semqer all wayes in their due time and place Fiftly they deny that the Lords day the christians Sabbath hath any relation to the fourth Commandement of the Sabbath day as succeeding in the place of it And their reason is because say they the Lords day is not by any Diuine institution but humane onely and therefore not of the same force with the fourth Commandement This assertion reason is noe lesse vnresonable and peremptory then the former How The Lords day not of Diuine instiutiō but humane onely Ecclesiasticall they grant though Apostolicall they name not but in no case diuine that they expressely and stiffely deny First therefore wee will proue that the Lords daye is of diuine institution Secondly that it succeeds in the place of the Sabbath and so beitng of deuine instituiton hath the force of a Commandement First that it is of deuine institution thouigh wee haue no expresse Word of Christ yet we haue his Act worke for it Which is euer as good as his word We shewed before how Gods Act in his resting in blessing and sanctfying the Sabbath or seauenth day was his institution For to what end did he blesse and sanctifie it For himselfe what needed hee No surely for man for whom the Sabbath day was made to rest in as well as the sixt to labour in For the Sabbath was made for man saith the Lord of the Sabbath This institution was in Paradise It stands indeede Gen. 2.2 before the fall of Adam But if Adam fell the same day of his Creation being the sixt day as the best Diuines thinke then it is set by way of anticipation or Hysteron Proteron and so this seuenth day began next after the Fall when the son of God incarnate was cleerely promised in which respect the Sonne of man Christ was Lord of the sabbath day being the Institutor of it vnder whom Adam began his spirituall life in the obseruation or sanctification of the Sabbath And then I doubt not he began to Sacrifice as hee taught his sonnes afterwards as wee see Gen. 4. it being not vnprobable that those skins wherewith God cloathed Adams shamefull nakednes were of the Sacrifices which God taught him now vnder Christ to offer as a type of Christ cloathing vs with the robe of his righteousnes imputed to vs and merited for vs by the sacrifice of his death which sacrificing shall wee deny to bee of diuine institution because wee find it not there expressely commanded Otherwise it had beene will-worship and so abominable whereas God had respect to Abel and to his offering And that he respected not Cain it was on Cains parte for want of faith Heb 11 4 And why should not man then in the state of inocency haue a Sabbath to rest solemnly in and to be vacant for Gods worship as hee had a taske though not toylesome layed vpon him to dresse the garden and so much the more being now cast out hauing a hard and sore toyle imposed on him to till the ground whence hee must eate his bread with sowre or brackish sauce to wit the sweat of his face Other wise if hee had had no Sabbath to rest in his state had bene most miserable as attended with incessant toyle and trauell And when in most likelyhood did Cain and Abell bring their sacrifices Most likely on the Sabbath For the text sayth Mikets iamim in the end of the dayes which some referre to the end of the yeare Gene. 4.3 as Ex. 22.16 and why not also may it be ment of the end of the weeke dayes But I will not contend Thus Adam no doubt had the Sabbath not onely before his fall written in his heart but after his fall a speciall day euen the seauenth assigned him vnder Christ the Redeemer the Lord of the Sabbath And Gods owne act in resting from the worke of Creation and in blessing and sanctifying the Sabbath day for mans vse and comfort was warrant enough to make it of diuine institution without any other expresse Commandement The like wee say of the Lords day That which gaue it a stampe of diuine institution was the Lords owne Act in blessing and sanctifying this Lords day with his blessed and glorious Resurrection when now hee ceassed from the worke of Redemption a greater and more glorious worke then that of Creation now beginning also and consecrating the eternall Sabbath So that this very act of Christ was a sufficient consecration of this day as the Sabbath of our Redemption and therefore iustly styled by the Holy Ghost the Lords day because consecrated not onely to him but by him as the author of it Therefore also is he rightly intitled Lord of the Sabbath day of the Iewes as alone hauing a power to abrogate that and to initiate this day For in like manner the Sabbath is called Gods owne Holy-day Isay 58. and the Sabbath of the Lord our God Exod. 20. which hath relation to Christ the Redeemer Exod. 20.2 to shew that hee is the Lord and institutor of it So that it belonged to him alone to cancell the old and to consecrate a new Sabbath to Christians in memoriall of a better Creation and as the entrance iniatition to the eternall Sabbath Againe obserue how he honours this day For the very day of his Resurrection his Disciples being assembled hee presents himselfe personally vnto them comforting and confirming them with the sensible euidence of his Resurrection and breathing on them the gifts of the Holy Ghost And because they should take speciall notice further of this day iust eight dayes after when this day came about againe hee appeared to them the second time where they were assembled and standing in the midst of them as Lord of his Church salutes them with his peace and shewes them many signes for the fuller confirmation of his Resurrection And yet for the more abundant confirmation of the consecration of this day after his Ascention hee sends the Holy Ghost on this very day 50 dayes after his Resurrection whose powerfull presence was an euident sanctification of this day by his manifold giftes graces to his Church vnto the end of the world And it is specially to be noted that on those dayes wherein Christ appeared to his Disciples and the Holy Ghost descended they were all assembled solemnly together in a holy communion in prayer and other sacred duties So that Christs twice appearing vnto and the Holy Ghost descending visibly vpon his Disciples when they were assembled and all vpon this day was warrant sufficient for the Apostles and so for the succeeding Churches to continue the sanctification of this first day of the weeke by their holy assemblies and exercises as Prayer Preaching administring the Sacraments Almes c. They saw that this was the speciall day selected and sealed by Christ and the Holy Ghost For in the mouth of 2. or 3. witnesses shall euery word be established for publique sacred assemblies wherein they might
expect Christs presence by his spirits influence in sanctifying his people in their holy exercises on that day Herevpon it grew a perpetuall Ordinance not first constituted by Apostolicke authority but seconded and followed by them in their practize as Acts. 20.7 and 1 Cor. 16.2 vpon which place Master Perkins iudiciously obserueth that Paul commanded nothing as an ordinance to bee obserued by the Church but what hee had from Christ But to make collection for the poore euery Lords day or first day of the weeke as a consequent or concomitant fruite of other Sabbath-duties as Preaching Prayer Sacraments was sayth he a constitution Apostolicke and so of diuine authority and therefore no meere humane institution And wee say that the ground and cause hereof was Christs Resurrection So as it is a grosse Solecime in Diuinity to admit an Institution to be Apostolicke yet to denie it to be of diuine authority Thus the first day of the weeke the Lords day grew to be the day of holy assemblies for Christians from that first day of the weeke wherein Christ rose againe and appeared to his Disciples as wee haue touched And from this spring did the auncient Fathers deriue the sanctification of this day as by so many continued streames of succession Saint Augustine sayth Dies Dominicus c. The Lords day was not to the Iewes Aug Ianuario Epis. 119. c 13. but to Christians declared by Christs Resurrection and from that began to bee kept holy And elsewhere Proepenitur dies Dominicus Sabbato c. The Lords day is preferred before the Sabbath by the fayth of the Resurrection Aug. Ca sulano Presbytero Ep. 86. not by the fashion of refection or licentiousnes of drunken mirth And againe Domini Resurrectio c. The Lords resurrection hath promised us an eternall day and consecrated to vs the Lords day And Ambros Dominica nobis c. De verbis Apost ser 15 To vs the Lords day is so honourable and sacred because in it the Sauiour as the sun arising dispelling infernall darknesse hath shined forth in the light of his resurrection And for this cause Ambros ser 61 this day of the men of the world is called Sunday because Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse arising did enlighten it But what neede we seeke a cloud of witnesses of men when we haue diuine Sarrs in Scriptures though shining in a darke place till the day did dawne which may giue vs sufficient light to direct vs to this day For first it is apparent that the seauenth day which was commanded the Israelites of the old Testament to celebrate for the Sabbath was giuen them in memoriall of their deliuerance from the Egyptian bondage as we noted before out of Deu. 5 15 And thus it was ceremoniall and subiect to be changed into another day to wit the Lords day which should succeede in memoriall of our Redemption and deliuerance from our spirituall bondage whereof that corporall was a type which Redemption and deliuerance was finished in Christs Resurrection and therefore who should haue power but Christ the Lord of the Sabbath to change the Sabbath into the Lords day Againe another remarkeable place we finde in Leu. 23.10 c. where the sheafe of the first fruits was to bee waued by the Priest before the Lord the day after the Sabbath This sheafe of the fruits was a pregnant type of Christs rising againe 2 Cor 15 20. Leui 23.11 the first fruits from the dead This sheafe was to bee waued the next day after the Sabbath and not else This was fulfilled in Christs resurrection whâ—ch was the day after the Sabbath and because this Sabbath was chiefely ment of the Passeouer which was a high Sabbath to be sure it was a double Sabbath the Sabbath of the Passeouer concurring together wherein Christ rested in the graue The very next morning was Christ the first fruites waued before the Lord when in the Earthquake hee rose from the dead the first fruites of them that sleepe This was the sheafe of the first fruites which was accepted for vs Rom 4 25 Rom 11.19 for he rose againe for our iustification And if the first fruites be holy the lumpe is also holy And the meate offring of this day was twice as much as vpon any other day euen two tenth deales whereas the rest had but one which is a matter worthy of heedefull obseruation This typed and signifyed some thing extraordinary as touching this dayes oblation And the offering was made by fire vnto the Lord for a sauour of Rest as the Hebrew hath it This prefigured the Rest of this day of the sheafe of first fruites of Christs resurrection And this rest had relation not onely to Christ who now had finished the worke of Redemption but also to all the Redeemed For from this very day of the sheafe of first fruites they were Leuit. 23.15.16 to reckon 7 Sabbaths or weekes compleate which inclusiuely containeth 50 dayes and so the seauenth first day of the weeke next after the Sabbath they must offer a new meate offering vnto the Lord. This was the feast of Pentecost which being fully come Act. 2. the Holy Ghost came downe visibly vpon the Church so fulfilling that typicall prophesie * Leuit. 23.17 or Propheticall type And this meate offring of loaues and the like being called also a first fruites vnto the Lord signifyed and prefigured that First fruits of the Church of the new Testament offered consecrated and sanctified vnto God that very day wherein the Holy Ghost descended For behold two waue loaues moulded vp of so many graines the one of the Iewes the other of the Gentiles both one offering being a collection of all the Nations vnder Heauen euen the Catholike Church representatiue were the first fruites vnto God and vnto the Lambe sanctified in Christ the first fruites These are those waue-loaues Isychius Praesbyt Hirrosol in Leuit 23 Planius ergo Legislator suam demonstran volens mentem ab altero die Sabbati numerari praecipit 50 dies Dominicum Diem proculdubio volens intelligi Hic enim est altera Dies Sabbati that are holy to the Lord for Christ eur High Priest Leuit. 23.20 and this offering became a sauour of rest v. 18. as wee shewed v. 13. noting still the rest of this day So as this selfe same day is solemnely proclaimed to bee an holy Conuocation Therein no seruile worke is to bee done this to stand as a statute vnrepealable Hereupon Isychius saith Therefore the Law-giuer willing more plainely to expresse his minde commanded them to reckon from the next day of the Sabbath 50 dayes thereby willing without doubt the Lords day to be vnderstood For this is that next day after the Sabbath For which cause sayth he the Holy Ghost came not downe in any other day of the weeke but in that day of the Resurrection wherein the sheafe of first-fruits was waued before the Lord. Thus we see
extreames and therefore to bee auoyded How then As the christians did in Iustin Martyrs dayes of old who sayth Die solis c. On the Sunday or Lords day Iustin Martyr Apol. 2. are the christians assemblies of Citizens and Countrmen where the writings of the Apostles and Prophets are first reade then when the Reader hath done the Master of the assembly the chiefe Minister vseth words of exortation his inuiting them to the imitation of things honest The richer sorte who are willing do contribute to the reliefe of the poorer euery man according to his mind and meanes and the Collecta or collections are deposited with the chiefe Minister he therewith succoureth the Orphans and poore c. This is that day wherein God created the world and Christ rose againe from the dead So hee And Saint Chrisostom vpon the Apostles words 1 Cor. 16.1 Behold sayth he How fitly the Apostle rayseth his exhortation from the consideration of this day of the weeke as being the fittest day wherin to exhort vnto almes as if the Apostle had sayd Remember what things yee haue obtained this day vnutterable good things yea the very roote and spring of our life stands in it Not that it is a fit day onely for giuing of almes but that it hath a rest and is free from worldly affaires and the mind being vacant from molestations is the apter more inclinable to mercy and it brings with it a great efficacy in the vse of the celestiall Ordinances And Saint Augustine Omni Die Dominico c. Euery Lords day come to the Church and spend not the day in pleading and brabbles and idle chat but with silence hearken to the word of God and pray for the peace of the Church and for the pardon of your sinnes c. And Bernard sayth out of Esay 58.13 He calleth the Sabbath sayth hee not onely a delight but he addeth holy and gloryous to the Lord. Nor let the Sabbath slipt away with sloth but in thy Sabbath worke the workes of God And in the Synodal Epistle of the second synod of Matiscon wee haue these words Custodite Diem Dominicum c. Keepe the Lords day which hath a new brought you forth and hath freed you from all sinnes as being that day wherein Christ rose for our iustification Let none of you bee vacant to minister fewell for suites in Law let none plead causes let none draw vpon himselfe such a necessity as to compell the cattell to beare the yoake .. Be all of you taken vp with hymmes in praysing of God being content in minde and body Let euery one hasten to the next Church their humble himselfe on the Lords day with prayers and teares Let your eyes and hands be all that day open to God For that is a perpetual day of rest that is made knowne in the law the Prophets being insinuated vnto vs by the shadow of the seauenth day Iust it is therefore that wee doe vnanimously celebrate this day by which wee are made that which before wee were not Let vs performe to the Lord a free seruice c. Not that the Lord requires of vs that wee should celebrate the Lords day with bodily abstinence but hee requireth our obedience by which trampling all terrene actions vnder our feete hee may mercifully lift vs vp euen vnto Heauen If therefore any of you shall slight or contemne this our wholesome exhortation let him know that for the quality of his demerit hee shall bee punished of the Lord and henceforth implacably vnder the sacerdotall indignation If hee bee a Lawyer hee shall bee dismissed of his pleading without recouery if a Country-man or seruant hee shall bee sore beaten with clubs if a Clearke or so hee shall bee suspended six months from his Fraternity c. And in the Councell of Dingelfing On the Lords day let men bee vacant for diuine rest and abstayne from worldly and profane businesse Hee that this day shall doe any worke about the Cart or otherwise let his oxen bee confiscate If he shall proceed on obstinately let him be made a bondslaue And Charles the great in his constitutions forbiddeth markets to be kept any where on the Lords day nor any seruile workes to be done therein We might bee infinite in such like instances of pious constitutions for the solemne and sacred keeping of the Lords day but let these suffice by the way Onely one thing remaines to bee resolued whether the fourth Commandement reach vnto seruants as well as vnto Masters of Families some would restraine the Commandement onely to Masters excluding seruants thus farr that in case a Master command his seruant any servill worke on the Sabbath or Lords day the seruant therein obeying his Master is not answerable to God as a trangressour of Gods Commandement but his Master onely is in the transgression for so commanding This is a strange piece of Logicke A Master in commanding his seruant transgresseth Gods Commandement and yet the seruant obeying his Master therein transgresseth not Doth not the case hold a like in other relations as betweene Prince and subiect spirituall Pastours and People yes say they But how Thus God say they hath commanded all men to honour their Parents the Parents of their Country stands in the first ranke-True who denies it But what followes there vpon This say they The Sonne of God hath commanded all Christians to heare the Church and vnder forfeiture of communion of Saints but they that deny the Canons of the Church or Edict of the Prince heare not the one honour not the other therefore they that transgresse eyther of these Constitutions transgresse also consequently though not immediately the commandements of God yet neyther of both are transgressed by seruants if they worke by their Masters commission and not of their owne electon for neyther doth the one Law or the other neyther the Canons of the Church nor Edicts of Princes giue liberty and warrant to seruants to bee rebellious to their Masters touching poynt of seruice that day more then others To this purpose they argue that deny the keeping of the Lords day to haue any dependance vpon the morality of the fourth Commandement Here be prege reasons which would not lightly be passed ouer Therefore a little to examine the mettle of these mens reasons first we must remember that not only on the Lords day seruants obying their Masters in deoing seruile worke therein are guiltles for so they haue euation for it by denying the Lords day to bee of diuine institution and rest therein to be any morall duty but they deny also that the fourth Commandement did binde any Iewes but onely Masters of familyes and not those vnder them For say they the Commandement was giuen onely to masters and not to seruants standing in relation to their masters in case they should impusote any seruile labour vpon them It is true the Commandement was giuen principally and immediately to masters that not onely
and therefore Christians haue nothing to doe with the commandement no more then the rest of the Decalogue I answere It followeth not for though the Iewes sabboth day be abolished yet there remaines a sabboth to bee kept of Christians seeing that the commandement of the sabboth is Morall and so no lesse perpetuall then all the rest For if none of the rest of the commandements be abolished then neither the fourth And so though the ceremoniall part of the Iewes sabboth be abrogated yet not the morality of it Ob. But how or wherein was the Iewes Sabbath day ceremoniall Answ In two regards first because it was appoynted them to bee a memoriall of their deliuerance out of Egypt as Deut. 5.15 where the Lord sayth And remember that thou wast a seruant in the Land of Egypt and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arme therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keepe the Sabbath day So that the Iewes were commaunded to keepe the sabbath day in a thankefull remembrance of their deliuerance from the Egyptian bondage therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keepe the Sabbath day Ob. But in Exo. 20.11 the Sabbath day hath relation to the Creation Answ True yet herein Deuteronomy Moses tells them that euen then when this commandement was giuen the Lord had a speciall respect to the deliuerance from Egypt and therefore hee sayth the Lord commanded thee as referring to the time past when the Law was giuen And in that respect the Sabboth day was to them ceremoniall Secondly in regard of some ceremonies proper as some say to that Nation being inhabitants of the Land of Canaan a hot climate as the not kindling of a fire on the Sabboth as also the not dressing of their meat in that day which was in remembrance of the Manna in the desert whereof they gathered enough for the sabboth on the day before God miraculously and plentifully prouiding it for them But in very truth so farre as I can yet conceiue till I be conuinced otherwise by better reasons then I haue yet seene that obseruance of not kindling a fire nor dressing of meate on the sabboth which was lawfull allowed vpon all other festiuall dayes was not so much proper to that people in regard of their hot Country and climate as in regard of that Mosaicall Pedagogie and dispensation vnder which that onely people and Church was subiugated and subiected so as this not kindling a fire not dressing of meate was a meere Ceremony Mosaicall a type of the eternall sabbath brought in by Christ in his resurrection which puts an end to all sabbaticall ceremonies as these are which typed the estate of the euerlasting sabbath wherein is no need of bodily prouision For in heauen there shall bee neyther kindling of fire nor dressing of meat nor the like Whereupon Isychius in leuit lib. 6. cap. 19. speaking of the Omer of Manna which euery one was to gather euery day and two before the sabboth An Omer sayth he was so much as could feede one man Hereby he would teach and instruct them of the intelligible rest and end of the world because then it was impossible to boyle or worke or gather Some againe limit the not dressing of meate ro the time of their trauell in the Desart 40 yeares during the Manna and not to extend to the Land of Canaan where the Manna ceassed And this lis not improbable sith their iourney in the wildernesse was to type out the time of out heauenly Country where all the prouision for the body should ceasse Some also restrayne the not kindling of a fire to the worke of the Tabernacle onely as Vatablus in Exod. 35.3 but I see no probabillity hereof seeing the Priests about the Tabernacle had liberty on the sabbath to performe their rites as sacrificing and the like Yet by the way the abrogation of these ceremonies ought not Christians to turne into surquedry and excesse of feasting as too many doe so abusing their christian liberty but to bee vsed with all sobriety such as may not hinder but helpe the holy spirituall dueties of this day by a due refreshing of the body for necessity not for superfluity Now these Ceremonies dying together with the whole Mosaicall economy which stood in types and Ceremonies yet the Morality remaines a perpetuall suruiuer in and with and vnder the Gospell For else if the Morality of the Sabbath were antiquated and abolished then also the whole Decalogue But the Decalogue or ten Commandements remaine still in force not onely in their curse and full rigour to all transgressing Infidels such as are out of Christ but also as a rule of holy conuersation to all true beleeuers And that the Morall Law still remaines as a rule of Christian obedience to euery true Israelite appeareth by the very manner of giuing of it in Mount Sinai For it was giuen by the Lawgiuer Christ the Redeemer of his people who sayth I am the Lord thy God which haue brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage and thereupon inferreth Thou shalt haue no other Gods before me c. Now the deliuerance out of the Egyptian bondage what was it but a type of our spiritual deliuerance from sin and sathan by Christ And therefore by his owne argument it followeth that the same Morall Law giuen by and vnder Christ to the Iewes in the old Testament is propagated and perpetuated to all christians in the new Testament and so consequently the Sabbath as touching the morality of it Thus the Morall Law is no lesse a rule to beleeuing christians then it was once to the beleeuing Iewes all one ioynt spirituall seed of Abraham to whose posterity this Law was giuen And thus also by the selfe same reason the fourth Commandement for the sanctification of the sabbath is still in force with the Christian Church as well as the other 9. vnlesse as the Papists haue by their sacrilegious practise nimmed away the second Commandement out of their vulgar Catechisme and by their corrupt glosses guelded the masculine sense of it in their Doway Bibles wee will take their part in the polluting and profaining the Sabbath by denying the perpetuall morality of it and so leaue but two Commandements for God according to the Popish acompt in the first Table or rather none at all when by this meanes there is noe day allowed for his seruice no nor meanes to teach vs the true worship of the onely true God the honour due vnto his name which meanes is the publique Ministry of his word together with publique and priuate inuocasion So that the whole worship and seruice of God and his sauing knowledge for mans saluation to speake nothing of bodily refreshing and workes of Charity for the reliefe of the poore hauing a necessary dependance as touching the externall meanes vpon the due obseruation of the fourth Commandement
in the Morality oâ— it who can deny the keeping of the Sabbath to be Morall but he must withall procliame open enmity to Gods worship and mans saluation Ob. But the Sabbath day of the Iewes being wholy ceassed as being buried in Christs graue wherein hee rested all that day and so fully kept it of what force is it with christians any longer or what morality remaines of it to bee obserued by vs Answ As the Iewes Sabbath day was a precise seauenth day which no doubt was by successiue reuolution obserued by Adams generations from the seauenth day of the Creation sanctified by Gods owne rest for we reade of it in Exo. 16. which was before the giuing of the Law in Sinai but with all had an addition of a new relation to the typicall Redemption from Egypt as we noted before in which regard it was ceremoniall So as ceremoniall it was subiect to be abrogated and changed from a Legall into an Euangelicall Sabbath which the Scripture calleth the Lords day Although some are bold to deny that the Sabbath was at all obserued by the Old Church vntill Moses time and so till the Law was giuen in Sinai But this seemes to bee a groundlesse opinion if not also Godlesse For though the Scripture makes no mention of the keeping of the Sabbath vntil Exod. 16.5 c. yet both that mention goes before the solemne bidding of it in Mount Sinai and doth also sufficiently inferre that the Sabbath was in vse before that time as being fiist instituted in Paradise For elfs as a learned Diuine of our Church hath noted vpon this very occasion It is absurd for any man to prepare a thing 2000 yeares before the vse thereof And Exod 20.11 the very reason and ground of mans obseruation of the Sabbath is there giuen to bee Gods owne institution of it which was his actuall sanctifying and blessing of it by his owne resting on that day from the workes of Creation Though otherwise the fourth Commandement being a part of the Law written in Adams heart needed not any expresse Commandement more then the rest did sauing that this hath a Memento set vpon it as being most subiect to neglect and prophanation and that the Lord himselfe was pleased to assigne his owne seuenth day for rest and sanctification to those former ages But to proceed Here it may be demanded what is that morality of the fourth Commandement which yet is in force with christians For answere None will question but the Antinomian who altogether denyeth the whole Morall Law to be in force so much as a rule to beleeuers vnder the Gospell the morality of the Sabbath to bee yet of force and vse with Christians Onely some differ both about the manner of it how it is imposed and how exacted of christians and about the matter of it For first they denie that the fourth Commandement hath any thing to doe with the Lords day which is the christian Sabbath Againe they deny that the fourth Commandement reacheth further then to masters of families exempting seruants from imputation of sinne in case they worke at their masters command Thirdly they deny the Lords day is by any diuine institution humane onely and therefore not of the same force with the fourth Commandement Fourthly for the matter they deny that the vacation and abstinence from seruile labour or the ordinary workes of a mans worldly calling is any part of the morality of the fourth Commandement but a meere ceremony and so abrogated Yea they goe further and say that howsoeuer the generality of that Commandement to keepe a Sabbath wherein God might bee honoured was Morall Yet the speciality of it namely to keepe First one day of seauen Secondly the seauenth Thirdly one whole day Fourthly with precise vacancy from all worke was meerely ceremoniall and so the specialities of the Commandement are vanished though for the generality of it it is a law of nature and remaineth So they Here then be sundry things which offer themselues to bee scanned And to make way First where they call the bodily rest obserued once by the Iewes a poynt of exact and extreame vacation from euery kind of worke which christians haue nothing to doe with all This is but a buggbeare or scarcrow to fright Childish christians from so much as looking backe to the fourth Commandement in the keeping of the Lords day For first an extreame vacation was not exacted of the Church of the Iewes as in case of extreamity or vrgent necessity they might worke yea for the sauing of a poore Asses life by pulling him out of the pit on the Sabbath day as our Sauiour conuinceth the carping Iewes How much more in extremities of more importance as the quenching of a scath fire or defending of their City or Country by repelling the inuading or beleaguring enemy yea in such cases not to bestirre themselues and to vse their vtmost labour and skill not onely turned into superstition but many times proued their bane and ruine Among sundry instances in this kinde Iosephus Antiq. of the Ieases lib. 12. c. 8 soli 14. 8. this is one that the Iewes on the Sabbath being assailed by their enemyes would neyther make resistance nor yet so much as close vp their caues mouth to defend themselues and so their liues became a spoyle to their enemyes cruelty So superstitiously obseruant were they of the Sabbath as if God had made it to be a snare for them whensoeuer the crafty enemy should take that oppertunity to inuade them so as in case of extreme necessity as to saue life yea a beasts life the Commandement was not strictly obligatory much more in spirituall obseruance touching Gods worship as the Priests slaying of beasts for sacrifice and the like Extreame vacation then was not exacted of the Iewes in their keeping of their Sabbath Againe we shewed before how the prohibition to the Iewes of kindling a fire and dressing of meate on the Sabbath was peculiar to that Nation or rather Church and was a type and ceremony Nor was it extreame because they liued in an hot climate wherein their was no extreame necessity of fire for one day which they were to supply by their spirituall fire of holy zeale in a due obseruation of the Sabbath Though some are of opinion that this prohibition of kindling a fire reached onely to such fires as were vsed about seruile workes and not about their necessary food But I will not blowe the coales of this controuersie in this poynt at this time hauing shewed sufficient reason already of this restraint Onely this I adde if it were a burthen layed vpon the shoulders of that Pedagogy of Moses it was to teach them and vs to put a difference betweene that hard yoake of the Ceremoniall Law Acts. 15.10 and that sweete yoake and light burthen of Christ Matthew 11.30 In the next place where they say that one whole day for the Sabbath or one seauenth day or one day of
seauen was meerely Ceremoniall I would aske them how the memoriall of the Commandement could bee kept without a speciall time or day vnlesse they will say that the morality being perpetuall is not tyed to any one day But seeing the Morall Law cannot be kept by the Church in this world without time for as the Preacher saith Eccle 3.1 There is a time for euery purpose vnder the Sunne and this time of keeping the fourth Commandement is limited by God to the 7th day how can this day be separated from the Sabbath as being an inseparable circumstance of the substance of that Commandement Yea so inseparable by diuine appoyntment as Gods wisedome did best know the Sabbath cannot be solemnely kept vnlesse it be one of the seauen I say not one fixed day of seauen to last for euer from the Creation to the end of the world without alteration for so it was ceremoniall in the old Testament but the proportion of a seauenth part of our time decreed by Gods owne institution and perpetually annexed to the morality And the Lord who limited a seauenth day for rest and to bee kept holy hath noe where left it arbitrary to man to allow what day or proportion of time liketh him for that purpose beyond the number of seauen For as God hath reserued a tenth of our goods though we owe him all that we haue as sacred to himselfe and by meanes whereof hee sanctifies all the 9 parts to our vse so also a seauenth of our time though the whole time of our life is to be spent to his honour for the sanctification of our whole life And both these serue ioyntly for the more commodious compleate and solemne administration of his worship and seruice which also redounledeth not onely to our temporall but spirituall and eternall good Nor is it now in mans power to alter the Lords day into any other seauenth day of the weeke sith it is Christs owne Ordinance and therefore vndispensable Inuij Praelect in Gene 2.2 The learned Iunius on Gen. 2.2 concerning the Sabbath thus speaketh Haec lex c. This Law of the Sabbath is naturall hauing a ceremoniall designation of one day affixed vnto it This seauenth day added of God is not naturall but positiue A seauenth day is naturall and remaineth but the seauenth from the creation appoynted of God is positiue instead whereof the Lords day succeedeth in the christian Church called the first day of the weeke and the Lords day Reu. 1.10 celebrated Acts. 20.7 1 Cor 16.2 Causa mutationis c. The cause of this mutation is Christs resurrection and the benefit of restoring the Church in Christ the commemoration of which benefit succeeded the memory of the creation not by humane tradition but by Christs owne obseruation and institution who both on the day of his Resurrection Et octauo quoque die and on euery eight day vntill his ascension into Heauen appeared to his Disciples and came into their assembly And the same was done by the constant obseruation of the Apostles and Disciples and of the Church of Christ to which by the institution and example of Christ the Apostles deliuered the obseruation of the Lords day which is well set forth by Cyril lib. 12. in Iohan. cap. 58. by Augustine ad Casulanum Ep. 86. et ad Ianuarium Ep. 119. cap. 13. And therefore Chrysostome in his fift sermon of the Resurrection writteth that of old in the Primitiue Church this day was called by three names The Lords day The day of bread and the day of light The Lords day because in it being a solemne memoriall of Christs resurrection they attended to his word and worship the day of bread because in it the Sacrament of the Lords supper was administred and the day of light because on it was obserued the administration of Baptisme For the ancients called Baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illumination and the day of Baptisme diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of lights and the Baptized were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 New illuminates Wherefore sith the Lords day by Christs Act example and institution by the most constant obseruation of the Apostles and the auncient Church and by the testimony of Scripture hath bene obserued and put in the place of the Iewes Sabbath ineptè faciunt c. They doe absurdly who affirme that the obseruation of the Lords day continues in the Church by Traditiō and not by authority of the holy Scripture that by these helpes they may si Deo placet support the Traditions of men So he Thirdly where they say that the generality onely of keeping a Sabbath was Morall this generality or morality must either now bee quite lost or else doth necessarily import some speciall day for christians wherein solemly to keepe this morality vnlesse we be bound euery moment or day of our life to keepe it as well as for the Iewes of old by Gods owne limitation But fourthly they say that the vacation and abstinence from seruile labour or the ordinary workes of a manes worldly calling is not any part of the morality of the fourth Commandement but a meere ceremony and so abrogated This is a strange Paradox For then the whole obseruation of the sabbath as touching the reast of it was a Ceremony and where is then the morality of it stands not the morality of it in corporall rest and spirituall exercise Or else tell us wherein Nay certainely that cannot bee a meere ceremony which lasteth for euer But vacation and rest from bodily labour lasteth for euer euen in Heauen in the keeping of the eternall Sabboth as the. Apostle saith Heb 4.9.10 And Reuel 14.13 And in heauen there is noe pleace for meere ceremonies Therefore vacation from labour on the Sabboth is no meere ceremony but one speciall part of the moralitie commanded in the Sabbath So that to rest from labour is of the very essence of the Sabbath which is therefore called Sabbath or rest because one cheife part of the obseruation of it stands in rest Ob. But they obiect That the Commandement of the Sabbath is not morall because it bindes not to all times and to euery day as well as one in the weeke Answ Though the externall solemne rest of it binds but for one day in the weeke yet the due Sanctification of it is such as it reatheth to the Sanctification of the whole time of our life yea to the Sanctifying of our persons acsions affections c. by the right vse of the meanes as the Word and Prayer For as wee sayd before as God by reseruing and consecrating the tenth of our goods thereby sanctifies all the 9 partes vnto vs So by setting apart and hallowing the seauenth of our time to his seruice he extendeth sanctification to euery day of our life that therein wee might bee holy Againe affirmatiue precepts ceasse not to be morall because they bind not ad semper to all times it sufficeth they binde
how the day of Christs Resurrection is made solemne and sacred not onely by Christ himselfe but by the Holy Ghost sent downe from heauen sanctifying this day for holy Conuocations or publicke assemblies of Gods people for his publique seruice and this to stand as a perpetuall statute to the end of the world hauing also euident and ample testimony from the Mosaicall Law and those Euangelicall types whence we conclude with M. Perkins his argument in his Cases of conscience pag. 113. That which is prefigured is prescribed But the Lords day was prefigured Leuit. 23.10 therefore it is prescribed and instituted of God A third place wee haue Psal 118.24 where the Prophet speaking v. 22.23 of Christs Resurrection he addeth This is the day which the Lord hath made we will reioyce and be glad in it This is a plane Propheticall institution of this day to bee solemnized vnder the new Testament For first the Lord hath made it that is appointed and set it a part by marking it out with a glorious worke And secondly it is so taken of the Church of God who saith We will reioyce and be glad in it which sheweth the festiuity gratefull solemnity of the Lords day And although many take this day for the whole time under the Gospell as 2. Cor. 6.2 yet none doe exclude or deny the particular acception of it for the Lords day St. Ambrose vnderstands this to be the Lords day the day of the Lords Resurrection which day saith hee on Psal 47 Titneus hath its holines from the Lords Resurrection What shall I say of Circumcision which was limited to the eighth day loking vpon Christs Resurrection which was the eighth day Circumcision being a singe of that hollines Christ brought vnto vs in the day of his Resurrection who rose againe for our Iustification But let this suffice Thus hath the Lords day not onely reall institution by Christ himselfe but also testimony from the Law and the Prophets And thus as Hugo saith The fathers of the old Testament obserued the septenary number or the seuenth of Dayes Wekes Moneths Yeares wee of the New the octonary number or the eight day to wit the Lords day for the reuerence of the Lords resurrection and of the sending of the Holy Ghost Hugo in Psal 1â—9 Ob. But here it is obiected that the Lords day hath noe diuine institution but meerely an hamane and Ecclesiasticall For else how came it to bee instituted by Constantine the Great who made a Law and prescribed limits for the keeping of it The like also did other Emperours Princes and States Councels and Synods in seuerall ages Answ This is no good argument that because pious Princes make Lawes for the keeping of the Lords day therfore it is not of diuine institution For so good Princes make Lawes against Adultery c. Therfore the forbidding of these sinnes is it not of diuine institution King Darius makes a decree that in euery Nation of his Kingdome men tremble before the God of Daniell c. therefore is not this Law of diuine institutioÌ„ Thou shalt worsbip the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue And because Tyberius Caesar would haue the Romane Senate passe a Decree for the deifying of Christ or ranking him among their Gods therefor Christ was not God whereupon sayth Tertullian Ergo nisi homini placucurit Deus non erit Deus therefore if it doe not please man God shall not be God But it became Christian Princes when they saw how subiect the Lords day was to bee profaned with all licenciousnesse and how prone carnall men were to leape ouer all the bankes and bounds which God had set to keepe them in for to helpe to make vp the breaches againe and to strengthen the diuine ordinance by their humane and penall constitutions as wee see our noble Kings of England haue done by name our pious King Charles whose raigne hath bene honoured with a religious Law for the better keeping of the Lords day if lawes were as well kept as they haue bene wisely piously and iustly enacted by our Progenitors Yet because notwithstanding all Lawes diuine and humane this holy day of the Lord is for the generality of men little regarded as not requiring the like sanctification of vs which the Sabbath did of the Iewes let vs further shew what a reuerend esteeme the ancient holy men in former ages had and what pious rules they gaue concerning the religious keeping of this day Wee haue noted some of their excellent sayings a little before wee will adde a few more And first wee obserue that they euer did vse to call the Lords day by the name of the Sabbath Obseruamus sabbatum Aug Contra Adamantum c. 15 hoc est Dominicam in signum nempe aeterni sabbati We obserue the Sabbath that is the Lords day for a signe of the eternall Sabbath The same Augustine in his 95 sermon de Tempore sayth They which in the obseruation of the Sabbath doe not apply themselues to good works and prayer which is to sanctifie the Sabbath and sanctification is where the Holy Ghost is are like to the small flies bred of the mud which disquieted the Egyptians And elsewhere vpon those words Aug de Conseusu Euang. lib 1. c. 77. Math. 24.20 Pray that your slight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath day hee sayth by winter is signified the cares of this life and by the Sabbath gluttony and drunkennesse which euil is therefore signifyed by the name of Sabbath because this was as now it is the wicked custome of the Iewes on that day to swimme in delicacies while they are ignorant of the spirituall Sabbath For the Iewes doe seruilely obserue the Sabbath day vnto ryotousnesse and drunkennesse How much better were it for their women to spin then on that day to daunce And thus while they carnally kept the Sabbath they knew it not sayth hee And Melius tota die foderent c. The men were better to digg all that day then to tread is out in daunces and measures Againe the Sabbath to wit the Lords day is more commaunded vs then the Iewes They celebrate the Sabbath seruilely but we spiritually And how spiritualy not in chambering wantonnesse not in gluttony druÌ„kennesse For these are forbidden Christians any day much more on the Lords day For it were better to plough harrow to spin card wooll which in themselues are lawfull then to doe those things on the Sabbath or Lords day which christians should blush at and be ashamed of to do at any time as to dance to reuell to heare playes to goe to masking and mumning and the like which are exercises fitter for heathen then christians for Bacchanalls then such as celebrate the Lords Festiuall How then is this day of the Lords to be kept Neyther as the Eneratites Aeriancs and Aerians who fasted all the Lords day but madly reueld on other festiuals These are