cap. 37. De nullo ante ipsius finem pronunciari potest quod in electorum gloria sit futurus ut perseverantem humilitatem utilis metus servet qui star videat ne cadat Conclus It is evident by the former Positions of S. Augustine that his constant and expresse Tenet in his Confutation of the Pelagians was That some persons really justified might afterwards bee overcome by temptations and fall away from saving and justificant grace And therefore H. B. is mendacious in accusing the Appealer of Popery and Pelagian Heresie for we trust he will not honour the Papals so much as to make S. Augustine one of theirs And that cannot in any charitable construction be a Pelagian Heresie which S. Augustine the grand Adversary of those Hereticks in his Answers and Confutations constantly maintained against them B. Yea instead of recantation I my self have heard him in open Court speake against both justification that a Man might be justified to day and damned to morrow and against election of some to eternall life and against the sanctification of the Sabbath saying I say there is no sanctification of the Sabbath but Rest Rest only And therefore cease to wonder that this man should be so fearelesse either privily to undermine or apertly to oppugne the expresse Doctrines of our Church Answ 1. It was the Tenet of S. Augustine a Aug. d. Prad Sanct. cap. 14. and of the faithfull in his dayes that if a just person forsake his righteousnes in qua diu vixit wherin hee hath lived long and shall depart this life in wickednesse in qua non unum annum sed unum diem duxerit wherin hee continued not one yeare but one day in poenas iniquis debitas hinc iturum hee shall passe from hence into eternall punishment due to the wicked Huic perspicuae veritati saith Saint Augustine quis fidelium contradicit what faithfull Christian contradicts this evident or perspicuous verity Now if the former doctrine was maintained for Catholike and Orthodoxall in Saint Augustine's daies then he who saith a man may be justified to day and be in perill of damnation the next day b D. Overall Confer Hampt Court p 41. Whosoever though before justified did commit any grievous sinne as Adultery Murder Treason and the like did become ipso facto subject to God's wrath guilty of damnation or were in state of damnation quo ad praesentem justitiam untill they did repent Against which doctrine he said some had opposed teaching That all such persons as were once truely justified although after they fell into never so grievous sinnes yet remained still just 〈◊〉 in the state of justification before they actually repented of these sinnes Yea and although they never repented of them through forgetfulnesse or sudden death yet th y should be saved w thout Repentāce hath delivered nothing savoring of Pelagianisme or repugnant to sound Doctrine in the Article of Iustification 2 Br. B. is false in saying he hath heard his Adversary in open Court speake against God's Election for the Bishop firmely believeth That God hath freely without any merit of their owne in his meere bounty and love for the merit of Christ elected all those to eternall life which shall be glorified in the world to come 3 The Bishop truly affirmed pag. 143. That the fourth Commandement of the Decalogue according to the literall sence thereof enjoyned not such spirituall and Evangelicall duties as Theop. Br. mentioned in his Objection to wit preaching of Christ crucified and raysed from the dead Prayer to God the Father in the name of Christ receiving Baptisme and the Holy Eucharist But he maintaineth that the equity of the fourth Commandement together with the Evangelicall Law requireth not only rest from secular labour and negotiation but also the performance of spirituall and evangelicall duties upon the Lord's-Day and upon other Holy dayes and times devoted by the Church to the service of Christ pag. 143. A. The Adversary in his Booke doth much except against and cannot endure that the Lord's-Day should be called the Sabbath Day And I remember one passage in it wherein he bequarrelleth H. B. for saying that the ancient Fathers did ever and usually call it the Sabbath Day B. Concerning that I have spoken with H. B. and hee saith he will answer and make good what he hath said against his Adversary And howsoever those words indeed ever and usually might give Advantage to the Adversary to carpe yet being rightly understood they may passe currant enough for by ever usually hee meant that all the ancient Fathers although they distinguish betweene the lord's-Lord's-Day and the Iewes Sabbath Day yet they ever took and observed the lord's-Lord's-Day instead of the Old Sabbath and ever used it for the Rest day or Sabbath of Christians Answ 1. The Bishop's words pag. 201. are I have diligently searched into Antiquity and observed in the Fathers their formes of speech when they treate of the lord's-Lord's-Day and I finde it farre differing from the usuall language of the Fathers to stile the lord's-Lord's-Day the Sabbath Day And they by the name Sabbath either understand the Old Legall Sabbath taken away by Christ Or the mysticall and spirituall Sabbath which was tiped and represented by the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement 2 In the former passage the Bishop speaketh not of moderne writers neither hath he denied that any of these especially here in England have stiled the Lord's-Day by the name of Sabbath or Christian Sabbath for his assertion was onely concerning the Ancient Fathers a Igna. ad Magnes post Sabbatū omnis Christi amator dominicam celebret diem c. Orig. in Exod hom 7. In nostra dominica semper pluit Manna in Sabbato nō pluit Clemens Apost Constit li. 7. ca. 24. Sabbatū Dominicum festos dies agite quod ille quidem dies recordatio sit fabricationis mundi hic vero Resurrectionis Athanas Epist ad Marcel Si psallere vis in Sabbato habes Psalm 91. Vis gratias agere in dominico habes psal 23. Ambros d. sacram lib. 4. cap. 6. Greg Nyssen orat d. castigat August Epist 86. Hilar. Prolog in Psalm Socrat. hist Eccl. lib. 6. cap. 8. Tripertit hist lib. 1. cap. 9. And therefore Br. B. fighteth with his owne shadow when he produceth moderne authorities to confirme that which concerneth not the point in question 3 The Bishop pag. 205. makes cleare ostension that H. B. had falsified three places of Saint Augustine And to prove himselfe an impudent Prevaricator he had foisted in these words Hoc est Dominicum into Saint Augustine's very text Contra Adimant Manich. Cap. 15. 4 This Br. B. for his last refuge propoundeth a miserable and ridiculous argument to wit The Fathers observed the Lord's-Day in stead of the Old Sabbath Ergo they ever and usually called the same the Sabbath Day This argument may be paralleld with one like unto it The ancient Fathers observed
fuit imperatum quam id ab Imperatoribus Christianis nequis à rerum sanctarum meditatione abstraheretur neque ita praecise sancitum est It seemes therefore that the Homily hath not most clearely and fully declared all things necessary to be knowne touching this question Againe the Homily saith Whatsoever is found in the fourth Commandement appertaining to the Law of Nature as a thing most godly most just and needfull for the setting forth of God's glory it ought to be retained of all good Christians Our of the former words it may be collected that nothing in the fourth Commandement is simply morall and of the Law of Nature but that which is most godly most just and necessary for the setting forth of Gods glory And if this be the sence of the Homily as no doubt it is then the fourth Commandement is not in force according to the letter but only according to the equity and Analogie thereof Lastly the Homily saith God hath given expresse charge to all men that upon the Sabbath Day which is now our Sunday they should cease from all weekely and worke-day labour and God doth command the observation of this Holy day and we must be carefull to keep the Sabbath day which is the Sunday Out of the former passage these questions arise 1. What the Homily intendeth in saying God hath given expresse charge c. and God hath commanded c. Whether God hath immediately by any Divine Law expressely commanded the Observation of Sunday and in what Texts of Scripture this Law and Commandement touching Sunday is to be found Or whether the meaning of the Homily is not that God hath thus commanded Christians by a mediate or ministeriall Law and precept of his Church It may beâ— questioned likewise in what sence the Homily stileth the Sunday the Sabbath day whether in a proper and literall sence according to the stile of the old Law or in a mysticall and analogicall sence as Christ is called our Passeover 1 Cor. 5.7 Now from the precedent observations it is consequent that the Doctrine of the Church of England is not most clearly or so plainly and expressely set forth in the Homily as this Objector pretendeth when he saith pag. 13. The words of the Homily as you have heard and every one may plainely see are so expresse cleare and full that they cannot possibly admit the least ambiguity Reasons to the contrary 1. Evidens censeri solet illud quod ita sufficienter movet intellectum ut in libera hominis potestate non sit dissentire a Aqu. Sum. Greg. Valent. Et alij Scholast Doctores Aug. c. Crescon Gram. li. 3. Ipsa sententia loquatur cujus verba sic fulgerit ut si eam veliâ— abscondere quarumlibet tenebrarum latebras suo nimio splendoâ—e perruâ—peâ—â—t That onely is to be reputed cleare and evident which in such sort affecteth the understanding that it is not in the free power of an intelligent Person to dissent from it But this definition of cleare and evident cannot bee applyed to the words of the Homily for the reasons before delivered 2. According to Tertullian b Tertul. d. Resur Carnis ca. 33. Sententiae et definitiones quarum est aperta natura aliter quam sonant non sapiunt Sentences and Definitions which are cleare and evident cannot be expounded otherwise than as the words sound But the words of the Homily concerning the Sabbath which this Objector produceth doe neither force the understanding of every intelligent Reader to yeeld assent to Br. B. his Exposition and unlesse wee expound them otherwise than the words seeme to sound we shall fall into many absurdities Ergo. It is false which the Objector delivereth to wit The words of the Homily are so expresse cleare and plainely delivered as that they cannot admit the least Question or Ambiguity B. The Homily of the time and place of prayer part first sheweth That our Lord's Day is grounded upon the fourth Commandement of the Decalogue in these words Whatsoever is contained in the Commandement appertaining to the Law of Nature as a thing most godly most just and needefull for the setting forth of Gods glory it ought to be retained and kept of all good Christian people and therefore by this Commandement we ought to have a time as one day in the weeke wherein we ought to rest yea from our lawfull and needfull workes For like as it appeareth by this Commandement that no man in the sixe dayes ought to be slothfull or idle but diligently to labour in that state wherein God hath set him even so GOD hath given expresse charge to all men that upon the Sabbath day which is now our Sunday they should cease from all weekely and worke day labour to the intent that like as God Himselfe wrought sixe dayes and rested the Seventh and blessed and sanctified and consecrated it to quietnesse and rest from labour even so God's obedient People should use the Sunday holily and rest from their common and daily businesse and also give themselves wholly to heavenly excercises of God's true Religion and Service So that God doth not onely command the Observation of this Holy Day but also by his own example doth stir and provoke us to the diligent keeping of the same Good natural children wil not only becom obedient to the Commandement of their Parents but also have a diligent eye to their doings and gladly follow the same So if we will bee the children of our Heavenly Father wee must be carefull to keepe the Christian Sabbath Day which is the Sunday not only for that it is God's expresse Commandement but also to declare our selves to bee loving children in following the example of our Gracious Lord and Father Againe thus it may plainely appeare that God's will and Commandement was to have a solemne time and standing day in the week wherein the People should come together and have in remembrance his wonderfull benefits and to render Him thankes for them as appertaineth to loving kind and obedient People This example and Commandement of God the godly Christian people began to follow immediately after the Ascension of our Lord Christ c. So the Homily and much more whence we plainely observe these conclusions 1 That all Christians ought and are bound in conscience of the fourth Commandement to keep the Lord's-day holily 2 That by the force of the fourth Commandement one day in seven is perpetually to be kept holy 3 That the keeping of the Lord's-day is grounded upon and commanded in the fourth Commandement and so is not of humane institution 4 That the Lord's-day is and may bee called our Christian Sabbath-day therefore it is not Iewish to call it so 5 That this Day is wholly to be spent in holy rest and duties of sanctification and therefore no part of it to be spent in vaine pleasures and prophane pastimes Now the Author of the Treatise doth overthrow all these conclusions for
of prescribing a time and day of holy rest unto the Lord of the Sabbath who hath expressed his will and pleasure herein in his Law of the fourth Commandement as our Homily saith Answ The Bishop acknowledgeth a morall equity in the fourth Commandement for the observation of necessary sufficient and convenient times dayes houres c. For Gods publike worship and the performance of spirituall and Religious of fices And for ought this Objector hath said or can say to the contrary more than this cannot bee proved out of the Law of the fourth Commandement or by any necessary illation from any sentence of the Commandement Or from any principle of the Law of Nature b Lorea 1. 2. de leg Disp 8. Legis naturae alia sunt prima principia practica per se nota alia sunt conclusiones ex principiis deductae coÌ„clusiones autem aliae universaliores proximiores primis principiis aliae quae à primis principiis magis distant sunt specialiores de particularibus objectis For the Principle of naturall Law is God is duly and religiously to be worshipped but unlesse convenient and sufficient time be appointed God Almighty cannot bee duly and religiously worshipped Therefore a necessary convenient and sufficient time must bee appointed c Alex. Hal. 3. q. 32. m. 2. De ratione benè ordinata est quod cum semper non possumus vacare Deo propter temporales corporales necessitates quod aliquaÌ„do vacemus oportet igitur habere tempus aliquod determinatuÌ„ either expressely by God Himselfe or by such as he hath ordained to bee his Stewards and Officers in the Church for Divine worship 2 The fourth Commandement enjoyned the Iewes to keepe holy the seventh day being our Saturday but from hence we cannot conclude by necessary inference that the fourth Commandement enjoyneth Christians to keep holy the Sunday being the first day of the weeke For the speciall and proper materiall object of every Law is a substantiall part of that Law but if the substantiall part of any Law be changed and taken away a new Subject or materiall Object is no part of the old Law but another law must be ordained for the seâ—ling of that new Subject and materiall object in the place of the former 3 Whereas the Objector pretendeth that the Church of England disclaimeth all power of setling the particular time of God's publike worship how then commeth it to passe that this Church commandeth the solemne observation of Easter Whitsuntide Christmasse and of many other Holy-dayes to be dayes and times for the religious service of God and Christ A. But the Homily seemes to favour his opinion saying godly Christian people began to chuse them a standing day of the weeke c. and therefore it seemes to be at the Churches choyce B. Our choyce doth not necessarily imply a power of institution we are said to chuse life and truth before death and error are we therefore the Authors of them Againe our choyce herein is according to God's Commandement Thirdly the Homily saith expressely that those godly Christian people did in their choyce follow the example and Commandement of God Now what example c The Example of God specified in the fourth CoÌ„mandement was his own resting ceasing upon the olde Sabbath Day from the worke of prime Creation and not our Saviour his resting from the work of Resurrection upon the first day of the weeke had they but Christ's rising and resting that day after the example of God's resting the seventh day And for Commandement they had both the fourth Commandement and an Apostolicall Precept 1 Cor. 16. d No generall commandemâ—t common to all Christians for the weekely observation of Sunday is delivered in these two Texts of holy Scripture And that place in the Revelation appropriating this Day as holy to the Lord and so ratified by God himselfe And who were they which taught those godly Christian people to keep that day viz. The Apostles And therefore we must put a vast difference betweene the unerring Apostles and the succeeding Churches so as the Homily is cleare against him Answ The Objector saith The Churches choice doth not necessarily imply a power of institution c. It is answered making choyce many times implyes a free election and institution both in Scripture Deut. 26.2 1 Sam. 17.8 and in Ecclesiasticall and Humane Authors and that it is thus to be understood in the Homily is proved in manner following The sense of the Homily is according to the authorized Doctrine of the Church of England But the authorized Doctrine of the Church of England is That the appointment both of the time and number of dayes is left by the authority of Gods Word to the liberty of the Church to be assigned orderly by the discretion of the Rulers and Ministers thereof as they shall judge most expedient to the true setting forth of Gods glory and the edification of the people Ergo the Churches choyce according to the Homily is a free election of a convenient day and of other convenient and sufficient time for the service of God and the edification of Christian people 2 There is a great difference betweene a Precept and an Example The Homily saith that godly Christians to wit by imitation of God's example observed a seventh day but it affirmeth not that they did this by an expresse Commandement of any Divine Law Also godly Christians made the fourth Commandement of the Decalogue a motive to induce them to make one day of seven a weekly Holy day but that which is only a motive or a reason inducing and perswading to performe an action is not an expresse imperative or formall Law The sense therefore of the Homily is That Christians made choyce of a weekely standing day by the rule of the equity of the fourth Commandement and not by any expresse or formall Divine Law c Walaeus d. Sab. â— 7. Nec Christus nec ipsi Apostoli ex praescripto Christi de observatione hujus diei ulluÌ„ expressum mandatum quemadmodum de aliis pietatis officiis reliquerunt Non videtur autem ullo modo verisimile Si Christus nos ad observationem ullius diei ut partem cultus voluisset astringere fuisse fucurum ut id nullo praecepto indicasset Bulling Apoc. 2. Non legimus eam ullibi praecepâ—am Hospinian d. seâ— cap. 8. Non invenitur Apostolos aut alios lege aliqua aut praecepto observationem ejus instituisse 3 Our Saviour's Resurrection upon one Sunday in the yeare cannot of it selfe unlesse some precept were added be a Law to enjoyne Christians to observe every Sunday of the Weeke throughout the whole yeare reade pag. 302. 4 The fourth Commandement is directly and in plaine termes for Saturday pag. 182 183. and therefore if that Commandement is still in force according to the literall sense then the Christian Church is obliged to observe the old legall
The Church in this sinneth not as being not guilty of the breach of the fourth Commandement which bindeth us Christians to no certaine proportion of time as the Adversary himselfe would have it but in this respect is now abrogated c. Answ The Objector at his entrance saith Now I shall prove â—nd make it evident c Q. Curtius Apud Bactrianos dici solet Canem timiduÌ„ vehementius latrare quùm mordere c. and then falsifieth his word for his Argument is of no force at all If saith Br. B. the naturall equity of the fourth Commandement determineth not one particular and certaine day of the week but only a sufficient and convenient time for Divine worship Then there is no obligatory equity in the fourth Commandement And the Church sinneth not if it appoint one day in twenty forty a hundred or one day or halfe a day in a yeere or in an age c. But the Adversary maintaineth that the naturall equity of the fourth Commandement prescribeth only a sufficient and convenient time but no one certaine or fixed day of the weeke Ergo. The Adversary leaveth it in the Churches liberty and arbiterment to allow as small a proportion of time to wit one day in 20. 40. 100. or in the whole yeare c. as it pleaseth The consequence of the former argument is a Lame Giles for one day in 20. 40. 100. or in the whole yeare Or one halfe day in a Weeke Moneth or Yeare c. is not a competent and sufficient time for God's service or for religious duties and for the spirituall edification of Christian people Therefore the naturall equity of the fourth Commandement requiring a necessary competent and sufficient time for Divine worship obligeth the Church to allow a greater measure and proportion of time than one only day in 20. 40. 100. c. B. Argument 1. Observe we the words of the Commandement Remember the Sabbath Day a Praemittitur memento quia nimirum cum non siâ— naturale praeceptâ— poterant illud facile Iudaei oblivisci to keepe it holy which words saith the learned Zanchy b Zanc. d. oper Redemp in 4. Mand. Adjecimus sine ulla conscientiae obligatione fuisse hunc diem divino cultui destinatum Hoc liquet è sacriâ— literis Nullibi enim legimus Apostolos hoc cuipiam mandasse tantum lâ—gimus quid solitâ— fuerâ—â—t facere Apostoli fideles illâ— die liberum igitur reliquerunt Walaeus de Sabb. pag. 156. Nec Christus nec ipsi Apost ex praescripto Christi de observatione hujus diei ullum expressum mandatum quemadmodum de aliis pietatis officiis reliquerunt are the very morall substance of the fourth Commandement The Lord saith not remember to sanctifie some convenient and sufficient time as the Church shall thinke fit The Commandement prescribeth a certaine and set time yea a day the Sabbath Day one day in the weeke which is the Sabbath day Againe it teacheth what day in the week the Sabbath day is to wit the Sabbath day of the Lord thy God that day in the weeke wherein the Lord our God resteth must bee our Sabbath Day So that as the Commandement prescribes unto us a weekely Sabbath day to be sanctified So God's president and example points out unto Vs what or which day in the weeke we must rest on to sanctifie it And this is not only the naturall equity which the Adversary in generall confesseth but the very naturall Law and substance of the fourth Commandement to prescribe a set solemne day in the weeke to be sanctified and not to leave it in the power of Man or of the Church to appoint what time they please The Reasons are these 1. because the Commandement expressely limiteth one set day in the week being the Sabbath day of the Lord our God Now the Commandement prescribing a set and fixed day in the weeke what humane power shall dare to alter it into an indefinite time call it what you will convenient or sufficient to be appointed at the pleasure of man This is with the Papists to commit high sacriledge in altering the property of God's Commandements For upon this ground of generall equity they have beene bold to suppresse the second Commandement saying it is comprised in the first As they have robbed the people of the Cup in the Sacrament saying the bloud is contained in the body under the formes of Bread So our Adversary imagining a generall I wot not what equity in the fourth Commandement of some certaine uncertaine time for God's publike worship doth thereby destroy the very propertie of the Commandement which expressely prescribeth the Sabbath Day in every weeke Answ 1. This argument is downe right for Theophilus Brabourne's Tenet concerning the Saturday Sabbath For Saturday is the set fixed and particular day in the weeke concerning which God said Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy That speciall weekely day which is called the Sabbath of the Lord thy God This only day and no other was it In which the Lord God rested from the worke of prime Creation and God's example expressed in the fourth Commandement pointed out this particular day of the weeke and not any other of the sixe dayes The Law and substance of the fourth Commandement was fulfilled in the religious observation of this very day and during the time of the Old Law it was not in the power of the Church or of any humane creature to alter this day into any other Now from hence it is consequent that if the Christian Church stands obliged to observe that weekely day which was stiled the Sabbath of the Lord thy God and which is thus marked and pointed out in the fourth Commandement Then wee must observe the Legall Sabbath day according to Th. Brab his Tenet It might bee admired but that the pride and stupid ignorance of this Goose-quill is notorious that he should not foresee the consequence so directly concluding for the observation of the Old Legall Sabbath Secondly Whereas this Babler saith that they which deny that the fourth Commandement in time of the Gospell prescribeth a set and fixed weekely day for publike worship comply with the Pâ—pists who take away the second Commandement and the Cup from the people c. Our answer is 1. Let him resolve us whether Calvin Beza Bullinger P. Martir Rivetus b Rivet in Exod. 20. pag. 184. Quaestio agitatur an salâ—em unus è septem diebus etsi non à creatione septimus sed in unaquaque septimana in orbeÌ„ reâ—urreÌ„s septimus ex quarti praecepti vi ut qua morale est â—â—t necessario obserâ—andus in Ecclesia Christiana Resp pag. 186. ArgumeÌ„ta pro negativa parte talia sunt ut me moveant ne disceâ—am ab ea quam Calvinus probavit â—inâ—entia c. who mainâ—ained the former position complied with the Papists 2 Hee should first have proved by firme arguments but his manner is to
and of the rest which were lesse arbitrary to accept what the Church shall in due consideration consecrate voluntarily unto like religious uses Of the first kind among the Iewes was the Sabbath-day Of the second those Feasts which are appointed in the Law of Moses The Feast of Dedication invented by the Church standeth in the number of the last kind The Morall Law requiring therefore a seventh part throughout the age of the whole world to be that way imployed although with Vs the day be changed in regard of a new revolution begun by our Saviour Christ yet the same proportion of time continueth which was before because in reference to the benefit of Creation and now much more of Renovation thereunto added by Him which was Prince of the World to come we are bound to account the sanctification of one day in seven a duty which God's immutable Law doth exact for ever You see that in termes he agreeth and jumpeth with the expresse Doctrine of our Church in the Homily touching the perpetuall morality of the fourth Commandement We are bound saith he to account the sanctification of one day in seven which before he saith is now our Lord's-day a duty which God's immutable Law doth exact for ever Answ Mr. H. in the passage aforesaid delivereth nothing in substance differing from the Bishop 1 He saith that God's naturall Law requireth the sanctification of times in generall and he affirmeth the same concerning places persons a Melanch loc com in 3. Praecept Steckel Annot. ib. Sicut nullum certum locum ita neque tempus certuÌ„ nominavit Deus in novo Testamento sed haec reliquit Ecclesiae staâ—uenda pag. 58. c. But the sanctification of particular places is required by no expresse speciall Law in the new Testament but onely by the equity or generall Law of Nature and the practise and example of holy people in ancient times 2 He affirmeth not that the observation of the lord's-Lord's-day is commanded by speciall and expresse words of the fourth Commandement for he acknowledgeth a generall Law only which can be no other but the naturall Equity and Analogie of the fourth Commandement B. Bishop Andrewes saith c. It hath ever beene the Churches Doctrine that Christ made an end of all Sabbaths by his Sabbath in the Grave That Sabbath was the last of them And that the Lord's-day presently came in place of it The Lord's-day was by the Resurrection of Christ declared to be the Christians day and from that very time of Christ's Resurrection it began to be celebrated as the Christian Man's Festivall For the Sabbath had reference to the old Creation but in Christ we are a new Creature a new Creation by him and to have a new Sabbath c. Answ 1. If Christ according to Bishop Andrewes made an end of all Sabbaths then he mâ—de an end of the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement And from hence it is consequent that the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement was not simply morall or of the Law of Nature for that which is such is unchangeable and perpetuall and besides the observation of the Lord's-day cannot be enjoyned by a Law or Commandement which is ceased 2 Bp. Andrewes saying The Lord's-day was declared to be the Christians festivall by the Resurrection of Christ and was celebrated rather than any other Day proveth that the celebration thereof was not grounded upon the speciall Law of the fourth Commandement as this Dialogist hath formerly said but upon our Saviour's Resurrection Neither doth the learned Bishop teach that it was grounded upon Christ's Resurrection as upon a Law but according to the common vote of all Antiquity his meaning must be that our Saviour's Resurrection was a motive perswading and inducing the Christian Church to observe that day rather than any other Lastly by new Sabbath the Bishop understandeth the Christian Sabbatisme which is ceasing and resting from the deeds of sin especially upon the Lord's-day and upon other Festivall dayes which are devoted to godlinesse and to Religious Offices B. Bp. Andrewes in a Catecheticall Tractate delivereth these following That the old Sabbath was no Ceremony The day is changed but no Ceremony proved It were not wise to set a Ceremony in the midd'st of morall Precepts The Law of Nature is the Image of GOD Now in GOD there can be no Ceremony c. The Law of the Decalogue is totally of the Law of Nature Now from the Premises we observe what was the judgement of that learned Prelate c. He sheweth plainly that the Lord's-day comming in place of the old Sabbath-day and so becomming our Sabbath-day is by necessary consequence grounded upon the fourth Commandement the Law whereof is perpetuall because naturally morall So as hence I might frame this Argument That day which comes in place of the old Sabbath is commanded in the fourth Commandement But the Lord's-day is come in place of the old Sabbath Therefore it is commanded in the fourth Commandement Answ 1. It is not certaine to Vs that Bishop Andrewes was the Author of the Patterne of Câ—techeticall Doctrine cited by the Objector or if in his younger daies before hee had throughly examined the Question of the Sabbath he delivered the passage here mentioned yet after his riper yeares and when hee was come to maturity of judgement he hath not in any Tractate published by himselfe while he was living or by some Reverend Bishops after his decease maintained the former Doctrine And in very deed hee could not in his riper yeares being a man of great learning and judgement and throughly versed in Antiquity maintaine the same For 1. It is apparently false and repugnant to Scripture and all Antiquitie that the fourth Commandement was intirely morall and had no Ceremony in it This is effectually proved by the Bishop page 161. 163. c. and all exceptions and objections to the contrary are solved and cleared 2 It is an infallible Verity that the Law of the fourth Commandement in respect of one determinate weekely day was temporary and legally positive a Tertul. adv jud ca. 4. Manifestum itaque est non aeternum nec spiritale Evangelicum sed temporale fuisse praeceptum quod quandoque cessaret Read the Bishop's Treatise pag. 28. 29. 30. c. 3 Bishop Andrewes having said The Lord's-Day presently came in place of the Old Sab. The rude Dialogist frameth this Argument following That which comes in place of the Old Sabbath is commanded in the fourth Commandement But the Lord's-Day is come in place of the Old Sabbath Therefore the Lord's-Day is commanded in the fourth Commandement When the Bishop read this Argument propounded with no little pride and ostentation by the Dialogue brâ—acher he admired the ignorance and stupidity of the Man For the major Proposition is so notoriously false and absurd and refuted by so many instances that hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aiunt liberidem
proprie significare membranam extrema qua faetus vaccarum obtegitur in qua ipsa vestigia duntaxat oculorum apparent as blinde as a Calves Kell who cannot discerne the rudity and falsity of it As for example The Sacrament of Baptisme succeeded and came in place of Circumcision The Holy Eucharist in place of the Legall Passeover Evangelicall Sacrifices in place of Legall and Leviticall The Evangelicall Law in place of Moses Law If now one shall argue Ergo the Sacrament of Baptisme is commanded by the Old Law of Circumcision and the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper by the Old Law of the Legall Passeover c. shall he not declare himselfe to be voyde of common understanding Although therefore the Lord's-Day came in place of the Old Sabbath day of the fourth Commandement Yet it was not commanded or observed in the Christian Church by authority of that Law any more than Baptisme is command by the Law of Circumcision But now the contrary to that which the Objector imagineth may be concluded by this argument namely That day which comes in place of the Old Sabbath Day is not commanded by the Old Law but by some other new Law For these two dayes differ in kinde the one being Legall and the other Evangelicall now even as that which is meerely Legall is not commanded by the Law of the Gospell but by the Old Law even so that which is meerely Evangelicall is not commanded by a precept of the Old Law But the observation of the Lord's-Day considered as a particular Holy day grounded upon our Saviour's Resurrection is meerely Evangelicall according to Brother B. himselfe a H. B. Law and Gospell reconcil p. 51. That which gave it a stampe of divine institution was the Lord's own act in blessing and sanctifying this Lord's Day with his blessed and glorious Resurrection Therfore the Observation of the Lord's-Day is not commanded by the Old Law of the fourth Commandement A. I remember the Treatiser confesseth that the Apostles themselves at sometimes observed this Day as Acts 20.7 1 Cor. 16.2 pag. 211. B. At sometimes only What no oftner than he findes expressely mentioned This is like him in Oxford who in his Sermon sayd that the Iewes kept the Sabbath but once in 40. yeares during their abode in the wildernesse This he gathered because he found it but once mentioned but he might have found it twise if hee had looked well So as this is a most beggerly kinde of reasoning How injurious an imputation is it to the Apostles to say that they kept the Lord's-Day sometimes when as they taught and commanded b This bold companion powreth out his owne fancies takes that as granted which is impossible to bee proved Zanch. de oper Red pag. 610. Nullibi legimus Apostolos hoc cuipiam mandasse tantum legimus quid soliti fuerint facere Apostoli fideles eo die Liberum igitur reliquerunt others to observe it weekly as hath beene noted Did Christian People immediately after Christ's Ascension observe this weekely day and did not the Apostles themselves This is too grossely repugnant to good reason to our Homily and to the witnesses produced Answ 1. The Bishop's words pag. 211. are The Apostles themselves as sometimes observed this day c. Now the ingenuous Reader must consider the reason why the Bishop spake thus reservedly which was Theo. Brab had objected against the Lord's-Day that it could not be proved by Holy Scripture that the Holy Apostles constantly observed the Lord's-Day or that they commanded the observation thereof two weekes or one Moneth together in all Christian Churches In answer to this Objection the Bishop held it not sufficient to cry out this is too grossely repugnant to good reason and to the Homily and to Doctor Andrewes and it is impudent but if hee would speake to purpose hee must confirme his answer by testimonies of Scripture Now when he had searched with much diligence hee could finde none such Therefore hee carryed himselfe like himselfe in affirming no more than hee was without quiâ—â—ies and cavills well able to prove It 's an easie matter like a Pâ—â—-gun to blurt out paper shot but if one have to deale with an intelligent adversary he shall be sure to come off with disgrace if he make a noyse only and prove nothing 2 The Objector saith that it is an injurious imputation to the Apostles to say that they kept the Lord's-Day sometimes when as they had taught Christian people immediately after Christ's Ascension to observe it generally in all Churches Now in this assertion there is 1 Petitio principii for this Dictator neither already hath nor at any time hereafter will be able to demonstrate out of Holy Scripture That the Apostles presently and immediately after Christ's Ascension commanded all Christian Churches to observe the Lord's-Day For the Apostles themselves and namely Saint Peter were not resolved of the cessation of all Legall Ceremonies presently after Christ's Ascention Act. 10.14 2 Vntill the Conversion of the Gentiles the Christian converts among the Iewes observed the Old Sabbath Day and the Apostles joyned with them in their Synagogues preaching the Gospell to them upon that day Acts 13.14 They came to Antioch and went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath Day and after the reading of the Law and the Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue said unto them Yee men and brethren if yee have any word of Exhortation for the People say on Chap. 16.13 and Chap. 17.2 And Paul as his manner was went in unto them and three Sabbath Dayes reasoned with them out of the Scriptures 3 Saint Paul was not called to be an Apostle of the Gentiles at the very instant of time of Christ's Ascension and yet he was the first of all the Apostles who in holy Scripture above twenty yeares after Christ's Ascension is reported to have preached the Gospell and broken bread upon the Lord's Day Acts 20.7 c. A. These two witnesses Bishop Andrewes and Mr. Hooker and these instances I perceive come full home to the Homily and Dr. Andrewes calls the Lord's-Day our New Sabbath Answ I doe earnestly intreate the impartiall Reader to consider that this Dialogue-former hath not one sound or probable argument in his whole Treatise either to prove his owne Tenet or to confute his Adversary His only colour is and this may mis-leade a weake and improvident Reader to wit certaine passages in the Homily and in some moderne Authors of our Nation which according to outward sound of words may seeme to favour him Therefore it must be observed 1 The greatest Doctors a Aug. de Praed sanct c. 14. Quid opus est ut eorum scrutemur opuscula qui priusquam ista haeresis oriretur noÌ„ habuerunt necessitatem in hac difficili ad solvendum quaestione versati quod procul dubio facerent si respondere talibus cogerentur at sometimes and before Errors and Heresies are openly defended are
the Sacrament of Baptisme instead of Circumcision Ergo the Ancient Fathers did ever usually stile the Sacrament of Baptisme by the name of Circumcision B. Saint Augustine d. temp Ser. 251. affirmeth That the Holy Doctors of the Church have decreed to transferre all the glory of the Iudaicall Sabbath or Sabbatisme unto the Lord's-Day c. We must observe the same from evening to evening c. that being sequestred from Rurall workes and from all businesse we may be vacant only for the worship of God Thus we duly sanctifie the Sabbath of the Lord c. You see hee speaketh this not as his owne particular opinion but as it was the Tenet of the whole Catholike Church so as the whole ancient Catholike Church did not only observe but call the Lord's-Day the Sabbath c. Answ 1 This Sermon seemeth to be none of Saint Augustine's as appeareth by the stile Nolite in Ecclesia verbosari In Ecclesia garriunt verbosantur Cogunt Presbyterum ut abbreviat Missam 2 The Author of this Sermon requireth the same Vacancie and sanctity upon the Birth dayes of Saâ—nts as he doth upon the Lord's-Day b Idcirco fratres mei non sit vobis molestum in Dominicis diebus in natalitiis SaÌ„ctorum divino studere cultui 3 He affirmeth that the Holy Doctors of the Church translated the glory of the Iudaicall Sabbath upon the lord's-Lord's-Day lord's-c Ideo Sancti Doctores Ecclesiae decreverunt omnem gloriaÌ„ Iudaici Sabbatismi in illam transferre c. And therefore he could not without contradiction ground the Observation of the lord's-Lord's-Day upon the letter or expresse words of the fourth Commandement 4 He makes the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement and the lord's-Lord's-Day two distinct and diverse dayes of the week and when he saith sic quoque rite sanctificamus Sabbatum Domini c. He useth the word Sabbath in a mysticall and analogicall sence and not in a Legall or literall signification 5 It is an untruth that Saint Augustine d Aug. ad Ascllic Epist. 200. Cum quisque isto modo fuerit verus germanusque Christianus utrum etiam Iudaeus aut Israelita dicendus sit merito quaeritur Quod quidem si non in carne sed spiritu hoc esse intelligitur non debet ipsuÌ„ nomen sibi imponere sed spiritali intelligentia retinere ne propter ambiguitatem vocabuli quam non discernit quotidiana locutio illud profiteri videatur quod est inimicum nomini Christiano Non debemus consuetudinem sermonis humani inepta loquacitate confundere c. inepta insolentia si dici potest imperita scientia makes it the common stile of the Catholike Church to call the Lord's-Day the Sabbath for he was so far either himselfe from stiling the Lord's-Day the Sabbath in a proper or ordinary course of speaking or from approving this forme of speech in others that hee holdeth it inept and insolent to give Iudaicall names and Appellations to Persons or things which are Christian or Evangelicall and hee gives a reason hereof because by such ambiguous formes of speaking a Christian might seeme to professe that which is repugnant to true Christianity B. Hilary Prolog in Psal Though in the seventh day of the week both the name and observance of the Sabbath be established yet we on the eighth day which also is the first doe enioy the festivitie of the perfect Sabbath Answ The Question is not Whether the Ancient Fathers have at any time stiled the Lord's-day a Sabbath in a mysticall and spirituall sense that is a day wherein Christian people ought to abstaine from sin For in this sense they have stiled every day of the Weeke b Clem. Alex. strom l. 5. c. â— Qui perfectus est ratione operibus cogitationibus perpetuo haerens verbo Deo naturali nostro Domino semper agit dies Domini nunquam non habet DominicuÌ„ Tert. c. Iud. c. 4. Vnde intelligimus magis Sabbatizare nos ab omni opere servili semper debere non tantuÌ„ septimo quoque die sed per omne tempus Chrys in Mat. ho. 40. Quid Sabbato opus est illi qui per totaÌ„ vitam agit solennitatem qui peccatorum immunis virtutes observat colit wherein Christians rest from sin a Sabbath pag. 203 204. But whether the Fathers did ever and usually name the Lord's-day the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement in a proper and literall sense The Bishop hath proved the Negative with so many pregnant testimonies of the Fathers pag. 202. that no reasonable person can take any just exception A. Dr. Wh. denies that Christ upon the day of his Resurrection rested from the work of Redemption B. I conferred with H. B. about this because it much concernes him to quit this Question seeing on Christ's resting on that day he grounds the Sabbatisme of it as agreeable to the fourth Commandement And in my judgement if he can evince and cleare it it will prove unanswerable And he tels me that he hath in two severall Treatises in Latine a Maintaining your own principles that the fourth CoÌ„mandement is purely simply morall and of the Law of Nature it will be impossible for you either in English or in Latine to solve Theoph. Brab his Objections against Theophilus Brab fully cleared it and removed all Objections and Cavillations that either Theophilus Brabourne or Francis White have or can bring to the contrary and he purposeth to do the like to D. Wh. And he made it very cleare to me that Christ's rest from the worke of Redemption from sinne on the Crosse and from death in the Grave which was a branch of that worke began not till his Resurrection as for his Ascension that was into the place of rest but his Resurrection was into the state of rest The Bishop's words are Christ was in action on that day but the word labour is of Br. B. his owne coining As for D. Wh. his Objection with Theophilus Brabourne That Christ laboured on that day H. B. shewes it to be absurd and ridiculous seeing Christ arose with a body glorified and impassible So as his actions that day could not bee called a labour that thereby the new Sabbath should bee broken Answ 1. Our Saviour began his Rest from those workes of Redemption by which he made paiment of a price by his bloud for our sins c Liturg. diddest give thine only Son IESVS CHRIST to suffer death upon the Crosse for our redemption who made there by his owne oblation of himselfe once offered a full perfect and sufficient Sacrifice oblation satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world c. Ordering of Priests after hee had made perfect our redemption by his death c. upon the latter part of Goodfriday immediately upon his saying Consummatum est and giving up the ghost Iohn 19.30 Heb. 10.14 Then he continued in his Grave and Bed of rest the
cautions limitations and provisoes a 1. None to bee permitted which were prohibited by any former Lawes or by any Canons of the Church 2. None to be used but after the end of all Divine Service and afternoone Sermons 3. The said recreations are prohibited to all persons both Recusants and Conforme in Religion who are not present in the Church at the Service of God 4. Every person must resort to his own parish Church and be there present at Divine Service 5. Each Parish by it selfe to use the said recreations after Divine Service and no Meetings Assemblies or concourse of people ouâ— of their own Parish on the Lord's-day let him in his Disputation and Objections proceed humbly and modestly as becommeth a loyall Subject addressing himselfe to his Soveraine and propound weighty arguments sufficient to convince those who are of contrary judgment but in the mean time let him abstaine from scandalous abusive passages against his Majesty and likewise gainst other persons who being Subjects and perswaded that it is their duty to be obedient to Royall Authority unlesse such things be commanded as are Aperte contra Deum that is in very deed and not in some mens opinion only repugnant to the Law of Christ b Promptuar Iuris tr 9. cap. 5. n. 68. In dubio semper praesumitur pro justitia legis donec non expresse appareat pro contrario sic in dubio tenentur subditi obedire Bernard d. praecept dispens cap. 12. Quicquid vice Dei praecipit homo quod non non sit tamen certum displicere Deo haud secus omnino accipiendum est quam si praecipiat Deus Ib. Ipsum quem pro Deo habemus tanquam Deum in hiis quae aperte non sunt contra Deum audite debemus B. Edition second of his Dialog pag. 28. Enough to settle me and every good subject of his Majesty in this beliefe that the Declaration for sports and the urging of it to be none of his Majesties act but a meere plot of some Popish Priests and Prelates to eate out and tread downe Religion and to Vsher in Popery Atheisme and prophanenesse into the Church Answ If Lucifer himselfe should preach or write that wicked and lying fiend could hardly utter any thing more false seditious or scandalous than is contained in the former passage 1 His sacred Majesty now is and hath ever been so gracious and Religious as that his princely care and desire is to have his Subjects under him to leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty and therefore it is farre from him to be guided or over-ruled by Popish Priests and Prelates in any matters of Religion 2 If his Majesties declaration shall be duely examined it tendeth to the repressing of Popery for no subjects are thereby permitted to use any sports or pastimes upon the Holy day but such onely as shall duely frequent the Church and bee present boâ—h at Divine service and at the Sermon 3. The Royall edict granteth no liberty to any subjects though conforme in Religion to use any sports or pastimes upon the Sunday formerly prohibited by the Lawes of the kingdome nor yet untill all the Religious offices of the day shall be finished and duely performed and therfore it can be no meanes to usher in Atheisme and profanenesse into the Church 4 Such manner of Preaching and Writing as this venomous Dogmatist useth in his fiery Sermons and in this and in some other of his unlicensed Pamphlets are very apt and ready meanes to impoison his Auditors and factious Disciples with disloiall thoughts against his Majesties government and with desperate intentions against his subordinate Ministers and consequently to usher in rebellion and sedition into the Church and State A. I remember the Bishop of Elye's maine argument as I understand and apprehend to prove his recreations to be lawfull on the Lord's-Day is because honest and necessary labour is lawfull on that day Answ The Bishop's maine argument to prove some pastime and recreation upon the Lord's-day to wit such as is not vicious in quality or circumstance to be lawfull and which is used after such time as the religious offices of the day are performed is because such recreation is not prohibited by any Divine Law naturall or positive nor by any necessary inference from the same B. But as I conceive the Parallell doth no way hold as will appeare clearely by these particulars 1 Honest labour is necessary on that day in respect of necessity only it being unlawfull if not necessary and may bee deferred but there is no necessity of sports and pastimes unlesse in some instant dangerous infirmity of the body and some moderate recreation be prescribed by the Physitian 2 Honest necessary labour is lawfull in the foresaid sense on any part of the Lord's-Day even in time of Divine Service and Sermons But so are not sports and pastimes by the Bishops owne confession 3 Labours absolutely honest and necessary as to quench fires to make up Sea breaches to defend the assaults of enemies attending persons dangerously sicke are lawfull all the day long and for many successive Lord's-Dayes together but sports and recreations may not bee used all the Lord's-Day long nor on every part of the day nor many dayes together Answ 1. It is false that no labour may bee used upon the Lord's-Day but such only as is of absolute necessity For then it must have beene unlawfull for the sicke of the Palsie and the lame man at the poole of Bethesda after they were healed to have carryed their beds upon the Sabbath day Mark 2.11 Ioh. 5.9 10. for this was not a worke of absolute necessity but such as might have been deferred untill the evening of the Sabbath or untill the next morning 2 The Netherland Divines handling this question speak as followeth Non audemus improbare quod post Arelatense Concilium Constantinus in suis constitutionibus tempore pluvio aut alio necessitatis casu permittit ut messes vindemiae etiam Die Dominico collìgantur We dare not disallow that which after the Councell of Arles Constantine the great in his Imperiall constitutions permitted people in rainie weather and in other cases of necessity namely in the time of Harvest and Vintage to gather in their Corne and Wine upon the lord's-Lord's-Day B. But againe admit that sports and pastime and recreations are not expressely inhibited within the letter of the Law by these generall words no manner of work but only by consequence yet it followeth not that honest labour is more unlawfull than honest Recreations as they are termed For the Bishop and Fathers generally conclude that rest from sinne is the chiefe thing commanded and sinne it selfe the principall thing prohibited in the fourth Commandement yet neither of them is commanded or prohibited within the words of this Precept Therefore sports and pastimes by the same reason may bee more prohibited by it on the Sabbath than labour
though not expressed For prophane Atheisme is more unlawfull at least more hainous than the worshipping of false Gods yet this last only is expressed in the very letter of the Law So Perjury is more hainous than meere taking the Name of God in vaine in ordinary discourse and common swearing Sodomie Incest and Buggery more odious sinnes than Adultery or Fornication though the other bee only within the intention of the Law and by way of consequence prohibited by the 1. 3. and 7th Commandements the latter by the expresse letter and words thereof Answ That which is directly formally expressely literally or by a necessary and immediate inference prohibited by any Law is ordinarily more unlawfull than those things which by a remote probable inference only are concluded to be repugnant to the Law The sins mentioned by the Objector Atheisme Perjury Buggery c. are not only prohibited by necessary inference and by the intention of the speciall precepts of the Decalogue but also by the Law of nature and by other expresse Negative Precepts delivered in the Old and New Testament But whereas corporall labour was expressely and in literall termes prohibited the Iewes upon the Legal sabbath-Sabbath-day Honest and sober Recreation upon some part of the lord's-Lord's-Day in such manner as the Bishop maintaineth the same is prohibited neither by the expresse words of the 4th Commandement nor by any formall and necessary illation from the words and sentences of that Commandement nor yet by the Law of nature nor by any negative precepts of the Old or New Testament Therefore if bodily labour expressely and literally prohibited by the fourth Commandement was notwithstanding that prohibition in many cases lawfull among the Iewes Then honest and sober recreation such as is neither vicious in quality nor in circâ—mstances being neither expressely nor virtually prohibited or condemned by any Divine Law naturall positive or Evangelicall must be held to bee lawfull untill the Opposers thereof shall bee able to make it evident by demonstrative reasons that the same is repugnant to some divine Law according to all or some of those formes which are before expressed A. There remaineth yet one thing to be cleared and that is about the judgement of the reformed Churches beyond the Seas which the Opposite Author pleadeth to be all for him B. It 's true and I cannot but smile when I thinke of it That they which make no bones even in open Court to vilifie the prime pillars of those Churches yea and to nullifie the Churches themselves as if they were no true Churches as having no lawful Ministers because in Prelates to put them in orders should notwithstanding daigne to grace them so much as to call them in and to account them competent witnesses in the cause But a bad cause a How can that be esteemed a bad cause which is confirmed by the common and consentâ—eâ— testimony of the most godly learned Divines both Aâ—elent and moderne is glad of any Patron or Advocate to plead for it though the Clyent have openly stigmatized him for a Rascall But what stead will the reformed Divines stand him in Certainly in the point of sports and Recreations they will utterly faile him yea and disclaime him too In the point of the Institution of the lord's-Lord's-Day indeed and the Obligation of it to Christians a great part is for him though the better part b Br. B. Should have named some of those which he accounteth the better part for he is so precipitate and impudent in his affirmations that judicious persons can give no credit to his own bare word is for Vs this is confessed of Vs. Answ The Bishop in his Treatise hath made cleare ostension that his Tenet concerning the Sabbath and Lord's-Day is consonant 1. To the Vnanimous sentence of Primitive Antiquity 2. To the Doctrine of the Church of England testified and authorized by statute Law 3. To the common Vote of the best learned Doctors of the reformed Churches c The Augustane and Helvetian CoÌ„fessions Melancton Calvin Bucer Bullinger Peter Martyr Musculus Beza Zanchius Chemnitius Visinus Brentius Hospinian Hemmingius Pareus Herbrandus Marbachius Zepperâ— Battus Wolaeus Rivetus Poliander Gomorus Thysius Gualter Pâ—scator Zegedinus Steckelius Isenmánus alii beyond the Seas The former Remonstrance hath produced two effects 1. I hath givâ—n 〈◊〉 all wound to Br. B. and to his Assistants by declaring that they are solitary and singular in their Sabbatarian Tenet 2. It hath yeelded full satisfaction to all judicious honest and godly Readers concerning this question But the Dialogue-Barker perceiving his cause to be desperate in his obstinacy neverthelesse spurneth against the prickes and proceedeth rudely and wildely in manner following 1 He introduceth his interlocutory Assistant one Br. A. who scratcheth his fellow Mule a Mutuû muli scabunt dictum ubi improbi illaudati se vicissim mirantur praedicaÌ„t and prateth in manner following You have so fully cleared this point about Recreation from all the Subterfuges of him that hath so moyled himselfe to make something of nothing c. But wherein hath Br. B. cleared the point c Hee hath alleadged some Decrees of Foraine States and Churches which nothing concerne the Bishop's Tenet for they doe not so much as intimate that all bodily exercise and Recreation and namely such as is neither vicious in quality nor in circumstance nor yet prohibited by the present state wherein people live is simply unlawfull or morally evill upon some part of the Holy day 2 Br. B. Himselfe to manifest his gravity saith I cannot but smile c. But besides his merriment the ridiculous man uttereth no word or sentence savouring of truth or sounding to reason For 1 Vpon the matter he confesseth that the positions of the Sunday Sabbatarians here in England are singular and different from the common sentence of other Churches for otherwise to what purpose serveth his speech pag. 6. The Church of England to wit Br. B. himselfe and his owne Sabbatarian Allies is more cleare and sound in the point of the Sabbath than any Church in the world for it is as cleere as the Noone-day that the Orthodoxall part of the Church of England accordeth with the Primitive Fathers and with the Schoole Doctors and with the best learned in the Reformed Churches and renounceth the temerarious Doctrine of H. B. and of other Novell Teachers concerning the Sabbath 2 Whereas this Objector denies us the suffrage of Reformed Churches pretending that some amongst us have vilified their prime Pillars c. Our Answer is That this man doth not alwayes write or preach Gospell a Hâ—â—â—on ad Iulian Diacon Mendacia faciunt ut nec vera dicentibê° credatur for quite contrary to his report we reverence and much respect all learned and godly Divines in what Church soever they live or teach yea although in some Theologicall Questions wee take liberty upon just reason to dissent from them But
admit the Doctors aforesaid were adverse to us and we to them in many more Positions than indeed we are yet notwithstanding it might be lawfull for us to use their Testimony in all Questions wherein they maintaine Catholike and Orthodoxall Verity b Iren. li. 4. ca. 14. Vera contradictioni minime obnoxia est probatio quae ex dictis adversariorum elicitur S. Paul used the Testimony of Heathen Poets in matter of truth notwithstanding they were enemies to Christian piety c Chrys in Gen. Hom. 57. Infidelium adversantiuÌ„ religioni testimonia majorem habent fidem Et hoc est ex omnipotenti sapientia Dei ut inimici veritatis fiant ipsi testes veritatis August c. Petilian Don. li. 2. ca. 30. and Christians likewise use the Testimony of Iewes and Rabins concerning the number and integrity of the Bookes of Canonicall Scripture S. Augustine used the Testimony of Saint Cyprian against Donatists and Pelagians d Aug. d. Bapt. c. Don. l. 2. c. 1. l. 3. c. 11. l. 4. c. 1. l. 6. c 7. c. Crescon Gram. l. 3. c. 1. d. praedest sanctor c. 14. d. pec mer. remis l. 3. c. 5. c. Gaudent l. 3. c. 1. Epist 107. who was adverse to him in the point of Rebaptizing Tertullian Origen Lactantius c. had their errours yet they that use their testimony when they speake divinely were never as yet censured by any sobero conscientious Writers as maintainers of a bad cause or bringers in of Rascals to be their Advocates B. Certainly in the Point of Sports and Recreations Reformed Churches will utterly faile him yea and disclaime him too c. For the Ministers of the Seventeene Provinces reformed and the neighbouring Churches in Germany petitioned the States of the Vnited Provinces for the reformation of the manifold profanation of the Lord's-day Answ The Bishop maintaineth not but opposeth and condemneth all profanation of the Lord's-day And as for honest and sobeâ—â— recâ—â—â—tion the best Divines of the Vnited Provinces approve the same upon some part of the Lord's-day The Divines of Leidan in Synopsi purioris Theologiae Disp 21. write as followeth Neque tamen omnis recreatio hic prohibetur ut quae etiam inter fines Sabbati est scilicet quae divinum cultum non impedit sacris peractis honeste decenter moderate sine scandalo offensione fit Neverthelesse all bodily recreation upon the Lord's-day is not here prohibited because the same is one of the ends of the Sabbath namely such bodily exercise and recreation as is no impediment to Divine worship and which is used in honest decent and moderate fashion without scandall or offence after such time as the sacred and religious offices of the day are performed And in like manner Walaus himselfe whom the Obiector citeth de Sab. â—ap 6. pag. 131. Vltimo quaeritur an recreationis â—t oblectationis opera fidelibê° Sabbato sint concessa Recreationis quaedâ—m opera hoc die esse concessa non 〈…〉 Deus inter sines Sabbati hoc quoque refere Exod. 23 〈◊〉 respiret Iunius vertit 〈◊〉 recreetur filius 〈…〉 tuae Et Christus ipse die Sabbati 〈…〉 Luc. 14. Et sanc cum dies Sabbati fuerit fostus refeâ—â— quoque Laetitiam Coeli hominis recreatio atque anima corporis vlres reficit quemad modâ—m sapiâ—ns inquit Prov. 17. Animus laetus medicinam facit spiritus autem fractus exsiccat ossa Atque ideo etiam in Ecclesia Apostolica Agapae erant institutae translatae ut videtur ex conviviis sacrificiorum Veteris Testamenti ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutuam testandam honestam recreationem usurpandaÌ„ 1 Cor. 14.20 Iude v. 12. Imo diebâ—s Dominiâ—is ad gaudium propter memoriam resâ—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 … are in Ecclesia Primitiva â—â—fâ—â—â—uiâ— Aug. Epist 〈◊〉 ad 〈…〉 We dare not deny some kinde of râ—creatiâ—â— to bee lawfull upon the lord's-Lord's-day for God himselfe makes the refreshing of the sonne of the Handmaid and of the Stranger one of the ends why the Sabbâ—th 〈◊〉 ol … â—â—od 23.12 And Iunius translates the word refreshed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recreated Also Christ himselfe upon the Sabbath-day went to a Feast Luke 14.1 And forasmuch as the Sabbath is a Festivall day honest recreation upon that day is a represent of heavenly joy and according to the Wiseman's saying Prov. 17.22 A merry heart doth good like a Medicine Also in the Apostolicall Church certaine Love-Feasts called Agapae being translated from Feasts used at Sacrifices in the old Law were ordained to testifie brotherly love among Christians and for the exercise of honest recreation and upon the Lord's-day to the end Christians might testifie their rejoycing for the memory of Christ's Resurrection it was held a nefarious thing in the Primitive Church to make that day a fasting day as S. Augustine sheweth 86. Ep. ad Casulanum Rivetus in Exod. 20. a Honestae tamen recreationes quae spiritus refocillent mutuum alant consortium à solennitate illius diâ—i non sunt excludendae Honest recreations which refresh the spirits and cherish mutuall society ought not to be excluded from the solemnity of that day A. Sir I heartily thanke you for your sweet conference which I could be content might last yet a whole Summers-day But the Day now bidding us farwell leaves us to bid one another good night B. And so good night to you Brother A. And to you also good Brother Answ After a due and impartiall Examination of the former Dialogue the Bishop protesteth once againe that he hath observed no one passage in it which meriteth any approbation And therefore Brother A. is fallen in love with his owne shadow when he stileth the same a sweet conference a Ambros Ep. 40. Vt filii etiam deformes delectant sic etiam scriptorem indecores sermones sui palpant Lud. Vives Sicu pueri complectuntur exosculantur specula in quibus imaginem sui aspiciunt c. But let not Brother Asotus deceive himselfe for his Dialogue is neither sweét nor savoury either in matter or in forme but very rude wilde malicious and factious The maine Position of this Dialogue to wit That the Bishop's Treatise of the Sabbath overthroweth the Doctrine of the Church of England c. is confuted in manner following 1 The Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the Lord's-day and all other Holy dayes is the same at this present it was in the raigne of King Edward the 6th and in the raigne of King IAMES Anno primo But the Bishop in his Treatise consenteth with the Doctrine concerning the Lord's-day and other Holy dayes maintained by Statute in the raigne of King Edward the 6th and in the raigne of King IAMES Anno primo Ergo The Bishop in his Treatise hath not overthrowne the Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the Lord's-day and other Holy dayes 2 The present Doctrine of the Church of
England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's day is the same which the Fathers of the Primitive Church received from the holy Apostles and which they taught Christian people in ancient time pag. 13. But the Bishop in his Treatise maintaineth the same Doctrine which the Primitive Fathers received from the Holy Apostles and which they taught Christian people in ancient time Ergo The Bishop in his Treatise hath not overthrowne the Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day 3 The present Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day is the same which is commonly maintained by all Reformed Churches in Christendome But the Bishop in his Treatise consenteth with all the Reformed Churches in their common Doctrine of the old Sabbath and of the Lord's-day pag. 271. Ergo The Bishop in his Treatise hath not overthrowne the Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the old Sabbath and the lord's-Lord's-day 4 That the Homilies appointed to be read in the Church of England must not alwayes bee expounded according to the sound of words but according to the Line and Rule of holy Scripture is the Tenet of H. B. in his Plea to an Appeale pag. 14. The Bishop in his Treatise hath expounded the Homily of the Time and Place of prayer appointed to be read in the Church of England according to the Line and Rule of Holy Scripture and according to this sense and exposition nothing is delivered in the Homily repugnant to the Bishop's doctrine concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day Ergo The Bishop in his Treatise hath not overthrowne the Doctrine of the Church of England contained in the Homily of the time and place of prayer Brother B. in his Dialogue hath these remarkable Passages following 1 The Tenet of the Dialogist is That the 4th Commandement of the Decalogue delivered in this forme of words Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath-day c. The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke c. The Lord rested the seventh day c. commandeth in expresse termes the religious observation of the Lord's-day and the same is a commandement of the Law of Nature Now from hence it is consequent 1. That Saturday and Sunday being two distinct and severall dayes of the Weeke if the Commandement be naturall and expresse for the one it cannot be naturall and expresse for the other unlesse the one day were named expressed or described in the same as well as the other 2 That the Iewes were obliged to the religious observation of the Saturday by the Law of the fourth Commandement which was Positive in respect of that day and Christians are bound to keepe holy the Sunday by the very same Commandement as by the Law of Nature Now all judicious men confesse that the 4th Commandement concerning keeping holy the saturday was a Positive Law Therefore we desire Br. B. to cleare this contradiction to wit how it is possible that the Law of the fourth Commandement concerning Saturday being Positive The same Law according to his Tenet commanding Sunday can be Naturall Againe let this bould Bayard resolve Vs how the observation of the lord's-Lord's-day can be said to be expressely commanded in the fourth Precept of the Decalogue when Saturday only and no other day is expressed either by the words of that Precept or is concluded from the words or sentences thereof by any formall or necessary illation Lastly let him resolve Vs how we may rightly conclude from the expresse words of the fourth Commandement that Sunday is to be kepr holy by that Law For if this man will argue rightly hee must proceed in this or the like manner The fourth Commandement literally and expressely enjoyneth the Observation of Saturday and the Precept concerning Saturday is Legally Positive Therefore Christians must observe Sunday by vertue of such a Law as was Legally Positive for keeping of Saturday Gentle Br. B. licke over your Calfe once again and please not your selfe nor abuse your Reader with such absurd Bulls and contradictions a Chrysost in 1. Corinth Ho. 38. Nihil est errore magis imbecillum suis ipsis alis implicatur nec oppugnatione aliunde opus habet transfigit ipse se A second Passage of Brother B. Vnlesse the keeping the first Day of the weeke for Sabbath bee commanded H. B. Dialog manuscript cited in tâ—e Bishop's Treatise of the Sabbath pag. 89. the Divine Authority of it will not appeare saith Br. B. for only God's Commandement bindeth the Conscience But no Divine Commandement is expressely delivered in the Old or New Testament concerning the Religious Observation of the Lord's-Day Therefore if Br. B. his first proposition is true and if hee bee not able to produce some Divine Commandement out of the Scripture for the Religious Observation of the Lord's-Day he must if he adhere to his owne principles be compelled to grant Theoph. Brabourne that the observation of the Lord's-Day is an act of superstition and will-worship A third Passage of Brother B. H. B. Dialog pag. 15. 16. It were not wise to set a Ceremony in the midd st of morall precepts It is a principle in God there can be no ceremony but all must bee eternall and so in his Image which is the Law of nature and so in the Decalogue There can be no Ceremony at all in the Law of the fourth Commandement because Saint Paul reckoned the Sabbath Day among the Ceremonies of the Old Law Colos 2.16 And all the Primitive Fathers ranked the Sabbath and Circumcision in the number of Legall Ceremonies A fourth Passage of Brother B. The Primitive Fathers did ever and usually stile the Lord's-day the Sabbath day of the 4th Commandement in a proper and literall sence The reason because sometimes but yet very seldome They named it Sabbatum in a mysticall and analogicall sence that is an Holy day on which Christian people must have a speciall care to abstaine from sin A fift Passage of Brother B. Because the Lord's-Day succeeded and came in place of the Old Sabbath Therefore the Observation thereof is commanded by the particular Law of the Old Sabbath As if one should say Baptisme succeeded and came in place of Circumcision Ergo it is commanded Christians by the Old Law of Circumcision A sixt Passage of Brother B. The Bishop's of England may not use the Testimony of Divines of reformed Churches because they dissent from them in some Theologicall questions As if one should argue Protestants may not use Saint Augustine's testimony against Pontificians or Pelagians because they have refused his Tenet concerning the absolute damnation of Infants departing this life before they were baptized a Aug. Epist 106. Parvulos non baptizâ—tos vitam habere non posse ac per hoc quamlibet tolerabilius omnibus qui etiam propria peccata committunt tamen aeterna morte mulctari Id.
AN EXAMINATION AND CONFVTATION of a Lawlesse Pamphlet INTITVLED A briefe Answer to a late Treatise of the SABBATH-DAY Digested Dialogue-wise betweene two Divines A and B. By Dr. FR. WHITE L. Bishop of ELY â— COR. 13. We can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth Hieronymuâ— de Luciferianis dicit Facilius eos vinci posse quam persuaderi LONDON Printed by Richard Badger and are to be sold in S. Pauls Church-yard 1637. TO THE CHRISTIAN AND IVDICIOVS READER THe Reason and Occasion inducing my Superiours to imploy mee in a service of the Church for penning and publishing a Treatise of the Sabbath and of the Lord's-day is delivered in my Epistle Dedicatory to the Lord's Grace of Canterbury And my intention in performing thereof was to deliver and maintaine the Orthodoxall Doctrine of the Primitive Church and the Doctrine of the Church of England authorised by the Lawes and Statutes of our Kingdome against the Sabbatarian Error of one Theophilus Brabourne and because this Errant had grounded the most of his Arguments upon certaine Principles borrowed from some Moderne Teachers of our owne Nation I was compelled to examine and confute the same This service being with much Care and Diligence performed by me I expected some thankes for convicting and converting that Errant and for preventing the farther spreading and infection of his Error But at least I presumed to have obtained a charitable Construction of such Passages in my Treatise as were subservient to a farther discovery of Verity and that if any had found cause of dissenting from me they would in a charitable and peaceable manner have propounded their Exceptions It hath now so fallen out that contrary both to my desert and expectation A certaine clamorous and audacious Scripturient a Person of a very weak judgement but yet exceeding confident and arrogant hath vented a Lawlesse and unlicensed Pamphlet digested Dialogue-wise c. wherein he Proclaimeth with open mouth that my Treatise of the Sabbath overthroweth the publike Doctrine of the Church of England touching that Question Now the whole matter and frame of his Dialogue is so rude and indigested and the Author thereof is so notorious for his ignorance envy and presumption that it rather merits execration than confutation and many Persons of worth and quality have perswaded me rather to contemne than to confute either the worke or the workeman But when I consider the cause it selfe and the humour of factious people who are alwaies ready to conceive their owne fancies to be irrefragable Verities if they passe in publike without just reproofe I conceive it can be no indiscretion in Me or dishonour for Me to appeare in defence of Veritie against falsitie and iniquitie how base and unworthy soever the Author is with whom I shall contest Now all which I shall desire of the judicious Reader is first that he take into consideration the maine accusation of the Dialogist which is That in my Treatise of the Sabbath I have overthrowne the publike Doctrine of the CHURCH of ENGLAND touching this Question Secondly that he will duely and impartially consider and examine in the ballance of true judgement the Adversaries Exceptions and Objections against my Arguments and Positions and my Answere and confutation of the same Concerning the maine accusation of the Objector before mentioned the Reader may easily discerne the falsity and iniquitie of it for the Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the Sunday and other Holy dayes is in plaine and expresse termes delivered in the Statute of Quinto and Sexto of King EDWARD the sixt cap. 3. in manner following Neither is it to be thought that there is any certaine time or number of dayes prescribed in holy Scripture but that the appointment both of the time and also of the number of the dayes is left by the authoritie of God's Word to the libertie of CHRIST'S Church to be determined and assigned orderly in every Countrey by the discretion of the Rulers and Ministers thereof as they shal judge most expedient to the setting forth of God's glorie and the edification of their people Be it therefore enacted by the King our Sovereigne Lord with the assent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled by the authority of the same that all the dayes hereafter mentioned shall bee kept and commanded to be kept holy dayes and none other that is to say All Sundayes in the yeere The dayes of the Feasts of the Circumcision of our Lord IESUS CHRIST of the Epiphanie of the Purification of the blessed Virgine of S. Matthias the Apostle c. And that none other day shall be kept holy day or to abstaine from lawfull bodily labour The former Statute being repealed Anno primo Mariae cap. 2. was revived An. prim R. IACOBI cap. 25. and is at this day in force as appeareth by the booke of Statutes pag. 894. and by the judgement of the Reverend Iudges and Masters in our Lawes A Second passage which I desire the judicious Reader to observe is That the Doctrine concerning the Sabbath day and the Lord's day maintained in my Treatise agreeth exactly with the unanimous Tenet of the Orthodoxall Catholike Church of ancient times and the same agreeth likewise with the Tenet both of all the Schoole Doctours ancient and moderne and also with the Tenet of the best learned and most religious Divines of the reformed Churches beyond Sea And lastly the same is agreeable to the Tenet of the Holy Martyrs of our owne Church Bishop Cranmer Iohn Frith William Tindall D. Barnes c. And the other opinion That the fourth Commandement is a Precept of the Law of Nature and purely and intirely Morall And that the observation of the Lord's Day is expresly commanded by that Precept of the Decalogue is a novell Position repugnant to all or most Orthodoxall Divines who have instructed Christian people in the wayes of godlinesse in former or moderne times Every one of the former passages is so fully prooved and confirmed in my Treatise of the Sabbath that no just exception can be taken against my proceeding in handling this Question and therefore the boldnesse and impudency of this blattering Dialogist is detestable when he affirmeth that my Treatise of the Sabbath overthroweth the Doctrine of the Church of England Lastly all the Reward which I desire to reape for my travell in this or in any other service of the Church is that the Truth which I have faithfully delivered may bee maintained and my integrity be protected against gracelesse impudent and irreverent Calumniators such as the Author of the Dialogue hath proclaimed himselfe to be in this and in some other of his lewd and lawlesse Pamphlets For although this Dialogue penner hath concealed his name yet Ex ungue Leonem the world may easily conjecture who the Creature is by his foule paw The Scope of his writing in his Pamphlets is to magnifie his owne Zeale piety
and integrity to perswade the World that he alone is left a Prophet of the LORD and is guided with the spirit of Verity and Fidelity and that the present Fathers and Rulers of our CHURCH and other conformable Persons who comply with them are little better than Hirelings and blinde Guides And besides his ignorance which is notorious the violent Man is so far transported with bitter Zeale that whatsoever proceeds from him is litigious clamorous scandalous and abusive and his Pamphlets are fraughted with such Materials as are apt to poyson Christian people with contempt and hatred of Ecclesiasticall Government and present Religion established in our CHURCH Also he is possessed with a gracelesse and malignant humour to wit looke whatsoever gives all other judicious and godly Persons best content enrageth him against such as are imployed in the Governement and publike service of the CHURCH But I shall detaine my Reader no longer from the Examination of this Man's Quarrels and Objections vented in his Dialogue and my Answer and Reply shall make it evident that the Doctrine propounded and maintained in my Treatise of the Sabbath maugre the malice of this Blatterant standeth firme and is not subject to any just Reproofe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prove all things and hold fast that which is good A devout Friend of all those who are lovers of Truth and Peace Fra. Eliens The Title and Inscription of the Dialogue A BRIEFE ANSWER TO A LATE TREATISE OF THE sabbath-SABBATH-DAY Digested Dialogue-wise betweene two Divines A and B beginning with these words Brother You are happily met THE saying of Saint Augustine may justly bee applyed to this Dialogist to wit It is an easie matter for such as cannot be silent to frame babling answers and none are so forward to crake as empty Casks puffed up with Vanity but although Vanity can make lowder noise than Verity yet it will have no power to prevaile against Verity a Aug. de Civ Dei l. 5. c. 27. Facile est cuiquam videri respondisse qui tacere noluerit Aut quid est loquacius vanitate Quae non ideo potest quod veritas quia si voluerit etiam plus potest clamare quaÌ„ veritas Now upon due examination of the Cavils and Objections contained in this Dialogue it will be manifest that the Author thereof is not a person in any measure qualified with endowments and abilities requisite and necessary for such an Vndertaker to wit with sound Iudgement sufficient Learning love of Verity together with Modesty and Humility For instead of solid and substantiall proceeding the judicious Reader shall finde nothing in his Dialogue but presumptuous Dictats absurd and non-concluding Objections perversion of the true state of the question solution of Arguments by denying the Conclusion and pretermission of the Premises abuse of Terms when he citeth Authors rude and irreverent Behaviour b Hieron ad Nepotian Nolo te declamatoreÌ„ esse rabulam garrulumque sine ratione sed mysteriorum peritum Sacramentorum Dei tui eruditissimuÌ„ Verba voluere celeritate dicendi apud imperitum vulgus admirationem sui facere indoctorum hominum est Attrita frons interpretatur saepe quoâ— nescit cum aliis persuaserit sibi quoque usurpat scientiam toward the Person Calling of Him whom he stileth his Adversary And the most of his Positions concerning the Sabbath and the Lord's-day are repugnant to the common sentence of all learned and godly Divines who have treated of this Argument in ancient or moderne Times This rude and gracelesse creature had not the honesty to consider that the Author of that Treatise against which he barketh undertook his Work by command of High and lawfull Authority and the true Reason inducing his Superiours to imploy him in this service was urgent and important For a pestilent and subtile Treatise was published and dedicated to his Royall Majestie in which the Author maintained with much confidence a Theoph. Brab I am tyed in conscience rather to depart with my life than with this truth so captivated is my conscience and enthralled to the Law of God H. B. Law and Gosp reconcil â—p Dedicat. A Booke lately come forth which would utterly evacuate the Lord's-day and reduce us to the Iewish Sabbath againe which will be a worke so much the more necessary by how much this Iewish Sabbatarian findes already many idle gâ—ddy-brained Christians to imbrace thâ— his Booke which is written with a mighty confident and Gyant like spirit as if the arguments thereof were invincible and with sundry probable Arguments That the old Sabbath of the 4th Commandement and not the Sunday or Lord's day of every weeke ought by divine Law to be religiously observed in the Christian Church Now the Grounds and Principles upon which that Sabbatarian builded his errour were the same Positions and Dictats which this Dialogue weaver and some late Teachers of our owne Nation have peremptorily maintained in their Pamphlets Lectures and Catechismes and had those Positions and Dictats beene divine Verities it would have beene impossible to have solved Th. Brab his Objections in a cleere and substantiall manner For it is most certaine that the Sabbath-day commanded to be kept holy in the 4th Precept of the Decalogue was Saturday the seventh and last day of the Weeke b Aug. Ep. 119. c. 10. Sabbatum coÌ„mendatum est priori populo in ocio corporali temporaliter ut figura esset sanctificationis in râ—quiem Spiritus Sancti Nusquam enim legimus sanctificationem per omnes priores dies de solo Sabbato dictum est et sanctificavit Deus diem septimum That day of the weeke in which Almighty God ceased or rested from the worke of prime Creation That very day which the Iewes perpetually observed in their Generations The same day concerning which the Pharisees so often contested with our Saviour The day which was a figure of Christ his resting in his grave and of our Christian Sabbatisme or spirituall Resting from sin Reade the Bishops Treatise pag. 182 183. Now this being a certaine and undeniable verity it will be consequent that if the 4th Commandement of the Decalogue be simply entirely and properly morall and of the Law of Nature as this Objecter pretendeth Then the Saturday-Sabbath of every Weeke must be observed by Christians and not the Sunday or Lord's Day in the place thereof A necessity therefore was cast upon the Bishop to examine this and such like Sabbatarian Principles and to demonstrate the falsity of them For He was not otherwise able by any course of true Disputation to solve Th. Brab his objections Sine causa enimaliquis ramos conatur incidere si radicem non conatur evellere a Aug. li. 50. Homil 8. It will prove lost labour for any one to endeavour to lop off the boughes or branches of a Tree if he shall still suffer the Roote to grow Also because Th. Brab had â—â—on
page 23. his words are This Position to wit that the fourth Commandement is properly and perpetually morall and is for quality and obligation equall to the other nine Commandements which for many yeares hath raigned in Pamphlets Pulpits and Conventicles and is entertained as an Oracle by all such as either openly professe or doe leane towards the disciplinarian faction is destitute of truth These are his words which comparing with the words of the Homily of our Church already cited are found quite contrary For the Homily saith That the fourth Commandement is a Law of Nature and ought to be retained and kept of all good Christians in as much as it commandeth one day of the Weeke for rest and God hath given an expresse charge to all Men that the Sabbath-day which is our Sunday should be spent wholly in heavenly exercises of God's true Religion and Service Answ The Summe of the former accusation is That the Bishop in his Treatise overthrowes the Doctrine of the Church of England in the point of the Sabbath For his Doctrine is repugnant to the Homily c. which teacheth that the fourth Commandement is of the Law of Nature c. and that all Christians ought to keep it holily and one day in seven is perpetually to be kept holy the keeping of the Lord's-day is commanded by the 4th Commandement The Lord's-day may be called the Christian Sabbath-day Lastly the Lord's-day ought wholly to be spent in holy rest and duties of sanctification Now the Bishop saith the Objector hath opposed all these positions for he hath affirmed in his Treatise of the Sabbath that the fourth Commandement is not properly intirely and perpetually morall like as are the other nine and he hath permitted some bodily exercise and recreation to wit such as is honest and sober upon the Sunday and hee denies that in a legall sense the lord's-Lord's-day is to be called the sabbath-Sabbath-day To the former the Bishops answer is that the Objector hath snatched some words of the Homily but he hath not duly observed the true sense and meaning thereof Athanas Orat. 1. c. Arrian Verba quidem profert veram tamen inde sentontiam sufferatur Tertul. ad Praxean Malo te ad seâ—â—um â—â—i quâ— ad sonum vocabuli exerceas For first the Homily doth not affirme that the fourth Commandement is purely intirely and properly morall and of the Law of Nature like as are the other nine But that whatsoever is found in the Commandement appertaining to the Law of Nature being most godly most just and needfull to the setting forth of Gods glory ought to be retained Now if nothing else in the fourth Commandement is of the Law of Nature but only that which is most just godly and needfull to the setting forth of Gods glory then the Homily maketh not the letter of that Commandement of the Law of nature but the intent and meaning thereof is That the fourth Commandement in respect of the naturall equity b Al. Hal 3. â— 32. m. 5 ar 1. Hoc praecepto praecipitur tempus vacationis aliquoâ— secundum hoc est morale legis naturae hoc secundum indâ—terminationeÌ„ hoc modo secundâ— indeterminationem praecipitur Dominica dies tempore gratiae which is that the Rulers of the Church must appoint necessary convenient and sufficient time for Divine Worship and for religious offices is morall and of the Law of Nature And if the Objector will straine the words of the Homily to a further sense let him well consider into what absurdities and contradictions he will be forced to plunge himselfe For if this Commandement be intirely purely and properly Morall a H. B. Gosp and Law recon p. 38. The CoÌ„mandement of the Sabbath is morall and so no lesse perpetuall then all the rest for if none of the rest of the CoÌ„mandements be abolished then neither the fourth Pag. 42. 49. The Law of the Sabbath was imprinted in Adams heart by the Law of Nature and of the Law of Nature like as the other nine Then it must have all the essentiall characters of the Law of Nature and of Precepts purely and entirely morall But it wanteth all these as is proved by demonstrative arguments in the Bishops book pag. 26. untill pag. 37. and pag. 172. Neverthelesse that I may more fully discover the ignorance and presumption of this Dialogist I shall propound an argument against him which he will hardly be able to solve to wit The Law of Nature was made knowne to all mankinde b Isidor Etimol l. 5. ca. 4. Ius naturale commune est omniuÌ„ nationum eo quod ubique instinctu naturae non constitutioneâ— aliqua habetur by the Common light of naturall reason The same is immutable unchangeable c Decret Dist 5. Naturale jus ab exordio rationalis naturae nec mutatur tempore sed immutabile permanet Aug. Confess l. 2. c. 4. Lex scripta in cordibus hominum quam nec ipsa quidem delet iniquitas eternall indispensable But the fourth Commandement concerning the Sabbath was not imprinted naturally or made knowne to all mankinde by the common light of naturall reason but it was made knowne only and wholly by divine and supernaturall revelation Also the fourth Commandement was changeable and mutable for the Sabbath of that Commandement which was Saturday according to the Objectors owne Tenet was changed into Sunday And lastly it admitted sundry dispensations pag. 34. 67. Now the premises being indubitate Verities The conclusion is firme to wit That the fourth Commandement of the Decalogue is no precept of the Law of Nature d Theod. in Ezek. 20.12 Illud non moechaberis non furtum facies alia cum his conjuncta alios quoque homines naturae lex edocuit At Sabbati observandi non natura magistra sed latio legis Walaeus Alii Synops purior Theolog. disp 21. n. 20. Sabbati praeceptum non est à naturae necessitate ut reliqua praecepta quae menti insita per se cognita sunt sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex voluntaria Dei institutione D. bound d. Sab. l. 1. p. 11. Indeed this Law was given in the beginning not so much by the light of Nature as the rest of the Commandements were but by expresse word For though this be the Law of Nature that some dayes should be separated to Gods worship yet that it should he every seventh day that the LORD himselfe set downe neither is it purely intirely and properly morall like the other nine but meerely positive in respect of any one particular day of the Weeke specified in the same The Bishop desires to receive some reasonable answer from Br. B. to this and to other the like arguments delivered in his Treatise of the Sabbath for if he shall according to his rude manner barke and blatter against his adversaries Positions and dissemble his arguments it is apparent that he maintaines a forlorne and
it 2 It is granted that the fourth Commandement is expresse for a certaine day for a particular day Namely for Saturday But if it be expresse for Saturday and for that Individuall day only Then it is not expresse for Sunday and the observation of Sunday must either be grounded upon the naturall equity of the fourth Commandement or else it cannot be grounded upon that Commandement at all 3 Brother B. saith in this passage of his Dialogue The fourth Commandement is expresse for a certaine day But in another of his treatises hee delivereth the contrary to wit The Commandement saith not Remember the Seventh day to sanctifie it but Remember the Sabbath whatsoever it be to sanctifie it Now a certaine day is definite and a Sabbath day whatsoever it be is indefinite Therefore if the fourth Commandement enjoyneth a Sabbath Day whatsoever it be it commandeth a day indefinite and not a particular and certaine day 4 If the fourth Commandement is expresse for the Lord's-Day then it either nameth this day in particular or it describeth the same by some Characters by which it is distinguished from other dayes But the Commandement neither nameth the Lord's Day in particular nor yet describeth it by any speciall Characters but on the contrary it both nameth the Seventh day and describeth it by a speciall Character whereby it is distinguished from other dayes to wit by God's resting from his grand worke of prime Creation Therefore the fourth Commandement is not expresse for the keeping holy of the Lord's-day but if wee will have the day expressely commanded we must observe the Old Sabbath Day according to Theoph. Brabourne's Tenet 5 Whereas the Objector saith the Commandement must determine the particular time and day in Individuo because otherwise if the same be lef◠indetermined man should forget God and himselfe and allow no time at all for God's service The answer is there can be no just reason for people to forget God and to allow no time at all for his service if a sufficient and convenient time be indefinitely commanded by the Law of Nature and a definite and particular day and time be appointed by the Pastors of the Church For the precepts of the Church being godly and holy and subservient to God's glory and being grounded upon Apostolicall example oblige Christian people to their particular duty in observing time and place and many other circumstances concerning God's service and Christians are obliged to observe all such godly precepts when the same are meanes to execute God's generall Law which is Let all things in the Church be done decently and in good order and to edification c. pag. 99. B. It is a Law of nature that every Lord and Master should have the power in himselfe to appoint not only the kinde of service but the time when it should be performed of his servants As Alexander d. Ales a Alex. Hal. part 3. quaest 32. saith upon the fourth Commandement The time of this Rest it is not in Man's power to determine but God's Answ The chiefe Lord and Master of the family hath the supreme authority to determine the time and circumstances of his owne service But hee may delegate subordinate power to his Steward or other Officers to performe the same In the Old Law God Almighty prescribed the particular day and place of his publike worship to wit the Saturday of every weeke c. and the Tabernacle c. But in the Evangelicall Law he hath not expressely or literally appointed either a particular day or a particular place But Christian Kings being nursing Fathers and the Bishops being Pastors and Governours in the Church and Stewards of this great Lord by a delegate and ministeriall power may lawfully performe this pag. 187. I desire the judicious Reader to consider that the former Objection is a pestilent drug borrowed from Schismatickes and from Separatists pag. 95. and if the same bee admitted it takes away all power from the Kings Majesty and from the Church to appoint any set place for God's publike service or to ordaine any holy dayes or festivall solemnities or to determine the houres of the day for peoples resorting to Church and their continuance at the Church Lastly it denies the Churches power of composing any externall forme or Liturgy for God's publike and solemne worship B. Againe the Adversary acknowledgeth an equity in the fourth Commandement What equity If as it bound the ancient people of God to one day in the weeke it doe not also binde the Christian People to keep one day in the Weeke And if it be the equity of the fourth Commandement to prescribe one day in seven then they are very unjust that deny the keeping of the lord's-Lord's-Day to be grounded upon the equity of the fourth Commandement It were well if they would stand to equity But this doth our Adversary flye from for he saith in the next words The particular forme and circumstances of resting are prescribed unto us by the precepts of the Church our spirituall actions according to that which is maine and substantiall in them are taught by the Evangelicall Law Their modification and limitation in respect of rituall and externall forme and in regard of place duration gesture habit and other externall circumstances are prescribed by the Law of the Church So He. Thus you see how hee limits the prescription of circumstances which comprehend time and place persons and duration when and how long God shall bee served unto the prescription of the Law of the Church which he expresseth more fully pag. 270. saying It was in the free election of the Church to appoint what day or dayes or times she thought good or found convenient for religious duties a P. Martyr in Genes 2. Quod hic dies magis quam ille eligatur ad Dei cultum liberū fuit ecclesiae per Christum ut id consuleret quod magis ex re judicaret Bulling Cō in Apoc. 1.10 Sponte vero Ecclesiae receperuntillam diem non legimus eam ullibi praeceptam Hospin de Orig. Fest ca. 8. Et si ex hijs constet Dominicum diem jam tum Apostolorum temporibus Iudaici Sabbathi loco fuisse solennem non invenitur tamē vel Apostolos vel alios lege aliqua aut praecepto observationē ejus instituisse sed illam fuisse liberam c. In primitiva Ecclesia ipsius quoque Dominicae diei observatio nulla certa lege praecepta sed libera fuerit c. For the Evangelicall Law hath not determined any certaine day or time And those actions or circumstances which are not determined by divine precept are permitted to the liberty and authority of the Church to be determined and appointed So He. But cleare it is that the Church of England disclaimeth all such power a Reade the words of the Statute recited in the Preface to the Reader and it will be evident that Br. B. is a deceiver but ascribes all authority
Sabbath for the Objector hath formerly rejected the equity of the fourth Commandement and therefore he must wholly ground his Tenet upon the expresse words or upon some necessary and formall illation from the words or sentences of that Commandement 5 In S. Pauls Text 1 Cor. 16.2 we find a mandate that the Corinthians upon the first day of the weeke should lay aside something for charitable uses according as God had enabled them and more than this we reade not in that Text. 6 The Place Revel 1.10 containes no mandate for no imperative words are found therein but only a narration of the time in which S. Iohn received his Propheticall Revelation Lastly the Bishop is perswaded that the holy Apostles not presently or immediately but certaine yeares after Christ's Resurrection taught Christian people to observe the Lord's-day 109. 189. But this impetuous Objector cannot demonstrate that the holy Apostles themselves or their immediate Successours grounded the observation of this day upon the old Law of the 4th Commandement And therefore we trust Br. B. will not take it unkindely that we cannot yeeld assent to his verball Positions which are not confirmed by Divine or Ecclesiasticall testimony nor yet by any other weighty grounds of reason and lastly they are repugnant to the common Tenet of the most judicious Divines ancient and moderne A. The maine knot of the whole Controversie is about the designation of the particular and speciall time consecrated to Gods worship whether it be comprehended and prescribed in the fourth Commandement or depends upon the determination of the Church The Adversary confesseth a naturall equity in the fourth Commandement That some time is to be set apart for the service of God but indeputate and left at large to the liberty of the Church to determine and limit the speciall time when and how long what portion and proportion is to be allowed c. I pray you more fully elucidate this Point c. Ans 1. The Bishop's Tenet is That by the equity naturall of the fourth Commandement a necessary sufficient and convenient time ought to bee appointed by the Christian Church for Divine worship and for religious offices Therefore it is not left to the Churches liberty and arbitterment to allow what portion or proportion of time it pleaseth For it must in duty and obedience to God proportion a full convenient and sufficient time 2 The Church shall doe that which is offensive if without just necessary and urgent cause it presume to remove the ancient bounds or to alter the ordinance of primitive times concerning the religious observance of the Lord's-day For the Tradition a Hieron c Lucifer Etiamsi scripturae authoritas noÌ„ subesset totius orbis in hanc partem coÌ„sensus instar praecepti obtinet NaÌ„ multa alia quae per TraditioneÌ„ in Ecclesiis observantur authoritatem sibi scriptae legis usurpaverunt of the Holy Apostles and of the Primitive and Apostolicall Church ought highly to be honoured and respected and according to Saint Augustines b Aug. Ep. 118. ad Ianuar. cap. 5. rule it is insolent madnesse unlesse it be done upon necessary reason to vary from the same pag. 270. B. The Adversary doth the more easily play fast and loose c Observe How this bould Bayaâ—d faceth and in the end fayleth in his proofe in the myst of his generalities though while hee cannot or dare not for shame utterly deny the morality of the fourth Commandement which all Divines doe hold yet he denies any particular speciall determinate time to be commanded or limited therein but will have that wholly put and placed in the power of the Church It will be requisite therefore to stop this hole a You will stop this hole with bold prating onely that he may not have the least evasion but by the cords of strong reasons b Your cordes of strong reason will proove roaps of sand and cordes of vanitie be bound and forced to confesse That either the fourth Commandement doth prescribe and determine a set certaine fixed proportion of time consecrated by God himselfe unto his solemne and sacred worship Or else that it commands to Vs Christians no certaine time or day at all and so the morality of it if ever it had any is quite abolished and no other Law or Commandement now binds us but the precept or practise of the Church This is the very Summe and upshot of the matter Answ 1. The Bishop delivered all his Positions and Assertions concerning the Sabbath in perspicuous distinct and clear Sentences Termes and Propositions in which there is no ambiguity no equivocation no fast and loose as this Bold-face declameth 2 He hath confirmed the said Positions with strong and weighty reasons the most of them are Demonstrative and his Arguments are such as this Objector is afraid to looke upon them and throughout his Dialogue like unto a Cravin Cur he bites behinde at the conclusion but dares not looke the Premises of the Arguments in the face 3 It was not feare or shame that induced the Bishop to maintain the naturall equity of the fourth Commandement but love of verity and weight of reason and the consent of grave and judicious Divines But neither feare nor shame can perswade this rude animall a Homine imperito nihil est improbius Qui nisi quod ipse facit nihil rectuÌ„ purat who is maledicus conviciator non veridicus Disputator to deliver any thing materiall or which savoureth of common reason 4 The Position that the morality of the fourth Commandement must be utterly abolished unlesse it command us Christians a definite and particular day as it did the Iewes is an idle and presumptuous position as will appeare by the loose and inepte Arguments which the Dialogaster brings to confirme the same B. Now I shall prove and make it evident that the fourth Commandement either prescribes a certaine proportion of time and a fixed day b The fourth Commandement appointed a particular fixed day to wit Saturday and if it is in that very respect morall why doth H. B. condemne Th. Brab consecrate to God and in that very respect is perpetually morall binding us Christians to the same proportion or else if it determine no set proportion of time but leaves it at large c It leaves it not at large but the equity and analog e of the Commandement obligeth the Church to appoint necessâ—ry convenient and sufficient time to the Church to proportionate whether longer or shorter Then there remaines no such obligatory equity in the fourth Commandement as to binde the Church to appoint and allow such or such a proportion of time but that if this time which the Church appointeth be either one day in twenty or forty or an hundred or one day in the yeere or so or but one piece of a day in such a revolution of time and not one whole or intire day much lesse one whole day in every seven
peccatum Quod quamdiu in peccato vixerint non dimittitur Pro. 28.13 Esay 1.16 17. 55.7 An Adulterer therefore continuing in his sin committing the same as oft as opportunity serveth is not justified before God For God who calleth it an abomination in us Men to justifie the wicked Prov. 17.15 cannot himself justifie any sinner continuing in his wickednes and therefore every such sinner ceaseth to be justified untill hee have repented and forsaken his sinne The Author of the Appeale at this present a learned and Reverend Bishop maintained the former Doctrine by the words of the Homily affirming that the Doctrine delivered in the Homily was the Doctrine of the Church of England pag. li. 32. In answer to the former Brother B. sets his glosse upon the Homily saying a Plea to the Appeale lb. As neither the Church of England her self avoucheth or concludeth any thing for Doctrine matters of faith but so far as is consonant to the word of God so neither are we to measure her doctrines but by the only line and rule of the Scriptures Ib. For the Articles and Hâ—milies of the Church of England wee subscribed unto theÌ„ indeed but not to the private sense which every particular man may put upon them Idem Christ Conf. Compl. pâ—g 92. that we are to measure the Doctrines of the Church of England by the line and rule of holy Scr pture and that we must not take the words of the Homily at the first rebound according to our owne fancy but so far as the same is consonant to the word of God pag. 14. But if this Rule which the Dialogue Dauber hath approved is authenticall then we can see no reason wherefore it may not be lawfull for us as well as for him to expound the words of the Homily in point of the Sabbath according to the sense of holy Scripture And if we may do this then it is undoubtedly true that it was not the intent of the Homily to make the 4th Commandement a Precept of the Law of Nature or a morall Precept purely intirely and properly such Our request likewise is that Br. B. would make a review of a confident Argument propounded by him against the Appealer in his Plea pag. 17. the scope whereof is That a Person once justified and in the state of Grace if afterwards he become an Adulterer or wilfully commit any other the like crime or sin and continueth therein yet he still remaineth in the state of Grace without any diminution of his faith no not in the degrees His Argument is as followeth A mortall Father begets a mortall Son So the immortall God can beget no Son but he is immortall Now it is impossible for the immortall God to dye no not for a moment Of this nature also is the Borne of God a H. B. Plea to the Appeal Now this being so cleare a proofe if any places of Scripture seeme to be opposit they are so onely in sound not in sence he cannot fall away totally that is dye in his spirituall life no not for a moment But upon the foresaid ground Br. B. may proceed further and conclude that no person once regenerate can possibly sin at any time in thought word or deed neither can hee die a temporall death For if God Almighty being a Father of the regenerate hath begotten all his sonnes in nature like himselfe and it is impossible for God Himselfe either to dye or to sinne Then it will likewise be impossible for any Regenerate Persons to sinne in thought word or deed they cannot at any time covet or lye or transgresse any Divine Law neither can they dye a temporall Death The learned Author of the Appeale beleeveth that Br. B. was pleased to act Asotus his part although hee stiled himselfe Orthodoxus when hee propounded the former Argument For although it is true that an immortall father begetting a son of the same nature and substance with himselfe every such naturall sonne must be immortall like unto his naturall father as appeareth in the second person of the Trinity according to his Deity b Aug. c. Faust Manich. li. 3. ca. 3. Vnicum filium habet Deus quâ—m genuit de substantia sua de quo dicitur cum in forma Dei esset non rapinam arbitratus est se aequalem esse Deo Nos autem non de substantia sua genuit creatura enim sumus quam non genuit sed fecit yet it is extreme false and most absurd to affirme that all such Persons as are the Sonnes of God meerely by his Voluntary Election free gift or by Creation or Adoption and so farre as they imitate and obey him * Id. Serm. Dom. in Mont. c. 46. Vnus naturaliter filius est qui nescit omnino peccare Nos autem potestate accepta efficimur filii in quantum ea quae ab illo praecipiuntur implemus Id. in Psa 44. Ille creando pater sed nos illum imitando filii Matth. 5.45 doe partake the essentiall and naturall proprieties and Attributes of God himselfe their heavenly Father For Adam was the sonne of God by Creation Luk. 3.38 And Infants baptized are regenerate with the Holy Spirit and made the Children of God by Adoption and yet notwithstanding Adam by disobedience fell from grace and became mortall and all Infants regenerate in Baptisme are mortall and many of these comming to yeares of discretion by sinne and Infidelity fall away from the state of Grace and Adoption a August Ep. 59. Quid dicturus est de Infantulis parvulis qui plerique accepto in illa aetate gratiae SacrameÌ„to qui sine dubio pertinerent ad vitaÌ„ aeternam regnumque caeloruÌ„ si continuo ex hac vita emigrarent sinuntur crescere noÌ„nulli etiam Apostatae sunt received in their Baptisme Prosper Aquitauicus b Prosp ad artic fals impos cap. 7. Cyprian Ep. 76. Nonnulli de illis qui sani baptizantur si postmodum peccare caeperint Spiritu immundo redeunte quatiuntur ut manifestum sit diabolum Baptismo fide credentis excludi si fides postmodum defecerit regredi S. Augustine's Disciple and interpreter saith as followeth Ex regeneratis in Christo Iesu qâ—â—sdâ—â— relicta fide â—â—is moribus apostatare à Deo impiam Vitamin suâ—â—versione finire multis quod dolendum est probatur exemplis Among those which are regenerate in Christ Iesus that some persons by forsaking faith and good manners fall away from God and â—nd their wicked life in Apostasie is proved the more is the pitty by many examples A. Sir you have abundantly satisfied me in this point and I suppose every Rationall man and true bred sonne of the Church of England and surely I wonder so learned a man should commit so foule an error as not to search better into the Doctrine of our Church so clearely expressed in the Homily Answ In the Bishop's Epistle prefixed
most notorious Sabbath-breakers that live And Sect. 38. n. 1. He saith Let it be observed if all disorders bee not most in those parts among Vs where the people is most Pope-holy c. And for mine own part having spent much of my time among them this I have found that in all excesse of sinne Papists have beene the Ring-leaders in riotous Companies in drunken meetings in seditious assemblies and practises in prophaning the Sabbath in quarrels and brawles in Stage-Playes Greenes Ales and al Heathenish customes c. Thus this reverend Divine Candore notabilis ipso whom all the Iesuiticall smoak out of the bottomlesse pit cannot besmeare or besmudge or dye blacke with all their black mouth'd obloquies A. Surely these are very pregnant passages And it makes me tremble to thinke and amazeth me How one White is so contrary to another As also how the Libertinisme dispensed with now a dayes on the Sabbath tendeth to bring Vs Protestants to be like to the Papists in their prophane times in taking up their Heathenish savage and barbarous manners and customes Answ This rude Dialogist hath a Palsie in his braine which causeth him to tremble For the matter it selfe affoordeth no occasion of any such passion For there is not any contradiction between the two brethren in their Doctrine For the one brother called the Lord's-Day the Sabbath in a mysticall sence And the other brother saith it is not the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement in a literall and proper sence One brother condemneth Papists for using prophane ungodly savage and heathenish pastimes upon the lord's-Lord's-Day The other Brother maintaineth that some kinde of pastime and recreation namely such as is not Vicious either in forme or quality or in Circumstance may be lawfully used upon the Lords-Day But the Objector as his manner is wasteth many words but avoydeth and declineth the true state of the question B. Me thinkes the very reading of the fourth Commandement every Lord's-Day might stop his mouth saving that he hath found out many inventions to elude the nature and property of this Commandement as pag. 158. 159. c. which I hope H. B. will meete withall Answ It was one of Theoph. Brabourn's arguments ad hominem to prove that we are to observe the literall Sabbath of the fourth Commandement because this Commandement is read in the Church every holy day and after the reading thereof we beseech God to incline our hearts to keepe that Law For that Commandement enjoyned the observation of the seventh day Sabbath to wit the same Sabbath which the Old Testamen established and the Iewes observed Now this argument being popular and plausible The Bishop is perswaded he did good service in solving the same upon true grounds And because this Objector is not able holding his own Principles to give any solution or satisfactory answere to it He should not like the Dogge in the manger have barked against others and done nothing himselfe B. The twentieth Injunction of Queene Elizabeth He also perverteth whiles he confoundeth the Lord's-Day with other Holy dayes which the Injunction doth clearly distinguish for that liberty which it dispenseth with touching worke in Harvest time is not spoken of the lord's-Lord's-Day or Holy day as is there called and set alone by it selfe but of Holy and festivall dayes only of humane institution A. I thanke you for this observation Answ In which words doth the Injunction clearely distinguish the Sunday from the other Holy dayes in respect of labour in Harvest bold Br. B. cease to prate and out-face and prove what you say otherwise none will credit you but Goslings of your owne brooding 1 The Queenes Injunction speaketh in generall of all holy dayes in the yeare and it setteth down no difference betweene Sunday and the other Holy dayes concerning working in Harvest 2. Queene Elizabeths Injunction was taken Verbatim out of an Injunction of the same quality of King Edward the sixth which was grounded upon the Statute Quinto Sexto of Edward the sixth Now in this Statute 1 The Sunday is made one of the ordinary Holy dayes of the yeare All the dayes hereafter mentioned shall bee kept and commanded to bee kept Holy dayes and none other that is to say all Sundayes in the yeare the dayes of the feast of Circumcision Epiphany c. 2 In this Statute no special priviledge for abstinence from necessary labour is given it more than the rest Statute Edward sixt provided alwayes and it is enacted by the authority aforesaid it shall be lawfull to every husbandman labourer fisherman c. upon the Holy dayes aforesaid in harvest or at any other time of the yeare when necessity shall require to labour ride fish or worke any kinde of worke at their free wills and pleasure any thing in this act to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding 3 In our present Liturgie the Sunday is ranked among the other Holy dayes in these words These to bee observed for Holy dayes and none other That is to say all Sundayes in the yeare the dayes of the feast of the Circumcision of our Lord Iesus Christ of the Epiphanie of the Purification of the blessed Virgin c. 4 The Homily formerly cited by the Objector granteth liberty to people to exercise some labour on the Sunday in time of great necessity and Queene Elizabeth's Injunction agreeing with ancient Imperiall Lawes a Cod. Iustinian li. 3. Tit. 12. §. 3. Constant A. Elpidio Omnes Iudices urbanaeque plebes cunctarum artium officia venerabili die solis quiescant Ruri tamen positi agrorū culturae libere libēterque inserviant quoniam frequēter evenit ut non aptius alio die frumenta sulcis aut vineae scrobibus mandentur ne occasione momenti pereat commoditas caelesti provisione concessa specifieth one kinde of bodily labour to wit working in harvest Therefore the Homily by labour understands not only bodily workes of absolute necessity such as are mentioned by the Objector to wit about scare-fires and invasion of enemies but all labour in generall which is of urgent necessity and which was not in those times prohibited by Civill or Ecclesiasticall Law A. I am occasioned to aske your judgement of those passages of his touching Recreations on that day in which argument he hath spent many leaves B. But without any good fruit And as his discourses are hereupon large so they require a large refutation which I hope H. B. will performe He distinguisheth Recreations into two sorts 1. Honest and Lawfull 2. Vicious and unlawfull c. I note his pitifull enterferings by equivocations contradictions b Let the Iudicious Reader examine by what Arguments this blūdering beast confirmes his rude accusation and the artifice of his purest naturall wit in spinning a curious webbe of so fine a thred as wherwith though he may thinke to cover himselfe yet it is pervious and penetrable to every eye Answ Whosoever shall reade the Treatise with impartiall judgement
will perceive that the Bishop in his Doctrine concerning Recreations hath proceeded plainely distinctly and without equivocations or contradictions For. 1. He delivereth a definition of Recreation in generall out of approved Authors pag. 229. 2 He divideth Recreations into two kindes to wit into honest and lawfull and into such as are vicious and unlawfull 3 He defines these two species of Recreations approoving the first kind if they be used in due time and with due circumstances and condemning the latter upon all dayes and seasons But it seemes this sonne if confusion is offended because the Bishop's Treatise concerning Recreations is so cleare and exact that he can finde no defective passage in it on which he might fasten his envious jawes B. If I might bee bold a You haue superlative boldnesse but little truth and honesty I would aske him what he thinkes of promiscuous meetings of wanton youth in their May-games setting up of May-poles dancing about them dancing the Morice and leading the Ring-dance and the like unto which Dr. Wh. in the former passage pag. 266. doth not obscurely point as it were with the finger Are not these obscene or lascivious and voluptuous Pastimes Answ 1. This Momus deales like one Vrbicus in Saint Augustine Who wanting Arguments to prove That Christians were obliged to make the Sabbath of every weeke a fasting day fell into a bitter invective against luxurious feasting drunken bâ—nquetting and lewde drinkings a Aug. Ep. 86. Cum cum argumeÌ„ta deficiunt quibus probet Sabbato jejunandum in luxurias convivarum temulenta convivia nequissimas ebrietates invehitur quasi non jejunare hoc sit inebriari Brother B. is destitute of firme Arguments to prove that all bodily exercise and civill recreation is simply unlawfull upon any part of the Sunday and therefore he imitates that Sectarian and declaimeth against lascivious and prophane sports and pastimes Now his Adversary maintaineth no Recreation which is prophane and lascivious or which is vicious in quality or circumstances either upon Sunday b Clem. Apost Const. li. 5. ca. 9. Neque in Dominicis diebus qui sunt dies laetitiarum permittimus vobis quicquam inhonestum loqui aut agere or upon any day of the Weeke Page 229 c. 2 Whereas the envious man demandeth what wee thinke of promiscuous meetings of wanton youth setting up May-Poles c. Our answer is that when hee hath proved by sound arguments such meetings and pastimes as the lawes of our kingdom and the Canons of our Church have permitted after that the Religious offices of the day are performed to be in quality or circumstance dishonest or vicious we must proclaime them to be unlawfull at all times but especially upon the holy day c B. Ely Treat p. 230. If they bee used upoÌ„ the Lord's Day or on other festivall dayes they are sacrilegious because they rob God of his honour to whose worship and service the Holy day is devoted they defile the soules of men for the clensing and edifying whereof the Holy Day is deputed B. I note how poorely he playes the Divine or Doctor by giving indulgence or more liberty to such as have quesie stomacks and cannot digest those wholesome meats which God's word and all sound Divines and Doctors doe prescribe a This Goose-quil antiquum obtiner for be gaggles only but produceth no sentence of Gods word truly applyed nor one sound Divine or Doctor who is adverse to the Bishop's Tenet c. Give Man a power thus to dispense with part of the Lord's-day which is an incroachment upon the fourth Commandement according to the Doctrine of our Church and why may not Man assume unto himselfe a power as the Pope doth to dispense with Servants and Children by allowing them some time wherein they shall bee free from the Controle of their Masters and their Parents Answ If there be no Divine Law prohibiting people to use honest and sober recreation upon some part of the Holy-day then he is no poore Divine or Doctor which yeeldeth such liberty to people as God hath not denyed them But there is no Divine Law written or unwritten prohibiting people to use honest and sober recreation upon some part of the Holy-day Therefore hee that yeeldeth such liberty to people is no poore Divine or Doctor But hee which upon false grounds denieth it them is a proud Pharisee 2 They which grant liberty to Children and Servants to disobey their Parents and Masters take upon them power to dispense with a Divine Law which is properly morall and of the Law of Nature But they that grant license to Christian people to use sober and honest recreation upon some part of the Holy-day dispense with no Divine Law either Morall Naturall or Positive Therefore the Objector's comparison is betweene things which are altogether unlike B. Our Treatiser doth miserably abuse the Scripture and so turne the grace of God into wantonnesse for he saith p. 257. The Law of Christ is sweet and easie Mat. 11.30 And his Commandements are not grievous 1 Iohn 5.3 Answ He abuseth not the Scripture who expoundeth and applyeth the same rightly But the Bishop hath expounded and applyed the two Texts of Scripture Matth. 11.30 and 1 Iohn 5.3 truly and rightly Therefore the Objector is a false accuser in saying the Treatiser hath abused the Scripture The Assumption is proved in manner following The Bishop delivered this Proposition All Divine Evangelicall Ordinances necessary to the salvation of every Christian are possible with ordâ—nary diligence and likewise with comfort to be observed for the Law of Christ is sweet and easie Mat. 11.30 and his Commandements are not grievous 1 Iohn 5.3 Now the foresaid Texts are truly expounded and they do fully confirme the Bishop's Proposition Therefore the Dialogue-dauber is a rude Blatterant a Hieron ad Ripar Quicquid amens loquitur vociferatio clamor est appellandus in saying the Treatiser hath miserably abused the Scripture B. And what then is Christ's Law so sweet and easie as that it gives indulgence to profane libertinisme This is to make the Gospell a sweet Fable as that Atheisticall Pontifician said Answ 1. Christ's Law is so sweet and easie as that it commandeth no externall service or duty necessary Necessitate medii to be performed by all Christians which they may not by the assistance of Divine Grace be able to performe with ordinary diligence and comfort b Arausic Concil ca. 25. Hoc etiam secunduÌ„ fidem catholicaÌ„ credimus quod accepta gratia per baptismum omnes baptizati Christo auxiliante cooperante quae ad salutem pertinent possint â—c debeant si fideliter laborare voluerint adimplere This Position is confirmed by the Bishop pag. 257. both by sentences of holy Scripture and by testimonies of ancient Fathers And from hence it is consequent that it is no sin much lesse no mortall crime equall to Murder Adultery and
Theft as the Novell Sabbatizers preach pag. 235. for Christian people to use some intermission from religious and spirituall actions and likewise some recreation upon some part of the lord's-Lord's-day and they are not obliged during the whole day which according to the Sabbatarian Tenet containeth 24. houres to forbeare to speake any words or think any thoughts or to performe any workes or actions which concerne either pleasure or profit read pag. 249. because it is morally impossible for them with comfort and ordinary diligence to continue 24. houres together in spirituall and religious exercises and meditations 2 The Law of Christ condemneth all profane libertinisme but why doth Br. Asotus stile such recreation as neither is vicious in forme quality or circumstance by the name of profane liberty And other recreation than this the Bishop maintaineth not either upon Sunday or upon any other day pag. 229. 3 The Bishop intreateth Br. B. to resolve him whether it is not a Doctrine of Libertinisme to animate Christian people in disobedience of lawfull Authority to teach them it is a branch of their Christian liberty to be their owne guides in point of Religion to deprave or to neglect the Common Service and other Duties enjoyned by the precepts of the true Church whereof they are members to maligne Ecclesiasticall Governours and to proclaime them Veines of the Pope and to be of a Papall Spirit if they presume to instruct the inferiour Clergie in point of Religion To bequarrell godly and learned persons who comply not with the new Sect in their fanaticall asseverations and to censure and controle all things which are not sutable to their owne groundlesse and sencelesse traditions Now in good earnest you Br. B. many judicious men are of minde that the fomenting of these humours in Christian people by Doctrine or example is a more proper act of profane libertinisme than such bodily exercise and recreation as the Lawes of our Kingdome and State have permitted B. I observe a very improper and so an untrue speech where hee saith if they should upon Puritan Principles restraine them wholly from all repast Who I pray you doth restraine the people from all repast on the Lord's-Day Or is prophane sport a repast to feede the rude Vulgar it seemeth so and liberty to youth is as their meate and drinke Answ It appeareth by the Law of the Sabbath Exod. 23.12 That one end and use thereof was the refreshing of the people upon the seventh day after six dayes toile and labour And the old Sabbath and other Festivals were Dies Laetitiae dayes of mirth and rejoycing and sober and honest recreation upon some part of the old Sabbath was prohibited by no Divine Law pag. 237. Now if in the time of the Gospell Christian people upon Principles borrowed out of the Talmud and the Rule of Pharisaicall Tradition should be surcharged with such rigid Ordinances as are imposed by Novell Sabbatarians pag. 235 236. 249 250. and he wholly restrained from all recreation upon any part of the Holy-day One end of the Holy-day should be destroyed and Christian people must be deprived of that liberty which God and nature have granted and from hence it will be consequent that the Holy-day instead of a day of Refreshing shall become a day of Oppressing people with an heavier burden than in right ought to be laid upon them and this would make the Holy-day more unwelcome than the plough-day and besides it might engender in peoples mindes a distast of their present Religion and manner of serving of God pag. 266. This passage highly displeaseth the Dialogue-broacher but instead of solid answer and confutation First he carpeth at the forme of speech affirming that it is improper but wherein he declareth not then he saith it is untrue this likewise is easily said but impossible to be proved After this he equivocates saying Who I pray you do restraine the people from all repast on the Lord's-day that is who restraineth people from eating and drinking on the Lord's-day And lastly he declineth the true state of the Question for whereas his owne Tenet is Vniversall to wit that all civill recreation is unlawfull upon the Sunday in his disputation hee opposeth some kindes of bodily exercises and recreations which seeme to him to be lascivious profane and really vicious in their proper forme and quality B. Pag. 266. He saith some Recreations not prohibited by our Lawes our religious Governours allow upon Holy-dayes And Pag. 232. Civill recreation not prohibited in termes neither yet by any necessary consequence from the Law cannot bee simply unlawfull And pag. 231. No just Law Divine Ecclesiasticall or Civill doth totally prohibit the same To this I reply that those sports fore-specified are prohibited by Law both Divine Ecclesiasticall and Civill 1. By Divine Law as Rom. 13.13 Gal. 5.21 1 Pet. 4.3 c. 2. By Ecclesiasticall Lawes and Councels c. 3. By just Civill Lawes c. Answ 1 It is an infallible verity and confessed by the Dialogue-forger himselfe that nothing can bee vicious or sinfull unlesse it bee prohibited expressely or virtually by some just Law c Aug. d. pec mer. remis l. 2. c. 12. Neque peccatum erit si non divinitus jubeatur ut non sit Br. B. Dialog p. 11. A sin it cannot bee but as a breach of one of God's holy Commandements for where there is no Law there is no transgression Divine or Humane But sober and honest repast recreation or pastime upon some part of the Holy-day is prohibited by no Divine Law nor by any Ecclesiasticall or Civill Law of our State and Church Therefore sober and honest recreation c. upon some part of our Holydayes is not vicious sinfull or unlawfull Now the Objector in his reply declineth as his manner is the true state of the Question and inveigheth against certaine particular Exercises and Recreations excepted against by some learned Divines and which have beene prohibited by publike authority in foraigne Nations But the Bishop in his Treatise proceeded no further concerning recreations than is before expressed to wit that such are neither vicious in forme quality or circumstance may lawfully be used upon some part of the Holy day if they shall be permitted by lawfull authority And the maine reason of his forbearance was because in the first part of his Treatise he undertooke to deliver no other Doctrine concerning the old Sabbath or the Lord's-day but such only as seemed to him both to be Orthodoxall and also Catholike and therefore he declined the Question concerning Pastimes and recreations in their particular leaving the same to a publike determination of the Church and State by reason there now is and in former times hath beene diversity of opinion among godly men concerning the quality of such particulars And if Br. B. esteemeth those bodily exercises and recreations to be profane and vicious which his gracious Majestie in a royall Edict permitteth his Subjects with sundry