by God for the use of the Ministers of the Church they must of necessity grant that God hath appointed a time in which they must attend his worship to whom in their opinion he hath granted Tythes because it is the same authority that must both define the Worship and a fit time for performing of that Worship Now for establishing the Divine institution of this day we must not have recourse to that spurious scroul that as it 's reported in the third tome of Councils was sent down from Heaven to Hierusalem because that what things the Holy Ghost hath revealed to us in Scripture they do demonstrate it to all to be Divine of those that embrace the truth and for the fabulous fooleries about this matter we leave them to the Papists whose Kingdome had long since fallen without their support and we will briefly according to our manner examine what light may be brought out of the New Testament to manifest the truth in this matter Here three things come to be examined First Whether in the compass of every week must the Church keep holy a certain day by Gods institution Secondly Whether the Jewish Sabbath be abrogated Thirdly What can be brought out of the books of the New Testament to confirm the keeping holy the first day in the week The first of these is more obscure the other two may plainly enough be observed out of the Holy Scriptures and Fathers and one of them depends upon another Of the last many things have been observed out of the Scriptures in our second third c. Chapters but the truth about the two former Questions being made manifest by the testimonies of the ancients it will appear with little ado what is to be enquired into in the third place CHAP. VIII Within the compass of a week one day was sanctified from the beginning of the world this is affirmed both by Jews and Christians How Adam had need of the Sabbath The mention of observing the seventh day amongst the Heathens The authorities are weighed wherein the observation of the Sabbath among the Patriarchs is denied Why the Heathens are not upbraided with the abuse of the Sabbath AS to the first Question namely That in the compass of seven dayes one is to be set apart for spiritual operation as saith Chrysostom why should I fear to affirm it Especially since this opinion is approved by the suffrage of the greatest Divines and clearly enough taught by the manifest testimonies of the ancients We shall see that the Church of God since the History of the Creation was known did alwaies set apart one day of the weekly systeme for his worship the verity of which thing may be observed in the three Epocha's or junctures of years the first whereof is from the Creation to Moses the second from Moses till the Gospel was preached by the Apostles the third follows to be considered from that time till the end of the world in all which we shall find that one of the seven was alwayes set apart for the publick worshipping of God We read it was so done from the beginning of the world till Moses from Moses till the Resurrection of Christ from thence to this very day The controversie at this day is chiefly about the first and last Epocha none doubts of the second In demonstrating the first that the Sabbath was observed before Moses yea from the first beginning of the world both the Holy Scriptures and the Reverend Fathers their faithful Interpreters do attest it to prove the truth whereof we will first bring the authority of Moses which is had Gen. 2. 2 3. of which places divers have given the genuine sense and especially the Learned Rivet in Gen. and doth Orthodoxly enough defend his Exposition against those that think otherwise in his dissertation de Sabbato chap. 2. and removes a Prolepsis that is devised by the modern in commenting upon Moses's Text for Moses in the foresaid place doth not relate what God did when he writ the History of the Creation but what God did after that the stupendious work of Creation was finished namely that he ceased from creating any new work and ordained by a Law promulgated that the seventh day should be set apart by men to his worship in memorial of the Creation This is related by Moses Neither was that fore mentioned prolepsis which the best amongst the Christians allow not known to the Jews And if we follow the simple and literal sense of Moses his words they all make for us For how unjust is it when all the Verbs are of the same Mood and Tense Vajecol Vaijsboth Vajebarech and be finished and ceased and blessed to restrain the two former to the present and to extend the latter as some do to a time to come two thousand years after this would be too harsh a construction of the words But let us see how the Jews understood this place Tertullian tells us of them that they affirm that God from the beginning did sanctifie the seventh day by resting on it from all the works that he made and thereupon Moses said to the People Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day c. Where Tertullian delivers the Jews opinion of the Sabbaths observation from the beginning of the world and then he affirms that according to the Jews the Command in the Decalogue for keeping it respects the original observation of the Sabbath namely because God at the Creation sanctified the seventh day This was the opinion retained amongst the Jews in Tertullians age which he produces when he disputes against them and no where doth Tertullian deny that the seventh day was sanctified from the beginning Neither do the Jews themselves deny this The title of Ps 92. apud Jonath who translated the Bible into the Chaldee is thus A Praise and Song which the first man spoke for the Sabbath day From which inscription it appears that the ancient Jews even before the first coming of Christ thought that Adam observed the Sabbath For. Jonathan lived according to Galatinus forty two years before Christs Nativity Josephus a very learned Jew acknowledgeth that God rested on the seventh day and ceased from his works and for that cause do the Jews celebrate a vacation on this day which they call the Sabbath Josephus therefore confesses that the Jews ceased from their works on the Sabbath because the Lord ceased from the Creation on the seventh day Of the same opinion is Philo the Apostles contemporary After saith he that nature was perfected in six dayes the Father added honour to the seventh day following which when he praised he vouchsafed to call it holy Also de vita Mosis lib. 3. he confesses that the Sabbath day had a priviledge by nature since the birth day of the world And a little before in the same book he saith Moses thought it sitting that all those who were enrolled in this City should following the law of Nature
But yet since it 's no casie thing to obliterate and wholly to eradicate the matter of that Law which commands us to set apart a whole day within the compass of a week and refer it for Spiritual Labour therefore that sly Adversaries by his Emissaries whose wit is ready and that have a mercenary tongue for colouring Impostures changing their opinion at pleasure with the inconstant Ecebolius at the first only desputes after his crafty manner whether such a time be ordained of God These men more boldly than truly acknowledge the authority of time to be received not from Gods but Mens constitution as though the Lords-Day were like the Holy-dayes which were commanded the Romans namely such as the Praetors according to their arbitrary power did proclaim And so its observation should depend upon the civil Magistrate and Churches authority These things thus being handled after these mens will and others not strenuously applying their minds to retard the speedy course of their enterprises reasons are found out with a little ado for errour is a fruitful thing by which men not very religious and observant of piety may at last rush upon the constant sanctification of this time with unwashen hands and feet as the Proverb is and tread it under feet as if it were only instituted of God not for the sake of any Spiritual work but carnal idleness These things courteous Reader have given me occasion more narrowly to search out both the Institution and Sanctification of this time namely whether first it could be shown from the Fountain of holy Writ from whence wise men know we must always judge what is to be defined of every Divine Truth and the ancient practise of the following Church which learned it from the Apostles any part of time weekly be destined to performe the holy exercises of Religion Secondly by what Authority that time is imposed upon the Church Divine or Humane Thirdly in what things the solemn sanctifying thereof consisteth Touching all which what may be shown from the foresaid Fountains the following pages will briefly without prejudice of others judging according to truth by the grace of God inform us These are I say the things of which I have purposed to treat God assisting which before I enter on some things remain of which the Reader studihus of truth is timely to be admonished First of all though there be none of any authority and name amongst the Professors of more pure Christianity who beareth not most clear testimony to the Lords Festival yet in no case must we expect that all things which chiefly make for the illustrating it can be demonstrated out of the papers of the most approved Fathers in one age Nor can any one of right be offended or wonder at this since the reverend authority of the Fathers especially in the controversies that unhappily sprang up in their age is to be attended in weighing whereof they have professedly and openly declared what their mind was but in other things which they have touched upon only by the bye they have not so roundly shewed their judgements Besides we know there is no point of Christian Religion the illustration whereof hath not more and more increased in the Church by progress of time to effect which the succeeding Church was enforced through a certain necessity for sometimes the foolish frowardness of adversaries and sometimes the lewdly-imployed manners of their own men have required this that diverse Canons about some heads of Religion the knowledge whereof formerly increased in the Church should be appointed I believe none will deny that the most profound mystery of the Holy Trinity was known to the Christian Church from its infancy yet in several Councils of the succeeding Church diverse Canons were ordained about it The Reverend Fathers in the Council of Nice ordain that our Lord Jesus Christ is not a Creature and this they did according to Pauls word In the Council of Constantinople all profess they did believe that the Holy Ghost is true God as co-essential to God both Father and the Son In the Council of Ephesus under the Emperor Theodosius the younger the Divinity of the Son is again concluded These mysteries were illustrated by these new constitutions and yet who will be so mad as for that cause to contend they were first then known to the Church when these new Canons were set forth about them which only the Holy Fathers ordained to obviate the frowardness of Hereticks that either denyed er adulterated the received Truth that the Divine verity which the former Church embraced being obscured and held down by the wicked artifices of adversaries might be restored to its ancient vigour But not onely the madness of Hereticks but sometimes also the inordinate manners of Christians have occasioned new Canons ordaining about things formerly known for it was an usual thing for the Fathers to inquire into the manners of those Churches that were commended to their care and when they observed that their Christian people were ensnared in errour or wandring from the path of truth or at least walking not uprightly according to the received rule of piety they straightway used new Canons as medicines congruous to both these evils and so in the Church as in the Commonwealth good Laws grew out of evil manners And although the things that were before ordained were abundantly sufficient to quench those errours newly sprung up or reform their lewd manners yet either the new breaking out of errour or dilating of manners not at all consonant to the holy light of the Gospel and creeping every way like leaven were stopped by the bar of new Canons But thereupon we must not think that the former Church was not bound to the truth which was by a Postliminium established with new sanctions or to manners reformed by their authority Which is easie to be observed in this business of the Lords Day The succeeding Church through the care of the best Emperours having obtained peace established divers things about the Lords Festival which are not now extant in the Doctors of the Primitive Church But who will say that the piety established by new Canons for observing that solemnity was not known to the former Christians whenas even in the Apostles age as it shall afterwards appear from the Scriptures the Lords Day was solemnly used for all the exercises of Religion in which the true manner of keeping it holy doth consist And the Fathers of the succeeding Church ordaining new Canons about its solemnity have not concealed this as is to be seen in the second Council at Matiscon Can. 1. in which they gravely study to set forth the Lords solemnity but to this they were moved by the rash custome of some as they say who exposed the Lords day to contempt In Concil Cabilon held about the year 664. caution is taken for prohibiting Country labours on that day which thing when the Fathers did ordain they confess they did
prophesie some things are revealed according to the Apostle whilst other sit by Yea men of every age studiously following after the known truth even while they diligently apply their ages to the study of the Scripture are blessed with a New-light of knowledge not observed by their Predecessors It sometimes also falleth out that some things may be revealed to men of inferiour condition which are hid to others of greater name and authority as may be seen in St. Paphnatius who being armed with the Divine authority of the Epistle to the Hebrews wherein it 's asserted that Marriage is honourable in all opposed in that famous Council of Nice the Bishops that ordained an excess of rigour or studiously endeavoured to prejudice the Church with an intolerable inconveniency of too severe a prescription yet all that famous convention of Holy Bishops Presbyters and Deacons yielded to Paphnatius his opinion Chrysostom gives leave to the weaker although the least to speak any thing that 's profitable even in the Church-assembly Moreover one and the same understanding at the same moment receiveth not all the sacred mysteries of Faith but the Holy Ghost the onely teacher of truth openeth to men their understanding at divers times And most commonly it happens that he that cannot have the first place for wisdome may have the second for modesty by retracting what he hath inconsiderately spoken Now as in the Expositions of other Scriptures there are more Masters when they judge diversly and contradictorily amongst themselves so it falleth out in the gloss of the foresaid Texts For some of them whereof the first and second do note that the offices of Religion are to be performed by the Christian Church on that day the third its name being supported by testimonies do piously and modestly defend the authority of the Lords day which others of them contend cannot be defended by those authorities The former of these opinions is more common and received of more both ancient and modern Divines Neither doth the latter want asserters of great authority in the Church Mr. Calvin of blessed memory in his Learned Commentaries so interprets that place Act. 20. 7. that it seems to bring little help to prove the Lords day solemnity Whose opinion I see divers do embrace whose temper I cannot enough wonder at in this because in this point they stifly-adhere to Learned Calvins opinion from which in other matters of Christian Faith they are altogether aliens and cry out that the vilest Comments of the Papists are far to be preferred to his elaborate Expositions which breath forth Piety and excellent Learning and whatever is approved by the judgment of that well exercised Divine Mr. Calvin they little esteem it and that because the most famous Calvin sometimes thought so Yet in this business they judge nothing ought to be approved but what forsooth seems good to Calvin When I consider these mens temper it comes into my mind what Theophilus sometime did to the Monks sirnamed Longi at whom he was displeased He conspired with the common sort of Monks who affirmed with Origen that God had an humane shape although he thought otherwise against those Friars Whence arose a great contention amongst the Monks who turned themselves to rail and not dispute So divers who matter not Mr. Calvins judgment do yet under a pretence of his authority studiously defend their own opinions to the end they might set by the ears those whom they observe to admire and love famous Calvin's judgment as reason requires in other things while some of them adhere to and others dissent from his opinion when yet in the mean time they value not Mr. Calvin a straw Whoever knows the Learned Calvin cannot but acknowledge him for a most stout maintainer of Gods truth by whose auspicious labours in this age through Gods mercy an admirable course hath been made to all excellency of Doctrine and Religion which might have perished had not he being stirred up by Gods grace as another Atlas upholden the ruinous affairs of the Church He was also a most earnest restorer of Christian liberty which with might and main pursued about the use of meats and dayes against the Papists and other adversaries of the truth And let none think it strange if upon the matter he find the same happen to him which does to the diligent Husbandman after that his good seed sprouts out in his field who perceiving Darnel and Tares while he goes about to root them out contrary to his purpose he plucks up some of the Wheat with the Tares Whilst that famous Divine observes the observation of the Jewish Sabbath to cease and that upon Apostolical authority he thought it congruous to truth to pronounce the Christian Church free from observing the Weekly Sabbath This opinion he manifested especially when he set himself against the unnecessary Festivals of the Papists from whose most grievous yoke he had an earnest desire to free the Church of Christ It will not be well taken for me to dissent from Calvin together with the Learned Beza Gallacius on Ex. 31. and Fajus Mr. Calvins most intimate Colleagues and other Divines of great name though it be done with never so great modesty and craving his pardon however I judge him worthy to be reckoned amongst our greatest Writers But I will come now to weigh the foresaid Texts whereof the first is in Act. 20. 7. where St. Luke sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Upon the first day of the week when the Disciples came together to break bread Paul preached unto them ready to depart on the morrow and continued his speech until midnight Where the Church-assembly is as they say painted to the life by all its circumstances and first from the time then from the duties performed of the Church in that assembly concerning all which a double question is moved of some that seek a knot in a bulrush In the one whereof what Luke means by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. the first day of the week in the other they discuss what must be understood by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. breaking of bread In describing the Church of Troas first the time is noted namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where some interpret it not for the first but one day of the week as if Luke had signified nothing else by that phrase than that they met on a certain day of the week when St. Paul was there They eat according to the Proverb with very tender jaws to whom these dainties relish But with their leave what they say cannot agree with the genuine sense of that place For in that place Sabbatum must needs be taken either for the whole week as the Hebrews usually speak or for the last day in the week We must not understand it here in the latter sense because the Apostle abode at Troas only seven dayes Act. 20. 6 and in that space only one Sabbath properly so
being withdrawn from the cares of temporal things its rest should be spent in spirituals as Chrisostom Hom. 1. de Lazaro Athanasius of the same judgment de Sabbat Circumcis for he saith the end of the Sabbath was the knowledge of the creation and not idleness that men keeping holy that day they might know God who rested on that day having finished the work of Creation In the third Council of Orleans it 's provided that men abstain from rural labour and they shew the end of this abstinence that they might go more easily to Church to pray Therefore by the very dictates of nature the Priests affirmed that Holy dayes were polluted if any work was done upon their proclaimed and moveable Feasts Numa Pompilius ordained that alwayes on the Priests Festivals the Cryers should go before them through the city who should give charge that men should rest and cease from their works He thought it was fit that he who worshipped the Gods should be freed from other things and in worshipping of the Gods to apply the mind as to a thing greatly conducing to piety Therefore the minds of men without a cessation from worldly things cannot be applied in a holy devotion to Divine Worship Handy labour saith Cyril is forbidden on a Feast day that you may exercise your selves more entirely in Divine matters The ancients thus ordained that we must cease on a Festival day from all secular works and no worldly thing is to be done on that day which may hinder its sanctification Now in worldly matters men are intent either upon gain or pleasure but here must be a cessation from both First and foremost the observation of the Lords day is not to be profaned by gainful labour for which cause it was provided for by the ancients that Christians should wholly abstain from all things whereby the body is either wearied or the mind alienated from divine to humane things Which clearly enough shews that they were not of that opinion which Austin reports Seneca sometimes was Seneca derided the Jews especially for their Sabbaths that lost the seventh part of their life time in idleness and did not many urgent affairs in their season Christians were not so intent upon their labour for profit as not to be pulled from it to attend Religion They would not give themselves up to their commodities when the season called for obedience When Origen describes how a Christian ought to observe the Sabbath he concludes nothing of worldly actions must be done and he must abstain from all secular works as we have observed before in Chap. 10. where we cited a place in which there is a truly golden and pious image of the Christian Sabbath which Origen divinely inspired hath happily drawn to the life as they say and in which are elegantly described what things are on that day by Christians to be followed and what to be fled while he teacheth us that leaving earthly works on the Lords day we must attend on Divine which that it may be done with greater advantage we must go to the Church in which he exhorts us to attend on the things of Religion and if men shall faithfully do this they will make it evident to all that they have a greater care of their hope for the future inheritance reserved in Heaven than of the profits of this present life Chrysostom confesses that the Lords day is free from business and labours and hath a rest appointed for it and elsewhere Hom. against those that run to playes he accuseth those that meddle with worldly cares on that day although they may pretend poverty necessity of getting food and other urgent occasions But although Chrysostom seems manifestly â—o think that gainful labour is not on the Lords day to be undertaken by Christians yet some make a question whether according to Chrysostom all the day or only so long as the publick assemblies of the Church are held there ought to be an abstinence from labours especially whenas he doth indulge his hearers when they are returned from the Church-assembly if they shall repeat the Scriptures and discourse of that which they have once heard then go to look after the things which are necessary for this life But I will set down the very words of the Father lest I should either keep in suspense the well-minded Reader or seem to darken the truth You must not saith he when you are returned from the Church-meeting intangle your selves in businesses contrary to this exercise but returning home straightway repeat the holy Scriptures and call your wife and children together to confer of those things that have been spoken and these things being fixed more deeply and thoroughly in their mind than to go and look after the things which are necessary for this life c. it never came into St. Chrysostom's mind who asserts that the Lords day should be free from labour and doth not so much as grant any on the Lords day to labour for getting food or avoiding poverty to give any liberty that they should freely attend any worldly affairs which hinder piety And he that sayes thus will do Chrysostom no wrong but rather he who affirms that he indulges men to use these kind of labours on that day which he often finds fault with will fasten the lye on him And I fear not to say this of them that so assert that by their crooked interpretation they do apply the words of that grave Father to quite another sense than Chrysostom thought of This will be evident with a small adoe to him that observes the cited place and compares him with other places that do occurr in him in which it is Chrysostoms purpose to check them who though in the Church they did attentively enough hear what was said yet being departed and forth with mingling themselves with their secular affairs do extinguish the fire of devotion which the Word praeach'd had kindled in them For this evil he prescribes this remedy that so soon as they are returned home they read the holy Scripture and commune amongst themselves about those things that were spoken which things being deeply fixed in their mind then to go and look after those things that they judge necessary for this life they may freely for him as afterwards Bedâ— relates after the exercises of piety are finished there was liberty to take care to refresh the flesh but to care for any other secular businesses than those that pertained to their sustenance he gave them no liberty Which also we read was done by Gunteramnus Baron 588. 26. Because first the very phrase of Chrysostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may in a sense commodious enough be expounded of things pertaining to life so Arrianus translates the words of Chrysostom even Trapezuntius one of Greece approving it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie life to which death is opposed or sustenance and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
manifest which it will be worth the while to know that for convocating the Church ordinarily more days were set apart after the Apostles death than the former Church observed Concerning the Assemblies of the Church while the Apostles were yet alive some things observable do occurr in the Evangelists the Holy Ghosts amanuenses and the faithful describers of the Acts of the Apostles in declaring whereof we will first consider what is recorded of the Apostles in this thing and then of the other members of the Church And first of all we will shortly touch upon the assemblies of the Apostles although they cannot truly be reputed amongst the ordinary conventions of the Church because which way soever the Apostles turned they took every occasion to preach the Gospel because they open us a way to understand others After the saving Passion of Jesus Christ our most merciful Redeemer the mention of the first of these at which were present the rest excepting Thomas occurrs Joh. 20. 19. in which Christ vouchsafed his presence The occasion of which meeting is not mentioned but doubtless as all Interpreters conjecture this was done that by their mutual presence they might comfort one another For as many as are Christs do perpetually incline to communicate all things whether their sorrows or joyes among themselves and then their Lord being gone their greatest fear was of the Jews for which cause we read that the place wherein they held their meeting was shut and barred when the Apostles were assembled they conferred among themselves of what divers related of Christs Resurrection the time of this meeting is noted in John it was the first day of the week and about evening of that day or after Sun-set at which time Christ having conquered the grave and death presented himself to them alive Secondly after eight dayes or the eighth day current from his appearing the same Evangelist tells us John 20. 26. that they were all met together where Jesus came again and stood in the midst of them Here some make a question whether the day of their second meeting was the eighth from the first or after the eighth day Cyril affirms it was the eighth or Lords day the first and last being reckoned neither doth it hinder that it 's said after eight dayes Christ taught that the Son of man must suffer many things c. and after three dayes rise again Mar. 8. 31. yet Christ rose from the dead on the third day from his burial not after the third day So also 't is said Luke 2. 21. When eight dayes were accomplished for the circumcising of the Child i. e. on the eighth very day for the H. Ghost speaks of the eighth day current and not finished so here after eight dayes or on the eighth day are all one It must be added also that Christ appeared in the evening of that day Afterwards some of the Apostles were together when they went to fish to whom also Jesus appeared Thirdly the General convention of all the Apostles is declared Act. 1. 4. in which they were commanded not to depart from Jerusalem but there wait for the promise of the Father and thither they came after the glorious Ascension of Christ where being gathered together they tarried for the Spirit promised of God the Father and Christ Luke reports that women also were present at this Congregation of the Apostles where they continued their meeting till the Feast of Pentecost abiding with one accord in Prayer and Supplication which fell out also on the first day of the week So thinks Isychius who sayes the day of Pentecost fell out on that day which our Saviour rose on and indeed whoever shall compare his reckoning with the Law of God about keeping Pentecost will find that Isychius in this misses not the truth at all For the day of Pentecost which the Scripture elsewhere calls the Feast of Weeks or of New-fruits because on that day the Shew-bread was offered out of the new fruits was the fiftieth inclusively from the day of offering the First-fruits Lev. 23. which was the day immediately next after the Passover on which the Lord Jesus who was the first-fruits of the dead lay in the Grave and the fiftieth day from that inclusively was the first in the week upon which the H. Ghost descended on the Apostles as they were that day assembled Act. 2. These are the meetings which the Holy Scripture testifies the blessed Apostles held upon the fiftieth day from Christs resurrection which being held upon the first day of the Week Christ oftentimes honoured with his presence But why they met on that and not another day it is not easie to declare although one may guess at the cause of the first and last meeting yet hath the Holy Ghost shewn us nothing of the second occasion And it 's uncertain whether Christ before his death or for those forty dayes wherein he reasoned with them after his resurrection of things pertaining to the Kingdome of God gave his Apostles any command for setting apart some new time for their meetings Epiphanius sayes they knew very well that the Sabbath was at an end from his converse with them and Doctrine before his Passion This at least is an indubitable truth that they met on the first day of the week and that Christ made renowned their meeting held on that day by his own gracious presence and mission of the Holy Ghost And St. Cyril must be credited Holy Congregations are held at this day of right in Churches because on that day Jesus appeared to his Apostles as they were met together Nor doth Isychius think otherwise in the place afore quoted Therefore according to those most grave Fathers because the eighth day was made famous with the presence of Christ and the gifts of the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven it is at this day also by the Church solemnized with a more honourable worship Afterwards the Apostles together with the faithful are said daily to meet to hear the word of God and receive bread Act. 2. 46. Yea the Apostles ceased not to teach from house to house and in the Temple Act. 5. 42. And these are the things which the Holy Ghost hath afterwards left us written in the Holy Scriptures concerning the Apostles meetings to the solemnizing whereof we read not that they observed a certain or set time because they had to do with the Jews to whom before others according to the ancient prophecies the Gospel was to be declared Therefore the Apostles were often present at the Jews assemblies â—nd that upon their Sabbaths And whether the Apostles when first they went forâ—â—â—o preach the Gospel met apart from the Jews amongst themselves on other daâ—â—s the Holy Ghost is silent in the Scriptâ—re But at that time the Candidates of Christianity being hindred with fear of the Jews could not without great difficulty meet together We must then think they held their
worship amongst men Wallaeus and Rivet have clearly taught this The former whereof in his third Chapter of the fourth Command doth teach this proving it by the grave testimonies of Luther Zuinglius Calvin Beza Peter Martyr Bullinger Zanchy Ursin Gualter Aretius Bonaventure Bertram Merrer Antonius Faius Junius Paraeus Zepperus Martinius and Alstedius To which the famous Rivet in his Dissertation de Sabbatho cap 1. adds the authorities of Lambertus Danaeus Rod. Hospinianus Martinus Chemnitius â—oh Gerhardus Conradus Pâ—eilen Henricus Butingus Bartasius Gonlartius Tilenus while yet he warred with us in our tents Marloratus and Fequernehianus Thâ—se two very learned Divines having deserved well of the Christian Common-wealth being compassed about with such a cloud of witnesses of great authority have made it evident to all that the observation of the Sabbath hath alwayes been used in the Church of God before Moses from whose judgment no man of reason will easily suffer himself to be perswaded to recede although one or two of the modern writers go contrary thereunto Touching which opinion after these men to say any more although it may be thought the part of a man that 's diligent in vain yet since this opinion being supported by the testimonies of so many famous Divines is weakened both by some reasons and also by the authorities of the ancients a few things more arâ— to be added These which follow are the chief of those reasons wherewith they do oppose the truth received of so many learned men In the first place Before the lamentable fall of Adam there was no need of the Sabbath on which his strength being spent with labours it was to be repaired Secondly Nothing is read in Scripture of the Patriarchs keeping the Sabbath Thirdly If the Sabbath had been observed from the Creation the Heathens had been obliged to observe it somewhere in the Scriptures they would have been accused by God for the neglect of the Sabbath w ch yet is no where read in H. Records These are the reasons which bear the greatest shew of probability for which they assert there was no use of the Sabbath before Moses in the world To the two first whereof the famous Wallaeus answers solidly To whose answer I only add this Since Adam could not conveniently attend at one and the same time two businesses of a diverse nature it seemeth not unreasonable that God assigned him a stated time for doing both in conveniently to the end he might both till the Garden freely and also solemnly celebrate the publick worship of God Moreover since we believe that the night was assigned to him in his happy condition of innocency wherein he might rest why should not also the day be appointed for a Divine contemplation of the works of God Lastly whereas the Saints themselves in that blessed Kingdome of Heaven do enjoy a perpetual Sabbath it will not be thought incongruous or disagreeable to the condition of Adam if the Sabbath were assigned to him in Paradice to worship God on although we read not that he did keep the Sabbath Some institutions are expressed in Scripture whose observation doth not constantly occurr in the same Neh. 18. 8. Those that returned from the captivity are read to make themselves tabernacles in which they abode which was not done before even from the times of Joshua to that very day although it was provided for in the Law Lev. 23. 40. And after the Law given by Moses about the Sabbath there is made no mention of its observation in the whole book of Judges c. yet none will thence conclude that the Sabbath was not instituted at that time because we meet with no footsteps of its festivity being observed Nor do we read that Sampson Deborah or Joshua did keep the Sabbath yet do we not deny upon that account that the Sabbath was instituted So also might it happen before the Law was given in the Mount And what if we say that the Aegyptians would not suffer the Israelites while they were their slaves to be idle on the seventh day Perhaps they gave place to necessity which Josephus tells us fell out also in the time of Antiochus When saith he the Jews were interdicted upon most severe punishments the observation of the seventh day within a very short time not only in Antioch but in the neighbouring regions the Sabbath was neglected Moreover it is read no where that Adam worshipped God publickly which yet we must conclude for certain he did We may judge the like of the Sabbath's not being observed of him because if he had the mode of worship prescribed him of God surely that a time was defined of God to exercise it in cannot rightly be denied although we read nothing of the express time for it is most agreeable to natural equity that as well the time for performance of the worship as the worship it self should be defined As to the third reason brought from the Heathens Some think if the Sabbath had been observed from the Creation then the Gentiles had been bound to celebrate its solemnity But this they deny for a double reason First because no footsteps of the seventh day's observation are found amongst them Secondly they are not reproved of God for neglecting the Sabbath To the first the learned VVallaeus answers loc praedicto that though it should be granted that the mentioning of it was obliterated amongst the Heathens it doth not thence follow that the use of the Sabbath remained not amongst the posterity of Adam or Noah so VVallaeus The searchers out of Hebrew antiquities tell us out of Maimonides that a corrupt religion grew up from the beginning of the world and so far received augmentations till at length the Divine Religion was almost turned upside down yet that great Rabbi hath excepted Enoch Melchisedech Noah Shem c. who worshipped the true God with a pure heart the truth of whose relation being bottomed on Scripture authority who will question If therefore the true Religion and that which was instituted of God and put into the minds of men hath ceased amongst the posterity of the Heathen in other chief points what wonder if amongst them also the observation of the Sabbath was not continued which yet was alwayes observed by the Church of God That the seventh day was celebrated amongst the Gentiles and that they observed it with a certain solemn devotion either from the instinct of nature or by a tradition received from the Ancestours from whom they descended or from a general knowledge of the Creation it self their very writings in express words do shew in which whoever will look into them he may easily find clear footsteps of a Sabbatical solemnity That the seventh day is sacred not only the Hebrews but also the Greeks know on which the universe of things animate and inanimate is turned about saith Clemens Alexandrinus which he proveth by the testimonies of Hesiod Homer Callimachus and
no be bound by the Fourth Command in the Decalogue to sanctifie one day weekly Amongst equal estimates of things saith the foresaid Learned Divine it cannot but be without controversie that it is as well for Christians as Jews having finished their labours on the six dayes to sanctifie the seventh that with the Jews they acknowledge that they worship the most blessed and Almighty God the Maker of Heaven and Earth But although in this both Jew and Christian do agree that when they have spent six dayes in their labours on the seventh they should rest yet they differ amongst themselves in the determination or designation of the day destined to this holy rest For the Christians keep holy that day which to the Jews was the first in the week and call it the Lords day that they might prove themselves the servants of God who in the dawning of that day subdued the Devil that spiritual Pharaoh and redeemed his people from a spiritual servitude by raising up Jesus Christ our Lord from the dead who hath regenerated the Christian Church not unto a sublunary Canaan but unto a lively hope of an immortal inheritance preserved for us in the Heavens And that I may dispatch in a word The Christian by sanctifying the Lords day doth prosess that he is a Christian that is as St. Peter interprets it believes in hinâ— that raised up Christ from the dead Hence it easily appears that both Jews and Christians though the same day be not solemnized amongst them both were led by the same reason to sanctifie the seventh day which to the Jews might call to mind their liberty restored from Egypt and servitude of a worldly Pharaoh and to Christians from a spiritual Egypt and Pharaoh But lest any one should object unto me Christians might profess this by sanctifying the last day in the week I add moreover they could not do so by right for if the Christians should keep holy day after the manner of the Jews then they would declare that their spiritual Redemption was not yet perfected but yet did look for it especially whenas the Redemption of Israel out of Egypt by the Ministry of Moses was a type and pledge of our future and spiritual liberty by Christ and the inheritance of the earthly Canaan which those that were freed from Egyptian bondage did seek after prefigured a celestial inheritance which the redeemed by the holy Blood of Christ did look for Since therefore the shadow vanished when the body was present we must not believe in God foretelling future things by types and shadows but in him that hath most faithfully accomplished the truth according to the prophecies foretold by him So Austin against Faustus the Manichee It is not saith he a diverse doctrine but a different time it was one thing for these things that they must be foretold by figurative prophecies and another thing that they must now be fulfilled by the truth made manifest and accomplished As by an apt similitude Mr. D. G. illustrateth it There is saith he in all Nations the same law of all the Stars and the same motion although a great variety may arise from the difference of the Horizon whereupon it may be our day when it 's night with our Antipodes so the law of Nature is the same with us and the Jews yet in some things it admitteth of some mutation from the difference of the Horizon as I may say whilst they inhabited the old world and we the new that is the Sun of Righteousness on the seventh day came to their Meridian by Creation to ours on the eighth day by Christs Resurrection whence that which was a festival to them to us is none Although the Sabbath be translated to the Lords day yet for that reason its being a sign between God and his people is not taken away but translated to another day Neither is the thing changed that was signified by that sign but only the manner and circumstance of time and clearness of signification I will hasten therefore to demonstrate the cessation of celebrating the Sabbath after the Jewish manner and substitution of the Lords Day into its place both out of Scriptures and Fathers The holy writings of the Apostles do testifie that the observation of the Jewish Sabbath as well as other festivals in use amongst them is removed from off the Christians shoulders So St. Paul Col. 2. 16. Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new moon or of the Sabbath dayes In that Chapter while the Apostle mentions various corruptions of the Sacred Religion which he teacheth will be profitable for the Church diligently to shun he reckons up three sorts of them the first whereof by false teachers was drawn from Philosophy the second from humane traditions the third from the rudiments of the world Now by the rudiments of the world he means the pedagogy of Moses out of which ver 16. he brings forth two corruptions to wit of the choice of meats prohibited by the Law and sanctifying of Festivals observed under the same Amongst the Jews there were divers Feasts some of great name and authorty celebrated yearly namely of the Passover Pentecost and Tabernacles and then besides these they celebrated their New Moons every Month and their Sabbath every week the Apostle affirms that all these Festivals which after a manner were the shadow of Christ to come and Christ their truth and body that is they did portend what afterwards were truly exhibited of Christ had their end when Christ was once come for when the body is come the shadow vanisheth Even as in the Emperours absence his image hath authority but when he is present hath not so these things also before the coming of the Lord in their time were to be observed but when he is come do want authority And therefore they that contend for observing the Sabbath after the Jewish manner do deny that Christ is come witness the blessed Apostle for gaping at the shadow they embrace not the body There was a time when they were to be trained up by the shadow but he that follows the shadow when the body is present is deceived Therefore from that place of the Apostle we must believe that the Jewish Sabbath of which he speaks under the number of a Multitude Sabbaths because it was celebrated every week and seldome do we meet with it in the singular number as before was observed is ceased by the coming of Christ or that Christ is not yet come The same Apostle sharply taxeth the Galatians for observing of days that having rejected the wholsom Doctrine of the Gospel they returned to the same beggarly Elements that is legal observations Gal. 4. 10. Ye observe saith he dayes and months and times and yeares Where according to Tertullian contra Marcion lib. 1. c. 20. Chrysostom Theodoret Primasius c. in Gal. 4. by dayes the Apostle understandeth
it was a custome of the Jews to interpret the Scriptures as they were read Neh. 8. 4 7 8. The Elders of the Levites interpreted the Law when it was read unto the people Philo Judaeus makes mention of this custome who was coetaneous to the Apostles in Euseb de praeparat Evang. lib. 8. c. 2. When the Priest saith he or one of the Elders reads the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he expounds it severally we use that word when we bring a more full exposition and rehearsal of a thing and that through the whole seventh day And if no more than a naked reading of Scripture had been required to constitute a fit Minister of the New Testament St. Paul having obtained an Embassy from the Lord to preach the Gospel had not dealt seriously with God when he would have an open mouth and free to preach the same granted which yet he did with all his heart Col. 4. 3. where he is to be thought to ask for something more than a faculty to read the Scriptures And when the Lord taxeth the watchmens blindness in Isaiah Is 56. 10. whom he calls greedy dogs feeding themselves that are ignorant doth he only brand them for being ignorant of reading Scripture Moreover if nothing were required by a Minister of the Gospel than reading of the Scripture then he that once shall read them in the sacred Church-assembly must straightway be said to preach them as though he had abundantly fulfilled the part of a gallant Treater and so at length he that being called before a tribunal into judgment for being guilty of some smaller crime and shall according to the custome of some Kingdomes bottomed upon obsolete Canons distinctly read some part of the Holy Scripture which the Judge offers him that he having some milder punishment inflicted may escape with his life for his skill in reading I see not why such a watchman should not be judged acute and fit enough because he readeth as a Clergy-man and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. to divide the Word of truth aright to undergo which task if we ask Paul he will answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. who is sufficient 2 Cor. 2. 16. will according to them be nothing else but to read the word of truth distinctly and at last it will come to this that the religious education of youth in the Universities that they may make themselves better furnished to undergo the charge of preaching the Gospel will be in vain How little the defenders of this opinion do differ from the Gnosimachi let them look to it Damascen witnesseth that they were such adversaries to the knowledge of Christians that they said that it was a vain and less necessary labour in them who sought for any knowledge in the Divine Scriptures But who will there be found desirous of Divine knowledge that will not be weary of these fooleries and what to judge of the premises viz. Whether a Reader of Scripture may deservedly and properly in the Church of God be called a Preacher of them let the wise judge of it Since Preaching cannot univocally be predicated of simple reading of the Scriptures and their interpretation and application For Preaching hath reading previous to it but reading of Scriptures doth not contain in it their explication I will add nothing of the difference in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHAP. VI. The time assigned to the Treatises of the ancients namely how long they continued their Treatises were not long usually about an hour but they were not tyed to an hour None was to go out before the Treatise was ended FOr the fuller discovery of these Treatises out of Holy Scripture something is in the third place to be added of the time assigned by the ancients to their Treatises touching which a double question doth occurr first how long their Treatises lasted secondly how often treated they in the week For the continuance of their Treatises the Fathers troubled themselves but a little and therefore they continued their Sermons an hour and sometimes longer and that they were not long in their Treatises may be observed from Origen's and all the other Fathers who drew not out their Sermons to any long time with the people their manner of Treating For they thought it to be much more advised to teach often than long and those who Treated out of the Scripture looked to that of which once Hierom admonished Augustin namely lest the Sermon being drawn out too long could not be understood for they knew well enough that a satiety in a Sermon was no less an enemy to the ears than too much meat to the body as Greg. Nazianz. Orat. 42. therefore lest their unpleasant prolixity should beget in the Hearers a loathing of the Sermon they were cautious for this respect Basilius M. being moved with this consideration ended his morning Sermon the sooner lest he should make his auditors more dull against the evening assembly Besides they judged that holy Doctrine was to be instilled by little and little for defect of understanding in the people which Chrysost declares by a similitude from a Mother that makes way to bring a sucking infant to solid meat she doth not pour much at once into the mouth of a meer infant lest what was poured in be forthwith cast up again of the child therefore the mother doth pour in by little and little and so what is given is presently by the child sent through him without any trouble After this manner the Fathers propounded not many things to their hearers at one and the same time lest what they had proposed should slip out of their Auditors minds and therefore they chose rather to propound what they had to say at distinct times Chrysostome also Hom. 15. in Gen. assignes this very reason namely that they might better consider with themselves what they had heard But although they did not protract their Sermons very long yet was there a time set for the doctrine of the Sermon that neither the Teachers should weary themselves with the multitude of words nor the hearers And he that shall say that the time of a whole Sermon was determined within the space of about an hour will not much miss it as appears from Basil's second Sermon in Psal 14. where he saith that he could not finish yesterday his Sermon with them under an houres space and what remained he deferred till the following day Origen reproved some men that rather followed their worldly than spiritual affairs because they assigned one or two hours of a whole day to God and come to prayer in the Church but spend their principal care about the regard of the world and their belly From which it 's given to understand how long they were present at the Church-assembly namely one or two hours Austin confesseth that he carefully avoided speaking in his Sermons to the people of the abominable sin against the Holy Ghost because he could
poor Tertullian also mentions this custome in Apol. and others that flourished after him in the Church Which is so manifest that I suppose none will make doubt of the same These are some of sundry things wherein the ancients after the publick assemblies were ended in the Church bestowed their principal pains Which things whoever considerately weigheth he will easily grant that the private observation of the Lords Day was not unknown to the Fathers because their hearers were sometime examined of what they had heard when the assemblies were ended and the Bishops admonished them to conferr one among another of those things and they required them to refresh their minds with Divine Meditations out of the Word which they heard in the publick assembly and carefully bestowed several things that conduced to the comfort of the poor And let these things briefly suffice to be spoken about the publick and private celebration of the Lords Day Festival CHAP. XVII THE CONCLUSION HE that will not refuse to weigh seriously with himself the testimonies of Scripture and the Holy Fathers thus far mentioned shall not deny that the Lords Day was solemnized by the Church in the very Apostles age and successively He cannot but acknowledge that its holy observation was instituted of God He will easily perceive what hinders its solemnity and in what things its solemn sanctification whether publick or private doth consist In asserting whereof though I entred into a certain Sea of Disputations yet have I sayled it through by the Grace of God in a short course And I have affirmed nothing without the perspicuous testimony of notable authority but we have missed it sometimes lest any should believe that we silly men of inferiour note betaking our selves to what is plain do undertake an exquisite piece of work who indeed have thrust out into the world nothing but our tumultuary commentations and intended onely to stirr up the Wits of others Now if there be any that is rather desirous of a worldly liberty or carnal rest than of Divine truth who relisheth not what hath been said I will take my leave of him with that grave sentence of St. Austin If he have any thing more to say for my part I know it not let him wrangle with the Scriptures and the Fathers that piously interpret them not with us And I humbly beg it of the Lord who is the author of this solemnity that he would govern the Church with his Spirit and stirr up the minds of men boldly to exercise piety that what God hath cleansed they call not common Whatever my blear-eyes have observed to be laid up in the deep records of honourable antiquity which they that love the truth cannot but highly prize upon this holy Subject I have brought it out to light that it may be manifested to all who truly â—avour of godliness how much honour not onely reason it self but the consent of all good men and learned do attribute to so solemn a Festival And if I have mistaken any thing here I do not withdraw my self from the censure of the Orthodox Church but submit my self very willingly to its sentence Sith with all godly and modest men I heartily desire to remember that of the Comedian Humanum est errare i. It 's a point of mans frailty to mistake Neither is there here as Gregory Nyssen a pronouncing of sentence but an exercitation and disputation I having by the conduct of the most ancient Fathers like them who are half blind entred a Wood have brought into this bundle what I thought to be most congruous for declaring the exercises of this holy solemnity Whilst that I observed sometimes the Fathers did not altogether agree among themselves I have embraced that which was observed by men of more sound judgement and more congruous to the practise of the universal Church If any one blame me for not demonstrating the Holy practise of the Church in these questions more copiously and with more testimonies of the Ancients I hope in this to find pardon from the courteous since I purposed to do in this business what Isychius in Levit. l. 2. cap. 9. relates of Image-makers and Painters who when they begin of any thing their art requireth do at first set out some rough draughts of an Image or picture onely shadowed out in its lineaments which afterwards in process of the work are perfected by adding of the several parts and are as it were brought to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In like manner have I also given onely some testimonies upon this holy subject for a taste that all in a sort may understand that the chief Fathers of the ancient Church did embrace and religiously retain the very same practise of piety in sanctifying of the Lords Day which at this day is maintained by a perpetual observation with all the friends of sincere religion some whereof to the great dolour of my mind I see to be wavering about this question and am troubled at others that indulge the liberty of the flesh too much in the Catholick Church But I commend in the name of God this office to others who are well exercised in observing the monuments of the purer Church that for the ability granted to them by the Lord for profiting the Church they would not refuse to bring to light those things which may conduce to the glory of God in observing the solemnity of his day Indeed I judge they would in this do a thing very acceptable to God the author of the Lords Day solemnity profitable to the Church the faithful observer of this solemnity and very well becoming the Christian Religion of which this solemnity was alwayes a token I silly man have here so far as the labours of my charge would bear according to my weakness of which I am very well conscious done in a sort as some Dyers who prepare a cloth to receive a colour and commit it to the labour and art of others to put upon it the gloss And this I believe I have done through the grace of God by the consummation of these testimonies that now with little ado the friendly Reader careful of this solemnity may observe whether they who endeavour to adorn the Lords Day Festival fetch the truth out of its fountains or they who delight to subvert it that they may seek novelty as sometime Optatus said of the Donatists lib. 6. in the bowels of antiquity He that views the premises without a prejudiced mind will find this I have therefore been careful to produce the very testimonies of the Fathers themselves that to their words and not my relation or conclusions inferred from their words by me credit might be given In the mean time God grant that of his infinite mercy he would cure the exulcerated manners of this age which are impatient of sound Doctrine Through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost the Author of the Lords day solemnity be glory