of labour as it is a day of vacation and workes of sinne as it is a day of sanctification for that day being specially dedicated to holynesse proclaimeth sinnes committed on it to be specially sinfull because besides the transgression of other commandements which they naturally import they imply also the transgression of this Commandement touching the speciall sanctifying of the Sabbath day So that although the act or labour or work it selfe be but one as to kill to steale c. yet the guilt is twofold when it is done on the Sabbath The seauenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God c. 1 Either because it was the memoriall of his rest after the Creation 2 Or because it was the day of mans vacation commanded by him 3 Or because it was to bee dedicated to his worship and service and not as the six daies to bee imployed in ordinary worke Thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter c. In the severall mention of every one with the Pronoune Thy it is manifest that relation is still had to Thou mentioned in the first place and therefore the Commandement was giuen to him to whom all these belonged Nor the stranger that is within thy gates c. Strangers to the Israelites were either in respect of their Of-spring only but not of religion as Proselites that had receaued the seale of the Couenant Circumcision and these stood meerely in the same obligation with the Israelites or in respect of Religion also which were amongst them on any occasion of outward affayres which were by the Magistrate to be restrained not because the Commandement belonged to them directly but obliquely only and in relation to the Israelites to whom strangers worke on the Sabbath might giue occasion or example to offend The worke of a servant as an absolute person namely his free and electiue workes are forbidden himselfe in the first clause Thou shalt doe no worke But his workes as he is a relatiue person namely a servant that is his imposed workes which he doth not of his owne will but by reason of his subjection to his Master are forbidden his Master not him selfe in the latter clause Nor thy Servant The former clause then Thou shalt doe no work is to bee vnderstood of absolute and free doing wherein the doers worke according to their owne pleasure not of respectiue enforced doing where there is mingled some passiuenesse with the doing as when in respect of their servile subjection to their Masters and feare of their displeasure and punishment seruants are made to doe those workes which of their owne will they would gladly leaue vndone It is therefore to bee vnderstood of Electiue and not of Coactiue workes To obserue one day of seauen for the Sabbath is not of the Morall Law 1 Because that part of the Commandement whereby the Sabbath is limited to the seuenth day is confessed to be ceremoniall 2 Because the Number one of seauen and Order the last of seauen are not otherwise specified in the Commandement then in the very same word the seauenth day therefore both are either Morall or both Ceremoniall 3 Because although some of the Ancient haue affirmed that one of 7 is to bee kept holy vnto the Lord yet none of them perhaps older then an hundred yeares haue said it to be Gods Morall Law The Commandement forbiddeth Litterally servile workes of the body Labours Mystically servile workes of the soule Sinnes and so is S t Ambrose to bee vnderstood in Luc. 13. that the Law forbids Servilia opera in Sabbato id est peccatis gravari The Commandement of the Sabbath enioynes 1. Outward worship of God by the name of Sanctification 2. Cessation from workes as a necessary preparation for that worship That as the End This as the Meanes But if wee speake not of the Immediate but remote ende it is the inward and spirituall not outward and ceremoniall worship which although it come within the intentiō of the Law-giuer yet not within the obligation of the Law because it being the End vnto which the Cōmandement is directed and ordained cannot be the Matter of the Commandement the Matter being comprised in the Commandement but the End being outward in relation of it besides that the inward worship seemeth to be the matter of the first Commandement Works of necessity are excused al on the Sabbath because the Necessity excuseth the Condition of their servilenesse both common to freemen servants because every one is bound by the instinct of nature to avoid mischiefe imminent to himselfe or his neighbour And workes of Charity because they are enjoyned to loue our neighbours as our selues by the morall Law whereas servile workes are excluded on the seauenth day but by a ceremoniall Commandement And it is but iust and right that where they cannot consist together I meane where they cannot be both obserued that the Ceremoniall rather then the Morall be omitted Six dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy workes c. Is a Permission it seemes and no divine Commandement 1. Because else it should bee vnlawfull to exempt any time out of the six daies even to worship God and consequently hee should sinne that should dedicate any of the six daies to that service as it was a sinne to exempt any time of the seauenth day to doe worke 2. Because in that Commandement were involved a double precept as being of diverse daies and contrary duties and contrary qualities the one Affirmatiue the other Negatiue which therefore cannot bee the same Commandement 3. The Iewes that haue collected 613 Commandements of the Law neuer observed this for one of them In the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eat thy bread is the inflicting of punishmeut not the enjoyning of a Commandement a denouncing of Malum panae that he and his posterity was to suffer not any obliging of them vnto it as bonum to be done as if every one sinned that sweat not when he did eat or liued not by his sweat And yet neither hath that any more relatiō to the six dayes then to the 7 th if it be a Commandement or if the meaning of it be onely that man should gaine his liuing by his sweat is it any obligation for labour all the six daies if by his labour in lesse space hee bee able to purchase it In the sweat of thy browes that is thou shalt doe it of necessity being enforced by the curse laid on the earth but not of duty being enioyn'd vnto it by Gods Commandement which was no more then the former clause that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in sorrow hee should eat of the earth or that to the woman In sorrow shalt thou bring forth or that to the Serpent Vpon thy belly shalt thou go dust shalt thou eat c. He that will not labour neither let him eat 2. Thes 3. 10. Not he that cannot by occasion of Impotency nor he that needs not by reason of plenty but he
where no difference of persons is specified but Limitedly as signifying the Father Master Owner Freeman namely that either hath the power to dispose of others or at least the liberty to dispose of himselfe 1 Because Thou is either taken in the same sense in the first place and in the latter or otherwise if otherwise there is Aequivocation committed in the very next words If in the same sense therefore Limitedly as in distinction of Children and Servants that is Parents Masters c. for so it is taken in the latter place 2 Because either the negatiue coniunction nor excludeth nothing that was not implyed in the word Thou and then it was added superfluously of children servants c or if it exclude those that are not implyed in the word Thou then is it cleere that the word Thou containeth not children servants c. Fathers Masters Freemen are considered either Personally as particular men so the first clause belongs to them Thou shalt doe no worke c. or Relatiuely as governours of their housholds so the second clause Thou nor thy Sonne c. as if he had said neither shalt thou doe worke on the Sabbath day neither shalt thou suffer them that are vnder thy government to doe any The word Thou importeth every Freeman or every man as farre as he is free and hath power to keepe it or to dispose of himselfe For some are free simply who by their condition are so others Limitedly as servants may be by their Masters permission namely so farre as the disposition of themselues or their owne actions is allowed them In which case only Servants come vnder the obligation of the commandement but yet that is not as servants but as in some sort free namely as they are primary authors themselues of their owne workes and not as Ministers of their Masters worke The Sabbath is called Holy not Formally for any peculiar inherent holinesse it hath aboue other dayes but Finally because it was ordayned and consecrated to holy exercises in the service of God The comandement is partly Morall Remember to sanctify the Sabbath Ceremoniall The 7 th day is the Sabbath The sanctification then of the Sabbath is Morall but the limitation of it to the seaventh day is Ceremoniall The commandement of sanctifying the Sabbath was not giuen from the beginning as it seemeth 1 Because there was no remembrance that it was obserued by any of the ancient Patriarks 2 Because where it is giuen to Moses Exod. 16. it is spoken of as a new thinge as the rulers comming and report to Moses vers 22. and Moses answere to them vers 23. doe plainely declare namely that the morrow was the Rest of the holy Sabbath to the Lord whereof they could not haue beene ignorant if it had beene vsuall before 3 Because it is said to be giuen to the Israelites Exod. 16. 19. to be a signe betweene God and them Exod. 31. 13. Ezech. 20. 12. but it was not a signe to the Israelites more then to other Nations if it had beene giuen from the beginning to Adam and his posterity 4 Because in the beginning there was no occasion in mens labour to draw them away from the contemplation and worship of God but that every day might be a Sabbath for the state of innocency admitted neither one nor other but man of himselfe was most prone to the honour of God Ob. God sanctified the seaventh day presently after the Creation Gen. 2. 3. Ergo Sol. 1 God sanctified it himselfe by resting in himselfe and producing no more creatures but he commanded not Adam to sanctifie it for where it is said that God sanctified the seaventh day because in it he rested from all his workes that because seemes not so much to note the occasion why hee sanctified it as the formall cause or condition of the sanctification which consisted in the rest of God in himselfe ceasing to worke more in the Creation of things Sol. 2 Or if it note the occasion which I rather thinke yet it designeth not the time of the sanctification so that although it be said that God sanctified the seaventh day because he rested in it from the Creation which Moses there fitly obserues because he writes there of that rest of God yet it followeth not that he sanctified it then when hee rested but that for that reason hee sanctified that day rather then any other when he gaue the commandement touching the Sabbath in time of the Law Sol. 3 Or else hee sanctified it from the beginning by destination to sanctifie ordayning that to be the day which in the Law he would sanctify But not by Actuall explication to sanctifie or command In it thou shalt doe no worke Namely of thy election when thou maist abstaine or 2 ly Thou shalt not doe thine owne worke But yet a servant out of obedience to his master as a servant might if he were commanded neither is that excluded by the commandement for whereas in licensing or commanding the 6. dayes worke he vseth both words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth to worke and labour as a servant or to serue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to worke simply without any implication of service In commanding the seaventh dayes rest he saith not in opposition to the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt not worke as a servant but only in opposition to the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But had God intended to exclude servants obedience to their Masters touching workes on the Sabbath day as well as workes that are freely done he would haue added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aswell as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having vsed both in licensing of the 6 dayes worke And if it be answered that one is implyed in the other then to expresse both was superfluous in the former place Thou shalt doe no worke that is thine owne that is referred to thine owne end for first they are forbidden to doe that worke on the Sabbath which they were licensed to doe on the six dayes but that was their owne worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 20. 9. Opus tuum 2 The declaration of Esay 58. 13. importeth it plainely If thou turne from doing thine owne will c. not doing thine owne workes And of the Apostle Heb. 4. 10. for he that is entred into his Sabbath hath ceased from his owne workes as God did from his But those only in Gods esteeme are a mans owne workes that proceed from his owne will which he chooseth to doe and whereof he is the Author which he doth for his owne sake and satisfaction not those which he doth as the Minister of another to whose commandement and inforcement hee is subject They are not therefore the workes of a servant as a servant but the workes hee doth freely of himselfe that are there forbidden Q. Whether works of labour or also sinnes be forbidden by the commandement of the Sabbath A Both namely workes
that being able and needing yet will not worke let him not eat that is at the charge of others for as touching their owne the Apostle would not interdict them for is it not just that a man should sustaine himselfe of his owne or had the Apostles rather a man should perish of famine then be releived of his owne Six dayes shalt thou labour If it had intended a Precept not a Permission it had beene crossed by Gods own Commandements of refraining all servile workes in sundry of their Anniversary feasts which of necessitie must often fall on some of the six dayes And which is more absurd Gods morall Commandement for such the same men acknowledge it to be should be crossed by his Ceremoniall Praecepts The Lords day of what Institution Christ gaue no such commandement to his Apostles for neither is any remembrance found of it in the histories of his life and doctrine the Gospells nor record of any such Commandement in the writings of the Apostles giuen or to bee giuen by Christ or by his appointment to the Church or to the Apostles For if it be said that Christ commanded it to the Apostles although the Commandement be not mentioned 1 An vncertaintie is affirmed which cannot bee proued and Christ belied for any thing that appeareth 2 A doore for the authority of vnwritten Traditions is opened which will be ill endured 3 The Apostles are secretly accused for concealing Christs Commandement from the Church For I demand whether the commandement was giuen them to the end to be published to the church or no If not it cannot bind the Church for a law is of no force without promulgation till it bee knowne to be a Law for how can that Law binde the consciences as the Law of God which is not declared to be the Law and will of God If it was giuen the Apostles to that end then they sinned grieuously in concealing that Commandement of Christ from the Church which he delivered them to be declared to the Church Neither were it enough to be declared by speech onely which yet cannot be proued but they should haue committed it to writing being of the importance it was seeing it concerned not onely the Church then being but the whole Church that should bee to the worlds end whereof their writings were to be directions but their speech not so The Lords day seemes to bee celebrated in the Church rather by Imitation of the Apostles then their Constitution for we finde their example for holy assemblies on that day but Commandement of theirs giuen to the Church for celebrating that day we finde none Ob The Sabbath is an everlasting couenant Exod. 31. 16. But the old Sabbath was to cease in our Saviours death therefore that which succeedeth in place of it is also of divine ordinance Sol. 1. The Sabbath is everlasting in respect of the thing signified that is the eternall rest of the Elect with God after the finishing of their labours in the world wherof the Apostle discourseth in the 4 th to the Hebr but not so in respect of the signe 2. Everlasting is taken either Absolutely that hath no end at all Limitedly that hath no certaine end prefixed or knowne period appointed for the continuance although in nature or divine ordinance it hath a determined period The first the Iewes call as Burg notes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ever and ever The second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely as in this place So that the Sabbath is said to be everlasting no otherwise then Circumcision is called Gen. 17. 13. and the Aaronicall priesthood Exod. 28. 43. 29. 9. that is not simply so during all eternity or all time but respectiuely during all the time of the old covenant or the time of the Law while the Israelites were to be Gods peculiar people Ob It was Gods ordinance and appointment that the Apostles should ordaine that day to be obserued in the Church therefore it is by divine ordinance Sol. Gods ordinance is either Secret namely the ordinance of his Counsell or Providence in which sense the administration of all things is performed by his ordinance Revealed namely the ordinance of his Commandement declaring such and such things to be his will So the Institution of the Lords day is not his ordinance Hee ordained indeed by his secret decree voluntate beneplaciti that it should be established insteed of the Sabbath but hee ordained it not by his owne manifest decree that is his Commandement voluntate signi or revealed will that hee would haue it so The Commandement of the Lords day may be tearmed divine diverse waies 1 Either because the Apostles established it being enlightned and inspired by the holy Ghost to ordaine it 2 Or because they had receiued the authority from God whereby they were enabled or warranted to doe it 3 Or because it was dedicated or ordained to divine vse namely the solemne worship of God So that the preeept of the Lords day is in these respects divine but yet is not a divine Precept because the Act of commanding it or imposing the observation of it on the Church is not diuine but at most Apostolicall Ius divinum may bee interpreted either Divine ordinance in which respect those things only which are instituted by God himselfe are tearmed to be Iure divino Divine right in which respect those things that belong to the worship of God although the ordinance or Commandement whereby they are exacted be humane may be tearmed to be Iure divino So that things consist Iure divino either Originally or Materially Originally that proceede from divine Institution and haue God for their Author Materially that belong of right to divine worship although the right by which they are required be humane Institution that is ordained of men in zeale of Gods glory And in the second sense the Lords day is iustly tearmed to be Iure divino The worship of God that belongeth to the Lords day is of the Law of God and nature Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God but the peculiar belonging of that worship to that day is not of those Lawes that is the worship considered in it selfe is de iure divino but the Annexion of it to that day rather then any other is but de iure humano as being meerely ceremoniall If Ius divinum be that or taken for that which is established by divine Authority the Lords day is in some sort de iure divino In some sort namely not by Personall but by delegate divine authority that is not prescribed personally and immediatly by God himselfe but only by vertue of that Authority which by God was committed to the Apostles for the ordering and governing of his Church but being taken for divine ordinance or commandement it is not de iure divino To entitle a Commandement divine is required 1 First that the Authoritie be divine whereby it is ordained 2 That the Author himselfe that ordaineth it be so
generall Vacation from worke as in the old Sabbath 3 Or if both were the Apostles Precepts yet it followeth not they were Gods Commandements for although the Solemnity of the Sabbath had beene enjoyned the Apostles by God to bee translated to the Lords day yet it doth not follow that the old Commandement touching the Sabbath was by Gods ordinance also translated to that day For if the Lords day be charged with the same Commandement precisely that the Sabbath was so that there is no other change saue of the day then is it no lesse displeasant to the Lord to doe any light worke on the Lords day then on the Sabbath as to goe out of our places Exod. 16. To kindle fire Exod. 35. To gather stickes c. And every one that transgresseth it deserueth to dye Exod. 31 14. 15. For God is the same who gaue all these charges touching the Sabbath If therefore the Commandement be also the same there is as much reason for the one as for the other Besides the Lord loueth not one day more then another therefore if the duties belonging to both dayes bee the very same there was no reason to transferre those duties from one day to another Ob The celebration of the Lords day hath warrant by Scripture 1. Cor. 16. 2. Act. 20. 7. c. Sol 1. Warrant of Example it hath that it may be done warrant of Commandement it hath not that it must be done 2 There are 2 points in the celebratiō of that day 1 Sanctification by publike devotion in solemne assemblies for which wee haue the Apostles Practise but not Precept 2 Vacation from worke for which wee haue no evidence either of Precept or Practise of theirs Ob There cannot be so many reasons for the celebration of any other day as the Lords day 1. Creation of the world 2. Nativity 3. The Resurrection of Christ. 4. Descent of the Holy Ghost c. Therefore the Church could not haue dedicated another day Sol The argument is denied because though these are good reasons for the Election of the day why the Church should encline to make choice of that day before any other yet not sufficient for obligation to binde them to obserue that and exclude all other for the Church notwithstanding these reasons might haue dedicated another day to that solemnity without breaking any Commandement of God Ob The Lords day is insteed of the Sabbath and equivalent vnto it therefore the sinne is equall in transgressing of either Sol It is insteed of it because it hath succeeded it and is equivalent vnto it as touching the Vse being consecrated to the solemne worship of God and Rest as that was but not equivalent either as touching the Institution because it is ordained not by God but by the Church or as touching the Obligation because it is not charged as that was with Gods commandement so that there is the like End of both but not the like Beginning the like equivalence of Occasion for both the Resurrection of Christ and the manifestation of mans redemption being as excellent a worke as rest from creation but not equivalence of Authority in establishing of both The like vtilitie in obseruing of it but not the like Necessity and obligation to obserue it Ob Esay 66. 23. speaking of the renewed state of the Church by Christ saith That from moneth to moneth from Sabbath to Sabbath all flesh should come to worship c. Therefore the Sabbath of Christians is established by divine voice Sol 1. Hee speakes not onely of the Renewed state by Grace but of the Glorified state of the Church as is manifest by the 22 and 24 vers And that of their worshipping from Sabbath to Sabbath is not to be vnderstood Litterally but Figuratiuely to note not so much the manner and intermissions as the everlasting continuance of that worship by those seasons of worship the new Moones and Sabbaths that were familiar to the Iewes 2 Or if it be vnderstood of the Militant state of the church vnder grace yet 1. it proues the Sabbath of Christians and the worship exercised on it only to be foreseene and fore-spoken of by the spirit of God but not to be commanded by God Prophecies are no Decrees And 2 although it were not onely foreseene but also preordained by the counsell of God yet might that ordinance haue effect without divine commandement by humane constitution 3 Or if it imply a commandement of God touching the Sabbaticall worship of God their doth it also of that monthly worship in the New Moones which is vtterly abandoned in the church of God both which together the Apostle doth reject Col. 2. 16. There is a threefold Sabbath 1 Externall of the body from servile worke 2 Internall of the soule from sinne from the guilt of sinne freed from damnation from the Crime of sinne freed from disobedience by the merit and grace of Christ. 3 Aeternall from both labour and sinne and all the paines and passions of this life The first was the Sabbath of the Law The second of Grace and the third of Glory The observing of the Lords day hath descended from the Primitiue Church from hand to hand to vs as a Tradition of the Apostles namely by Tradition it is come to vs as their Practise not as their Precept and as to hold by vertue of their Example not of their Commandement 1 The Christians of the Primitiue Church were bound to keepe a Sabbath to the Lord because it is of the Morall law 2 To keepe the seventh day they thought inconvenient least they should seeme to yeeld obligation to the Ceremoniall law 3 Yet to keepe one day in seven the imitation of the like cōmandement given by God to the Iewes directed them And 4 of them they elected the first day in memoriall of Christs Resurrection frō the dead The prescription of one day in seven is but an Imitation of the like prescribed to the Iewes not a divine commandement I say but the imitation of à divine Commandement But yet the commandement that it imitateth and whence it hath warrant and direction being but ceremoniall the imitating Commandement cannot be Morall QVAESTIO Whether the Commandement touching Servants vacation from worke in the Sabbath be given directly to themselues or to their masters concerning them SErvants workes are theirs either Originally Personally that proceed from their own election and motion or Ministerially executiuely that are performed by their labour but enjoyned by their Masters commission The first are properly their owne workes as being the Authors the second properly their Masters not theirs as being but Ministers and performed of them not of Election but of necessary obedience which they owe to their Masters by the law of Nations which law of nations the lawes of God dissolue not the first therefore are their owne sinnes the second their Masters sinnes Servants may be considered either Absolutely as persons retaining some degree of liberty and working