darknesse the Lords people observed a weekely Sabbath day then surely we should be ungratefull and negligent of our own salvation if we yeld not to God a weekly day or a sufficient time for his service as well as the Iews did Thus you see how we agree in the proportion of time one day in the week according to Gods designation of time and the equity of the Law CHAP. VI. Of the first day of the week that it is the Lords day and also the seventh day AS we must have a day within the week so is it needfull to know which day in the week it is which we are to observe for the Lords day else should wee be uncertaine for one would keep one day and others another day In Scripture the first day in the week mentioned in Mat. 28. 1. Mark 16. 2. 9. Luk. 24. 1. Joh. 20. 1. 19. Act. 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. is that which is called in Rev. 1. 10. the Lords day So saith S. August the first day of the week is that day Epig. 86. qui postea Dies Dominicus appellatus est S. Cyrill affirmeth In Iohn lib. 8. cap. 58. Apost 2. the very same Our Sunday saith Justine Martyr is the first day of the week Our Homily saith the first day after the Jewish Sabbath is our Sunday It is our Lords day said the Divines in Ireland The former Scriptures are interpreted See the many Exposit cited by Master Spr. pag. 61. by all Expositors the Fathers Greek and Latine the later writers Protestants and Papists to bee the Lords day It cannot well be dâ—nyed saith B. White that the first day of every week was the Christian weekly holy day It is manifest saith Doctor Pocklington that the first day of the week is the Lords day and to strengthen more this truth learned Beza saith that he hath read in a Manuscript 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added to the Text in 1 Cor. 16. 2. so Crispine in his Greek Lexicon This first day of the week hath beene observed for our Lords day ever and no true Christian Church can be named that ever brake off the custome of this day This universall unity of so Catholique a custome is sufficient to settle any Christian in his faith of this truth that the first day of the week is the Lords day For what better Expositor than the Churches continuall practice and observation which must needs bee from a setled judgement of the truth of the time observed Our Church telleth us in the Homily that this custome hath beene kept in all ages without any gaine-saying And although this day after the Jewish account bee the first day of the week yet neverthelesse it keepeth the proportion of time in the Commandement the seventh part of a week so as it may be called the seventh day though not that seventh day I say the seventh day Let none here make a stir about the seventh and a seventh for the seventh day and not a seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord our God for the particle the and not a is to bee prefixed to seventh and not only because of the six dayes in which the world was made the dayes of the Creation as is commonly and onely so supposed to bee taken but for the donation of six dayes to us by God and that in the promulgation of this Law and Commandement as is in the former Treatise shewed Alwayes in counting of numbers we our selves in any ordinary number of seven when six is taken out doe not say there remaineth a seventh but the seventh for a should note an uncetainty but the doth not God of seventh dayes for there are no more in a week nor ever was hath given us for ever irrevocably six of them for to labour in and to doe all that wee have to doe Exod. 20. 9. These dayes we take to our selves as Gods gift from his words in the Law Now if we have six of the seven certainly knowne unto us can we reasonably say a seventh is the Lords or the seventh is his A seventh may be spoken of whole numbers where a certainty is not determined nor pitched upon nor taken out but where the number is no more but seven in a week as none heretofore nor any now count more there six being taken out for us the seventh is left as a certaine day not to bee doubted of for the Lord. So as yet the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord our God both by Gods donation of six to us and our counting our dayes to come to the seventh having taken to us the six For our first day of the week is Munday and so wee account forward to the Lords day as the seventh day and our Sabbath and resting day And most fit it is that wee should still hold the seventh day for our Sabbath * Dies dominica representat mâ—moriam Creation is mundi non minus quam Sabbagim nam die dominica incepit mundus fieri unde Iustinus Apo. 2. Et Leo Epist ad Dioscorum dicunt diem dominicam colitam ob memoriam mundi Creationis quà m ob resurrectionem Christi Bellarm. de â—â—lâ—u sanct lib. 3. cap. 110. that we might whilst we honour the Sonne in finishing the work of our redemption not forget the honour of his Father for his perfecting of the work of the worlds Creation and his resting from the same which cannot bee by observing any other day but the seventh day CHAP. VII Of the time when this first day began to be the Lords day and upon what ground THis first day observed was the very first day immediately Mat. 28. 1. Mar. 16. 2. 9. Luke 24. 1. Iob. 20. 1. 19. Ad Magnes after the Jewish Sabbath so the Scriptures confirme it to us whereto agreeth the exhortation of Ignatius After the Sabbath let every friend of Christ make the Lords day a solemne Festivall And the reason of this was because of the Lords resurrection S. Aug. ad Ian. epi. 119. 130. De verbo Apo. ser 15. Epi. 93. by which the Lords day was declared to Christians and from that time began to be celebrated and in another place it is said that the Lords Resurrection promised us an eternall day and it did consecrate unto us the Lords day And Leo saith the same Dominicum diem nobis Salvatoris resurrectio Lib. 8. c. 33. consecravit In the constitutions of the Apostles it is Ca. 50. ordained to be kept holy in the memoriall of the resurrection so a Councell held at Paris in Anno 829 ordeined the like Bishop White alleadging reasons why the Lords day was Against Brab pag. 269. 270. preferred before other weekly dayes saith that the Primitive Church could have made choyce of no other day of the week more proper and convenient for the solemne and religious worship and service of Christ Great was this work saith Athanasius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for we
bounds and limits of truth out of inconsiderate zeal are all others to be censured to be men of the same mould Brotherly love and Charitie cannot but be better Judges 2 We see it carrieth antiquity with it and hath had allowance for a long time in the Churches of Christ 3 It is our rest day and so indeed a Sabbath for the word Sabbath is nothing else but rest so the name well agreeth with the nature of the thing 4 This name best leadeth us to the duty of the day which is to cease from weekely works which are not works of piety works of charity nor works of necessity and to imploy our holy rest on this holy day in the publike worship and service of Christ and in other Christian duties as is very excellently set forth in our thirteenth Canon 5 Learned and holy Bishop Lakes saith in his Thesis that eternali rest was shadowed out in the first Sabbath which our Lords day continueth and is a fore-taste of our eternall rest and a shadow thereof as lasting as the world This being so it may well be called the Sabbath day 6 If the fourth Commandment hath any perpetuity in it for a weekly day to be kept and ours being a weekly resting day then it may be called a Sabbath the Commandment propounding such a day under the name of Sabbath 7 All holy dayes appointed by God besides the weekly Sabbath were called Sabbaths and that upon these reasons because on them they rested to perform holy duties and had a holy Convocation Now why may not our Lords day because of our rest to holy duties and for the publick assemblies on that day be so called Our Linwood out of Aquinas saith Dies Dominicus dici potest dies Sabbati quia est requies vacatio ad Deum 8 The very Gentiles gave the name of Sabbath to their Festivalls as the Learned have observed 9 Christ lesus is the Lord of the Sabbath not only as God but as he is God-man or Mediatour for so himselfe saith the sonne of man is Lord also of the Sabbath Mark 2. 28. Now this Lordship as he is Mediatour he never layeth down 1. Cor. 15. 24. 23 whilest the world doth last and therefore he claimeth and holdeth the Sabbath for his honour that all may with a Sabbath honour the sonne as they have honoured the Iohn 5. 27. Father 10 If our rest into which Christ hath brought us which is a ceasing from sinne be called the keeping of a Sabbath as it is Heb. 4. 9 10 11. Then may a certain set day be so called for that therein we do not only hear and learn how to attain to the spirituall rest but do especially on this day labour through Gods grace to expresse the performance of it in holy and spirituall exercises CHAP. V. In what circuit of time this day hath been kept to weet weekly with the Reason thereof THere is a time for all things saith Salomon and nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can be done but in time therefore must we needs have a time for the service of Christ which time is to be within the circuit of a week Saint Chrysostome telleth us from Gen. 2. 3. that God hath instructed us to set apart one day within the compasse of every week for spirituall exercises whereto agreeth our Reverend Hooker saying In his Eccl. Pol. pag. â—79 that we are bound to account the sanctification of one day in seven a duty which Gods immutable Law doth exact for ever Of this judgement saith Bishop White are divers Divines Cyted by Mr. sprim on the Sab. pag. 17. and 34. many of good note in the Church of God as Junius on Gen. 2. with others whereto may be added Learned Zanchius on the fourth Commandment who saith that one day of seven all men are to consecrate to the externall worship of God Pope Alexander said that both the old and new Testament Cyted by D. Heâ—â—inca 5. p. 2 depute the seventh day to rest Our Church in the Homily of Prayer teacheth us that Gods will and Commandment was to have a solemn and standing day in the week wherein the people should come together But what need I seek herein for consent when the whole Christian Church hath this 1600 yeers kept within this proportion of time which Custome is a Law for saith Saint Augustine Mos populi Dei instituta S. Aug ep c. 86. Majorum pro legetenenda sunt Now this observation of a day within a week is from Gods institution before the Law from the Creation who Gen. 2. having set down the dayes of a week took one within the Exo. 20. circuit of the week for his publick worship which he also commanded his people to observe under the Law both which hath been proved in the two former Treatises Now for the finding of proportion of time who can better proportion it for himself than God himself That is the fittest that can be imagined Nature cannot but acknowledge his wisdom and goodnesse in his choyce saith Master Dow. Hence is it no doubâ— that Peter Martyr said that one day of a week be consecrated pag. 24. 25. In loc Com. ca 7 to Gods worship is an ordinance of perpetuall force and Reverend Bishop Lakes confidently averreth that the seventh In his Thâ—sis part of time is Gods ordinance as everlasting as the world for saith the same Father of our Church the Lords day onely changeth but altereth not the portion of time prescribed Luther Dieterius on Dom. post Trin. Among the Scholemen Iacebus de Valen. and others Stâ—llâ— on Luke 14. Against Brab pag. 151. by the fourth Commandment by which we are guided to it Yea some have held that one day in seven is the morall part of the Commandment Sure I am there is acknowledged an equity in that Law durable for ever both for a time as also for the conveniency and sufficiency of time to which equity it is consonant saith Learned Bishop White that one day in seven be an holy day wherein Christian people ought to rest and give themselves to religious exercises who saith further that the common and naturall equity of that Commandement is morall to wit that Gods people are pag. 90 obliged to observe a convenient and sufficient time for publick and solemne divine worship and for religious and Ecclesiasticall duties And abstinence from secular labour and negotiation and keeping holy one day of every week both for mans temporall and naturall refreshing and for the spirituall good of his soul is very agreeable both to naturall and religious equity and it is grounded upon the ancient custom and practise of gods people in time of the Law And we Christians having obtained a larger measure of divine grace and our obligation to serve God and Christ upon his heavenly promises being greater than in the time of the Iews If in those former times of greater
it whilst the sword was in his owne body and then fell down and dyed in the place the other went back into the Town but dyed also that day 6 Rule The conscience of the sinner is many times a good directer to point out to us that cursed thing If so then what shall we say in this case for divers Prophaners of the Lords day have upon their hurts felt withall the accusation of conscience and acknowledged that those harmes befell them for doing such things as they did on the Lords day Some dying bewailed their sinnes others living made good use thereof and herein reformed themselves of which examples may bee brought to make this good From all this which hath been delivered it may appeare I hope that it is not rash presumption nor any vaine and prophane observation to take notice with reverence of the immediate the mediate and casuall judgements which happen upon the Lords day for the better stirring of us up to the sanctification of the whole day with readinesse of will to the honour of our Lord Jesus so it be without superstition and hypocrisie which such as understandingly know to observe the day aright are farre from both in their intention and practice CHAP. XXVIII Of the serious ponderation of these things CHristian Reader that lovest thine owne soule lay aside all prejudice in the cause labour for selfe-deniall and be in love with the truth Behold the Primitive times weigh the records of our Church the care of Emperours and Kings take notice of the Decrees of Councells and Synods the judgement of the learned in the Church both the Ancient and Moderne the many to the few of a contrary minde and lay to heart these severall kinds of Gods judgements by all which we may see what God and all good men would have us to doe and what to avoid on this day without any Judaizing at all For we doe not put as the Jewes did holinesse in the day as holy in it selfe but as a day set apart by divine authority for holy duties Nor doe we make our rest holy but in the use of it requisite to holy performances of the sacred duties of the day for without cessation from our own profits and pleasures we cannot apply our selves to Divine Services and therefore it being both as a meanes to take us off from the hinderances of holy duties as also a furtherance to the exercises of holinesse which on this day are publickly and privately to be performed we presse the keeping of a Rest If we be well understood I suppose none would say wee did Judaize nor call us by the new reproachfull name of Sabbatarians we hold no more for restraint than holy men have done in former ages Doctor Heylin doth tell us that the fifth and sixth Centurie were fully bent to give the Lords day all fit honour not only in prohibiting all unlawfull pleasures but in commanding a forbearance of some lawfull businesses such as they found to be most hinderance to religious duties S. Augustine long before allowed on the Lords day no wandring about woods and In Serm. de tempo 251. fields with noyse and clamours no telling of tales no playing at dice nor dancing on this day yea he findes fault that whilst they rested from a good work the work of their calling they rested not from vaine and trifling works as if saith he one time of the day were set apart to the Service of God and the rest of the day and the night to their owne pleasures Tertullian before him telleth us how holily the Sabbath was kept after the breaking up of the Congregation as before hath beene delivered And it is worthy to be marked out of Doctor Heylin though he make mention of recreations cap. 3. pag. 84. cap. 4. pag. 123. in his Historie of the Sabbath yet hath he not produced any one testimonie of any one Father for the now conceit of Christian libertie concerning recreations of which he saith after dinner until Evening Prayer and after Evening Prayer untill the time of Supper there is no question to be made but all were practised which were not prohibited But had there beene proofes hee surely would have produced one Father or other for them But come we now to our Opposites See before Mr. Brerewood and see what they say for us without Judaizing and insteed of all the rest I take only here the learned Bishop White who saith thus so farreforth as secular labour and Pag. 226. 227. 261. pastime or recreation are impediments to sacred and religious duties publick or private to bee performed upon holy dayes they are to be avoided and abstinence from them must be used according to the equitie of divine law and the precept of the Church otherwise they are sacrilegious citing Cyrill for his purpose because they are meanes to robbe God of his honour and to hinder the spirituall edification of Christian people and because abstinence from labour and from recreation upon the holy day is subservient to the exercise of religious duties and on the contrary secular labour and pastime are impediments thereunto and if they be acted at such times as the precept of God and the Church prohibit they are prophanations of Gods holy day The same learned Father in another place in his book against Braborn saith that because the Lords day and other holy dayes are devoted to the Service of God and appointed to the exercise of religious and spirituall duties Christian people are to perferre their religious offices of those dayes before their wordly pleasures and profit and the more observant they are hereof the more they please God if other actions of their life be sutable to their devotions yea he saith further and so much as we may say and no more that devout Christians who are so piously affected as that upon the Lords day and other holy dayes they doe resolve to sequester and retire themselves from secular businesses and ordinary pleasures and delights to the end they may more freely attend the service of Christ and apply their mindes to spirituall and heavenly meditations are to be commended and encourged For the doing thereof is a work of grace and godlinesse pleasing and acceptable to God for which he quoteth Col. 3. 2. Joh. 6. 27. Object Let none say that flesh and blood cannot apply it selfe so holily an whole day together Answ For first flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdome of heaven 1 Cor. 15. 50. Secondly we must strive to doe by grace what wee cannot doe by nature else we shall never doe at any time true service to God according to any of his Commandements Thirdly God must not loose his right of service from us because we have procured to our selves wretched natures soone weary of all spirituall duties Fourthly lazie servants can hardly undergoe any labour much lesse to hold out a day yet the awe they beare to their earthly Masters maketh them to doe
learnedst Jewish Rabbies very many judicious Divines among us Protestants and divers learned Papists do hold the affirmative Some few in comparison of the other do hold the negative upon the former suppositions suppositions I call them for that they have no ground of Reason from either the Letter or Circumstance of the Text. SECTION II. Of the conceit of an Anticipation or Prolepsis and what it is TOstatus his conceit of an Anticipation in the words was saith Catherinus ineptum commentum and is indeed contrary to the plaine meaning of Moses his whole narration and the letter of text Here its fit in the first place to shew what is an Anticipation It 's the setting down of a thing in order of story before which cometh to be so in order of time afterwards The Reason of every such Anticipation is from the Penman of the Historie who writeth down things not as they were of old at the first but as they then were when he wrote the story Such an Anticipation here some of them only so say or do rest on others who affirme it without allegation of reasons for this their conception and brain birth But there is one of late who hath produced his grounds for it 1. Because saith he the words may be thus translated And God hath blessed the seventh day and hath sanctified it Ans 1 None so translate the words otherwise than the former in verse 2. Perfecit requievit no advantage to be taken more in the word hath blessed and hath sanctified than in saying He blessed and sanctified Hath is but an English particle and not of force in the Hebrew in the Greek or Latine which yet if we adde to the other verbs as He hath ended and hath rested speaking of that same time would be absurd Ans 2 Thus to devise a Translation from all that have Englished the words as a reason to build thereon a new conceit is no sound dealing but a perverting of the true sense 2. For that diverse places are named elsewhere by an Anticipation saith he Ans This will not conclude therefore here is an Anticipation because there For in those other places there evidently appeareth the grant of the Prolepsis why of necessitie it should be so taken there would else manifestly be an untruth uttered which cannot be here understood when the words are taken as they be in the text as then and at that time so Yet these two reasons for no more I finde are onely the weak under propers of their fancie SECTION III. Arguments against this Anticipation or Prolepsis Argument 1. WHere the words may be taken literally without danger of any untruth contradiction or absurditie there is no figure and anticipation For in a plain narration to take the words figuratively is to abuse the Scripture and to make it as a nose of wax But these words He blessed and sanctified applied to that self-same singular day in which he rested have in them no falshood no contradiction no absurdity Therefore here is no Anticipation Let any shew wherein the falshood the contradiction or obsurditie in so applying and understanding of the words is if they cannot they must give over Abulensis commentum figmentum Argument 2. EVery Prolepsis is onely in places or in the description of things and actions done by men but not of Gods divine institution no instance can be given hereof But these words are not spoken of any place nor act nor thing of men but an act of Gods institution who is said to blesse and sanctifie the day and are words of his divine institution And therefore here is no Anticipation till it can be proved that one may so differ from all other in holy Story Argument 3. In every Anticipation the name act or thing forespoken of in order of Storie hath its dependance and rise from some thing following yet before in order of time For this is an Anticipation as is before shewed and it is most true in every such figure See it in instances In Bethel is a prolepsis Gen. 12. 8. from Gen. 28. 19. In Gilead is a prolepsis Gen. 31. 31. from Gen. 31. 47. In Gilgal is a prolepsis Iosh 4. 19. from Iosh 5. 9. In Bochim is a prolepsis Iudg. 2. 1. from Iudg. 2. 5. In Exo 16. 33 34. which act was when the Tabernacle was built and the Testimony made afterwards Exo. 25. and 26. and 27. on which the truth of this act of Aaron dependeth In 1. Sam. 17. 54. is a prolepsis for the act of David here mentioned could not be true till afterward he won the strong hold of Zion and got Ierusalem 2. Sam. 5. 7. In all these and in every other prolepsis there is such a dependance so clear and evident as none can doubt of the truth of the figure except we would faultie the narration with an untruth But now these words in Gen. 2. 3. have not their truth dependant upon any thing after recorded in Scripture which was before this act of God in time For who can say truely and sollidly prove it that the words in Exo. 20. 11. were the institution of the Sabbath in time before this in Genesis For t is manifest that the Sabbath was kept before the promulgation of the Law Exo. 16. 30. And again the words in Exo. 20. 11. shew us not what new thing God did then but what he had done when he rested the seventh day from his six dayes works in the Creation For as God telleth them what he had done in the very first six dayes in the beginning so he told them what he did that very seventh on which he rested from his work he blessed and hallowed it and made it the Sabbath Therefore it s to be concluded from the nature of a true Prolepsis and the dependance of that which is first spoken upon that which maketh it so in time that here is no Anticipation Argument 4. IN every Anticipation the thing so spoken of is generally known to be come to passe before the Penman wrote it as those former instances do shew If here then were a Prolepsis Gods blessing and sanctifying the seventh day should have been known generally and the institution before Moses tyme who wrote this history of Genesis If they will not acknowledge it was so known before Moses wrote Genesis then is there no Anticipation If they grant it to be generally known then must they yeeld that the Sabbath day was before the giving of the Law and generally so known If they say it was known unto all Israel onely after the giving of the Law then I ask them 1. What Sabbath that was which was knowne to Israel at the raining of Manna 2. How they know that Moses wrote Genesis after the time of the giving of the Law If only it was generally knowne from that time and not before from whence hee must take occasion as they say to insert the words into the second of Genesis and third verse by
understood of a ceremonious observation which they deny to be kept before Moses time They do not deny any Sabbath to have been kept at all They dâ—ny what the Jews did stand for against whom they wrote to wit for Circumcision and a Sabbath ceremonially kept Such a Sabbath to be kept by the Patriarchs the Fathers deny SECTION V. Of the true understanding of the words in Gen. 2. 3. HAving cleared the text Gen. 2. 3. of these two rubs of a Prolepsis and of a future Destination it follows that it must be understood plainely without either of them and the words to be conceived as they be written and delivered which is that at that present time that first seventh day on which God rested was it which he blessed and sanctified How can this be denyed Doth not Moses proceed orderly in his historicall narration First he relates Gods Work every of the six dayes and having ended that he then immediatly following speaketh of the seventh day and what God did on that day to wit that God rested on that same seventh day and sanctified it That this is clearely so to be understood without a figure I thus prove First this third verse is connexed to the second by the copulative conjunction and tying in the continued narration with an and Gods resting to Gods ending of his work on that seventh day in verse 2. Then to his resting wâ—th another and he adjoyneth his blessing and sanctifying the same seventh day Now as the ending his work of six dayes and and his resting from his work on the immediate seventh day following are coupled together and not in any indifferent mans understanding separable from one the other in the nâ—â—ration so are his resting and his blessing and sanctifying of the same seventh day knit together and so conceiveably to every ones common apprehension tied one to the other as the other be without any difference in Moses relation Therefore if the former verse be cleare so is the later to any not anticipated with a prejudicate opinion destinated to errour Secondly God himselfe publishing the Law of the Sabbath in Exod. 20. 11. doth there as Moses doth here in Genesis 2. 2 3. couple together the same things his finishing of his work in six dayes who made heaven and earth the sea and all that in them is with his resting on the seventh day and then that he blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it clearely thus verifying the truth of Moses narration by his conjoyning of the things together and then by speaking also of all these his acts as then done in the time perfectly past in the words made rested blessed and sanctified therefore may we see God himselfe if we will see teaching us to understand Moses plainly and that without any Anticipation or Destination Thirdly the seventh day in Gen. 2. 3. is that first seventh day in which God rested and not another seventh day which should be 2450 yeares after when the Law should be given at Mount Sinai For First the conjunction and will not admit of such a distinction or division of the day in the third verse from the seventh day in the second to make them to be put asunder as farre as the creation was from the promulgation of the Law 2450 and odde yeares Secondly the seventh day is three times mentioned twice in the second verse which is not denied to be understood of one and the same seventh day and why not the seventh day in the third verse For there is no difference in the expression of the day it is called alike in all the triple mentioning the seventh day and the later seventh day as I said before is by and conjoyned to the other Thirdly the demonstrative ipsum it referreth us to the same seventh day before spoken of For the word cannot have reference to a seventh day to come two thousand yeares after Fourthly the reason that is annexed in Gen. 2. 3. tieth us to that first seventh day on which God rested and not to another seventh day to come after for if the seventh bee understood of any other seventh day than that on which he rested immediately after the six dayes work the reason should not be good Lastly to this first seventh day God hath reference in Exod. 20. 11. and to no other seventh day Therefore must the words be understood of the first seventh day Fourthly to take the words he blessed and sanctified it to be meant of that seventh day on which God rested hath no absurdity in it neither in respect of the day nor in respect of Adam in innocency as I have proved nor doth it contradict any other place nor any other Scripture can be brought against it nor is there any untruth so to conceive it Therefore are the words without figure plaine and easie and so to be understood as they be historically delivered Obj. The words are to be taken as a Parenthesis so saith Gomarus who desires to have it taken notice of in his reply to Doctor Rivet Answ Why hee should make so much of his conceit I know not For if it should be granted him as it cannot yet a Parenthesis is ever to the purpose and sense of the place it altereth not the meaning thereof it weakeneth not but rather strengtheneth the litterall sense and tendeth greatly to the matter in hand See instances in the New Testament Matth. 1. 18. and 24. 24. and 27. 9. Mark 5. 8. 13. and 7. 2. Luk. 2. 2. 4. 35. Joh. 1. 14. Act. 1. 18. 19. and 5. 12. Likewise in the old Testament Gen. 24. 10. and 35. 18. and 38. 16. and 49. 31. Exod. 14. 9. Ier. 21. 2. and 29. 2. with infinite other places but this conceited Parenthesis is cleane contrary to all the other and overthroweth the naturall and proper sense of the place contrary I say to the nature of any Parenthesis But I deny here a Parenthesis for take away a Parenthesis and yet the sense remayneth and the former following words are knit without any absurditie but take away these words And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it Gen. 2. 3. First there is no meaning left to expresse what benefit man should have by Gods resting on the Sabbath day as Moses telleth us what benefit accrued to man by Gods working upon every other of the six daies for as God wrought on them and distinguished them for mans use even so must wee conceive of his distinguishing the seventh day and resting on it for mans good as well as the other dayes But if these words be a Parenthesis and taken away then had not Moses told us of any use or benefit of this day Secondly take these words away then the second verse with the later part of the third verse will absurdly bee conjoyned In verse second it is thus And he rested on the seventh day from all his workes which he had made And in verse third it then should follow immediately because that in
any not wilfully averse from the truth the change of the tense in the two reasons Moses speaking of Gods giving of Manna because it was at this time given whilst the people were in the wildernesse of Zin Exod. 16. 1. saith in the present tense Dat vobis he giveth you in the sixth day the bread of two dayes but speaking of the Sabbath he uttereth the words in the preterperfect tense Jehovah dedit vobis ipsum Sabbatum The Lord hath given to you the Sabbath as that same which was of old which evidently declareth the Sabbath to have beene before this time and not now at this present in this place instituted For if it had beene now at this time given as the Manna was Moses would have said he giveth you the Sabbath and not he hath given it Having thus answered this place of Exod. 16. yet one thing remaineth to be removed as a great block in the way which is the silent passing over the observation of the Sabbath from the Creation till the rayning of Manna and therefore they are bold to conclude from a meere Negative that there was no observation of the Sabbath Answ 1. I have proved the institution Gen. 2. 3. which is enough to prove that they ought to have observed which if they did not was sin in them but the reverence we owe to those holy men of God bindeth us to think better of them than so 2. I have shewed my reasons why wee are to bee perswaded that the Sabbath was kept of them of more force to confirme this assertion than such a weak argument from the bare silent passing it over historically can bee of any validity to refell it For as the historicall narration of Moses speaketh nothing of the observation of the day after the institution of it so we may finde after it was commanded on Mount Sinai that no mention is made of any observation of the day in all the book of Joshua nor in the book of the Judges nor in Ruth nor in the first or second of Samuel nor in the first book of the Kings shall we therefore conclude that in all this time valiant Joshua the Princes of the people the worthy Judges holy Samuel zealous David and others did not observe the Sabbath In all the History of Hester no mention is made of God will we therefore say hee was not then knowne or worshipped of Mordecai Hester and the religious Jewes God by his spirit directed the holy Penmen to write so in such manner and of such things as he in his heavenly wisdome thought fittest to make rehearsall of to posterities and not to embolden men to deny such and such things not to have beene because the Lord was not pleased to mention them If we should thus reason what an ill face of a Church would we imagine to have beene in the world till Moses his dayes For the better clearing of this point and to manifest the absurd and impious reasoning from the silence of Scripture in this sort I will divide the times from the Creation till Moses and then let men see the silent passing over of many things and whether men dare to deny the observation of the Sabbath upon that only very selfe same ground 1. From the Creation to the fall how long is uncertain the Story is only in two chapters and no more In this space is not one word of Adams worshipping of God not a word of any holy duties practised May we think therefore he performed no such thing to God If we be ashamed so to conclude from the silence of the Scripture herein why dare any deny Adams observation of the Sabbath upon no other ground seeing he knew it to be instituted and had Gods example of resting before him for his imitation But yee will perhaps say that Adam could not keep it because he fell before the Sabbath day Answ Learned Zanchius is confident to affirme that Christ took an humane shape and conferred with Adam and taught him how to keep the Sabbath to the Lord. And it seemes to me somewhat unlikely that God would suffer Adam to fall the very day of his creation First Adam was made the sixth day what time is not noted let it be in the morning it cannot be then first because of the things to be done before he fell 1. All sorts of beasts and foules were brought to him to name them every severall sort according to their natures which took up some time 2. He was cast into a deepe sleepe 3. A rib was taken out of his side and thereof the woman was made 4. The Lord brought her to Adam and married them who spake of her and of the conjunction of man and wife 5. God put them into Paradise to dresse the Garden and gave them a Commandement all which took up some space of time Secondly in respect of the time of the temptation the Serpents comming into the Garden then the conference betweene him and Eve and after betweene Eve and Adam the temptation was not so suddenly begun and ended as the shortnesse of the Story may seeme to intimate Thirdly the things done after the fall 1. A confused shame of face to see themselves naked 2. Their sowing leaves to cover their nakednesse 3. Their hiding themselves which was in the coole of the day 4. Their examination and answer and then the sentence after upon all Fourthly and lastly the casting of them forth of Paradise All which may give us to think that these things could not well happen upon his day of creation 2. It is not likely that Eve would so suddenly straggle from her husbands company and so immediately to be set upon by the Serpent as soone as they were in the Garden 3. They could not conceive of the excellency of their state of perfection nor of the efficacy of Gods blessed image and likenesse in them if they had enjoyed no time for the expression thereof For what time could they have had together to discerne of each others excellency to contemplate upon Gods creatures to behold their glorious habitation and to praise God for his goodnesse if they had fallen the same day 4. The words of Gods approbation of all his works he saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good Gen. 1. 31. which approbation he gave of them at the end of the sixth day For upon the words written by Moses of Gods seeing all things very good he addeth and the Evening and the Morning was the sixth day that is the day naturall was finished for so the words are to be understood of every of the other five dayes verse 5. 8. 13. 19. 23. Now God speaking in the end of the sixth day so well of all his works if Adam had fallen on that day and God had cursed the earth for mans sin how could it be said that hee saw every thing good when through the sin of man all things on a sudden came to be
those Generalities unto more Specialities which naturall men could never rightly discover without this help of Gods externall precepts This consists in the Letter and written words of the Law in the Commandements and the farther meaning thereof is to be learned from other Scriptures to know what is contained in the short precepts This Externalitie properly belongeth to the outward man for the ordering of it And this Externalltie may be dispensed with in some precepts though the naturalitie cannot for this is written in every mans heart but so is not this Externalitie We see Gods dispensation in some Specialities as Gods allowing Cain to marry with his Sister also Polygamie in the Patriarches In Gods commanding Abraham to kill his sonne In the Magistrate commanded to kill the offender Deut. 13. 9. so in warre to kill Numb 31. 17. In his allowing of the Israelits to rob and spoile the Egyptians Exod. 3. 22. And what is it but a dispensation when God raiseth up some to spoile other And that children may leave their parents in case of Marriage Gen. 2. 24. and Matth. 19. 5. and that variance may be between them for the Gospel sake Matth. 10. 35. Luk. 14. 26. The Commandements of this Law in respect of the meer Externalitie manifested in Specialities may be called Positive laws as superadditaments for Specialities of those generals as for example Naturalitie teacheth me a God but the Positivenesse telleth me that I must have only the God of Israel for my god Nature teacheth to worship God but the Positive precept forbids to make any graven image or likenesse thereby to worship him but to worship in spirit and in truth Nature teacheth to honour God the Positive Commandement forbids the taking of Gods name in vaine Nature * It teacheth also that for the proportion of this time the creature must depend and waite upon his Creator who alone can make the work of six dayes serve to keep us seven By light of nature t is no way fit the servant should prescribe unto his Master but rather the Master unto his servant especially considering the ground of that distinction of servi a libere natura teacheth to have a time to serve God solemnly the Positive precept commandeth a Sabbath day and directeth us to the keeping of a seventh day Sabbath SECTION V. Of the Spirituality of the Law THe Spirituality of the Law is the spirituall extension of every precept of the Law beyond all that which the naturality reacheth unto and above the speciality of the Letter of the Commandements in the externalitie thereof I call it the Spiritualitie of the Law for that this knowledge is only attained by the spirits speciall illumination and grace And consists not in the only bare knowledge of the minde touching the extension but also in the hearts affection drawn on along with the utmost extent of the understanding to love what is commanded to hate what is forbidden to joy in obedience to sorrow for failings and falls fearing ever to offend This Spirituality is that which is promised of God in his Covenant of Grace made with his People to be written in the minde and heart Jer. 31. 33. Heb. 8. 10. This is the reparation of that blessed image of God consisting in wisedome holinesse righteousnesse and uprightnesse Col. 3. 10. Eph. 4. 24. Eccles 7. 29. The Naturality is common to all in and out of the Church The Externality belongeth to those in the Church and in this respect may the Law be said to be given only to the Israelits This all the outward children of the Church may attain unto and others out of the Church by conversing with and coming among them or these going unto them or getting some of the wriâ—â—ngs of the Church For it s not possible that the learned Heathen got all their knowledge by the Naturality in them and their common light but by the accession of the helps from the Church Therefore to gather that whatsoever we finde in their writing concerning God and the things appertaining to him to be all from their meer light in nature will not hold for a sound conclusion This Spirituality is proper only to the Elect The first is by inscription but bettred by diligent improvement of those principles and helps from the Church The second is by information and bettered by good education and instruction publikely and privately in the Church The third is by the speciall inspiration of Gods holy Spirit in a constant use of the means and in the grace of Self-deniall which every one must come with that will be a true obedient observer of the Law SECTION VI. Of the Morality of the Law THe Moralitie of the Law properly speaking and distinctly to common understanding is not the Naturalitie nor perpetuity of the Law as if these three indistinctly were all one But the Moralitie of the Law is the Laws power binding the whole man outwardly to the good behaviour in all good manners concerning holinesse towards God and righteousnesse towards man according to the Naturalitie Externality and Spiritualitie of the Law And from this consideration truely properly distinctly and clearly it is and may be called the Morall Law the brief Epitome of Christian Ethick Oeconomick Politicks and Ecclesiasticks and of whatsoever duâ—â— we owe to God or man SECTION VII That there are ten Commandements HAving thus prefaced these necessaria praecognita I come to the fourth Commandement for the right understanding whereof many things are to be made clear First that there are ten Commandements of the Law I would not speak of this but that one hath pleased to call this number vulgar Idols I. It s the number which Moses recordeth Exod. 34. 28. Deut. 4. 13. and holdeth Deut. 10. 4. and saith God added no more Deut. 5. 22. more then ten there was not nor fewer may we make them least we be guilty of the curse and break the Commandement Deut. 4. 2. of adding to and taking from Deut. 12. 32. II. Its commonly called the Decalogue by the most learned Divines III. Our Church in the Catechiâ—me would have children to be taught that there are ten Commandements IV. Saint Augustine in Epist 118. cap. 12. speaks of ten Commandements V. The Papists though they rob God of one sacriledgiously yet do not diminish his number of ten VI. The number hath thus been reckoned for three thousand and two hundred of years and more and never either denyed or lightly disregarded till the spirit of too much boldnesse in some hath dared without shame to speak contemptuously of the number SECTION VIII Of the fourth Commandement in what words contained THis fourth Commandement is and hath been hitherto accounted one of them and is a Commandement in forme of speech so delivered unto us But here we are carefully to consider which is the Commandement and in what words its comprehended The mistake herein hath occasioned all the contention concerning the perpetuity of the Commandement The Commandement
Archbishop Daroberniae in a Synod Anno 747 with the rest decreed that the Lords day should bee celebrated with the reverence most meet and to be dedicated only to the service of God Our last Archbishop Doctor Abbot so honoured the Lords day as he by his Chaplains licensed divers Treatises for observation of the Lords day and when a Minister presented him with a book to bee licensed which was made for liberty on that day he took it of him and before his face burnt it in the fire For Bishops S. Ambrose telleth us it is well knowne saith he how carefully the Bishops doe restraine all toying light and filthy Dances if at other times then on the Lords day Bishop Babington on Exod. 16. saith that Drinkings Dances Wakes Wantonnesse Beare-baiting and Bull-baiting were wicked prophanation of the Lords day Bishop Downham on the Commandements saith They that keep the day for idle rest make it Sabbatum Boum or Asinorum They that defile it with drunkennesse and the like make it Sabbatum Diaboli and they that prophane it with sports make it Sabbatum aurei vituli Bishop Hooper that Godly Martyr On the ten Commandements saith The Lord sanctified the Sabbath day not that wee should give our selves to illnesse or to such Ethnicall pastimes as is now used amongst Ethnicall people c. Bishop Bayly in his Practice of Piety saith We are this day to abstaine from the works of our callings carrying burdens Faires and Markets studying any Book but Scripture and Divinity all recreations and sports grosse feeding liberall drinking and talking about worldly things Bishop White hath uttered an Against Brab holy speech who saith that all kinde of recreations which are of evill quality in respect of their object or are attended with evill and vicious circumstances are unlawfull and if used on the Lords day are sacrilegious for they rob God of his honour to whose worship and service the holy day is devoted and they defile the soules of men for the clensing and edifying whereof the holy day is appointed 3. Learned Divines NIcho de Clemangiis de novis celebritatibus non instituendis tells us that especially the Lords day and solemne Festivalls should be wholy and onely consecrated to more speciall worship and spent in duties of Devotion in lauding and blessing him for his more speciall favours Doctor Pocklington In his Serm pag. 13. hath a right speech howsoever it be that a little after he varieth saying If the first day of the week be the Lords day as he in another place yeelds it we must look to do the Lords work on it and not trench upon him by doing our own worke thereon yea he cyteth Saint Augustine for this Page 5. that men should leave all worldly businesses on Saints dayes Et maximè Diebus Dominicis especially on the Lords dayes that they betake themselves wholly to the Lords service Reverend Hooker saith that the voluntary scandalous contempt In Eccl. Pol. ca. 5. pag. 385. of the rest from labour wherewith God is publickly served wee cannot too severely correct and bridle Master Dow teacheth a cessation from ordinary labours and holds them In his dâ—scourse of the Sab. pag. 28. unlawfull on this day as they hinder a man from applying himselfe to divine duties and therein are contrary to the divine precept and the morality thereof He requireth first A morning preparation in private Secondly Warneth men that they doe not by improvidence or negligence or forgetfulnesse draw upon themselves a necessity to omit or hinder the dutyes to which this day is consecrated Thirdly that the hindrances and our defects bee supplied by private Devotions and Meditations Fourthly that it is good and commendable to spend the rest of the day in holy meditations private prayer reading and calling to minde what we have read or heard Vincentius Bellovecensis and Bellarmine have condemned Specul morale lib. 3. Concio 6. de Dominic 3. advent Stage-playes Enterludes Masques mixt-Dancing which they call lascivious to be especially on the Lords day most execrable Alex. Fabricius in his destructorium vitiorum pars 4 saith That the Sabbath by dancing is prophaned So did the godly Albigenses and Waldenses who also in a short In the History of the Walden part 3. b. 2. Catechisme upon the Commandments would have the Christians keep the Sabbath in ceasing from worldly labours from sinne and idlenesse and to doe things as might be for the good and benefit of their soules It were tedious to recite the learned in the later times teaching the holy observation of this our Lords day I will Sect. 16. cap. 24. end only with the harmonie of Confessions where it is said that the Lords day ever since the Apostles time was consecrated to religious exercises and unto holy rest CHAP. XXIII God would have our Lords day religiously observed and not to be prophaned GOd doth informe us by his word by which wee finde his institution of one day in a week from the creation as in the first Treatife have beene proved to bee sanctified to holy uses wee finde also the same established by his Law given on Mount Sinai as is manifested in the former Treatise And from the word in the New Testament we finde one day the first day of the week to have been observed and the observation continued now this 1600 yeeres So that one day in a week hath beene given to God as sacred and holy for holy rest in his worship and for holy duties to be performed publickly privately now above five thousand five hundred fourescore yeers some count 6000 a time long enough to settle this truth to observe such a day and as the holy people in the former times before Christ kept their day holily morally so should wee our day too But as God inctrusteth by his word so doth hee also by his works he is said to speak by the work of his providence Geness 24. 50. 51. And when his judgements are in the Esai 26. 10. earth the inhabitants of the world are to learne righteousnesse thereby and even in this for not observing his holy day for as before he punished his people for the prophanation of their Sabbath as the Scripture witnesseth in many places So hath the Lord punished the prophanation of our Christian Sabbath dedicated to his honour and service and hath pleaded by his punishments for the sanctification thereof and to deterre men from the prophaning of it This we must know that there is no evill in a City but the Lord doth it to wit the evill of punishment and the same commeth for sin of what nature or kinde soever the judgements be which are three fold 1 Immediate judgements wherein Gods hand is clearely seene which all will easily acknowledge with feare Such a judgement was the drowning of the old world the burning of Sodome and Gomorrah with fire from heaven So that of Nadab and Abihu with