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A29935
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A perswasive to the stricter observation of the Lords day in pursuance of His Majesties pious order and directions to preachers particularly about the observation of the Lord's day, &c. / by Matthew Bryan.
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Bryan, Matthew, d. 1699.
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1686
(1686)
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Wing B5247; ESTC R19898
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22,342
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36
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〈◊〉 For so S. Athanasius saith expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Lord translated the Sabbath to the Lords day Whether he did this immediately by himself or by his Apostles inspired by him all comes to one That it was so translated is evident and a Christian Name given it being not call'd the Sabbath and when we call it so stiling it the Christian Sabbath it is not strictly and properly but analogically and by way of allusion to the Jewish Sabbath which was a day of rest but the proper and peculiar and Evangelical Name is the Lords day which the Jews stil'd the first day and the Gentiles Sunday But it matters not much by what Name we call it whether Sabbath or Sunday or the First Day so that we allow the divine right and Institution and observation of it Only I must observe to you that the Lords day is the most proper and peculiar and Evangelical Notion which was observ'd and us'd not only in the Apostles times but in the succeeding Ages of the Church which is an historical Evidence of the divine Institution of the day that it was not instituted by the Church succeeding the Apostles but by the Apostles themselves and the usage derived to the succeeding Ages of the Church by Apostolical Tradition and the day generally observed by the Church immediately after the Apostles days and so forward as I could shew you at large by the Testimony of the * St. Ignatius who was St. Johns Disciple makes it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Queen the Lady paramount among the other weekly days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. After the Sabbath let every Friend of Christ make the Lords day a Solemn Festival says the same Ignatius Upon the Sunday 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a common assembly both of Citizens and common people is held c. says Just Mart. Apol. 2. Upon that day i. e. Sunday we Christians meet together in the common Assembly c. says Tertullian Apol. cap. 39. We Christians assemble our selves with much diligence upon the Lords day to praise God c. Clemt Rom. Const Ap l. 2. c. 63. St. Basil de Spir. Sanct. 27. Numbers the Observation of the Lords day amongst Apostolical Traditions And St. Augustine's general Golden Rule proves it to be so Quod universa tenet Ecclesia nec Conciliis institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi authoritate Apostolica traditum rectissimè creditur Aug. de Bapt. c. Donatist l. 4. cap. 24 Plin. Ep 97. ad Trajanum lib. dec p. 434. essent soliti stato die ante lucem convenire carmenque Christo quasi Deo dicere secum invicem seque Sacramento c. Ancients But I shall only take particular notice of the Testimony of an Enemy as to the matter of fact that the Observation of the day was as old as the Apostles and that is the famous Heathen Pliny who inform'd the Emperor Trajan in whose Reign the Apostle St. John liv'd that it was the use of Christians on a stated day by which he could mean no other than the Lords day to meet together to sing their Hymnos antelacanos their Hymns to Christ as God before day-break and to bind themselves by a Sacrament not to do any wickedness c. This is the Testimony of a great Heathen whose report as an Historian is not to be questioned Nay the observation of this day was so taken notice of by the Heathen in the Primitive persecutions before any Imperial Edict or Canon of Council enjoyn'd it that it became a constant interogatory to the Christians when brought upon their Tryal and Examination Have you kept the Lords day To which their answer was ever ready I cannot intermit it for I am a Christian and the Law of God prompts me to it Now put these things together the historical Notices which occur in Scripture of the Apostolical Institution and Observation of the day and their Approbation of it in others for certainly they would not have approv'd of it but vigorously oppos'd it had it been an usurpation and contrary to the mind of Christ these things I say together with the concurrent testimony of the succeeding Ages of the Church and not only of Friends but Enemies too I think sufficiently prove the Apostolical Observation of the day and consequently the Divine Institution of it and that in obedience to the Command of God in this precept Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy which may be prov'd by an Enumeration or induction of particulars what Christ the Son of God did that God the Father did who sent him into the World what the Spirit the Holy Ghost did that Christ who sent him did and what the Apostles who were inspir'd with the Spirit did that the Spirit himself did Thus in their first Council Act. 15.28 It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us and the Spirit was to lead them into all Truth and bring all things to their remembrance c. Now I have prov'd to you both by Scripture and History that the Apostles did command and institute and approve of the Observation of the Lords Day And if they did it the Holy Ghost did it and if the Holy Ghost did it Christ the Son did it and if Christ did it God the Father himself did it who here commands us Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy So that there are two things whereon the Divine Right of the Lords Day is founded Upon the moral Equity of the Fourth Commandment and upon Evangelical Institution Our Church reduceth the Institution of this day as a weekly day to the Fourth Commandment and as the first day of the Week she foundeth it upon Apostolical practice and tradition For which I might refer you to the Words of the Homily of the place and time of Prayer As concerning the time which Almighty God has appointed his people to assemble together solemnly Book of Homilies p. 214. it doth appear by the Fourth Commandment of God Remember saith God that thou keep Holy the Sabbath day Vpon which day as is plain in the Acts of the Apostles the people accustomably resorted together and heard diligently the Law and the Prophets read among them And albeit this Commandment of God doth not bind Christian people so straitly to observe and keep the utter Ceremonies of the Sabbath day as it was given unto the Jews as touching the forbearing of Work and Labour in time of great necessity and as touching the precise keeping of the seventh day after the manner of the Jews For we keep now the first day which is our Sunday and make that our Sabbath that is our day of rest in the honour of our Saviour Christ who as upon that day rose from death conquering the same most triumphantly Yet notwithstanding whatsoever is found in the Commandment appertaining to the Law of Nature as a thing most godly most just and needful for the setting forth of Gods Glory
A PERSWASIVE To the Stricter OBSERVATION OF THE LORDS DAY In pursuance of His MAJESTIES Pious Order and Directions to PREACHERS Particularly about the Observation of the LORD's DAY c. By Matthew Bryan L. L. D. Licens'd June 16t h 1686. LONDON Printed for S. Keble at the Turks Head in Fleetstreeet and D. Brown at the black Swan and Bible without Temple Bar 1686. Reverendo admodum In Christo Patri ac Domino D. PETRO Providentiâ Divina WINTONIENSI EPISCOPO Et nobilissimi Ordinis à periscelide dicti Praesuli Dignissimo Copiarum sub Rege maximè pio ac Martyre CAROLO primo Duci fortissimo In Exilii Miseriis Benignissimi CAROLI Secundi servo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 invicto Rebellibus Occidentalibus sub Rege Serenissimo JACOBO Secundo Terrori Et Armis Precibus Regis Regnique Opitulatori Bonorum Fautori Improborum Malleo Ecclesiae Anglicanae Strenuo Vindici Et Ornamento M. B. Hanc de die Dominicâ pie observandâ Concionem coram Londinensibus habitam Humillimè cum devotissimâ Veneratione Offert A PERSWASIVE TO THE Stricter OBSERVATION OF THE LORDS DAY Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy 'T IS an old Observation in which there is a great deal of truth though sometimes urg'd for very ill ends particularly to discountenance that great Gospel Ordinance of Preaching Nil dictum quod non dictum prius which I might English in the words of Solomon though spoken by him on another account Eccles 9.1 There is no new thing under the Sun There is nothing done or said but it has been done or said already Tho this might seem to supersede all further Inquiries and attempts to document and instruct the World and dispence knowledge and at once upbraid and silence the Undertaker by telling him that what he does is but actum agere to do that which is done already yet certainly in regard there dwell in us treacherous and unfaithful memories and dull and drowsie affections unapt especially to Spiritual and Divine Things it cannot be denied that an honest Remembrancer is as necessary and useful as the most eloquent Instructer to be imagin'd which St. Peter seems to acknowledge by magnifying the office of a Remembrancer no less than three times in one Chapter 2 Pet. 1.12 13 15 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things tho ye know them and be established in the present truth Yea I think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance moreover I will endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have these things alwayes in remembrance We less want the knowledge than the practice of our duties 'T is not so much the furnishing our heads with a richer treasure of speculations as the profitable improvement of what we know that is or ought to be the great end of Preaching The inculcating of duties therefore must needs be both necessary and advantagious the putting men in mind of what they know already Now amongst the several duties which in faithfulness I must put you in mind of I think it not unseasonable to put you in remembrance of that which this Day or rather the Lord of this Day requires of you viz. The hallowing and sanctifying of the Sabbath of late so much neglected and prophaned amongst us Give me leave therefore following the Example of St. Peter to put you in remembrance of these things tho you know them and be established in the present truth and duty Duty may some say Ay would you would satisfie us to that For that 's the scruple that lies upon our spirits We know indeed that the first day of the Week according to the Scripture computation is enjoyn'd by humane Law under a Penalty to be kept solemn and sacred for the Worship of God which seems to be contrary to the positive command of God held forth in the fourth Commandment which by the Example of God himself seems to intimate and command the observation of the Seventh Day from the Creation as the Sabbath of the Lord to be kept by the Lord's people Now the Fourth Commandment you say is of moral and perpetual obligation part of that Doctrine which you say is a Rule of Life to a Believer and every Sunday we are taught after pronouncing of this Commandment to beg mercy and pardon for our breach of it and strength better to keep it for the time to come in that short ejaculation Lord have mercy upon us and inoline our hearts to keep this Law Now it seems strange that we should be oblig'd to a duty so seemingly contrary to the Fourth Commandment which yet we are taught to acknowledge obedience to and beg God to incline our hearts to keep it when as at that very time it seems to us that we openly break it not keeping that Day which is there mentioned This I confess has been a scruple that has troubled the spirits of many and drawn some into a practical error For satisfaction therefore of the scrupulous and confirmation of the conscionable observers of the Christian Sabbath I shall labour to shew you the indispensable Obligation of it And to that end I have for my Subject pitch'd my thoughts on the Words of the Commandment which seem to speak so much against it but before I have done I hope you 'll conclude with me that the observation of the Christian Sabbath is not inconsistent with the duty held forth in the Text Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy In speaking to this Argument I shall do these three things 1. Shew you the divine Institution of the Christian Sabbath which we now celebrate that to observe and keep it is our duty and that in obedience to the Command of God 2. I shall shew you the manner how the Duty is to be performed wherein the right and due Observation of the day consists 3. And lastly I shall make some reflection on the whole by Application 1. My first undertaking shall be to shew you the Divine Institution of the Christian Sabbath which we now celebrate that to observe and keep it is our duty and that in Obedience to the Command of God And truely Brethren this Truth ought to be well settled and fixed in our minds as that which will mightily perswade us to the conscionable performance of the duty of the day for if I apprehend it to be only of humane Institution and the Command of Man how will it abate the value and esteem which otherwise I should have for it strangely lessen my Veneration and Reverence how will it damp my zeal and clip the wings of my rising and exulting Joy which would be the result of this consideration This is the day which the Lord hath made the inference would then be easie and natural Let us rejoyce and be glad in it Sirs Whilst I believe that the Observation of this