the time or to serve God because it is a holy time After I had finished this worke of reexamination there came to my hands some unsound tractats upon the sabbath Whereupon I thought good to insert in this place as the most pertinent this short disconrse following OF THE SABBATH THe light of nature leadeth a man acknowledging that there is a God and to be worshipped to acknowledge also that timâ—s should be set a part for his worship and not onely that but also competent and sufficient times But nature cannot lead us without further direction to setle upon one of the seven dayes more then upon one of eight ten or twelve The Lord set downe one in the circle of seven to bee observed perpetually and universally by all that were to worship him In his wisedome he could best discerne what time might be spared In respect of this perpetuity and universality this determination participateth of the nature of a law morall For this cause it was placed in the decalogue among the precepts purely morall and participated with them of the same prerogatives It was delivered by God himselfe written in tables of stone and preserved in the arke as the rest were The determination of such a seventh day in particular was made also by the Lord. Both the determinations are divine positive the first unchangeable the second changeable but yet only by divine authoritie The ten precepts of the decalogue are called ten words Deut. 4. 13. that is as one expoundeth ten sentences or as Vossius addeth Soultentiae praecipientes preceptive sentences And yet there are fourteene sentences for precepts in the decalogue How then are there but ten words hee answereth there are ten chiefe and principall the rest are secundarie and like appendicles Primum istud in confesso est quamâ—is quatuiordeâ—im inveniantur sententâ—â— in decalogo quibus aliquid praecipiatur tamen decâ—m esse duntaxat primarias principes Caeteras secundarias altarum quasi appendices Vnde Moses decem verba Graci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellarunt In the fourth commandement there are three preceptive sentences The first is the principall Some reason after this manner The Lord saith not Remember thou keepe holy the seventh day but Remember thou keepe holy the sabbath-day and in the end he sanctified the sabbath-day hee saith not that seventh day from the creation howbeit it was so for the time But that seventh was to be changed and the sabbath was to be fixed upon another seventh day But to come nearer to the purpose that this commandement requireth not directly the seventh day from the creation but the seventh day in generall appeareth by the reason which enforceth not necessarly the seventh day from the creation that wee should rest the same day that the Lord rested but that wee should rest from our workes the seventh day as hee rested from his Which seventh as under the law he appointed to be saturday so under the Gospell sunday the substance of the commandement remaining See Master Cartwrights Catechisme But to come yet nearer The Lord might have created the world in six houres as easily as in six dayes Hee might have done it in a moment or have taken eight ten or twelve dayes The Lord would do neither the one nor the other but conformed himselfe to that space of time which in his wisedome he thought sufficient for man to doe all manner of workes of his owne This paterne doth not concerne his peculiar people of the Jewes onely but both Jew and Gentile and not for a time onely but to the end of the world as if the Lord would reason after this manner with mankinde What needed me to have spent six dayes in creating the world for I might have done it in one or wherefore stinted I my selfe at six I might have taken ten you may easily then consider wherefore I have done it I did it that thou may doe the like Do all thy workes and businesse in six dayes and rest the seventh The imitation lieth in this then not so much that wee rest upon such a seventh day as upon a seventh There is equitie in it indeed that seeing the Lord hath granted us six dayes to worke wee should rest the seventh but the force of the reason lieth chiefly in this that the Lord purposly tooke six dayes and rested the seventh to be a paterne to men howbeit with all in setting downe that paterne he considered that equity That the precept concerning the sabbath concerned not the Jewes onely but all mankinde appeareth also by this that it was given to Adam in the beginning Gen. 2. 2 3. Whereas some would have here an anticipâ—tion and the words to be referred to the time when the Lord rained Manna and forbad his people to gather upon the seventh day Exod. 16. as if the sabbath had never beene institute or observed before This were a strange anticipation to make mention of the blessing and sanctifying the seventh day without so much as an inckling of the proper time which is assigned by them which fell not forth till 2453 yeares or thereabout after the weake of the creation Next the words are knit together by the same copulative with the present historie Hee ended his worke on the seventh day and herested on the seventh day and he blessed the seventh day and he sanctified it The blessing and sanctifying then were not destinate to bee done 2453 yeares or thereabout afterwards but presently when he had ended all his worke of creation hee blessed and sanctified that is by blessing sanctified that is separate to a holy use as the minister blesseth when he separateth bread and wine from a common to an holy use at the Lords suppeâ— Or he blessed and sanctified that is praised it and sanctified For the originall word signifieth also praising or rejoycing as Gomarus himselfe bringeth exemple of praising out of Psal. â—8 27. And Philo Judaeus expresseth it by praising Every dayes workes had the owne commendation but now looking upon the whole frame the order and harmonie of it he rejoyced and praâ—sed it and sanctified that day After he had perfited the worke in six dayes he added honour to the seventh day following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Philo â—udaeus that is Which when hee had praised or commended incontinent hee deinzed to call it holy as Gelenius translateth Further there is no mention of blessing the seventh day Exod. 16. Gomarus alledgeth that twice as much Manna fell on the sixt day as upon any other day there is no warrant for it but onely that they were commanded to gather twice as much that day Suppose his conjectute were true that were a blessing of the sixt day and not of the seventh But as I have said there is no mention of blessing in that place But so it is thâ—t when he blessed he sanctified And seeing wee reade not that he blessed it when he ceased from raining
Manna but when he had ended the worke of creation it followeth that then he sanctified Consider againe that in Exod. 16. mention is made of the sabbath as a time of rest appointed before vers 23. To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord. Vers. 25. To day is a sabbath unto the Lord. Vers. 26. But on the seventh day which is the sabbath They had neglected or were forced to neglect that day in Egypt where they were not suffered to rest on that day and therefore he putteth them in minde of it and exacteth the observation of it which was now neglected of other nations Consider againe that soone after when the decalogue was promulgate upon mount Sinai the reason given for the observation of the sabbath was not that the Lord rained Manna six dayes and desisted the seventh which concerned onely the Iewes but that hee created all in six dayes and rested the seventh which concerned all mankinde Were it not ridiculous to imagine that God spent six dayes in creating the world and rested the seventh onely for the Iewes to whome hee was to intimate the sabbath 2453. yeares after But ye will say what needed Adam a sabbath-day in the state oâ— innocencie I answer because the dressing of the gardâ—n was committed to him and he was to live an animall life which would draw with it some distraction Therefore the Lord would have a day appointed wherein he might be wholy sequestrat from other affaires Further howbeit Adam was in the state of innocencie yet his state was mutable Whereas it is alledged that there was no positive precept given to Adam in paradise but the eating of the forbidden tree I answer none meerly positive but that But this is not meerly positive but determinative of the indefinit time required by the law of nature which urgeth a time for sequestration Some thinke that Adam fell the same day that he was created and therefore that the sabbath was sanctified after his fall But the imposing of the names upon the creatures the precept concerning the forbidden tree the tentation of Adam and Eve c. move others to thinke otherwayes Lyd at agreeth not either with too short time or yet three yeares which were too long but with those who alledge eight moneth wanting a week that hee might be the more sensible of his fall and defection after hee had for a certaine space enjoyed the pleasures of that estate But suppose Adam fell upon the sixt day yet the sanctification of the sabbath after was for all mankinde and not the Iewes onely But yet we have no mention made that the Patriarchs observed it What then It is sufficient that it was instituted howbeit the observation had beene neglected But wee must judge more charitably of the holy Patriarchs that they were observant of the institution receaved by tradition from Adam They receaved the law of sacrifices and other positive lawes by revelation by oracle and by dâ—vine inspiration saith Doctour Francis White in his treatise of the sabbath Is it likely then they observed not a set day or wanted direction what day to observe or that the Lord would havâ— set any other day for ordinarie Some gather the observation from Noahs sending forth the dove the seventh day after her returne and againe the seventh day That it is likely Noah was taken up with holy exercises every seventh day hee sent forth the dove and that he sent it forth rather then then any other time because hee was craving and expecting good successe But I will not stand upon this Junius approveth the opinion of the Hebrew Doctours who all agree that there passed seven dayes betweene the going of the people out of Egypt and the drowning of the Egyptians in the red sea and therefore there were seven dayes appointed for the feast of the passeover He confirmeth their opinion with his owne reckoning in his annot upon Exod. 12. Vpon Deut. 5. he noteth that is was the sabbath that day Pharaohs hoast was drowned and the people of Israel sang that song of triumph Exod. 15. The Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 4. proveth that there is a sabbatisme me or keeping of a sabbath yet remaining for the people of God and all beleevers whereinto the incredulous were not to enter and to this purpose citeth a passage out of the psalmes There the incredulous are threatned to be excluded from rest which was to come For there were two rests already past in Davids time the one beginning at the rest of God from his workes which were finished from the foundation of the world and the other when Josue brought the people into the land of Canaan The Apostles enumeration had not beene sufficient if the sabbath day had not beene observed from the beginning for he maketh not mention of another sabbatisme past before Davids time but two whereinto man entred There was no othâ—r sabbath then in Davids time beside that rest in Canaan except that which was from the beginning and consequently the sabbath observed in his time was all one with that which was observed from the beginning The rest of the sabbath is called Gods rest or sabbath because God was the instituter of it gave exemple himselfe to man and appointed it for his owne worship Levit. 23. 1. and 28. 2. Jesa 56. 4. Ezech. 20. 20. Exod. 16. 23. If the words of the Apostle were taken only for Gods owne proper rest or sabbath the Apostles reasoning had not beene pertinent for David maketh mention of a rest whereinto men might enter and were exhorted to enter in but men cannot be said to enter in Gods owne proper rest The sabbatisme which is to come is called Gods rest and yet men are said to enter in it Further if the first rest were so called only because it was Gods owne peculiar rest it would folâ—ow the thy sabbath enjoyned to man had beene omitted and the Apostles induction had beene unsufficient Requies sâ—bâ—ati dicitur â— ei tum foâ— maliter quia in die septimo quiâ— vit Peus à creatione tum exemplaâ—â—ter efficienter quiâ— quies hominum in sabbato cultus sabbati institutus est à Dâ—o ad exemplar quietis Dei in sabbato saith Cornelius a Lapide a professour in Lovaine And a little before after hee hath opened up the three restâ— the rest of the sabbath enjoyned to man the rest of the people of God in the land of Canaan and the eternall rest in heaven hee inferreth that the rest of the sabbath was in use before the law of Moses even from the beginning of the world or else the Apostles reasoning cannot hold Hinc satis clarè elicitur evincitur sabbati cultum requiem in usâ— fâ—isse apud homines ante leâ—em Mosis ab origine 〈…〉 licet id neget Abulensis in c. 23. Levit. 4. 3. ut sâ—â—i eâ—diem septimum homines colerent eoque à laboribus quiâ—sâ—râ—nt in
memoriam gratiarum actionem creationis 〈◊〉 sui quam totius mundi quam Deus complevit die septimo alioqui enim vim non haberet discursus argumentum Pauli ut patet exdictis Howbeit scripture bee sufficient for confirmation of this truth I will adde for superaboundance some footsteps of the first institution which were found among the Gentiles Whence came the name of Septimane weekes to be receaved among the Ethnicles of old Not from the Jewes for they abhorred their customes and derided their sabbaths Not from Astrologians for distinction of dayes by weekes was more ancient then the imposing of the names of the planets upon the dayes of the weeke Or Ptolemâ—â— his time who wrote about the yeare of our Lord 140 as Rivetus proveth by the testimonie of Georgius Syncellus and Philoponus The ancient Greek Poets cited by them for the name of weeke I omit I onely adde the testimonie of Scaligâ—r 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex diebus dicitur septimanâ— res omibus quidem orientis populis ab ultima usque antiquitaâ—e usâ—ata nobis autem Enrop eis vix tandem post Christianâ—smum recepta Hee saith from the upmost antiquitie his systeme of dayes in a weeke was in use among all the orientall nations But that was the part of the world which was first planted and where the holy Patriarches lived Whereas he saith this colection or distinction of dayes in weekes was not receaved in Europe till Christiani 〈◊〉 entred testimonies of Ethnick Poets alledged by â—â—vetus make good that the name of weekes was more ancient even among the Latines I adde also that place in Genes 29. 27. where Laban saith to Jacob Fulfill her weeke Whither he meant a weeke of dayes or as others interpret a weeke of yeares it is all one For seven yeares was never called a weeke of yeares but where seven dayes was called a weeke of dayâ—s Whence then could this so ancient a circuit or circle of dayes come but from the Patriarches who observed that circle because of the seventh-dayes-seventh-dayes-sabbath or from the first weeke of the creation it selfe Wee have not onely the traces of weekes among the ancient Ethniks but also of the seventh day in speciall I pretermit the testimonies cited by Rivetus out of Homer Linus and Callimachus who make mention of the perfiting of the worke of creation the seventh day I content mee with the testimonies alledged for observation in some sort of the seventh day by Casaubon commencing upon that place of Suetoniâ—â—â— Diogenes grammaticus disputare sabbutis Rhodi solitus vententem ut se extra ordinem audiret non admiserat ac per servaluâ— suum in septimâ—â— diem disâ—ulerat Where he bringeth in Lucian making mention of resting dayes granted every seventh day to children who were at schoole Vulâ—atius Gallicanus that souldiers exercised themselves upon the seventh day in archerie and armes Dampridius that Alexander Severus went up to the Capitoll upon the seventh day when hee was in Rome and frequented the temples In this same place Suetonius reporteth of Diogenes the Grammarian that if any were desirous oâ—heare declamation or discourse he differred them to the seventh day Eusebius saith That almâ—st all as well phâ—losophers as Poets understood that the seventh day was more sacred then other dayes Philâ— Judâ—eus 〈…〉 cited saith It was an holy day not of one 〈◊〉 region only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of all And in another place he sâ—ith Our law admonisheth all of duetie 〈◊〉 Grecians the inhabitants of the â—les and the continent 〈◊〉 the orientall people the Entropâ—cans and the 〈…〉 even the whole habitable world to the uttermost coasts for who doth not honour that holy day returning every weeke Buxtorsius telleth us that the Jewes at this day thinke Christians and others shall bee phnished because they keepe not their sabbath And this I beleeve they thinke not of their other holy dayes I will close this point concerning the first institution of the sabbath with pointing at the testimonies both of ancients and neotericks Tertullian reporteth that the Jewes hold that the Lord sanctified the seventh day from the beginning and that thereupon when the law was given the Lord said Remâ—mber Gen 〈◊〉 ardus in his chronologie affirmeth that the Hebrew Doctours taught so Peter Martyr citeth Rabbi Agnâ—â— Broughtoun in his concent alledgeth Rambam and Aben-Ezra Philo Judaeus his consent ye had a little before Cyprian de Spiritu sancto Chrysostome hom 10. in Genes 2. Epiphanius contra heresin Anoetâ— haeres 51. The doretus 〈◊〉 est in Genesin Augustine epist. 86. ad Casulannm Waleus in his dissertatio de sabbatho citeth Luther Calvine Zwinglius Beza P. Martyr Bullinger Zanchius Vrsinus Gualtor Aretius Bertramus Mercerus Antoniuâ— Faius Juntus Paraeus Alstedius Rivetus in his dissertatio de origaine sabbathi addeth other Neoterikes Danâ—ws Hoâ—pinianâ—s Chimnitius Gerardus Marloratus with some others and popish writers Eugubinus Genâ—brardus Cornelius à Lapide and Emanuel Sa. A diligent reader may easily finde moe affirming that the sabbath was instituted at the beginning Seeing the sabbath was observed from the beginning it was not instituted in the wildernesse but only renewed to the people of God and enjoined to them with solemnitie both because of their owne neglect or forced prophanation in Egypt as also because it was neglected among other nations who observed it not or not in the right manner but rather prophaned then sanctified it The question ariseth whether it was then onely morall or partly morall partly ceremoniall But the question should bee stated other wayes For there is a difference betweene these two questions whether the sabbath of the Jewes was partly morall partly ceremoniall or whether the fourth precept as it standeth in the decalogue was partly morall partly ceremoniall That the Iewish sabbath was partly morall partly ceremoniall is the commun and receaved opinion which for mine owne part I would be loath to contradict even taking ceremoniall for typicall and profigurative of our 〈◊〉 purchased forus by Christ. But it followeth not that the fourth precept as it standeth in the decalogue is partly morall partly ceremoniall in that scene that is typicall and prefigurative There is nothing in the 〈◊〉 precept as it was promulgat upon mount Sinai ranked among the rest of the morall precepts placed in the midst and written with Gods owne finger in â—ibles of stone that soundeth any way to typicall ceremonie At other times when the ceremonies of the law were intimated then were typicall and ceremoniall precepâ—s delivered It is true when the fourth precept was promulgated it was accommodated to the state of man after his fall â—or strangers within our gates must cease that day from all manner of workes which might give offence to Gods people which needed not to be enjoyned in the state of innocencie or if mankinde had continued in the bosome of thâ— Church and had not made defection falling in a
second fall But that specification of persons bound to 〈◊〉 worke was not a ceremonie but a needfull 〈◊〉 in respect of the time The reason in the precept is morall and the end of the cessation and rest is morall to wit to sanctifie and keepe holy the sabbath-day To sanctifie is taken in a generall notion and without reference to ceremoniall exercises or legall more then evangelicall The legâ—ll offices were commanded by other lawes which were positive But White to prove that the word sanctifie is taken in a particular notion alledgeth Deut. 5. 12. Remember to sanctifie the sabbath-day as the Lord thy God â—ath commanded thee This maketh nothing to the purpose for the word sanctifie may be still taken in a generall notion to sanctifie the sabbath as the Lord commanded before at the deliverie of the law Suppoâ—e the word were to be taken in a particular notion in that place Moses applying it as an interpreter and expounder to that present time it followeth not that it was so taken at the promulgation and engraving in â—ables of stone for at that time there was no sacrifices appoâ—â—ed for the sabbath but afterward Numb 28. and sâ—â—â—ing on the shew-bread Levit. 24. But these things were ceremoniall belonged onely to the priests and not to all and every one of the people and were commanded afterward So was the precept of kindly fire which was but temporall and that the sabbath be observed as a memoriall of their deliverie out of Egypt Deut. 5. 15. which saith Master Ainsworth seemeth to have fallen forth upon the sabbath day To be a signâ— that the Lord did sanctifie them was also set downe afterward as one of the ends of the observation Exod. 31. but yet that was not to be signum obsigâ—â—ns a sealing ligne or sacrament but onely a declarative sigâ—â— or indicant or document that God was the santifier of his people or an argument as others call it or a publick note and signe of their profession to distinguish betweene the observers of the sabbath as a holy and sanctified people from others But this may bee common to Iewes and Christians The mutabilatie of the seventh day from the creation maketh it not ceremoniall for a thing may bee mutable and not ceremoniall To appoint the seventh day to bee observed and sanctified is not a ceremonie unlesse the word ceremonie be abused and taken more largely then for a thing significant or typicall It is properly but a politick order determining a time for the worship of God To bee a memoriall of the creation and Gods rest the seventh day followed indeed upon the observation of that day but was not the only nor principall end of the institution for then that should have beene the chiefe or onely exercise on that day to contemplate and meditate upon the creatures God propoundeth his worke of creation and resting the seventh day not as the onely subject to bee mused upon but as an example for the observation of a seventh day sabbath Howbeit of the setting of that seventh day from the creation the prerogative it had to bee the day of Gods rest from the worke of creation and therefore made choise of yet perse directè of it selfe and directly as Suarez speaketh it was not appointed for commemoration of such a worke but to worship God for himselfe for his owne majestie and excellencie To end this point wee must not confound precepts concerning obâ—ervancies and ceremonies with morall The ceremonials are only appendicles and have their owne positive lawes for their ground If because there be some ceremoniall precepts concerning the sabbath delivered afterward or apart from the promulgation of the decaloguâ— the fourth precept shall be holden partly morall partly ceremoniall by that reason other precepts also of the decalogue shall bee partly morall partly ceremoniall for both the ceremoniall and judiciall law saith Master Dow have in them something which is juris moralis and so farre forth are contained under the morall precepts Swarez likewise saith Nihilominus tamen in illis ceremoniis seu observant iâ—s sunt quaedum rationes generales que secundum se pertinent ad moralem rationam virâ—utum uâ— de se abitrâ—hunt à particulari significatione ritu veteris legis In a word there is nothing ceremoniall in the fourth precept no positive worship either legall or evangelicall enjoyned but only sanctification in generall without determination either of the one or other no type or signification of things to come expressed yea or intended saith Swarez but only the institution it selfe renewed with accommodation to the state of man after his fall of which I made mention a little before All the determination which is added over the naturall and morall obligation to se apart a time to holy exercises is divine positive not ceremoniall or typicall for divine postive is more generall and comprehendeth also other lawes imposed by God for order and policie in his Church Howbeit wee 〈…〉 distinguish betwixt in the fourth preâ—ept concerning the sabbath and the sabbath as it was observed by the people of God upon the imposition of more precepts concerning ceremonies and observances yet even in their observation wee may observe some markes whereby it might be discerned from their anniversarie feasts and to bee ordained prâ—marly for a morall use The sabbath was observed every where throughout the land and abroad where they remained in the wildernesse in the places of their captivity and dispersion The ceremoniall feasts on 〈◊〉 Iâ—rusalem whither Iews and proseâ—iâ—s resorted from all countries as at the Pentecost when the firle tongues were sent downe and whereat the Apostle Paul hastened to bee present Next the ceremoniall feasts had some sâ—crifices and ceremonies appropriate unto them which might not bee used at other times The sabbath had only the doubling of the daily sacrifice at the appointed place beside the ordinarie exercises throughout the land Thirdly the sabbaths of anniversarie feasts were transfeâ—red to the ordinarie or weekly sabbath if it was to follow immediatly because the dead corps and meat prepared specially of herbs could not be preserved without spilling or putrifying specially in those hote countries Non facimus inquâ—â—â— duo contin a sabbatha propter olera propâ—et mortuos 〈…〉 restraineth this custome to the store moneth Tâ—â—ri But the ordinarie or weekly sabbath was not drawne to the sabbaths of these anniversarie feasts Fourthly at the anniversarie feasts they might not fast they were dayes of joy and festivity which â—orreth not with mourning of fâ—sting See Nehem. 8. 10. Exod. 12. 14. Num. 29. 15. And therefore these dayes were called Chaggim which is derived from a word signifying wheeling about leaping or dancing The most solemne day of these feasts was called jom tob a good or merrie day The ordinarie sabbath-day was not called jom tob See Casaubonus nor yet Chag They were not forbidden to fâ—st yet they might fast That injunction
and patrons of the prophanation of the Lords day usurpe dispensation with Gods morall precepts The very light of nature leadeth a man to acknowledge that what time is set apart as holy it should not bee prophaned with worldly businesse or exercises howbeit this light hath beene detained in unrighteousnesse among the Gentiles who would not spend the time as they ought to have done or were ignorant and thought their games and playes were a hononring of their gods I need not to reekon particular workes this generall ingraft in mans minde by nature that a holy day should be spent in holy exercises will direct every one in the particulars This or that will be an impediment to the spirituall exercises whereunto I am bound this day In hoc pracepto est aliquid quod est morale ut vacare id est intendere Deo orando colendo meditando quae sunt in dictamine legis natura Et ista hodie in lege Christiana magis manent in virtute quà m in lege veteri Ex statutis synodalibus dioecesis Lingonensis anno 1404. Here yee see in the statutes of that diocie it is acknowledged morall in the fourth precept to pray worship meditate that nature diteth this much and that these dueties remaine more in strength under the Gospell then under the old law This statute with the rest was approved by a Cardinall Ludovicus de Barro In a councell holden at Mascone 588 the people is exhorted to spend the Lords day in hymnes and praises prayers and teares Sunt oculi manusque vestrae toto illo die ad Deum expanse Let your eyes be bent and hands spread toward God all that day They require also spirituall exercises in the night it selfe In the synods holden in France by the Popes legates Galo and Simon it was ordained under the paine of excommunication that none grind at watermills or any other mills from saturday at evening till the Lords day at evening Cardinall Galo and Simon were sent legates to France about the yeare 1812. In a synod holden in Angeâ—â—s 1282. the like ordinance was made against grinding at milles notwithstanding of the abuse for a long time before for that sins are the more hainous the longer miserable fouls are bound to them cumali qua praescriptio contra praecepta decalogi locum sibi vindieare non possit Seeing no prescription can take place against the precepts of the decalogue Yee see they ground their ordinance upon the fourth precept and conclude ex vi quartâ— praecepti that Christians may not grind at milles that day from evening to evening They inhibited also cutting or shaving of beards that day or any other exercise of barbar â—raâ—t under the paine of excommunication but in case of imminent perill of death or grievous disease This strictnesse then required of us admitteth not lawfull and honest games shooting bowling wrastling c. farrelesse unhonest and unlawfull wâ—iâ—h ought at no time to bee suffered For honest games and passe-times howbeit honest may be impediment to spirituall exercises and distract the minde as much as the lawfull workes of our calling Refreshment by meat and thanke was allowed by God himselfe when hee provided for the seventh day and by Christ himselfe who being invited went to the pharisees house upon the sabbath to dinner Aman may recreate himselfe with the free aire of his garden or the fields if family dueties or the like hinder him not providing hee spend the time in holy exercises or holy conference with some other But games and passe 〈◊〉 cannot consist with such holy exercises Workes of pietie as to travell to the places of publike worship or charitie as to visit the sicke and of necessity as to preserve the life of man and beast in danger are lawfull The Jewes suffered themselves rather to beâ— killed then take armes upon the sabbath-day 〈◊〉 after better advice they resolved to fight if any invaded them 1 Maccab. 2. 41. The Hebrew Doctours have a saying Periculum animae impellit sabbatum the perill of the life driveth away the sabbath Yet we should pray to be free of those necessities Christ foretelling his disciples Matth. 24. 20. the destruction of Ierusalem biddeth them and in their name other disciples who were to follow after pray that their flight might not be in winter nor on the sabbath-day wherefore not on the sabbath-day but because it would be an hinderance of their holy and spirituall exercises upon that day Now the destruction of Jerusalem fell not forth till fourtie yeares after Christs ascension But so it is the Iewish sabbath was one of the dead ceremonies which obliged not to necessarie obedience after the passion of Christ. Christ meant then of the Christian sabbath I have exceeded farre the bounds I set to my selfe and therefore I am forced to end this discourse THE DEFINITION OF A FEstivall day IUdicious Piscator defineth thus a festivall day â—â—stum propriè loquendo est publica folennis ceremonia mandata à Deo ut certo anni tempore cum singulari letitia obeatur ad gratias agendum Deo pro certo aliquo beneficio in populum suum collato that is A feast or festivall day is a publike or solemne ceremonie commanded by God to be executed at a certaine time of the yeare with singular gladnesse to give God thankes for some certaine benefite bestowed on his people Hooker the master of ceremonies maketh festivall solemnitie to be nothing els but the divine mixture as it were of these three elements praises set forth with cheerefull alacritie of minde delight expressed by charitable largenesse more then common bounty and sequestration from ordinarie workes The sabbath under the law was never called jom tob a good that is a merrie day as were the solemne anniversarie feasts Other dayes also which were not solemne feasts were so called as dayes of banketing and feasting Drusius in his annotations upon Ester 9. citeth Elias Thesbite to this purpose Master Aiusworth in his annotations upon Exodus 16. citeth the Chaldee paraphrase speaking of the sabbaths and good dayes that is the solemne feasts as distinct things Puxtorsius also in abbreviaturis So the Lords day succeeding to the old sabbath should not be ranked among the festivall dayes or feasts as the word is taken in our common language The definitions agree not to the Lords day It is not an anniversarie but a weekly day It is not instituted for the commemoration of a particular benefite but for the worship of God at large as the morall law requireth and as the old sabbath did For howbeit that day was made choise of which was the day of Christs resurrection yet it was not instituted onely for the commemoration of that particular benefit but for the worship of God in generall It hath no peculiar service of epistles gospels collects or sermons and homilâ—es for Christs resurrection The Church invented afterward a feast or festivall day to wit Easter for