indefinitely for ordinary labour in our callings it commandeth the g Sed si sabbatum audierit non intelligit nisi vnum diem de septem qui continuo volumine repètuntur Aug. de Doctr. chr l. 3. c. 5. Iam hinc abinitio doctrinam hanc nobis insmuat deus erudiens in circulo hebdomadae diem vnum integrum segregandum seponendum in spiritualem operationem Chrisost homil 10. in Genes seauenth to bee kept holy to the worship of God as god made all things in six daies and rested on the seauenth not specifying which were the six daies or which the seauenth either in the precept or in the reason How doth it appeare that the World was begunne vpon sunday that saturday must needs be the seauenth And if the sabbath which is the period of the weeke were not obserued nor commanded all that time from the creation to the beginning of the law as some say by what monuments shall it appeare that the weekly account of daies was kept vntill then iust in the same order as it was in the creation The first sabbath that we read of since the creation was h Exod. 16. when God gaue the Israelites Manna from heauen the seauenth day after the sixe daies whereon they gathered the Manna reckoning from the day of their murmuring whatsoeuer day of the weeke the fifteenth day of the second moneth after their departing out of the Land of Egypt But suppose as it is not vnlikly whatsoeuer weekely reckoning had beene formerly kept of the dayes that God when hee gaue the law did set them the very seauenth day in order from the creation yet were the daies since that altered i Iosuah 10.13 when the sunne stood still at the prayer of Iosuah and k Isai 38.8 when it went backe for a signe to Hezekiah Whereby the sabbath if it must be the seaventh part of the weeke consisting of 24 houres was certainely altered that it came either later in the space of time or sooner in the number of daies l Si Iudeus sabbatum colendo dominicum negat quomodo Christianus obseruat sabbatū An simus Christiani dominicum colimus aut simus Iudaei vt sabbatum obseruemus Nemo enim potest duobus dominis seruire Nonné ita loquitur tanquam sabbati alius dominus fit alius dominici Nec illud andit quod ipse commemorauit Deminusest enim sabbati filius hominis August ep 86. ad Casulan Howsoeuer the same authority which appointed one seauenth day at the creation hath appointed this other which wee now obserue euer since the redemption and both within the compasse of the same commandement which indefinitly alloweth vs six daies for our workes and apponiteth the seauenth for a sabbath to the Lord. m Mark 2.28 The sonne of man is Lord of the sabbath The Lords day designed by Christ for the sabbath And that he did make this the sabbath the Apostle insinuats sufficiently writing to the Iewes when hee saith n Heb. 4.9.10 Vid Iun. paral ◠3. in locum There remaineth a rest to the people of God for hee that is entred into his rest that is Christ he also hath ceased from his workes as God did from his Leauing them to gather the conclusion namely that as God when he had created all things rested the seauenth day ad sanctified it o Si dei requies causa sanctisicationis diei est consequenter vbi maior et verior eius requies illic sanctificatio copiosior Rupertus de diuin offic l. 7. c. 19. so Christ when he had finished the worke of our redemption rested this seauenth day and sanctified it in honour of his p Cuius beneficii commemoratio successit memoriae creationis non traditione humana sed Christi ipsius obseruatione atque instituto Iun in 2. cap. Gen resurrection God gaue them time and place the sabbath and the land of Canaan to lead them by degrees in types to the eternall rest in heauen they q Heb. 3. 4. ch wanted faith to discerne what was figured r Ch. 4.6.7 Seeing therefore that it remaineth that some must enter in and they to whom it was first preached entred not in because of vnbeleife againe therefore he limiteth a certaine day saying to day after so long a time ſ v. 5. If Iosuah had giuen them rest who brought them into the land of Canaan if there they should haue set vp their rest then would hee not afterward haue spoken of another day t v. 9. there remaineth therefore a rest even a sabbath keeping for the people of God a farther place for which another day is appointed Christ buried their sabbath in so much as it was ceremoniall namely that set day and their sacrificing seruices and outward obseruances in his graue where hee lay that whole day of their sabbath and rising againe the next day when all his labours ceased he thereby sanctified that day a sabbath to all that beleeue in him pointing vs to the u Requies est quaedam ab omni labore omnium molestiarum sancta atque perpetua in eadem nobis ex hac vita sit transitus quem dominus noster Iesus Christus sua passione demonstrare ac consecrare dignatus est Inest autem in illa requie non desidiosa segnitia sed quaedam ineffabilis tranquilitas actionis otiosae Aug. ep 119. ad Ianuar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. At post sabbatum omnis Christi amator domini cum celebret diem resurrectioni consecratum dominicae reginam principem omnium dierum Ignat in epist ad Magnesios Iure igitur sanctae congregationes die octavo in ecclesiis fiunt Inquit Cyrillus ib. 12. In Ioan. cap. 58. eternall rest which he had now fully purchased for vs and whereinto he will bring vs by the resurrection of our bodies also in Euerlasting life And therefore though all his former life he obserued the Iewes sabbath in their assemblies yet after that hee was risen from the dead he thenceforth obserued this new day of rest x giuing his disciples meeting vpon this day when they were assembled together and y againe that day sennight And after himselfe was ascended hee sent downe the holy Ghost vpon them when they were met together againe on this day Which it seemes the holy Ghost would haue well noted saying in such precise termes that it was when the day of Pentecost z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 2.1 Lev. 25.15 was fully come for that being reckoned as was a appointed fifty daies from the morrow after the passeouer which was that yeare on the saturday to the morrow after the seauenth sabbath it must needs be this very day of the weeke which is our sabbath So that on this same day Christ rose appeared twice and thirdly sent the holy ghost euery time when they were assembled and lastly appeared b Revel 1.10 to St Iohn being in the
is b Heb. 11.1 v. 27. the evidence of things not seene we may discerne being now otherwise vnto vs invisible And wheresoever we are if we beleeue in Christ we shall neuer bee far to seeke where and how to worship God c Ioh. 4.21.23 The houre is now come when as our Saviour told the superstitious woman neither on that mount nor at Ierusalem but the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth d 1 Ioh. 5.20.21 In hoc quod fecit hunc munduÌ„ coelo terraque conspicuum antequam imbuereatur in side Christi not us omnibus gentibus Deus In hoc autem quod non est iniuriis suis cum dtis falsis colendus not us in Iudaea Deus In hoc verò quod pater est huius Christi per quem tollit peccatum mundi hoc nomen cius prius eccultum omnibus aunc manifestavit iis quos dedâ— ei pater ipse de mundo Aug. tract 105. super Iohan. The Father in the sonne who is the truth by the holy Ghost For we know that the sonne of God is come and hath giuen vs an vnderstanding that we may knowe him that is true and wee are in him that is true even in his sonne Christ Iesus This is the true God and eternall life Babes keepe your selues from Idols e Phil. 2.10 11 At the name of Iesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the Father At his name not at his picture in his name not by his image all prayers and praises offered vp to God the Father are accepted with him f 1. Tim. 2.8 And now we pray every where lifting vp holy hands g Mal. 1.11 and from the rising of the sun vnto the going downe of the same the name of the Lord is great among the Gentiles And in every place incense is offered and a pure offering euen h Rev. 8.4 the prayers of the Saints by the hand of the Angell of the couenant Christ Iesus at the altar of God his presence For the i Ps 141.2 powring out of our prayers is as the incense and the lifting vp of our hands as the evening sacrifice But k Lev. 10.3 God will be sanctified of all that come nigh vnto him Prophanesse Hypocrisie Blasphemy l 2. Tim. 2.19 Let everyone therefore that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquitie m Heb. 12.29 For our God is a consuming fire and will consume those with fire of his indignation n Le. 10.1 that offer strange fire vpon his altar He is a iealous God and will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine Which we doe if either we take notice of his word and works without due affection whereby he makes his name knowne or if we vse any notification of him but in his worship or to his honour with true religion and devotion The Philosophers o Rom. 1.21.22 who professed themselues wise became fooles Because when they knewe God by his workes of creation they glorified him not as God neither were thankfull But the due notice of God his workes by his word thorough the working of his spirit begets faith in vs and that faith restraines from all evill by feare and prouokes by loue to p Igitur qui innotentiam colit domino supplicat qui iustitiam deo libat qui frandibus abstinet oropitiat deum quihomineÌ„ pericuto surripit opimam victiimam caedit Min. Fael oct good workes that we may q 2. Cor. 6.1 not receiue the grace of God in vaine nor take his name in vaine cause it to be euilspoken of r Is 29.14 Mat. 25 8. Hypocrites draw neare God with their mouthes and honour him with their lips but their hearts are farr off Å¿ Ezek. 33.31 running after couetousnesse t Ps 66.18 But if I regard iniquity the lord will not heare me u Ps 50.16.17 To the wicked God saith what hast thou to declare my statutes or to take my couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to bee reformed * Prov. 28.9 The very prayer of the wicked is abominable euen a mocking of God to his face as the x Mat. 27.29.30 souldiers bowing the knee mocked Christ saying haile king of the Iewes and smote him with their hands Wherefore Solomons counsell is god y Eccl. 5.1 v. 2. keepe thy foot when thougoest into the house of God and bee more ready to heare then to offer the sacrifice of fooles for they consider not that they doe euill And that our mouthes be not rash nor our hearts hasty to vtter any thing before God Dauid his resolution is good in our greatest passions and perturbations z psal 39.1 I said I will take heed to my waies that I offend not with my tongue Least by cursing swearing forswaring wee pull downe the curse of God vpon vs and cause a Zach. 5.2.3.4 the flying roule to come forth to enter into our houses to consume theÌ„ with the timber therof the stones thereof to cut vs off on this side on that side according to it Yet are there greater prophanations then these whereby the name of God is blasphemed b Iob. 34.18.19 Is it fit to say to a king thou art wicked and to princes yee are vngodly How much lesse to him that accepteth not the persons of princes Yet desperat forelorne malecontents c Es 8.21 will curse their God and their king and looke vpwards when they are hardly bestead And there are worse blasphemers then these the bloody persecutors of God his seruants sticke d Iames 2.7 not to blaspheme that worthy name of Christ whereby wee are called e 1 Cor. 12.3 But no man speaking by the spirit of God calleth Iesus accursed And yet there are worse blaspheamers then they f Heb. 6.4 who hauing beene made partakers of the holy ghost fall away desperately malitiously to blaspheme g Manifestê° est a side lapsus crimen maximae superbiae vel a scripto recedere vel non scriptum admittere Basil sermo de fide the known truth the spirit of truth being possessed with a spirit of contradictions for whoÌ„ there is no mercy h Heb. 6.6 no place for repeÌ„tance The prophane vnbeleeuer i Acts. 7.51 resisteth the spirit of God the formall professor k Eph. 4 30. greiues the spirit of god the lewde liuer l 1 Thes 5.19 quencheth the spirit of God but the blasphemous apostata m Heb. 10.29 doth despite vnto the spirit of grace But if we beleeue indeed as wee were baptised haue professed in the name of the Father Sonne and Holy ghost our hearts and tongues and deeds will all ioyne together with the blessed Angels and all the powers of heauen crying holy holy holy lord God of saboth
Hallowed be thy thrice glorious name O thou holy one as thou hast commanded That the name of God may bee knowne The Christian sabbath of the holy Catholike Church and worshipped as by euery man in priuate so by all of vs in publike God hath appointed the sabbath for the holy assemblyes representing the holy catholike Church in acknowledgement of his kingdome attending his grace in holy exercises and Christian duties and expecting his glory Which day may not be otherwise imployed farther then necessity enforceth which is god his dispensation and hath no law or then mercy to our selues others requireth n â—at 12.7 which God will haue and not sacrifice Of which duty some question hath beene made of late whether it bee of faith I suppose for these reasons principally First because in nature there is little or no appearance of reason for the sabbath that it should bee morall Secondly because it seemes not to be any where expressely recognised in the new testament as the other commandements are but rather to bee slighted both by Christ and his apostles Thirdly because in keeping the sabbath the Iewes were to obserue certaine ceremonies which are now abolished by the Gospell And lastly because Christians haue neuer kept that day which the Iewes did the commandement seemes to prescribe Which doubts if they may be cleared I hope the ten commandements will holde together and not breake company being all of the same kinde and o Exod. 31.18 c. 34.38 written with God his owne finger He spake these ten words and added no more vnto them For the naturall reason of the sabbath somewhat hath already beene said in the proper place thereof concerning the p I book ch 5. law of nature But may not a law be morall for the vse thereof vnlesse it be naturall in respect of the cause Christ hath promised that where two or three are gathered together in his name he will bee in the midst of them Now although God be euery where at all times yet for our r Ne inordinata congregatio populi fidem minuoret in Corste proptereà dies aliqui constituti sunt vt in vnum oomes pariter veniremus Hieroniad Gal. 4. meetings there must needs be a set time which it is iust that God who appoints the meeting should designe and not wee There may be holy assemblyes as that of Å¿ Acts 10. Cornelius vpon any day to heare the word to praise God and to pray vnto him as occasion is offered inseason and out of season the Lord will be found in them But on the Lords day the holy assemblies must bee and that weekely because hee hath commanded and hath giuen vs the reason which we haue belecued Now for that which Christ said or did we may bee well assured that his intent was not to violate the law of the sabbath The sabbath not abrogated by Christ who came not to breake the law but to fulfill it and was therein so punctuall and exact u Mat. 3.15 to performe all righteousnesse that if it were but a ceremony he would haue obserued it because all was to continue vntill the vaile of the temple his body was rent Hee often tooke occasion indeed by their greatest assemblies on the sabbath daies to doe some miracles workes of mercy in their sight to confirme the truth of what he taught namely that hee was the Lord of the sabbath and the mercifull sauiour of the world This lesson hee first read vnto them out of the * Luk. 4.16.17.18 Prophet Isaiah in one of their Synagogues as his custome was on the sabbath day Which they should now haue taken forth by him being the chiefe and principall end of their sabbath But when they perversely misconstrued his doings he iustifying the same as also his Disciples plucking the eares of corne to satisfie their hunger tooke occasion to teach them better what was the right vse of the sabbath Not a x Cui septima quaeque fuit luâ— Ignava Invenal Sat. 14. Sat. 6. Observant vbi festa mero pede sabbata reges De itinere sabatico Quos etiam irridet Plutarch libel de superstitione superstitious cessation from worke but a spirituall attention to the workes of God euer admitting our workes of mercy and of necessity And if Christ thereby abrogated the sabbath then did hee abolish the other commandements also whereof he said y Mat. 5. So and so it hath beene said vnto you of old but I say vnto you thus and thus shall yee doe and then was the Sabbath abrogated long afore by the Prophet Isaiah in the name of the Lord. z Isa 1.13 The new moones and sabbaths the calling of solemne assemblies I cannot away with But this Christ hath taught vs concerning the sabbath a Mark 2.27 That it was made for man not man for the sabbath as indeed the whole law was made for man not to breake but to keepe it for his owne good This especially was a provisionall statute for his benefit b Quian durabile non est quod requie caret oâ— tium quoddam sanctum Deus praecepit vt insatiabilem hominum cupiditatem fraenaret qui tam seipsoâ— quam servos suos nimijs laboribus exhauriunt modo lucrum faciant Gualterus homil 56. in Luc. partly in regard of his body whose worldly heart would else giue him no rest but would make him out-worke Gods curse if God did not allow vs a rest supplying vs the while with necessaries by his ordinary prouidence c Exod. 16.24 as he did the Israelites by miracle but principally for his soules good that he might attend and receaue the d Homini non ante septimum laetalis inaedia est Plia hist nat l. 11. c 53. Plerique ex his qui septem diebus nihil edere aut bibere volunt in his moriuntur quod si quidam eos super averint nihilominus tamen moriuntur Hyp. l. de carn ad sinem Non possunt boni mores ne secundum naturam quidem ipsam apud eos homines constare qui vnum de septem diebus non observant sanctificant domino Iun. de Pol. Mosis c. 8. spirituall food thereof vnto eternall life As for the Apostles The Sabbath not abrogated by the Apostles St Paul writing to the Galatians condemnes the superstitious e Gal. 4.10 obseruing of daies and months and times and yeares in generall whereof the Iewes accounted some more holy the Gentiles some more happy But to the Colossians he speakes of Sabbaths by name reckoning theÌ„ amongst shadowes he saith f Coloss 2.16 let no man iudge you in respect of the Sabbaths a phrase which he vseth g Rom. 14.4.10.13 elsewhere forbidding all censuring contending about things indifferent amongst which he reckons the obseruing of a day and it may bee that set day for the Sabbath for he saith h V. 6. he that