Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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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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it serves to illustrate but not to prove the point in hand speaking the probability but not the certainty of the thing I have somewhat to offer in the next place that will put the matter out of all doubt and therefore 2. My second Argument I draw from the Authority of the Apostles who did nothing of themselves but by commission from Christ Mal. 28.19 20. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations c. teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the World How could he be with them when he was to be taken from them and depart into Heaven He tells them Joh. 14.26 where he promises to send his Spirit as his Vicar General to supply his place and absence and direct them about all things relating to his Kingdome But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you and Chap. 16.13 14. When he the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you So that what the Apostles did they did by Divine Warrant Now we have both Apostolical precept and practise to warrant the observation of the day 1. For Precept 1 Cor. 16.1 As I have ordained in the Churches of Galatia so do ye and what that Ordinance was he tells them v. 2. Vpon the first day of the Week let every one of you lay by him in store as God has prosper'd him that there may be no gathering when I come He ordains their Collections for the poor Saints and oblations should be on that day And why should that day be the Collection day rather than any other had it not been observ'd holy in those times and that Christians did use on that day to assemble The collection therefore being enjoyn'd on that day and that in the weekly returns of it for the collection was not to be made at once and no more but time after time till it swell'd to a Treasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gathering a Treasure as the greek word signifies adding something weekly as God had prosper'd every man this I say is an argument that the day was celebrated as the Christian Sabbath the work being so suitable to the day and then most effectually promoted by the opportunity that offer'd it self through the numerous assembly of Christians There is one thing objected against the validity of this place for the proof of the point in hand and that is the Greek phrase which the Objectors say is not truly translated the first day of the Week the words in the Greek being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word for word is on one of the Sabbaths So that say they the Apostle intended the collection should be made on the Sabbath day the seventh and not the first day of the Week To this I answer that the Translation is good and warrantable Chrys in 1 Cor. Hom. 43. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as St. Chrysostome the learned Grotius and Dr. Hammond observe yea St. Chrysostome interprets it the Lords day The word Sabbath is oftentimes put for the whole Week which is signified by that Notion Lev. 15.23 Seven Sabbaths shall be compleat i. e. seven Weeks So St. Luke 18.12 I fast twice in the week in the Greek 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 twice in the Sabbath And 't is observable that the same Phrase is used concerning the day of the Resurrection Mat. 28.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is render'd without any objection against it the first day of the Week And so St. Luke 24.1 and Joh. 20.1 There is the like Phrase in the Greek and the like Translation in English Now they may as well deny the Resurrection of Christ to be on the first day of the Week as the Christian Assemblies to be on that day by force of the same Objection the Phrase being in each place the same and therefore must needs have the same signification And St. Mark seems so to expound the other Evangelists Chap. 16.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which cannot possibly with any sense be understood of the Sabbath but the first day of the Week and the Greek Scholiast confidently renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords day on which the Apostles were wont to keep their Assemblies which is the next thing that we are to take notice of and inquire into viz. 2. Their practice We find in the 2d of the Acts that the Apostles and Disciples of Christ were assembled for religious exercises on the first day of the Week the usual solemn time of their meeting in honour and memory of their Lords Resurrection And Act. 20.7 We read that upon the first day of the Week when the Disciples came together to break Bread i. e. the Sacramental or Eucharistical Bread St. Paul Preached to them ready to depart on the morrow 'T is true we have but a few hints in Scripture of the observation of the day which is enough however to signifie the usage of the Church then there being no more need for the Apostles to inform the Christians and others of that time that the first day of the Week was the Christians day for the publick and solemn Worship of God and religious exercises than for an English Man to write a History to inform his Country men that Sunday is kept in England as the Christian Sabbath and that the Word of God is Preached and the Lords Supper administred on that day it being matter of fact of common and notorious usage Yea into so great Reputation and such general and common usage was the observation of this day grown amongst the Christians even in the Apostles times that it had obtain'd a peculiar name appropriate to the Original and occasion of it as the Apostle St. John observes Rev. 1.10 I was in the spirit on the Lords day in the spirit i. e. in spiritual Exercises and Meditations on the Lords day i. e. the first day of the Week in which the Lord rose from the dead Observe St. John does not say on the day which is worthy to be call'd the Lords day but he speaks it as a Notion or Phrase of general and common use a Title given to the day a known discription of it whereby they might easily understand what day he meant The Lords day so called either because Christ rose on that day and it was by the Church peculiarly dedicated to his honour or it is so called as the Sacrament is called Coena Dominica the Lords supper and the Lords Prayer Oratio Dominica because the Lord instituted the one and taught and commanded the use of the other Athanas Homil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
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