THESES SABBATICAE OR THE DOCTRINE OF THE Sabbath WHEREIN The Sabbaths I. Morality II. Change III. Beginning IV. Sanctification are clearly discussed Which were first handled more largely in sundry SERMONS in Cambridg in New-England in opening of the fourth COMMANDMENT In unfolding whereof many Scriptures are cleared divers Cases of Conscience resolved and the Morall Law as a rule of life to a Believer occasionally and distinctly handled By THOMAS SHEPARD Pastor of the Church of Christ at Cambridge in New England What evill thing is this that ye do and prophane the Sabbath day did not your fathers thus and did not our God bring all this evil upon us and upon this City yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by prophaning the Sabbath Nehem. 13 17 18. If ye hallow the Sabbath to do no work therein then shall there enter into the gates of this City Kings and Princes Jer. 17.24.25 London Printed by T. R. and E. M. for Iohn Rothwell Sun and Fountain in Pauls Church-yard 1650. THE Preface OF THE AUTHOR To the READER THat a seventh part of time hath been religiously and universally observed both under the Law and under the Gospel is without all controversie the great doubt and difficulty which now remaines concerning this Time is the Morality of it whether it was thus universally observed in the Christian Churches by unwritten Tradition or by Divine Commission Whether from the Churches Custome or Christs Command Whether as a Moral Duty or as a Humane Law for although some would make â—he observation of such a portion of time the soure fruit of the Ebionites superstitious Doctrines yet all the Ancient and best Writers in the purest times do give such honour to it that whoever doubts of it must either be utterly ignorant or wilfully blinded in the knowledge of the Histories and Doctrines of those times and must desire a Candle to shew him the Sunne at noone day Clemens onely seemes to cast some staine upon it by making all dayes equall and every day a Sabbath but upon narrow search his meaning may appeare not to deny the observation of the day but onely to blame the froth and vanity of sundry Christians who if they externally observed the day they cared not how they lived every day after nor is it to be wondred at if Origen turne this day sometime into an Allegory and a continuall spirituall Rest-day who miserably transformes many times the plainest Scriptures into such shapes and turnes their substance into such shadowes and beating out the best of the Kernels feeds his guests with such chaffe and husks and although many other Festivals were observed by those times which may make the Sabbath suspected to be borne out of the same womb of humane custome with the rest yet we shall finde the seventh dayes Rest to have another Crowne of glory set upon the had of it by the holy meÌ„n of God in those times then upon those which superstition so soone hatcht and brought forth so that they that reade the Histories of those times in observing two Sabbaths in some places Easter Whitsunday yea divers Ethnick and Heathenish dayes will need no other comment on those texts of Paul wherein he condemnes the observation of Dayes which beginning to flie abroad in the day light of the Apostles might well out-face the succeeding ages and multiply with more authority in darker times yet so as that the seventh dayes rest call it what you will still kept its place and ancient glory as in the sequell shall appear When therefore the good will of him who dwelt in the burning bush of the afflicted Primitive Churches gave Princes and Emperours to be their nursing fathers pious Constantine among other Christian Edicts injoynes the observation of the Lords Day wherein if he was bound by his place to be a nourishing father he went not beyond his Commission in swadling and cherishing this truth and appointment of Christ and not suffering it to dye and perish through the wickednesse of men the power of Princes extending to see Christs Lawes observed though not to impose any humane inventions and Church constitutions of their own It s true indeed that this Princely Edict was mixed with some imperfection and corruption it following too short in some things and extending too far in others but there is no just cause for any to stumble much at this that knowes the sick head and heart by the weak and feeble pulse and crasie temper of those clouted though otherwise triumphing times The Successours of this man-child borne out of the long and weary throwes of the poore travelling Church were inlarged generally in their care and conscience to preserve the religious honour due to this day untill the time of Charles the Great who in the latter end of his reign observing how greatly the Sabbath was profaned especially by the continuance and leaudnesse of Church-men did therefore call five Nationall Councels which I need not here mention in all which the Sabbath is advanced to as strict observation to the full as hath been of late yeers condemned by some in the Sabbatarian Reformers that it is a wonder how any man should cast off all shame and so far forget himselfe as to make the Sabbath a device of Fulco or Peter Bruis Eustachius or the Book at Golgotha and put the Visor of Novelty upon the aged face of it as if it were scarce known to any of the Martyrs in Queen Maries time but receiving strength and growth from Master Perkins was first hatcht and received life from under the wings of a few late Disciplinarian Zelots And it cannot be denied but that the Sabbath like many other precious appointments and truths of God did shake off her dust and put on her comely and beautifull garments and hath been much honoured and magnified since the times of the Reformation the doctrine and darknesse of Popery like that of the Pharisees not only obscuring the Doctrine of Faith but also of the Law and obedience of Faith and so hath obscured this of the Sabbath only herein they did excell their forefathers the Scribes and Pharisees for these added their own superstitious resting from things needfull and lawfull to their meerly externall observation of the day but they unto their eternall observation of the name of the Day added their abominable prophanations to it in May-games and May-poles in sports and pastimes in dancing and revellings and so laid it level and made it equall in a manner to the rest of their Holy dayes that as they came to shuffle out the second Commandment almost out of the Decalogue so in time they came to be blinded with that horrour of darknesse as to translate the words of the Commandment into some of their Catechismes Remember to keep the Holy Festivals and therefore those Worthies of the Reformation who have contended for all that honour which is due to this day are unjustly aspersed for pleading for a jewish and superstitious strictnesse when the cause they handle is no other in truth then to vindicate the Sabbath both
but a roiall law Iam. 2.8.12 nor doth hee make subjection thereunto to be the bondage of servants as that was Gal. 4.9 but the liberty of children and therefore called a royall law of liberty Secondly Suppose the weekly Sabbath bee here comprehended under dayes as also that by Sabbaths is meant weekly Sabbaths Col. 2.16 yet hereby cannot be meant the Christian Sabbath but the Iewish Sabbath for the Apostle condemnes that Sabbath and those Sabbath dayes which the Iewish teachers pleaded for among the Colossians now they never pleaded for the observation of the Christian Sabbath but were zealous and strong procters for that particular seventh day from the creation which the Iewes their fore-fathers for many yeares before observed and for the observation of which some among us of late begin to struggle at this day Now as was said admit the gradation we doe not observe the Iewish Sabbath nor judge others in respect of that Sabbath no more than for observing new moones or holy dayes we do utterly condemne the observation of that Sabbath If it bee said why doe we not observe new moones and holy dayes as well by substituting other dayes in their roome as we doe a Christian Sabbath in the room of that Iewish Sabbath wee shall give the reason of it in its proper place which I mention not here lest I should bis coctam apponere These places therefore are strong arguments for not observing that seventh day which was Iewish and ceremoniall but they give no sufficient ground for abandoning all Christian Sabbaths under the Gospel Thirdly there is a double observation of dayes as Wallaeus and Davenant well observe 1. Morall 2. Ceremoniall Now the Apostle in the places alledged speakes against the Ceremoniall and Pharisaicall observation of dayes but not morall For dayes of fasting are to be observed under the Gospel the Lord Christ our Bridegroom being now taken from us when our Saviour expressely tels us that then his Disciples even when they had the greatest measures of Christs spirituall presence should fast Matth. 9.15 16. But wee are to observe these dayes with morall not ceremoniall observation such as the Iewes had in sackcloth ashes tearing haire rending Garments and many other Ceremoniall trappings we are to rend our hearts and cry mightily unto God upon those dayes which is the morall observance of them So 't is in respect of the Sabbath no Sabbath day under the Gospel is to bee observed with ceremoniall or pharisaâ—call observation with Jewish preparations Sacrifices needlesse abstinence from lawfull worke and such like formalities but doth it hence follow that no dayes are to bee observed under the Gospel with morall observation in hearing the Word receiving the Sacraments singing of Psalms c. There was no morality in the new moons by vertue of any speciall commandment and therefore it is in vaine to aske why new moons may not be observed still as well as Sabbaths provided that it be observatione morali for there is a morality in observing the Sabbath and that by a speciall command which is not in new moons and holy dayes and therefore as we utterly abandon all that which was in the Sabbath ceremoniall so we doe and should heartily retaine and observe that which is morall herein with morall observance hereof Thesis 75. There were among the Jews dayes ceremonially holy as well as meats ceremonially uncleane now in that other place which they urge against the observation of any dayes under the Gospel Rom. 14.5 therein dayes ceremoniall are compared with meats ceremoniall and not morall days with ceremoniall meats It is therefore readily acknowledged that it was an errour and weaknesse in some to think themselves bound to certaine ceremoniall dayes as well as it was to abstain from certain ceremoniall meats but will iâ— hence follow that it is a part of Christian liberty strength to abandon all dayes as ceremoniall and that it is a part of Christian weaknes to observe any day under the Gospel this verily hath not the face of any reason for it from this Scripture wherein the Apostle doubtlesse speaks of ceremoniall not morall dayes as shall appear our Christian Sabbaths be And look as it is duty not weaknesse sometime to abstaine from some meats as in the case of extraordinary humiliation as wee see in Daniel Dan 9. and 11. so it may be duty not weaknesse still to observe some dayes I say not the seventh day for that is not now the question but some dayes are or may be necessary to bee observed now Thesis 76. If any man shall put any holinesse in a day which God doth not and so think one day more holy than another this is most abominable superstition and this is indeed to observe dayes and of this the Apostle seems to speak when he saith Ye observe dayes But when the Lord shall put holines upon one day more then upon another we do not then put any holines in the day but God doth it nor doe we place any holines in one day more then in another but God placeth it first and this is no observation of dayes which the Apostle condemns in those that were weak but of the will of God which he every where commands Thesis 77. There is as some call it Sabbathum internum externum i. an internall and externall Sabbath the first if I may lawfully call it a Sabbath is to be kept every day in a speciall rest from sin the second is to bee observed at certaine times and on speciall days now if that other place Isa. 66.23 which is much urged for the equality of all days be meant of a continuall Sabbath so that those words from Sabbath to Sabbath if they signifie a constant continuall worship of God indefinently then the Prophet speaks of an internall Sabbath which shall in speciall be observed under the Gospel but this doth not abolish the observation of an externall Sabbath also no more then in the times before the Gospel when the people of God were bound to observe a continuall Sabbath and rest from sin and yet were not exempted hereby from externall Sabbaths onely because more grace is poured out upon the people of God under the new Testament then under the old and under some times and seasons of the new Testament and some people more then at and upon others hence this prophesie points at the times of the Gospell wherein Gods people shall worship God more spiritually and continually then in former times But if by this phrase From Sabbath to Sabbath be meant succession i. one Sabbath after another successively wherein Gods people shall enjoy blessed fellowship with God from Sabbath to Sabbath successively in the worship of him one Sabbath after another then this place is such a weapon in their owne hands against themselves as that it wounds to the heart that accursed conceit that all dayes should be abandoned by those under the new Testament But suppose that by Sabbath
is not meant the weekly Sabbath for then say some what will you understand by new moons which are conjoyned with them yet these two things are evident 1. That Sabbaths and new moons were set times of worshipping God under the old Testament 2. That it is usuall with the Prophets to vaile and not alway to type out the worship and so the times of worship which were to be under the new Testament under the Ordinances of God observed in the old as may appeare Isa. 19.19 Mal. 1.11 as also by Ezekiels Temple and such like hence then it followes that although this place should not evict a seventh dayes Sabbath yet it demonstrates at least thus much that some let times and dayes shadowed out under the name of new moons and Sabbaths are to be observed under the new Testament and this is sufficient to prove the point in hand That all daies are not equall under the Gospell Thesis 78. The Kindome of heaven indeed doth not consist in meat and drink as the Apostle saith Rom. 14.17 i. in the use of externall indifferent things as those meats and drinks and some kind of dayes were or if in some sense it did yet not chiefely in them as if almost all religion did chiefely consist in them but doth it from hence follow that it consists not in things commanded nor in any set dayes of worship which are commanded If because the kingdom of God consists in internall peace and righteousnesse and joy of the holy Ghost that therefore all externall observances of times and duties of worship are not necessary to be attended by Gospel-worshippers as some secretly imagine then farewel all externall Preaching Sacraments Profession and Confession of the Name of Christ as well as Sabbaths and let such artists of licentiousnesse bring in all prophanesse into the world again by a law from heaven not condemning the acts of the outward man though never so abominable in abstinence from which by this rule the kingdome of heaven doth not consist Is it no honour to the King of glory as it is to earthly Princes to be served sometimes upon speciall Festivals in speciall state with speciall and glorious attendance by his people as well as after a common and usuall manner every day We have seen some who have at first held community of dayes onely to fall at last through the righteous judgment of God blinding their hearts to maintaine community of wives and that because the kingdome of God hath as they have thought consisted no more in outward relations as that is between Husbands and Wives than in the observation of externall circumstances and dayes Thesis 79. But this is not the ordinary principle by which many are led to maintaine an equality of dayes under the Gospel but this chiefely viz. that the morall law is not to bee a Christians rule of life for we aknowledge it to be no Covenant of life to a Beleever that either by the keeping of it he should be justified or that for the breach of it he should be condemned but they say that when a Believer hath life by the Covenant of grace the law is now not so much as a rule of life to such a one and then 't is no wonder if they who blow out the light of the whole morall law from being a light to their feet and a lamp to their paths if they hereby utterly extinguish this part of it viz. the Commandment of the Sabbath This dashing against the whole law is the very mystery of this iniquity why some doe cashier this law of the Sabbath and they doe but hide themselves behinde a thread when they oppose it by their weapons who therefore abandon it because it alone is ceremoniall above any other law Thesis 80. The Sabbath saith one is perpetuall and morall but not the Sabbath day the Sabbath which some make continuall and inward onely is perpetually to be observed but not the Sabbath day a Sabbath is by Divine ordination but a Sabbath day is to be observed onely as a humane constitution But they should doe well to consider whether that which they call an inward continuall Sabbath be inconsistent with a speciall day for I am sure that they under the old Testament were bound equally with us to observe a continuall Sabbath in resting from all sinne and resting in God by Iesus Christ Heb. 4.1 2. yet this did not exempt them from observing a speciall day A speciall day is a most powerfull meanes to Sabbatize every day Why then may not a Sabbath and a Sabbath day consist together An every day Sabbath is equally opposite to a time occasionally set as to a set day which the Commandment enjoyns and therefore if it exempts a Christian from observing a set day it sets him free also from all observation of any such set time for if because a Christian Sabbath ought to bee continuall and that therefore there ought to bee no set dayes then there should not bee any occasionally set times for the worship of God because these neither can be continuall and if there ought to be no such set times we may then bid good night to all the publick worship and glory of God in the world like the men with one eye to him who put his other eye quite out And if any here reply that there is not the like reason because holy time and days are not necessary but holy duties are necessary and therefore require some occasionall set time for them I answer That let the difference be granted yet that which I now dispute on is this ground and supposition onely viz. That if all set dayes are to bee abandoned because a Christians Sabbath ought to bee continuall and inward then all occasionall set times also are to bee abandoned upon the same ground because these cannot bee continuall and inward no more than the other as for them who think no holy day necessary but holy duties lawfull every day we have already and shall hereafter cleare up more fully in its proper place Mean while it is yet doubtfull to me whether those who follow Master Saltmarsh and some others will acknowledge the lawfulnesse of any occasionall set times for publick worship of hearing the word and prayer c. For he makes the bosome of the Father to bee the Christian Sabbath typified in the seventh day of the first Creation and he makes the six dayes of worke to be a type not onely of the Lord Iesus in his active and fulfilling administrations while he was in the flesh but also to be a figure of the Christian in bondage or to use his own words of a Christian under active and working administrations as those of the law and Gospel are as all formes of worship Duties Graces Prayer Ordinances c. From whence it will follow from his principles for I know not his practice that all formes of worship Duties Graces Prayer Ordinances are then to cease as types
here only commanded the first seems in Mr. Primrose apprehension to writhe and wrack the words of the Commandment the second if granted abolisheth our Christian Sabbaths Thesis 122. For clearing up of this difficulty therefore and leaving the dispute of the change of the Sabbath to it 's pâ—â—per place it may be made good that not that seventh day from the creation so much as a seventh day which God shall determine and therefore called the seventh day is primarily morall and therefore enjoyned in this Commandment for which end let these things be considered and laid together 1. Because the expresse words of the Commandment do not run thus viz. Remember to keep holy That seventh day but more generally the Sabbath day 't is in the beginning and so 't is in the end of this Commandment where it is not said that God blessed That Seventh day but The Sabbath day by which expression the wisdom of God as it points to that particular seventh day that it should be sanctified so it also opens a door of liberty for change if God shall see meet because the substance of the Commandment doth not only contain That seventh day but The Sabbath day which may be upon another seventh as well as upon that which God appointed first and that the substance of the command is contained in those first words Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy may appeare from the repetition of the same Commandment Deut. 5.12 where these words As the Lord thy God commanded thee are immediately inserted before the rest of the words of the Commandement be set down to shew thus much that therein is contained the substance of the fourth command the words following being added only to presse to the duty and to point out the particular day which at that time God would have them to observe 2. Because in the explication of those words the Sabbath it is not called That seventh but The seventh for so the words runne Six daies shalt thou labour but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God the meaning of which is thus much to wit that man taking six daies to himself for labour that he leave the seventh to be the Lords now unlesse any can shew that no other day but that Seventh could be the seventh for rest nor no other six daies but those six daies going before thaâ— seventh could be the six daies for labour they can never prove that this fourth Commandment hath only a respect to That particular Seventh and it is no small boldnesse necessarily to limit where God hath left free for we know that if God will man may take other six daies for labour and leave another Seventh for God then those six daies and that Seventh day only 3. The change of the Sabbath undeniably proves thus much if it can be proved that the morality of this command did not lie in that particular day only for if that only was morall how could it be changed and if it did not lie only in that Seventh wherein then did it more generally lie was it in a day more largely or in a Seventh day more narrowly now let any indifferent conscience be herein judge who they be that come nearest to the truth whether they that fly so far from the name Seventh which is expresly mentioned in the Commandment or they that come as near it as may be whether they that plead for a Seventh of Gods appointing or they that plead for a day but God knowes when of humane institution and it 's worth considering why any should be offended at the placing of the morality of the command in a Seventh more then at their own placing of it in a day for in urging the letter of the Commandment to that particular Seventh to abolish thereby the morality of a Seventh day they do withall therein utterly abandon the morality of a day for if That Seventh only be enjoyned in the letter of the Commandment and they will thence inferre that a Seventh therefore cannot be required how can they upon this ground draw out the morality of a day 4. Because we know that ratio legis est anima legis i. the reason of a law is the soul and life of the law now let it be considered why God should appoint the Seventh rather then the ninth or tenth or twentieth-day for spirituall rest and the reason will appear not to be Gods absolute will meerly but because divine wisdom having just measures and ballances in its hand in proportioning time between God and man it saw a seventh part of time rather then a tenth of twentieth to be most equall for himself to take and for man to give and thus much the words of the Commandment imply viz. that it is most equall if man hath six that God should have the seventh now if this be the reason of the law this must needs be the soul and substance of the morality of the law viz. That a Seventh day be given to God man having six and therefore it consists not in That Seventh day only for the primary reason why God appointed this or that Seventh was not because it was that seventh but because a Seventh was now equall in the eye of God for God to take to himself man having the full and fittest proportion of six daies together for himself and because a seventh was the fittest proportion of time for God hence this or that individual and particular seventh in the second place fall out to be morall because they contain the most equall and fittest proportion of a Seventh day in them there was also another reason why That Seventh was sanctified viz. Gods rest in it but this reason is not primary as hath been said and of which now we speak 5. Because if no other Commandment be in the Decalogue but it is comprehensive and looking many waies at once why should we then pinion and gird up this only to the narrow compasse of that Seventh day only 6. Because our adversaries in this point are forced sometime to acknowledge this morality of a Seventh with us we have heard the judgement of Gomaras herein Thesis 44. and M. Primrose who speaks with most weight and spirit in this controversie professeth plainly That if God give us six daies for our own affairs there is then good reason to consecrate a Seventh to his service and that in this reason there is manifest justice and equity which abideth for ever to dedicate to God precisely a seventh day after we have bestowed six daies upon our selves it cannot be denied saith he but that it is most just Now if it be by his confession 1. just 2. most just 3. manifestly just 4. perpetually just to give God precisely one day in seven the cause is then yeelded the only evasion he makes is this viz. that though it be most just to give God one day in seven yet it 's not more just then to give God one in six
example there was and is a present rule binding immediatly to â—ollow that example if therefore from the foundation of the world God made himself an example in six daies labour and in a seventh daies rest why should not this example then and at that time of innocency be binding there being no example which God sets before us but it supposeth a rule binding us immediatly therunto The great and most high God could have made the world in a moment or in a hundred years why did he make it then in six daies and rested the seventh day but that it might be an example to man It s evident that ever since the world began mans life was to be spent in labour and action which God could have appointed to contemplation only nor will any say that his life should be spent only in labour and never have any speciall day of rest unlesse the Antinomians who herein sin against the light of nature if therefore God was exemplary in his six daies labour why should any think but that he was thus also in his seventh daies rest Pointing out unto man most visibly as it were thereby on what day he should rest A meet time for labour was a morall duty since man was framed upon earth God therefore gives man an example of it in making the world in six daies A meet time for holy rest the end of all holy and honest labour was much more morall the end being better then the means why then was not the example of this also seen in Gods rest M. Ironside indeed is at a stand here and confesseth his ignorance In conceiving how Gods working six daies should be exemplary to man in innocency it being not preceptive but permissive only to man in his apostasie But let a plain analysis be made of the motives used to presse obedience to the fourth command and we shall finde according to the consent of all the Orthodox not prejudiced in this controversie that Gods example of working six daies in creating the world is held forth as a motive to presse Gods people to do all their work within six daies also and the very reason of our labour and rest now is the example of Gods labour and rest then as may also appear Ex. 31.17 And to say that those words in the Commandment viz. Six daies thou shalt labour are no way preceptive but meerly promissive is both crosse to the expresse letter of the text and contrary to morall equity to allow any part of the six daies for sinfull idlenesse or neglect of our weekely work so far forth as the rest upon the Sabbath be hindered hereby Thesis 157. The word Sanctified is variously taken in Scripture and various things are variously and differently sanctified yet in this place when God is said to sanctifie the Sabbath Gen. 2.2 3. it must be one of these two waies either 1. By infusion of holinesse and sanctification into it as holy men are said to be sanctified Or 2. By separation of it from common use and dedication of it to holy use as the Temple and Altar are said to be sanctified Thesis 158. God did not sanctifie the Sabbath by infusion of any habituall holinesse into it for the circumstance of a seventh day is not capable thereof whereof only rationall creatures men and Angels are Thesis 159. It must therefore be said to be sanctified in respect of its separation from common use and dedication to holy use as the Temple and Tabernacle were which yet had no inherent holinesse in them Thesis 160. Now if the Sabbath was thus sanctified by dedication it must be either for the use of God or of man i. either that God might keep this holy day or that man might observe it as a holy day to God but what dishonour is it to God to put him upon the observation of a holy day and therefore it was dedicated and consecrated for mans sake and use that so he might observe it as holy unto God Thesis 161. This day therefore is said to be sanctified of God that man might sanctifie it and dedicate it unto God and hence it follows that look as man could never have lawfully dedicated it unto God without a precedent institution from God so the institution of God implies a known command given by God unto man thereunto Thesis 162. 'T is therefore evident that when God is said to sanctifie the Sabbath Gen. 2.2 3. that man is commanded hereby to sanctifie it and dedicate it to the holy use of God Sanctificare est sanctifica â— mandare saith Iunius And therefore if M Primrose and others desire to know where God commandeth the observation of the Sabbath in Gen. 2.2 they may see it here necessarily implied in the word Sanctifie And therefore if God did sanctifie the Sabbath immediatly after the creation he commanded man to sanctifie it then for so the word Sanctified is expressely expounded by the holy Ghost himself Deut. 5.15 We need not therefore seek for wood among trees and enquire where and when and upon what ground the Patriarchs before Moses observed a Sabbath when as it was famously dedicated and sanctified i. commanded to be sanctified from the first foundation of the world Thesis 163. Our adversaries therefore dazled with the clearnesse of the light shining forth from the text Gen. 2.2 to wit that the Sabbath was commanâ—ed to be sanctified before the fall do fly to their shifts and seek for refuge from severall answers sometimes they say 't is sanctified by way of destination sometimes they â—ell uâ— of anticipation sometime they think the Book of Genesis was writ after Exodus and many such inventions which because they cannot possibly stand one with another are therefore more fit to vex and perplex the mind then to satisfie conscience and indeed do argue much uncertainty to be in the mindes of those that make these and the like answers aâ— not knowing certainly what to say nor where to stand yet let us examine them Thesis 164. To imagine that the Book of Genesis was writ after Exodus and yet to affirm that the Sabbath in Genesis is said to be sanctified and blest only in way of destination i. because God destinated and ordained that it should be sanctified many years after seems to be an ill favoured and mishapen answer and no way fit to serve their turn who invent it for if it was writ after Exodus what need was there to say that it was destinated and ordained to be sanctified for time to come when as upon this supposition the Sabbath was already sanctified for time past as appears in the story of Exodus 19.20 And therefore M. Primrose translates the words thus that God rested and hath blessed and hath sanctified the seventh day as if Moses writ of it as a thing past already but what truth is there then to speak of a destination for time to come I know Iunius so renders the Hebrew words as also
surely it is wil-worship for any Humane Custome to institute it Now the Lords name being stamped upon this Day and so set apart for the honour of Christ it cannot be that so it should be called in respect of the Churches customes for surely then they should have been condemned for wil-worship by some of the Apostles and therefore it is in respect of the Lords institution hereof Thesis 39. The second Difficulty now lies in clearing up this particular viz. That this Day thus sanctified was the first Day of the week which is therefore the Holy Day of the Lord our God and consequently the Christian Sabbath for this purpose let these ensuing particulars be laid together 1. That this Day of which Iohn speaks is a known Day and was generally known in those dayes by this glorious name of the Lords Day and therefore the Apostle gives no other title to it but the Lords Day as a known day in those times for the Scope of Iohn in this Vision is as in all other Prophetical Visions when they set down the day and time of it to gain the more credit to the certainâ—y of it when every one sees the truth circumstantiated and they heare of the particular time and it may seem most absurd to set down the day and time for such an end and yet the day is not particularly known 2. If it was a known Day what Day can it be either by evidence of Scripture or any Antiquity but the first Day of the week For 1. There is no other Day on which mention is made of any other work or action of Christ which might occasion a Holy Day but onely this of the Resurrection which is exactly noted of all the Evangelists to be upon the first Day of the week and by which work he is expressely said to have all power given him in heaven and earth Matt. 28.18 and to be actually Lord of dead and living Rom. 14.9 and therefore why should any other Lords Day be dreamed of why should Master Brabourne imagine that this day might be some superstitious Easter Day which happens once a yeer the Holy Ghost on the contrary not setting downe the month or day of the yeer but of the week wherein Christ arose and therefore it must be meant of a weekly Holy Day here called the Lords Day 2. We do not read of any other Day besides this first Day of the week which was observed for Holy Sabbath Duties and honoured above any other day for breaking of Bread for preaching the Word which were acts of piety nor for Collections for the poor the most eminent act of mercy why then should any imagine any other day to be the Lords day but that first day 3. There seems to be much in that which Beza observes out of an ancient Greek Manuscript wherein that first Day of the week 1 Cor. 16.2 is expressely called the Lords Day and the Syriack Translation saith that their meeting together to receive the Sacrament 1 Cor. 11.20 was upon the Lords Day nor is there any antiquity but expounds this Lords Day of the first Day of the week as learned Rivet makes good against Gomarus professing that Quotquot Interpretes hactenus fuerunt haec verba de die Resurrectionis Domini intellexerunt solus quod quidem sciam Cl. D. Gomarus contradixit 4. Look as Iehovahs or the Lords Holy Day Isaiah 58.13 was the seventh Day in the week then in use in the Old Testament so why should not this Lords Day be meant of some seventh Day the first of seven in the week which the Lord appointed and the Church observed under the New Testament and therefore called as that was the Lords Day 5. There can be no other Day imagined but this to be the Lords Day indeeed Gomarus affirms that it s called the Lords Day because of the Lord Jesus apparition in Vision to Iohn and therefore he tell us that in Scripture phrase the Day of the Lord is such a Day wherein the Lord manifests himselfe either in wrath or in favour as here to Iohn But there 's a great difference between those phrases The Lords Day and the Day of the Lord which it is not called here For such an interpretation of the Lords Day as if it was an uncertaine time is directly crosse to the Scope of Iohn in setting downe this Vision who to beget more credit to it tels us First of the person that saw it I Iohn ver 10. Secondly the particular place in Paimo Thirdly the particular time the Lords Day These considerations do utterly subvert Mr. Brabournes discourse to prove the Jewish Sabbath to be the Lords Day which we are still to observe and may be sufficient to answer the scruples of modest and humble minds for if we aske the Time of it It is on the first Day of the week Would we know whether this time was spent in holy Duties and Sabbath services this also hath been proved Would we know whether it was sanctified for that end Yes verily because it s called the Lords Day and consequently all servile work was and is to be laid aside in it Would we know whether 't is the Christian Sabbath Day Verily if it be the Day of the Lord our God the Lords Day why is it not the Sabbath of the Lord our God If it be exalted and honoured by the Apostles of Christ above the Jewish Sabbath for Sabbath duties why should we not beleeve but that it was our Sabbath Day And although the word Sabbath Day or seventh day be not expressely mentioned yet if they be for substance in this Day and by just consequence deduced from Scripture it is all one as if the Lord had expressely called them so Thesis 40. Hence therefore it followes that although this particular seventh day which is the first of seven be not particularly made mention of in the fourth Commandment yet the last of seven being abrogated and this being instituted in its roome it is therefore to be perpetuated and observed in its roome For though it be true as Mr. Brabourne urgeth That New Institutions cannot be founded no not by Analogy of proportion meerly upon Old Institutions as because children were Circumcised it will not follow that they are therefore to be baptized and so because the Iewes kept that seventh day that we may therefore keep the first day Yet this is certaine that when New things are instituted not by humane Analogy but by Divine appointment the Application of these may stand by vertue of old precepts and general Rules from whence the Application even of old Institutions formerly arose For we know that the Cultus institutuâ— in the New Testament in Ministry and Sacraments stands at this day by vertue of the second Commandment as well as the instituted worship under the Old And though Baptisme stands not by vertue of the institution of Circumcision yet it being De novo instituted by Christ as the Seale of
Initiation into Christs mystical Body 1 Cor. 12.12 it now stands by vertue of that general Rule by which Circumcision it selfe was administred viz That the Seale of initiation into Christs Body be applyed to all the visible members of that Body and hence children are to be now Baptized as once they were Circumcised being members of Christs Body So the first day of the week being instituted to be the Lords Day or Lords Sabbath hence it followes that if the first seventh which is now abrogated was once observed because it was the Lords Sabbath or the Sabbath Day which God appointed by the very same Rule and on the very same ground we also are bound to keep this first day being also the Sabbath of the Lord our God which he hath now appointed anew under the New Testament Thesis 41. It is true that some of the Primitive Churches in the Eastern parts did for some hundred of yeers observe both Sabbaths both Iewish and Christian. But they did this without warrant from God who allowes but one Sabbath in a week and also against the Rule of the apostles for I think that Paul foreseeing this observation of dayes and Iewish Sabbaths to be stirring and ready to creep into the Church that he did therefore condemne the same in his Epistles to the Galatians and Colosians and that therefore Christian Emperours and Councels in after-times did well and wisely both to condemn the observations of the one and withal honour the other Thesis 42. Although the work of redemption be applyed unto few in respect of the special benefits of it yet Christ by his death is made Heire and Lord of all things bring now set down at the right hand of God and there is some benefit which befalls al the world by Christs Redemption and the Government of all things is not now in the hand of God as Creator but in the hand of a Mediator Heb. 1.1 2. Heb. 2.8.9 Iohn 5.22 Colos. 1.16.17 1 Tim. 4.10 Iohn 3.35 and hence it is no wonder if all men as well as a few elected selected and called be commanded to sanctifie the Lords Day as once they were the Jewish seventh day the work of Christ being in some respect of as great extent through all the worke of Creation as the work of the Father And therefore it is a great feeblenesse in Master Brabourne to go about to vilifie the worke of Redemption and extoll that of Creation above it and that therefore the Sabbath ought still to be kept in reference to the work of Creation which concernes all men rather then in respect of Redemption which he imagines concerneth onely some few Thesis 43. The Lord Christ rested from the work of redemption by price upon the day of his Resurrection but he is not yet at rest from the work of Redemption by power untill the day of our Resurrection and Glory be perfected But it doth not hence fellow as Master Primrose imagines that there is no Lords day Instituted in respect of Christs Resurrection because he hath not nor did not then â—est from Redemption by power for look as the Father having rested from the works of Creation might therefore appoint a Day of Rest alâ—hough he did not nor doth not yet rest from Providence John 5.17 So the Lord Christ having finished the great worke of Redemption he might justly appoint a day of Rest although his redeeming workly by power was yet behind Thesis 44. The heavie and visible judgements of God revealed from heaven against prophaners of this our Lords day Sabbath will one day be a convincing Argument of the Holinesse of this Day when the Lord himselfe shall have the immediate handling and pressing of it Mean while I confesse my weaknesse to convince an adversary by it nor will I contend with any other Arguments from Antiquity for the observation of this Day but these may suffice which are alledged from the Holy Word THE BEGINNING OF THE SABBATH Wherein five severall Opinions about the beginning of the Sabbath are set down the Arguments commonly used for the four first of them are answered and the truth of the fifth for its beginning in the Evening confirmed BY THOMAS SHEPARD Pastor of the Church of Christ at Cambridge in New-England The third Part. LONDON Printed for Iohn Rothwell 1650. The generall Contents concerning the Beginning of the Sabbath 1. FIve severall Opinions concerning the beginning of the Sabbath Thesis 2. 2. The time for beginning of the Sabbath not according to the various customs of divers Nations Thesis 3. 3. The time of the Artificiall day not the beginning and end of the Sabbath as it begins and ends Thesis 13. 4. The beginning of the Sabbath not midnight Thesis 28. 5. The morning doth not begin the Sabbath Thesis 48. 6. That place of Mat. 28.1 usually alledged for the beginning of it in the morning cleared Thesis 50. 7. The Resurrection of Christ not aymed at by the Evangelists to be made the beginning of the day although it be of the change of it Thesis 58. 8. John 20 19. cleared Thesis 59. 9. Pauls preaching till midnight no argument of the beginning of the Sabbath in the morning Thesis 64. 10. The various acception of the word Day and Morrow to answer many proofs alledged for beginning the Sabbath in the morning Thesis 68. 11. Some that hold in the beginning of the Sabbath was from Even to Even untill Christs Resurrection and then the time was changed confuted Thesis 69 70. 12. There is not the like reason for the Sabbath to begin at the first moment of Christs entrance into his rest as for the first Sabbath at the beginning of Fathers rest Thesis 71. 13 The reasons for the Change of the day are not the same for the change of the beginning of the day Thesis 73. 14. The conceived fitnesse for the beginning of the Sabbath in the morning rather then in the evening is a vanity Thesis 75. 15. The Evening begins the Christian Sabbath Thesis 76. 16. The place Gen. 1.2 cleared Thesis 78. 17. The Darkenesse mentioned Gen. 1.2 was not punctum temporis Thesis 81 81. 18. The separation of Light and darkenesse Gen. 1 2. cleared Thesis 86.87 19. Levit. 23.32 provâ—s the beginning of the Sabbath at Evening Thesis 90. 20. Nehemiah an exemplary pattern beginning the Sabbath at Evening Thesis 94. 21. Those that prepared for the buriall of Chriâ—t began their Sabbath in the Evening Thesis 97.98 22. Christs lying three dayes in the grave Thesis 100. 23. Those Nothern Countries who have the Sun in view divers weeks together in a yeer yet know when to begin the day Thesis 101. The Beginning of the SABBATH THESIS 1. IT S a holy labour saith one to enquire after the Beginning of holy Rest. The Sabbath cannot be so sweetly sanctified unlesse we know the time when to begin and end it the different apprehensions of such as have inquired after the Truth in this particular have mad way for
because these dayes are to be considered relatively in respect of the seventh Day hence the week dayes are so to be begun as that their relation to the seventh be not disturbed so as that the bounds and limits of the Sabbath be not impared or transgressed for there is no religious necessity to begin and end civill time with sacred nor is it so uncomely as it may seem at first blush to give God and Caesar their due civil accompts to the one and sacred to the other for when the Iews were subdued by the Romans they might and did begin their reckonings of civill Time as the Romans did and yet reserve the bounds of sacred Time wholly unto God They did the like in England many years since saith Mr. Fox and that their civil dayes began in the Morning and Religious dayes in the Evening And when they did thus variously begin their days there was no such undecent disproportion of Times as Reverend Mr. Cleaver imagines in the like case if holy Time should not begin with Morning which he pleads for Thesis 50. The principall foundation of this Opinion are the words of the four Evangelists Mat. 28.1 Mark 1â— 1 2. Luke 24.1 Iohn 20.1 Among all which that of Mat. 18.1 hath most weight wherein 't is said In the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week c. from whence it seems to follow that if the Sabbath Day did end at the dawning of the first day of the week that then the dawning of the day-light of the first day must be the beginning of the Sabbath Day or of the Christian Sabbath Thesis 51. The consideration of this Scripture hath caused some very judicious viz. Beza Iunius and others who conceive the Sabbath to begin at even to affirm upon very probable grounds that there was among the Iews at this time under their Roman bondage a double account and reckoning of the dayes of the week 1. Civill 2. Sacred account According to sacred account they say the Church of God began their Sabbath at Evening not Morning which they demonstrate from sundry pregnant Texts in the old and new Testament but according to the civill account of the Romans who gave the precedency to the Morning before the Evening they begun it therefore in the Morning and according to this latter account they suppose the Evangelists to speak Thesis 52. But if the severall Texts be duly examined rightly compared and sincerely interpreted there will not appear a necessity of such an account from this place but rather that these Texts which are ordinarily produced to evince the beginning of the Sabbath at Morning will bring in strong evidence to demonstrate its beginning rather on the Evening before Thesis 53. For this dawning toward the first day of the week is meant of the Artificiall Day or the Light of the first Day of the week as the word dawning implies and the evidence of their fact in comming to the Sepulcher demonstrates as much for it is not the scope of the Evangelist to set down when the first day of the week began but at what time of the first day of the week such and such actions â—ell out any thing done in any Time of the day whether at six or nine or two of the Clock may be said to be done that day but it will not follow that they are therefore done in the beginning of that Day I meete with two Exceptions here 1. Some say that it might be meant of the Artificiall day if the words had run thus viz. at the Dawning of the day or the first Day of the week about the dawning of the day but the dawning toward the first day This phrase they say seems to describe beginning of such a day aâ— stands in Relation to the whole week and all the other dayes of the week which are to be taken for naturall dayes But 1. There is I hope a first Artificiall day of the week as well as a Naturall 2. This Artificiall day doth not in this account exclude the Night before as part of this first Day and consequently the Naturall Day consisting of Night and light therefore it may well stand in relation to the other dayes of the Week which were naturall for although the Evangelist sets down particularly when these things about the Resurrection of Christ happened to be viz. at the dawning towards the first day of the Week yet we that begin the Sabbath at Evening may and do use the same phrase and yet so speake of the Artificial day upon which some event begins as not to exclude the Night before upon which the Naturall Day begins 3. Compare the Evangelists and the dawning in Matthew towards the first day will be found to be all one with this phrase viz. The first day about or at the dawning of it for that which Matthew calls dawning to the first day Marke calls early in the Morning the first day of the Weeke at the rising of the Sunne and Luke calls upon the first day of the Week very early in the Morning whence it is evident that Matthews drawning to the first day is all one with about the rising of the Sun upon the first day so that this difference between dawning toward the first day and dawning upon the first day seemes to be an English Cabalisme and a meere curiosity exhaled and extracted out of the words rather then any solid Truth which the Text holds forth or the Spirit of God aimed at 2. A second exception is that though the word Day in Scripture be taken for the Artificiall day yet never when the word first second or third Day c. are joyned together and they point us to the first of Genesis where when the first or second day is mentioned it s constantly meant of a Naturall and not an Artificiall Day But 1. This is a great mistake for the Day for the Levites Travell which was not in the Night but upon the Artificiall day is called the fourth Day Iudg. 19.5 And the 5th day verse 8. 2. This Artificiall day may be called the first day as that it may involve the Night before where we make the Sabbath to begin as well as the Night after on which they make the Sabbath to end and thus the Naturall day may be here comprehended also which they plead for the same day which Artificially begins at day-light may naturally begin the night before Thesis 54. If we should suppose that this Day is meant of the Artificiall Day yet there is a harder knot to be unloosed in the words of Matthew who affirms that this Day-light or Day-dawn was the End of the Sabbath Whereby it seems that the Sabbath began at the dawning of the day before and therefore it ends at the dawning of the first day following and hence they infer that the day-light of this first day cannot belong to the night of the Jewish Sabbath which immediately
need such violent perswasions to stay with them and for any to say that the Paralell of the Levites Fathers perswasions to stay upon weake grounds is not the same with this because his Arguments might sure well not to begin a long journey when it was past noone which was the case there but it s a reason of no force to perswade to go farther when a man is in a journey already which is the case here I say this answer is against the Practise of love in common experience men weary in their journey may stand in more need of perswasions to stay then they that have not begun to travaile at all nor was the Levites journey long from Bethlem to Gibeah Thesis 63. Nor is it an Argument of any weight from Iohn 39.1 because the two Disciples are said to abide with Christ that Day that therefore the night following did belong to that day they staying as it is supposed all night and consequently that the Day begins in the Morning for these Disciples comming to Christ at the tenth houre or foure of the Clock in the afternoone there were then two houres remaining untill Night the Iewes artificiall Day continuing from six to six within which time our Saviour who can do much worke in a small time might sufficiently instruct them for that time within the space of two houres and why might they not depart before the night came and so stay with him onely so short a time And yet if they did stay that Night they might notwithstanding be said to stay that artificiall day onely without reference to any Night before or after or to any part of the Morning following that Night when 't is probable they departed if they did stay with him all that Night Thesis 64. Those who think that Paul would never have Preached till midnight Acts 20.7 if that night had not been part of the Sabbath which began the Morning before much lesse would he after this long Sermon have communicated with them in the Sacrament ver 11. unlesse it had been the Sabbath Day may do well to consider these things 1. That the cause of taking in so much of the Night following for Preaching till midnight was extraordinary viz. Pauls early departure never to see their faces more and to say that if this Night was no part of the Sabbath it was then unreasonable to hold them so long at it is an assertion which wants reason if we do but consider the shortnesse of his time the largenesse of Pauls heart speaking now for his last and the sweetnesse of their affections as might easily enable them to continue till midnight and upward with cheerfulnesse and without thinking the duty tedious and unreasonable long Paul therefore might begin his Sermon some part of the Day-light which was part of the Sabbath Day and continue it till midnight following and yet this night be no part of the Christian Sabbath because it was an extraordinary cause which prest him hereunto 2. That there is nothing in the Words which will evince the Sabbath to continue so long as Pauls Sermon did for suppose those who begin the Sabbath at Evening that it should be said of such that being met together the first day of the Week to break Bread their Teacher being to depart on the morrow Preached unto them and continued his speech till midnight will this argue a continuance of the same day No verily and the like reason is here 3. That the Lords Supper might be and was administred before Pauls Sermon for there is a double breaking of bread in the Text the one is of common bread Verse 11. after Paul had Preached the other is of holy bread in the Eucharist verse 7. for the Syriak calls Thaâ— breaking of the bread which is mentioned verse 7. the Eucharist or Lords Supper but that which is mentioned verse 11. Common bread and the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies as much and hence also it s spoken of one man principally viz. That when he had broken bread and eaten and talked a long time till breake of the day he then departed it being some ordinary repast for Paul after his long Preaching and before his long journey and is not therefore any Sacramentall eatâ—ng the manner of which is wont to be exprest in other words then as they are here set down if therefore Pauls eating verse 11. was common Bread it cannot be then affirmed that the Eucharist was then administred after Sermon at midnight and yet they pertaking of the Sacrament this day verse 7. it seems therefore that it was administred some time before this extraordinary course of Preaching began Thesis 65. Nor will it follow that the Sabbath begins in the Morning because the Morning is set before the Night in the Psalm for the Sabbath Psal. 92.1 2. for 1. The scope of the Psalmist is not to set forth when the Sabbath begins but how it is to be sanctified and that is not onely by shewing forth the loving kindnesse of God every Morning or day time for that perhaps many will readily do but also in the Night when men may think it too unseasonable or too late and therefore in a holy gradation from the lesse to the greater he first makes mention of the Morning 2. The Hebrew word for every Night is in the Nights and therefore suppose that this Psalm is specially applyable to the Sabbath which we know some question yet this place will as soon evince the Sabbath to begin in the Night before the Morning and to be continued in sweet affections the night after as that it should begin in the Morning and be continued the night after so that this place will not clear this cause nor is there any weight in such kind of reasoningâ— Thesis 66. Nor will it follow from Levit. 7.15 with 22.29 30. and Ex. 12 10. that because the â—â—esh of the peace Offrings was to be eaten the same day and nothing to be left untill the Morning something like this being spoken also of the Passeover that the day therefore begun in the Morning for in Leviticus there is a double Commandment 1. To eat the flesh of their peace offerings the same day but yet because when they have eaten some bones and oâ—fals might remain hence 2. They are commanded to leave nothing till the Morning which doth not argue that they had liberty to eat it as long as they might keep it but that as they had liberty no longer then the same day to eat it so nor liberty any longer then the next Morning so much as to keep any of the relicks of it And as for the Passeover a place much urged by some they were to kill it on the fourteenth day Exod. 12.6 which they might eat the night following verse 8. yet so as to leave nothing of it till the Morning verse 10. This night following iâ— not therefore any part of the fourteenth but of the 15th day for at
Sabbath did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 draw on shine forth Luke 23.54 now this shining or breaking forth of the Sabbath cannot be meant of the day light morning shining forth for its a meare dream to think that Ioseph should be so long a time in doing so little work from Saturday in the afternoon untill the next morning light onely in taking of Christ from the Crosse wrapping him in Linnen and laying him in his own Sepulchre which was not far off but neer at hand also Iohn 19.42 The shining forth of the Sabbath also stopâ— the women from proceeding to annoint Christs Body after they had brought their Spices and therefore if the shining forth of the Sabbath had been the morning after they might certainly have had sufficient time to do that work in the shining forth therefore of this Sabbath was in the latter evening in which the Sabbath began and it s said to shine forth by a metaphor because it did then first appear or draw on or as Piscator and sundry others think because about that time the stars in Heaven and the Lamps and Candles in houses began to shine forth which is just then when darknesse is predominant which is the beginning of the Sabbath at evening time 2. If that evening had not begun the Sabbath why did not the women who wanted neither conscience nor affection nor opportunity annoint his body that evening but defer it untill the night after what could stop them herein but onely the conscience of the Commandment which began the Sabbath that evening 3. Either the Sabbath must begin this evening or they did not rest the Sabbath according to the Commandment for if they began to keep the Sabbath at morning light then if they rested according to the Commandement they must keepe it untill the next morning light after but its manifest that they were stirring and in preparing their Oyntments long before that even in the dark night before the light did appeare as hath been formerly shewn Thesis 99. Why the women did not goe about to embalme Christs body the beginning of the dark evening after the Sabbath was past but staid so long a time after till the dark morning cannot be certainly determined perhaps they thought it not suitable to a rule of God and prudence to take some rest and sleep first before they went about that sad work and might think â—he morning more fit for it then the dark evening before when their sorrowfull hearts and spent spirits might need mercy to be shewn them by taking their rest awhile first They might also possibly think it offensive to others presently to run to the embalming of the dead as soon as ever the Sabbath was ended and therefore stayed till the dark morning when usually every one was preparing and stirring toward their weekly work Thesis 100. The Lord Christ could not lie three daies in the grave if the Sabbath did not begin at evening and for any to affirm that the dark morning wherein he arose was part of this first day and did belong thereunto is not onely to overthrow their own principles who begin the Sabbath at the beginning of day light morning but they also make the beginning of the Sabbath to be wholly uncertain for who can tell at what time of this dark morning our Saviour arose Thesis 101. T is true there are some parts of the habitable world in Russia and those Northern Countries wherein for about a moneths time the Sun is never out of sight now although they have no dark evening at this time yet doubtlesse they know how to measure their naturall daies by the motion of the Sun if therefore they observe that time which is equivalent to our dark evenings and sanctifie to God the space of a day as t is measured by the circling Sun round about them they may then be said to sanctifie the Sabbath from even to even if they do that which is equivalent thereunto they that know the East West South North points do certainly know when that which is equivalent to evening begins which if they could not do yet doubtlesse God would accept their will for the deed in such a case Thesis 102. If therefore the Sabbath began at evening from Adams time in innocency till Nehemiahs time and from Nehemiahs time till Christs time why should any think but that where the Jewish Sabbath the last day of the week doth end there the Christian Sabbath the first day of the week begins unlesse any can imagine some Type in the beginning of the Sabbath at evening which must change the begining of the day as the Type affixed did change the day or can give demonstrative reasons that the time of Christs Resurrection must of necessity begin the Christian Sabbath which for ought I see cannot be done And therfore it is a groundlesse assertion that the reasons of the change of the day are the same for the change of the beginning of it and that the chiefe of the reasons for the evening may be as well applyed against the change of the day it selfe as of the time of it But sufficient hath been said of this I shall onely adde this that there is no truth of Christs but upon narrow search into it hath some secret knots and difficulties and so hath this about the beginning of the Sabbath t is therefore humility and self-deniall to follow our clearest light in the simplicity of our hearts and to wait upon the Throne of grace with many tears for more cleare discoveries untill all knots be unloosed FINIS THE SANCTIFICATION OF THE SABBATH WHEREIN The true Rest of the Day together with the right manner of Sanctifying of the Day are briefly opened BY THOMAS SHEPARD Pastor of the Church of Christ at Cambridge in New-England The fourth Part. LONDON Printed for Iohn Rothwell 1650. The generall Contents upon the Sanctification of the Sabbath 1. THe word Sabbath what it signifies Thesis 1. 2. All weekly labour for the Rest of the Sabbath Thesis 2. 3. The Rest of the Sabbath the meanes for a higher end Thesis 3. 4. As strict a Rest now required as was formerly among the Iewes and those places cleared which seeme contrary Thesis 4 5. 5. What worke forbidden on the Sabbath Day Thesis 10. 6. Servile worke forbidden and what is a servile worke Thesis 11 12. 7. The holinesse required upon the Sabbath in five things Thesis 14. 8. A lamentation for prophanation of the Sabbath The Sanctification of the Sabbath Thesis 1. THe word Sabbath properly signifies not common but sacred or holy Rest. The Lord therefore enjoyns this Rest from labour upon this day not so much for the Rest sake but because it is a Medium or means of that holinesse which the Lord requires upon this day otherwise the Sabbath is a day of idlenesse not of holinesse our cattell can rest but a common rest from labour as well as we and therefore its mans sin and shame if he
a spirituall Sabbath in Christ if through Gods righteous judgment blinding their hearts they be also left to reject the outward Word because of an inward woâ—d to teach them and outward Baptisme and Lords Supper because of an inward Baptisme by the Holy Ghost and spirituall Bread from Heaven the Lord Christ Iesus and all outward Ordinances Ministries Churches because of an inward Kingdome and Temple and the Argument will hold strongly that if because they have an inward Sabbath of Rest in the bosome of Christ which I deny not that they may therefore cast away all externall Sabbaths they may then very well reject all outward Baptisme Lords Supper all Churches all Ordinances because herein there is also the inward Baptisme spirituall feeding upon Christ and inward Kingdome and Temple of God But thus they wickedly separate and sever what God hath joyned and may well stand together through the madnesse of which hellish practise I have long observed almost all the late and most pernicious errours of these times arise and those men who have formerly wept for Gods precious Sabbaths and Ordinances and have prayed for them and pleaded for them and have offered their lives in sacrifice for them and fought for them yea that have felt perhaps the comfort sweetnesse and blessing of Gods Sabbaths yea the redeeming and saving-power of Gods Ordinances to their owne soules yet through pretences of more spirituall enjoyments above and beyond and without all these they can part with these their old friends without weeping and reject them as polluted rags and fleshly formes and dark vailes and curtaines which must be drawne aside that so they may not hinder the true Light from shining in them This therfore is the reason why the love of manâ— at this day is grown cold toward the external Sabbath because the internall and spirituall Sabbath is now all in all And therefore many men walk either with bold consciences and will observe no Sabbath or else with loose consciences thinking it lawfull to observe it if men will injoyn it but noâ— thinking that they are tyed and bound therunto from any precept of God That place of Hebrews 4. which they so much stick to wants not light to demonstrate that the Sabbatisme there may well agree not onely with the internall but the outward Christian Sabbath but some of the ensuing Theses will serve to cleare up these things This onely I feare that because of these indignites done thus to Gods Sabbaths even by the under-workings of some of Gods owne people that the time hastens wherein if no man should speake yet the right hand of the sore displeasure of a provoked God by plagues and confusion upon the glory of all flesh will plead for his own Name and for that in speciall which is engraven upon the forehead of his holy Sabbaths Jerusalem remembred with regret of heart in the dayes of her affliction and misery all her pleasant things and especially this of the Sabbath Lam. 1.7 If the dayes of our rest and quietnesse cannot make us to relish the good things of his Temple in the fruition of our Sabbaths then doubt not of it but that the dayes of our affliction shall make a remnant to remember that they were pleasant things of all the mercies of God to Israel this is reckoned to be one of the greatest that he gave his Lawes to Israel Psal. 147.19 20. And of all Lawes this of the Sabbath For so the remnant of the Captivity acknowledged it Nehem. 9.14 who perhaps had far lower thoughts of it before their bondage And if the very making of it known be such a sweet mercy what then is the rest and peace of it the blessing and comfort of it for which I doubt not but many thousands are admiring God in heaven at this day And shall a shady imagination of an Every-day-sabbath make us sell away for nothing such a heavenly and precious season and make it common The Lord Iesus wisht his Disciples to pray that their flight from Jerusalem might not be in winter nor on the Sabbath-day Matth. 24.20 accounting it a great misery that his people should lose the publike benefit through the disturbance of any of one Sabbath-day for be it Iewish or Christian Sabbath I now dispute not sure I am it was a sabbath-Sabbath-day which it seemes was to continue after Christs Ascension to the Father and therefore not wholly ceremonial And shall we account it no affliction or misery to fight or flie to ride or go to work or play to heare the Word in publike or stay at home upon the Sabbath-day Is it no mercy in these dayes to injoy many Sabbaths which was so sore a misery in Christs account and in the Apostles dayes to lose but one if mans heart be lost in the necessary cumbers of the weeke upon the Sabbath the Lord is wont to recall it again to him if any feare that the time of Grace is past the continuance of the Sabbaths the speciall seasons of grace confutes him if a mans soul be wearied with daily griefs and outward troubles the bosome of Iesus Christ which is in speciall wise opened every Lords day may refresh him and shall we have and professe so little love to such a time more precious then gold to humbled hearts as to cast away such a rich portion of precious time and make it common under a pretence of making every day a Sabbath which is either impossible to do or sinfull the loudest voice one of them of the love of Christ which now sounds in the world continually in the yeers of his people is this Come into my bosome ye weary sinners and enjoy your rest and the next voice to that is this of the Sabbath to call us off from all occasions and then to say to us Come to me my people and rest in my bosome of sweetest mercy all this day Which call would not be a mercy if it were every day for then our owne occasions must be neglected which the wise and fatherly providence of God forbids and spirituall work onely minded and intended which God did never command Nor should any marvel that the voyce of the Law should containe such a voyce of Love and therefore should not think that this controversie about the Law or for this one law of the Sabbath is unfit and unsutable to these Evangelicall and Gospel times for although the Law is dreadfull and full of terrour as considered without Christ and is to man fallen a voyce of words and a voice of terrour and feare which genders unto bondage yet as it is revealed with reference to Christ and a people in Christ so every Commandment doth spirare amorem as he speaks and breaths out Christs love for which the Saints cannot but blesse the Lord with everlasting wonderment that ever he made them to know these heart-secrets of his good will and love especially then when he writes them in their hearts and thereby gives
ever as hee would have that law preserved for ever which these safeguard but on the other side these judicialls which did safeguard ceremoniall laws which wee know were not perpetuall but proper to that Nation hence those judicials which compasse these about are not perpetuall nor universall the ceremonialls being pluckt up by their roots to what purpose then should their fences and hedges stand As on the contrary the morals abiding why should not their judicials and fences remaine The learned generally doubt not to affirme that Moses judicials binde all nations so farre forth as they containe any morall equity in them which morall equity doth appeare not onely in respect of the end of the law when it is ordered for common and universall good but chiefely in respect of the law which they safeguard and fence which if it bee morall it 's most just and equall that either the same or like judiciall fence according to some fit proportion should preserve it still because 't is but just and equall that a morall and universall law should bee universally preserved from whence by the way the weaknesse of their reasonings may bee observed who that they may take away the power of the civill Magistrate in matters of the first Table which once he had in the Jewish common-wealth affirm that such civill power then did arise from the judiciall and not from any morall law when as it 's manifest that this his power in preserving Gods worship pure from Idolatrous and prophane mixtures according to the judiciall lawes was no more but a fence and safeguard set about morall Commandments which fences and preservatives are therfore for substance to continue in as much power and authority now as they did in those dayes as long as such lawes continue in their morality which these preserve the duties of the first Table being also as much morall as those of the second to the preserving of which later from hurt and spoil in respect of their morality no wise man questions the extent of his power Thesis 43. If therefore the question be now made whether the law of the fourth Commandment be morall or no we must then remember that the true state of the question is not in this to wit Whether the law of the Sabbath be a principle of the light of nature knowne and evident of it selfe or at least such as every man that hath the use of reason may readily finde out without some externall revelation as Mr. Ironside injuriously states it wrastling herein with his own shadow with many others of his fellowship in this controversie For morality as hath been declared is of larger extent then such naturality But the question is whether it is one of those lawes which is therefore commanded because it is holy just and good in it selfe whether man see it by any previous light of corrupt nature I or no and being thus commanded as such a law whether it be not therefore of perpetuall and universall obligation binding all Nations and persons in all ages in their hearts lives manners to the observance thereof as a part of that holinesse we owe to God and which God requires of all men according to rules of morall equity or on the contrary whether it be not rather a typicall ceremoniall figurative and temporary precept binding onely some persons or that one Nation of the Jews for some time from the obedience of which law Christians in respect of any law of God are now exempted Thesis 44. For clearing up whereof it may not be amisse to take notice of the agreement at least in words herein on all hands even by those who oppose that morality of the Sabbath which we plead for All sides agree in this viz. That the law of this fourth Commandment concerning the Sabbath is morall But as the differences about the meaning of Tu es Petrus are many so here the difficulty lies to know how and in what sense and respect it may bee called morall for Master Ironside expressely consents in this viz. That all the Commandments of the Decalogue are morall but every one in his proportion and degree and so saith he is that of the Sabbath it is morall for substance but not for circumstance Master Primrose also when he is awake expressely confesseth thus much viz. That the Sabbath is morall in its foundation end marrow and principall substance and that a stinted time is morall and grounded on the principles of nature and therefore the Gentiles saith he had their set dayes of religion and this he tels us is ratified by the Gospel which commendeth to the faithfull the Assembling of themselves together for Word and Sacraments and consequently that they have appointed times to attend upon them wherein the word of God be read and preached as under the old Testament every Sabbath day nay he yields yet more viz. That not onely stinted times but that also there should be a convenient proportion and suitable frequency of time for Gods service now under the Gospell as under the Law and therefore affirmes that the Jewish annuall Feasts and new Moons being but once a yeare or once a moneth and so being rare and seldome could not teach us the convenient and most suitable frequency of Gods publick service as the Sabbath did which returned weekly and therefore he saith that the Commandment runs not thus viz. Remember to keep the new Moons but Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day So that by Mr. Primrose concession not onely a time but a stinted time not onely a stinted but also such a convenient proportion and suitable frequency of time as is once in seven dayes is morally holy by vertue of the fourth Commandment Gomarus also concludes that the publick worship of God required in the fourth Commandment cals for observation not onely of certain but also of sufficient dayes for worship and what these sufficient dayes bee is to bee gathered from the fourth Commandment viz. that they bee not more rare and lesse frequent then the weekly Sabbaths of the Israelites because if God as he shewes challenged a weekly Sabbath of a stiffe-necked people laden with the burden of many other Festivals and Ceremonies how then should Christians freed from their yoaks and burdens have them lesse frequent Master Breerwood also to the like purpose professeth That Christians should noâ— bee lesse devout and religious in celebrating the Lords day then the Jews were in celebrating their Sabbath and his reason labouring with some spice of a contradiction is this viz. because the obligation of our thankfulnesse to God is more then theirs although the obligation of his Commandment to us in that behalfe is lesse for I confesse it s beyond my shallownesse to conceive how the thankfulnesse should bee more and the Commandment lesse unlesse he will imagine some such popish work as exceeds the command Wallaeus comes almost quite over the threshold unto us and maintains upon solid arguments
which Master Primrose contends for but rather directly to the second and reductively and indirectly as appendices to the fourth which appendices as they may be put to so they may be taken off againe the morall Commandment remaining entire even as we know Calvin referres many ceremoniall duties as appendices to such Commands concerning the morality of which Master Primrose doubts not and therefore for him to thinke that the Sabbath comprehends all Iewish Festivall dayes upon this ground viz. because the Sabbath is joyned with and put in among the reckoning of such Festivals Leviticus 23. Isaiah 1.13 14. hath no more force in it than by retorting the argument and upon the like ground prove it to be morall because it is joyned with Morall Commandments as honouring of Parents Leviticus 19.3 and prayer Isaiah 1.19 and by his owne confession with the other nine which are all of them morall also Thesis 65. Secondly not onely a solemne time but more particularly a solemne day a whole day of worship is here also required by vertue of this fouâ—th Command and the Lord gives us good reason for it that if he gives us many whole dayes for our owne work then not some part of a day but a day a whole day according to the reason and expresse words of the Commandment should bee marked out and set apart for his work and service if that place Isaiah 56.6 7. will not demonstrate a seventh dayes Sabbath under the new Testament yet â—â—sufficiently and fully clears the point in hand viz. that a Sabbath day is to be observed by the sonnes of the stranger or Gentiles who are called strangers to the Common-wealth of Irsael Ephesians 2.12 and indeed Wallaeus freely confesseth and proveth that a whole day is here required and if a whole day I hope none will think that the time out of publick Assemblies is common and prophane if a whole day be holy and therefore Mr. Primrose tels us that the Gentiles having no other law but the light of nature have appointed set dayes for the exercise of their religion and that as the Jews had their set days which we know were whole dayes so should Christians have theirs for their publick Assemblies under the Gospel which I hope must be therefore whole dayes also it is also considerable that if the three first Commandments requiring Gods worship do consequently require some time for that worship as being a necessary adjunct to all actions whether morall or civill and without which they cannot be performed then the fourth Command must require somewhat more particularly than a time of worship and therefore they that place the morality of the fourth Command in requiring onely a time of worship because say they a time of worship is necessary may upon this ground wholly and perfectly abolish the fourth Command as superfluous and needlesse because such a time of worship is required in all other Commandments necessarily They may also imagine as great a morality in the command of building the Temple the place of worship because a place of worship is necessary as well as a time it is not therefore a time but such a time as is preserved in a day even in a whole day for worship which is here commanded Thesis 66. The wise God could have appointed some part of every day to be kept holy rather than a whole day together but his wisdome saw this proportion of time every day to be more unmeet in respect of mans daily cumbers which doe so easily intangle mans thoughts and affections so as within some smal piece of a day he cannot ordinarily nor so easily recover and unloose himselfe to find the end of a Sabbath service which is most sweet and full rest in the bosome of his God as he may within the compasse of a whole day set a part for that end or suppose he could so doe in a piece and part of a day yet Gods Name should lose by it if he should not have the hoâ—â—ur of some solemne day which wee see doe serve to advâ—â—ce the names of idoll gods and men on earth it 's meet and just that Gods Name should be magnified by us commonly every day by setting a part some time which we may well spare as whet to the sithe out of our callings for God and this doth honour him but a day much more Thesis 67. They therefore who maintaine that a seventh day is not morall because it is but a circumstance of time may as well abolish time to be morall or any day to be morall because a day let it fall out when it will is but a circumstance of time which notwithstanding they account to be morall in this command but we know that much morality lyes in circumstances and why a day sanctified may not bee as much morall as a duty I yet see not Thesis 68. The Familists and Antinomians of late like the Manichees of old do make All dayes equally holy under the Gospel and none to bee observed more than another by vertue of any command of God unlesse it be from some command of man to which the outward man they think should not stick to conforme or unlesse it be pro re nata or upon severall occasions which speciall occasions are onely to give the Alarums for Church meetings and publick Christian Assemblies an audacious assertion crosse to the very light of nature among the blind heathens who have universally allowed the deity whom they ignorantly worshipped the honour of some solemn dayes crosse to the verdict of popish Schoolmen and Prelatists whose stomacks never stood much toward any Sabbath at all crosse to the scope of the Law of the Sabbath which if it hath any generall morality not denyed scarce to any of Moses Judicials surely one would think it should lie in the observation of some day or days though not in a seventh day for which now we do not contend Crosse also to the appointment of the Gospel foretold by Isaiah and Ezekiel Isa. 56.4 6. Ezek. 43.27 made mention of by our Saviour to continue long after the abolishing of all ceremonies by his death Mat. 24.20 who therefore bids them pray that their flight may not be in the winter nor on the Sabbath day which whether it be the Jewish or Christian Sabbath I dispute not only this is evident that he hath an eye to some speciall set day and which was lastly ordained by Christ and observed in the Primitive Churches commonly called the Lords day as shall be shewn in due place and which notion under pretence of more spiritualnes in making every day a Sabbath which is utterly unlawfull and impossible unlesse it be lawfull to neglect our own work all the week long and without which there can be no true Sabbath doth really undermine the true Sabbath in speciall set days and look as to make every man a King Judge in a Christian Common-wealth would be the introduction of confusion and consequently
a sinner as a sinner had need consider what they say for is it to a sinner as possest with Christ and receiving of him or as dispossest of Christ not having of him but rather refusing and rejecting of him If they say the first they then speak the truth but then they raze down their own pernicious principle that Christ and Gods love belongs to them As sinners If they affirm the latter then they do injuriously destroy Gods free grace and the glory of Christ who think to possesse promises without possessing Christ or to have promises of grace without having Christ the foundation of them all For though the common love of God as the bare offer of grace is may be manifested without having Christ yet speciall actuall love cannot be actually our own without having and first receiving of him And if the Spirit of God convince the world of sin and consequently of condemnation while they do not beleeve Ioh. 16.9 I wonder how it can then convince them of pardon of sin and reconciliation before they do beleeve unlesse we will imagine it to be a lying spirit which is blasphemous These things not considered of have and do occasion much errour at this day in the point of evidencing and hath been an inlet of deep delusion and open gaps have been made hereby to the loose waies and depths of Familism and grosse Arminianism and therefore being well considered of are sufficient to clear up the waies of those faithfull servants of the Lord who dare not sow pillows nor cry peace to the wicked much lesse to sinners as sinners both from the slanderous imputation of legall ministrations after an old Testament manner as also of making works the ground of faith or the causes of assurance of faith the free offer being the ground of the one and the free promise the cause and ground of the other Briefly therefore 1. The free offer of grace is the first evidence to a poor lost sinner that he may be beloved 2. The receiving of this offer by faith relatively considered in respect of Christs spotlesse righteousnesse is the first evidence shewing why he is beloved or what hath moved God actually to love him 3. The worke of sanctification which is the fruit of our receiving this offer is the first evidence shewing that he is beloved If therefore a condemned sinner be asked whether God may love him and why he thinks so he may answer Because Jesus Christ is held forth and offered to such a one If he be further asked why or what he thinks should move God to love him he may answer Because I have received Christs righteousnesse offered for which righteousnesse sake only I know I am beloved now I have received it If he be asked lastly how he knows certainly that he is beloved he may answer safely and confidently Because I am sanctified I am poor in spirit therefore mine is the kingdom of heaven I do mourn and therefore I shall be comforted I do hunger and thirst and therefore I shall be satisfied c. We need in time of distresse and temptation all these evidences and therefore it is greatest wisdom to pray for that spirit which may clear them all up unto us rather then to contend which should be the first And thus we see that the whole morall law is our rule of life and consequently the law of the Sabbath which is a branch of this rule We now proceed to shew the third branch of things generally and primarily morall Thesis 120. Thirdly Not only a day nor only a rest day but the rest day or Sabbath day which is expressed and expressely interpreted in the Commandment to be the seventh day or a seventh day of Gods determining and therefore called The Sabbath of the Lord our God is here also enjoined and commanded as generally morall For if a day be morall what day must it be If it be said that any day which humane wisdom shall determine whether one day in a hundred or a thousand or one day in many years if this only be generally morall then the rule of morality may be broken because the rule of equality may be thus broken by humane determination For it may be very unequall and unjust to give God one day in a hundred or a thousand for his worship and to assume so many beside to our selves for our own use There is therefore something else more particularly yet primarily morall in this Command and that is The Sabbath day or such a day wherein there appears an equal division and a fit proportion between time for rest and time for work a time for God and a time for man and that is a â—â—venth day which God determines A fit proportion of time for God is morall because equal man cannot determine nor set out this proportion God therefore only can and must A day therefore that he shall determine is morall and if he declares his determination to a seventh A seventh day is therefore morall Gomarus confesseth that by the Analogy of this Commandment not one day in a thousand or when man pleaseth but that one day in seven is morall at least equal fit and congruous to observe the same and if the Analogy he speaks of ariseth virtute mandati divini or by vertue of Gods Commandment the cause is in effect yielded but if this Analogy be made virtute libertatis humanae so that humane liberty may do well to give God one in seven because the Jews did so and why should Christians be more scant then I see not but humane liberty may assume power to it self to impose monthly and annuall holy daies as well because the Jews had their new moons and yearly festivals and by Analogy thereof why may not Christians who have more grace poured out upon them and more love shewn unto them under the Gospel hold some meet proportion with them therein also as well as in Sabbaths But it can never be proved that God hath left any humane wisdom at liberty to make holy daies by the rule of Jewish proportions Beside if humane wisdom see it meet and congruous to give God at least one day in seven this wisdom and reason is either regulated by some law and then 't is by vertue of the law of God that he should have one day in seven or 't is not regulated by a law and then we are left to a loose end again for man to appoint what day he sees meet in a shorter or a longer time his own reason being his only law and this neither Gomaras nor the words of the Commandment will allow which sets and fixeth the day which we see is one day in seven which not man but God shall determine and therefore called The Sabbath of the Lord our God Thesis 121. The hardest knot herein to unloose lies in this to know whether a seventh day in generall which God shall determine or that particular Seventh day from the creation be
time to be sanctified rather then a fifth a fourth or a ninth not simply because it was this seventh or a seventh but because in his wise determination thereof he knew it to be the most just and equall division of time between man and himself and therefore I know no incongruity to affirm that if God had seen one day in three or four or nine to be as equall a proportion of time as one day in seven that he would then have left it free to man to take and consecrate either the one or the other the Spirit of God not usually restraining where there is a liberty and on the other side if he had seen a third or fifth or ninth or twentieth part of time more equal then a seventh he would have fixed the bounds of labour and rest out of a seventh but having now fixed them to a seventh a seventh day is therefore morall rather then a fourth or sixt or ninth day because it is the most equall and fittest proportion of time all things considered between God and man the appointment therefore of a seventh rather then a sixt or fourth is not an act of Gods meer will only as our adversaries affirm and therefore they think it not morall but it was and is an act of his wisdom also according to a morall rule of justice viz. to give unto God that which is most fit most just and most equall and therefore although there is no naturall justice as Mr Primrose cals it in a seventh simply and abstractly considered rather then in a sixth or tenth yet if the most equall proportion of time for God be lotted out in a seventh there is then something naturall and morall in it rather then in any other partition of time viz. to give God that proportion of time which is most just and most equall and in this respect a seventh part of time is commanded because it is good according to the description of a morall law and not only good because it is commanded Thesis 131. 'T is true that in private duties of worship as to reade the Scriptures meditate pray c. the time for these and the like duties is left to the will and determination of man according to generall rules of conveniency and seasonablenesse set down in the word mans will in this sence is the measure of such times of worship but there is not the like reason here in determining time for a Sabbath as if that should be left to mans liberty also because those private duties are to be done in that time which is necessarily annexed to the duties themselves which time is therefore there commanded where and when the duty is commanded but the time for a Sabbath is not such a time as naturally will and must attend the action but it 's such a time as Counsell not nature sees most meet and especially That counsell which is most able to make the most equall proportions of time which we know is not in the liberty or ability of men or Angels but of God himself for do but once imagine a time required out of the limits of what naturally attends the action and it will be found necessarily to be a time determined by counsell and therefore our adversaries should not think it as free for man to change the Sabbath seasons from the seventh to the fifth or fourth or tenth day c. as to alter and pick our times for pâ—ivate duties Thesis 132. There is a double reason of proposing Gods example in the fourth Command as is evident from the Commandment it self the first was to perswade the second was to direct 1. To perswade man so to labour six daies together as to give the seventh or a seventh appointed for holy rest unto God for so the example speaks God laboured six daies and rested the seventh therefore do you do the like 2. To direct the people of God to That particular Seventh which for that time when the Law was given God would have them then to observe and that was that Seventh which did succeed the six daies labour and therefore for any to make Gods example of rest on That Seventh day an argument that God commanded the observation of that Seventh day only is a groundlesse assertion for there was something more generally aimed at by setting forth this example viz. to perswade men hereby to labour six daies and give God the seventh which he should appoint as well as to direct to that particular day which for that time it 's granted it also pointed unto and therefore let the words in the Commandment be obseâ—ved and we shall finde mans duty 1. More generally set down viz. to labour six daies and dedicate the seventh unto God and then follows Gods perswasion hereunto from his own example who when he had a world to make and worke to doe he did labour six daies together and rested the seventh and thus a man is bound to do still but it doth not follow that he must rest that particular seventh only on which God then rested or that that seventh though we grant it was pointed unto was only aimed at in this example the binding power of all examples whatsoever and therefore of this being ad speciem actus as they call it to that kind of act and not to the individuum actionis only or to every particular accidentall circumstance therein If indeed man was to labour six daies in memoriall only of the six daies of creation and to rest a Seventh day in memoriall only of Gods rest and cessation from creation it might then carry a faire face as if this example pointed at the observation of that particular seventh onely but look as our six daies labour is appointed for other and higher ends then to remember the six daies worke of God it being a morall duty to attend our callings therein so the Seventh day of rest is appointed for higher and larger ends as Didoclavius observes then onely to remember that notable rest of God from all his works it being a morall duty to rest the Seventh day in all holinesse Thesis 133. It was but accidentall and not of the essence of the Sabbath day that that particular Seventh from the creation should be the Sabbath for the Seventh day Sabbath being to be mans rest day it was therefore suitable to Gods wisdom to give man an example of rest from himselfe to encourage him thereunto for we know how strongly examples perswade now rest bâ—ing a cessation from labour it therefore supposes labour to goe before hence God could not appoint the first day of the creation to be the Sabbath because he did then but begin his labour nor could he take any the other daies because in them he had not finished his work nor rested from his labour therefore Gods rest fell out upon the last of seven succeeding six of labour before so that if there could have been any other day as fit then for exemplary
Our Saviour indeed doth not speak particularly about the law of the Sabbath as he doth of killing and adultery c. but if therefore it be not morall because not spoken of here then neither the first second or fift command are morall because they are not expresly opened in this Chapter for the scope of our Saviour was to speak against the Pharisaicall interpretations of the Law in curtalling of it in making grosse murder to be forbidden but not anger adultery to be forbidden but not lust which evil they were not so much guilty of in point of the Sabbath but they rather made the Phylacteries of it too broad by overmuch strictnesse which our Saviour therefore elsewhere condemns but not a word tending to abolish this Law of the Sabbath Thesis 150. If therefore the Commandment is to be accounted morall which the Gospel reinforceth and commends unto us according to Mr. Primrose principles then the fourth Commandment may wel come into the account of such as are morall but the places mentioned and cleared out of the New Testament evince thus much The Lord Jesus comming not to destroy the Law of the Sabbath but to establish it and of the breach of which one Law he that is guilty is guilty of the breach of all Thesis 151. If the observation of the Sabbath had been first imposed upon man since the fall and in speciall upon the people of the Jews at mount Sinai there might be then some colour and reason to cloath the Sabbath with rags and the worn-out garments of ceremonialnesse but if it was imposed upon man in innocency not only before all types and ceremonies but also before all sin and upon Adam as a common person as a Commandement not proper to that estate nor as to a particular person and proper to himselfe then the morality of it is most evident our adversaries therefore lay about them here that they might drive the Sabbath out of Paradise and make it a thing altogether unknown to the state of innocency which if they cannot make good their whole frame against the morality of the Sabbath fals flat to the ground and therefore it is of no small consequence to clear up this truth viz. That Adam in innocency and in him all his posterity were commanded to sanctifie a weekly Sabbath Thesis 152. One would thinke that the words of the Text Gen. 2.2 3. were so plain to prove a Sabbath in that innocent estate that there could be no evasion made from the evidence of them for it is expresly said that the dâ—y the Lord rested the same day the Lord blessed and sanctified but we know he rested the Seventh day immediatly after the Creation and therefore he immediately blessed and sanctified the same day also for the words runne copulatively he rested the Seventh day and he blessed and sanctified that day but its strange to see not only what odde evasions men make from this cleare truth but also what curious Cabilismes and fond interpretations men make of the Hebrew Text the answer to which learned Rivet hath long since made which therefore I mention not Thesis 153. The words are not thus copulative in order of story but in order of time I say not in order of story and discourse for so things far distant in time may â—e coupled together by this copulative particle And as Mr. Primrose truly shews Exod. 16.32 33. 1 Sam. 17.54 but they are coupled and knit together in respect of time for it is the like phrase which Moses immediatly after useth Gen. 5.1 2. where t is said God created man in his Image and blessed them and called their names c. which were together in time so t is here the time God rested that time God blessed for the scope of the words Gen 2.1 2 3. is to shew what the Lord did that seventh day after the finishing of the whole creation in six daiâ—s and that is He blessed and sanctified it For look as the scope of Moses in making mention of the six daies orderly was to shew what God did every particular day so what else should be the scope in making mention of the seventh day unlesse it was to shew what God did then on that day and that is he then rested and blessed and sanctified it even then in that state of innocency Thesis 154. God is said Gen. 2.1 2 3. to blesse the Sabbath as he blessed other creatures but he blessed the creatures at that time they were made Gen. 1.22 28. and therefore he blessed the Sabbath at that time he rested Shall Gods work be presently blessed and shall his rest be then without any Was Gods rest a cause of sanctifying the day many hundred yeers after as our adversaries say and was theâ—e not as much cause then when the memory of the creation was most fresh which was the fittest time to remember Gods work in M. Primrose tels us that the creatures were blessed with a present benediction because they did constantly need it but there was no necessity he saith that man should solemnize the seventh as soon as t is made but as we shall shew that man did then need a speciall day of blessing so t is a sufficient ground of believing that then God blessed the day when there was a full and just and sufficient cause of blessing which is Gods resting it being also such a cause as was not peculiar to the Jews many hundred yeers after but common to all mankinde Thesis 155. The Rest of God which none question to be in innocency immediatly after the creation was either a naturall rest as I may call it that is a bare cessation from labour or a holy rest i. a rest set apart in exemplum or for example and for holy uses but it was not a naturall rest meerly for then it had been enough to have said that at the end of the sixt day God rested but we see God speaks of a day the seventh day God hath rested with a naturall rest or cessation from creation ever since the end of the first sixt day of the world untill now why then is it said that God rested the seventh day Or why is it not rather said that he began his rest on that day but that it is limited to a day Certainly this argues that he speaks not of naturall rest meerly or that which ex natura reâ— follows the finishing of his work for it 's then an unfit and improper speech to limit Gods rest within the ciâ—cle of a day and therefore he speaks of a holy rest then appointed for holy uses as an example for holy rest which may well be limited within the compasse of a day and hence it undeniably follows that if God rested in innocency with such a rest then the seventh day was then sanctified it being the day of holy rest Thesis 156. It cannot be shewn that ever God made himself an example of any act but that in the present
because it was impassible say some nor subject to wearinesse in its work say others truly to what purpose then should any Sabbath be appointed unto him in that estate But we must know that the Hebrew word for Sabbath signifies holy rest and therefore as Rivet well shews it 's called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menuchah which signifies common rest from wearinesse hence it follows that the Sabbath being originally sanctified for holy rest not for common rest or rest from naturall wearinesse in labour Adam might therefore stand in need of a Sabbath though his body was not subject to any wearinesse in or after his labour Hence also although he was to live holily every day yet this hinders not but that his soul might then have need of the holy rest of a Sabbath For 1. Adam was to serve God in a particular calling then as is manifest from Gen 2.15 for he was then to keep and dresse the garden and to act with and under God in the government of many inferiour creatures Gen. 1.26 And thus his time being filled in serving God with all holinesse in his calling he might need a Sabbath nor was it lawfull for him to turn daies of work in his calling into daies of rest and so to keep a Sabbath every day no not in that innocent and happy estate for if it was contrary to Adams holy estate to work six daies how could it be agreeable or sutable to the holinesse of God to work six daies If God did labour six daies and rested a seventh without any need of a rest in respect of any wearinesse in his work why might not nay why should not man imitate and be like to his God in labour and rest although he was not subject to any wearinesse in his holy work 2. Though every day was to be spent in holinesse mediatly both in seeing God in the creatures and meeting with God in his labour and calling yet it was not unsutable nay it was very needfull in that estate to have one day in the week for more immediate and speciall converse with God and for God more immediatly and specially to converse with him Nor indeed was it suitable to Gods wisdom to confine mans holinesse either then or now either to holy labour only or to holy rest only for then he should not have been so like unto God who was exemplary holy unto man in both Speciall time for action wherein he closed with God more mediatly throughout the six daies labour might well stand with speciall time for contemplation of God upon the Sabbath wherein he was to enjoy God more immediatly Adam did not need a Sabbath upon the same ground of weaknesse that we do viz. because we cannot be earnest enough as M. Primrose objects in holy services to God upon the week daies but we see it did not sute Gods wisdom nor mans holy estate then to be intent and earnest only in the enjoyment of his rest to which his intention on his calling and labour then could not be any hinderance when the Sabbath came being free from such clogs of sin then as we are now prest down withall and therefore it is an unworthy expression but oft used by the same author and others viz. That it did derogate from the excellency of Adams condition to observe a seventh daies Sabbath and that the determination of a time then did argue Adams inability or want of inclination and affection to serve God ordinarily and that the observance of a Sabbath is a mark of a servile condition as of other holy daies under the law and that if Adam was able to serve God continually that it was then needlesse to limit him to a particular day and that if a day were needfull God would have left the choice thereof to his own freedom considering the wisdom and godlinesse wherewith God had endowed him These and such like expressions are but hay and stubble which the light of the truth delivered may easily consume Thesis 176. 'T is true the Saints and Angels in heaven have no set Sabbath but doth it therefore follow that the state of innocency on earth should have been in all things like and particularly in this to the staâ—e of glory in heaven No such matter For should there have been no marriage no dressing of the garden no day nor night c. in Paradise because there is no marriage nor dressing of gardens nor weeks nor reckonings of day and night in heaven If God hath work for Adam to do not only upon the Sabbath but upon the week daies also why might he not be said to glorifie God without stint or ceasing as the Angels do in heaven unlesse M. Primrose will say that Adams marriage and dressing the garden was a stinting and ceasing from glorifying God which either he must affirm or else his argument fals flat upon all four who thinks that Adam could not have any set day for a Sabbath because then he should not be like the Saints and Angels in heaven who glorifie God continually without stint or ceasing Thesis 177. They that think that the Sabbath was not given to Adam because it was given as a peculiar perogative and priviledge to the Jews and they that think that it was the Jews prerogative and priviledge because of such Scriptures as affirm that God gave unto them his Sabbaths Exod. 16.29 Nehem. 9.14 Ezek. 20.12 and such like they may as well imagine that neither the whole Decalogue or any part of it did belong to Adam because the very same thing is affirmed of it viz. That he gave his laws to Iacob his statutes and judgements to Israel Psal. 147.19 to them also it 's said were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3.2 The Sabbath therefore is not said to be given to them as a peculiar propriety to the Jews no more then other parts of the Decalogue but as a speciall mercy yea as a sweeter mercy in some respect then the giving of any other laws it being the sweetest mercy upon earth to rest in the bosom of God which the law of the Sabbath cals to and to know that it is our heavenly Fathers minde that we should do so upon every Sabbath day in a speciall manner without the knowledge of which law we have lesse light of nature to hold the candle to us to the observance of it then from any other laws to direct us to the obedience of them Thesis 178. It is affirmed but unwarily by some that the tree of life in Paradise was a type of Christ and thence some would infer that it was not unsutable to Adams estate and condition in innocency to be taught by types and that the Sabbath might therefore be ceremoniall supposing that it was observed by Adam in his innocent estate but although the tree of life and sundry other things in Paradise are made Similitudes to set forth Christ Jesus in his Church by the
which notwithstanding may be morall although it be not so immediatly known Thesis 198. If we speak of the law of corrupt nature largely taken for that law which when 't is made known by divine determination and declaration is both sutable and congruous to naturall reason and equity we may then say that the Law of the Sabbath is according to the light of nature even of corrupt nature it self for do but suppose that God is to be worshipped and then these three things appear to be most equall 1. That he is not only to have a time but a speciall time and a fit proportion of time for worship 2. That it 's most meet that he should make this proportion 3. The Lord having given man six daies and taken a Seventh to himself mans reason cannot but confesse that it is most just to dedicate that time to God and for my own part I think that in this respect the law of the Sabbath was as fairly writ on mans heaâ—â— in innocency as many other morall laws which none question the morality of at this day but disputes about this are herein perhaps uselesse Thesis 199. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper may be administred meet circumstances concurring every Lords day nay upon the week daies often as they did in the primitive persecutions and hence our Saviour limits no time for it in the first institution thereof as he did for the Passeover of old but only this As oft as you doe it doe it in remembrance of me Hence it will follow that now under the Gospel there is no set Sabbath as M. Primrose would because our Saviour at the first institution of the Lords Supper limits no particular day for the celebration thereof as once he did for the Passeover for though there is an appointed speciall time as shall hereafter appeare for the publique exercise of all holy duties not being limited to those times but enlarged to other times also hence there is no reason why our Saviour should institute a set Sabbath when he instituted the Lords Supper as the proper time of the celebration thereof as it was in case of the Passeover Thesis 200. It is no argument to prove the Sabbath to be ceremoniall because it is reckoned among ceremonials viz. shew-bread and sacrifices as M. Primrose and Wallaeus urge it out of Mat. 12.1 2 3. for 1. upon the same ground fornication and eating of idolothytes are ceremoniall because they are ranked among ceremonials viz. bloud and things strangled Act. 15.29.2 upon this ground the Sabbath hath no morality at all in it no more then shew-bread and sacrifices which were wholly ceremoniall 3. The Sabbath is in the same place reckoned among things which are morall as pulling a sheep out of a pit upon the Sabbath day an act of humanity why may it not then be as well accounted morall 4. One may as well argue that the not keeping company with Publicanes and sinners was a ceremoniall thing because the Lord Jesus useth the same Proverbiall speech I will have mercy not sacrifice Mat. 9.13 upon which he defends the lawfullnesse of pulling the ears of corn upon the Sabbath day in this Mat. 12.15 the scope therefore of this place is not to shew the nature of the Sabbath day whether it be ceremoniall or morall but the lawfullnesse and morality of his act in eating the ears of corn upon this day and thus the arguments of our Saviour are very strong and convicting to prove the morality of such an act but no way to prove the ceremoniality of the Sabbath for that is the scope of our Saviour that mercy to the hungry is to be preferred before the Sacrifice of bodily resting upon the Sabbath M. Primrose indeed replies hereto and tels us that mercy is to be preferred before sacrifice or ceremoniall duties but not before morall duties and therefore Christ preferring it before the rest on the Sabbath the Sabbath could not be morall but we know that mercy in the second table is sometimes to be preferred before morall duties in the first table a man is bound to neglect solemn praier sometime to attend upon the sick it 's a morall duty to sanctifie some day for a Sabbath saith M. Primrose and yet suppose a fire be kindled in a town upon that day or any sick to be helped must not mercy be prefer'd before hearing the word which himself will acknowledge to be then a morall duty Thesis 201. When Christ is said to be Lord of the Sabbath Mat. 12.8 the meaning is not as if he was such a Lord as had power to break it but rather such a Lord as had power to appoint it and consequently to order the work of it for his own service M. Primrose thinks That he is said to be Lord of it because he had power to dispense with the keeping of it by whom when he would and that Christ did chuse to do such works upon the Sabbath day which were neither works of mercy or necessity nay which were servile which the Law forbade for Christ saith he as mediatour had no power to dispense with things morall but he might with matters ceremoniall and therefore with the Sabbath How far Christ Jesus might and may dispence with morall laws I dispute not now I think Biell comes nearest the truth in this controversie only this is considerable suppose the Sabbath was ceremoniall yet it 's doubtfull whether Christ Jesus who came in the daies of his flesh to fulfill all righteousnesse could abolish or break the law ceremoniall untill his death was past by which this hand-writing of Ordinances was blotted out Colos. 2.14 and this middle wall of partition was broken down Ephes. 2.14 15 16. But let it be yeelded that Christ had power to break ceremoniall laws then before his death yet in this place there is no such matter for the words contain a clear proof for the right observance of the Sabbath against the over-rigid conceptions of the superstitious and proud Pharisees who as they thought it unlawfull for Christ to heal the sick upon the Sabbath so to rub out and eat a few corn ears upon it although hunger and want and perhaps more then ordinary in the Disciples here should force men hereunto which was no servile work as Mr Primrose would but a work of necessity and mercy in this case and our Saviour proves the morality of it from the example of David eating the Shew-bread and those that were with him preferring that act of mercy before sacrifice and abstinence from Shew-bread and hence our Saviour argues That if they attending upon David might eat the Shew-bread much more his hungry Disciples might eat the corn while they attended upon him that day who was Lord of the Sabbath and that they might be the better strengthened hereby to do him service These things being thus where now is there to be found any reall breach of the Sabbath or doing of any
those his messengers as preach peace yet me thinks it argues great blindnesse in those men who plead for a morality in a tenth pigge or sheaf of corn and yet will acknowledge no morality in a Seventh day Thesis 207. I shall therefore conclude and shut up these things with answer to M. Carpenters and Heylins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an argument against the Sabbath which they have gone compassing the whole earth and heavens about to finde out never heard of till their daies and now it 's brought to light I would not make mirth with it as some have done and left the scruple untoucht but in words of sobriety and seriousnesse and plainnesse If the Sabbath or Lords day say they be morall then the morall Law is subject to manifold mutation because the nations issuing out of Noahs ark spread themelves from thence over the face of the whole earth some farther some at a shorter distance whereby changing the longitude with their habitation they must of necessity alter the differences of times neither can any exactly and precisely observe any one day either as it was appointed by Moses or as it was instituted by Christs Apostles afterwards by reason of the manifold transportation of Colonies and transmigration of nations from one region into another whereby the times must necessarily be supposed to vary The answer is ready and easie viz. Although the nations issued out of Noahs ark and spread themselves over the face of the whole earth some farther some at a shorter distance and thereby changing their longitude altered the differences of time some beginning the day sooner some later yet they might observe the same day for the day is regulated and measured by the Sun and the Sun comes to one meridian sooner or later then to another and hence the day begins in one place sooner or later then in another and so the beginning of the day is respectively varied but yet the day it self remains unchangeably the same what though our countreymen in old England begin their Sabbath above 4. hours before us in new they beginning at their evening we at our evening yet both may and do observe the same day all nations are bound to keep holy a Seventh part of time but that time must be regulated by the Sun neither is it necessary that the same individuall 24. hours should be observed by all but the same day as it is measured by the Sun in this or that place which may begin in places more easterly many hours sooner then in other places more westerly a day is not properly time but a measure of time and therefore the manifold transportation of Colonies and transmigration of nations from one region unto another hinder not at all but that they may exactly and precisely observe the same day which was instituted and appointed for although the time of the beginning of the day be varied yet the day it self is not cannot be varied or changed Now whereas they say that if any man should travell the world about a whole day must needs be varied and if two men from the same place travell the one Eastward the other Westward round about the earth and meet in the same place again they shall finde that he who hath gone Eastward hath gotten and the other going Westward hath lost a day in their account yea the Hollanders after their discovery of Fretum de Mayre comming home to their countrey found by comparing their accounts with thtir countreymen at home that they had lost a day having gone Westward and so compassed the earth round I answet what though a traveller varying perpetually the quantity of the day by reason of his continuall moving with or against the Suns motion in time get or loose a day in his account is the day therefore of it's own nature variable or changeable God hath placed the Sun in the Firmament and appointed it for times and seasons and in speciall for the regulating of the day and as the motion of the Sun is constant so there is an ordinary and constant succession of daies without variation for unlesse the Suns course be changed the day which is regulated by it is not changed Now if any shall travell round about the world and so anticipate or second the diurnall motion of the Sun and thereby varying continually the quantity of the day at length gain or loose a day according to their reckoning they may and ought then to correct their accounts Gregory the 13. having found the Julian year to be too great for the Motion of the Sun cut off ten daies by which the AEquinoxes and Solstices had anticipated their proper places that so the year might be kept at it's right periods and is it not as good reason that a traveller who opposing the Suns diurnall course continually shortens somewhat of his day till at last in compassing the earth round he gains a whole day should cut off in his accounts that day which he hath gained by anticipating the Suns course and so rectifie his account of the day For in every region and countrey whatsoever and howsoever situate as men are to begin the day at that time when the day naturally begins in that place so likewise they are to reckon and count the daies as they are there regulated and ordered by the Sun and that should be the first or second day of the week to them which is naturally the first or second day of the week to that place where they are and thus their doubts are easily satisfied when they return to the place from whence they first came But if any shall say it 's very difficult for men thus to rectifie their accounts and to observe that time in every place which was at first instituted and it 's probable that the nations in their severall transmigrations and transportations never used any such course The answer is obvious mens weaknesse or neglect and carelessenesse to do what they ought is not a sufficient argument to prove that not to be their duty besides 't is not probable that any nations were thus put to it to travell round about the whole earth although some particular persons in this later age have sailed round about it and therefore could not vary a whole day possibly but going some Eastward some Westward some Southward some Northward they spread themselves over the face of the whole earth some at a shorter some at a farther distance and so some began the day sooner some later and yet all as hath been shewn might observe the same day the morality of the Sabhath is not built upon Astronomicall or Geometricall principles and therefore it cannot fall by any shady speculations so far fetcht Here ends the Morality of the fourth Commandment The Change of the Sabbath follows THE CHANGE OF THE SABBATH Wherein the true Grounds of the Change of the Day are plainly opened Sundry Scriptures also usually alledged for this Change are more fully cleared and vindicated from
pray that their flight may not be in the winter or sabbath-Sabbath-day as it were easie to open these places against all Cavils and therefore it is for substance Moral Yet the word Sabbatisme Heb. 4.9 and the Apostles gradation from yeerely Holy-dayes to monthly new-moons and from them to weekly Sabbaths which are called shadowes of things to come Colos. 2.16 seemes strongly to argue some type affixed to those individual Sabbaths or Jewish seventh dayes and hence it is perhaps that the Sabbath is set among Moral Lawes in the Decalogue being originally and essentially Moral and yet is set among ceremonial Feast-dayes Levit. 23.2 3. because it is accidentally typical And therefore Mr. Brabourne need not raise such a dust and cry out Oh monstrous very strange what a mingle-mangle what a hâ—tch-potch have we here what a confusion and jumbling of things so farre distant as when Morals and Ceremonials are here mingled together No verily we do not make the fourth Commandment essentially Ceremonial but being acidentally so why may it notwithstanding this be mingled among the rest of the Morals Let one solid reason be given but away with words Thesis 21. If the question be what Type is affixed and annexed to the Sabbath I think it difficult to find out although mans wanton wit can easily allegorize and readily frame imaginations enough in this point Some thing it typified Christs Rest in the grave but I feare this will not hold no more then many other Popish conjectures wherein their allegorizing Postillers abound Bullinger and some others think that it was Typical in respect of the peculiar Sacrifices annexed to it which Sacrifices were Types of Christ Numb 28.9 And although much might be said for this against that which Mr. Brabourne replies yet I see nothing cogent in this for the multiplying of Sacrifice which were 〈…〉 on this Day proves rather a specialty of worshipping God more aboundantly on this Day then any Ceremonialnesse in it for if the offering of Sacrifices meerly should make a day Ceremonial why did it not make every Day Ceremonial in respect of every dayes offering of the Morning and Evening Sacrifice Some think that our Rest upon the Sabbath not God the Fathers Rest as Mr. Brabourne turnes it was made not onely a resemblance but also a Type of our Rest in Christ of which the Apostle speaks Heb. 4.3 which is therefore called a Sabbatisme vâ—r 9. or a keeping of a Sabbath at the word signifies What others would inferre from this place to make the Sabbath to be meerly Cermonial and what Mr. Brabourne would answer from hence that it is not at all Ceremonial may both of them be easily answered here again as already they have been in some of the former Theses Some scruples I see not yet through about this text inforce me herein to be silent and therefore to leave it to such as think they may defend it as one ground of some affixed Type unto the Jewish Sabbath Thesis 22. Learned Iunius goes before us herein and points out the Type affixed to that Sabbath For besides the first institution of it in Paradise he makes two other causes which he calls Accessory or affixed and added to it 1. One was Civill or Civil that men and beasts might rest from their toilsome labour every week 2. Ceremoniall or Ceremonial for their solemne Commemoration of their deliverance out of Egypt which we know typified our deliverance by Christ Deut. 5.15 Some think indeed that their deliverance out of Egypt was upon the Sabbath day but this I do not urge because though it be very probable yet it is not certaine onely this is certaine that they were to Sanctifie this Day because of this their Deliverance and 't is certaine this Deliverance was Typical of our deliverance by Christ and hence 't is certaine that there was a Type affixed to this Sabbath and because the Scripture is so plain and expresse in it I 〈◊〉 inclined to think the same which Iunius doth that this is the Type rather then any other I have yet heard of against which I know many things may be objected onely it may be sufficient to clear up the place against that which Mr. Brabourne answerâ— to it Thesis 23. The Deliverance 〈◊〉 of Egypt saith he is not 〈…〉 as the ground of the Institution of the Sabbath but onely as a motive to the observation thereof as it was more generall in the Preface to the Decalogue to the obedience of every other command which notwithstanding are not Ceremonial for God saith I am the Lord who brought thee out of Egypt therefore keepe thou the first the second the third the fifth the sixth as well as the fourth Commandment and therefore saith he we may make every Commandment Ceremonial as well as the Sabbath if the motive of deliverance out of Egypt makes the Sabbath to be so This is the substance and sinewes of his discourse herein and I confesse its true their Deliverance out of Egypt was not the first ground of the institution of it but Gods Rest after his six dayes labour yet it was such a ground as we contend for viz. a secondary and an annexed or affixed ground And that it was not a Motive only to observe that day as it is in the Preface to the Decalogue but a superadded ground of it may appear from this one consideration viz. because that very ground on which the Lord urgeth the observation of the Sabbath in Exod. 20.11 it is wholly left out in the repetition of the Law Deut. 5.15 and their deliverance out of Egypt put into the rome thereof for the ground in Exod. 20.11 is this Six daies God made Heaven and Earth and rested the seventh day and sanctified it but instead of these words and of this ground we finde other words put into their roome Deut. 5.15 Remember thou wast a servant in the Land of Egypt and that the Lord brought thee out thence with a mighty hand therefore the Lord thy God commandeth thee to Keepe the Sabbath Which seems to argue strongly that these words are not a meer Motive but another ground of the observation of the Sabbath And why might not the generall Motive in the Preface of the Decalogue serve as a sufficient Motive to the obedience of this Commandment if there was no more but a Motive in these words of Deutr. and therefore I suppose this was also the ground and affixed Type unto the Jewish Sabbath Thesis 24. But still the difficulty remains for Master Brabourne will say that those were but humane reasons but what ground is there from Scripture for the institution of another Sabbath as well as of the abrogation of the old which if it be not cleared I confesse this cause sinks here therefore let it be again observed that we are not to expect such evidence from Scripture concerning this Change as fond and humorous wit sometimes pleads for In this controversie namely That Christ should 〈◊〉
Sabbath strictly till they were better instructed as they did all other Jewish ceremonies also For Lydia is expressely said to be one who worshipped God befoâ—e Paul came Master Brabourne tels us they were no Iewish Proselytes because they had no Iewish Synagogue and therefore they were faine to goe out of the City into the Fields beside a River to pray I confesse the Text saith that they went out to a River side where prayer was wont to be made but that this was the open Fields and that there was no Oratory house or place of shelter to meet and pray in this is not in the Text but its Master Brabournes comment and glosse on it But suppose it was in the open Fields and that they had no Synagogue yet will it follow that these were not Iewes might not the Iewes be in a Gentile City for a time without any Synagogue especially if their number be but small and this small number consist chiefly of women as it seemes this did whose hearts God touched leaving their husbands to their owne waies If they were not Iewes or rather Iewish Proselyâ—es why did they choose the Sabbath day which the Iewes so much set by rather then any other to pray and worship God together in But verily such answers as these wherewith the poor man abounds in his Treatise make me extreamly fear that he rather stretcht his Conscience then was acted by a plaine deluded Conscience in this point of the Sabbath Thesis 34. It remains therefore to prove that the first Day of the week is the Christian Sabbath by Divine institution and this may appeare from those three texts of Scripture ordinarily alledged for this end I. Acts 20.7 II. 1 Cor. 16.2 III. Revel 1.10 Which being taken joyntly together hold these three things 1. That the first Day of the week was honoured above any other day for Sabbath services in the Primitive Churches practise as is evident Acts 20.7 2. That the Apostles commanded the observation of this Day rather then any other for Sabbath-services as is evident 1 Cor. 16.1 2. 3. That this day is holy and sanctified to be holy to the Lord above any other day and therefore it hath the Lords name upon it an usual signe of things Holy to him and therefore called the Lords Day as is evident Revel 1.10 but these things need more particular explication Thesis 35. In the first of these places Acts 10.7 these particulars are manifest 1. That the Church of Troas called Disciples publikely and generally now met together so that it was no private Church-meeting as some say but generall and open according as those times would give leave 2 That this meeting was upon the first day of the week called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which phrase although Gomarus Primrose Heylin and many others go about to translate thus viz. upon one of the dayes of the week Yet this is sufficient to dash that Dream besides what else might be said viz That this phrase is expounded in other Scriptures to be the first day of the week Luke 24 1. Iohn 20 1. but never to be found throughout all the Scriptures expounded of one day in the week Gomarus indeed tels us of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 5.17 8.22 20.1 which is translated quodam die or a certain day but this will not help him for this is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 't is in this place 3. That the end of this meeting was Holy Duties viz. to break bread or to receive the Lords Supper as the phrase is expounded Acts 2.43 which was therefore accompanied with preaching the word and prayer Holy preparation and serious meditation about those great mysteries Nor can this breaking of Bread be interpreted of their Love-feasts or common Suppers as Gomarus suspects For their Love-feasts and common Suppers were not of the whole Church together as this was but in several houses as Mr. Cartwright proves from Acts 2.46 And although the Corinthians used their Love-Feasts in publike yet they are sadly reproved for it by the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.12 and therefore he would not allow it here 4. 'T is not said that Paul called them together because he was to depart the next day or that they purposely declined the Lords Supper till that day because then Paul was to depart as Master Primrose urgeth but the text speaks of it as of a time and Day usually observed of them before and therefore it is said that when they came together to break bread and Paul therefore took his opportunity of preaching to them and seemes to stay purposely and wait seven dayes among them that he might communicate with them and preach unto them in this ordinary time of publike meeting and therefore though he might privately instruct and preach to them the other seven dayes yet his preaching now is mentioned in regard of some speciall solemnity of meeting on this Day 5. The first Day was honoured above any other Day for these Holy Duties or else why did they not meet upon the last Day of the week the Iewish Sabbath for these ends For if the Christian Churches were bound to observe the Iewish Sabbath why did they not meet then and honour the seventh Day above the first day considering that it was but the day before and therefore might easily have done it more fitly too had that seventh day been the Christian Sabbath 6. Why is the first Day of the week mentioned which is attributed onely in the New Testament to the Day of Christs resurrection unlesse this day was then usually honoured and sanctified for Holy Duties called here breaking of bread by a Synecdoche of a part for the whole and therefore comprehends all other Sabbath Duties For there is no more reason to exclude prayer preaching singing of Psalmes c. because these are not mentioned then to exclude drinking of Wine in the Sacrament as the blinde Papists do because this neither is here made mention of Master Primrose indeed tels us that it may be the first Day of the week is named in respect of the Miracle done in it upon Euâ—ichus But the Text it plaine the time of the meeting is mentioned and the end of it to break Bread and the Miracle is but brought in as a particularly event which happened on this day which was set apart first for higher ends 7. Nor is it said in the Text that the Church of Troas meâ— every day together to receive the Sacrament as Master Prâ—mrose suggests and that therefore this action of breaking Bread was done without respâ—ct to any particular or special Day it being performed every Day For I do not finde that the Primitive Church received the Lords Supper every day for though it be said Actsâ— â—2 That the Church continued in the Apostles Fellowship and breaking of Bread yet it is not said that they broke Bread every day they are indeed said to be daily in the Temple verse 46.
the more clear and distinct knowledge of it it being the priviledge of truth to be more purified and shine the brighter by passing thorough the heats and fires of mens contentions and disputations Thesis 2. There being therefore Five severall opinions concerning this particular it may not be unusefull to bring them all to the Balance and Touchstone that so by snuffing the Candle and rejecting that which is false the light of truth may shine the brighter at last Thesis 3. Some there be who make the Time mutable and various affirming that God hath not fixed any set time or that he stands upon or would have his people troubled with such Niceties so long as the day be observed say they it is no matter when it be begun nor do they make this variation to be according to that which God allows suppose from Sun to Sun sooner or later as the time of the yeere is but according to the civill customs of severall Nations as they variously begin or end their daies among whom they live as suppose they live among Romans they think they may begin it at midnight if with Babylonians at Sun-rising if among Grecians at Sun-set if among Umbrians and Arabians at mid-day Thesis 4. If the Scripture had left us such a liberty as this viz to measure the beginning of the day according to humane custome a scrupulous conscience I think might have a most and ready quieting answer here but it will be found too true that though Civill and common Time may admit of such variations as may best suit with their manner and occasions yet sacred and holy time is not dependent upon humane customs but upon divine institutions for which purpose God hath made the lights of Heaven to be for seasons Gen. 1.14 to be guides and helps to begin and end the seasons and daies which he shall appoint Thesis 5. T is true that it suits not with Gods wisdome to determine all particular circumstances of things which are almost innumerable and infinite by the expresse letter of the Scripture and therefore he hath left us a few generall Rules to direct us therein yet for the Lord to leave the determination of some circumstances to humane liberty would be very perilous The Temple was but a circumstance of place and King Vzziah in in offering Incense varied onely in a circumstance of person yet we know that the ten Tribes were carried away captive for not sacrificing at the Temple and Vzziah smitten with Leprosie till his death so the Lord having determined the Seventh day to be his what now should hinder but that he should determine the Beginning also thereof Thesis 6. If God hath been accurately carefull to fix the beginning of other Feasts and Holy daies far inferior unto this as appeareth Levit. 23.23 Exod. 12.6 why should we think that the Lord is lesse carefull about the beginning of his Sabbath Thesis 7. If the Lord hath not left it to humane wisdome to set down the bounds and limits of holy places as appears in the Temple Tabernacle and all their appurtenances why should we think that he hath left it to mans wisdome to limit and determine holy Time Thesis 8. If the Lord will have a speciall Time of worship once within the circle of Seven daies and not appoint the Time for the beginning and end of it might he not lose much of the beauty of the holinesse of the day every thing being beautifull in its season may not man begin the day at such a season as may not be beautifull Thesis 9. The Deputation of Time for holy uses upon occasion is allowed to man yet sanctification of Time and to set the bounds and limits of it is left to no man Sanctification not only positive but relative as here in the Sabbath being as proper to the Holy Ghost as Creation to the Father and Redemption to the Son Thesis 10. Application of holy Time to the performance of holy duties on the Sabbath as to fix what houres to meet in upon that day is left to humane prudence from generall rules of Conveniency Order Comelinesse but Consecration of constant and fixed Time is the Lords propriety not onely of the middle but of the beginning and end thereof Thesis 11. The Scriptures have left the determination of the Beginning of the Sabbath no more to civill Nations and their customs then to particular Churches and each particular person for they may all equally plead against the the Lordâ— strictnesse to any exact begining of time but if such a loose liberty were granted a world of confusion scandall and division would soon appeare for some persons might then begin it at midnight some at mid-day some might mâ—asure the beginning of the Sabbath according to their sleeping sooner or latter on the Sabbath day morning some might be Plowing or dancing and drinking when others are praying and hearing of the word and who could restraine them herein for they might plead the Sabbath is not yet begun to them Thesis 12. If therefore God hath sanctified a set Time he hath set and sanctified the bounds and limits of that Time and to begin the time when we lift it may sometime arise from weaknesse but usually t is a fruit of loosnesse of heart which secretly loves to live as it lists which would not conform to Gods rule and therefore will crook and bend the rule to its humour which will not come up to Gods time and therefore make God to come downe to theirs Thesis 13. O here there be who give god the honour of determining the beginning and end of the day but they cut him short of one halfe of it in that they make the Artificiall day or the Day-Light from Sun-rising to Sun-setting to be the day of his Sabbath Thus some affirm downright Others more modestly say hâ—t mans conscience ought not to be scrupulous nor trouble it selfe if conscienciously give God the honour of the Sabbath day-light having some generall preparations for it the night before and good affections the night after Thesis 14. But if the Day-light be the measure of the Sabbath those that live in some paâ—ts of the Russia and East-land must have once a yeere a very long Sabbath for there are some times of the yeeâ—e wherein they have day-light a moneth together Thesis 15. If God give us six naturall daies to labour in is it not fit that the seventh day should beare an equall proportion with every working day and therefore it is not an Artificiall but a Naturall day consisting of twenty four houres which we must in conscience allow unto God to be the Sabbath day Thesis 16. It is true that the night is given to man to rest in it being most fit for that end but it is not necessary that all the weekâ—ly nights be spent in sleep for we then do labour and Gods providence puts men generally upon it to labour in their callings earely and laâ—e those nights
went before And I confesse the argument is strong and undeniable as the words lie under the glosse We must therefore enquire more narrowly into the true translation of the words and their meaning Thesis 55. That therefore which we translate the end of the Sabbath is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which words are variously translated we shall onely observe that the Gr. word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a double signification in frequent use among Greek writers 1. Sâ—mewhile it signifies Late Time or the extream and last time of the continuance of any thing as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the late time or latter time of the Day 2. Sometime it signifies a long Time after as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. a long time after the Trojan war Now in this place it is to be translated and in this latter sence thus A long time or a good while after the Sabbath was ended as it began to dawn to â—hâ— first day of the week c. which interpretation if it be made good will clear up this difficulty viz. that the Jewish Sabbath did not end at the dawning of the First day of the week but long before nor indeed durst I incline to this interpretation if I did not see the Evangelists the best interpreters one of another making the same to my hand Thesis 56. For first Mark who writ after Matthew and is best able to interpret his words expresly saith that the Sabbath was past when the women came to the Sepulchre his words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sabbath being past Mar. 16. 1. Hence therefore if Matthews words should be translated Late on the Sabbath or towards the end of the Sabbath then the Sabbath was not already past as Mark affirms but drawing toward an end Mark therefore telling us that the Sabbath was ended and yet not telling us when it ended why should we not Harmonize the Evangelists by Mathews words which tels us that it was long before 2. The time of the coming of some of the women to the Sepulchre as it was upon the first day of the week so it was some time within the night and hence Mark tels us it was very early Mark 16.2 which cannot be at the rising of the Sun onely when t is said also that they came to the Sepulchre for that is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valde mane or very early Again Luke tels us that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very early or in the depth of the night for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frequently signifies the time of the night when Cocks crow I forbear to instance in Greek Writers because the Evangelist Iohn clears up this most fully who expresly saith that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it being yet dark and though it be said Mark 16.2 that the women came to the Sepulchre about rising of the Sun yet Piscator and others interpret that of their last actuall coming to it their preparation for it being very early while it was yet dark night and it seems there was two comings by several of them to the Sepulchre for its evident that Mary who had most affection came to the Sepulchre while it was yet dark the rest of them possibly preparing thereunto However the Evangelists be reconciled this is evident that the first stirring of the women about that work from which they abstained upon the Sabbath day was very early in the depth of the morning Darknesse before the Day-light when some would begin the Christian Sabbath and from hence it follows 1. That if the Sabbath was not past even before this dark time of the night began but rather ended when the first day of the week began to dawn then it will follow that these holy women did not rest the Sabbath according to the Commandment for we see they are this night busie about those things which they did forbear to do because of the Sabbath Luke 23.52 2. Hence it will also follow that if the Sabbath was not ended before this dark time of the night but onely at the dawning of the Day-light then our Saviour could not arise from the dead the First day of the week but within the dark night of the Jewish Sabbath for Mary came when it was dark and the Lord Christ was risen before she came and how long before no man can tell but its evident that Christ arose the first day of the week Mark 16.9 and therefore the Sabbath was ended long before 3. If therefore the Sabbath was past at the dark time of the night how then can the Sabbath begin at morning Light and if it was past when it was thus dark when then could the Sabbath end but when this night did first begin and if this was so it was then truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good while after the Sabbath was ended when this dawning toward the first day began according to the interpretation given Thesis 57. It is true indeed that this time of darknesse is called morning and hence some would infer that the Sabbath begins in the morning but suppose it be so called yet it is not called morning Light at which time they plead the Sabbath should begin and it is improperly called Morning because as hath been formerly shewn it is preparatively so men usually preparing them for the work of the Day-light following Morning is also frequently taken in Scripture for any early time Eph. 3.5 and so this night of the first day of the week wherein the women arose to their work was an early time and therefore called morning Again suppose a double morning be acknowledged as there was a double evening yet it will not follow that this morning belongs onely to the day following for it may belong to the night before for as where there are two evenings spoken of the former belongs to the day the latter to the night so if we grant two mornings the latter morning may belong to the day ensuing and the former to the Night preceding if therefore any plead for the beginning of the Sabbath at the morning light these places of the Evangelist will not bear them out in it it being dark morning when Christ arose if they say it begins in the dark morning then let them set exactly the time of that dark morning wherein Christ arose and when they would begin it but no wit of man I feare is able to demonstrate this Thesis 58. And surely its of deepe consideration to all those who would have the beginning of the Sabbath to be just at the time of the Resurrection of Christ on the morning That not any one of the Evangelists do set forth or ayme to set forth the exact time of Christs Resurrection they tell us indeed the exact time of the womens preparation and comming to the Sepulchre and of the Earthquake and feare of the Souldiers and that these things were done in the morning but none of them
points out the time of Christs rising nor is it their scope to shew exactly when he rose but only to shew that he was risen and that he appeared to many being risen who came to seek for him Now assuredly if it had been the mind of God that his people should begin the Sabbath when Christ began his resurrection he would have pointed out the exact time when he did arise that so they might exactly begin the Sabbath but none of the Evangelists point out the time nor is it their scope exactly so to doe nay they do exactly point out when other matters hapned about the womens comming to the Sepulchre but this is not made mention of onely we may gather by laying many things together about what time it should be therefore I marvell at them who would prove the beginning of the Sabbath at the time of Christs Resurrection from the four Evangelists speaking exactly to the time of the womens rising in the morning to visit Christs Sepulchre but not a word of the main thing this drives at which is the exact time of Christs rising Thesis 59. Those that would have the Sabbath begin at morning alledge Iohn 20.19 where t is said That the same day at even which was the First day of the weeke Iesus came among his Disciples when the doors were shut which say they was within night and therefore the night following belongs to the day before which was the Christian Sabbath which place compared with Luke 24.33 does further cleare up as they say this truth for the two Disciples who went to Emaus and met Christ are said to return to the Disciples when they are thus met together which evening cannot say they be possibly meant of the First evening before Sun-light was set because the day being far spent ver 29. and they constrained him to abide with them which argues that it was late and the distance of Emaus from Ierusalem being sixty furlongs or eight miles excepting a half so that it was impossible for them to travell so long a journey in so short a time within the compasse of the first Evening Hence therefore it s meant of the second evening which was within night which yet we see belongs to the day before But there are many things considerable to evacuate the strength of these reasonings Thesis 60. For first this invitation our Saviour had to stay by the two Disciples was probably to some repast some time after high noon possibly to a late Dinner rather then a late Supper toward the latter evening and if so then the Disciples might easily come from Emaus to Ierusalem before Sun-set within the former evening for the word toward evening 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be as well understood of the first evening toward two or three of the clock as of the second and if it be objected that before the first evening the day could not be said to be Far spent yet if the words be well observed no such translation can be forced from them for the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. the day hath declined which is truely said of any time after high-noon and therefore might be a fit season to presse our Saviour to eat as may appeare by comparing this with a parallel Scripture Iudges 19.8 9. which is almost word for word with this place of Luke for the Levites father invites him to eat something after his early rising vers 8. which was too soon for supper and therefore seems to be rather to a Dinner which they tarried for untill after high-noon or as 't is in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. untill the day declined just as it is here in Luke and then when dinner was ended he perswades him to stay still because the day was weake and as we translate it toward evening as here the Disciples tell our Saviour and yet after these perswasions to tarry as late as it was he departed and came to Ierusalem before night and from thence to Gibeah without any Miracle too before Sun was set or the latter evening and verily if we may give credit to Topographers Gibeah was almost as far from Bethlem from whence the Levite came as Ierusalem was from Emaus and therefore if the Levite came with his cumber and concubine so many miles before the second evening notwithstanding all the Arguments used from the day declining and that it was toward evening why may we not imagine the like of these Disciples at Emaus much more who had no cumber and whose joy could not but adde wings to a very swift returne to the eleven before the second Evening notwithstanding the like arguments here used in Luke 24.29 And yet secondly suppose that they invited our Saviour to Supper yet the former Evening beginning about two or three of the Clock in the after noon our Saviour might stay some time to eat with them and yet they be timely enough at Ierusalem before the second Evening for suppose our Saviour stayd an houre with them or more after two or three of the Clock yet if a strong man may walke ordinarily three mile an houre why might not the tydings of this joyfull news make them double their pace whether on foot or horseback no mention is made of either and so be there within an houre and half or thereabout before the second Evening could come Thesis 61. And although our Saviour appeared to them when the dores were shut yet it is not said that the dores were shut because it was Night but for feare of the Iewes and their Pursevants that they might not rush in suddenly upon them which they might doe in the Day as well as in the Night and though this was a poore safeguard from their enemies yet it was some and the best which they had or at least could thinke of at such a time and if our Saviour came to them when they were at Supper Mark 16.14 and if the ordinary time of the Iewes supper was a little after or about Sunset as might be demonstrated then the second Evening was not as yet begun no not when Christ came much lesse before the other two came who were there from Emaus before Thesis 62. It is said by some that if it was not very late then the Arguments of the Disciples to perswade Christ to stay were weake but it seemes say they they were strong because it s said they constrained him but we know that much affection will some time urge a weake argument very far for stay of some speciall friend and when arguments will not prevaile it will hold them and constraine them by force and thus it seemes the Disciples dealt with our Saviour their constraining him was not so much by force of Argument as violence and force of love for so the words in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies and hence it seemes that there was day enough above head to travaile farther in otherwise what
it is to be spent in duties of humiliation as the other Sabbath in duties suitable to the nature of it and hence the Lords care is greatly exact herein 1. That no servile work be done because it is a Sabbath verse 31 32. 2. That it be spent and sanctified from Even to Even meaning like as you do your weekly Sabbaths And hence the Lord saith not You shall celebrate your day of Atonement from even to even but the Lord usually wrapping up arguments in his words Your Sabbath as if he should say You would account it a prophane thing not to celebrate your ordinary weekly Sabbath from even to even or to do any servile work on that day this day is a Sabbath and therefore you must sanctifie it from even to even and therefore do no servile work herein Thesis 91. To imagine as some do That the ordinary Sabbath began at another time because here God makes a new command that it be from even to even in opposition to the other Sabbaths beginning and that otherwise it had been enough to say You shall celebrate this day as a Sabbath one may from the same ground imagine that in other Sabbaths they might do any servile work because here also 〈◊〉 are forbidden it for it may be as well said that other 〈◊〉 had been enough to say You shall sanctifie this day as you do other Sabbaths here therefore is no new institution of time from the beginning of the Sabbath but of a new Ordinance together with the application of time according to common and ordinary account and the Lord expresseth from even to even which makes up a naturall day left mans heart which is soon weary of duties of Humiliation should interpret it of an artificiall day to prevent which mistake the Lord had good reason to set the distinct bounds of it from even to even Thesis 92. Nor can this Evening be fairly interpreted of the former even before Sun set as taking in that also for this evening is to begin at the evening of the ninth day verse 32. which evening of the ninth day is not the evening of that day about two or three of the clock for the tenth day onely is called the day of Atonement verse 27. and therefore part of the ninth day is no part of the Atonement day but as Iunius well expounds it at the evening of the ninth day puta qua nonus dies definit at that nick of time which is the communis terminus of the end of the ninth day and beginning of the tenth you shall then celebrate your Sabbath which curious exactnesse of the Lord is partly to expresse his zeal for the full and plenary observation of the day that he may not lose a moments time of honour as also to shew what care they should have of holding out from the first point to the last period of that Sabbath Thesis 93. And therefore it is a groundlesse deduction from the Text to make this day to be of extraordinary length and so an unfit measure for our ordinary Sabbath And to say that there was a ceremony in beginning this day at even is but gratis dictum and can never be made good unlesse it be by such fetches of wit which can mould the plainest History into the Image of a goodly Allegory a most impudent course of arguing in Austins judgement and in his time Thesis 94. If the Sabbath do not begin at evening why did Nehemiah an exemplary Magistrate command the Gates to be shut when the Gates of Ierusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath Nehem. 13.19 was it not left the Sabbath should be prophaned that night by bringing in of wares and burdens thorow the Gates as well as in the ensuing day is it not expresly said that he set his servants at these Gates that there might be no burden brought in upon the Sabbath day is it not expresly said that he set the Levites to keep the Gates to sanctifie the Sabbath day verse 19 22. Now if this 〈◊〉 was no part of the Sabbath how could they then be said to sanctifie the Sabbath thereby Thesis 95. To imagine that Nehemiah did this to prevent the prophaning of the Sabbath day after is as if a man should shut his doors at noon against such Thieves as he knows will not come to hurt him untill mid-night be past It would be weaknesse in a Magistrate to take away any considerable part of the week which God allows for labour to prevent that evil on the Sabbath which he knows he is sufficiently able to prevent at the approach of the day it self for Nehemiah might easily have shut the Gates in the morning if the Sabbath had not begun before and might have better done it then to cut so large a Thong out of the week time to prevent such defilement of the Sabbath day Thesis 96. When therefore the Gates of Ierusalem began to be dark or as Iunius renders the words quum abumbrarentur portae i. when they were shaddowed by the descent of the Sun behind the mountains which compassed Ierusalem and so did cast a shadow of darknesse upon the Gates of the City somewhat sooner then in other places lesse mountainous this shadow being no part of the dark night is truly said to be before or as the Hebrew is before the face or looking out of the Sabbath for although the Sabbath be said to begin at Sun-set yet t is to be understood not of the setting of the body of the Sun visibly but of the light of the Sun when darknesse begins to be predominant over the light and men are forced to forsake their work now just before this Nehemiah shut the gates at the common term and end of the six daies labour and the Seventh dayes rest and therefore t is a weak objection which some make to say that this evening was not part of the Sabbath because the Gates are said to be shut before the Sabbath Thesis 97. It s said the women who prepared spices for our Savioâ—â—â— body that they rested the Sabbath which is evident to be in the evening and this they did not superstitiously as some say but according to the Commandment Luk. 23.53 54 55 56. if therefore these women began to rest according to the commandment of God upon the evening then the evening by the same Commandment is the beginning of the holy Rest of the Sabbath It is not onely the commandment of God that one day in Seven be sanctified but also that it be sanctified from even to even Thesis 98. Now that they began to rest in the evening is evident from these considerations 1. That our saviour dyed the Ninth hour Luke 23.44 46. which was about three of the clock in the afternoon A little after this Ioseph begs his body and takes it down because it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or preparation for the Sabbath Mark 15.42 in which preparation it s said that the
the temper of the Times is loose and luke-warme Thesis 9. Considering therefore that some vvorke may be done upon the Sabbath and some not and that mans heart is apt to run to extreames either to grosse prophanesse or Pharisaicall strictnesse vve are therefore to enquire what workes we must rest from and what not from upon the Sabbath Day Thesis 10. If the Scriptures may be judge herein we shall finde that vvhen they forbid all manner of worke they interpret this of Servile Worke. The vvorke forbidden in the annuall Sabbaths vvhich did but shaddow out the rest on this Sabbath it is servile vvorke Levit. 23.7 8. and hence the rest on the Sabbath in this fourth command is opposed to the labour on the weeke daies vvhich is properly servile lawfull to be done then but unlawfull upon the Sabbath Day Thesis 11. The Schoolmen and some of their late Idolizers like the Pharises of old over blind in interpreting the spiritualnesse of the Law of God describe a servile worke in that manner so as that the grinding of water-mills and wind-mills as also the counsells of Lawyers to their Clients the Herring Trade of Fishermen are with them no servile works on this day and indeed they scarce make any worke servile but what is slavish and externall bondage and burden Thesis 12. But if we consult with Scriptures and the very words of this fourth Commandement we shall finde two things concurring to make up a servile worke 1. If any worke be done for any worldly gaine profit or livelyhood to acquire and purchase the things of this life by which is the principall end of weeke day labour Eph. 4.28 1 Thes. 4.12 this is a servile worke all one with what the Commandement calls Thy work Hence buying selling sowing reaping which are done for worldly gaine are unlawfull on this day being therefore servile works hence also worldly sports and pastimes which are ordained of God to whet on worldly labour not necessary every day but onely at some seasons are therefore most proper appurtenances unto daies of labour and are therefore unlawfull upon this day holy Times are no more to be sported on then holy places hence also on the other side to rub the eares of Corne to dresse meat for comfortable nourishment of man because they respect not worldly gaine are no servile workes nor yet unlawfull but may be more lawfully done for the comfort of man then to lead his horse to the water this day Luke 6.2 13.15 14.5 hence also such works as are done onely for the preservation of the Creatures as to pull a sheepe out of a ditch to quench fire in a Towne to save Corne and Hay from the sudden inundation of Water to keepe Fire in the Iron mills to sit at sterne and guide the ship and a thousand such like actions being not done properly for worldly gaine are not unlawfull God himselfe not ceasing from workes of preservation when he did from those of creation hence also such works as are not works of immediate worship but onely required necessarily thereto as killing the Sacrifices in the Temple travelling a Sabbath daies journey to the publique assemblies being no servile workes for outward gaine are not unlawfull upon this day 2. Such worldly works which though they be not done for worldly gaine or profit yet if by a provident care and foresight they might be done as well the weeke before or may as well be done a week after the Sabbath these also are servile works for thus the Commandment expresseth it Six daies thou mayst doe all thy work meaning which can be done as well the week before and if all cannot be done it may therefore be as well done the week after Hence the building of the Tabernacle which was not so much for mans profit as Gods honour because it might be done upon the six daies seasonably enough hence it is prohibited upon the Sabbath day Exod. 31. If a man hath Corn in the field though he may pretend that the weather is uncertain and it is ready to be brought into the Barn yet he is not to fetch it in upon the Sabbath day because there is no eminent danger of spoyle the Munday after and then he may fetch it in as well as upon that day the like may be said concerning Sea mens setting sayle upon the Sabbath day though they be uncertaine of a faire gale upon the day after Yet we must trust Gods providence who almost in all such matters keeps us at uncertainties hence also the sweeping of the house ought not to be done now if it may as well be done the day before so also to buy any things at shops or to wash clothes if they may be done the week before or after they must not be done upon this day hence on the other side works of necessity which cannot be so conveniently donâ— the day before or after are not unlawfull upon this day as to flie in persecution to watch the City to fight with the Enemy Math. 24.24 2 Kings 1.2 Hence also works of necessity not onely for preservation of life but also for comfort and comelinesse of life are not unlawfull for t is a grosse mistake to thinke that works onely of absolute necessity are allowed onely upon this day for to lead an Ox to water which in the strictest times was not disallowed of is not of absolute necessity for it may live more then a day without it onely its necessary for the comfort of the life of the beast how much more is allowed to the comfort of the life of man the Disciples possibly might have lived longer then the Sabbath without rubbing Corn eares and men may live on Sabbath daies generally without warm meat yea â—hey may fast perhaps all that day yet it is not unlawfull to eate such meat because its necessary for the comfort of life Hence also to put on comely garments to wash hands and face and many such things as are necessary for the comelinesse as well as the comfort of life are not unlawfull now there is sometime an inevitable necessity by Gods providence and sometime a contracted necessity through want of care and foresight in this case the work may sometime be done provided that our neglect beforehand be repented of in a word he that shall conscientiously endeavour that no more work be done on the Sabbath then what must be done for the ends mentioned that so he may have nothing else to doe but to be with God that day shall have much peace to his own conscience herein against Satans clamours hence lastly not onely outward servile work but servile thoughts affections and cares are to be cast off this day from the sight of God as others are from the eyes of men servile thoughts and affections being as much against the fourth Commandement as unchaste and filthy thoughts against the seventh Thesis 13. That we are to abstaine from all servile work not so much
his time till Christs Ascension if since that time they bring it a peg lower and make it to be a humane Constitution of the Church rather then any Divine Institution of Christ Iesus and herein those that oppose the Morality of it by dint of argument and out of candor and conscience propose their grounds on which they remaine unsatisfied I do from my heart both highly and heartily honour and especially the labours of Master Primrose and Master Ironside many of whose Arguments and Answers to what is usually said in defence of the Morality of the day who ever ponders them shall finde them heavie the foundations and sinewes of whose discourses I have therefore had a speciall eye to in the ensuing Theses with a most free submission of what is here returned in answer thereto to the censure of better minds and riper thoughts being verily perswaded that whoever finds no Knots or Difficulties to humble his spirit herein either knows not himselfe or not the Controversie but as for those whose chiefe arguments are reproaches and revilings of embittered and corrupt hearts rather then solid reasons of modest minds I wholly decline the pursuit of such creatures whose weapons is their swell and not any strength and do leave them to his tribunall who judgeth righteously for blearing the eyes of the world and endeavouring to exasperate Princes and make wise men beleeve that this Doctrine of the Sabbath is but a late Novelty a Doctrine tending to a high degree of Schisme a phanatick Iudaizing like his at Tewksbury Sabbata sancta colo i. e. a peece of Disciplinary Policy to advance Presbytery a superstitious seething over of the hot or whining simplicity of an over-rigid crabbed precise crack-brain'd Puritanicall party the righteous God hath his little dayes of judgment in this life to clear up and vindicate the righteous cause of his innocent servants against all gainsayers and who sees not but those that will be blinde that the Lord hath begun to do something this way by these late broyles the controversie God hath with a Land is many times in defence of the controversies of his faithfull Witnesses the sword maintaines argument and makes way for that which the Word could not those plants which not many yeers since most men would not beleeve not to be of Gods planting hath the Lord puld up the three innocent Fire-brands so fast tyed to some Foxes tayles are now prety well quencht and the tayles almost cut off this cause of the Sabbath also the Lord Iesus is now handling God hath cast down the Crownes of Princes stained the Robes of Nobles with dirt and blood broken the Croziers and torne the Miters in peeces for the controversie of his Sabbath Jer. 17.27 he hath already made way for his Discipline also which they feared the precise Sabbath would introduce again by such a way as hath made all hearts to ake just according to the words never to be forgotten of Mr. Udal in his Preface to the Demonstration of Discipline The Councel of Matiscon imputed the irruption of the Goths into the Empire to the prophanation of the Sabbath Germany may now see or else one day they shall see that one great cause of their troubles is that the Sabbath wanted its Rest in the dayes of their quietnesse England was at rest till they troubled Gods Sabbath The Lord Iesus must reign the Government of his House the Laws of his Kingdom the Solemn days of his worship must be established the cause of his suffering and afflicted servants not of our late religious scorners at Ordinances Lawes and Sabbaths who are now at rest from their labours but in former times wept and prayed and petitioned and preacht and writ and suffered and dyed for these things and are now crying under the Altar must and shall certainly be cleared before men and Angels Heaven and earth shall passe away before one tittle of the Law much lesse a whole Sabbath shall perish But while I am thus musing me thinks no measure of tears are sufficient to lament the present state of times that when the Lord Iesus was come forth to vindicate the cause and controversie of Sion there should rise up other Instruments of spiritual wickednesses in high places to blot out the name and sweet remembrance of this Day from off the face of the earth the enemies of the Sabbath are now not so much malignant time-servers and aspiring brambles whom preferment principally byassed to knock at the Sabbath but those who have eaten bread with Christ a generation of professing people do lift up their heel against his Sabbath so that what could not formerly be done against it by Angels of darknes the old Serpent takes another course to effect it by seeming Angels of light who by a new device are raised up to build the sepulchres of those who persecuted the Prophets in former times to justifie all the books of sports the reading of them yea all the former present profanations yea scoffs scorns against the Sabbath day For as in former times they have Ceremonialized it out of the Decalogue yet by humane constitutiō have retained it in the Church so these of later times have spritualized it out of the Decalogue ye out of of all the Churches in the world For by making the Christian Sabbath to be only a spirituall Sabbath in the bosome of God out of Heb. 4. they hereby abolish a seventh dayes Sabbath and make every day equally a Sabbath to a Christian man This I hope will be the last but it is the most specious and fairest colour and banner that ever was erected to fight under against the Christian Sabbath and is most fit to deceive not only some sudden men of loose and wanton wits but especially men of spirituall but too shallow minds In times of Light as these are reputed to be Satan comes not abroad usually to deceive with fleshly and grosse forgeries and his cloven foot for every one almost would then discerne his haltings but with more mystical yet strong delusions and invisible chaines of darknesse whereby he bindes his captives the faster to the judgment of the great day And therefore the watchword given in the bright and shining times of the Apostle was to Try the Spirits and Believe not every Spirit And take heed of Spirits who indeed were only fleshly and corrupt men yet called Spirits because they pretended to have much of the Spirit and their doctrines seemed only to advance the Spirit the fittest and fairest cobwebs to deceive and intangle the world in those discerning times that possible could be spun out of the poysonfull bowels of corrupt and ambitious wit The times are now come wherein by the refined mysticall divinity of the old Monks not only the Sabbath but also all the Ordinances of Christ in the New-Testament are allegorized and spirituallized out of the world And therefore 't is no marvel when they abolish the outward Sabbath because of
or evill without some law for then there should bee some sinne which is not the transgression of a law and some obedience which is not directed by any law both which are impossible and abominable 3. He makes morall lawes by externall imposition and constitution onely to be such as before the externall imposition of them are a diaphorous and good or evill onely by reason of some circumstance When as we know that some such lawes as are most entirely morall yet in respect of their inward nature generally considered they are indifferent also for not to kill and take away mans life is a morall law intirely so yet in the generall nature of it it is indifferent and by circumstance may become either lawfull or unlawfull lawfull in case of warre or publick execution of justice unlawfull out of a private spirit and personall revenge In one word the whole drift of his discourse herein is to shew that the Sabbath is not morall and this he would prove because the Sabbath is not simply and entirely morall which is a most feeble and weake consequence and this hee proves because the Sabbath day hath in respect of its inward nature no more holines and goodnes than any other day all the dayes of the week being equally good by creation But he might well know that the day is not the law of the fourth Commandment but the keeping holy of the Sabbath day which is a thing inwardly good and entirely morall if wee speak of some day Nay saith the Bishop the law of nature teacheth that some sufficient and convenient time bee set apart for Gods worship if therefore some day be morall although all dayes by creation be indifferent and equall according to his owne confession what then should hinder the quota pars or the seventh part of time from being morall will he say because all dayes are equally holy and good by creation then why should hee grant any day at all to bee entirely morall in respect of a sufficient and convenient time to bee set apart for God If hee saith the will and imposition of the Law-giver abolisheth its morality because he bindes to a seventh part of time then we shall shew that this is most false and feeble in the sequell Thesis 25. There are therefore four rules to guide our judgments aright herein whereby we may know when a law is sutable and agreeable to humane nature and consequently good in it selfe which will bee sufficient to cleare up the Law of the Sabbath to be truely morall whether in a higher or lower degree of morality it makes no matter and that it is not a law meerly temporary and ceremoniall 1. Such lawes as necessarily flow from naturall relation both between God and man as well as between man and man these are good in themselves because sutable and congruous to humane nature for there is a decency and sweet comlinesse to attend to those rules to which our relations binde us For from this ground the Prophet Malachy cals for feare and honour of God as morall duties because they are so comely and seemly for us in respect of the relation between us If I be your Lord and Master and Father where is my feare where is my honour Mal. 1.6 Love also between man and wife is pressed as a comely duty by the Apostle from that near relation betweene them being made one flesh Ephes. 5.28 29. there are scarce any who question the morality of the duties of the second Table because they are so evidently comely suitable and agreeable to humane nature considered relatively as man stands in relation to those who are or should bee unto him as his owne flesh and therefore he is to honour superiors and therefore must not kill nor steale nor lye nor covet nor defile the flesh c. but the morality of all the rules of the first Table is not seen so evidently because the relation between God and man which makes them comely and suitable to man is not so well considered for if there be a God and this God be our God according to the first Commandement then it 's very comely and meet for man to honour love feare him delight trust in him c. and if this God must be worshipped of man in respect of the mutuall relation between them then 't is comely and meet to worship him with his owne worhsip according to the second Commandment and to worship him with all holy reverence according to the third Commandment and if he must be thus worshipped and yet at all times in respect of our necessary worldly imploiments cannot be so solemnly honoured and worshipped as is comely and meet for so great a God then 't is very fit and comely for all men to have some set and stated time of worship according to some fit proportion which the Lord of time onely can best make and therefore a seventh part of time which he doth make according to the fourth Commandment 2. Such lawes are drawne from the imitable Attributes and Works of God are congruous and suitable to mans nature For what greater comelinesse can there be or what can be more suitable to that nature which is immediately made for God then to be like unto God and to attend unto those rules which guide thereunto Hence to be mercifull to men in misery to forgive our enemies and those that doe us wrong to be bountifull to those that be in want to be patient when we suffer evill are all morall duties because they are comely and suitable to man and that because herein hee resembles and is made like unto God Hence to labour six dayes and rest a leventh is a morall because a comely and suitable duty that because herein man followes the example of God and becomes most like unto him And hence it is that a seventh yeare of rest cannot be urged upon man to be as much morall as a seventh day of rest because man hath Gods example and patterne in resting a seventh day but not in resting any seventh yeare God never made himselfe an example of any ceremoniall duty it being unsuitable to his glorious excellency so to doe but onely of morall and spirituall holinesse and therefore there is somewhat else in a seventh day that is not in a seventh yeare and it is utterly false to thinke as some doe that there is as much equity for the observation of the one as there is of the other And here by the way may bee seen a grosse mistake of Mr. Primrose who would make Gods example herein not to be morally imitable of us nor man necessarily bound thereunto it being not naturally and in respect of it selfe imitable but onely because it pleased God to command man so to doe as also because this action of God did not flow from such attributes of God as are in their nature imitable as mercy bounty c. but from one of those attributes as is not imitable
in the third Commandment then all common worship as some call it or rather all that holy and reverend manner of worship which we owe to God is required in the same command and if all naturall instituted and common worship or holy manner of worship be required in the three first commands I marvaile then how any worship any further then as a time of worship may be called worship can be required in this fourth command The time therefore and not the worship it selfe is required herein for if any worship be required it 's either the whole worship of God or some speciall kinde of worship if the whole worship then there should be no worship of God required directly in the three first Commandments but the very same which is commanded in the fourth also which grosse Tautology is most absurd to imagine in the short summe of these ten words but if any speciall kinde of worship should be required and not the whole then the Sabbath day is sanctified to some one kind of worship rather then to the exercise of all kind of worship which is most false and prophane for who will affirme that the Sabbath is to bee sanctified suppose by that kinde of worship which is publick and not private also by externall and not by internall worship also by naturall worship in love and fear God c. and not with instituted in the use of all Gods Ordinances and that with all holy preparation and reverence also Thesis 54. The exercise of worship is one thing the worship it selfe is another 't is most true that the holy exercise of all worship is here required but most false that the worship it selfe is so The worship it self is required in the three first commands but the speciall exercise of all this worship at such a time is required in the fourth Command the exercise of holinesse and holy duties is here required as the end and a holy rest as a meanes thereunto and in this respect it is true which Wallaeus observes viz. That it is not a bare and naked circumstance of time but the rest it self from labour and the application of the day to holy uses which is here enjoyned but doth it therefore follow that the worship it self and the holy duties themselves are here directly commanded which he seemes to maintain no verily no more then that works of mercy in the second Table are required in this fourth Command of the first Table because the exercise of mercy and love as well as of piety and necessity is required also in this Command Thesis 55. It is generally and frequently affirmed by those who seek to support the morality of the Sabbath to wit that the exercise of worship and holy duties at this time is required for the duties sake as at other times the time is required for the times sake by which words they seem to make the bare circumstance of time to bee required here but this assertion had need be understood with much candor and the true explication of it for in some sense its most true which our Saviour affirms that man is not made for the Sabbath or the time of it Mark 2.27 Thesis 56. This time therefore may be considered two wayes 1. Abstractly 2. Concretely 1. Abstractly for the bare circumwance of time abstracted and stript from all other considerations and so it is very absurd to imagine all the holy duties of the Sabbath to be for the time as if God and all his holy worship should give homage unto and attend upon a naked empty circumstance Time in this respect is rather for the worships sake 2. Concretely as it is wholly sanctified and set apart for God or as it is a holy time set a part for holy rest that so man might attend upon God and in this respect all holy duties are for this time because in this respect they are for God who is all in all in holy time And therefore Wallaeus need not put us upon search to see whether the holy rest of the day be required in the second or any other Command for 't is not affirmed by any that the naked circumstance of time is here onely required without any holy rest but that a holy time of rest is herein commanded and therefore to bee referred to this command hence also it is most false which some affirme viz. That the rest from ordinary labours on this day as it is connected with holy duties of worship without which they cannot be performed is as necessary now as when the Jewish Sabbath was in being but otherwise out of these duties there is no holy time of rest commanded For such a restraint of time to holy duties as makes the time holy for the duties sake so that no time is holy but in the performance of holy duties and these duties upon narrow examination onely publick duties doth but open a gap for licentiousnesse voluptuousnesse sports May-poles and Dog-markets and such like prophanesse out of the time of holy publick worship or what private worship each man shall think most meet For in this sense holy duties are for the time because the whole day being sanctified holy duties are therefore to attend and in this respect are for this time and not the time for them viz. That when the time of the exercise of some holy duties doth cease the time of holy rest or holy time must then cease also Thesis 57. Nor should it seeme strange that holy duties should attend holy time and be for the sake of such time because although it bee true that this time is sanctified that man may performe holy duties yet man is now called to the performance of all holy duties that he may lastly honour God in all holinesse in such a speciall time Which time if any humane power onely should put any holinesse in and it therefore should be attended on what would it bee else but an observing of dayes and times condemned by the Apostle Romans 14. Gal. 4. which dirty ditch of observing times they unawares fall into who plead against a determined Sabbath sanctified of God and yet would have some time and day observed by the appointment of men For the observation of such dayes which God shall appoint cannot be condemned as an observing of times but the observation of dayes which humane wisedome shall think fit may be quickly reduced to such a transgression Thesis 58. If any think that there is a peculiar manner of holinesse and of worshipping God herein required which is not required in any other Commandment it may bee readily granted if by peculiar manner of sanctification be meant a more speciall degree and manner of exercising the whole worship of God in respect of such a time but it doth not therefore follow that any new kinde of worship which Wallaeus hence pleads for is required herein for this higher degree and speciall manner of worship is not the substance of any new worship
inventions of man to further the worship of God are condemned directly in the second Command 〈◊〉 all such Churches as are framed into a spituall policy after the fashion and patterne of the Word and primitive institution are with leave of Erastus and his disciples enjoyned in the same Commandment and therefore not in the fourth Gomarus and Master Primrose therefore do much mistake the mark and scope of the fourth Commandment who affirme That as in the three first Commandments God ordained the inward and outward service which hee will have every particular man to yeeld to him in private and severally from the society of men every day so in the fourth Commandment he enjoyneth a service common and publick which all must yeeld together unto him forbearing in the mean while all other businesse But why should they think that publick worship is more required here than private Will they say that the Sabbath is not to bee sanctified by private and inward worship as well as by publick and externall worship Is not private preparation meditation secret prayer and converse with God required upon this day as well as publick praying and hearing the Word If they say that these are required indeed but 't is in reference to the publick and for the publick worship sake it may be then as easily replyed that the publick worship is also for the sake of the private that each man secretly and privately might muse and feed upon the good of publick helps they are mutually helpfull one to another and therefore are appointed one for another unlesse any will thinke that no more holinesse is required upon this day than while publick worship continues which we hope shall appeare to bee a piece of professed prophanesse In the meane while looke as they have no reason to thinke that private worship is required in this command because the exercise of private worship is at this time required so they have as little reason to thinke that the publick worship it selfe is herein enjoyned because the exercise of it is to be also at such a time It is therefore the time not the worship it self either publick or private which is here directly commanded although it be true that both of them are herein indirectly required viz. in relation to the Time Thesis 63. If therefore the morall worship it self whether publick externall or private be not directly required in this fourth Command much lesse is the whole Ceremoniall worship here enjoyned as Master Primrose maintaines for the whole Ceremoniall worship both in Sacrifices Ceremonies Typeâ— c. was significant and were as I may so say Gods Images or media cultus meanes of worship by carrying the minde and heart to God by their speciall significations and therefore were instituted worship and therefore directly contained under the second and therefore not under the fourth Command And if there bee but nine Commandments which are morall and this one by his reckoning is to bee ceremoniall and the head of all ceremonials and that therefore unto it all ceremoniall worship is to appertaine then the observation of a Sabbath is the greatest Ceremony according as wee see in all other Commandments the lesser sinnes are condemned under the grosser as anger under murder and lust under adultery and inferiour duties under the chief and principall as honouring the aged and Masters c. under honouring of parents and so if all Ceremonialls are referred to this then the Sabbath is the grossest and greatest ceremony one of them and if so then 't is a greater sinne to sanctifie a Sabbath at any time than to observe new moones and other festivals which are lesse Ceremoniall and are therefore wholly cashiered because ceremoniall and if so why then doth Master Primrose tell us That the Sabbath is morall for substance principall scope and end and that its unmeet for us to observe fewer dayes than the Iewes in respect of weekly Sabbaths Why is not the name and memoriall of the Sabbath abandoned wholly and utterly accursed from off the face of the earth as well as new moones and other Jewish festivals which upon his principles are lesse ceremoniall than the weekly Sabbath It may be an audacious Familist whose Conscience is growne Iron and whose brow is brasse through a conceit of his immunity from and Christian liberty in respect of any thing which hath the superscription of law or works upon it may abandon all Sabbaths together with new Moones equally but those I now aime at I suppose dare not nor I hope any pious minde else who considers but this one thing viz. that when the Lord commands us to Remember to keep the Sabbath holy hee must then according to this interpretation command us that above all other Commandments wee observe his Ceremoniall worship which they say is here enjoyned rather than his morall worship which they acknowledge to be enjoyned in all the other nine Commands at the gate of none of which Commands is written this word Remember which undoubtedly implyes a speciall attendance to bee shewne unto this above any other for as wee shall shew keepe this keep all break this slight this slight all and therefore no wonder if no other Command hath this word Remember writ upon the portall of â—t which word of fence denotes speciall affection and action in the Hebrew Language but I suppose it may strike the hardest brow and heart with terrour and horrour to go about to affix and impute such a meaning to this Commandment viz. That principally above all other duties we remember to observe those things which are ceremoniall for although the observation of Ceremonies bee urged and required of God as Master Primrose truely observes from Psalme 118.27 Ieremiah 17.26 Ioell 19.13 Malachy 1.7 8 10 13 14. yet that God should require and urge the observation of these above any other worship is evidently crosse to reason and expresly crosse to Scripture Isaiah 1.11 12 13 14 15. Isaiah 66.3 Psalme 50.13 Ieremiah 6.20 Amos 3.21 Micah 6.7 To remember therefore to keepe the Sabbath is not to remember to observe Ceremoniall duties Thesis 64. Nor should it seem strange that Jewish holy dayes are not here enjoyned where a holy time a Sabbath day is commanded for those Jewish holy dayes were principally instituted as Wallaeus well observes for signification of Christ and his benefits as may appeare from â— Cor. 5.7 Luke 4.19 Hebrewes 10.5 and therefore being significant were parts of instituted worship belonging to the second not fourth Command but the Sabbath day as shall be shewn is in its originall institution and consecration of another nature and not significant yet this may bee granted that ceremoniall holy dayes may be referred to the fourth Command as appendices of it and if Calvin Vrsin Danaeus and others aimâ— at no more it may bee granted but it will not follow from hence that they therefore belong to the second command indirectly and directly to the fourth
the destruction of a civill government so to crown every day with equall honour unto Gods set dayes and Sabbaths which he hath anointed and exalted above the rest this anarchy and confusion of dayes doth utterly subvert the true Sabbath to make every day a Sabbath is a reall debasing and dethroning of Gods Sabbath Thesis 69. 'T is true that every day considered materially and physically as a day is equally holy but this is no argument to prove that therefore every day is morally and theologically holy for those things which of themselves are common may by divine appointment superadded to them become holy witnesse the dedicated things of the Temple and so 't is in dayes and times under the old Testament we see some dayes were more holy by Gods appointment then others and yet all dayes then were materially and alike holy Thesis 70. 'T is true that under the new Testament all places in a safe sence are equally holy but it doth not follow from hâ—nce as our Adversaries would inferre that therefore all times are so and Wallaeus himself confesseth the argument to be invalid for it was not easie nor meet but very dissonant from divine and heavenly wisdome to appoint in his word all particular places where his people should meet their meetings being to bee in so many thousand severall Countries and various situations which places are indeed for their generall nature commanded and necessary but in respect of application to circumstances of this and that place and countrey the variation of them is almost endlesse and therefore very incongruous and uselesse to set them downe in the word but it was not so in respect of solemne time or a solemne day of worship for herein the Lord might easily appoint a particular day to be observed according to the rising and setting of the Sunne proportionably throughout all the world and the Scripture hath expressely fore told in respect of place that neither in Ierusalem Iudea nor Samaria but that in every place incense should bee offered up to God Malach. 1.11 but it hath not so spoken but rather the contrary in respect of time Thesis 71. Nor is any time morally holy in this sense viz. instrumentally holy or as an instrument and meanes by which God will convey any spirituall and supernaturall grace as Sacraments now doe and sacrifices of old did but being sanctified of God they are holy seasons in which God is pleased to meet and blesse his people rather then at other times and dayes of our owne devising or of more common use reserving onely the Lords prerogative to himselfe to work at other times also more or lesse as he sees meet Indeed it 's true that by our improvement of our time and of such times the Lord sweetly conveyes himself to us yet still 't is not by time it self nor by the day it self but as he conveyes himself to us by holy things and at holy places as the Ark and Temple so in holy times Thesis 72. There are indeed sundry Scriptures which to one who is willing to have all dayes equall may carry a great bredth and make a specious shew and I ingeniously confesse that upon a rigidum examen of them they are more weighty and heavy than the disputers in this controversie usually feele them and therefore they doe more lightly cast them by and passe them over and it is to bee wished that those who doe not think that all dayes are equall yet will not acknowledge a seventh day to be morall had not put weapons unawares into the hands of others strengthening them thereby to destroy the morality of any day and so to lay all dayes levell for I scarce know an argument or Scripture alledged by any Germane writer against the morality of a seventh day but it strikes directly against the morality of any day which yet they acknowledge to be morall Thesis 73. The fairest colour and strongest force from Gal 4.10 and Col. 2.16 lies in the gradation which some suppose to be intended in both those places Ye observe saith the Apostle dayes and moneths and times and yeares Gal. 4.10 Wherein the Apostle seemes to ascend from the lesser to the greater from dayes which are lesse then moneths and therefore weekly Sabbath dayes to moneths from moneths or new moones to times which are higher then moneths and by which is meant their annuall feasts and fasts ordered according to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fittest seasons of the yeare and from times he ascends yet higher to yeares viz. their Sabbaticall yeares because they were celebrated once in many years sometime seven sometime fifty years by which gradation it seems evident that the observation of dayes which are lesse than moneths and therefore of weekly Sabbaths are hereby condemned The like gradation is urged from Col. 2.16 where the Apostle seems to descend from condemning the greater to the condemnation of the lesser Let no man judge you saith the Apostle in respect of a holy day new moon or Sabbath dayes there holy dayes seem to bee their annuall or Sabbaticall dayes their new moones are lesse than them being every moneth and therefore by Sabbath days they inferre must needs be meant the weekly Sabbaths lesse than new moones Indeed some understand by dayes and times in Gal. 4. heathenish dayes but hee speaking of such dayes as are beggerly rudiments under which not the Heathens but the Children of the old Testament were in bondage verse 3. hee must therefore speak not of Heathenish but of Iewish dayes I know also that some understand that of Col. 2.16 to be meant of Iewish and ceremoniall Sabbaths which were annuall but this the Apostles gradation seems to overthrow Thesis 74. To both these places therefore a threefold Answer may bee given First Admit the gradation in them both yet by dayes Gal. 4.10 is not necessarily meant all weekly Sabbath dayes for there were other dayes Ceremoniall which the Iewes observed and which the Iewish teachers urged besides the Sabbath to instance onely in Circumcision which they zealously prest Gal. 5.3 which we know was limited unto the eighth day and which they might urge as well as Circumcision it selfe However look as the Apostle when he condemnes them for observing times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Fit seasons he doth not therin condemn them for observing all fit seasons for then wee must not pray nor heare the word in fit seasons but hee condemnes the Iewish Ceremoniall times and seasons so when he condemnes the observation of dayes the Apostle doth not condemne the observation of all dayes for then dayes of fasting and feasting must be condemned as well as dayes of resting under the new Testament but the observation of Ceremoniall dayes which the Iewes observed and false teachers urged and indeed the Apostle speaks of such dayes as were beggerly elements and rudiments now Iames speaking of the morall law which comprehends Sabbath dayes hee doth not call it a beggerly law
the word Rested but we know how many waies some of the Hebrew â—enses look nor is it any matter now to trouble our selves about them this only may be considered That it is a meer uncertain shift to affirm that Genesis was writ after Exodus M. Ironside tels us he could give strong reasons for it but he produceth none and as for his authorities from humane testimonies we know it is not fit to weigh out truth by humane suffrages and yet herein they do not cast the scale for Genesis to be writ after Exodus for although Beda Abulensiâ— and divers late Jesuites do affirm it yet Eusebius Catharinus Alcuinns a Lapide and sundry others both Popish and Protestant writers are better judgmented herein and their reasons for Genesis to be the first-born as it is first set down seem to be most strong The casting of this cause therefore depends not upon such uncertainties and yet if this disorder were granted iâ— will do their cause no good as if need were might be made manifest Thesis 165. M. Ironside confesseth That Gods resting and sanctifying the Sabbath are â—â—etaneous and acknowledgeth the connexion of them together at the same time by the câ—pulative And and that as God actually rested so he actually sanctifed the day but this sanctification which he means is nothing else but destination or Gods purpose and intention to sanctifie â—t afterward so that in effect this evasion amounts to thus much viz. that God did actually purpose to sanctifie it about 2500. years after the giving of the Law but yet did not actually sanctifie it and if this be the meaning it is all one as if he had said in plain terms viz. that when God is said to sanctifie the Sabbath he did not indeed sanctifie it only he purposed so to do and although M. Primrose and himself tels us that the word sanctifie signifies in the Originall some time to prâ—pare and ordain so it may be said that the word signifies sometimes to publish and proclaim if they say that this latter cannot be the meaning because we reade not in Scripture of any such proclamation that this should be the Sabbath the like may be said upon the reasons mentioned concerning their destination of it thereunto Again if to sanctifie the day be only to purpose and ordain to sanctifie it then the Sabbath was no more sanctified since the Creation then ab aeterno and before the world began for then God did purpose that it should be sanctified but this sanctification here spoken of seems to follow Gods resting which was in time and therefore it must be understood of another sanctification then that which seems to be before all time again as God did not blesse the Sabbath in way of destination so neither did he sanctiffe it in way of destination but he did not blesse it in way of destination for let them produce but one Scripture where the word blessed is taken in this sence for a purpose only to blesse indeed they think they have found out this purpose to sanctifie in the word sanctified Isa. 13.3 but where will they finde the like for the word blessed also for as the day was blessed so it was sanctified and yet I think that the Medes and Persians in Isa. 13.3 are not called Gods sanctified ones because they were destinated to be sanctified for that work but because they were so prepared foâ— it as that they were actually separated by Gods word for the accomplishment of such work but our adversaries will not say that God did thus sanctifie the Sabbath in Paradice by his word and yet suppose they are called his sanctified ones in way of destination yet there is not the like reason so to interpret it here for in Isa. 13.3 God himselfe is brought in immediatly speaking before whose eternall eyes all things to come are as present and hence he might call them his sanctified ones but in this place of Gen. 2.2 Moses not God immediatly speaks of this sanctifying in way of Historicall narration only this destination which is stood so much upon is but a meer imagination Thesis 166. It cannot be denied but that it is a usuall thing in Scripture to set down things in way of Prolepsis and Anticipation as they call it i. to set down things aforehand in the history which many years hapned and came after in order of time but there is no such Prolepsis or Anticipation here as our adversaries dream so that when God is said to sanctifie the Sabbath in Genesis the meaning should be that this he did 2500. years after the creation for this assertion wants all proof and hath no other prop to bear it up then some instances of Anticipations in other places of Scripture the Jesuites from some unwary expressions of some of the Fathers first started this answer whom Gomarus followed and after him sundry others prelatically minded but Rivet Ames and others have scattered this mist long since and therefore I shall leave but this one consideration against it viz. That throughout all the Scripture we shall not finde one Prolepsis but that the history is evident and apparently false unlesse we do acknowledge a Prolepsis and Anticipation to be in the story so that necessity of establishing the truth of the history only can establish the truth of a Prolepsis in the history I forbear to give a taste thereof by any particular instances but leave it to triall buâ— in this place alledged of Gen. 2.2 can any say that the story is apparently false unlesse we imagine a Prolepsis and the Sabbath to be first sanctified in mount Sinai Exod. 20. for might not God sanctifie it in Paradise as soon as Gods rest the cause and foundation of sanctifying of it was existing will any say with Gomarus that the Sabbath was first sanctified Exod. 16. because God blessed them so much the day before with Manna whenas in the Commandment it selfe Exod. 20. the reason of it is plainly set down to be Gods resting on the seveth day and sanctifying of it long before Thesis 167. There is not the least colour of Scripture to make this blessing and sanctifying of the day to be nothing else but Gods magnifying and liking of it in his own mind rejoycing and as it were glorying in it when he had rested from his works and yet M. Primrose casts this block in the way for the blind to stumble at supposing that there should be no such Anticipation as he pleads for for surely if God blessed and sanctified the day it was a reall and an effectuall sanctification and blessing but this magnifying and glorying in it in Gods minde is no reall thing in the blessed God he having no such affections in him but what is said to be in him that way is ever by some speciall effects the simple and pure essence of God admitting no affections per modum affectus sed affectus as is truly and commonly maintained Thesis
The end of daies and why may not this be the end of the daies of the week a known division of time and most famous from the beginning of the world as Râ—vet demonstrates out of the best Antiquaries rather then at the end of the moneths of the yeere But 't is not good to wrastle with probabilities of which many are given which do rather darken then clear up this cause This only may be added that suppose the Patriarks observed no Sabbath from mans fall to Moses time yet it will not follow that man in innocency was a stranger to it because man in his apostacy forgot or did not regard to keep it Thesis 172. If therefore it was a duty which Adam and his posterity were bound to keepe by a Law given them in innocency Then it undeniably follows that the observance of a Sabbath doth not depend upon great numbers of people to sanctifie it for at first creation the number was but two and yet they both were bound to observe it then nor yet is it to be cast aside through any mans freedom from worldly imcumbrances whereby he hath liberty to serve God more frequently every day for thus it was also in the state of innocency and yet the Sabbath to be observed then It is therefore unsound which M. Primrose affirms herein viz. That the consecration of a certain day for Gods service is not necessary but then only when many troop together and make up the body of a great Assembly and that therefore it may be doubted whether the Patriarks having but small families and little cumber observed any Sabbath but rather served God alike every day with great ease and assiduity and that therefore there was no need nor cause of a Sabbath till they became a numerous people at mount Sinai But beside what hath been said how will it appeare that the posterity of Seth called the sons of God Gen. 6.1 2. were not a numerous people Or that Abrahams family was so small out of which he could gather three hundred fighting men to pursue five mighty Princes in battell But suppose they were few yet have not small companies and particular persons as much need of the blessing of a Sabbath and speciall communion with God therein as great numbers and troops of people Is not the observation of the Sabbath built upon better and surer grounds mentioned in Scripture then bignesse of number and freedom from cumbers not mentioned at all Thesis 173. If Adams fall was before the Sabbath as Mr. Broad and some others otherwise orthodox in this point of the Sabbath conceive by too much inconsiderate wresting of Psal. 49.12 Iohn 8.44 yet it will not hence follow that he had no such command in innocency to observe the Sabbath before his fall For whether man had fallen or no yet the thing it selfe speaks that God was determined to work six dayes in making the world and to rest and so to sanctifie the seventh that hee might therein be exemplary to man and consequently God would have given this law and it should have been a rule to him whether he fell or no and indeed the seventh daies rest depends no more upon mans fall then the six daies worke of creation which we see were all finished before the fall the seventh daies holinesse being more sutable to that state then the six daies labour to which we see he was appointed if Gods example had any force to direct and lead him thereunto Againe if the law of labour was writ upon his heart before he was actually called forth to labour viz. To dresse and keep the garden Gen. 2.15 why might not also the law of holy rest be revealed unto him by God and so answerably writ upon his heart before he fell or came actually to rest upon the Sabbath Little of Adams universall obedience to the Law of workes was as yet actuall while he remained innocent and yet all his obedience in time to come was writ upon his heart the first moment of his creation in the Image of God as it were aforehand and why might not thiâ— Law of the Sabbath be writ so aforehand And therefore M. Broad need not trouble himself or others in enquiring whether God sanctified the Sabbath before or after the first seventh day wherein God rested and if before it how Adam could know of the Sabbath before Gods compleat rest upon the first seventh day the cause of it for God was as well able to make Adam privy to his counsell aforehand concerning that day before Gods rest on it which was a motive to the observance of it as he was to acquaint his people with his purpose for a holy Passeover before the occasion of it fell out Mr. Broad indeed tels us that its most probable that God did not blesse and sanctifie the first Sabbath or seventh day of rest because it is not said that God blessed the Sabbath because he would but because he had rested in it but by his leave it is most proper to say that God at the end of the six daies worke had then rested from all his works and thence God is said to sanctifie and rest the seventh day his cessation from worke which is the naturall rest being the cause of resting the seventh day with a holy rest as we have shewn and therefore there is no reason to stay till the seventh day was past and then to sanctifie it against the next seventh day the first seventh day upon the ground mentioned being first sanctified and which Adam might be well enought acquainted with aforehand as hath been shewn Thesis 174. If the Scriptures may be judge of the time of mans fall which yet is not momentous to cast the balance either way in this controversie it will be found that neither Angels nor men did fall the sixt day before the Sabbath for then God looked upon all his works and they were very good Gen. 1.31 and therefore could not as yet be bad and evill by any sin or fall and now because it 's more then probable that if Adam had compleatly sanctified and stood one Sabbath he had stood immutably as I think might be demonstrated he therefoâ—e not standing a whole seventh day for then he could not have fallen and yet not being fallen the sixt day he therefore fell upon the Sabbath day that as the breach of every other command was wrapt up in that first sin so this of the Sabbath The objections against this from Iohn 8.44 that Satan was a murderer from the beginning and from Psal. 49.12 that man in honour did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or abide one night in that estate with some other conjecturall reasons taken from some of the Schoolmens Obs and Sols are easily answered by a serious and sober minde and therefore I leave them Thesis 175. Adams soul say some did not need a Sabbath because every day was a Sabbath to him nor did his body need it
with 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 as it were upon Mount Zion and proclaime by word or writing in so many expresse words That the Iewish Sabbath is abrogated and the first day of the week instituted in its roome to be observed of all Christians to the end of the world For t is not the Lords manner so to speak in many other things which concerne his Kingdome but as it were occasionally or in way of History or Epistle to some particular Church or people and thus he doth concerning the Sabbath and yet Wisdomes mind is plain enough to them that understand Nor do I doubt but that those Scriptures which are sometimes alledged for the Change of the Sabbath although at first blush they may not seeme to heare up the weâ—ght of this cause yet being throughly considered they are not onely sufficent to stablish modest minds but are also such as may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or stop the mouths even of wranglers themselves Thesis 25. I doe not thinke that the exercise of holy duties on a Day argues that such a Day is the Christian Sabbath Day for the Apostles preached commonly upon the Jewish Sabbath sometime upon the first day of the week also and therefore the bare exercise of holy duâ—ies on a day is no sufficient Argument that either the one or the other is the Christian Sabbath for then there might be two Sabbaths yea many Sabbaths in a week because there may be many holy duties in severall dayes of the week which we know is against the Morality of the fourth Commandment Thesis 26. Yet notwithstanding although holy duties on a Day doe not argue such a Day to be our Sabbath yet that Day which is set apart for Sabbath services rather then any other Day and is honoured above any other Day for that end surely such a day is the Christian Sabbath Now if it may appear that the first Day of the week was thus honoured then certainly it is to be accounted the Christian Sabbath Thesis 27. The Primitive patterne Churches thus honoured the fiâ—st Day of the weeke and what they practised without reproof that the Apostles who planted those Churches enjoyned and preached unto them so to do at least in such weighty matters as the Change of Dayes of preferring one before that other which the Lord had honoured before and what the Apostles preached that the Lord Jesus commanded Matth. 28.20 Go teach all Nations that which I Command you unlesse any shall think that the Apostles sometime went beyond their Commission to teach that to others which Christ never commanded which is blasphemous to imagine for though they might erre in practise as men and as Peter did at Antioch and Paul and Barnabas in their contention yet in in their publike ministry they were infallibly and extraordinarily assisted especially in such things which they hold forth as patterns for after times if therefore the Primitive Churches thus honoured the first day of the week above any other day for Sabbath services then certainly they were instituted and taught thus to do by the Apostles approving of them herein and what the Apostles taught the Churches that the Lord Iesus commanded to the Apostles So that the approved practise of the churches herein shewes what was the Doctrine of the Apostles and the Doctrine of the Apostles shewes what was the command of Christ so that the sanctification of this Fiâ—st Day of the week is no humane tradition but a Divine institution from Christ himselfe Thesis 28. That the Churches honoured this Day above any other shall appeare in its place as also that the Apostles commanded them so to doe Yet Mr. Primrose saith that this latter is doubtful and Mr. Ironside not questioning the matter fals off with another evasion viz. That they acted herein not as Apostles but as ordinary Pastours and consequently as fallible men not only in commanding this Change of the Sabbaâ—h but in all other matters of Church government among which he reckons this of the Sabbath to be one which he thinks were imposed according to their private wisdome as most fit for those times but not by any Apostolicall Commission as concerning all times But to imagine that matters of Church-government in the Apostles dayes wete coats for the Moon in respect of after-times and that the form of it is mutable as he would have it I suppose will be digested by few honest and sober minds in these times unlesse they be byassed for a season by politick ends and therefore herein I will not now contend oneâ—y it may be considered whether any private spirit could abolish that Day which from the beginning of the world God so highly honoured and then honour and advance another Day above it and sanctifie it too as shall be proved for religious services Could any do this justly but by immediate dispensation from the Lord Christ Jesus and if the Apostles did thus receive it immediately from Christ and so teach the observation of it they could not then teach it as fallible men and as private Pastors as he would have it a pernicious conceit enough to undermine the faith of Gods elect in many matters more weighty then this of the Sabbath Thesis 29. To know when and where the Lord Christ instructed his Desciples concerning this Change is needlesse to enquire It is sufficient to beleeve this that what the Primitive Churches exemplarily practised that was taught them by the Apostles who planted them and that whatsoever the Apostles preached the Lord Christ commanded as hath been shewen Yet if the Change of the Sabbath be a matter appertaining to the Kingdome of God why should we doubt but that within the space of his forty dayes abode with them after his Resurrection he then taught it them for 't is expressely said that He then taught them such things Acts 13. Thesis 30. When the Apostles came among the Jewes they preached usually upon the Jewish Sabbaths but this was not because they did thinke or appoint it herein to be the Christian Sabbath but that they might take the fittest opportunity and season of meeting with and so of preaching the Gospel to the Jewes in those times For what power had they to call them together when they saw meet or if they had yet was it meet for them thus to do before they were sufficiently instructed about Gods mind for setting apart some other time and how could they be sufficiently and seasonably instructed herein without watching the advantage of those times which the Jewes yet thought were the only Sabbaths The dayes of Pentecost Passeover and houres of prayer in the Temple are to be observed still as well as the Iewish Sabbath if the Apostles preaching on their Sabbaths argues the continuance of them as Mr. Brabourne argues for we know that they preached also and went up purposely to Ierusalem at such times to preach among them as well as upon the Sabbath dayes look therefore as they laid hold upon the
dayes of Pentecost and Passeover as the fittest seasons to preach to the Jewes but not thinking that such Feasts should still be continued so it is in their preaching upon the Jewish Sabbaths Thesis 31. Nor did the Apostles sinfully Iudaize by preaching to the Iewes upon their Sabbaths as Mr. Brabourne would inferre supposing that their Sabbaths should not be still observed they should then Iudaiz and after Ceremonies saith he and so build up those things which they laboured to destroy For suppose they did observe such Dayes and Sabbaths as were Ceremonial for a time yet it being done not in conscience of the Day but in conscience of taking so fit a season to preach the Gospel in it could not nor cannot be any sinful Iudaizing especially while then the Iews were not sufficiently instructed about the abolishing of those things For Mr. Brabourne could not but know that all the Iewish Ceremonies being once the appointment of God were to have an honourable burial and that therefore they might be lawfully observed for a time among the Iewes untill they were more fully instructed about them and hence Paul Circumcised Timothy because of the Iewes Acts. 16.3 and did otherwise conforme to them that so he might winne and gaine the more upon them and if Paul observed purposely a Iewish Ceremony of Circumcision which was not necessary nay which was not lawfull to be observed among the Gentiles Galat. 5.2 and yet he observed it to gaine the Iewes why might not Paul much more preach the Gospel which is in it selfe a necessary Duty upon a Iewish Sabbath which fell out occasionally to him and therefore might lawfully be observed for such an end among the Iewes which among the Gentiles might be unlawful Suppose therefore that the Apostles might have taught the Iewes from house to house as Mr. Brabourne argues against the necessity put upon the Apostles to preach upon the Iewish Sabbath yet what Reason or Conscience was there to lose the opportunity of publike preaching for the more plentiful gathering in of soules when many are met together and which may lawfully be done and be contented onely to seek their good in such private waies and what although Paul did assemble the chiefe of the Iewes together at Rome when he was a prisoner to acquant them with Civill matters about his imprisonment Acts. 28.17 yet had he power to do thus in all places where he came or was it meet for him so to do Did not he submit the appointment of a sacred Assembly to heare the word rather unto them then assume it to himself Acts 28 23. It is therefore false and unsound which Master Brabourne affirmes viz. That Paul did preach on the Iewish Sabbath in conscience of the Day not merely with respect of the opportunity he then tooke from their owne publike meetings then to preach to them For saith he Paul had power to assemble them together upon other dayes This I say is both false for he that was so much spoken against among them might not in all places be able to put forth such a power as also 't is unsound for suppose he had such a power yet whether it was so meeâ— for him to puâ—â—t forth in appointing other times may be easily judged of by what hath been said Thesis 32. Nor is there a foundation here laid of making all other actions of the Apostles unwarrantable or unimitable as Mr. Brabourne saith because we are not to imitate the Apostles herein in preaching upon the Iewish Sabbaths For no actions either of Christ or the Apostles which were done meerly in respect of some speciall occasion or speciall reason are eatenus or in that respect binding to others For the example of Christ eating the Lords supper onely with men not women in an upper chamber and towards the dark evening doth not bind us to exclude women or not to celebrate it in other places and times because we know that these actions were meerly occasioned in respect of speciall reasons as the eating of the Passeover with ones own family Christs family not consisting of women so it is here in respect of the Sabbath The Apostles preaching upon the Iewish Sabbaths was meerely occasionall by occasion of the publique meetings their fittest time to doe good in which were upon this and any other day Thesis 33. Now although the Iewes observing this day the Apostles observed it among the Iewes by preaching among them yet we shall finde that among the Christian Gentile Churches and believers where no Iudaisme was to be so much as tolerated for a time not any such day was thus observed nay another day the first day in the weeke is honoured and preferred by the Apostles above any other day in the weeke for religious and Sabbath services For although Holy duties doe not argue alway a Holy day yet when wee shall finde the Holy Ghost single out and nominate one particular day to be observed and honoured rather then any other day and rather then the Iewish seventh day it selfe for Sabbath services and Holy duties this undeniably proves that day to be the Christian Sabbath and this we shall make evident to be the first day of the weeke Which one thing seriously minded if proved doth utterly subvert the whole frame and force of Master Brabournes shady Discourse for the observation of the Jewish Sabbath and most effectually establisheth the Christian Sabbath Master Braburne therefore herein bestirs his wits and tells us on the contrary that Paul preached not onely to the Iewes but even unto the Gentiles upon this Iewish Sabbath rather then any other day and for this end brings double proofâ— one is Acts 13.42 44. where the Gentiles are said to desire Paul to preach to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the weeke betweene or any Day betweene till the next Sabbath as some translate it or if Master Brabourne will the next Sabbath or Iewish Sabbath when almost all the City came out to heare Paul who were most of them Gentiles not Iewes Be it so they were Gentiles indeed but as yet no Church or Christian Church of Gentiles actually under Christs Government and Ordinances among whom I say the first day of the weeke was so much honoured above any other day for sacred Assemblies For 't is no wonder if the Apostles yield to their desires in preaching any time of the weeke which they thought the best time even upon the Iewish Sabbath among whom the Iewes being mingled they might have the fitter opportunity to preach to them also and so become all things to all men to gaine some His second proofe is Acts 16 12 13. and here he tells us that Paul and Timothy preached not to the Iewes but to the Gentiles upon the Sabbath day I confesse they are not called Iewes no more then 't is said that they were Gentiles but why might not Lydia and her company be Iewes or Iewish Proselytes vvho vve know did observe the Iewish
well as of necessity and piety are Sabbath Duties for which end this Day which Beza finds in an ancient Manuscript to be called the Lords Day was more fit for those Collections then any other day partly because they usually met together publikely on this day and so their Collections might be in greater readinesse against Pauls coming partly also that they might give more liberally at least freely it being supposed that upon this Day mens hearts are more weaned from the world and are warmed by the word and other Ordinances with more lively faith and hope of better things to come and therefore having received spirituall things from the Lord more plentifully on this Day every man will be more free to impart of his temporal good things therein for refreshing of the poore Saints and the very bowels of Christ Iesus And what other reason can be given of Limiting this Collection to this Day I confesse I cannot honestly though I could wickedly imagine And certainly if this was the end and withall the Iewish Day was the Christian Sabbath the Apostle would never have thus limited them to this Day nor honoured and exalted this first Dâ—y before that Iewish seventh which if it had been the Christian Sabbath had been more fit for such a work as this then the first Day if a working day could be 6. Suppose therefore that this Apostolical and Divine Institution is to give their Collections but not to institute the Day as Master Primrose pleads suppose also that they were not every Lords Day or first Day but sometime upon the first day Suppose also that they were extraordinary and for the poor of other Churches and to continue for that time onely of their need Suppose also that no man is injoyned to bring into the publike Treasury of the Church but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 privately to lay it by on this Day by himselfe as Mr. Brabourne urgeth against this Text yet still the question remaines unanswered viz. Why should the Apostle limit them to this Day either for extraordinary or private Collections and such special acts of Mercy unlesse the Lord had honoured this day for acts of mercy and much more of Piety above any other ordinary and common day What then could this Day be but the Christian Sabbath imposed by the Apostles and magnified and honoured by all the Churches in those dayes I know there are some other Replies made to this Scripture by Master Brabourne but they are wind-egges as Plutarch calls That Philosophers notions and have but little in them and therefore I passe them by as I do many other things in that book as not worth the time to name them 7. This Lastly I adde this first Day was thus honoured either by Divine or Humane Institution If by Divine we have what we plead for If by Humane custome and tradition then the Apostle assuredly would never have commended the observation of this Day who elsewhere condemnes the observation of dayes though the dayes were formerly by Divine Institution Ye observe saith he Dayes and Times and would he then have commended the observation of these dayes above any other which are onely by humane but never by Divine Institution It s strange that the Churches of Galatia are forbidden the observation of dayes Galat. 4.10 and yet commanded 1 Cor. 16.1.2 a more sacred and solemne observation of the first Daye of the week rather then any other Surly this could not be unlesse we conclude a Divine Institution hereof For we know how Zealous the holy Apostle is every where to strike at Humane customes and therefore could not lay a stumbling block to occasion the grievous fall of Churches to allow and command them to observe a Humane Tradition and to honour this above the seventh Day for such holy services ar are here made mention of But whether this Day was solemnely sanctified as the Sabbath of the Lord our God we come now to inquire Thesis 37. In the third Text Revel 1.10 Mention is made of the Lords Day which was ever accounted the first day of the week It seems therefore to be the Lords Day and consequently the Sabbath of the Lord our God Two things are needfull here to be considered and cleared 1. That this Day being called the Lords Day it is therefore set apart and sanctified by the Lord Christ as holy 2. That this Day thus sanctified is the first day of the week and therefore that first Day is our Holy or Sabbath Day Thesis 38. The first Difficulty here to prove and cleare up is that This Day which is here called the Lords Day is a day instituted and sanctified for the Lords honour and service above any other Day For as the Sacrament of Bread and Wine is called the Lords Supper and the Lords Table for no other reason but because they were instituted by Christ and sanctified for him and his honour so what other reason can be given by any Scripture-light why this is called the Lords Day but because â—t was in the like manner instituted and sanctified as they were Master Brabourne here shifts away from the light of this Text by affirming that it might be called the Lords Day in respect of God the Creator not Christ the Redeemer and therefore may be meant of the Iewish Sabbath which is called the Lords holy Day Isaiah 58 3. But why might he not as well say that its called the Lords Supper Table in respect of God the Creator considering that in the New Testament since Christ is actually exalted to be Lord of all this phrase is onely applyed to the Lord Christ as Redeemer Look therefore as the Jewish Sabbath being called the Lords Sabbath or the Sabbath of Iehovah is by that title and note certainly known to be a Day sanctified by Iehovah as Creator so this Day being called the Lords Day is by this note as certainly known to be a Day sanctified by our Lord Jesus as Redeemer Nor do I finde any one distinct thing in all the Scripture which hath the Lords superscription or name upon it as the Lords Temple the Lords Offerings the Lords people the Lords Priests c. but it is sanctified of God and holy to him why is not this Day then Holy to the Lord if it equally bears the Lords name Master Primrose indeed puts us off with another shift viz. That this Day being called so by the Churches customs John therefore calls it so in respest of that custome which the church then used without Divine institution But why may he not as well say that he calls it the Lords Table in respect of the Churches Custome also the Designation of a Day and of the first time in the Day for Holy publike services is indeed in the power of each particular Church Suppose it be a Lecture and the houres of Sabbath-meetings but the Sanctification of a Day if it be Divine worship to observe it if God command and appoint it then
and the Lord allows it nay it would be sin and idlenesse in many not to doe it besides that sleep and rest which is to be taken in the night it is in ordine or in reâ—erence to Day-labour and is as a whet thereunto and in this respect the whole weekly night as well as the day is for labour as the sleep we take on Sabbath night is in ordine or with respect to spirituall rest and so that whole naturall day is a day of spirituall rest It is therefore a vain thing for any to make the nights of the six working daies to be no part of the six working daies because they say they are given to man to rest and sleep in for upon the same ground they may make the Artificiall daies no daies of labour neither because there must be ordinarily some time taken out of them to eat drink and refresh our weak bodies in Thesis 17. If Nehemiah shut the gates of the City when it began to be dark least that night time should be prophaned by bearing burdens in it then certainly the time of night was sanctified of God as well as the day to say that this act was but a just preparation for the Sabbath is said without proofe for if God allows men six daies and nights to labour in what equity can there be in forbidding all servile worke a whole night together which God hath allowed man for labour and although we ought to make preparation for the Sabbath yet the time and measure of it is left to each mans Christian liberty but for a civill Magistrate to impose twelve houres preparation for the Sabbath is surely both against Christian liberty and Gods allowance also Again Nehemiah did this lest the men of Tyre should occasion the Jews to break the Sabbath day by bringing in wares upon that night so as if that night therefore had not been part of the Sabbath they could not therâ—â—y provoke the Jews to prophane the Sabbath day by which Nehemiah tels them they had provoked the wrath of God Thesis 18. A whole naturall day is called a day though it take in the night also because the day-light is the chiefest and best part of the day and we know that the denomination of things is usually according to the better part but for Mr. Brabourne to affirm that the word Day in Scripture is never taken but for the Artificiall day or time of Light is utterly â—alse as might appeare from sundry instances it may suffice to â—ee a cluster of of seven daies which comprehended their nights also Exod. 12.15 18 19.41 42. Thesis 19. To affirme that the Sabbath day onely comprehends the Day-light because the fiâ—st Day in Gen. 1 began with morning light is not only a bad consequence supposing the ground of it to be true but the ground and foundation of it is as certainly false as to say that Darknesse is Light for its evident that the first day in Genesis began with that darknesse which God calls Night Psal. 4.5 and to affirme that the first Day in Genesis 1. begins with morning Light is as grossely false as it is apparently true that within six Daies the Lord made Heaven and Earth Ex. 20 11. for before the creating of that Light which God calls Day the Heavens and with them the Angels and the Earth or fiâ—st matter called the Deepe which was overspread with Darknesse were created either therefore the Lord did not create the World in six Dayes or t is untrue that the first day in Genesis began with morning Light and I wonder upon what grounds this notion should enter into any mans head for though God calls the light Day and the darkenesse Night as we shall doe when speake of the artificiall Day yet withall he called the Evening of the morning the first day and what was this Evening and Morning Surely it s all that space of time wherein the Lord did his first dayes work now it s evident that part of the first Daies work was before God created the light and what though evening be oftentimes taken for the latter part of the Daylight yet it s too well known to those who have waded the deepe in this controversy that it is oftentimes taken not only for the bound between light and Darkenesse 1. e. the end of light and beginning of darknesse Ios. 10.26 27. Psal. 104.23 but also for the whole time of darknesse as t is here in this first of Genesis and as we shall prove in due place and therefore to affirm that the Hebrew word used by Moses for evening not to be naturally applyable to the Night because it signifies a mixture of light and darknesse in the Notion of it is a grosse mistake for the Hebrew word Gnereb doth not signifie a mixture of light and darknesse but onely a mixture because it is the beginning of darkenesse wherein all things seeme to be mixed and compounded together and cannot be clearly and distinctly discerned in their kinds and colours if Buxtorfius may be believed as is also evident Is. 29.15 and to affirm that the Day is before the Night even in this first of Genesis because Moseâ— sometimes sets the Day before the Night it may seeme 〈…〉 an Argument as to say that the Evening is before the Morning because Moses here sets the Evening before the Morning but this will not seeme rationall to them who make the Evening to comprehend the latter part of the Day-light and the Morning the first part of it Lastly to make the Light to begin the day because the time of light is a certaine principle of compuâ—ation the space of darknesse before that light was created being unknown is all one as if one should affirme that the time of Day-light was not the beginning of the Day because the space of that is also as much unknown For if we know that darknes was before light though we may not know how long it continued yet we do know certainly that the first Day began with darknesse and that this darknesse and light made up the space of 24 houres or of a naturall day as in al other daies works of creation and which is sufficient to break down this principle viz. that the first Day in Genesis began with Morning Light Thesis 20. Some say the Sabbath is significative of Heaven and therefore it onely comprehends the day light which is fit to signifie the lightsome Day of Heaven which darknesse is not but why may not Night-time signifie Heaven as well as Day-time for Heaven is a place of rest and the night is the fittest time for rest after our weary labours in the day Who teacheth men thus to allegorize how easily a thing is it thus to abuse all the Scripture and yet suppose it should signifie Heaven yet why may not the Sabbath continue the space of a naturall as well as of an artificiall Day considering that the naturall Day of the World or of
by mans Preaching a longer or a shorter time Paul might have continued Preaching longer then the Sabbath or midnight the case being extraordinary in respect of his departure the next day never to see their faces more And he might have continued a shorter time then the Sabbath continued as our Saviour himselfe did before Sun-set Mark 1.22.32 for the bounds of of continuance of the Sabbath are not set according to the beginning and end of any mans Preaching which is so exceeding uncertaine Pauls long Sermon was not continued and ended at Midnight purposely and because so long the Sabbath continued but occasionally in regard of his finall departure from them the next day and hence in respect of this extraordinary cause he continued so long at it which in ordinary course had bin very unseasonable Thesis 32. It is not said in the first of Genesis that the Morning and the Evening were the first day as if the day should begin at Morning Midnight but the Evening and the Morning were the first Day and therefore its strange that any should derive the beginning of the Sabbath from Morning Midnight out of this Text The Graecians because they begin the day at the Evening of Sunset did therefore orderly call their naturall day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is it probable that Moses would speake disorderly ordine retrogrado here and not rather according to the interpretation of Daniel who calls 2300 daies by name of Ghneâ—eb Boker which signifies Evenings Mornings because the Evening not the morning much lesse Midnight-Morning is to begin the day Dan. 14.26 Thesis 33. It is true that sometimes those things which are first in order of tâ—me are spoken of last in order of story and therefore it s no solid Argument to prove that the Evening is before the Morning meerly because the Evening is set downe first before the Morning unlesse it can be proved that the story sets down such things and so this in particular orderly which I suppâ—se is evident 1 Because the first darknesse is called Night and also comprehends the whole Time of night as light comhends the whole Time of the Day Gen. 1.4 5. Now I doe not find in all the Scripture nor is any man I thinkable to shew that the whole Night is taken for the Morning and therefore the first darknesse could not possibly begin at the Morning or Midnight Morning 2. Because the Scope of Moses in this Chapter is to set down not onely the work of Creation but the exact order of it and consequently of the order of Time which was consecrated with the World first the beginning of it then the succession and vicissitude of it first in the dark night then in the light day and which is all one first in the Evening then in the Morning 3. Because the Evening may be the end of the Artificiall day but I know no proofe from any instance in Scripture to make it the end of the Naturall day of which Moses here speakes and therefore as Evening cannot end the day so Midnight Morning cannot beâ—in it Thesis 34. To affirme that the Evening is never taken in Scripture for the whole Night and that therefore by the Evening we are to understand six houres Day and six houres Night as the consequence is most weake so the assertion is most false as may appear to any who seriously ponders these and such like Scriptures Hab. 1.8 Ps. 92.2 Iob. 7.4 Deut. 28.66 67. Zach 14.7 Isa. 21.12 Thesis 35. Nor can it be proved that the Evening begins at mid-day which is their principall Argument to prove that the Morning begins at midnight Thesis 36. For though it be said Ex. 29.38 39. Ex. 12.6 That the Lambe was to be slaine betweene the two Evenings as t is in the Hebrew yet neither these or any such Scriptures are able to prove that one of those Evenings must necessarily begin at mid-day but onely this that some part of the afternoone when the Sun was in his declining was one of these Evenings and some of the Iewish Rabbins begin it at noone yet it is without warrant from Scripture and they are overwhelmed with crosse Testimonies from most of their fellowes who begin it some about one some about two of the Clock in the afternoone and Iosephus who knew best his Countreymens manners and who is one of most credit in his writings tells us that they began their first Evening about three of the Clock in the afternoone Thesis 37. We read indeed of the shadowes of the Evening Ier. 6.4 but it doth not hence follow that the Evening begins at mid-day but rather some time after it the shadowes of the Evening being the shadowes of the day declining which therefore grow long but mid-day is no time of declining shadowes Thesis 38. Although the Evening may be called by humane custome all that part of the day wherein we wish men good Even from noone till Sun-set yet it s then called the Evening in respect of the Artificiall not Naturall day of which Moses speakes when he divides the day into Morning and Evening part of which afternoone is also called Evening by the Holy Ghost in Scripture because it is either approaching or hastning toward the Evening of the naturall day or contiguous to it even as part of the dark Night is sometime called Morning because it is either contiguous or not far from the Morning light and men are then usually up and preparing for it Thesis 39. And as no Text can be produced to prove that the Evening begins at mid-day so neither can any be alledged to prove the Morning to begin at mid-night The Scripture speaking properly putting an expresse difference betweene Mid-night Cocâ—-crowing and Morning Marke 13.35 Thesis 40. And therefore to Translate the words in Gen. 1 so was the Evening so was the Morning the first day and then and this glosse and interpretation viz. That out of the premisses of Night and Day so was the Evening mixed of them both so was the morning also compounded of both to wit of Night and Light this I say is but words here is no proofe for such an interpretation Iunius Translation is best and most cleare and rationall viz. So was the Evening and the Morning of the first day for as hath bin said the whole time of Night is never called by the name of Morning let any man shew the leaft Tittle in any Scripture it and I will yeeld to them in this cause Thesis 41. To affirme that the division of the naturall day Gen. 1. into Day and Night was for civill use and into Evening and Morning for Religious use in respect of the Evening and Morning sâ—crifice along time after is just such a device as his who would needs thinke that the first day of the weâ—ke was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because God foresaw and ordained the change of the Sabbath unto that first Day for we know God speakâ—s of
midnight there was a cry verse 30 31. and this night they went from 〈◊〉 to Succoth verse 37. with 46. and this time is expresly called the morrow after the Passeover Numb 33.3 nor is there any inconvenience or rule broken to kill the Passeover upon one day and continue eating of it some part of another the Passeover being a Feast of more dayes then one Thesis 67. Nor doth it follow that because our Saviour tells Peter Mark 14.30 Luke 22.34 that this Day even this Night viz. of the Passeover he should deny him that this Night therefore was any part of the precedent day for it may be as fairly interpreted to belong to the day following that Night Nor is it necessary to determine this word Day always to a determinate time of 24 houres of which the Night was a part but onely of a speciall season of time for so t is frequently figuratively taken without any respect to a day of 24 or 12 hours viz for a speciall season of Time wherein some speciall providence of God doth appeare and is put into execution as Isay 29.18 and 25.9 and 27 1. Exod. 14.13 1 Sam. 4.7 8. 2 Sam. 4.5 7 8. Thesis 68. It answers many objections produced against the beginning of the day in the Evening for the Morning to consider that the word Day is frequently taken in Scripture for an artificiall day and that the word Morrow frequently signifies a new artificiall Day which in respect of and reference unto the artificiall day going before or following after is no part thereof but as the Proverbe is to morrow is a new day and thus t is taken Iohn 12.12 Iohn 6.22 Act. 21.7 8. 1 Sam. 14.24 Acts 23.31.32 2 Sam. 11.12 13. Exod. 10.4.13 Deut. 21.22 23. Iosh. 8.29 and 10.26 Exod. 7.4.11 12 17. with 8 6. to 13. Exod. 14 ult with 34.2 4 28. Deut. 9.9.11 Whence onely let this be noted that to argue from hence that to morrow Morning or to morrow day light is the beginning of the naturall day because it s called a new or another Day is not solid nor also that although the Night following the artificiall day be not so frequently called to morrow yet sometime it is so called 1 Sam. 30.17 where the evening of their morrow stopt David i. that night Thesis 69. There are some who confesse that the Jewish Sabbath began at the evening ever since the Creation unto the time of Christs resurrection but now they tell us that it begins in the morning because of Christs Resurrection the cause of it which began then so that as this makes the change of the day so it makes a change of the beginning of the day from evening till morning when the Resurrection of Christ began but the feeblenesse of this opinion will appear from these ensuing considerations Thesis 70. 1. Consid. That the foundation of this opinion is exceeding rotten viz. That the day must not begin untill that work which occasions the change doth actually exist But we know that the Passeover began before the work which did occasion it did actually exist viz. the Angels passing over the Israelites at midnight Exod. 12.29 with 12 13 14. and 6.8 indeed the Christian Sabbath day is not before the day of Christ Resurrection yet the beginning of this day may be before the beginning of the Resurrection as it was in the Passeover 2. Consid. That if any of the Evangelists had intended a new beginning of the Sabbath at morning that they would then have set down the exact time of the Lords Resurrection but none of them do this they set down the time of other things to prove that Christ was risen but not the exact time of the Resurrection for its wholly uncertain certain it is that it was before Day-light began for Mary came and found him risen while it was yet dark Iohn 20.1 and how long he was risen before who can determine 3. Consid. That if Christs Resurrection began the Sabbath so that in that moment and point of time wherein Christ arose the Christian Sabbath began then Christ could not lie three dayes in the grave for either he lay three dayes according to the Jewish account beginning the day at evening and then the third day on which Christ arose which also was the first day must begin at evening as we plead for or else he must lie three days according to the new account which begins the third day in the morning leaving out the night before as not appertaining to any part of the week before or after but according to this reckoning its impossible that Christ should lie three days in the grave he may be then indeed said to arise the third day but not to lie any part of the third day because lying in the grave implies some time of continuance therein upon the third day but how could this be when they say that the moment of Christs Resurrection began the day of our Christian Sabbath 4. Consi If the Jewish Sabbath was the last day of the week and began and ended at evening then the Christian Sabbath must either begin at evening when the Jewish Sabbath ended or the first day of the week cannot be the Christian Sabbath but onely a part of the first day and part of the second day for the night which goes before the Christian Sabbath either 1. they must make it to belong to the Jewish Sabbath and then that Sabbath must be sanctified 36. hours and so it must be more then a day which is sanctified which is absurd or 2. they must make it belong to the Christian Sabbath and then they cannot make it begin in the morning or ◠they must leave it out from all weekly account and so take in the night following which is part of the second day as part of the Sabbath 5. Consid. That the seventh part of time cannot be orderly given to God but it must be either the first or last seventh as hath been shewn and the morality of the fourth commandment cannot be observed without giving to God either of these if therefore the Jewish Sabbath ended at Even the Christian Sabbath must immediately succeed it and begin it then or else a morall rule is broken 6. If the Jewish Sabbath began and ended at Even and the Christian Sabbath bega◠at morning what must become of that night which is between them both and to what day of the week must it belong If any say that t is no matter whether it belong to any or no so long as time runs on this answer will not suffice for though time runs on yet what orderly time is there here which is running on Time consists of yeers and yeers of moneths and moneths of weeks and weeks of dayes to what day or what week then must this night belong they that maintain this opinion do roundly affirm that it s no absurdity to leave that one Night out from weekly nor as pertaining to any week
improve the day no better then the beasts that perish Thesis 2. And as the rest of the Day is for the holinesse of it so is all the labour of the Week for this holy rest that as the end of all the labour of our lives is for our rest with Christ in Heaven so also of the six daies of every weeke for the holy Rest of the Sabbath the twilight and dawning of Heaven For the eighth Commandement which would not have us steale commands us therefore to labour for our Families and comforts in all the seasons of labour This fourth command therefore which not onely permits but commands us to labour six daies must have another respect in commanding us to labour and a higher end which cannot be any thing else but with respect to the Sabbath that as we are to watch unto prayer so we are to worke unto the Sabbath or so worke all the Weeke day that we may meet with God and sanctifie the Sabbath day Thesis 3. As therefore the holinesse of the Sabbath is morall because it is the end of the day so is the Rest of the Sabbath the immediate means to that end morall also Looke therefore what ever holy duties the Lord required of the Iewes which were not ceremoniall the same duties he requires of us upon this day so what every Rest he required of them for this end he exacts of all Christians also Thesis 4. Those that make the Sabbath ceremoniall imagine a stricter Rest imposed upon the Iewes then Christians are now bound unto because they place the ceremonialnesse of the Sabbath in the strict Rest of it but we are bound to the same Rest for substance of it and the ground for a stricter rest then we are bound unto will be found too light if well pondered Thesis 5. For though it be sayd that the Iewes might not bake nor seeth meat upon this day Exod. 16.23 no nor make a fire upon it Ex. 35.3 no nor gather sticks upon it without Death Numb 6.15.30 all which things Christians now may lawfully do yet none of these places will evince that for which they are alledged Thesis 6. For first it is not said Exod. 16.23 bake and seeth that to day which may serve you next day but that which remains viz. which is not sod nor baked lay it up untill the Morning and consequently for the morrow of the next day which being thus laid up I doe not finde that they are forbidden to bake or seeth that which remaines upon the next day but rather if they must use it the next day they might then bake it or seeth it that day also as they did that of the sixt day and without which they could not have the comfortable use of it upon the Sabbath day indeed it was as unlawfull to grind and beate the Manna in Mills and Morters mentioned Numb 11 8. upon this day as now to thrash and grind Corne this day the meale therefore which did remaine is not forbidden to be baked or sod upon this day nor would Gods speciall and miraculous providence appeare in preserving it from wormes and stinking if there had been any bâ—king of it the day before and not rather upon the Sabbath Day Thesis 7. Although also they were forbidden to kindle fire upon this lay Exod. 35.3 in respect of some use yet they are not forbidden so to do in respect of any use whatsoever For there was fire kindled for the Sabbath sacrifices and it would have bin a breach of the rule of mercy not to kindle a fire for the sick and weake in the wildernesse Nehemiah also a man most strict and zealous for the Sabbath yet had such provision made every day as could not be drest nor eaten without some fire upon the Sabbath day Neh. 5.18 and the Sabbath not being a fast but a feast in those times as well as those hence it s not unsutable to the time to have comfortable provisions made ready provided that the dressing of meaâ— be not an ordinary hindrance to publike or private duties of holinesse upon this day Exod. 12.16 this kindling of the fire here forbidden must therefore be understood in respect of the scope of the place viz. not to kindle a fire for any servile work no not in respect of this particular use of it viz. to further the building of the Sanctuary and Tabernacle made mention of in this Chapter for it s said whosoever shall do any worke therein 1. any servile worke which is more proper for the weeke time shall be put to death verse 2. there is therefore either no dependance of these words in the third verse with those in the second or else we must understand it of kindling fires restrictively for any servile worke which is there forbidden not only the Iewes but us Christians also Thesis 8. The man that gathered sticks on the Sabbath Numb 15.30 was put to death what for gathering of sticks onely why then did not the just God put them to death who were the first offenders and therefore most fit to be made examples who went out to gather Manna upon this day Exod. 1â— This gathering of sticks therefore though little in it selfe yet seemes to be aggravated by presumption and that the man did presumptuously breake the Sabbath and therefore it s generally observed that this very example followes the Law of punishing a presumptuous transgressor with death in this very Chapter and though it be said that they found a man gathering sticks as if it were done secretly and not presumptuously yet we know that presumptuous sins may be committed secretly as well as openly though they are not in so high a degree presumptuous as when they are done more openly the feare of the Law against Sabbath breakers might restrain the man from doing that openly which before God was done proudly and presumptuously and though Moses doubted what to do with the man who had that capitall Law given him before against Sabbath breakers yet they might be ignorant for a time of the full and true meaning of it which the Lord here seemes to expound viz. that a Sabbath breaker sinning presumptuously is to be put to death and although it be doubted whether such a Law is not too rigorous in these Times yet we do see that where the Magistrate neglects to restraine from this sinne the Lord takes the Magistrates work into his own hand and many times cuts them off suddenly who prophane his Sabbath presumptuously and t is worth enquiring into whether presumptuous Sabbath breakers are not still to be put to Death which I doubt not but that the Lord will either one day cleare up or else discover some specialty in the application of this judiciall Law to that Polity of the Iewes as most fit for them and not so universally fit for all others in Christian Common-vvealths but this latter I yet see no proofe for nor doe I expect the clearing up of the other while
in regard of the bare abstinence from work but that having no work of our own to mind or do we might be wholly taken up with Gods worke being wholly taken off from our own that he may speak with us and reveale himselfe more fully and familiarly to us as friends do when they get alone having called and carried us out of the noyse and crowd of all worldly occasions and things Thesis 14. Holy rest therefore being for holy work it may not be amisse to enquire what this work is and wherein it consists for which end I shall not instance in any the particular severall duties in publique and private of holinesse and mercy because this is to be found in all who write upon this subject I shall onely speake of that kind of holinesse which the Lord requires in all publique and private duties and is to run thorow them and as it were animate them and in truth to finde out this and observe this is one of the greatest difficulties but yet the greatest excellency of a Christian life It consists therefore in these five things Thesis 15. The first The Holinesse upon this day ought to be immediate I doe not meane without the use of publique or private means but in respect of worldly things for we are commanded to be holy in all manner of conversation all the week in our worldly affaires 1 Pet. 1.17 Holinesse is to be writ upon our cups and pots and hors-bridles and ploughs and sickles Zach. 14.20.21 but this holinesse is more immediate we enjoy God by and in the creature and in our weekly occasions and providences but do we think that there is no more holinesse required upon the Sabbath verily every day then should be our Christian Sabbath which is most false and therefore some more immediate holinesse is required now on this day which is not then nor required of us every week day and what can this be but drawing neer to God this day more immediately and as neer as mortall man can do and casting aside the world and getting out of it and so to be neere God in Prayer in hearing the Word in Meditation c Psal. 95.5.6 if it were possible to be with and enjoy Christ in Heaven where there are no meanes we should this day long for it and prize it but because this cannot yet be and that the Lord comes down from Heaven to us in his ordinances and thereby makes himselfe as neer to us as he can in this fraile life hence we are not onely to draw neer to Ordinances but to God and Christ in them upon this day and so be as neere them with greatest immediatenesse that we can Psalm 42.1 2. Psalm 63.1 2 3. Adam did enjoy God in his calling the week day but this was not so immediate as he was to have upon the Sabbath day Thesis 16. The second is this holinesse ought not only to be immediate but also speciall and in our endeavours after the highest degree and with the greatest intention of holinesse for we are bound every day to be holy in more immediate and neere approaches to God some time or other of the day but now we are called to be more specially holy because both the day and our selves are now set apart for it in a more speciall manner we are to love feare delight in God and pray to him and muse on him every day but now in a more speciall manner all these are to be done the Sabbath is not onely called holy but holinesse to the Lord Exod. 31.15 which shewes that the day is exceeding holy and suitably our affections and hearts ought therefore so to be the Sacrifice on this day was to be doubled Numb 28.9 the Lord would have double honour from us this day that as in the weeke time we are sinfully drowned in the cares of this world and affections thereto so upon every Sabbath we should be in a holy manner drowned in the cares and thoughts and affections of the things of God and hence we are commanded to call the Sabbath our delight and not to think our own thoughts or doe our own workes this day Esay 58.13 David said Psalm 43.4 that he would goe to the Altar of God the place of publique worship to God his joy yea his exceeding joy so are we not onely to draw neere to Altar Word Sacraments Prayer but to God in them nay to God in them as our exceeding joy our exceeding love our exceeding feare c. especially upon this day there is scarse any week but we contract soyle from our worldly occasions and by touching worldly things and we suffer many decayes and lose much ground by temptations herein now the Lord pitying us and giving us a Sabbath of Recovery what should we doe now but return recover and renew our strength and like the Eagle cast our bils and stand before our God and King this day of State and Royall Majesty when all his Saints compassâ— his Throne and presence with our most beautifull Garments mourning especially that we fall so farre short of Sabbath acts and services we should not content our selves with working-day holinesse joyes feares hopes prayers praises but Sabbath joyes feares praises must be now our ornaments and all within us must be raised up to a higher straine that as God gives us this day speciall grace means of grace seasons of grace speciall occasions of grace by reviewing all our experiences the week past so there is good reason that the Lord should be honoured with speciall holinesse this day Thesis 17. The third is This holinesse ought to be not onely immediate and speciall but constant and continued the whole day together For upon every day of the week we are to take some time for converse with God but our worldly occasion soon call us off and that lawfully but Sabbath holinesse must be constant and continued all the day if the Lord was so strict that he would not lose a moments honour in a ceremoniall day of rest Levtt 23 3â— what shall we thinke the Lord expects upon this day which is morall the Lord would not be honoured this day onely by fits and flashes and sudden pangs which passe away as the early dew but as t is in the Psalme for the Sabbath It s good to sing of his loving kindnesse in the morning and of his faithfulnesse every night Psal. 92.1 2. and though this be a wearisome thing to the flesh to be so long pent in and although we cannot perfectly doe it yet it s a most sweet and glorious work in it selfe to think that the infinite glorious God should call a poor sinfull creature to be with him and attend upon him all the day long to be ever with the Lord is best of all but next to that to be with him a whole day together they that see how fit they are to be for ever banisht from the presence of the most High and how exceeding