SUNDAY NO SABBATH A SERMON Preached before the Lord Bishop of Lincolne at his Lordships visitation at Ampthill in the County of Bedford Aug. 17. 1635. BY JOHN POCKLINGTON Doctor of Divinitie late fellow and President both of Pembroke Hall and Sidney Colledge in Cambridge and Chaplaine to the Right Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of LINCOLNE 1 TIM 6.20 O Timothee depositum custodi devitans profanas vocum novitates oppositiones falsi nominis scientiae quam quidam promittentes circa fidem exciderunt LONDON Printed by ROBERT YOUNG 1636. SUNDAY NO SABBATH ACTS 20.7 8. 7 And upon the first day of the weeke when the Disciples came together to breake bread Paul preached unto them readie to depart on the morrow and continued his speech untill midnight 8. And there were many lights in the upper chamber where they were gathered together THis Text I conceive is not unfit for this time In the text is synaxis a meeting and at this time there is synodus a meeting In the text is a meeting of Disciples and such is the meeting at this time Hee that called the Disciples together and sate President in that meeting was the Apostle Paul and he that called us hither and sits President in this meeting is our Diocesan who can derive himselfe the successour of an Apostle otherwise we should have taken his call for the voice of a stranger and not have here appeared It is Saint Austines resolution S. Aug. cont Mâ—nich ep c. 4 â—om 6. Successio Episcoporum ab ipsâ sede Petri is that which amongst other things by him named keepes us in gremio Ecclesiae and subjects us to our Bishops jurisdiction The meeting in the text is intended for two Actions Breaking of bread and Preaching And the especiall intent of this meeting is to receive our Bishops directions for the administration of the Sacraments and Preaching as his Articles informe us Hitherto if I can but hold me by my text I hope not to fall into impertinencies But in the next place the day of meeting in the text jumpeth not with the day of meeting for this our Synod For that is the first day of the weeke yet this comes as neere it as may be for with Jacob it holds his brother by the heele this is the second And had it beene appointed on a Sunday the authority of the Councell of Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon would have justified it against all Sabbatarians For by the Emperours edict they were precisely commanded to meet and did meet and sate and gave suffrages and dispatched letters on a Sunday But in the other circumstances the text and the time are nothing at all allied The place of meeting then was an upper chamber ours a Church dedicated consecrated for those holy duties in the text and used also for Synods That meeting was in the night ours in the day They had the benefit of many lights we of one great light that ruleth the day In the text the Sermon continued till midnight but herein if I leave not my text you will leave me And if none of us all follow St. Paul in preaching in an upper chamber in the night and till midnight neither he nor his successours will taxe us For Saint Luke is faine to make an Apologie for him in these respects He was to depart the next morrow So that necessitie put him upon that time and place and the importunitie of his Disciples would not be satisfied with a shorter discourse For fons abiturus saies Saint Austine they knew they should never see his face any more S. Aug. ep 86. nor refresh their thirstie soules with those waters of life that issued from the fountaine of his blessed lips that he which could shake the Viper from his hand could not finde in his heart to cast these Babes from his breasts Therefore contrary to his owne rules given to the Corinthians he did administer the Sacrament and preach where men did both eat and drinke and continued the same out of order till midnight And so without any curious division I come after my plaine manner to handle the words in the text and for your better memorie take them up as they lie in order and begin with the time of this meeting Upon the first day of the weeke Herein I conceive foure things considerable 1. what is meant by the first day of the weeke 2. 3. next when and by whom was that day appointed for holy assemblies to meet on 4. when doth the holy observation of that day begin For the first S Basil Hâ—xam â—om 2. aâ— Sâ— Sâ—â—ct 27. The words in the Originall are one day of the Sabbaths one being put for first saies S. Basil as the evening and the morning were one day i.e. the first So una Sabbathi is that quam primam dicimus saies St. Ambrose as we finde it written S. Amb. ps 47. Mat. 28.1 Vesperi Sabbathi quae lucescit in primam Sabbathi In the end of the Sabbath when the first day of the week began to dawne S. Aug. ep 86. For that day saies Saint Augustine which three of the Evangelists call unam Sabbathi one Sabbath prima Sabbathi à Matthaeo dicitur Saint Matthew expounds them and calls the first day of the weeke And it is manifest saith the same Father that this first day of the weeke is that day qui posteà dies Dominicus appellatus est which afterward was called the Lords day S. Cyril in Johan l. 8. c. 58. Saint Cyril affirmes the very same Christ appeared to his Disciples una Sabbathi on one Sabbath or on the first day of the weeke i.e. die Dominico on the Lords day It is manifest then that by one day of the Sabbaths is meant the first day of the weeke and the first day of the weeke is the Lords day So wee see what is meant by the first day of the weeke it is the Lords day The next points are when and by whom was the observation of the Lords day appointed The Church saith St. Ignatius hath set apart one day S Ignat. ep ad Magnes and called it the Lords day in confutation of those sonnes of perdition that deny the Lords worke performed on that day that is his resurrection So have you the time when and the authority that did appoint the observation of the Lords day delivered by Ignatius scholar to Saint John Niceph. l. 2. c. 35 that first so called it and as it is recorded one of those babes whom our Saviour tooke up into his armes as his master was received in his bosome The time was the time the Apostles lived in The authoritie was the Church What meane you by the Church Take that cleered out of St. Augustine S. Aug. ep 119. Apostoli Apostolici viri sanxerunt the Apostles and Apostolike men have ordained that the first day of the weeke should be set apart for the religious and
guilefull zeale to be thought to speake the Scripture phrase when indeed the dregs of Ashdod flow from their mouthes For that day which they nickname the Sabbath is either no day at all or not the day that they meane It were well therefore that they would forbeare to speake strange languages in the Church for Saint Pauls sake and use them then when they all meet together in new England amongst them that understand the language for with us the Sabbath is Saturday and no day else No ancient Father Father Nay no learned man Heathen or Christian tooke it otherwise from the beginning of the world till the beginning of their schisme in 1554. And if wee finde the word otherwise used in some writings that of late come unto our hands blame not the Clerkes good men for it nor intitle the misprision any higher or otherwise than to these pretenders to pietie who for their owne ends have for a long time deceived the world with their zealous and most ignorant or cunning clamours and rung the name of Sabbath so commonly into all mens eares that not Clerkes onely but men of judgement learning and vertue not heeding peradventure so much as is requisite what crafty and wicked device may be menaged under the vaile of a faire word used in Gods law doe likewise suffer the same often to scape the doore of their lips that detest the drift of the devisers in the closet of their hearts I will now shut up this point in Saint Hilaries words S. Hilar. l. 6. Non sum nescius difficillimo me asperrimoque tempore haec disserere multis jam per omnes fermè Romani Imperii provincias Ecclesiis morbo pestiferae hujus praedicationis infectis velut ad piae fidei hujus malà usurpatam persuasionem longo doctrinae usu ementito nomine verae religionis imbutis non ignorans difficilem esse ad emendationis profectum voluntatem quam in erroris sui studio per plurimorum assensum authoritas publicae sententiae contineret Gravis enim est periculosus error inplurimis multorum lapsus etiamsi se intellig at tamen exurgendi pudore authoritatem sibi praesumit ex numero habens hoc impudentiae ut quod errat intelligentiam esse veritatis asserat dum minus erroris esse existimatur in multis There are so many that see so little benefit will be suckt out of the constitutions of the Apostles practice and tradition of holy Church doctrine of godly and learned Fathers that they have got themselves heapes of teachers that to serve their owne turnes will call and keep the Lords day as a Sabbath and so proclaime it with such lowd outcries that the voice of truth will become silence and her selfe made errour and so made to beleeve of her selfe or to forgoe her owne modesty and to beleeve none but her selfe But with Moses liberavi animam meam being called hither very unwillingly I have set before you good and evill light and darknesse life and death the doctrine and practice of the Church of God and the leaven of Pharisees and fashion of Schismatickes and Novellists chuse which you will and the Lord be your guide Onely of this be you well assured that if you will have Manna rained downe unto you you must forgoe your Sabbath and sticke onely to the Lords day for in nostrâ Dominicâ die semper Dominus pluit Manna Orig. super 15. Exod. hom 7. in Sabbatho non pluit The last point touching the day of meeting is When doth the Lords day begin Resp I answer S. Ambra in Ps â—7 out of Saint Ambrose The first day of the weeke began when the Sabbath ended The Sabbath ended when Christ arose Christ the true light arose with the light and spring of the morning for vesperi Sabbathi quae lucescit in primam Sabbathi are Saint Matthews words Nihil pulchrius nihil expressius saith hee this place is as fit and pat for our purpose as may be The Sabbaths evening is in the light of the first day of the weeke So Saint Leo resolveth Dioscorus Patriarch of Alexandria vespera Sabbathi initium diei Dominici S. Leo epist â—d Diosc the beginning of the Lords day is in the end of the Sabbath The end of the Sabbath is in the light of the first day of the weeke Looke then for Jacobs hand on Esau's heele or the beginning of the Lords day in the end of the Sabbath But Saint Nyssen is more punctuall and cleere S. Nyssen deresur orat 2. the Lords day saith he begins at Cock-crowing atque in hoc ipso articulo temporis and at that very knot and joint of time For then end we our Sabbaths or Saturdaies fast and then begin we nos oblectare laetari to keepe our Sundayes feast and that by an ancient custome which all are bound to observe For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he doth not signifie the evening or that part of the night which is post occasum Solis after Sun set but the rise of the morning with which the Sabbath ended Yet for all this the Church by way of preparation for the better sanctification of the Lords day hath prudently and piously appointed holy offices to be used on the Eve before And in obedience to this positive constitution of holy Church Saint Augustine would have his hearers to observe the Lords day S. Aug. ser de tem 25. à vesperâ ad vesperam from Even to Even sicut antiquis praeceptum est de Sabbatho as it was also commanded the Jewes concerning the Sabbath And therefore saith he look that from Saturday at Even us que ad vesperam diei Dominici till the Lords day at even we set aside all rurall and worldly businesse ut solo divino culiui vacemus that we may attend onely on the Lords service and begin to repaire to the Church to evening prayer on Saturday nights and he that cannot so doe let him be sure to pray at home Remember then that you which will needs have the Lords day a Sabbath doe set aside all businesse and flocke to the Church to say or heare Service on Saturday Evens which hitherto you have not done notwithstanding the order of the Church which prescribeth that part of that day to prepare us for the more devout observation of the Lords day Thus much of the day of meeting The first day of the weeke 2 In the next place we have in the next words to consider of the persons that then met These were not Jewes for then the Sabbath had beene the day of their meeting but Gentiles Asians Macedonians Thessalonians Paul with his companions and Disciples Now Paul had ordered before this time in Galatia and in Corinth that his Disciples were to have their meetings on the first day of the weeke whereunto they submitted themselves For on the first day of the week they now met and so did the whole Church
solemne service of God because our Redeemer arose on that day and therefore it is called ever since dies Dominicus the Lords day ex illo caepit habere festivitatem and from the very Apostles time and from their constitution it began to be kept as a festivall day A festivall day what meane you by that Why à sanctis patribus constitutum mandatum saies the same Father it is a constitution and command received from our holy Fathers S. Aug serm 251. de temp that men should leave all worldly businesse on Saints daves maximè diebus Dominicis and especially on the Lords day that they may betake themselves wholly to the Lords service The first day of the week then is the Lords day appointed to be kept as a holy feast for the Lords service by the Apostles themselves in their owne time And this day which the Apostles call the Lords day S. Justin ora◠ad Anton St. Justine Martyr an Apostolike man calls Sunday Solis autem die communiter omnes conventum agimus ad preces supplicationes on Sunday we all meet together to prayers and supplications because that is primus dies the first day on which our Saviour arose For he was crucified pridiè Saturni diei the day before Saturday and the next day after Saturday qui sc Solis est dies which is Sunday Apostolis Discipulis suis apparuit he appeared to his Apostles and Disciples And hereupon his Apostles and Disciples thought fit to appoint and command this day to be kept holy The Lords day then is by the Apostles so called and by this Apostolike man named Sunday and may fitly so be called because saies Saint Ambrose in eo ortus Sol justitiae illuminat S. Amb ser 61. the Sun of righteousnesse then arose that enlightneth every one of us The first day of the weeke then is the Lords day and Sunday And the Lords day was by the Apostles themselves in their owne time appointed for holy assemblies to meet on as on a feast day dedicated to the Lords service And so hath that day beene called and used ever since in the true Catholike Church of God for 1554. yeares together without interruption both in the Greeke and Latine Church What shall we thinke then of Knox and Whittingham Troubles at 〈◊〉 pag. 30. and their fellowes that in their letter to Calvin depart from the constitution ordinance and practice of the Apostles and Apostolike men and call not this day the Lords day or Sunday but with the pietie of Jeroboam make such a day of it as they have devised in their owne hearts to serve their owne turne and anabaptizing of it after the mind of some Jew hired to be the god-father thereof call it the Sabbath and so disguised with that name become both the first that so called it and the Testators that have so bequeathed it to their Disciples and Proselites to be observed accordingly It was full thirtie yeares before their children could turne their tongues from Sunday to hit on Sabbath and if the Gileadites that met with the Ephraimites before they could frame to pronounce Shibboleth had snapt these too before they had got their Sabbath by the end their counsell had brought much peace to the Church For this name Sabbath is not a bare name like a spot in their foreheads to know Labans sheepe from Jacobs but indeed it is a mysterie of iniquitie intended against the Church For allow them but their Sabbath and you must allow them the service that belongs to their Sabbath Then must you have no Letanie for that is no service for their Sabbath containing suffrages devised by Pope Gregory but for Sundayes nay Troubles at Frankf pag. 30. for Wednesdayes and Fridayes which must not so be used for sixe dayes thou must labour nay you must have no part of the Service in the Communion booke used for that is Service also for holy dayes Welph detemp◠l. 2. c. 4. which are abominated as idolatricall being dedicated to Saints Well then the Sabbath must be yeelded them otherwise there will be no day left for God to be served on What Service then must you allow them for their Sabbath Why nothing but preaching How shall that be knowne Why out of their owne mouthes Thus soone after the Conventicle in London in 84. about the 31th yeare of the Sabbaths nativitie writeth one of them in his letter to some Superintendent amongst them to whom he gives an account of his Sabbaths exercise Ego singulis Sabbath is si non alius adveniens locum suppleat cum praescriptà Leiturgeias formulâ nihil habens commercit in caetu concionem habeo idque reverendorum fratrum consilio I preach every Sabbath in the congregation having nothing at all to doe with the order prescribed in the booke of Common Prayer and this he does not of his owne head but by the counsell of the reverend brethren delivered doubtlesse in that late Synode Now you see the Common Prayer booke which the Kings Majesties authority in causes Ecclesiasticall with the Convocation house have appointed and the Parliament the reunto assented is clean cast out of their Sabbath and no service allowed or used but preaching Marvaile not then at the casting out of lawfull sports their zeale could and did dispence with them well enough for a long time together as they of Genevah and the Low-countries even sitting the Synode of Dort did and still doe But the plot with us will not beare them for they must gaine elbow roome for their Sabbaths exercise or preaching falsely so called being for the most part as their hearers will justifie but violent discourses and personall invectives against the present State and settled lawes of the Land with the Governours thereby to get themselves magnified for the great power of God with Simon that having cryed downe all Lawes Ecclesiasticall and Temporall too in time that sute not with their Sabbath doctrine they may be able making their reliance on their inveigled thousands whereof they bragge to put their hands to their mouthes Mar. ju epiles and to say with him in the story Petition to his Majestie in 1603. Richard 2◠Behold the fountaine from whence all lawes for governement of Church and Common wealth must shortly spring You see then what the plot was that bred and still keepes the name of Sabbath on foot that if St. John or the Apostles that first called and appointed the Lords day should come amongst them and happen to call it the Lords day they would quickly finde him to be none of their Tribe nor for their turne being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without his watch word of the Sabbath But if Justin that blessed Martyr should be so profane as to call it Sunday he would be in danger under their discipline to be martyred the second time for not adoring their idoll Sabbath as he was under Antonius for not worshipping Jupiter
pergentibus S Aug. Ser. de tem 251. when others goe to Church or in such sort that publicum impediunt ministerium as Chemnitius speakes they hinder them from the publicke service of God Chem. de Fest p. 4. Those also are profaners of the Lords day as Origen saies qui sacris lectionibus terga vertunt Orig. hom 11. in Jer. that make base account of Scripture read and such as Saint Cyrill sayes that will not Ecclesiastico officio interesse S. Cyril in Je l. 8. c. 5. come to Church till Service be ended and the Sermon to begin and such as St. Austine sayes that cogunt Sacerdotem ut abbreviet missam make the Priest to curtaile divine Service S. Aug. Ser. de tem 251. aut ut ad eorum libitum cantet or sing or say it after their fancy not antiphonatim the Priest one verse and the people another which factious disposition St. Basil reproves in some Clergie men of Neocaesarea S. Basil ep 45◠that being against the practice of the universall Church continued from Ignatius who was directed thereunto by an Angell as Socrates affirmeth Those yet are worse profaners of the Lords day Socrat. l. 6. c. 8. that will not reade the Letanie on it for excitavit Diabolus saies St. Chrysostome in plaine termes the Divell himselfe and no body else S. Chrys Ser. antequam iret in exil Bed his l. 1. c. 25. hath stirred up those that make brabbles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about the Letanie to bring it into contempt which was the meanes of the first conversion of our English Nation Trypho the Jew alledgeth Isa 58.13 to prove Justin Martyr a breaker of the Sabbath who tells him that the Prophet I say requireth no more than was before commanded by Moses in the law S. Just in Tryph. Tom. 2. whereunto he had given his answer This very place of Scripture our zealous Sabbatarians his issue borrow of that Jew and use as a sword to cut off all sports and recreations on their Sabbath with all other actions of our owne because we are forbidden to doe our owne will or to speake our owne words or vaine words on the Sabbath But let them beware that with Saul they fall not upon their owne sword For I pray you deale clearely and say whether those that will neither preach pray catechise administer the Sacraments nor performe any part of divine Service as Gods Magistrate appoints doe not their owne wills His I am sure they doe not And when they make new glosses and expositions of Scripture never received in the Church of God nor delivered by any ancient Father whom by Canon they are bound to follow and call the Lords day a Sabbath Lib. Can. An. 1571. Can. 19. whether they doe not speake their owne words And when they use vaine repetitions and babling in their prayers and preaching saying Lord Lord oftener in one prayer than there are words in all the Lords prayer doe not use vaine words and take the Lords name in vaine and be not punctually those whom our Saviour reproves by Saint Marke cap. 7. ver 7. In vanum me colunt they honour me with vaine words vaine glosses and expositions vaine babling and repetitions crying Lord Lord and all in vaine for they doe not the thing that I say For I say when you pray say Our Father c. and thus you will not doe but will pray an houre together before a Sermon yet though Christ and his Church command them to say it they will not doe it He that can say Corban and cry up the Sabbath the Sabbath it is a sufficient Supersedeas it is duty and piety enough though he neither honour Father nor Mother Christ nor the King his Vicegerent nor the Church his Spouse Let those then that are so violent against such as recreate themselves civilly and modestly in such wise as Gods Magistrate doth allow to prove them Sabbath breakers which is no sin at all look they be not found such as with an high hand and stiffe neck profane the Lords day in despite of Authority and so adde drunkennesse to thirst namely to their open profanation rebellion or disobedience which is as the sinne of witchcraft From which leprosie washing seven times in Jordan will not cleanse them unlesse they can prove Gods Magistrate Nebuchodonosor and themselves the three children Sure I am their disobedient and scornfull contempt of our Church Liturgie is to many godly and learned men farre their Superiours in these respects very scandalous and may drive many that reverence antiquity with us and for that cause stand well affected to our Church to withdraw themselves from us That it is not to be wondred at if Recusants should increase but rather it is a wonder that there are no more For how can any man of judgement and discretion like that Liturgie and forme of divine Service which our selves they say contemne scorne mangle and misuse as we list and some reject utterly as unlawfull and Antichristian Doe we tell them it is poison and doe they see us cast it out of our hands and doe we wonder that they will not run and take it up and eat it or that they refuse the use of it as we doe or rather forbeare the Church till it be used They will use no Crosse forsooth nor Surplice meet no coarse at the Church gate Church no women read no Service on Wednesdayes Fridayes Saturdayes Holy dayes nor on their Eeves will not stand at the Creed nor Gospel kneele at the Communion nor bowe the knee at the blessed name of the Lord JESUS nor goe in procession or keep their perambulations nor doe any thing at all as the Church appoints yet the worst is they would be esteemed members nay pillars of the Church whereas indeed they are neither the one nor the other but a disease a fretting canker a dangerous faction in the Church They are wandring starres and disasterous planets who have and doe blast the most flourishing and glorious Church under the cope of Heaven were it not that these withered branches doe appeare her onely spots of disgrace And because they are such hence it is that the Church for her owne safety is faine to renounce all defence of them and their doctrines against the Romanists Therefore she ought not in right to be upbraided or deserted for any thing they say or doe The Church knoweth and every member thereof of seeth that this generation had eaten out her bowels long since like Vipers and become her destruction but that by Gods providence they have as sufficiently discovered their malicious projects to be bent alike for the casting downe of Crownes and Scepters and lawes of the Land and the Professours thereof as for the trampling under their feet of Miters and corner'd Caps Bishops and such as exercise jurisdiction under them together with our Booke of Common Prayer and Canons Ecclesiasticall Therefore the Church