on the Sabbath day if not for your owne sake who being well informed and instructed in the faith shall know that yee may flee on that day and make no difficultie for conscience sake yet in regard of others who shall be distressed with the same necessity to flee with you but who being altogether ignorant of the liberty of the Gospell as the Iewes not as yet converted or the weake ones retaining after their conversion and profession of the Gospell a religious respect towards the ceremonies of the Law of Moses as many Christians who for conscience sake towards the Sabbath will be scrupulous to flie on it for whom in respect of their ignorance and weakenesse you ought to pray that your common flight be not on that day For yee are all members of one body 6 I say more that although Iesus Christ by the Sabbath day had signified the first day of the weeke which after his Ascension was to be observed by all Christians and had commanded his Disciples to pray that their flight should not fall out on Sunday least they should be compelled to imploy upon bodily working travelling and hurrying up and downe a day which otherwise they had applyed to GODs service of that no man can conclude neither that a seventh day of rest is a morall point nor also that Christs minde was to injoyne the observation of the first day of the weeke but only that he foresaw that after his Ascension the first day of the week should be kept by Christians of their owne free will through respect to his resurrection which should befall on that day and that it should be loathsome and grievous unto them to weary themselves with fleeing on a day wherein they were wont to rest from all worldly imployments and to addict â—hemselves to serve God in his house Verily although a day be not ordained of God to be stinted for his service yet if by the custome of the Church it be ordinarily imployed for that use a true Christian will be hartily sorry that hee should be forced by necessity to busie himselfe in other exercises then those which are proper to Gods service and he may with good reason make humble suit unto GOD that he be not brought to such a hard strait And therefore CHRIST might advise his Disciples to pray that their flight should not befall on the Saturday without any other inference that can be gathered from thence saving a future use and custome to observe such a day in the Church and not any obligation proceeding from him farre lesse a naturall and morall obligation towards a seventh day of the weeke which is the point in question CHAPTER Eleven Answer to the Ninth Reason 1. Ninth Reason the Apostles kept the Sabbath 2. First answer they entred into the Synagogues of the Iewes on the Sabbath day not for conscience sake but for the commodity of the place and time to convert the Iewes 3. Second answer In this and in the observation of other ceremonies they applyed themselves to the infirmity of the Iewes 4. Passages alleadged to prove that the Apostles absolutely and simply did keepe the Sabbath of the Iewes 5. First Answer Acts 13. ver 42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be interpreted indifferently people folke 6. Second answer the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be interpreted of the weeke betweene 7. If wee read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they signifie in a day betweene the Sabbaths this answer is not refuted by the 44. verse 8. Third Answer The 44. Uerse may be truly translated not of the next Sabbath day but of the next weeke 9. Fourth Answer in both verses the Sabbath being taken for the next Sabbath they prove not that which is intended 10. The passage alleadged Acts 16. verse 12 13. cannot be understood but of those that were Iewes in Religion 11. Whether they had a Synagogue or not they met together out of the townes 12. There they had a place appointed for prayer c. called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an Oratory or place of prayer 15. Where Saint Paul and his fellowes joyned with them to seeke to gaine them to Christ. 14. Why the Apostles which taught sufficiently the abrogation of the Sabbath and of Holy dayes did not preach against them as they did against Circumcision and other ceremonies 15. Answer to the last Reason concerning the Sabbaticall River 1 IT is with as little shew nay it is rather against themselves that to prove a necessary and perpetuall obligation to keepe the Sabbath some make use of that which is noted in diverse places of the Acts of the Apostles as in the Chapter 13. verse 14 43 44. and 16. verse 13. and 17. verse 2. and 18. verse 4. and other where that the Apostles after the Ascension of Iesus Christ kept the Sabbath going to the Synagogues of the Iewes and expounding the Scriptures there 2 For this argument if it were good for any thing would prove that under the New Testament the Iewish Sabbath day to wit the last of the week is to be kept because in the foresaid places mention is made of that day only But the going of the Apostles to the Synagogues on that day came not from any obligation of the law tying them to the Sabbath nor from any religious respect to that day as if it had beene still a necessary point of Gods service but because it was the ordinary day of the congregations of the Iewes whom they desired to convert and it was expedient for that end that they should be present at such times and places that the Iewes did meet in to wit on the Sabbath day and in their Synagogues as for the same reason they observed also the annuall feasts and indeavoured to bee at Ierusalem on such dayes as may be seene Acts 20. verse 16. I adde that they applyed themselves in this point as in many other legall ceremonies to the infirmitie of the Iewes Acts. 15. v. 29. Acts 16. verse 3. Acts 21. verse 24 26. and 1 Cor. 9. ver 20. to gaine them more easily to the faith and to preserve them in it after their conversion For it is certaine that the faithfull Christians converted from the Iewish Religion to the faith of Christ kept still a great zeale for the ceremonies as it is said in the Acts Chap. 21. verse 20. and consequently for the Sabbath day 4 There be some who would have the Iewish Sabbath to be still kept in the Christian Church and to prove that the Apostles did particularly and carefully observe the seventh day of the weeke without any occasion of condescent to the Religion and devotion of the Iewes towards the Sabbath doe alleadge the thirteenth Chapter of the Acts verse 42 43 44. where it is said that when Paul and Barnabas were on the Sabbath day gone out of the Synagogue of the Iewes the Gentiles besought them that they would preach the word unto them the next Sabbath
of the Gentiles converted to the Christian Religion seeing Paul Silas and Timothy were but new arrived in that place where the word of the Gospell had not beene as yet preached as appeareth by the nine and tenne Uerses Therefore of necessity they were Iewes of Religion dwelling in Philippi and worshipping GOD according to the Law wherein they were instructed 11 It imports not much that no mention is made of a Synagogue where these persons came together but only that they went out of the City by a River side where prayer was wont to be made For it may be they had no Synagogue because they were but few or wanted meanes to build a Synagogue or because in that Towne which was a Roman Colony they were not suffered to build one and therefore they assembled together neere the River in some secret place out of the way not daring to meet openly in the Towne Peradventure also they had a Synagogue but if that which is written by some be true that the manner of the Iewes was to meete not only in their Synagogues in Townes for the reading of the Law but also out of Townes in the fields for the exercise of prayer even so these persons mentioned in the place aforesaid went out of the Towne by the River side for that end and that Paul and Silas made good use of that place and time of their holiest devotions as most commodious to goe and to speake to them because since their comming to the Towne which was a few dayes before undoubtedly they had not found the opportunity to speake unto them there nor elsewhere 12 Yea according to the exposition of some learned men the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken in the thirteenth and sixteenth verse for an house builded for the exercises of prayer and other religious actions accustomed among the Iewes As also it was an ordinary name whereby were entitled these houses wherein the Iewes did flocke together to read and to pray we may keeping the signification of the word call them Oratories or houses of prayer as the Temple is called Esa. 56. verse 7. 13 So then it is evident that this place of the Acts as the former is most conveniently expounded of the Iewes and therefore that for their sake onely Saint Paul and his fellowes made choice of the Sabbath day to intertaine them with Religious and wholesome speeches of the Gospell Neither shall any place be found where the Apostles are said to have observed the Sabbath but with respect to the Iewes to whom they applyed themselves seeking fit times places occasions to convert them and not having any so fit as the Sabbath which they behoved to keepe to come to their intent For at another time they could not have assembled the Iewes so commodiously as they would to preach unto them the Gospell publikely and loosing the Sabbath day they had lost the most favourable and advantageous commodities for the propagation and setting forward of the Gospell Whereunto they had a speciall regard catching that opportunity above all others namely seeing to observe the seventh day or any other day is in it selfe a thing indifferent under the Gospell which hath onely abolished the type and ancient obligation to that day leaving to the liberty of the Churche to serve God on any day or dayes whatsoever which are or shall be appointed by them 14 Which is to my opinion the reason why they did not preach against the Sabbath day nor also against the other holy dayes of the Iewes so vehemently as they did against other ceremonies namely against circumcision Acts 15. v. 1. Acts 21. v. 21. Gal. 5. ver 2. But condescended to the one farre more easily then to the other Because there cannot bee under the New Testament any lawfull use of the circumcision nor of other ceremonies like unto it but very good use might bee made of the Sabbath day and of other dayes after the manner before specified Yet they have not concealed the abrogation of the Sabbath and of the feasts but have sufficiently spoken of it as is manifest by the prooffes before propounded And therefore of the custome they had to keepe the Sabbath day cannot bee inforced any obligation tying us to observe it no more than other ceremonies to which they conformed themselves for a time because they did it onely to become as Iewes unto the Iewes as the Apostle witnesseth 1 Cor. 9. verse 20. having otherwise both in their discourses and in their writings taught cleerely and fully the abrogation of all these things 15 I scorne to ranke among the foresaid reasons or to honour with the name of a reason that which neverthelesse is by some set on foote and inforced as a good reason when they tell us of a certaine river in Palestina which according to the relation of some writers ranne regularly with swiftnesse enough and waters in a sufficient abundance in the sixe dayes of the weeke and on the Sabbath day vanishing away in his force left his channell empty and drie Or on the contrary as the thing is related by others vanished away or was dryed up all the sixe dayes before the Sabbath and on the Sabbath dayes filled up his channell Iosephus maketh mention of this river in this last fashion in the seventh booke of the warres of the Iewes Chapter 24. and saith that the Emperour Titus passing that way remarked it Plineas also maketh mention of it but in the first fashion in the 31. booke of his naturall History Chapter 2. and some Rabbins likewise whereupon some seeke to build pretty allegories to prove the observation of the Sabbath on a Seventh day of the weeke But they take not heed that in so arguing they imitate the Iewes who upon the marvellous nature of this River called Sabbaticall seeke to inferre the perpetuity of their Sabbath day wherin they are better grounded then Christians who from thence inferre simply the perpetuity of a seventh day For it was particularly on the last of seven dayes and not on any other day of the week that this River rested or flowed and therefore we should be bound to observe the seventh and last day of the weeke if the changings of this River could be a precedent to the matter in hand But if allegorizing were sound Divinity a conclusion might be made flat contrary to the former upon the proprieties of this Sabbaticall River For as Galatinus saith in the 9 Chapter of the eleventh book of the secrets of the Catholike truth the drying up of this River and the want of water in it on the Sabbath day betokened that the Sabbath should be denyed and loose all obligatory vertue under the New Testament If it ranne on the Sabbath day it could not bee a precedent of rest For running is not resting But whether it be true that such a River hath beene or that it hath never beene sith it is not now and is no where found by the
Saint Athanasius in the homily of the seed saith of himselfe and of other faithfull Christians that they assembled together on the Sabbath day not through malady of spirit for Iudaisme but to worship the Lord of the Sabbath Gregory of Nisse calleth these two dayes to wit the Sabbath day and the Lords day brethren Sozomene in the seventh booke and 19 Chapter of his History saith that at Constantinople and almost in all other parts of the Easterne Church the ecclesiasticall assemblies met together on the Sabbath day and on the day following Socrates in the sixt booke and eight Chapter of his History calleth the Sabbath day and the Sunday the weekely feasts wherein Christians came together in the Churches and in the foresaid 21 Chap. of the fifth book amongst many diverse customes of the Churches of these times concerning their assemblies and exercises of Religion he alleadgeth a frequent and common observation of the Sabbath 12 Which sheweth that the Churches beleeved not Sunday to be of divine institution and subrogated to the Sabbath by our Lord Iesus Christ. For if they had beleeved any such thing they had not observed another day But knowing they had no particular commandement for any day of devotion they observed both the Sab because it had beene a long while a solemne day of devotion ordained of God to the Iewes and Sunday because it was made honourable by the Resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ. This that we say shall be better seene by the consideration of the reasons which are broached to prove that the institution of the first day of the weeke to be a holy day is of God himselfe of Iesus Christ and of his Apostles CHAPTER Second Answer to the first Reason taken from some Texts of the Old Testament to prove the divine institution of the first day of the weeke 1. Answer to the Reasons taken from the Circumcision administred on the eight day and from the inscription of certaine Psalmes c. 2. Reasons taken out of the 110 Psalme 3. ver and of the 118. Psalme verse 24. 3. Answer In the hundred and tenth Psalme no mention is made of any particular day 4. Nor also in the hundred and eighteenth Psalme 5. And although there were a day of rest in every weeke cannot be inforced from thence 6. No more then the words of Isaiah Chapter 9. and of the Angels Luke 2. verse 10 11. can inforce a weekely observation of a day in remembrance of Christs birth 1 IT were a losse of time to stay here upon the refutation of the reasons taken from the ancient circumcision which was celebrated on the eight day and which some say to have beene a figure of the spirituall circumcision that we were to obtaine by our Lord Iesus Christ one the first day of the weeke which is as the eight day succeeding immediately to the seventh and last day thereof Nor also of these which are overthwartly wrested out of these Psalmes which have in their titles or inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hascheminith that is super octava upon the octave as if in these titles mention were made of the first day after the seventh which is Sunday For although these reasons have beene alleadged by some of the ancients they broached them rather as allusions and allegories then as solid proofes to rely upon Wherefore leaving them I goe forward to the consideration of two others which have greater likenesse of truth 2 They would faine take advantage of the hundred and 10. Psalm and of the 3. ver as also of the hundred and 18. Psalme and of the 24 v. thereof as if in these places there were a prophesie that Sunday or the day of the Resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ should be observed in the Christian Church In the hundred and 10 Psal. verse 3. mention is made of a day wherein Christ should raise an army in a holy pompe and his people should be a willing people In the hundred and 18 Psalme verse 24. the people is exhorted to rejoyce and be glad in the day which the Lord had made day wherein the stone which the builders refused should become the head stone of the corner verse 22. Stone which is Christ. Now Christ in his ignominious death was like a stone rejected by the builders that is by the governours and rulers of the Iewes and it was by his glorious Resurrection that he became the head stone of the corner Act. 4. ver 10 11. 3 To this I answer that no certaine argument can be drawne from the two foresaid allegations For who dare affirme that in them a particular day is denoted and not rather indefinitely the time of the publication of the Gospell and gathering together of the Christian Church which was done by the Apostles after the Resurrection of Christ It is said in the hundred and tenth Psalme ver 2. that the Lord should send out of Sion the Scepter of Christs strength the meaning of which words is that out of Ierusalem he should send forth and spread every where the preaching of the Gospell to wit by the Apostles and other Ministers and that in the day that is in the time wherein he should raise his army that is gather together his Church she should be a free voluntary and forward people Now the first assembling of the Christian Church happened not in one day more than in another but the Apostles applyed themselves to that worke every day preaching the Gospell wherefore we must not understand in that place of the Psalme any particular day but the whole time wherein this worke was done by the Apostles and their Disciples 4 I say the same of the hundred and eighteenth Psalme For Iesus Christ is not become the head stone of the corner simply by his Resurrection but in as much as after his Resurrection he hath by the preaching of the Gospell built up the faithfull upon himselfe as so many lively stones to be a spirituall house as we may see in the first epistle of Saint Peter Chapter 2. verse 4 5 6 7. And therefore this day which the Lord hath made and wherein the Psalmist exhorteth the faithfull to rejoyce is not a particular day but all this time blessed and sanctified by the LORD wherein should begin and goe forward this great worke of the preaching of the Gospell for the edifying in all places of the Church upon Iesus Christ for this is ordinary both in Scripture and in the common language when mention is made of a day wherein a thing is a doing or shall be done to understand not alwayes necessarily a certaine particular day but indefinitely the time of such a thing which may be such that it cannot bee performed in one particular day but requireth a continuation of time So the Apostle applying to the Christians of his time the words of God in Isaiah Chapter 49. 8. saith Behold now is the accepted time behold Now is the day of salvation
he hath likewise left unto her Christian wisedome the determination of the day of his service which is more common and ordinary specially seeing in the whole New Testament there is not at all any expresse mention of a particular day instituted and ordained by him for that end which the Evangelists and Apostles had not as it were with one accord beene silent of if it were true that our Lord Iesus Christ had ordained such a day CHAPTER Fourth Answer to the third reason brought to prove the foresaid opinion 1. Third Reason Iesus appeared to his Disciples the same day of his Resurrection at evening and eight dayes after which was the first day of the weeke as also on that day the Apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost 2. First Answer Christ appeared to his Disciples in the beginning of the second day of the weeke 3. This is proved by the distinction of the day in a day Naturall Artificiall and Civill 4. It is proved by the creation that the Iewes began the naturall or civill day by the evening 5. Refutation of those which say that by the evening must be understood the time after noone and by the morning the time afore noone 6. The same is proved by an expresse commandement given to the Iewes to begin the naturall day and the celebration of the Sabbath of at on 〈…〉 7. Râ—utation of the reply made against this argument 8. It is proved also by the commandement given them to begin the eating of the Passeover and of unleavened bread at the end of the 14. day of the first moneth 9. Saint Matthew and Saint Marke speake figuratively when they call the day wherein things necessary for the Passeover were prepared the first day of unleavened bread 10. The same likewise is proved by the observation of the Sabbath in the dayes of Nehemiah 11. And by the practice of Ioseph and Nicodemus when they buryed the body of our Saviour 12. First argument brought by some out of the Old Testament to prove that the naturall day among the Iewes and consequently the Sabbath day began in the morning ended with the night 13. Refutation of that argument 14. Second argument taken out of the first Chapter of S. Iohns Gospell ver 39. answered 15. Third Argument out of the 28 Chap. of S. Matthew ver 1. 16. Answer to this Argument 17. Fourth argument out of the 20. Chapter of the Acts ver 7. and 11. answered 18. It followeth of all the foresaid answers and besides is more fully proved that IESUS CHRIST appeared to his Disciples after his Resurrection on the second day of the weeke 19. Second Answer although Iesus after his Resurrection had appeared twice to his Disciples on the first day of the weeke that proveth not the sanctification of that day for Gods service 20. This is proved by diverse arguments and reasons 21. The descending of the Holy Ghost on the first day of the weeke inforceth not the observation of that day THere is no greater force in the observation gathered out of the twentieth Chapter of Saint Iohn verse 19. and 26. where it is said that Iesus the same day of his Resurrection at evening being the first day of the weeke appeared to his Disciples where they were assembled and after eight dayes the doores being shut he came and stood in the midst of them to wit on the 〈…〉 pretend to have beene the day of Pentecost wherein he sent downe from heaven 〈◊〉 Holy Ghost upon the Apostles from which places they inferre that by this practise hee hath sanctified that day for the preaching of his Gospell and the administration of his service 2 To this I answer first that it may be debated if it be said in the foresaid passage of Saint Iohn that our Lord Iesus Christ appeared to his Disciples on the first day of the week and not rather after the first day already ended and the second begun Although the first interpretation was true and that it was the first day of the week wherin Christ shewed himselfe to his Disciples after his Resurrection it carryeth not with it any consequence prejudiciall to my opinion as shal be seene hereafter Yet I wil confirme the second interpretation as only true and take this occasion to speake of the distinction of dayes fetching froÌ„ thence the grounds of my reasoning 3 The day is ordinarily distinguished into a Naturall day and an Artificiall day The naturall day is composed of foure and twenty houres which is the time of the daily circuit of the Sunne arising going downe and returning to the place where he arose in which day is comprehended all the time of light and all the time of darkenesse The day is so taken ordinarily both in Scripture and in all common languages when mention is made simply of dayes As for example when we say a moneth hath thirty dayes such a thing shall bee done or come to passe within so many dayes Abraham Isaac Iacob died being full of dayes we understand all the time of their continuance as well of the night as of the day The Artificiall day continueth as long as the Sunne is upon the horizon of every place and by his light affordeth commodity to men to goe forth to their labour and to worke in their arts professions and trades The naturall day although amongst all people it be composed of foure and twenty houres yet it varieth in the distinction of the beginning and end thereof For some take the beginning thereof at midde day and count the continuance thereof till the next midde day Others from midde-night till the next midde night Some from the rising of the Sunne till his next rising againe and some from the sunne setting till the next setting This diverse supputation amongst diverse people proceeding from a civill constitution addeth to the distinction of the day in artificiall and naturall a third member to wit The civill day which is the same with the naturall day in regard of the continuance of foure and twenty houres but is diversely counted in diverse places in regard of the beginning and of the end thereof 4. Now among the Iewes this naturall or eivill day began by the evening and ended at the next evening Moses distinguisheth it so when he relateth the story of the Creation For he endeth alwayes the workes of each day in these words so was the evening so was the morning which was the first the second the third day c. Where by the evening he understandeth the whole night which beginneth by the evening and by the morning the whole day which beginneth by the morning considering the evening and the morning the night and the day or the light as integrant parts of the naturall day and the evening or the night as the first part which goeth before the other part which is the time of light As indeed this distinction is grounded on that order and course of proceeding which God kept in the Creation
perpetuall 4 The first reply to this Answer refuted 5. The said reply is not well grounded on the example of a Pharisee who called Christ to eat bread on the Sabbath day 6. Confirmation of the refutation of the said reply by the Scriptures 7. By the testimony of Saint Augustine and of Saint Ignace and by reason 8. The second reply taken from equality yea from oddes of reason refuted 9. A mystery hid in the prohibition to cooke meat on the Sabbath day c. 10. Third Answer the prohibition to kindle fire was perpetuall and not referred to the building of the Tabernacle 11. If it was referred thereto it was onely by application 12. If it was not lawfull to kindle fire for the uses of the Tabernacle farre lesse for other uses 13. Confirmation of this answer by reason and by the testimony of Philo. 14. Fourth Answer The particular prohibitions were explications of the generall prohibition of the fourth Commandement 15. Fifth and last Answer God hath no where made an exception of any worke on the weekely Sabbath as he did on the Sabbath of the Passeover 1 SOme of the contrary opinion have seene the difficulty propounded in the former Chapter to wit that there is no reason to say that some workes which the Iewes were forbidden to do as wel as all other by the fourth Commandement are permitted but the rest are not permitted if it be true that the prohibition of the fourth Commandement obligeth us as they pretend Therefore they say that these workes which as they confesse we are permitted to doe as to kindle the fire and to make meat ready on the Sabbath day were permitted to the Iewes as well as unto us and are not comprised in the prohibition of the fourth Commandement and that the particular prohibitions which are made in Exodus Chapter 16. and 35. were temporall had respect only to the time of the peoples sojourning in the wildernesse and were grounded on reasons particular to that time 2 But this is an affirmation without ground and without all likelihood For to speake of the injunction given them to tarry every man in his place and not to goe out of it on the Sabbath day Exod. 16. vers 29. it is true that it was given them by occasion of the Manna to the intent that they should not goe forth to seeke any yet undoubtedly it was extended also to all other things of the like nature to wit to all bodily and earthly ends God by that one example forbidding them to apply themselves to the seeking of them there being a like reason for all I say bodily and earthly because a spirituall and heavenly end was excepted by the third verse of the three and twenty Chapter of Leviticus and there was no other end but such a one which might be an exception from the said prohibition Will any man say that during their abode in the wildernesse they might freely and without offence goe about other worldly businesses the gathering of Manna excepted This goeth beyond all semblance of truth And therefore if this was not left to their liberty the prohibition of the sixteenth Chapter of Exodus had a farther regard than to the Manna onely Now if they were restrained in the wildernesse and durst not goe forth for earthly imploiments as to gather Manna what reason can be alleaged why in the land of Canaan they were free to come and to goe and trouble themselves with the care and pursuit of the bread that perisheth and of other things of this world 3 The same judgement ought to be made of the prohibition to to cooke and dresse meat in the wildernesse on the Sabbath day which meat was Manna wherefore ought not this prohibition to have place in the land of Canaan for all other meats The Israelites had they not leisure in Canaan to prepare their meat the day before the Sabbath as much nay more than they had for the Manna in the wildernesse Neverthelesse the day before the Sabbath which was the sixth day of the weeke God said to them concerning the Manna Bake that which ye will bake and seethe that which ye will seethe and all that remaineth lay it up to be kept till the morning for you And why To morrow saith he is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord Exod. 16. vers 23. words which shew that the observation of the Sabbath day by him prescribed unto them with respect not onely to their pilgrimage in the wildernesse but also to their abode in Canaan was the cause why hee rained not Manna upon them and suffered them not to prepare any on that day and by his law forbade them universally in their generations to cooke and prepare any meat on the Sabbath day For if it were a thing that he left to their libertâ— by the Law wherefore did hee not raine Manna upon them on the Sabbath day Or if hee gave them not any lest they should goe forth and gather it on that day and if he obliged them to gather twice as much the day before giving them that day bread for two dayes vers 29. which necessity forced them to doe seeing the next day there was not any to bee found in the fields wherefore did he not at least suffer them to deferre till the Sabbath day the cooking of that portion which they had gathered and laid up for that day rather than to injoyne them as he did to make ready twice as much the day before and so take from them all occasion of preparing it on the Sabbath day which they might have done easily although there was none to be found in the fields that day Certes he did betoken that not onely the seeking and gathering but also the cooking and preparing of meat on that day displeased him because it was a day ordained by him to rest in which is a perpetuall reason for all the dayes and times that the Law of Moses was to continue 4 To say that God commanded both to gather and to prepare the Manna the day before and to keepe it till the Sabbath day because he would manifest his miraculous power in preserving from corruption the Manna which else had bred wormes and stunke Exod. 16. vers 20. from one of these dayes to the other is an unsufficient answer For first the same miracle had beene although the Manna had beene kept crude and unbaked to be sodden and prepared the next day Secondly God might have done if it had pleased him the same miracle in respect to another day as well as to the Sabbath day Wherefore then did he it for the Sabbath day but to ordaine to the Israelites the cessation from all workes and amongst others from making meat ready on the Sabbath day in their generations Also wee see no examples of preparing of meat on the Sabbath day among them 5 To prove that they did is unfitly alleaged the first verse of the fourteenth chapter of S. Luke
Christ is not come to abolish the Law whereof the Sabbath is a part 2. Answer sometimes by the Law and the Prophets are understood the morall precepts only 3. Sometimes the ceremoniall only 4. In Christs words both are to be understood but principally the ceremoniall 5. This is proved by the 18. verse 6. Frivolous instance from Christs words Heaven and earth shall not passe c. 7. The same is proved by the scope of Iesus-Christ in the foresaid words 8. Falsity of a second instance that the Lawes expounded in the rest of the Chapter are all morall 9. Although it were true it followeth not that Christs words in the 17. verse should bee understood of the morall Law 10. Christs words rightly understood favour not the morality of the Sabbath 11. Third instance from the 19. verse 12. First Answer Christ in that verse speaketh of an annihilating of the Commandements and not of the abrogating of some of them 13. Second Answer by retorsion 14. Third Answer Christ speaketh of the whole Law of Moses and not of the Decalogue only 15. Fourth instance from Saint Iames words Chapter 2. verse ten 16. Uanity of this instance 1 AS little to this purpose are the words of Christ in the fifth Chapter of Saint Matthew verse 17. I am not come to destroy the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them From which words they make this conclusion that seeing the Commandement of the Sabbath day is a Commandement of the Law confirmed from time to time by the Prophets IESUS CHRIST hath not abolished it And therefore the obligation to keep the Sabbath day lieth upon us still and shall dure to the worlds end 2 To this allegation of Christs words I returne this answer that indeed sometimes to wit when a morall matter is in hand the Scripture by the Law and the Prophets understandeth only the precepts of the Law and of the Prophets pertaining to this morality As when in the twelfth verse of the seventh Chapter of Saint Matthew Christ saith All things whatsoever yee would that men should doe to you doe yee even so to them For this is the Law and the Prophets 3 But sometimes also when the speech is of the fulfilling of things foretold or figured of old by the Law and the Prophets are to be understood only the prophesies and the typike ceremonies of the ancient Testament as in S. Matthew 11. Chap. v. 13. S. Luke 24. verse 27. Acts 24. ver 26. Acts 26. verse 22. 4 To apply this to the passage objected out of the fifth Chapter of Saint Matthew I say that in it by the Law and the Prophets are to be understood not only the precepts concerning the morall duties of this life but also the ceremonies of the Law as may be clearely seene by these words of our Saviour that are generall I am not come to destroy the Law nor the Prophets but to fulfill them Now the ceremonies are a part of the Law of Moses are called in the Scripture by the Name of the Law and make a part of the Sermons of the Prophets as well as the moralities The conjunction of the Law and of the Prophets in a generall matter such as this is sheweth that by the Law we must understand all that is contained in the bookes of Moses as by the Prophets all things contained in their bookes Now of the bookes of Moses and of the Prophets the ceremonies make a notable portion 5 I adde to this that the predictions types and promises are here as much nay much more to be understood then morall duties as may be seene evidently by these words of our LORD in the 18. verse following Uerily I say unto you Till heaven and earth passe one Iot nor one title one point or one pricke of a letter shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled It is certaine that these words Iota Title or pricke are not to be in this sentence taken properly because letters and titles or pricks of letters are not capable of accomplishment but by them Christ understandeth the least things propounded in the Law Having properly regard to all the things whether great or small figured by the ceremonies of the Law and foretold and promised by Moses and the Prophets whereof he confirmed by these words the future accomplishment Neither can these words of the 18. verse be so fitly applyed to the morall Commandements as to the ceremonies promises and prophesies This sense The heaven and earth shall passe rather then whatsoever hath beene figured promised and foretold by the Law and the Prophets shall not be effected and fulfilled being manifestly more sutable to the foresaid words then this The heaven and the earth shall rather passe then the morall Commandements shall not be kept and executed 6 The instance made upon these words Till heaven and earth passe c. is vaine when they conclude that there Iesus Christ speaketh of things of the Law that were to continue in their being and oblige all men to observe and keepe them till the worlds end which is not true of the ceremonies which soone after expired by his death For Iesus Christ doth in no wise say that whatsoever is contained in the Law was to continue stable in force and vigour and to be kept till heaven and earth passe But his meaning in this kind of speech is the same that I have touched to wit that heaven and earth shall passe more easily and rather than the Law shall fall short of a full accomplishment and the truth thereof shall faile to be ratified and exhibited in all the things contained therein the impossibility of this being denoted by a comparison with that we have this explication in the 16. Chapter of S. Luke vers 17. where Christs intention is thus expressed It is easier for heaven and earth to passe then one title of the Law to faile where also the Evangelist sheweth of what points of the Law Iesus Christ did purposely speake to wit of the types and prophesies For in the sixteenth verse immediatly preceeding he had said The Law and the Prophets untill Iohn where we must understand the Verbe prophefied which S. Matthew addeth in the eleventh Chapter and 13. verse saying For all the Prophets and the Law prophefied untill Iohn that is the ancient prophesies and figures as having respect to Iesus Christ finished in the time of Iohn Baptist not in him but in Iesus Christ who lived in the same time and whom Iohn seeing comming unto him shewed with his finger saying Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world Ioh. 1. vers 29. After then that Christ had said the Law and Prophets prophesied untill Iohn S. Luke addeth these words following as spoken by Christ to that purpose And it is easier for heaven and earth to passe then one title of the Law to faile where by one title are to be understood all the ceremonies figures and productions
the fourth Commandement seeing it was a figure and type and that by fulfilling in himselfe and in his faithfull servants the truth of the thing figured by the outward Sabbath to free them from the necessity of the observation thereof was not a dissolving and overthrowing of it neither on his part nor on theirs but rather an effectuall ratification thereof as in the same sence he hath not dissolved any of the legall figures but hath fulfilled them all 13 Secondly I say that of necessity the broachers of this argument must advow that Iesus Christ doth not blame in this place all inobservation of the Sabbath neither doth he establish precisely and absolutely the observation thereof for ever according to all the tearmes and the whole sence of the fourth Commandement For it should from thence follow that he blameth for ever and ever the inobservation and commandeth for evermore the observation and sanctification of the last day of the weeke by a legall service in remembrance of the Creation of Gods workes in sixe dayes and of his rest on the seventh because the Commandement carrieth with it that necessity to which is contrary the practise of the Christian Church Therefore this limitation must be added that Christ's intention is to forbid the transgression and to command for ever the observation of the Commandement touching the Sabbath and of all the rest as farre as it may and ought to oblige us according to the tearmes of the Gospell Now we have shewed that it obligeth us not as it ordaineth one day of seven or a certaine seventh day or a legall sanctification but so farre only as it commandeth that Gods publike service be practised for ever according as it shall be established by him and that an ordinary day be appointed for that purpose And therefore Iesus Christ in this respect only and no further condemneth the transgression and injoyneth the observation of the fourth Commandement 14 Thirdly Iesus Christ in the place before alleadged hath not regard to the Decalogue only but universally to all the Commandements of God whether morall or ceremoniall contained in the Law and in the Prophets which he had spoken of in the 17. verse that is in all the bookes of the ancient Testament and to repulse the false accusation that the Scribes and Pharisees laid to his charge declareth what was his minde concerning all these Commandements to wit that there was not any one of them nay not of those that are the least or may by men be esteemed that ought to remaine unprofitable vaine and without effect and that the man whatsoever he be that either by teaching or by practise shall despise and reject any of them shall be despised and rejected of God That on his part he fulfilled them all and extended and setled the accomplishment of them for ever to wit of those that are morall by obeying them all in his owne person and charging his Disciples with their perpetuall observation and sanctifying them inwardly that they may observe them Of those that are ceremoniall by performing and exhibiting the truth of all things signified and figured by them which truth he should make to have an eternall continuance and efficacy towards all that are his although he was to make the use of the figures to cease as the intention of God and reason did require But that the Pharisees were the men who on their part made void the Commandements of GOD both ceremoniall and morall The ceremoniall by adding unto them over and above a thousand superstitious observations The morall by corrupting them with false glosses and interpretations and preferring unto them the traditions of men which he layeth to their charge in diverse places and namely in the verses following of this fifth Chapter of Saint Matthew Now according to this sence which is true and naturall it is evident that they which alleadge this passage can inferre nothing of it for their purpose 15 They pretend in vaine to fortifie and confirme it with the words of Saint Iames in the second Chapter and tenth verse where the Apostle speaking of the Law of the Decalogue saith that whosoever shall keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point hee is guilty of all because the same God who hath injoyned one of the points hath also injoyned all the rest Whence they would inferre that the inobservation of the seventh day of Sabbath which is a point of the Law maketh a man guilty of the transgression of the whole Law that therefore wee are obliged to the observation thereof For I answer in few words that indeed Saint Iames saith that to faile or to commit a sinne against any Commandement of the Law maketh him that committeth it guilty of the universall transgression of the Law But I deny the inobservation of the Sabbath as it is commanded by the Law to be under the New Testament a sinne and a fault properly so called because in so farre as it commandeth the Sabbath it obligeth not any more For it was for the Iewes and not for us And therefore not to observe the Sabbath according to the tenor of the Law is not a fault and a sinne in any point as Saint Iames understandeth it So if one should say that he that hath kept the whole word of God if he offend in one point thereof should make himselfe guilty of all that saying should be true according to the meaning of Saint Iames But if any should inferre upon this that not to observe still under the Gospell all the legall ceremonies because they make a part and are points of the Word of God is a trangression whereby a Christian is made guilty of all this word and therefore he is bound to keepe them all it should be an absurd illation for not to keepe these ceremonies now is not a fault nor sinne to us because they oblige not any more No man sinneth against a Law or word but in as much as it obligeth But neither the word of God as it commandeth the legall ceremonies nor the decalogue as it commandeth the Sabbath is any more obligatory to us ward wherefore we sinne not now by not observing these points and therefore we make not our â—â—lves in that behalfe guilty of the Law and word of God who is author of all the points of this Law and of this word but hath not given them all to all men nor to continue in all times but some of them only to some men and to have vigor and being for a certaine time only CHAPTER Tenth Answer to the Eighth Reason 1. Eight reason Iesus Christ speaking to his Disciples advised them to pray that their flight should not be on the Sabbath day that is on our Sunday 2. First answer The Sabbath day is ever taken in the New Testament for the Sabbath of the Iewes and is so here taken by Christ. Neither is our day of publike service any where in holy Scripture called the Sabbath day 3. True
sence of Christs words and that they had relation to the Iewes only 4. Although he spake them to his Disciples 5. Second answer Although he had spoken to his Disciples only he might have had respect not to them but to their brethren among the Iewes that were weake in faith 6. Third answer Although by the Sabbath the Lords day were to be understood the morality of one of seven dayes in the weeâ— cannot be inferred from thence 1 IEsus Christ speaking in the 24. of Saint Matthew and twenty verse to his Disciples of the desolation that was to come upon Iudea and namely upon Ierusalem said unto them Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath day Not in the winter because then the wayes are incommodious and there is neither driving nor marching but with difficulty Not on the Sabbath day by reason of the holinesse of that day which being appointed and set a part for Gods service although it was lawfull unto them to flie in it to save their lives yet they should not be able to doe it but with griefe and sore against their will being constrained to spend on trotting toyling and much hurrying up and down a day particularly consecrated to the publike exercises of Religion and so should have a just occasion to pray to God to keepe them from being brought to such a necessity Some alleadge this passage esteeming it to be pressing and of great weight For say they Iesus Christ speaketh to his Disciples of a thing that was to fall out forty yeeres after his Ascension when all the ceremonies of the Law should be abolished in the Christian Church and yet notwithstanding he speaketh unto them of the Religion of the Sabbath as of a thing that they ought alwayes to take to heart in so high a measure that they should be sorry and throughly grieved to be in that time of desolation constrained to flee on so holy a day instead of applying themselves to Gods service Therefore the Sabbath day was not a ceremony comming within the compasse of those that he was to abrogate but a morall point and of perpetuall necessity Otherwise he had not done well to intangle their mindes with an unnecessary Religion towards the Sabbath day in the time of their flight seeing it being abrogated by him they might with as little grieve in respect to the day get packing as fast as they could trot and toyle on that day as on another day 2 I answer that this argument is a silly one and of no value For Iesus Christ speaketh not in that place of Saint Matthew of the day of rest that Christians were to observe after his Ascension but of the Iewish Sabbath day as this word Sabbath day sheweth clerely which his Disciples were farre from understanding other wayes then for the last day of the weeke observed among the Iewes For it is certaine that it signified nothing else at that time seeing there was not as yet any other day of rest in vigour saving that alone And Iesus Christ had not at all made himselfe to be understood of them nay he had purposely given them occasion to mistake him if by the Sabbath day his intention was to denote another day then the last of the weeke because this alone carryed that name neither shall it bee found in the whole Scripture that any other day is specified by that name 3 The heavenly rest under the Gospell is once called by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Chapter 4. verse 9. by a name drawne from the Hebrew word Sabbath because it was figured by the Sabbath of the Iewes But our day wherein wee apply our selves to Gods outward service and to that intent doe cease from our ordinary labour is alwayes called in the New Testament The first day of the weeke or The Lords Day and not the Sabbath which name the Apostles and first beleevers had not failed to give unto it if Iesus Christ had so qualified and stiled it Now if they would never tearme it by such a name although it might have been in some sort attributed unto it but only The Lords Day or The first day of the weeke to distinguish it from the day which was so called among the Iewes For the same reason Iesus Christ in the foresaid place if he had minded to speake of the day which Christians were to observe after his death he had intitled it by some other name then of the Sabbath day to make a distinction betweene it and the day of the Iewes Wherefore those which use this argument doe most fondly suppose without proofe or likenesse of truth that by the Sabbath Iesus Christ meaneth the Lords day Now if it be understood of the Sabbath of the Iewes as it must for the foresaid reasons and as all the interpreters whom I have read and perused doe take it this argument being urged according to the ratiotination of those that have set it on foot shall yeeld against their intention this conclusion that after the death and ascension of our Lord Iesus Christ the Sabbath day of the Iewes ought to bee yet kept in the Christian Church and that the faithfull are obliged unto it by Religion and conscience and ought bee hartily sorrowfull when being constrained to flye on it to save their lives in a great desolation they should not be able to consecrate it to Gods service 3 The true sence of this passage is that indeed our Lord Iesus <
the first day of unleavened bread that is said figuratively because of the immediate cōjunction of the time wherein the Lamb was prepared with the time wherin it was eaten with unleavened bread For it was prepared at the end of one day and eaten at the beginning of the next day Or because the same day wherein the Lamb was prepared the Iewes put away leaven and leavened bread out of their houses and prepared unleavened bread for the day following Or also because amongst the Romans of whom the Iewes did at that time depend the naturall day began by the light and the night was the last part therof whereunto it may be the Evangelists had regard But otherwise to speak properly according to the ordinance of the Law it is most certain that the day wherin the Lamb was rosted and prepared was not the first day of unleavened bread For that was the 14. day betweene the two evens this was the 15. day at the entrance thereof On that day leavened bread might be eaten on this day and on the dayes following all leaven was most strictly forbidden That was not a day of rest but of travell and of preparation as it is often called in the Gospel Mat. 27. v. 62. Mar. 15. v. 42. Luk. 23. v. 54. Ioh. 19. v. 14 31. because on it were all things prepared for the feast following as to search and put away all leaven and leavened bread out of their houses to kill to slay to rost the Lamb c. Nay we see that on that day the Iewes caused the Lord Iesus to be crucified and two thieves with him and vexed themselves extreamly all that day to come to their intent This was a great and solemne Sabbath wherein it was not lawfull to doe any manner of worke 10 Let us adde to that hath beene said the practise of the observation of the Sabbath which we read in the thirteenth Chapter of Nehemiah It is said there ver 15 16 17 19 20. that because all manner of ware was brought into the City of Ierusalem and sold on the Sabbath day Nehemiah commanded that as soone as the Sunne should withdraw it selfe from the gates of the City before the Sabbath the gates should be shut and that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath so that the Merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Ierusalem once or twice from whence we gather manifestly the Sabbath began at the going downe of the Sun and that the night made the first part thereof For if the Sabbath had not begun then wherefore did Nehemiah command so carefully to shut the gates as soone as the sun should withdraw his beames from them and it should begin to be darke And if not the night preceding the day but the night following had made a part of the Sabbath surely the Merchants had beene of necessity constrained to remaine two nights out of Ierusalem whereas it is only said that they past the night once or twice without the Towne to wit the night after Nehomiah had given order that the gates shold be shut as soone as the Sun should retire from them and therfore that night with the day following composed the Sabbath which ending on the next even at the setting of the sun Nehemiah commanded that they should be opened again v. 19. a cōmandement being necessary for the opening of them then at that time because the night returning it was the time to keep them barred and locked seeing they were already shut If the Sabbath had ended with the end of the night it had not beene needful that Nehemiah should command to open the gates after the Sabbath For it was usuall to open them after the night was ended and a particular commandement for that was needlesse But although I had omitted these reasons which I have alleadged the words of the original shew plainly and of themselves what we say These they are v. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Causher Tsallou Shahare Ieroushalaim liphne Hasshabbat that is as the gates of Ierusalem were darkned before the face or in the presence of the Sabbath or before the Sabbath For the ordinary signification of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Liphne is before the face in the presence And therefore seeing the gates were darkened before the face or in presence of the Sabbath it followeth that when the sun was setting the Sabbath was comming and began at that same instant to shew it selfe if I may speake so 11 Likewise we read in St. Iohn Chap. 19. v. 40 41 42. that Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus having obtained leave of Pilate to take away the body of Iesus as soone as he was dead tooke it wrapt it in a winding sheete with spices as the manner of the Iewes was to bury and laid it in a new Sepulchre which was in a Garden in the same place where he was crucified and laid it there because of the Iewes preparation day for the Sepulchre was nigh at hand that is the night being at hand the beginning of the Sabbath being nigh and comming apace with the night and the day of preparation which preceded the Sabbath drawing nigh the evening and making hast to finish they carryed not farre the body of Iesus but laid it in a Sepulchre hard by after they had wound it in linnen cloathes with aromaticall and fragrant drugs only without any imbalming at that time because they had no leasure to anoint and imbalme him by reason of the neerenesse of the Sabbath which was unto them an high day of Sabbath as it is called in the one and thirtieth verse of the same Chapter for as much as at that time the extraordinary Sabbath of the first day of the feast of unleavened bread occurred with the ordinary Sabbath of the weeke For the same reason the Iewes ver 31. that the bodyes of those that were crucified should not remaine upon the Crosse on the Sabbath day besought Pilate that they might be taken away betimes that is before the end of the day as the Text sheweth plainely Now if the Sabbath had not begun in the evening but only in the morning the Iewes should not have had a cause to urge the taking away of the bodies from the Crosse so quickly nor Ioseph and Nicodemus to bury the body of Iesus so speedily and to interre it in the same place where hee was crucified which the Text sheweth they did on a sudden For the Iewes should have had all the evening and all the night following to procure the taking away of the bodyes Ioseph and Nicodemus should have likewise had time enough to imbalme transport and interre at leasure the body of the LORD where they should thinke fit This is distinctly observed by Saint Luke Chapter 23. verse 53 54. where he saith that the day wherein Ioseph laid the body of Iesus in a Sepulchre was the preparation and the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is drew on was a comming
is not repugnant S. Luke in the 23. chap. 56. vers Where he saith that the women after they had beheld the Sepulchre and how the Lords body was laid returned and prepared odours and ointments and rested the Sabbath day according to the Commandement which words seeme to import that they prepared their spices before the Sabbath For the order and coherence of these words doe not designe the like order and coherence of things but they must be understood after this manner being returned they prepared their odours And or rather But they rested the Sabbath day to wit first and before this preparation as appeareth by the conference of the 54. vers where it is said that when the body of Christ was laid in the tombe and the women beheld where it was laid the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drew on that is was at hand and ready to begin as hath beene said before So that it was impossible to them to prepare any kind of thing for the inbalming of Christ before the Sabbath Whence it followeth that sith then it was evening the end of the same Sabbath fell upon the dawning or evening of the night following and so was both the end of the last day of the weeke preceding and the beginning of the night following whereby the first day began And that was the time betokened by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned by Saint Matthew and the night preceding the first day of the weeke which he nameth afterward did belong to the said first day making with it the naturall and civill day of the Iewes and did not belong to the Sabbath For if it had pertained to the Sabbath and the first day of the weeke following the Sabbath had begun in the morning sith it is constant that before the Sabbath they prepared not their aromaticall drugs when should they have found the opportunity and leisure to prepare them They durst not doe it on the Sabbath day for it was a day of rest and of cessation from all work As also S. Luke saith Chap. 23. vers 56. That they rested the Sabbath day according to the Commandement After the Sabbath upon the first day of the weeke they could not doe it granting that this day began in the morning For very early in the morning as it was yet darke they went with their spices already bought and prepared And therefore we must of necessity say that they bought their spices in the evening after the Sunne was set and the Sabbath ended that during the night which was the beginning of the first day of the week they prepared these drugs and that in the morning of the same day they came to imbalme Iesus Which being so we must interpret the words of S. Matthew after such a sort that they may agree with the sayings of the other Evangelists And it is in no wise necessary to joyne the evening or the latter end of the Sabbath with the beginning of the light of the first day of the weeke as if the one and the other had met together in one time and at once as is pretended There is betweene these two the intervall of a night which pertained to this first day of the weeke and we may translate the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Marke speaketh that is in the evenining at the extremitie or latter end of the Sabbath this extremity being already come and past or in the evening that is in the night the first part thereof being taken for the totall after the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at that same houre or time which began to shine yet with a little remnant of the nights darknesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee the first day of the weeke that is the first day of light the first artificiall day which is a part of the naturall day Or wee may take these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the time that was to shine in the first day of the weeke For it was not S. Matthews intent to specifie unto us the immediate conjunction of the first day of the weeke with the Sabbath finishing but only at what point of time the woman came to the Sepulchre to wit at the first glimpse of the light of the first day of the weeke and hee made mention of the evening or of the latter end of the Sabbath in respect that the Sabbath had hindred them till then to apply themselves to this pious and charitable worke which they had intended 17 Moreover they produce a passage out of the twentieth chapter of the Acts vers 7. 11. where it is said that the Disciples in Troas being come together upon the first day of the weeke to breake bread Paul preaching unto them continued his speech untill midnight and after he had broken bread and eaten continued to talke unto them even till the breake of day In which words they pretend that the night is mentioned as the last part of the first day of the weeke But first nothing obligeth us to grant that the night there mentioned ought to be referred to the first day of the weeke For we may affirme as well that it pertained to the second day and made the beginning thereof The words of the Text are very well verified if we say that the first day of the weeke and towards the end thereof the Disciples were assembled and their assembly having begun about the end of the first day continued a good while with and after the beginning of the second day Paul because he was to depart on the morning after the first day taking this occasion to extend his discourse within the night following which was the beginning of another day There is no weight in the objection they make against this exposition saying that if it were true Paul had remained longer then seven dayes at Troas to wit a part of an eight day against that which is said in the sixth verse For they presuppose without any ground that Paul was not precisely but seven dayes at Troas which the Text saith not but only that he abode there seven dayes which should be very well expressed so although he had remained there a part of the eighth day which might have beene past under silence and not counted with the dayes going before because it was not a full and whole day but only a part of a day And putting the case that it should come within the compasse of the seven dayes of the Apostles aboade at Troas we may say it was taken for the seventh and last day For it is not told exactly on what day Paul came to Troas nor that he abode there full seven dayes but only in generall seven dayes Now although he had beene there but a part of the first and a part of the last of seven it may be well said that hee was there seven dayes
sinners But seeing there is no such commandement to bee found in them that it cannot bee gathered from them but by consequences which are of no force that no man is blamed in them for the inobservation of that day whereas under the Old Testament God taxed so often and so sharply those that kept not his Sabbaths this is to mee a most firme and assured proofe that neither IESUS CHRIST nor his Apostles have ordained it 6 I adde that if had beene an ordinance of Iesus Christ or of his Apostles undoubtedly the Apostles and other Ministers of the Gospell when they found and established the Christian Churches had established the observation of this day as a point of the will of Iesus Christ and of his service under the New Testament and it had beene kept equally by all the Churches For why had they not received it as well as the other points of the Christian Religion and doctrine of the Gospell sith the same authority obliged them therunto Now this is most true that the observation thereof was not practised throughout them all and became not universall wel setled but by the commandements and constitution of the Emperours There diverse imperiall constitutions for the observation of the first day of the weeke Eusebius in the fourth booke of the life of Constantine Chapter 16. and after him Sozomene in the first booke of his Ecclesiasticall History and in the 8 Chapter relateth that Constantine the first made a Law and ordained that on Sunday which is the first day of the weeke and on Friday all publike judgments should surcease that all other affaires should be intermitted that on these dayes all should apply themselves to serve GOD by prayers and supplications and that so he reverenced Sunday because on it Iesus Christ rose from the dead and Friday because on it hee was crucified 7 This passage is considerable For it sheweth that Sunday was not observed throughout al the Churches but that it was used as a work-day and that on it common pleas and publike judgements were practised whence we may conclude with a great shew of truth that it was not an institution of Christ nor of his Apostles For if it had beene questionlesse the observation thereof had beene better known and practised and Christians had thought themselves more obliged unto it for the commandement of Christ and of his Apostles then for any imperiall constitution The writers of that story telling also what reason Constantine had to make a constitution concerning the observation of Sunday say simply that he made it because on it Iesus Christ rose from the dead which indeed hath alwayes beene the foundation of this usage but they say not that it was because Iesus Christ and his Apostles had ordained which they ought not to be silent of if that had been true and it had been needlesse to alleadge any other reason 9 This is also worthy to be marked that Sozomen joyneth the Friday with the Sunday and saith that Constantine ordained that day as wel as this day That day because on it Christ was crucified this day because on it Christ rose againe Which sheweth plainely that the day of Christs Resurrection is not of it selfe more obligatory to make christians keep it then is the day of his passion upon the Crosse or of any other of his actions or sufferings That the one may yeeld as just and peremptory a cause thereof as the other that Christ also had not given a commandement more expresse and more necessary for the one then for the other but had left all this to the liberty of the Church For if he had given a particular commandement concerning Sunday it had bin in Constantine a great temerity to ordaine another day in equall ranke with that which Christ had ordained because he ought to thinke that Christ had good reasons for the institution of that day which had not beene valuable for any other day and that by the institution of one day in the weeke particularly and of no moe he would have all Christians to know that no man ought to attempt to institute any other besides that which he had instituted 9 Constantine had beene guilty of farre greater rashnesse and indiscretion by making Friday which was of his institution equall to Sunday which Iesus Christ had ordained yet he did so as is manifest by the words of Sozomen who maketh no ods betweene the ordinance made for Friday and that which was made for Sunday But seeing Constantine in what hee did did nothing amisse it is evident thereby that the observation of Sunday was not of divine institution but of usage and custome only which was not received every where nor well practised where it was received because it was not esteemed necessary Wherefore Constantine by his constitution made it necessary adding another like unto it for Friday all this is flat contrary to the assertion of those which to prove that Sunday is of divine institution yeeld this reason of their opinion that no humane authority can sanctifie a day And lo Constantine sanctified Friday ordaining that it should be imployed in exercises of Religion only wherof we shall speake againe something hereafter God willing 10 Socrates in the fifth booke and 21 Chapter of his Ecclesiasticall story marketh sundry customes in the Churches about the day of their assemblies which some kept in one day of the weeke some in another And saith expressely that Iesus Christ and his Apostles have not ordained any thing concerning holy dayes but have only given precepts of godlinesse and of an holy life And it is most likely that the Christian Churches which in the beginning God assembled among the Iewes kept not for a long while any other day for the exercise of their religion saving the 7th and last day of the week And it is a thing most certain that many Churches of the Gentiles especially in the last more than three hundred yeeres after Christ observed the Sabbath day of the Iewes with the Sunday and made of the one a day of devotion as well as of the other Saint Ignatius Martyr an hundred yeeres after Iesus Christ in his Epistle to the Magnesians exhorteth the Christians to observe the Sabbath not after the manner of the Iewes which there he describeth but after a spirituall and holy manner such as hee setteth downe and addeth that after they had observed the Sabbath they should also observe the first day of the weeke The Councell which met in Laodicea in the fourth age after Christ ordained that Christians must not keepe the Sabbath day and rest in it after the manner of the Iewes which sheweth that till then they observed it Nay according to the translations which we have the Councell did not forbid them absolutely to keepe the Iewish Sabbath but permitted it unto them if they would with this caveat that it were not after the fashion of the Iewes and that they should preferre Sunday before it
Law of God forbidding actions farre lighter and of farre lesser moment then all those that are particularized in the Law CHAPTER Second What is the obligation of Christians to the observation of Sunday for the manner of it 1. They are not bound by a Divine prohibition and for conscience sake to abstaine from any servile worke 2. First Reason the fourth Commandement bindeth them not thereunto 3. Second Reason the order of the Church neither doth nor can oblige their conscience to a Iewish abstinence 4. Third Reason Those of the contrary opinion urge not the riged abstinence of the Iewes from all manner of worke 5. Wherefore they should not urge any abstinence at all contrary to Christian liberty 6. For Christian liberty extends it selfe equally to all and is not restrained by the fourth Commandement 1 AS for Christians living under the New Testament they are not obliged to such an observation of their Sunday as the Iewes were to their Sabbath day And I beleeve not any worke externall corporall servile of their ordinary callings lawfull on another day to be unlawfull on that day by a divine prohibition and obligation of conscience to abstaine from it in consequence of such a prohibition 2 This resulteth by necessary consequence from that hath beene said before For if the fourth Commandement in as much as it prescribeth a certaine day of rest to wit a seventh day or the last of seven bindeth them not as hath beene shewed there is no reason why it should rather oblige them in the exact prohibition of all worke on the Sabbath day because this was as well a part of the ceremonies and government of the Iewish Church as was the appointment of a seventh day of Sabbath 3 If they keepe not their Sunday by Gods Commandement but according to the order and use of the Church as I have also proved no more are they bound by Gods Commandement to cease on Sunday from all their ordinary workes but only as farre as the use and order of the Church established for the publike exercise of Gods service on that day doth require it without any further obligation of their conscience Now this order cannot and should not oblige them to an abstinence like unto that of the Iewâ—s under the Oâ—d Testament For it were needfull for this that God himselfe had substituted Sunday to the Sabbath day and posted over to that day the rigorous right of this day commanding the same abstinence in the one and in the other which is not The substitution of one day to the other was done by the Church and the reasons of an abstinence so precise on the Iewish Sabbath which were wholly typicall having no place at all in the New Testament the said abstinence ought not to be any more in vigor neither ought our Sunday to usurpe the same rigour of authority over us to make us refraine from all kind of worke which the Sabbath day possessed over the Iewes by Gods expresse commandement 4 The same is easily proved by good reason grounded upon things which those against whom we dispute are constrained to advow For if Christians were obliged also to an abstinence of outward and servile workes which to the Iewes were unlawfull on the Sabbath day it must be in consideration and by vertue of the prohibitions given to the same Iewes in the fourth Commandement and in other places of the Old Testament to doe such workes on that day seeing otherwise to doe them is not a sinne if we consider the thing absolutely in it selfe This power of the fourth Commandement is extended to all Christians by those that are contrary to the opinion which I maintaine And neverthelesse they avouch almost all of them that under the Gospell we are delivered from the rigour of an exact observation such as was the observation that the Iewes were subjected unto that we have greater liberty that wee may on our Sabbath day kindle the fire make meat ready not only for our ordinary refection but also for feasts and bankets so they be not too sumptuous goe abroad for other ends then for Gods service as to walke and doe other such things and that without the case of urgent necessity which sometimes made them lawfull to the Iewes themselves They call such actions workes of Christian liberty which they acknowledge to be permitted to Christians although they were not permitted to the Iewes as were the workes of godlinesse mercy and urgent necessity whereof there is no difficulty but they may be done on the Sabbath day This only they require that these workes of Christian liberty bee done without scandall without any disturbance of Gods service and without any hinderance to the Sanctification of the Sabbath 5 Now it is most true that we are delivered from the necessity of this so rigid observation But I aske them wherefore we shall bee permitted to doe some workes which were prohibited to the Iewes on the Sabbath day as to kindle the fire prepare and dresse meat walke abroad without necessity and not other workes which were not forbidden more severely than the former as to plough sowe reape carry burthens c. The one and the other were alike unlawfull to the Iewes in vertue of the interdiction given in the fourth Commandement and reiterated so often elsewhere If this interdiction tyeth still our hands under the New Testament and suffereth us not to do these last workes and other such like I would faine know upon what ground they hold that it releaseth and suffereth us to doe these former workes What reason have they to extend our Christian liberty to the one and not to the other seeing there is no relaxation given us for the one more expressely than for the other Seeing also meanes may be found to doe the last as well as the first without scandall and without any let by either to the Sanctification of the Sabbath day 6 Therefore we must of necessity confesse that they are equally permitted or equally forbidden seeing the fourth Commandement maketh no distinction Now they advow that some workes are permitted to us which were by the fourth Commandement forbidden to the Iewes and are workes of Christian liberty Whence I conclude that all other workes are also of the same nature that we have liberty to doe them all on our Sunday and that as the fourth Commandement obligeth not Christians to keepe the seventh day which it prescribeth so precisely no more doth it oblige them to do no manner of worke on that day For these two parts of the Commandement are alike precise and the one is of as great authority as the other CHAPTER Third Answer to a reply made to the argument of the precedent Chapter 1. A generall reply that the workes forbidden particularly had reference onely to the abode of the people in the wildernesse 2. First Answer The Commandement to tary at home on the Sabbath day was perpetuall 3. Second Answer The prohibition to prepare meat was