformity which I formerly thought a thing indifferent and as I lately submitted to the Providence which abolished that for a time whereof I thought good use might have been made so I shall gladly now do if it be abolished for ever with all the remainder of humane Inventions which have been added to Divine Worship For though I have heretofore endeavoured to improve them and as you may perceive by what is declared am not ignorant of the best use that can be made of them I now see men have made such Idols of their Disciplines and Formalities that they are as meer dead things for the most part among all Professors In words they are very zealous for observing the Sabbath or Lord's day Holy-dayes and other such Ordinances but keep them not as they pretend they are bound in conscience In hearing they hear not in praying they pray not as they ought to do for their businesses on those dayes are principally to see and be seen in their best clothes to confer of their temporal affairs to hear news out of the Pulpit or from other places with such-like and their formal devotions are but fruits of a trust reposed in the work done heedlesly hudled up as the Papists do their Pater Nosters and Ave Maries as if so or so many Prayers repeated or so many Sermons or Masses heard were meritorious Therefore notwithstanding I yet see not in this my fleshly being how the Soul of Religion can be preserved without some Form wherein it may be visible and active I am nevertheless confidently perswaded and perhaps may therein be a Prophet to this Generation that GOD who is a Spirit and to be Worshipped in Spirit and Truth will ere long destroy all external Formalities but such as he himself hath ordained in regard his jealousie is as much provoked by our Phanatick Idea's as by Graven Images In the Primitive Church I do not find either those Forms of Prayer nor those Disciplines nor that artificial mode of Preaching which is now in use they came into fashion by degrees And I do believe that though GOD hath permitted other Dispensations to be and continue a long time and was also pleased to make them somewhat effectual for preservation of his Truth yet that Simplicity of Worship Preaching and Praying whereby the Gospel was first planted will be again received hereafter Howsoever it pleaseth GOD to proceed every man is obliged while such Dispensations continue to be so far forth conformable unto them as he conscientiously believes them to be necessary or expedient for Edification and I for my part will husband them as well as I can with preservation of my obedience to GOD and charity to men I resolve neither to separate from or comply with any but as their Doctrines and Disciplines are contradictory or

spiritual Rights and Freedoms one by one That unnecessary cost which many thousands are or may be enforced unto by their Visitations Inquisitions Articles vexatious Prosecutions in several Courts their numerous exacting Officers and by Bribes to supercede or take off the Process Censures and Mulcts cannot be sum'd up besides the charge of all these and those other burdensome Impositions laid upon the People since Antichrist got power Among the rest that one of Imposing the observation of Holy Dayes as they call them above the seventh part of time set apart by ancient Christians in place of the Jewish Sabbath amounts yearly to an incredible sum and by my calculation to a greater burden than the Excise and all other Taxes For it deprives the People of above the 12th part of those dayes wherein GOD by the old Law allowed them to do what they had to do in their temporal Affairs And if we could cast up into one sum what the labour of every man woman beast teem of horses and oxen probably ariseth unto in those many dayes which are superstitiously dedicated to Saints and Angels together with the sinful or vain expences which they occasion by drunkenness gaming and other vanities and mischiefs during those dayes it would appear such an annual charge beside hindrances in Trading and losses at Harvest and Seed-times that being added to all the other Impositions Services and Payments lawfully and unlawfully laid upon the Nation it would in my judgement seem greater than ever was charged upon any People who were not absolute Slaves nevertheless that superstitious observation was not to be murmured at if it tended ought to the Glory of GOD or but to the benefit of any part of Mankind except those who are enemies to the Kingdom of Christ That such Oppressions might be prevented and redressed when begun GOD left not them who should be Kings and Governors over his People at large as the Kings of the Nations were but gave them beside many other exemplary Paterns of Righteousness the Law of a Just Monarchy in Deut. 17. 15. before the coming of Christ and many Evangelical Precepts since whereby they and their Substitutes under them ought to be regulated And in all times divine Providence hath raised up some as well in the Campe like Eldad and Medad as in the Tabernacle to be Remembrancers of what ought to be done They have also those Ministers of the Gospel who instead of those Priests whose lips were heretofore to preserve knowledge by whom they may and ought to be assistant with their Counsel which would not be in vain if consulted But hereupon ariseth a Question lately put to my Conscience which may perhaps be of concernment at this time if I could give a satisfactory answer thereunto for which cause I will endeavour it so far forth as my Judgment extends The Question is Whether they who being called to a Spiritual Function to minister in things relating to the Kingdom of Christ and the divine Service of GOD may intermedle in the administrations touching the Kingdoms of Men or in civil and common matters seeing it seems to be an undertaking to serve two Masters which may occasion the neglect of the one or of the other I Answer it may or it may not be so according to the mind and sincerity of the Undertaker The State of Venice rarely admit any of the Clergie to be of Counsel in their Civil Affairs because they are jealous of the Popes Interest among them yet I remember they had one by whose wisdom and faithfulness they were more advantaged than by any one Counsellour that ever they had But this was a rare Bird Rara Avis terris nigroque similima Cigno Many such are not bred at a time in one Nest The Woods yield few white Ravens and as few white Dawes are bred in Churches yet I have seen both If he that is called to the Ministry of the Gospel shall ambitiously desire wordly honours or profits which he formerly enjoyed not or shall not willingly for-go what he formerly possessed when he is called to follow Christ and finds it is or may be his hindrance therein he cannot as I believe with a good Conscience either keep that which he had or accept of other temporary Dignities or Profits But if he be born to any temporal honour or estate or shall have them bestowed on him by his Prince who may have need of his Service in the administration of Justice or of other Civil Affairs without his own desire or seeking and conscientiously believes he may thereby the better serve his Master Christ Jesus he ought in my understanding to keep what he had and accept of what is tendred rather than reject it provided he be watchful that honors corrupt not his manners nor his Riches choke the seeds of Grace and that when he serves his Prince or Country in a temporal capacity he leans not to them and forsakes his best Master making use of his additional power to the disadvantage of Christs Kingdom provided also that when he serves his Prince or Country in a temporal capacity he so remembers his spiritual Engagement that he humble himself into a parity with his fellow Commissioners ordained by Christ as meekly as if he had no temporary additions or priviledges more than they so totally laying them aside in the execution of his spiritual Function that he may not over-awe them in their Votes or so much as seem to think them any appurtenances thereto Where this Moderation is with sincerity preserved both GOD and the King may be the better served then Peoples Christian and Civil Liberties be the more secured and both Parties be as mutually helpful as one hand in washing the other This I conceive is as lawful and as agreeable to the will of GOD and a good Conscience with the provisoes afore-mentioned for preservance of the Civil politick Body and of peace in the Church as it was for Jehojeda the High Priest to intermedle together with his Priestly Office in the administration of the Civil Government for preservation of the King and Kingdom of Judah or as it was for Paul and other Disciples who officiated in preaching the Gospel to exercise their Mechanick Trades for the subsistance of their bodies which was less considerable than the well-being of the Saints in their bodily concernments As there be no worse Counsellours than Priests if they be corrupt and wicked so there be none better if they be prudent and sincere and therefore I grudge them not a double honour who are approved such But when the most ambitious and the most covetous self-seekers of a Formal Ministry shall be only or chiefly consulted withal who endeavour the establishing of their own Ecclesiastical Constitutions or Popish Canons shall be joyned to a Civil Government by their own procurement or by other indirect means with persons who for the most part wholly intend also the settlement of their Politick ends there can be nothing