rise from the dead on the seventh day Did he ever appear to his disciples on that day Did he breath forth the blessed Spirit on that day Did he ever preach a Sermon after his Resurrection on that day But I need go no further here is light enough if men had but eyes I hope by this time the Objector sees the invalidity of his second Argument that which he calls the Sons confirmation He proceeds to a third from the Spirits approbation of the seventh day What ever the blessed Spirit shall approve of Obj. 3 we may rest upon it as an infallible truth T. T. p. 81. to 94. But he has highly approved of the seventh day witness first his high applause of the pious womens resting on the seventh day according to the Commandment Luke 23. ult Which although it were after Christs crucifixion yet St Luke was not inspired to write his Gospel till after his ascention Secondly The Spirits glorious manifestation and mighty operation on the day of Pentecost Acts 2. Which he would fain perswade us to be the seventh day Thirdly The Spirits constant appellation calling the seventh day and none but that the Sabbath day c. Here is a great shew of Argument but it signifies little and concludes nothing when it comes to scanning For Although it seem to be spoken in praise of these holy women Answ 1 that they rested the Sabbath-day according to the Commandment yet as was elswhere noted this was before our Saviours resurrection not after And how ever they are commended for keeping the Sabbath before Christs resurrection yet others are condemned or sharply blamed for observing dayes the seventh day not excepted after Christs assention I mean as the Apostle does Jewish dayes Gal. 4.10 O but St. Luke wrote not his Gospel till after the ascention Answer What then was the old Sabbath therefore in force at that time by the same rule he may conclude the Passeover mentioned by the same Evangelist in the * ch 22 v. 7. foregoing Chapter was then in force too We are to judge of these womens practise according to the date of their act not according to the date of the Evangelists book Besides some take these words to be no commendation but a bare historical narration And if the particular day be here intended as referring to the Commandment they conceive it may be spoken signantèr and according to the original the Text may be rendered thus they returned and prepared spices and ointments * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rested that Sabbath day indeed according to the Commandment that is they rested indeed that Sabbath day but never after upon that day according to the Commandment Again others expound it thus it was not the particular day on which the Sabbath was then kept so much as their * Mr. Collier against Fisher p. 13 14. manner of keeping it which is looke at in referring to the Commandment and so the commendation pitches rather upon the quomodo then the quando therefore it is not said they rested the seventh day as T.T. prints it but they rested the Sabbath day or day of rest according to the Commandment the most that can be made of it is this that t is a commendable thing to dedicate a day of rest to religious and holy rest The Spirits appellation argues not his divine approbation Answ 2 my meaning is The Holy Ghosts often I cannot say alwayes calling the seventh day Sabbath day proves not his approbation of that day for our Christian weekly holy-day under the Gospel because under the same name and title he has bin pleased to disown that day Colos 2.16 No matter though it be sometimes called Sabbath after it was discharged for so is circumcision called circumcision and the other Festivals of the Jewes Pentecost especially called * 1 Cor. 16.8 Pentecost long after it was degraded from the dignity of a solemn Festival as a man may be called by his proper name afer he is dead and buried And so I might proceed to the refutation of his next notion about the feast of Pentecost viz. That it fell that year on the Saturday or seventh day but this shall receive a more full answer in a more fit and proper place His fourth and last Argument for the seventh day is from the Saints observation which runs chiefly upon the practice of Paul it would be too tedious to transcribe his whole story Take the strength of it as it follower in this plausible Objection As it was Christs constant custome to celebrate the seventh day Sabbath Luke 4.18 So it was Pauls Acts 172. Obj. 4 and such as his custome was such was his commission and we must be followers of Paul as he was of Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 t is his own rule Philip. 4.9 Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do Only it must be understood with these limitations that Pauls practice be plain possible peaceable Evangelicall and unrepealed for we may not follow Paul in his compliance with the Jewes in ceremonials no not to gain the Jewes But his practice in observing the seventh day was truly Evangelical and never in the least tittle repealed nor altered neither was it his single practice but the custome of all his companions and associates Acts 13.13 14. ch 15.40.16 13 17 24. And that not only among the Jewes but the Gentiles also Acts 13.42 ch 18.4 Therefore he did it not to please the Jewes but purposely for a pattern to the Gentiles Hence he exhorts the Corinthians Gentile Churches to follow him as he followed Christ and it was at Corinth that he kept the Sabbath Acts 18. Therefore this was the pattern wherein he would have them be his followers and us also for the Epistle is written to us as well as to them 1 Cor. 1.2 Thus he pleads Pauls custome and addes It was his constant custome and whereas saies he it is made a great Argument for the observation of the first day that Paul preached once that day Acts 20.7 it is as clear Paul preached every Sabbath-day Acts 18.4 Only the Translators have not dealt so clearly upon which account among others he charges them with sin yea with inexcuseable sin p. 139. because Acts 20.7 they render the word preaching for the greater advancement of the first day whereas Acts 18.4 they call it reasoning to obscure the seventh day although the Greek word be the same in both places Then he frames an objection against himself which he can never an swer Obj. Paul only took that opportunity to preach to the people To which he answers 1. They that object thus speak without book 2. They make the Apostle a constant dissembler 3. They may as warrantably lay this crime to Christ himself that he took such opportunities and not in conscience of the Sabbath Thus he words it out and casts seducing glosses upon the sacred Scriptures to beguile unstable
the mighty God King of Saints and King of Nations having all power in heaven and earth put into his hands alter a circumstance concerning the Sabbath by translating it from the last to the first day of the week Well if he had power to alter it then it was alterable which was the thing to be proved If it be said the question is not what the Lord could do but what he did whether he did indeed alter the Sabbath as to the day I answer we shall put this question out of question in the next Position POSITION IV. That the Old Sabbath was actually altered and changed from the last to the first day of the week by the authority of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and that upon the noble account of our Redemption manifestly accomplished by his most glorious resurrection from the dead on that day FOR the Confirmation whereof I shall First propound some Scripture-Arguments Secondly Produce some Authentick Records of antiquity both which we shall find harmoniously concurring in all the three branches of this Position First That the day is certainly changed Secondly That this change was occasioned by our Saviours most glorious Resurrection Thirdly That this was done by the Soveraign authority of Christ himself either immediately in his own person or mediately by the prescript and practise of his inspired Apostles either or which will be sufficient We shall begin with Scripture-proof and argument in way of Preface whereunto let it be premised that this truth is not Syllabically and totidem verbis in so many words at length set down in Scripture neither needs it considering the question in not about the change of the septenary number one day in seven but the order only the last for the first of seven and besides it is not the Lords method and manner of speaking in many other New Testament-cases as Church-Government Family-worship and sundry others which were plain enough in the Old Testament to express himself in full sentences but very briefly in short hints and touches here a little and there a little to exercise the ingenuity of believers not to fatisfie the curiosity of Cavillers The Scriptures were no more designed to answer all the cavilling questions of wanton wits then the Sun was made for them to see that shut their eyes yet I deny not the sufficiency of Scripture-light to make us wise unto salvation only we must not presume to give laws to Heaven and teach the Lord how to speak But a Hebr. 12.25 see that ye refuse not him that speaketh from heaven that speaketh I say not only by express word but by his b V. 24. blood or death and so also by his c Joh. 2.19 21. Rom. 1.3 4. resurrection from the dead by the d John 15.26 mission of his Spirit by the unction and inspiration of his Apostles whose writings are his words their counsels his commands their pattern and practise his e 1 Cor. 14.37 precept f Luke 10.16 for he that heareth them heareth him therefore let him that hath an ear hear the voice of Christ yea though he open his mouth in a parable to carnal reason g Psalm 78.1 Mat. 13.9 35. as it seems he does even in some of his Gospel-law yea let us hear Christ speaking by his Spirit I mean the spirit of Prophecy breathing in the Old Testament for h Rev. 19.10 the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of Prophecy nay let us learn to spell his word out of his works for his i John 5 36. ch 10. 25. works do testifie of him In a word consider it is k Luke 11.49 Wisdome it self that uttereth her voice in the written word and she useth to speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much in a little yea to speak by l Mat. 22.32 Acts 14.47 arguments couched in Scripture as well as express affirmations and what those Scripture-arguments are which speak the change of the Sabbath as here stated we come now to shew The first may be taken from the new Creation Arg. 1 or reparation of the world by Christ as thus Incongruum erat veteris Creationis Sabbathum novae Creatimi Lighâ—f Horae Hebr. p. 321. ubi plura The new Creation must have a new Sabbath or set-day of Commemoration now this new Creation came in by Christs resurrection Therefore a new Sabbath The form of this argument I grant is not found in Scripture but the force of it is as shall be seen in the proof of each proposition 1. That the new Creation must have a Sabbath of Commemoration This may not only be gathered from parity of reason but plain Scripture prophecy I might recite that forementioned famous Text in Isai ch 65. 17. Behold I create new heavens and a new earth and the former shall no more be remembred i. e. in respect of solemnity for otherwise remember the work of Creation we do and must but not as the greater work for look as the Jews m Isai 43.18 19. Jer. 16.15 16. ch 23. 7 8. deliverance out of Egypt was subordinated by their after-deliverance out of Babylon so is the work of Creation by that of Redemption whereby the world at least the Church was put into a new frame and form Anno Mundi changed for Anno Domini upon the account whereof as the year of the world was worthily changed for the year of our Lord so was the old Sabbath for the Lords day But that which I would further argue from Isai 65. is this The old Sabbath cannot stand with the new Creation therefore it must have a new or none This was touched before Posit 1. that there should be none at all none but old Anabaptists Familists and Atheists will affirm And that the old cannot stand is evident because the foundation on which it stood the memory and celebrity of the worlds Creation is swallowed up by the glory of a greater work Sicuti Sol exoriens stellis eripit suum fulgorem Calv. in Loc. and we cannot possibly retain that old seventh day but we must memorize our Creation above our Redemption our being above our well-being which were expresly to contradict this ancient promise and Prophecy If it be objected that this Scripture is not yet fulfilled because the Apostle sayes 2 Pet. 3.12 we look for new heavens and a new earth viz. at the end of the world I answer Although it shall then receive a further accomplishment in the latter yet inchoatively and sufficiently as to the thing in question it was fulfilled long ago even before the name Jew was laid aside and the name Christian take up Isai 65.15 So ch 62. 2. for let the context be minded vers 15. the Prophet foretels the rejection of the Jews and the change of their name for the Christian name Ye shall leave your name for a curse to my people Ac si Dominus diceret non amplius nomen
the Sabbaths here specified were a shadow of things to come whereas the Lords day as one well observes is only a memorial of something past to wit the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ So that to argue from hence against all difference of dayes under the Gospel as the old Anabaptists and Familists do is evidently to stretch the Text beyond the stapse But to urge it against all the Jewes Holy-dayes their weekly Sabbath and all is not at all to force it For First The Apostle seemes to speak distinctly and distributively enumerating the several sorts of dayes in observation among the Jewes Holy-day New moons Sabbaths and the gradation from yeerly holy-dayes to monthly new Moons and from them to weekly Sabbaths is visible enough to such as are not blinded with prejudice See Mr. Shepheard Thes 20. part 2. Secondly The plural term Sabbaths is usually put for the singular the Sabbath or seventh day now under dispute Yea I cannot find any one Text in all the new Testament where it is applied in the same number to any other day or Sabbath but the old seventh-day-Sabbath * Math. 12.1.5.10.12 Mark 1.21 ch 2 24. ch 3. v. 2. Lu. 4.31 ch 13 v. 10. Acts 13 14. in all these Texts t is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seven or eight times the same word as it is here set down in the plural number is used for that old weekly Sabbath and not so much as once for any yearly Sabbath therefore inall reason that precise weekly Sabbath must be here I willnot say in cluded only but principally intended Thirdly * 2 Kin. 4.23 even in the old Testament where ever New Moons and Sabbaths go coupled together unless the phrase be figurative 1 Chro. 23.31 2 Cron. 1.4 ch 8.13 ch 31 v. 3. Nehem. 10.33 Ezek. 45.17 Hos 2.11 Amos 8.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in Isai 66.23 the Jews weekly Sabbath is denoted by it as appears by those several Scriptures cited in the margin in most of which their annual Sabbaths are excepted and distinguished by another name scil Feasts to which answers the words holy-day in this place Colos 2.16 For indeed the word in the original fignifies a feast or festival day Thus let Scripture expound Scripture and truth will be truth in spight of errour take the whole sentence together holy-day new Moon Sabhaths and if it be an Old Testament-phrase it alwayes implies the old seventh day-Sabbath or take the words Sabbaths singly by it self and if it be a New Testament-term as 't is like it is it ever I think I may truely say ever signifies the same seventh day unless when it is put for the week which here it cannot be The conclusion then is undeniable that the Jews seventh day Sabbath was a shadowy Sabbath and therefore it cannot be our Christian Sabbath for what have we to do with shadowes under the Sun-shine of the Gospel under the clear and bright discoveries of Christ 2 Cor. 3.18 when we may with open face as in a glass behold the glory of the Lord. Oh that the spirit of truth would take away that vail that lies upon the hearts of men that vail of errour and darkness which keeps out the light of this truth for a truth it is a plain truth as plain as Scripture can make it that the Sabbaths here mentioned were a shadow of things to come and I have made it evident that the old Sabbath as to the day is here chiefly intended it is not necessary that I should trouble the Reader to tell him my judgment what kind of shadow it was or what was shadowed by it in particular whether Christs rest that day full and whole in the grave or his rest the next day from the grave or a believers rest in Christ a compleat Saviour But this is certain a shadow it was of which something in Christ was the body and the body being come the shadow must be gone And so I might proceed to another argument but I must first remove some objections wherewith the Adversary has indeavoured to block up our way But all in vain First he tells us T.T. Obj. 1. p. 23.24 25. 't is evident at first sight that only such Sabbaths are ceased as were shadows of good things to come but the seventh day was never such a Sabbath A sign indeed of good things past and present it was but never termed a shadow of things to come This proceeds upon his accustomed fallacy Answ petitio principij a begging of the thing in question for he would make us believe that the old seventh day was none of the Sabbaths here intended which if we deny as we do then he has lost his conclusion for in this very Text it is termed a shadow of things to come what if we grant it a sign of something past so were the annual Sabbaths as he calls them Passeover Pentecost c. the one of their preservation in Egypt the other of the giving of Gods law yet both shadowes of things to come or else the Apostle was much mistaken The blessed Spirit by two other terms declares clearly what Sabbaths are ceased Ob. 2 1. Such as were against us 2. Contrary to us and such were those annual Sabbaths requiring great labour and travel in coming three times a year from all parts to Jerusalem the seventh day-Sabbath was never in the least against us nor contrary to us unless so far as we are against God and contrary to him as 't is elsewhere added 'T is very questionable Answ 1 whether these three annual Festivals Passeover Pentecost and the feast of Tabernacles be ever termed Sabbaths in Scripture indeed the Sabbatical years as every seventh year and every fiftieth year ae five or six times termed a Levit. 25.8 c. 26.34 35 43. Sabbaths 2 Chron. 36.21 but the Jews themselves could never say these were against them or contrary tot hem the one being a year of rest to their lands the other a year of release to their servants The weekly Sabbath or seventh day directly intended in the fourth Commandment I grant is nto againt us Answ 2 neither are we against it we own it we observe it and shall do I trust till we enjoy our everlasting Sabbath in Heaven But The seventh-day-Sabbath imposed upon the Jews or rather the hand-writing of Ordinances not Gods hand-writing but Moses hand writing was in some sense against us Gentiles and contrary to us as it was a piece of that old partition-wall which separated the Jewes from the Gentiles and occasioned b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Compare Col. 2.14 with Ephes 2.14 15 16. See the Dutch Annot. enmity between them that such a division or partition-wall there was we read in Ephes 2. whereby the Jews and Gentiles were parted and shut up as it were one from another that there was no correspondency between them and the symboll of this
the first day of the week not directly indeed but by very good consequence as Mr. Cawdrey and Mr. Byfield do convincingly argue it For sayes the one our Saviour does here speak of a Sabbath indefinitely and a Sabbath to be observed long after his death even at the destruction of Jerusalem and this was spoken to his disciples apart from the multitude sayes the other v. 3. and the period of time here pointed at was forty years after his death when the Jewish Sabbath was gone and the Gospel sufficiently published whereby the ceremonial Law was evacuated and become not only dead but deadly Not that the old Law of a Sabbath the fourth Commandment was then out of force but the Law of the old Sabbath And then the conclusion is this Christ shewes a Sabbath to continue and a religious respect due to a Sabbath still after his death yet not the Jewes Sabbath therefore he intended the Christian Sabbath to be observed according to the fourth Commandment As for the Jewes Sabbath t is certain that it was void at this point of time yea long before this forewarned flight the Apostles and Christians had their assemblies apart from the other Jewes and kept the Lords day the first day of the week as on the Great day of Pentecost Acts 2. and at Troas Acts 20.7 And although sometimes the Apostles did preach on the seventh day yet as Mr. C. notes it was only before the time mentioned Acts 20 never after and only in other Cities abroad not at Jerusalem for there we never read a word of the Sabbath in all the story of the Acts. I conclude therefore with that reverend Author that no reason can be given why our Saviour in this prophetical caution should regard the Jewish Sabbath but altogether the contrary in regard the Christians inhabiting in Jerusalem and the Coasts about Judea preferred the Lords day before it and it would be grievous to gracious hearts to have their holy rest interrupted with the noise of warlike tumults and the hurry of a tumultuous flight well might the disciples be taught to pray Lord when ever we be driven from the place of our Residence let it not be on a day of holy rest for that would be as uncomfortable to our souls as a winters flight would be cumbersome to our bodies Not that it would be sinful or unlawful when life lay at stake to flye on the Sabbath for to save a mans life is a Sabbath-dayes duty and a matter of far greater moment then to leade a beast to the water or pull an oxe out of a pit both which are allowable it may therefore be scored down among the rest of T. T 's errors and oversights that he makes it a sin to flye on the Sabbath day when peril of life puts a man upon it for hâ— terms it a dishonor to God and prophaning his sacred season p. 77. and yet he sayes in the next page That had their flight bin on the Sabbath as long as they carried nothing they could not be counted Transgressors Which may pass for another of his contradictions But for a closure to this answer we have deliberately weighed our Saviours words and sayings concerning the Sabbath but cannot find that ever he spake one word or one syllable in countenance of the old seventh day as the Sabbath of Christians his words prove no such thing And lastly Whereas his workes are pleaded as the crown of that day Answ 4 I am content if the author think good to venture the whole weight of the cause in this bottom That day which Christ has crowned with his greatest wonders is to be most highly esteemed among Christians 'T is his own grant p. 78. and 't is a truth now let him have but a little patience and we shall prove by undeniable Arguments that in this respect the first day of the week carries away the Crown from all other dayes old Sabbath and all If Christs resurrection his often apparitions the mission of his Spirit the inspiration of his Apostles the conversion of three thousand souls ot once be worthy the name of wonders surely the first day of the week is a day of wonder a day of honor and renown above all the dayes that ever the Sun shone upon The most glorious day that ever God created the most solemn day that ever the Church celebrated a day that has crowned Christ and a day that Christ himself has crowned with the greatest glory of any day that ever dawned upon the world Rom. 1.4 I speak but the words of truth and soberness Luke 13.32 Psalm 118.24 Joh. 20.22 23. Cant. 3.11 the Lords day is no day of small things 't is the day of the Lords power the day of his perfection the day of his praise and glory the day of his bounty and blessing the day of his espousals and of the gladness of his heart which can be understood so properly of no day as of this the Resurrection day Let prophane Esaus despise it and proud Notionists oppose it at their peril Behold King Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals and in the day of the gladness of his heart never was Christ more visibly Crowned by his Church then on the Lords day which also was the day of his espousals when he was made sure to his Church by a sure Covenant even the sure mercies of David Hos 2.19 20. Acts 13.34 but let neither of them blame me if I honor and esteem it above all dayes till they can shew me another day which the Saviour of the world has honored and exalted above it Never tell me of one or two miracles wrought on the seventh day yet I desire to adore Christ in all his miracles but shew me such a confluence of wonders and wonderful transactions wrought by him whose name is wonderful on that day as on this and I will confess I have lost the day Alas It cannot be that one transcendent act the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the dead the finishing act of our Redemption weighs down all the honor of the seventh day with advantage 'T is objected that our Saviour was pleased to put forth his Divine vertue on the seventh day in sundry miracles miracles of healing and the like I answer 'T is very true and to him be all the glory But if it were an honor to that day that our Heavenly physitian healed the sick what a Crown of glory was it to his own day that he raised the dead Yea that being dead he raised himself from the dead so also if he dignified the seventh day by casting out unclean Spirits how much more the first day by sending his holy Spirit If his preaching in the Synagogues were an honor to the seventh day how much more his presenting himself in that great Assembly of Divines twice at least on the first day of the week Did Christ ever
Zech. 4.7 Temple was finished the head-stone was brought forth with shouting crying grace grace thereunto So here when the work of our redemption should be finished and Christ exalted as head and corner-stone of his Church by his triumphant Resurrection the Holy Ghost intimates the solemn gratulation and publick praise that the Church should offer on that day So we are to understand the next words were as c Isal 56.7 Mal. 1.11 usually New Testament-worship is set forth in an old Testament-dress v. 27. God is the Lord which hath she wed us light light indeed when the Sun of righteousness arises he has made it a day of light and gladness to poor self-condemned sinners therefore bind ye the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar That is offer to the Lord the sacrifice of publick praise and thanksgiving verse 29. Oh give thanks unto the Lord for he is good his mercy endureth for ever So that t is evident a day of solemn worship is here intended and Christs resurrection day is principally pointed at as a day which the Lord would institute and a day which the Church should celebrate Saying This is the day which the Lord hath made let us be gland and rejoyce therein What a plain Scripture-proof is this of Divine authority of the Lords day So plain that the adversary is forced to grant it page 61. It must needs be meant of Christs resurrection-day saies he and when he wrote his first book he excited Christians to the weekly celebration of it Whereas in a late railing pamphlet since he seekes to smother the light and evidence of this Text by a silly evasion that the Psalmist speaks not of every first day of the week but Easter-day as may be conjectured But I shall easily shake off this slight exception Away with conjectures let us search the Scriptures what day does the Holy Ghost in Scripture call Christs resurrection-day Ask Matthew Mark Luke and John they 'l tell you Math. 28.1 Mark 6.2 Luke 24.1 John 20.1 19. t is the first day of the week the day of the year is never mentioned nor the day of the month on which Christ arose but the day of the week only to teach us doubtless that Christs resurrection-day must be no yearly or monthly but a weekly solemnity Good reason that the work of Redemption should have as frequent a commemoration as the work of Creation had Now ponder this good Reader and the Lord print it upon thy heart the day of the Saviours Resurrection prophetically extolled in the old Testament as the day which the Lord hath made is historically noted down in the New Testament as the first day of the week and now we shall draw an argument which I hope will be an arrow of conviction to the contrary-minded the rather because it comes out of Gods own quiver thus the day of Christs resurrection is the day which he Lord hath made for duties of solemn worship but the first day of the week is the day of Christs Resurrection therefore the first day of the week is the day which the Lord hath made for duties of solemn worship The proposition is warranted by the Testimony of the Psalmist the assumption is confirmed by the harmony of all the four Evangelists the conclusion therefore will stand as long as the world stands namely that the first day of the week is a day of divine institution mark'd out by the finger of God the spirit of Christ for a day of solemn weekly worship under the Gospel For as I hinted before the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy * Acts 1.16 2 Tim. 3.16 1 Pet. 1.11 and ch 3.19 Rom. 15.4 It was by the spirit of our great Prophet that all the Prophets of old did speak Like stars they all borrowed their light from this Sun they were irradiated and inspired by Christ and when a holy Prophet foretels such a thing shall be we may as confidently build upon it as if Christ himself had said I will have it so For indeed it is the voice of Christ that speaks in the old Testament as well as in the new And possibly this may be one reason why the Lord Christ has spoken so little in the Gospel concerning some new Testament-ordinances as the Lords day for one namely because the Prophets had spoken so much before and Christ would not take off his people from the study of the old Testament upon which the authority of the new does so much depend Me thinks as to the controversie of the Christian Sabbath this should abundantly satisfie any sober Christian that the day of Christs resurrection was prophesied of by David and others as a day which the Lord would make and institute and accordingly practised by the inspired Apostles upon the first day of the week and this practice perpetuated by the Church of Christ the Catholick Church in all ages since for above sixteen hundred years What can be objected with any colour of reason against so clear a truth Christ hath not left one syllable for the institution or celebration of this day T.T. p. 120. Answ Not one syllable Why did he not grant before that Psalm 118. compared with Acts 4. Must needs be meant of the resurrection-day and does not the spirit speak expresly Mr. Perkins in his cases of conscience argues for the Christian Sabbath from this text Cyprian Austin and Ambrose and all the ancients who have ever cited or saluted this place Psalm 118. do expound it and understand it of the Lords day See Mr. L. strange This is the day which the Lord hath made Is it a day of the Lords making and will he make nothing of that What else can be made of it but a prediction of a Divine institution which is equivalent to a precept especially when expounded by Apostolical practice as this has been Let it be seriously considered in what other sense can a day made long before in respect of Creation be stiled the day which the Lord hath made than in respect to a divine institution An institution then it is and the occasion of it Christs resurrection which was the concluding act of our Redemption and what an impression of glory does this stamp upon the day above all the dayes that God ever made the seventh day and all As some * years are crowned with Gods goodness above others so dayes also The work crownes the day as I have often said and the greater the work the greater the day now that work in which God is most glorified in all his attributes must needs be the greatest work such is the work of Redemption Quasi hactenus nullus fuerit in orbe dies Mollerus in Loc. therefore the day set apart in commemoration of it must wear away the crown from all other dayes Such is Christs resurrection-day therefore Emphatically stiled The day which the Lord hath made as if there had never been
other arguments as prophetical prediction Psalm 118. and Apostolical practice Acts 20. allege this as one proof of our Christian Sabbath That Christ Jesus our Lord was often seen upon it seen in assemblies of his Saints seen in his royal robes in his state of immortality and not only seen but heard preaching peace to poor sinners opening Scriptures cheering quickening warming cold dead sad hearts for when the disciples saw him they were * Luke 24.32 John 20.21 glad and their hearts did burn within them while he opened the Scriptures to them and all this on the first day of the week T is true after this double apparition our Saviour appeared on a working day as the disciples were a fishing and that was the third time of shewing himself or the third day of his appearing John 21.3.14 But what of this The disciples were sufficiently confirmed in the authority and solemnity of the Lords day by the two former apparitions therefore well might Christ appear the third time upon a working day and countenance worki-day-business by his presence to teach his disciples and us that every day is not a Sabbath day But this fishing-day is not named it might as well be on the Jewes Sabbath as any other day of the week for ought appeares to the contrary in the Text yet I do not say it was I will not speak where the Scripture is silent How often the first day of the week was celebrated by our Saviour between his Resurrection and ascension is not punctually set down in Scripture Junius is confident for every week But there is good evidence for the two first and none against the three last Much may be said for that famous apparition on a Mountaine in Galilee which learned Lightfoot Math. 28.16 17 19 20. Fenner and others conclude without doubt to have been on the first day of the week Mar. 16.15 16. Now the ascension-day drawes on and Christ withdrawes his Corporal presence from his disciples but on the day of Pentecost he visits them again by his spiritual presence Acts 2. And that this also was on the first day of the week shall be fully clear'd when we come to the fourth mark Lastly Rev. 1.10 Some years after all these it pleased the Lord Jesus to appear again on this day Namely to his servant John in the Isle of Patmos little paradise we may call it for the presence of Christ makes a wilderness a paradise especially so much of his presence as this blessed Apostle now enjoyed more than ever was vouchsafed to any man upon earth since Christ went up to Heaven I was in the spirit sayes he upon the Lords day what then Why v. 12. I saw seven Golden Candle-sticks and v. 13. In the midst of them one like the son of man So like him that indeed it was the son of man the man Christ Jesus on the Lords day then John saw Jesus Christ in the midst of his Churches filling them with his blessed presence that day above all others and holding the stars in his right hand that is holding forth Heavenly light by the Ministry of the word on that day especially this John saw and this he is commanded to set down in writing verse 19. and accordingly written it is and written for our learning upon whom the ends of the world are come And what may we learn from it Surely this at first view viz. That in St. Johns time the Golden Churches of Christ were wont to meet Gospel-Ministers to preach and Christ himself to be present with them by his spirit on the Lords day And this is written for a pattern to after-ages and there is a * Verse 3. blessing pronounced on those that read and keep the things that are written in this book Blessed be Christ for this blessed book here we have another glorious appearance of Christ on the Lords day not to one man only or one Church only but seven Churches in which no doubt there were more then seven thousand soules and that this Lords day was also the first day of the week none but peevish spirits ever question'd Ignatius who was trained up in the School of this great Apostle and in all reason was most likely to know his terms * Epist ad Magnes clearly makes it a weekly holy-day observed by Christians in the room of the abrogated Sabbath of the Jewes Yea the Lords day was never taken for other than the first day of the week by any Christian writer in any age since the dayes of St. John till this last age of liberty and lyes that ever I could see or learn Fathers Councils Schoolmen ancient modern writers two or three of this generation excepted do constantly understand it of Christs Resurrection-day the first day of the week and one would think the constant Dialect of the Church of Christ a sufficient Dictionary to interpret a word or phrase in Scripture especially in such a sense as does not cross but correspond with Scripture So does this for how agreeable to Scripture is it to take the Lords day for that day which the Lord hath made Besides 't is observable that this same beloved disciple who was so exact in penning the first apparition John 20. is a spectator of the last Rev. 1. and just as he had related that he sees this the circumstances are remarkable John 26.19 26. Christ appears in the midst of the disciples and Rev. 1.13 in the midst of the Candle-sticks or Churches John 20.19 he appears upon the Resurrection-day arguing his Resurrection and Rev. 1.18 repeating the same argument Saying I am he that liveth and was dead and have the keyes of death and hell To say no more John 20. he appeared on the first day of the week and here again upon the day under a new name the Lords day because it appeared by his Resurrection and former apparitions to be the day which the Lord had owned above other dayes yea the day which the Lord had made and instituted Thus we see how Christs often appearing on this day tends to the further marking out of the day But this mark is sorely shot at objections come thick but short answers will serve when nothing is objected but what has been answered by others or nothing to any purpose He is not ashamed to say T. T. Obj. 1. p. 121. I beleeve it will be found upon inquiry that Christ never appeared to any assembly no not any one first day for it is most certain that the day upon the Scripture-account begins with the evening Now upon the Resurrection-day we find Christ at the village seven miles from Jerusalem when it was towards evening and the day far spent Luke 24.29 30. after which he supped with the two which took up some time then they returned that seven miles and a half to Jerusalem on foot so that by that time they came there the day must be quite spent and though t is
of his Kingdom Our Saviour made them a kind of Letter of Atturney as one speaks to speak and act in his Name as if he himself had been personally present c John 20.21 As my Father sent me so send I you and d Luke 10.16 Non minùs ratum est quod Apostoli dictante S.S. P. tradiderunt quà m quod ipse Christus tradidit Cyprian he that heareth you heareth me Neither does this extend only to their Verbal preaching but to their visible preaching also their practice I mean at least in things Evangelical and of moral general perpetual concernment to the Churches of Christ otherwise why is their practice propounded as our Patern e Philip. 3.17 Walk as ye have us for an ensample And f Philip. 4.19 Those things which ye have seen in me do And again Be g 1 Cor. 11.2 followers of me as I am of Christ sayes the great Apostle Yea not only the Apostles themselves but the first Churches planted by them are imitable paterns to other Churches especially in things apperteining to the publick exercise of Gospel-worship h 1 Thes 2.14 we may exemplifie both together in the observation of the Lords day not once but often not by single persons only but by sundry Churches and Church-assemblies met on this day That general Assembly Acts 2.1 when they were all together with one accord we have already proved to have been upon this high and holy day and how they keep it we have seen and how God crowned it with the effusion of his holy Spirit as also the Conversion of souls is further considerable For 't is very probable that not only the three thousand Acts 2.41 but the other five thousand also Acts 4.3 were all converted upon this day of Pentencost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 3.1 notes identity of time as 2 Sam. 21.9 Deut. 25.5 and the ninth hour ch 3. hath reference to the third hour ch 2. See Dr. Lightfoots Harm in Acts. For it was but the third hour of the day or nine a Clock in the morning when the first Sermon was preached which brought in the three thousand Acts 2.15 and at the ninth hour that is about three a clock in the afternoon Peter and John went into the Temple Acts 3.1 wrought a glorious miracle preacht another powerful Sermon which gained five thousand more Ch. 4. such a Spirit of Conversion was never poured out upon any day as this Well might the Holy Ghost call it i Psalm 120.3 the day of the Lords power the adversary acknowledges it was spoken of this very day Again As this Church at Jerusalem so the Churches of Corinth and Galatia kept this day too as shall presently appear from 1 Cor. 16.2 and so the Church of Troas in Phrygia Acts 20.7 which was a neighbour Church to them of Galatia And the like may be said for the seven Churches of Asia for upon the Lords day St. John saw them all in a vision and saw Christ in the midst of them saw him as the Saints have been wont to see him in his glorious goings in the sanctuary walking amidst his golden Candlesticks Psalm 68.14 Isai 30.20 with stars in his hand that is Gospel-Ministers shining like stars in the Firmament of the Church and diffusing the light of the glorious Gospel in the actual exercise of their Ministry on this day especially Yea upon this day John himself was ravished in spirit which made the place of his exile like Pauls third Heaven to him now I demand how this could come to pass that so many several Churches as the Church at Jerusalem Corinth Galatia Troas Ephesus Thyatira and the rest many of which were at a great distance one from another should so unanimously consent and concurr in keeping this day if the Apostles by the authority of Christ had not setled it as an Ordinance in all Christian Churches Let any rational man tell me how all these Apostolical Churches should so early and in the beginning of their plantation consent together to keep the same day unless they had been directed by their first founders the holy Apostles themselves Add to this the joint and uniform practice of all Christian Churches in all succeeding ages since and he ha's hardly the faith of a Christian if the reason of a man that dares so much as question the divine authority of the Lords day for whence came this universal agreement all the Christian world over that all the Churches of Christ should so early so * Even Herericks themselves and such as were for the Jewes Sabbath as Ebion and his followers did alwayes observe the Lords day also Euseb lib. 3. and so do the Ethiorick Churches to this day as Dr. Heiten testifies universally so constantly observe this day not one Church ever attempting to alter it but from some authority superior to the Churches themselves Certainly such customes as were never ordained by Christ or his Apostles were never observed by all Christian Churches throughout the world as the Lords day hath been Such unity of custom in universality of place with perpetuity of practice all meeting together in that which ha's some footing in Scripture must needs argue a divine institution yea if there had been no express Scripture testimony of the Apostles practice and observation of it as our Divines do solidly argue for the baptisme of infants although there be no express precept nor express example of it found in Scripture yet the grounds and reasons of it being found in Scripture with the general practice of the Church concurring we dare not but own it and maintain it How much more the Lords day yea if there had been neither precept nor practice of it in Scripture as long as the grounds of it are laid in Scripture namely a Moral law for the substance of it as one day in seven and a prophesie for the particularity of the Church without any contradiction till these last disputing dayes wherein men are grown so bold as to deny principles I do the rather instance this because I have to deal with an Anabaptist who confidently calls the baptiseing of grown persons * Let him shew me one Scripture for that if he can either precept or president for the baptiseing of such at years of diferetion as were born of Christian parents To tell us of the Apostles baptiseing men and women is no newes but were they such men and such women as are plunged now adaies no verily they were not born of baptized Christian parents as blessed be God we are born of Christian parents a flourishing truth after it ha's been convicted and condemned by the learnedest pens in Christendom for a foolish error But to come to that I aim at let me advise this man in coole blood to ask his own conscience this question namely whether or no if he could find in Scripture expresse Apostolical practice consequential proof satisfies me and others for
the dead For on the day before Saturday they crucified him and on the day following Saturday which is Sunday appearing to his Apostles and Disciples he taught these things Here we have both the Doctrine and practice of the Lord's day in the purest times attested by this holy Man and Martyr First he informs us how they kept the day and secondly why they kept it namely because it was the first day Christs Resur rection-day and the day of his apparition to his Disciples whom he taught and instructed so to do it seems the holy Martyrs in the Primitive times were satisfied with these Scripture-Arguments for the Lords day which now the wrangling wits and lusts of men do nothing but storm against But here it may be objected t is true here is plain and positive testimony for the observation of the Lords day but here is nothing for the Negative nothing against the old Sabbath Why mightn ot both dayes be kept in Justin Martyrs time does he ever deny that the Churches of Christ then kept the Saturday-Sabbath I answer yes his Testimony is as full against the Jews Sabbath as for the Lords day witness his Dialogue or dispute with Trypho that obstinate Jew I shall recite a few passages of it verypregnant to this purpose Trypho's grand Objection was this a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 175. num 30. That the Christians did neither observe the Festival days nor Sabbaths nor Circumcision and mereover that they placed their hope in a crucified man Now see how the blessed Martyr answers him partly by granting his Objection For he tels him b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 182. n. 10. we also should verily observe your Circumcision and Sabbaths and all your Festival dayes did we not know the reason for which these things were imposed upon you And again c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If saies he we patiently endure the most horrible torments that men and divels can devise to inflict upon us why is it that we do not also observe your carnal Circumcision and Sabbaths and Holydays which hurt us not In which words he freely grants that the Christians in his time did not observe the Jews Sabbath and although the Jews condemned them for it yet he justifies them in it and uses many Arguments to vindicate their non-observance of it As 1. Because since the coming of Christ there is no need of it no need of the shadow when the substance is come yea there is no place left for it 't is done away by Christ for in this sense I take it the Father here speaks that d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Sabbath together with Sacrifices Oblations and Festival dayes began with Moses he means I suppose in the second Edition not the first Institution of them so they were appointed by the Council of God the Father to cease and end with Christ Where by the way observe he useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular number to shew that it was the old seventh day Sabbath which he chiefly contested against and indeed this was the string that Trypho chiefly harp't upon perswading Justin and his fellow Christians thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first to be circumcised then to keep the Sabbath and so he might obtain mercy still it must be restrained to the Jewish Saturday-Sabbath matcht with Circumcision and orher Legal Ordinances the Christian Sabbath is not the subject of this dispute this then is his first Argument the Christians neither did nor could observe that old Sabbath because it ended with Christ And 2. e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 187. Because now there is a new Covenant and a new Law gone out of Zion 3. f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 118. Because the beleeving Gentiles may attain Gods heavenly inheritance without the observation of it After the proposeal of these and sundry other Arguments Trypho moves a Captious Query viz. whether if a man that knew Christ and beleeved in him still observed these legal customes he could be saved To which our zealous and pious Martyr returns this Christable yet for midable answer g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In my Judgment O Tripho such a one shall or may be saved provided he do not industriously labour to perswade others especially those among the Gentiles that are converted to Christ to observe the same things with himself telling them that otherwise they cannot be saved For such it seems he had but little Charity Now to sum up all however the opinion and judgment of this antient and eminent Father may be despised by scorners Yet I hope his Testimony will be embraced by all soberminded Christians And this we have both fully and faithfully transcribed The conclusion is this that the Churches of Christ in Justin Martyr's time had renounced the Saturday-Sabbath and celebrated the Sunday or Lords day for the day of weekly solemn worship and this was long before Anti-Christ came to his throne Which I the rather note as a seasonable check to that blasphemous sacrilegious position of the adversary viz. that the change of the Sabbath was an invention of Anti-Christ Oh impudence Was Justin Martyr who shed his blood for Christ a limb of Anti-Christ Did he plead for Baal in asserting the observation of the Lords day and rejection of the Jewes Sabbath by all the Churches of Christ Were the precious Saints and glorious Martyrs in those early dayes devoted to the inventions of Anti-Christ Yea in those bloody dayes when for Christs sake they were killed all the day long and led like sheep to the slaughter Yea in those extraordinary apostolical dayes while the Spirit of prophecy was yet breathing and the power of miracles yet working in the Churches of Christ witness Justin Martyr himself who testifies h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dial. cum Trypho 191. See Mr. Baxter Spirits witness to the truth of Christianity p. 21. That even in his time the Divels did tremble at the name of Christ and that being adjured by that sacred name they became subject unto them Yea for some years after t his for Tertullian and after him Cyprian made publick challenges to the Pagan persecuting rulers to bring their possessed with Divels into the Christian assemblies and if they did not cast them out and make them confess themselves to be Divels and Christ to be the Son of God they were content to suffer Which may conciliate credit to the testimony at least of these renowned antients well the change of the Sabbath is confirmed by the practice of the Church in Justin Martyrs time And now we are upon the year of our Lord 160. Dionysius 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb l. 4. c. 22. or thereabout And here we meet with another testimony Of Dionysius Bishop of Corinth who in an Epistle of his Soter Bishop of Rome writes thus we have spent or passed through to the end of it the Lords day to