of labour as it is a day of vacation and workes of sinne as it is a day of sanctification for that day being specially dedicated to holynesse proclaimeth sinnes committed on it to be specially sinfull because besides the transgression of other commandements which they naturally import they imply also the transgression of this Commandement touching the speciall sanctifying of the Sabbath day So that although the act or labour or work it selfe be but one as to kill to steale c. yet the guilt is twofold when it is done on the Sabbath The seauenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God c. 1 Either because it was the memoriall of his rest after the Creation 2 Or because it was the day of mans vacation commanded by him 3 Or because it was to bee dedicated to his worship and service and not as the six daies to bee imployed in ordinary worke Thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter c. In the severall mention of every one with the Pronoune Thy it is manifest that relation is still had to Thou mentioned in the first place and therefore the Commandement was giuen to him to whom all these belonged Nor the stranger that is within thy gates c. Strangers to the Israelites were either in respect of their Of-spring only but not of religion as Proselites that had receaued the seale of the Couenant Circumcision and these stood meerely in the same obligation with the Israelites or in respect of Religion also which were amongst them on any occasion of outward affayres which were by the Magistrate to be restrained not because the Commandement belonged to them directly but obliquely only and in relation to the Israelites to whom strangers worke on the Sabbath might giue occasion or example to offend The worke of a servant as an absolute person namely his free and electiue workes are forbidden himselfe in the first clause Thou shalt doe no worke But his workes as he is a relatiue person namely a servant that is his imposed workes which he doth not of his owne will but by reason of his subjection to his Master are forbidden his Master not him selfe in the latter clause Nor thy Servant The former clause then Thou shalt doe no work is to bee vnderstood of absolute and free doing wherein the doers worke according to their owne pleasure not of respectiue enforced doing where there is mingled some passiuenesse with the doing as when in respect of their servile subjection to their Masters and feare of their displeasure and punishment seruants are made to doe those workes which of their owne will they would gladly leaue vndone It is therefore to bee vnderstood of Electiue and not of Coactiue workes To obserue one day of seauen for the Sabbath is not of the Morall Law 1 Because that part of the Commandement whereby the Sabbath is limited to the seuenth day is confessed to be ceremoniall 2 Because the Number one of seauen and Order the last of seauen are not otherwise specified in the Commandement then in the very same word the seauenth day therefore both are either Morall or both Ceremoniall 3 Because although some of the Ancient haue affirmed that one of 7 is to bee kept holy vnto the Lord yet none of them perhaps older then an hundred yeares haue said it to be Gods Morall Law The Commandement forbiddeth Litterally servile workes of the body Labours Mystically servile workes of the soule Sinnes and so is S t Ambrose to bee vnderstood in Luc. 13. that the Law forbids Servilia opera in Sabbato id est peccatis gravari The Commandement of the Sabbath enioynes 1. Outward worship of God by the name of Sanctification 2. Cessation from workes as a necessary preparation for that worship That as the End This as the Meanes But if wee speake not of the Immediate but remote ende it is the inward and spirituall not outward and ceremoniall worship which although it come within the intentiō of the Law-giuer yet not within the obligation of the Law because it being the End vnto which the Cōmandement is directed and ordained cannot be the Matter of the Commandement the Matter being comprised in the Commandement but the End being outward in relation of it besides that the inward worship seemeth to be the matter of the first Commandement Works of necessity are excused al on the Sabbath because the Necessity excuseth the Condition of their servilenesse both common to freemen servants because every one is bound by the instinct of nature to avoid mischiefe imminent to himselfe or his neighbour And workes of Charity because they are enjoyned to loue our neighbours as our selues by the morall Law whereas servile workes are excluded on the seauenth day but by a ceremoniall Commandement And it is but iust and right that where they cannot consist together I meane where they cannot be both obserued that the Ceremoniall rather then the Morall be omitted Six dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy workes c. Is a Permission it seemes and no divine Commandement 1. Because else it should bee vnlawfull to exempt any time out of the six daies even to worship God and consequently hee should sinne that should dedicate any of the six daies to that service as it was a sinne to exempt any time of the seauenth day to doe worke 2. Because in that Commandement were involved a double precept as being of diverse daies and contrary duties and contrary qualities the one Affirmatiue the other Negatiue which therefore cannot bee the same Commandement 3. The Iewes that haue collected 613 Commandements of the Law neuer observed this for one of them In the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eat thy bread is the inflicting of punishmeut not the enjoyning of a Commandement a denouncing of Malum panae that he and his posterity was to suffer not any obliging of them vnto it as bonum to be done as if every one sinned that sweat not when he did eat or liued not by his sweat And yet neither hath that any more relatiō to the six dayes then to the 7 th if it be a Commandement or if the meaning of it be onely that man should gaine his liuing by his sweat is it any obligation for labour all the six daies if by his labour in lesse space hee bee able to purchase it In the sweat of thy browes that is thou shalt doe it of necessity being enforced by the curse laid on the earth but not of duty being enioyn'd vnto it by Gods Commandement which was no more then the former clause that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in sorrow hee should eat of the earth or that to the woman In sorrow shalt thou bring forth or that to the Serpent Vpon thy belly shalt thou go dust shalt thou eat c. He that will not labour neither let him eat 2. Thes 3. 10. Not he that cannot by occasion of Impotency nor he that needs not by reason of plenty but he
where no difference of persons is specified but Limitedly as signifying the Father Master Owner Freeman namely that either hath the power to dispose of others or at least the liberty to dispose of himselfe 1 Because Thou is either taken in the same sense in the first place and in the latter or otherwise if otherwise there is Aequivocation committed in the very next words If in the same sense therefore Limitedly as in distinction of Children and Servants that is Parents Masters c. for so it is taken in the latter place 2 Because either the negatiue coniunction nor excludeth nothing that was not implyed in the word Thou and then it was added superfluously of children servants c or if it exclude those that are not implyed in the word Thou then is it cleere that the word Thou containeth not children servants c. Fathers Masters Freemen are considered either Personally as particular men so the first clause belongs to them Thou shalt doe no worke c. or Relatiuely as governours of their housholds so the second clause Thou nor thy Sonne c. as if he had said neither shalt thou doe worke on the Sabbath day neither shalt thou suffer them that are vnder thy government to doe any The word Thou importeth every Freeman or every man as farre as he is free and hath power to keepe it or to dispose of himselfe For some are free simply who by their condition are so others Limitedly as servants may be by their Masters permission namely so farre as the disposition of themselues or their owne actions is allowed them In which case only Servants come vnder the obligation of the commandement but yet that is not as servants but as in some sort free namely as they are primary authors themselues of their owne workes and not as Ministers of their Masters worke The Sabbath is called Holy not Formally for any peculiar inherent holinesse it hath aboue other dayes but Finally because it was ordayned and consecrated to holy exercises in the service of God The comandement is partly Morall Remember to sanctify the Sabbath Ceremoniall The 7 th day is the Sabbath The sanctification then of the Sabbath is Morall but the limitation of it to the seaventh day is Ceremoniall The commandement of sanctifying the Sabbath was not giuen from the beginning as it seemeth 1 Because there was no remembrance that it was obserued by any of the ancient Patriarks 2 Because where it is giuen to Moses Exod. 16. it is spoken of as a new thinge as the rulers comming and report to Moses vers 22. and Moses answere to them vers 23. doe plainely declare namely that the morrow was the Rest of the holy Sabbath to the Lord whereof they could not haue beene ignorant if it had beene vsuall before 3 Because it is said to be giuen to the Israelites Exod. 16. 19. to be a signe betweene God and them Exod. 31. 13. Ezech. 20. 12. but it was not a signe to the Israelites more then to other Nations if it had beene giuen from the beginning to Adam and his posterity 4 Because in the beginning there was no occasion in mens labour to draw them away from the contemplation and worship of God but that every day might be a Sabbath for the state of innocency admitted neither one nor other but man of himselfe was most prone to the honour of God Ob. God sanctified the seaventh day presently after the Creation Gen. 2. 3. Ergo Sol. 1 God sanctified it himselfe by resting in himselfe and producing no more creatures but he commanded not Adam to sanctifie it for where it is said that God sanctified the seaventh day because in it he rested from all his workes that because seemes not so much to note the occasion why hee sanctified it as the formall cause or condition of the sanctification which consisted in the rest of God in himselfe ceasing to worke more in the Creation of things Sol. 2 Or if it note the occasion which I rather thinke yet it designeth not the time of the sanctification so that although it be said that God sanctified the seaventh day because he rested in it from the Creation which Moses there fitly obserues because he writes there of that rest of God yet it followeth not that he sanctified it then when hee rested but that for that reason hee sanctified that day rather then any other when he gaue the commandement touching the Sabbath in time of the Law Sol. 3 Or else hee sanctified it from the beginning by destination to sanctifie ordayning that to be the day which in the Law he would sanctify But not by Actuall explication to sanctifie or command In it thou shalt doe no worke Namely of thy election when thou maist abstaine or 2 ly Thou shalt not doe thine owne worke But yet a servant out of obedience to his master as a servant might if he were commanded neither is that excluded by the commandement for whereas in licensing or commanding the 6. dayes worke he vseth both words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth to worke and labour as a servant or to serue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to worke simply without any implication of service In commanding the seaventh dayes rest he saith not in opposition to the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt not worke as a servant but only in opposition to the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But had God intended to exclude servants obedience to their Masters touching workes on the Sabbath day as well as workes that are freely done he would haue added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aswell as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having vsed both in licensing of the 6 dayes worke And if it be answered that one is implyed in the other then to expresse both was superfluous in the former place Thou shalt doe no worke that is thine owne that is referred to thine owne end for first they are forbidden to doe that worke on the Sabbath which they were licensed to doe on the six dayes but that was their owne worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 20. 9. Opus tuum 2 The declaration of Esay 58. 13. importeth it plainely If thou turne from doing thine owne will c. not doing thine owne workes And of the Apostle Heb. 4. 10. for he that is entred into his Sabbath hath ceased from his owne workes as God did from his But those only in Gods esteeme are a mans owne workes that proceed from his owne will which he chooseth to doe and whereof he is the Author which he doth for his owne sake and satisfaction not those which he doth as the Minister of another to whose commandement and inforcement hee is subject They are not therefore the workes of a servant as a servant but the workes hee doth freely of himselfe that are there forbidden Q. Whether works of labour or also sinnes be forbidden by the commandement of the Sabbath A Both namely workes
life that is the precepts of Gods Morall Law In which respect all that proceeded from them was De iure Divino they being but the proclaymers or messengers to declare Gods will vnto men for in this respect they receaued not only authority to teach Mat. 28. 19. Goe and teach all c. but also the particular points which they were to teach vers 20. 2 Governours of the Church which they had gotten to Christ by appointing and setting downe of Canons and convenient rules for the good ordering and discipline of the Church in which respect they receaued authority from Christ indeed but particular commandement touching the Rules Lawes which they were to ordaine they receaued not seeing they no where declare or signifie such Canons or Commandements to haue beene prescribed by Christ to the Church or giuen themselues for that purpose but deliuer them as their owne ordinances Such as are Not to ordaine a Presbyter or Bishop that had two wiues Tit. 1. 6. 1. Tim 3. 2. and so Deacons viz. and so widowes the wiues of one husband 1. Tim. 5. 9. The ordinance of seaven Deacons in the Church Act. 6. 3. To make collections for the poore on the first day of the weeke 1. Cor. 16. 2. To salute each other with an holy kisse Rom. 16. 16. That a woman should pray in the Church covered 1. Cor. 11. To annoint the sicke with oyle Ia. 5. 14. The Apostles Constitutions are not divine Ordinances 1 Because the Church hath altered and abolished some of them as 1. the salutation by kissing 2. The excluding of widowes vnder 60 yeares old which were after receaved by the Church at 50. Novel 6. Canon 6. after that at 40. Concil Chalced Canon 15. 3. abstaining from things strangled c. 2 Because the Apostles themselues intimate sometimes so much As I speake this by permission not by Commandement 1. Cor. 7. 6. To the rest I speake not the Lord 1. Cor. 7. 12. Other things I will order c. 1. Cor. 11. 34. Extreame vnction as it is tearmed was an Apostolique Commandement Iam. 5. 3 Because neither the divine Authority imparted to them by Christ nor the suggestion of the Holy Ghost is sufficient to make them divine Commandements Not the Authority because all the power authority of Princes is likewise from God Rom. 13. yet their decrees are no divine commandements And secondly because Gods Commandements are declarations of Gods pleasure what he would haue done therefore imparting of Authority to giue commandements without specifying what he would haue commanded is not sufficient to make them Gods commandements Not the inspiration of the Holy Ghost being but by Illumination or suggestion 1 Because all the good workes of men should by the same reason be divine actions as proceeding from the suggestion of the Holy Ghost 2 Because if inspirations of the Holy Ghost be divine commandements it followeth that so many divine Commandements are given to men as good workes or wordes or thoughts proceed from them And withall that infinitely more Commandements are imposed by God to good them to wicked men 4 Because Christ gaue not the Apostles alone that power of ordayning Lawes in the Church as for themselues Personally but to the Church in whose name as being the first Governours of it they receiued it for else it should follow that now the Church since the Apostles times is destitute of power to make lawes and consequently that all the Lawes brought into the Church by generall Counsells are vniust because established without lawfull Authority and that many mischiefes of heresies and schismes may befall the Church which she hath no power or meanes to helpe If therefore that Authority of ordaining Lawes was giuen by God to the Church in whose behalfe the Apostles receiued it it followeth that if the Apostles decrees be divine Commmandements because they receiued that power from God that all the ordinances of the Church by the same reason are divine Commandements 5 Because if the Law of obseruing the Lords day be a divine Commandement then it is so either because it proceeded from God immediatly without the intervention of man which must bee shewed out of the word of God or else if it be to be reputed a divine Commandement because it proceeded from God Mediatly then all humane Lawes that are good and just are also divine comandements By me Kings raigne and Princes c. Prov. 8. 15. 6 Because if the constitutions of the Apostles deliuered to the Church had beene Gods Commandements imposed on the Church by them as the judiciall and ceremoniall precepts of the old Lawe were by Moses then would they haue signified withall to the Church that they had beene Gods owne commandements whereof they were but the Messengers or reporters as Moses and the Prophets vse was Thus saith the Lord for otherwise they should wrong both the Church who would haue receiued them with the more reverence knowing them to be Gods owne commandements and not the Apostles and also God himselfe by not declaring them to the Church to bee Gods owne commandements which God had given as his commandements to the Church But if it be answered that the ordinance of the Lords day was not an Inspiration only but a divine Revelation of Gods pleasure touching it it may be refelled 1 Because it is but a voluntary assertion that cannot be proved 2 Because such a Revelation made to the Apostles is no divine Precept to oblige the Church for if a revelation hath the force of a divine Commandement yet hath it so only in relation to them to whom it is a revelation not to others except it appeare to them that such was Gods revelation For I aske whether by that Revelation God commanded the Apostles to ordaine such a Precept in the Church touching that day Or whether by it hee commanded the Church but revealed it to the Apostles that they should publish it as his commandement to the church If the first it follloweth that although that commandement be divine in relation to the Apostles yet in relation from the Apostles to the church it is Humane except God had commanded the Apostles to publish it in his owne name But if that Revelation was made to the Apostles not to the intent they should be ordainers or Authors of such a commandement in the church but that they should be publishers of that commandement to the church which God had for that purpose revealed to them in his name then did the Apostles sinne most grievously that published it not in his name to the church which they had received from God to publish as his precept especially seeing it could not oblige as a commandement of God which was not promulgated in his name as his commandement therefore there was no such revelation made to the Apostles especially seeing neither in the Apostles writings nor in those Fathers that liued with the the Apostles or neerest their time or any other of all