is not meant the weekly Sabbath for then say some what will you understand by new moons which are conjoyned with them yet these two things are evident 1. That Sabbaths and new moons were set times of worshipping God under the old Testament 2. That it is usuall with the Prophets to vaile and not alway to type out the worship and so the times of worship which were to be under the new Testament under the Ordinances of God observed in the old as may appeare Isa. 19.19 Mal. 1.11 as also by Ezekiels Temple and such like hence then it followes that although this place should not evict a seventh dayes Sabbath yet it demonstrates at least thus much that some let times and dayes shadowed out under the name of new moons and Sabbaths are to be observed under the new Testament and this is sufficient to prove the point in hand That all daies are not equall under the Gospell Thesis 78. The Kindome of heaven indeed doth not consist in meat and drink as the Apostle saith Rom. 14.17 i. in the use of externall indifferent things as those meats and drinks and some kind of dayes were or if in some sense it did yet not chiefely in them as if almost all religion did chiefely consist in them but doth it from hence follow that it consists not in things commanded nor in any set dayes of worship which are commanded If because the kingdom of God consists in internall peace and righteousnesse and joy of the holy Ghost that therefore all externall observances of times and duties of worship are not necessary to be attended by Gospel-worshippers as some secretly imagine then farewel all externall Preaching Sacraments Profession and Confession of the Name of Christ as well as Sabbaths and let such artists of licentiousnesse bring in all prophanesse into the world again by a law from heaven not condemning the acts of the outward man though never so abominable in abstinence from which by this rule the kingdome of heaven doth not consist Is it no honour to the King of glory as it is to earthly Princes to be served sometimes upon speciall Festivals in speciall state with speciall and glorious attendance by his people as well as after a common and usuall manner every day We have seen some who have at first held community of dayes onely to fall at last through the righteous judgment of God blinding their hearts to maintaine community of wives and that because the kingdome of God hath as they have thought consisted no more in outward relations as that is between Husbands and Wives than in the observation of externall circumstances and dayes Thesis 79. But this is not the ordinary principle by which many are led to maintaine an equality of dayes under the Gospel but this chiefely viz. that the morall law is not to bee a Christians rule of life for we aknowledge it to be no Covenant of life to a Beleever that either by the keeping of it he should be justified or that for the breach of it he should be condemned but they say that when a Believer hath life by the Covenant of grace the law is now not so much as a rule of life to such a one and then 't is no wonder if they who blow out the light of the whole morall law from being a light to their feet and a lamp to their paths if they hereby utterly extinguish this part of it viz. the Commandment of the Sabbath This dashing against the whole law is the very mystery of this iniquity why some doe cashier this law of the Sabbath and they doe but hide themselves behinde a thread when they oppose it by their weapons who therefore abandon it because it alone is ceremoniall above any other law Thesis 80. The Sabbath saith one is perpetuall and morall but not the Sabbath day the Sabbath which some make continuall and inward onely is perpetually to be observed but not the Sabbath day a Sabbath is by Divine ordination but a Sabbath day is to be observed onely as a humane constitution But they should doe well to consider whether that which they call an inward continuall Sabbath be inconsistent with a speciall day for I am sure that they under the old Testament were bound equally with us to observe a continuall Sabbath in resting from all sinne and resting in God by Iesus Christ Heb. 4.1 2. yet this did not exempt them from observing a speciall day A speciall day is a most powerfull meanes to Sabbatize every day Why then may not a Sabbath and a Sabbath day consist together An every day Sabbath is equally opposite to a time occasionally set as to a set day which the Commandment enjoyns and therefore if it exempts a Christian from observing a set day it sets him free also from all observation of any such set time for if because a Christian Sabbath ought to bee continuall and that therefore there ought to bee no set dayes then there should not bee any occasionally set times for the worship of God because these neither can be continuall and if there ought to be no such set times we may then bid good night to all the publick worship and glory of God in the world like the men with one eye to him who put his other eye quite out And if any here reply that there is not the like reason because holy time and days are not necessary but holy duties are necessary and therefore require some occasionall set time for them I answer That let the difference be granted yet that which I now dispute on is this ground and supposition onely viz. That if all set dayes are to bee abandoned because a Christians Sabbath ought to bee continuall and inward then all occasionall set times also are to bee abandoned upon the same ground because these cannot bee continuall and inward no more than the other as for them who think no holy day necessary but holy duties lawfull every day we have already and shall hereafter cleare up more fully in its proper place Mean while it is yet doubtfull to me whether those who follow Master Saltmarsh and some others will acknowledge the lawfulnesse of any occasionall set times for publick worship of hearing the word and prayer c. For he makes the bosome of the Father to bee the Christian Sabbath typified in the seventh day of the first Creation and he makes the six dayes of worke to be a type not onely of the Lord Iesus in his active and fulfilling administrations while he was in the flesh but also to be a figure of the Christian in bondage or to use his own words of a Christian under active and working administrations as those of the law and Gospel are as all formes of worship Duties Graces Prayer Ordinances c. From whence it will follow from his principles for I know not his practice that all formes of worship Duties Graces Prayer Ordinances are then to cease as types
time to be sanctified rather then a fifth a fourth or a ninth not simply because it was this seventh or a seventh but because in his wise determination thereof he knew it to be the most just and equall division of time between man and himself and therefore I know no incongruity to affirm that if God had seen one day in three or four or nine to be as equall a proportion of time as one day in seven that he would then have left it free to man to take and consecrate either the one or the other the Spirit of God not usually restraining where there is a liberty and on the other side if he had seen a third or fifth or ninth or twentieth part of time more equal then a seventh he would have fixed the bounds of labour and rest out of a seventh but having now fixed them to a seventh a seventh day is therefore morall rather then a fourth or sixt or ninth day because it is the most equall and fittest proportion of time all things considered between God and man the appointment therefore of a seventh rather then a sixt or fourth is not an act of Gods meer will only as our adversaries affirm and therefore they think it not morall but it was and is an act of his wisdom also according to a morall rule of justice viz. to give unto God that which is most fit most just and most equall and therefore although there is no naturall justice as Mr Primrose cals it in a seventh simply and abstractly considered rather then in a sixth or tenth yet if the most equall proportion of time for God be lotted out in a seventh there is then something naturall and morall in it rather then in any other partition of time viz. to give God that proportion of time which is most just and most equall and in this respect a seventh part of time is commanded because it is good according to the description of a morall law and not only good because it is commanded Thesis 131. 'T is true that in private duties of worship as to reade the Scriptures meditate pray c. the time for these and the like duties is left to the will and determination of man according to generall rules of conveniency and seasonablenesse set down in the word mans will in this sence is the measure of such times of worship but there is not the like reason here in determining time for a Sabbath as if that should be left to mans liberty also because those private duties are to be done in that time which is necessarily annexed to the duties themselves which time is therefore there commanded where and when the duty is commanded but the time for a Sabbath is not such a time as naturally will and must attend the action but it 's such a time as Counsell not nature sees most meet and especially That counsell which is most able to make the most equall proportions of time which we know is not in the liberty or ability of men or Angels but of God himself for do but once imagine a time required out of the limits of what naturally attends the action and it will be found necessarily to be a time determined by counsell and therefore our adversaries should not think it as free for man to change the Sabbath seasons from the seventh to the fifth or fourth or tenth day c. as to alter and pick our times for pâ—ivate duties Thesis 132. There is a double reason of proposing Gods example in the fourth Command as is evident from the Commandment it self the first was to perswade the second was to direct 1. To perswade man so to labour six daies together as to give the seventh or a seventh appointed for holy rest unto God for so the example speaks God laboured six daies and rested the seventh therefore do you do the like 2. To direct the people of God to That particular Seventh which for that time when the Law was given God would have them then to observe and that was that Seventh which did succeed the six daies labour and therefore for any to make Gods example of rest on That Seventh day an argument that God commanded the observation of that Seventh day only is a groundlesse assertion for there was something more generally aimed at by setting forth this example viz. to perswade men hereby to labour six daies and give God the seventh which he should appoint as well as to direct to that particular day which for that time it 's granted it also pointed unto and therefore let the words in the Commandment be obseâ—ved and we shall finde mans duty 1. More generally set down viz. to labour six daies and dedicate the seventh unto God and then follows Gods perswasion hereunto from his own example who when he had a world to make and worke to doe he did labour six daies together and rested the seventh and thus a man is bound to do still but it doth not follow that he must rest that particular seventh only on which God then rested or that that seventh though we grant it was pointed unto was only aimed at in this example the binding power of all examples whatsoever and therefore of this being ad speciem actus as they call it to that kind of act and not to the individuum actionis only or to every particular accidentall circumstance therein If indeed man was to labour six daies in memoriall only of the six daies of creation and to rest a Seventh day in memoriall only of Gods rest and cessation from creation it might then carry a faire face as if this example pointed at the observation of that particular seventh onely but look as our six daies labour is appointed for other and higher ends then to remember the six daies worke of God it being a morall duty to attend our callings therein so the Seventh day of rest is appointed for higher and larger ends as Didoclavius observes then onely to remember that notable rest of God from all his works it being a morall duty to rest the Seventh day in all holinesse Thesis 133. It was but accidentall and not of the essence of the Sabbath day that that particular Seventh from the creation should be the Sabbath for the Seventh day Sabbath being to be mans rest day it was therefore suitable to Gods wisdom to give man an example of rest from himselfe to encourage him thereunto for we know how strongly examples perswade now rest bâ—ing a cessation from labour it therefore supposes labour to goe before hence God could not appoint the first day of the creation to be the Sabbath because he did then but begin his labour nor could he take any the other daies because in them he had not finished his work nor rested from his labour therefore Gods rest fell out upon the last of seven succeeding six of labour before so that if there could have been any other day as fit then for exemplary
the Westerne and more remote parts and therefore they might more powerfully infect those in the East and they to gaine or keep them might more readily comply with them Let us therfore see into the reasonâ— of this change from one seventh unto another Thesis 10. The good will of him who is Lord of the Sabbath is the first efficient and primary cause of the institution of a new Sabbath but the Resurrection of Christ being upon the first day of the week Mark 16.9 is the secondary morall or moving cause hereof the day of Christs resurrection being Christs joyfull day for his Peoples deliverance and the worlds restitution and new Creation it is no wonder if the Lord Christ appoint it and the Apostles preach and publish it and the primitive Christians observe it as their holy and joyfull day of rest and consolation For some notable work of God upon a day being ever the morall cause of sanctifying the day hence the work of redemption being finished upon the day of Christs Resurrection and it being the most glorious work that ever was and wherein Christ was fiâ—st most gloriously manifested to have rested from it Rom. 1.4 hence thâ— Lord Christ might have good cause to honour this day above all others and what other cause there should be of the publike solemne Assemblies in the primitive Churches upâ—n the first day of the week then this glorious work of Christs Resurrection upon the same day which began their great joy for the rising of the Sun of righteousness is scarce imaginable Thesis 11. No action of Christ doth of it selfe sanctifie any time for if it did why should we not then keepe as many Holy dayes every year as we find holy actions of Christ recorded in Scripture as the superstitious Crew of blind Papists do at this day But if God who is the Lord of time shall sanctifie any such day or time wherein any such action is done such a day then is to be kept holy and therefore if the will of God hath sanctified the day of Christs Resurrection we may lawfully sanctify the same day and therefore Mr. Brabourne doth us wrong as if we made the Resurrection of Christ meerly to be the cause of the change of this day Thesis 12. Why the Will of God should honour the day of Christs Resurrection as holy rather then any other day of his Incarnation Birth Passion Ascension It is this because Christs rising day was his resting or Sabbath day wherein he first entred into his rest and whereon his rest began For the Sabbath or rest-Rest-day of the Lord our God only can be our rest-Rest-day according to the fourth Commandement Hence the day of Gods rest from the work of Gods Rest from the work of Creation and the day of Christs Rest from the work of Redemption are only fit and capable of being our Sabbaths Now the Lord Christ in the day of his incarnation and birth did not enter into his rest but rather made entrance into his labour and sorrow who then began the woâ—k of Humiliation Gal. 4.4 5. and in the day of his passion he was then under the soâ—est part and feeling of his labour â—n bitter Agonies upon the Crosse and in the Garden And hence it is that none of those days were consecrated to be ouâ— Sabbath or rest-dayes which were days of Christs labour and sorrow nor could the day of his Ascension be fit to be made out Sabbath because although Christ then and thereby entred into his place of Rest the third Heavens yet he did not then make his first entrance into his estate of rest which was in the day of his Resurrection the wisedome and will of God did therefore choose this day above any other to be the Sabbath day Thesis 13. Those that goe about as some of late have done to make Christs Ascension-day the ground of our Sabbath-day had need be fearefull left they lose the truth and goe beyond it while they affect some new discoveries of it which seems to be the case here For through Christ at his Ascension entred into his place of Rest yet the place is but an Accidental thing to Christs Rest it selfe the State of which was begun in the day of his Resurrection and therefore there is no reason to prefer that which is but accidental above that which is most substantiall or the day of entrance into the place of his Rest in his Ascension before the day of Rest in his Resurrection beside it s very uncertain whether Christ ascended upon the first day of the week we are certain that he arose then and why we should build such a vast change upon an uncertainty I know not And yet suppose that by deduction and strength of wit â—t might be found out yet wee see not the Holy Ghost expressely setting it down viz. That Christ ascended upon the first day of the week which if he had intended to have made the ground of our Christian Sabbath he would surely have done the first day in the week being ever accounted the Lords day in Holy Scriptures and no other first day do we find mentioned on which he ascended but only on that day wherein he arose from the dead Thesis 14. And looke as Christ was a Lambe slaine from the foundation of the World meritoriously but not actually So he was also risen againe in the like manner from the foundation of the world meritoriously but not actually Hence it is that look as God the father actually instituted no Sabbath day untill he had actually finished his work of Creation so neither was it meet that this day should be changed untill Christ Jesus had actually finished and not meritoriously only the work of Redemption or Restoration And hence it is that the Church before Christs coming might have good reason to sanctifie that day which was instituted upon the actuall finishing of the work of Creation and yet might have no reason to observe our Christian Sabbath the work of Restoration and new Creation and rest from it not being then so much as actually begun Thesis 15. Whether our Saviour appointed that first individuall day of his resurrection to be the first Christian Sabbath is somewhat difficult to determine and I would not tie knots and leave them for others to unloose This only I aime at that although the first individuall day of Christs Resurrection should not possibly be the first individuall Sabbath yet still the Resurrection of Christ is the ground of the institution of the Sabbath which one consideration dasheth all those devices of some mens Heads who puzzle their Readers with many intricacies and difficulties in shewing that the first day of Christs Resurrection could not be the first Sabbath and thence would inferre that the day of his Resurrection was not the ground of the institution of the Sabbath which inferâ—nce is most false for it was easie with Christ to make that great worke on this day to be the ground
of the institution of it some time after that work was Past. Thesis 16. The sinne and fall of man having defaced and spoyled de jure though not de facto the whole worke of Creation as that learned Bishop well observes It was not so meet therefore that the Sabbath should be ever kept in respect of that work but rather in respect of this new Creation or Restoration of all things by Christ after the actuall Accomplishment thereof in the day of his Resurrection But look as God the father having created the world in six dayes he rested therefore and sanctified the seventh So this work being spoiled and marred by mans sin and the new Creation being finished and ended the Lord therefore rested the first day of the week and therefore sanctified it Thesis 17. The fourth commandment gives in the reason why God sanctified the seventh day from the Creation viz. because God rested on that day and as it is in Exod. 31.17 was refreshed in it that is took a complacency and delight in his 〈◊〉 so done and so finished But the sin of man in falling from his first Creation made God repent that ever he made man Gen. 6. and consequently the world for man and therefore it tooke off that complacency or rest and refreshing in this his work if therefore the Lord betake himselfe to work a new work new Creation or Renovation of all things in and by his Son in which he will for ever Rest may not the day of his rest be then justly changed into the first of seven on which day his rest in his new work began whereof he will never repent If the Lord vary his rest may not be vary the time and day of it nay must not the time and day of our rest be varied because the ground of Gods rest in a new work is changed Thesis 18. As it was no necessary duty therefore perpetually to observe that seventh day wherein God first rested because his rest on that day is now changed so also it is not necessary orderly to observe those six dayes of labour wherein He first laboured and built the world of which for the sin of man he is said to have repented yet notwithstanding though it be no necessary duty to observe those particular six dayes of labour and that seventh of Rest yet it is a morall duty as hath been proved to observe six dayes for labour and a seventh for Rest and hence it follows that although the Lord Christs Rest on the Day of his Resurrection the first day of the week might and may justly be taken as a ground of our rest on the same day yet his labour in the work of Redemption three and thirty yeers and upward all the dayes of his life and humiliation could not nor cannot justly be made the ground or example of our labour so as we must labour and worke thirty three yeeres together before we keep a Sabbath the Day of Christs Rest. Because although God could alter and change the Day of Rest without infringment of the Morality of the fourth Commandment Yet he could not make the example of Christs labour thirty three yeers together the ground or example of our continuance in our work without manifest breach of that Morall Rule viz. That man shal have six dayes together for labour the seventh for Rest. For man may rest the first day of the week and withall observe six dayes for labour and so keep the fourth Commandment but he cannot labour 33. yeers together and then keep a Sabbath without apparent breach of the same Commandment and therefore that Argument of Master Brabourne against 〈◊〉 Christian Sabbath meltâ— into Vanity wherein he urgeth an equity of the Change of the Dayes of our 〈◊〉 either three Dayes onely together as Christ did lie in the grave or 33. yeers together as he did all the dayes of his Humiliation in case we will make a Change of the Sabbath from the Change of the Day of Christs Rest. And yet I confesse ingenuously with him that if the Lord had not instituted the first Day of the week to be our Christian Sabbath all these and such like arguings and reasonings were invalid to prove a Change for mans reason hath nothing to do to Change dayes without Divine appointment and institution these things onely I mention why the wisdome of God might well alter the Day The proofs that he hath changed it shall follow in due place Thesis 19. The Resurrection of Christ may therefore be one ground not onely of the Sanctification of the Christian Sabbath but also a sufficient ground of the abrogation of the Jewish Sabbath For first the greater light may darken the lesse and a greater work as the Restoration of the World above the Creation of it may overshadow the lesse Ierem 23.7 8. Exod. 12.2 Secondly Mans sinne spoyled the first Rest and therefore the day of it might be justly abâ—ogated For the horrible wrath of God had been immediatly poured out upon man as might be proved and as it was upon the lapsed Angels and consequently upon all Creatures for mans sake if Christ had not given the Father Rest for whose sake the world was made Revel 4.11 and by whose meanes and mediation the World continues as now it doth Ioh. 5.22 Thesis 20. Yet although Christs Resurrection be one ground not onely of the Institution of the new Sabbath but also of the abrogation of the Old yet it is not the onely ground why the Old was abrogated For as hath been shewen there was some type affixed to the Jewish Sabbath by reason of which there was just cause to abrogate or rather as Calvin calls it to translate the Sabbath to another Day And therefore this dasheth another of Mr. Brabournes dreames who argues the continuance of the Jewish Sabbath because there is a possibility for all Nations still to observe it For saith he cannot we in England as well as they at Jerusalem remember that Sabbath Secondly rest in it Thirdly Keep it holy Fourthly keep the whole day holy Fifthly the last of seven Sixthly and all this in imitation of God Could no Nation saith he besides the Iewes observe these six things Yes verily that they could in respect of naturall ability but the question is not what men may or might do but what they ought to do and should do For besides the change of Gods Rest through the work of the Sonne there was a Type affixed to that Jewish Sabbath for which cause it may justly vanish at Christs death as well as other types in respect of the affixed Type which was but accidentall and yet be continued and preserved in another Day being originally and essentially Moral A Sabbath was instituted in Paradise equally honoured by God in the Decalogue with all other Moral Lawes foretold to continue in the dayes of the Gospel by Ezekiel and Isaiah Ezek. 43. ult Isa. 56.4.6 and commended by Christ who bids his people
Initiation into Christs mystical Body 1 Cor. 12.12 it now stands by vertue of that general Rule by which Circumcision it selfe was administred viz That the Seale of initiation into Christs Body be applyed to all the visible members of that Body and hence children are to be now Baptized as once they were Circumcised being members of Christs Body So the first day of the week being instituted to be the Lords Day or Lords Sabbath hence it followes that if the first seventh which is now abrogated was once observed because it was the Lords Sabbath or the Sabbath Day which God appointed by the very same Rule and on the very same ground we also are bound to keep this first day being also the Sabbath of the Lord our God which he hath now appointed anew under the New Testament Thesis 41. It is true that some of the Primitive Churches in the Eastern parts did for some hundred of yeers observe both Sabbaths both Iewish and Christian. But they did this without warrant from God who allowes but one Sabbath in a week and also against the Rule of the apostles for I think that Paul foreseeing this observation of dayes and Iewish Sabbaths to be stirring and ready to creep into the Church that he did therefore condemne the same in his Epistles to the Galatians and Colosians and that therefore Christian Emperours and Councels in after-times did well and wisely both to condemn the observations of the one and withal honour the other Thesis 42. Although the work of redemption be applyed unto few in respect of the special benefits of it yet Christ by his death is made Heire and Lord of all things bring now set down at the right hand of God and there is some benefit which befalls al the world by Christs Redemption and the Government of all things is not now in the hand of God as Creator but in the hand of a Mediator Heb. 1.1 2. Heb. 2.8.9 Iohn 5.22 Colos. 1.16.17 1 Tim. 4.10 Iohn 3.35 and hence it is no wonder if all men as well as a few elected selected and called be commanded to sanctifie the Lords Day as once they were the Jewish seventh day the work of Christ being in some respect of as great extent through all the worke of Creation as the work of the Father And therefore it is a great feeblenesse in Master Brabourne to go about to vilifie the worke of Redemption and extoll that of Creation above it and that therefore the Sabbath ought still to be kept in reference to the work of Creation which concernes all men rather then in respect of Redemption which he imagines concerneth onely some few Thesis 43. The Lord Christ rested from the work of redemption by price upon the day of his Resurrection but he is not yet at rest from the work of Redemption by power untill the day of our Resurrection and Glory be perfected But it doth not hence fellow as Master Primrose imagines that there is no Lords day Instituted in respect of Christs Resurrection because he hath not nor did not then â—est from Redemption by power for look as the Father having rested from the works of Creation might therefore appoint a Day of Rest alâ—hough he did not nor doth not yet rest from Providence John 5.17 So the Lord Christ having finished the great worke of Redemption he might justly appoint a day of Rest although his redeeming workly by power was yet behind Thesis 44. The heavie and visible judgements of God revealed from heaven against prophaners of this our Lords day Sabbath will one day be a convincing Argument of the Holinesse of this Day when the Lord himselfe shall have the immediate handling and pressing of it Mean while I confesse my weaknesse to convince an adversary by it nor will I contend with any other Arguments from Antiquity for the observation of this Day but these may suffice which are alledged from the Holy Word THE BEGINNING OF THE SABBATH Wherein five severall Opinions about the beginning of the Sabbath are set down the Arguments commonly used for the four first of them are answered and the truth of the fifth for its beginning in the Evening confirmed BY THOMAS SHEPARD Pastor of the Church of Christ at Cambridge in New-England The third Part. LONDON Printed for Iohn Rothwell 1650. The generall Contents concerning the Beginning of the Sabbath 1. FIve severall Opinions concerning the beginning of the Sabbath Thesis 2. 2. The time for beginning of the Sabbath not according to the various customs of divers Nations Thesis 3. 3. The time of the Artificiall day not the beginning and end of the Sabbath as it begins and ends Thesis 13. 4. The beginning of the Sabbath not midnight Thesis 28. 5. The morning doth not begin the Sabbath Thesis 48. 6. That place of Mat. 28.1 usually alledged for the beginning of it in the morning cleared Thesis 50. 7. The Resurrection of Christ not aymed at by the Evangelists to be made the beginning of the day although it be of the change of it Thesis 58. 8. John 20 19. cleared Thesis 59. 9. Pauls preaching till midnight no argument of the beginning of the Sabbath in the morning Thesis 64. 10. The various acception of the word Day and Morrow to answer many proofs alledged for beginning the Sabbath in the morning Thesis 68. 11. Some that hold in the beginning of the Sabbath was from Even to Even untill Christs Resurrection and then the time was changed confuted Thesis 69 70. 12. There is not the like reason for the Sabbath to begin at the first moment of Christs entrance into his rest as for the first Sabbath at the beginning of Fathers rest Thesis 71. 13 The reasons for the Change of the day are not the same for the change of the beginning of the day Thesis 73. 14. The conceived fitnesse for the beginning of the Sabbath in the morning rather then in the evening is a vanity Thesis 75. 15. The Evening begins the Christian Sabbath Thesis 76. 16. The place Gen. 1.2 cleared Thesis 78. 17. The Darkenesse mentioned Gen. 1.2 was not punctum temporis Thesis 81 81. 18. The separation of Light and darkenesse Gen. 1 2. cleared Thesis 86.87 19. Levit. 23.32 provâ—s the beginning of the Sabbath at Evening Thesis 90. 20. Nehemiah an exemplary pattern beginning the Sabbath at Evening Thesis 94. 21. Those that prepared for the buriall of Chriâ—t began their Sabbath in the Evening Thesis 97.98 22. Christs lying three dayes in the grave Thesis 100. 23. Those Nothern Countries who have the Sun in view divers weeks together in a yeer yet know when to begin the day Thesis 101. The Beginning of the SABBATH THESIS 1. IT S a holy labour saith one to enquire after the Beginning of holy Rest. The Sabbath cannot be so sweetly sanctified unlesse we know the time when to begin and end it the different apprehensions of such as have inquired after the Truth in this particular have mad way for
and the Lord allows it nay it would be sin and idlenesse in many not to doe it besides that sleep and rest which is to be taken in the night it is in ordine or in reâ—erence to Day-labour and is as a whet thereunto and in this respect the whole weekly night as well as the day is for labour as the sleep we take on Sabbath night is in ordine or with respect to spirituall rest and so that whole naturall day is a day of spirituall rest It is therefore a vain thing for any to make the nights of the six working daies to be no part of the six working daies because they say they are given to man to rest and sleep in for upon the same ground they may make the Artificiall daies no daies of labour neither because there must be ordinarily some time taken out of them to eat drink and refresh our weak bodies in Thesis 17. If Nehemiah shut the gates of the City when it began to be dark least that night time should be prophaned by bearing burdens in it then certainly the time of night was sanctified of God as well as the day to say that this act was but a just preparation for the Sabbath is said without proofe for if God allows men six daies and nights to labour in what equity can there be in forbidding all servile worke a whole night together which God hath allowed man for labour and although we ought to make preparation for the Sabbath yet the time and measure of it is left to each mans Christian liberty but for a civill Magistrate to impose twelve houres preparation for the Sabbath is surely both against Christian liberty and Gods allowance also Again Nehemiah did this lest the men of Tyre should occasion the Jews to break the Sabbath day by bringing in wares upon that night so as if that night therefore had not been part of the Sabbath they could not therâ—â—y provoke the Jews to prophane the Sabbath day by which Nehemiah tels them they had provoked the wrath of God Thesis 18. A whole naturall day is called a day though it take in the night also because the day-light is the chiefest and best part of the day and we know that the denomination of things is usually according to the better part but for Mr. Brabourne to affirm that the word Day in Scripture is never taken but for the Artificiall day or time of Light is utterly â—alse as might appeare from sundry instances it may suffice to â—ee a cluster of of seven daies which comprehended their nights also Exod. 12.15 18 19.41 42. Thesis 19. To affirme that the Sabbath day onely comprehends the Day-light because the fiâ—st Day in Gen. 1 began with morning light is not only a bad consequence supposing the ground of it to be true but the ground and foundation of it is as certainly false as to say that Darknesse is Light for its evident that the first day in Genesis began with that darknesse which God calls Night Psal. 4.5 and to affirme that the first Day in Genesis 1. begins with morning Light is as grossely false as it is apparently true that within six Daies the Lord made Heaven and Earth Ex. 20 11. for before the creating of that Light which God calls Day the Heavens and with them the Angels and the Earth or fiâ—st matter called the Deepe which was overspread with Darknesse were created either therefore the Lord did not create the World in six Dayes or t is untrue that the first day in Genesis began with morning Light and I wonder upon what grounds this notion should enter into any mans head for though God calls the light Day and the darkenesse Night as we shall doe when speake of the artificiall Day yet withall he called the Evening of the morning the first day and what was this Evening and Morning Surely it s all that space of time wherein the Lord did his first dayes work now it s evident that part of the first Daies work was before God created the light and what though evening be oftentimes taken for the latter part of the Daylight yet it s too well known to those who have waded the deepe in this controversy that it is oftentimes taken not only for the bound between light and Darkenesse 1. e. the end of light and beginning of darknesse Ios. 10.26 27. Psal. 104.23 but also for the whole time of darknesse as t is here in this first of Genesis and as we shall prove in due place and therefore to affirm that the Hebrew word used by Moses for evening not to be naturally applyable to the Night because it signifies a mixture of light and darknesse in the Notion of it is a grosse mistake for the Hebrew word Gnereb doth not signifie a mixture of light and darknesse but onely a mixture because it is the beginning of darkenesse wherein all things seeme to be mixed and compounded together and cannot be clearly and distinctly discerned in their kinds and colours if Buxtorfius may be believed as is also evident Is. 29.15 and to affirm that the Day is before the Night even in this first of Genesis because Moseâ— sometimes sets the Day before the Night it may seeme 〈…〉 an Argument as to say that the Evening is before the Morning because Moses here sets the Evening before the Morning but this will not seeme rationall to them who make the Evening to comprehend the latter part of the Day-light and the Morning the first part of it Lastly to make the Light to begin the day because the time of light is a certaine principle of compuâ—ation the space of darknesse before that light was created being unknown is all one as if one should affirme that the time of Day-light was not the beginning of the Day because the space of that is also as much unknown For if we know that darknes was before light though we may not know how long it continued yet we do know certainly that the first Day began with darknesse and that this darknesse and light made up the space of 24 houres or of a naturall day as in al other daies works of creation and which is sufficient to break down this principle viz. that the first Day in Genesis began with Morning Light Thesis 20. Some say the Sabbath is significative of Heaven and therefore it onely comprehends the day light which is fit to signifie the lightsome Day of Heaven which darknesse is not but why may not Night-time signifie Heaven as well as Day-time for Heaven is a place of rest and the night is the fittest time for rest after our weary labours in the day Who teacheth men thus to allegorize how easily a thing is it thus to abuse all the Scripture and yet suppose it should signifie Heaven yet why may not the Sabbath continue the space of a naturall as well as of an artificiall Day considering that the naturall Day of the World or of
the temper of the Times is loose and luke-warme Thesis 9. Considering therefore that some vvorke may be done upon the Sabbath and some not and that mans heart is apt to run to extreames either to grosse prophanesse or Pharisaicall strictnesse vve are therefore to enquire what workes we must rest from and what not from upon the Sabbath Day Thesis 10. If the Scriptures may be judge herein we shall finde that vvhen they forbid all manner of worke they interpret this of Servile Worke. The vvorke forbidden in the annuall Sabbaths vvhich did but shaddow out the rest on this Sabbath it is servile vvorke Levit. 23.7 8. and hence the rest on the Sabbath in this fourth command is opposed to the labour on the weeke daies vvhich is properly servile lawfull to be done then but unlawfull upon the Sabbath Day Thesis 11. The Schoolmen and some of their late Idolizers like the Pharises of old over blind in interpreting the spiritualnesse of the Law of God describe a servile worke in that manner so as that the grinding of water-mills and wind-mills as also the counsells of Lawyers to their Clients the Herring Trade of Fishermen are with them no servile works on this day and indeed they scarce make any worke servile but what is slavish and externall bondage and burden Thesis 12. But if we consult with Scriptures and the very words of this fourth Commandement we shall finde two things concurring to make up a servile worke 1. If any worke be done for any worldly gaine profit or livelyhood to acquire and purchase the things of this life by which is the principall end of weeke day labour Eph. 4.28 1 Thes. 4.12 this is a servile worke all one with what the Commandement calls Thy work Hence buying selling sowing reaping which are done for worldly gaine are unlawfull on this day being therefore servile works hence also worldly sports and pastimes which are ordained of God to whet on worldly labour not necessary every day but onely at some seasons are therefore most proper appurtenances unto daies of labour and are therefore unlawfull upon this day holy Times are no more to be sported on then holy places hence also on the other side to rub the eares of Corne to dresse meat for comfortable nourishment of man because they respect not worldly gaine are no servile workes nor yet unlawfull but may be more lawfully done for the comfort of man then to lead his horse to the water this day Luke 6.2 13.15 14.5 hence also such works as are done onely for the preservation of the Creatures as to pull a sheepe out of a ditch to quench fire in a Towne to save Corne and Hay from the sudden inundation of Water to keepe Fire in the Iron mills to sit at sterne and guide the ship and a thousand such like actions being not done properly for worldly gaine are not unlawfull God himselfe not ceasing from workes of preservation when he did from those of creation hence also such works as are not works of immediate worship but onely required necessarily thereto as killing the Sacrifices in the Temple travelling a Sabbath daies journey to the publique assemblies being no servile workes for outward gaine are not unlawfull upon this day 2. Such worldly works which though they be not done for worldly gaine or profit yet if by a provident care and foresight they might be done as well the weeke before or may as well be done a week after the Sabbath these also are servile works for thus the Commandment expresseth it Six daies thou mayst doe all thy work meaning which can be done as well the week before and if all cannot be done it may therefore be as well done the week after Hence the building of the Tabernacle which was not so much for mans profit as Gods honour because it might be done upon the six daies seasonably enough hence it is prohibited upon the Sabbath day Exod. 31. If a man hath Corn in the field though he may pretend that the weather is uncertain and it is ready to be brought into the Barn yet he is not to fetch it in upon the Sabbath day because there is no eminent danger of spoyle the Munday after and then he may fetch it in as well as upon that day the like may be said concerning Sea mens setting sayle upon the Sabbath day though they be uncertaine of a faire gale upon the day after Yet we must trust Gods providence who almost in all such matters keeps us at uncertainties hence also the sweeping of the house ought not to be done now if it may as well be done the day before so also to buy any things at shops or to wash clothes if they may be done the week before or after they must not be done upon this day hence on the other side works of necessity which cannot be so conveniently donâ— the day before or after are not unlawfull upon this day as to flie in persecution to watch the City to fight with the Enemy Math. 24.24 2 Kings 1.2 Hence also works of necessity not onely for preservation of life but also for comfort and comelinesse of life are not unlawfull for t is a grosse mistake to thinke that works onely of absolute necessity are allowed onely upon this day for to lead an Ox to water which in the strictest times was not disallowed of is not of absolute necessity for it may live more then a day without it onely its necessary for the comfort of the life of the beast how much more is allowed to the comfort of the life of man the Disciples possibly might have lived longer then the Sabbath without rubbing Corn eares and men may live on Sabbath daies generally without warm meat yea â—hey may fast perhaps all that day yet it is not unlawfull to eate such meat because its necessary for the comfort of life Hence also to put on comely garments to wash hands and face and many such things as are necessary for the comelinesse as well as the comfort of life are not unlawfull now there is sometime an inevitable necessity by Gods providence and sometime a contracted necessity through want of care and foresight in this case the work may sometime be done provided that our neglect beforehand be repented of in a word he that shall conscientiously endeavour that no more work be done on the Sabbath then what must be done for the ends mentioned that so he may have nothing else to doe but to be with God that day shall have much peace to his own conscience herein against Satans clamours hence lastly not onely outward servile work but servile thoughts affections and cares are to be cast off this day from the sight of God as others are from the eyes of men servile thoughts and affections being as much against the fourth Commandement as unchaste and filthy thoughts against the seventh Thesis 13. That we are to abstaine from all servile work not so much
which Master Primrose contends for but rather directly to the second and reductively and indirectly as appendices to the fourth which appendices as they may be put to so they may be taken off againe the morall Commandment remaining entire even as we know Calvin referres many ceremoniall duties as appendices to such Commands concerning the morality of which Master Primrose doubts not and therefore for him to thinke that the Sabbath comprehends all Iewish Festivall dayes upon this ground viz. because the Sabbath is joyned with and put in among the reckoning of such Festivals Leviticus 23. Isaiah 1.13 14. hath no more force in it than by retorting the argument and upon the like ground prove it to be morall because it is joyned with Morall Commandments as honouring of Parents Leviticus 19.3 and prayer Isaiah 1.19 and by his owne confession with the other nine which are all of them morall also Thesis 65. Secondly not onely a solemne time but more particularly a solemne day a whole day of worship is here also required by vertue of this fouâ—th Command and the Lord gives us good reason for it that if he gives us many whole dayes for our owne work then not some part of a day but a day a whole day according to the reason and expresse words of the Commandment should bee marked out and set apart for his work and service if that place Isaiah 56.6 7. will not demonstrate a seventh dayes Sabbath under the new Testament yet â—â—sufficiently and fully clears the point in hand viz. that a Sabbath day is to be observed by the sonnes of the stranger or Gentiles who are called strangers to the Common-wealth of Irsael Ephesians 2.12 and indeed Wallaeus freely confesseth and proveth that a whole day is here required and if a whole day I hope none will think that the time out of publick Assemblies is common and prophane if a whole day be holy and therefore Mr. Primrose tels us that the Gentiles having no other law but the light of nature have appointed set dayes for the exercise of their religion and that as the Jews had their set days which we know were whole dayes so should Christians have theirs for their publick Assemblies under the Gospel which I hope must be therefore whole dayes also it is also considerable that if the three first Commandments requiring Gods worship do consequently require some time for that worship as being a necessary adjunct to all actions whether morall or civill and without which they cannot be performed then the fourth Command must require somewhat more particularly than a time of worship and therefore they that place the morality of the fourth Command in requiring onely a time of worship because say they a time of worship is necessary may upon this ground wholly and perfectly abolish the fourth Command as superfluous and needlesse because such a time of worship is required in all other Commandments necessarily They may also imagine as great a morality in the command of building the Temple the place of worship because a place of worship is necessary as well as a time it is not therefore a time but such a time as is preserved in a day even in a whole day for worship which is here commanded Thesis 66. The wise God could have appointed some part of every day to be kept holy rather than a whole day together but his wisdome saw this proportion of time every day to be more unmeet in respect of mans daily cumbers which doe so easily intangle mans thoughts and affections so as within some smal piece of a day he cannot ordinarily nor so easily recover and unloose himselfe to find the end of a Sabbath service which is most sweet and full rest in the bosome of his God as he may within the compasse of a whole day set a part for that end or suppose he could so doe in a piece and part of a day yet Gods Name should lose by it if he should not have the hoâ—â—ur of some solemne day which wee see doe serve to advâ—â—ce the names of idoll gods and men on earth it 's meet and just that Gods Name should be magnified by us commonly every day by setting a part some time which we may well spare as whet to the sithe out of our callings for God and this doth honour him but a day much more Thesis 67. They therefore who maintaine that a seventh day is not morall because it is but a circumstance of time may as well abolish time to be morall or any day to be morall because a day let it fall out when it will is but a circumstance of time which notwithstanding they account to be morall in this command but we know that much morality lyes in circumstances and why a day sanctified may not bee as much morall as a duty I yet see not Thesis 68. The Familists and Antinomians of late like the Manichees of old do make All dayes equally holy under the Gospel and none to bee observed more than another by vertue of any command of God unlesse it be from some command of man to which the outward man they think should not stick to conforme or unlesse it be pro re nata or upon severall occasions which speciall occasions are onely to give the Alarums for Church meetings and publick Christian Assemblies an audacious assertion crosse to the very light of nature among the blind heathens who have universally allowed the deity whom they ignorantly worshipped the honour of some solemn dayes crosse to the verdict of popish Schoolmen and Prelatists whose stomacks never stood much toward any Sabbath at all crosse to the scope of the Law of the Sabbath which if it hath any generall morality not denyed scarce to any of Moses Judicials surely one would think it should lie in the observation of some day or days though not in a seventh day for which now we do not contend Crosse also to the appointment of the Gospel foretold by Isaiah and Ezekiel Isa. 56.4 6. Ezek. 43.27 made mention of by our Saviour to continue long after the abolishing of all ceremonies by his death Mat. 24.20 who therefore bids them pray that their flight may not be in the winter nor on the Sabbath day which whether it be the Jewish or Christian Sabbath I dispute not only this is evident that he hath an eye to some speciall set day and which was lastly ordained by Christ and observed in the Primitive Churches commonly called the Lords day as shall be shewn in due place and which notion under pretence of more spiritualnes in making every day a Sabbath which is utterly unlawfull and impossible unlesse it be lawfull to neglect our own work all the week long and without which there can be no true Sabbath doth really undermine the true Sabbath in speciall set days and look as to make every man a King Judge in a Christian Common-wealth would be the introduction of confusion and consequently
is true that the Sabbath day and that seventh day from the creation are indifferently taken sometimes the one for the other the one being the exegesis or the explication of the other as Gen. 2 2 3. Exod. 16.29 and elsewhere but that it should be only so understood in this commandment Credaâ— Iudaeus Apella non ego as he said in another case I see no convicting argument to clip the wings of the Scripture so short and to make the Sabbath day and that seventh day of equall dimensions Although it cannot be denied but that in some sense the Sabbath day is exegeticall of the seventh day because the commandment hath a speciall eye to that seventh from the creation which is secundarily morall yet not excluding that which is more generally contained in that particular and consequently commanded viz. a seventh day or The Sabbath day Thesis 128. M. Primrose would prove the exegesis That by the Sabbath day is meant that seventh day only from the creation because God actually blessed and sanctified that Sabbath day because God cannot actually blesse a seventh being an unlimited indefinite and uncertain indetermined time The time saith he only wherein he rested he only actually blessed which was not in a seventh day indetermined but in that determined seventh day But all this may be readily acknowledged and yet the truth remain firm for that particular seventh being secundarily morall hence as it was expressely commanded so it was actually and particularly blessed but as in this seventh a generall of a seventh is included so a seventh is also generally blessed and sanctified Otherwise how will M. Primrose maintain the morality of a day of worship out of this commandment for the same objection may be made against a day which himself acknowledgeth as against a seventh day which we maintain for it may be said that That day is here only morall wherein God actually rested but he did not rest in a day indefinitely and therefore a day is not morall let him unloose this knot and his answer in defence of the morality of a day will help him to see the morality of a seventh day also That particular day indeed wherein God actually and particularly rested he particularly blessed but there was a seventh day also more generall which he generally blessed also he generally blest the Sabbath day he particularly blest that Sabbath day and in blessing of that he did virtually and by Analogy blesse our particular Christian Sabbath also which was to come As Moses in his actuall blessing of the tribe of Levi Deut. 23.7 10. he did virtually and by Analogy blesse all the Ministers of the Gospel not then in being And look as when God commanded them to keep holy the Sabbath in ceremoniall duties he did therein virtually command us to keep it holy in Evangelicall duties so when he commanded them to observe that day because it was actually appointed and sanctified and blessed of God he commanded us virtually and analogically therein to observe our seventh day also if ever he should actually appoint and blesse this other Thesis 129. The distribution of equity and justice consists not alway in puncto indivisibili i. in an indivisible point and a set measure so as that if more or lesse be done or given in way of justice that then the rule of justice is thereby broken ex gr it 's just to give alms and pay tribute yet not so just as that if men give more or lesse that then they break a rule of justice so 't is in this point of the Sabbath a seventh part of time is morall because it is just and equall for all men to give unto God who have six for one given them to serve their own turn and do their own work in yet it is not so just but that if God had required the tribute of a third or fourth part of our time but it might have been just also to have given him one day in three or two or four for in this case positive determination doth not so much make as declare only that which is morall And therefore if Mr Primrose thinks that a seventh part of time is not morall upon this ground viz. because it is as equall and just to dedicate more time to God and that a third or fourth day is as equall as a seventh it is doubtlesse an ungrounded assertion for so he affirms That although it be most just to give God one day in seven yet no moâ—e just then to dedâ—cate to him one day in three or six And suppose it be so yet this doth not prove that a seventh day is not morall because it is as equall to give six as seven no more then that it is no morall duty to give an alms because it may be as equall to give twenty pence as thirty pence to a man in want If furthermore he think that it is as equall and just to give God more daies for his service as one in seven out of humane wisdom and by humane consecration not divine dedication then it may be doubted whether one day in two or three or six is as equall as one day in seven for as humane wisdom if lest to it self may readily give too few so it may superstitiously give too many as hath been said But if four or three or six be alike equall in themselves to give to God as one in seven then if he thinks it a morall duty to observe any such day in case it should be imposed and consecrated by humane determination I hope he will not be offended at us if we think it a morall duty also to observe a seventh day which we are certain divine wisdom hath judged most equall and which is imposed on us by divine determination we may be uncertain whether the one is as equall as we are certain that a seventh day is Thesis 130. Actions of worship can no more be imagined to be done without some time then a body be without some place and therefore in the three first Commandments where Gods worship is enjoined some time together with it is necessarily commanded if therefore any time for worship be required in the fourth command which none can deny it must not be such a time as is connaturall which is necessarily tyed to the action but it must be some solemne and speciall time which depends upon some speciall determination not which nature but which Counsel determines Determination therefore by Counsel of that time which is required in this command doth not abolish the morality of it but rather declares and establisheth it God therefore who is Lord of time may justly challenge the determination of this time into his own hand and not infringe the morality of this command considering also that he is more able and fit then men or Angels to see and so cut out the most equall proportion of time between man and himself God therefore hath sequestred a seventh part of
Our Saviour indeed doth not speak particularly about the law of the Sabbath as he doth of killing and adultery c. but if therefore it be not morall because not spoken of here then neither the first second or fift command are morall because they are not expresly opened in this Chapter for the scope of our Saviour was to speak against the Pharisaicall interpretations of the Law in curtalling of it in making grosse murder to be forbidden but not anger adultery to be forbidden but not lust which evil they were not so much guilty of in point of the Sabbath but they rather made the Phylacteries of it too broad by overmuch strictnesse which our Saviour therefore elsewhere condemns but not a word tending to abolish this Law of the Sabbath Thesis 150. If therefore the Commandment is to be accounted morall which the Gospel reinforceth and commends unto us according to Mr. Primrose principles then the fourth Commandment may wel come into the account of such as are morall but the places mentioned and cleared out of the New Testament evince thus much The Lord Jesus comming not to destroy the Law of the Sabbath but to establish it and of the breach of which one Law he that is guilty is guilty of the breach of all Thesis 151. If the observation of the Sabbath had been first imposed upon man since the fall and in speciall upon the people of the Jews at mount Sinai there might be then some colour and reason to cloath the Sabbath with rags and the worn-out garments of ceremonialnesse but if it was imposed upon man in innocency not only before all types and ceremonies but also before all sin and upon Adam as a common person as a Commandement not proper to that estate nor as to a particular person and proper to himselfe then the morality of it is most evident our adversaries therefore lay about them here that they might drive the Sabbath out of Paradise and make it a thing altogether unknown to the state of innocency which if they cannot make good their whole frame against the morality of the Sabbath fals flat to the ground and therefore it is of no small consequence to clear up this truth viz. That Adam in innocency and in him all his posterity were commanded to sanctifie a weekly Sabbath Thesis 152. One would thinke that the words of the Text Gen. 2.2 3. were so plain to prove a Sabbath in that innocent estate that there could be no evasion made from the evidence of them for it is expresly said that the dâ—y the Lord rested the same day the Lord blessed and sanctified but we know he rested the Seventh day immediatly after the Creation and therefore he immediately blessed and sanctified the same day also for the words runne copulatively he rested the Seventh day and he blessed and sanctified that day but its strange to see not only what odde evasions men make from this cleare truth but also what curious Cabilismes and fond interpretations men make of the Hebrew Text the answer to which learned Rivet hath long since made which therefore I mention not Thesis 153. The words are not thus copulative in order of story but in order of time I say not in order of story and discourse for so things far distant in time may â—e coupled together by this copulative particle And as Mr. Primrose truly shews Exod. 16.32 33. 1 Sam. 17.54 but they are coupled and knit together in respect of time for it is the like phrase which Moses immediatly after useth Gen. 5.1 2. where t is said God created man in his Image and blessed them and called their names c. which were together in time so t is here the time God rested that time God blessed for the scope of the words Gen 2.1 2 3. is to shew what the Lord did that seventh day after the finishing of the whole creation in six daiâ—s and that is He blessed and sanctified it For look as the scope of Moses in making mention of the six daies orderly was to shew what God did every particular day so what else should be the scope in making mention of the seventh day unlesse it was to shew what God did then on that day and that is he then rested and blessed and sanctified it even then in that state of innocency Thesis 154. God is said Gen. 2.1 2 3. to blesse the Sabbath as he blessed other creatures but he blessed the creatures at that time they were made Gen. 1.22 28. and therefore he blessed the Sabbath at that time he rested Shall Gods work be presently blessed and shall his rest be then without any Was Gods rest a cause of sanctifying the day many hundred yeers after as our adversaries say and was theâ—e not as much cause then when the memory of the creation was most fresh which was the fittest time to remember Gods work in M. Primrose tels us that the creatures were blessed with a present benediction because they did constantly need it but there was no necessity he saith that man should solemnize the seventh as soon as t is made but as we shall shew that man did then need a speciall day of blessing so t is a sufficient ground of believing that then God blessed the day when there was a full and just and sufficient cause of blessing which is Gods resting it being also such a cause as was not peculiar to the Jews many hundred yeers after but common to all mankinde Thesis 155. The Rest of God which none question to be in innocency immediatly after the creation was either a naturall rest as I may call it that is a bare cessation from labour or a holy rest i. a rest set apart in exemplum or for example and for holy uses but it was not a naturall rest meerly for then it had been enough to have said that at the end of the sixt day God rested but we see God speaks of a day the seventh day God hath rested with a naturall rest or cessation from creation ever since the end of the first sixt day of the world untill now why then is it said that God rested the seventh day Or why is it not rather said that he began his rest on that day but that it is limited to a day Certainly this argues that he speaks not of naturall rest meerly or that which ex natura reâ— follows the finishing of his work for it 's then an unfit and improper speech to limit Gods rest within the ciâ—cle of a day and therefore he speaks of a holy rest then appointed for holy uses as an example for holy rest which may well be limited within the compasse of a day and hence it undeniably follows that if God rested in innocency with such a rest then the seventh day was then sanctified it being the day of holy rest Thesis 156. It cannot be shewn that ever God made himself an example of any act but that in the present
because it was impassible say some nor subject to wearinesse in its work say others truly to what purpose then should any Sabbath be appointed unto him in that estate But we must know that the Hebrew word for Sabbath signifies holy rest and therefore as Rivet well shews it 's called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menuchah which signifies common rest from wearinesse hence it follows that the Sabbath being originally sanctified for holy rest not for common rest or rest from naturall wearinesse in labour Adam might therefore stand in need of a Sabbath though his body was not subject to any wearinesse in or after his labour Hence also although he was to live holily every day yet this hinders not but that his soul might then have need of the holy rest of a Sabbath For 1. Adam was to serve God in a particular calling then as is manifest from Gen 2.15 for he was then to keep and dresse the garden and to act with and under God in the government of many inferiour creatures Gen. 1.26 And thus his time being filled in serving God with all holinesse in his calling he might need a Sabbath nor was it lawfull for him to turn daies of work in his calling into daies of rest and so to keep a Sabbath every day no not in that innocent and happy estate for if it was contrary to Adams holy estate to work six daies how could it be agreeable or sutable to the holinesse of God to work six daies If God did labour six daies and rested a seventh without any need of a rest in respect of any wearinesse in his work why might not nay why should not man imitate and be like to his God in labour and rest although he was not subject to any wearinesse in his holy work 2. Though every day was to be spent in holinesse mediatly both in seeing God in the creatures and meeting with God in his labour and calling yet it was not unsutable nay it was very needfull in that estate to have one day in the week for more immediate and speciall converse with God and for God more immediatly and specially to converse with him Nor indeed was it suitable to Gods wisdom to confine mans holinesse either then or now either to holy labour only or to holy rest only for then he should not have been so like unto God who was exemplary holy unto man in both Speciall time for action wherein he closed with God more mediatly throughout the six daies labour might well stand with speciall time for contemplation of God upon the Sabbath wherein he was to enjoy God more immediatly Adam did not need a Sabbath upon the same ground of weaknesse that we do viz. because we cannot be earnest enough as M. Primrose objects in holy services to God upon the week daies but we see it did not sute Gods wisdom nor mans holy estate then to be intent and earnest only in the enjoyment of his rest to which his intention on his calling and labour then could not be any hinderance when the Sabbath came being free from such clogs of sin then as we are now prest down withall and therefore it is an unworthy expression but oft used by the same author and others viz. That it did derogate from the excellency of Adams condition to observe a seventh daies Sabbath and that the determination of a time then did argue Adams inability or want of inclination and affection to serve God ordinarily and that the observance of a Sabbath is a mark of a servile condition as of other holy daies under the law and that if Adam was able to serve God continually that it was then needlesse to limit him to a particular day and that if a day were needfull God would have left the choice thereof to his own freedom considering the wisdom and godlinesse wherewith God had endowed him These and such like expressions are but hay and stubble which the light of the truth delivered may easily consume Thesis 176. 'T is true the Saints and Angels in heaven have no set Sabbath but doth it therefore follow that the state of innocency on earth should have been in all things like and particularly in this to the staâ—e of glory in heaven No such matter For should there have been no marriage no dressing of the garden no day nor night c. in Paradise because there is no marriage nor dressing of gardens nor weeks nor reckonings of day and night in heaven If God hath work for Adam to do not only upon the Sabbath but upon the week daies also why might he not be said to glorifie God without stint or ceasing as the Angels do in heaven unlesse M. Primrose will say that Adams marriage and dressing the garden was a stinting and ceasing from glorifying God which either he must affirm or else his argument fals flat upon all four who thinks that Adam could not have any set day for a Sabbath because then he should not be like the Saints and Angels in heaven who glorifie God continually without stint or ceasing Thesis 177. They that think that the Sabbath was not given to Adam because it was given as a peculiar perogative and priviledge to the Jews and they that think that it was the Jews prerogative and priviledge because of such Scriptures as affirm that God gave unto them his Sabbaths Exod. 16.29 Nehem. 9.14 Ezek. 20.12 and such like they may as well imagine that neither the whole Decalogue or any part of it did belong to Adam because the very same thing is affirmed of it viz. That he gave his laws to Iacob his statutes and judgements to Israel Psal. 147.19 to them also it 's said were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3.2 The Sabbath therefore is not said to be given to them as a peculiar propriety to the Jews no more then other parts of the Decalogue but as a speciall mercy yea as a sweeter mercy in some respect then the giving of any other laws it being the sweetest mercy upon earth to rest in the bosom of God which the law of the Sabbath cals to and to know that it is our heavenly Fathers minde that we should do so upon every Sabbath day in a speciall manner without the knowledge of which law we have lesse light of nature to hold the candle to us to the observance of it then from any other laws to direct us to the obedience of them Thesis 178. It is affirmed but unwarily by some that the tree of life in Paradise was a type of Christ and thence some would infer that it was not unsutable to Adams estate and condition in innocency to be taught by types and that the Sabbath might therefore be ceremoniall supposing that it was observed by Adam in his innocent estate but although the tree of life and sundry other things in Paradise are made Similitudes to set forth Christ Jesus in his Church by the
which notwithstanding may be morall although it be not so immediatly known Thesis 198. If we speak of the law of corrupt nature largely taken for that law which when 't is made known by divine determination and declaration is both sutable and congruous to naturall reason and equity we may then say that the Law of the Sabbath is according to the light of nature even of corrupt nature it self for do but suppose that God is to be worshipped and then these three things appear to be most equall 1. That he is not only to have a time but a speciall time and a fit proportion of time for worship 2. That it 's most meet that he should make this proportion 3. The Lord having given man six daies and taken a Seventh to himself mans reason cannot but confesse that it is most just to dedicate that time to God and for my own part I think that in this respect the law of the Sabbath was as fairly writ on mans heaâ—â— in innocency as many other morall laws which none question the morality of at this day but disputes about this are herein perhaps uselesse Thesis 199. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper may be administred meet circumstances concurring every Lords day nay upon the week daies often as they did in the primitive persecutions and hence our Saviour limits no time for it in the first institution thereof as he did for the Passeover of old but only this As oft as you doe it doe it in remembrance of me Hence it will follow that now under the Gospel there is no set Sabbath as M. Primrose would because our Saviour at the first institution of the Lords Supper limits no particular day for the celebration thereof as once he did for the Passeover for though there is an appointed speciall time as shall hereafter appeare for the publique exercise of all holy duties not being limited to those times but enlarged to other times also hence there is no reason why our Saviour should institute a set Sabbath when he instituted the Lords Supper as the proper time of the celebration thereof as it was in case of the Passeover Thesis 200. It is no argument to prove the Sabbath to be ceremoniall because it is reckoned among ceremonials viz. shew-bread and sacrifices as M. Primrose and Wallaeus urge it out of Mat. 12.1 2 3. for 1. upon the same ground fornication and eating of idolothytes are ceremoniall because they are ranked among ceremonials viz. bloud and things strangled Act. 15.29.2 upon this ground the Sabbath hath no morality at all in it no more then shew-bread and sacrifices which were wholly ceremoniall 3. The Sabbath is in the same place reckoned among things which are morall as pulling a sheep out of a pit upon the Sabbath day an act of humanity why may it not then be as well accounted morall 4. One may as well argue that the not keeping company with Publicanes and sinners was a ceremoniall thing because the Lord Jesus useth the same Proverbiall speech I will have mercy not sacrifice Mat. 9.13 upon which he defends the lawfullnesse of pulling the ears of corn upon the Sabbath day in this Mat. 12.15 the scope therefore of this place is not to shew the nature of the Sabbath day whether it be ceremoniall or morall but the lawfullnesse and morality of his act in eating the ears of corn upon this day and thus the arguments of our Saviour are very strong and convicting to prove the morality of such an act but no way to prove the ceremoniality of the Sabbath for that is the scope of our Saviour that mercy to the hungry is to be preferred before the Sacrifice of bodily resting upon the Sabbath M. Primrose indeed replies hereto and tels us that mercy is to be preferred before sacrifice or ceremoniall duties but not before morall duties and therefore Christ preferring it before the rest on the Sabbath the Sabbath could not be morall but we know that mercy in the second table is sometimes to be preferred before morall duties in the first table a man is bound to neglect solemn praier sometime to attend upon the sick it 's a morall duty to sanctifie some day for a Sabbath saith M. Primrose and yet suppose a fire be kindled in a town upon that day or any sick to be helped must not mercy be prefer'd before hearing the word which himself will acknowledge to be then a morall duty Thesis 201. When Christ is said to be Lord of the Sabbath Mat. 12.8 the meaning is not as if he was such a Lord as had power to break it but rather such a Lord as had power to appoint it and consequently to order the work of it for his own service M. Primrose thinks That he is said to be Lord of it because he had power to dispense with the keeping of it by whom when he would and that Christ did chuse to do such works upon the Sabbath day which were neither works of mercy or necessity nay which were servile which the Law forbade for Christ saith he as mediatour had no power to dispense with things morall but he might with matters ceremoniall and therefore with the Sabbath How far Christ Jesus might and may dispence with morall laws I dispute not now I think Biell comes nearest the truth in this controversie only this is considerable suppose the Sabbath was ceremoniall yet it 's doubtfull whether Christ Jesus who came in the daies of his flesh to fulfill all righteousnesse could abolish or break the law ceremoniall untill his death was past by which this hand-writing of Ordinances was blotted out Colos. 2.14 and this middle wall of partition was broken down Ephes. 2.14 15 16. But let it be yeelded that Christ had power to break ceremoniall laws then before his death yet in this place there is no such matter for the words contain a clear proof for the right observance of the Sabbath against the over-rigid conceptions of the superstitious and proud Pharisees who as they thought it unlawfull for Christ to heal the sick upon the Sabbath so to rub out and eat a few corn ears upon it although hunger and want and perhaps more then ordinary in the Disciples here should force men hereunto which was no servile work as Mr Primrose would but a work of necessity and mercy in this case and our Saviour proves the morality of it from the example of David eating the Shew-bread and those that were with him preferring that act of mercy before sacrifice and abstinence from Shew-bread and hence our Saviour argues That if they attending upon David might eat the Shew-bread much more his hungry Disciples might eat the corn while they attended upon him that day who was Lord of the Sabbath and that they might be the better strengthened hereby to do him service These things being thus where now is there to be found any reall breach of the Sabbath or doing of any
servile work or maintenance of any unnecessary work which the fame learned and acute writer imputes to our Saviour which I had almost said is almost blasphemous Thesis 202. It 's no argument that the Sabbath is not morall because it 's said Mark 2.27 that man is not made for it but it for man for saith Mr Ironside man is made for morall duties not they for man For let the Sabbath be taken for the bare rest of the Sabbath as the Pharisees did who placed so much Religion in the bare rest as that they thought it unlawfull to heal the sick on that day or feed the hungry so man is not made as lastly for the bâ—re rest but rather it for man and for his good but if by Sabbath be meant the Sanctification of that rest so man is made for it by Mr Primrose own confession Nor our Saviour speaks of the Sabbath in the first respect for the rest of it is but a means to a further and a better end viz. The true sanctification of it which the Pharisees little lookt unto and therefore he might well say that the Sabbath was made for man the rest of it being no further good then as it was helpfull to man in duties of piety or mercy required of man in the sanctification thereof M. Primrose confessing that man is made for the sanctification of the Sabbath would therefore winde out from this by making this sanctification on the Sabbath to be no more then what is equally required of man all the week beside but he is herein also much mistaken for though works of piety and mercy are required every day yet they are required with a certain eminency and specialty upon the Sabbath day and thence 't is that God cals mens to rest from all worldly occasions which he doth not on the weeke daies that they might honour God in speciall upon the Sabbath as shall hereafter appear Thesis 203. It 's a monkish speculation of M. Broad to distinguish so of the Sabbath in sensu mystico and sensu literali as that the mysticall sense like the lean and ill-favoured kine in Pharoah's dream shall eat up the literal sense and devour Gods blessed and sweet Sabbath for the Lord never meant by the Sabbath such a mysticall thing as the resting from the works of the old man only every day no more then when he commands us to labour six daies he permits us to labour in the works of the old man all the six daies Thesis 204. For though it be true that we are to rest every day from sin yet it will not hence follow that every day is to be a Christians Sabbath and that no one day in seven is to be set apart for it For 1. Upon the same ground Adam should have had no Sabbath because he was to rest from sin every day 2. The Jews also before Christ should have rejected all Sabbaths because they were then bound to rest from sin as well as Christians now 3. Upon the same ground there must be no daies of fasting or feasting under the Gospel because we are to fast from sinne every day and to be joyfull and thankfull every day I know some Libertines of late say so but upon the same ground there should have been none under the law neither for they were then bound as well as we to fast from sin 4. Hence neither should any man pay his debts because he is bound to be paying his debt of love to God and all men every day 5. Hence also no man should pray at any time in his family nor alone by himself solemnly because a Christian is bound to pray continually And indeed I did not think that any forehead could be so bold and brazen as to make such a conclusion but while I was writing this came to my hearing concerning a sea-man who came to these coasts from London miserably deluded with principles of Familisme who when an honest New-English man his Cabbin-mate invited him to go along and pray together considering their necessities he would professedly refuse to doe it upon this ground viz. Dost not pray continually Why then should we pray together now 6. The Commandment of the Sabbath doth not therefore presse us to rest only from such works as are in themselves evil which God allows at no tiâ—â— but from the works of our callings and weekly imployments which are in themselves lawfull and of necessity to be attended on at some time It is therefore a loose and groundlesse assertion to make every day under the Gospel to be a Christians Sabbath day Thesis 205. To think that the Sabbath was proper to the Jews because they only were able to keep and exactly observe the time of it being shut up as M. Primrose saith within a little corner of the earth and that the Gentiles therefore are not bound to it because they cannot exactly observe the time of it in severall quarters of the earth so far distant is a very feeble argument For why might not all nations exactly observe the rising and the setting of the sun according to severall climates by which the naturall day and so this of a Sabbath is exactly measured and which God hath appointed without limitation to any hour to be the bounds of the Sabbath as it sooner or later rises or sets were not the mariners of the men of Iudah bound to observe the Seventh day in all the severall coasts where they made their voyages did God limit them to the rising or setting sun of Iudaea only what colour is there to think thus of them indeed it 's true that in some habitable Northern coasts the Sun is not out of sight some moneths together but yet this is certain if they know how the year spends into moneths they can exactly reckon the weeks of those moneths and therefore can exactly tell you the daies of which those weeks consist and therefore they have their exact rules and measures to know East and West the place of the sun-rising and sun-setting and consequently to know the Sabbath daies and yet if they should not exactly know it their will to do it is herein as in other things accepted of God Thesis 206. If this truth concerning the morality of the Sabbath did depend upon the testimony of ancient writers it were easie to bring them up here in the rear notwithstanding the flourishes of the great Historian but this hath been done sufficiently by others nor doth it sute our scope who aim at only the clearing up of the meaning of the fourth command which must stand firm the heaven and earth shall fall asunder the Lord will rather waste kingdomes and the whole Christian world with fire and sword then let one tittle of his Law perish the land must rest when Gods Sabbaths cannot Lev. 26.34 and although I wish the Ministry of Christ Jesus a comely and comfortable maintenance as may richly testifie his peoples abundant thankfullnesse for the feet of
what Mr. Brabourne and Mr. Primrose have alledged against the same The second Part. LONDON Printed for Iohn Rothwell 1650. The generall Contents about the change of the Sabbath 1. SVfficient Light in the Scriptures for the change of the Sabbath Thes. 1. 2. Apostolicall unwritten-traditions no ground for the change of it Thes. 2. 3. Neither Churches custome or any Imperiall Law ground of the change of it Thes. 3. 4. How the observation of the Christian Sabbath ariseth from the fourth Commandement Thes. 4. 5. How 〈◊〉 day in the week may be called the seventh day Thes. 7 8. 6. The will of God the Efficient cause the Resurrection of Christ the morall cause of the change of the Sabbath Thes. 10. 7. The Asceâ—tion no ground of the change of the Sabbath Thes. 13. 8. The 〈…〉 spoyled in his first Creation by the sin of man hence the Day of Rest may be well changed Thes. 16. 9. Neither the three dayes resting of Christ in the grave nor the 33. yeers of Christs labour the ground of our labour and rest now Thes 18. 10. Not only Christs Resurrection but an affixed Type to the first Sabbath is the ground of the abrogation of it Thes. 20. 11. What the affixed Type to the Sabbath is Thes. 21. 12. The meer exercises of holy duties upon a day are not any true ground to make such a day the Christian Sabbath Thes. 25. 13. How holy duties on a day may evince a Sabbath day Thes. 26. 14. The first day of the week honour'd by the Primitive Churches from the Commandment of the Lord Iesus Thes. 27. 15. The Apostles preaching on the Iewish Sabbath doth not argue it to be the Christian Sabbath Thes. 30. 16. The first day of the week proved to be the Christian Sabbath by Divine Institution Thes. 34. 17. The first place alledged for the Christian Sabbath Acts 20.7 cleared by nine considerations Thes. 35. 18. The second place from 1 Cor. 16.1 2. cleared from seven considerations Thes. 36. 19. The third Scripture Rev. 1.10 cleared by two 〈◊〉 branches Thes. 37. 20. How the Christian Sabbath ariseth from the fourth Commandment although it be not particularly named in it Thes. 40. 21. The error of those especially in the Eastern Churches who observed two Sabbaths Thes. 41. 22. How the work of Redemption may be a ground for all men to observe the Sabbath Thes. 42. 23. How far the Iudgement of God upon prophaners of the Lords Day is of force to evince the holinesse of the Sabbath Thes. 44. The Change of the Sabbath THESIS 1. THe change of this day from the last to the first of the week although it be confirmed by an ancient custome yet the true reason and grounds of so great a change are not so fully known Sacred writings not so expresly setting down as it doth in some things of lesse concernment the causes hereof And many of the Arguments heaped up and multiplyed by some for the change of it which may seem of great weight while they want an adversary at the other end of the Scale to ballance them Yet upon sad examination and search into them they prove too light and consequently occasion the temptation of scrupling the truth and validity of others more cleare We are therefore with more warinesse and humility of mind to search into this Controversie and with much thankfulnesse and modesty to accept that little light which God gives us in greater as well as of much light which he is pleased to lend us in smaller matters Pascimur apertis exercemur obscuris was his speech long since concerning the Scriptures There is no truth so clear but mans loose wit can invent and mint many pernicious Cavils against it and therefore in those things which shine forth with lesse evidence it is no wonder if it casts such blots and staines upon them as that they can fear 〈…〉 discerned Nil magis inimicum veritati acumine 〈…〉 therfore be wise with sobriety remember that in this and such like Controversies the Scriptures were not written to answer all the scruples and objections of Cavillers but to satisfie and stablish the consciences of poor beleevers And verily when I meet with such like speeches and objections as these viz. Where is it expressely said that the old Sabbath is abrogated and what one Scripture is there in the N. Testament declaring expressely that the Lords day is substituted and put in its roome I cannot from such expressions but think and fear that the ignorance of this change in some doth not spring so much from deficiency and want of light on Gods part but rather from perversnes on mans part which will not see nor own the tâ—uth because it is not revealed and dispensed after that manner and fashion of expression as mans wit and phantasie would have it Like Naaman who because the Prophet went not about the cure of his Leprosie in that way and fashion which he would have him did not therefore for a time see that way of cure which God had revealed to him For the Holy Ghost is not bound to write all the principles of Religion under Common-place heads nor to say expressely In this place of Scripture you may see the old Sabbath abrogated and the new instituted for we find no such kind of expressions concerning Pauls Epistles and many books of Scripture that this or that Epistle or book is Canonical which yet we know to be so by other evidences We know also that the Holy Ghost by brief hints of Truth gives occasion of large Comments and by writing about other matters tanquam aliud agens it brings forth to light by the By revelations of great concernment which it saw meet purposely in that manner to make known And as in many other things it hath thus done so especially in this of the Sabbath So that if our hearts like Locks were fitted to Gods Key they would be soon opened to see thorough the difficulties of this point which I confesse of all practicall points hath been most fuâ—l of knots and difficulties to my own weaknesse Thesis 2. To make Apostolicall unwritten inspirations notified and made known in their dayes to the Churches to be the cause of the change of the Day is to plough with a Popish Heifer and to cast that Anchor on which deceivers rely and by which they hope to save themselves when they know not how otherwise to defend their falshoods Thesis 3. To make Ecclesiasticall Custome established 〈◊〉 by the Imperiall Law of Constantine to be the 〈◊〉 of the change is to make a prop for Prelacy and a step to Popery and to open a gap to all humane inventions For if it be in the Churches power to appoint the greatest Holy day why may not any other Rite and Ceremony be imposed also and if it be free to observe this day or not in respect of it selfe because it wants a divine institution and yet necessary to
surely it is wil-worship for any Humane Custome to institute it Now the Lords name being stamped upon this Day and so set apart for the honour of Christ it cannot be that so it should be called in respect of the Churches customes for surely then they should have been condemned for wil-worship by some of the Apostles and therefore it is in respect of the Lords institution hereof Thesis 39. The second Difficulty now lies in clearing up this particular viz. That this Day thus sanctified was the first Day of the week which is therefore the Holy Day of the Lord our God and consequently the Christian Sabbath for this purpose let these ensuing particulars be laid together 1. That this Day of which Iohn speaks is a known Day and was generally known in those dayes by this glorious name of the Lords Day and therefore the Apostle gives no other title to it but the Lords Day as a known day in those times for the Scope of Iohn in this Vision is as in all other Prophetical Visions when they set down the day and time of it to gain the more credit to the certainâ—y of it when every one sees the truth circumstantiated and they heare of the particular time and it may seem most absurd to set down the day and time for such an end and yet the day is not particularly known 2. If it was a known Day what Day can it be either by evidence of Scripture or any Antiquity but the first Day of the week For 1. There is no other Day on which mention is made of any other work or action of Christ which might occasion a Holy Day but onely this of the Resurrection which is exactly noted of all the Evangelists to be upon the first Day of the week and by which work he is expressely said to have all power given him in heaven and earth Matt. 28.18 and to be actually Lord of dead and living Rom. 14.9 and therefore why should any other Lords Day be dreamed of why should Master Brabourne imagine that this day might be some superstitious Easter Day which happens once a yeer the Holy Ghost on the contrary not setting downe the month or day of the yeer but of the week wherein Christ arose and therefore it must be meant of a weekly Holy Day here called the Lords Day 2. We do not read of any other Day besides this first Day of the week which was observed for Holy Sabbath Duties and honoured above any other day for breaking of Bread for preaching the Word which were acts of piety nor for Collections for the poor the most eminent act of mercy why then should any imagine any other day to be the Lords day but that first day 3. There seems to be much in that which Beza observes out of an ancient Greek Manuscript wherein that first Day of the week 1 Cor. 16.2 is expressely called the Lords Day and the Syriack Translation saith that their meeting together to receive the Sacrament 1 Cor. 11.20 was upon the Lords Day nor is there any antiquity but expounds this Lords Day of the first Day of the week as learned Rivet makes good against Gomarus professing that Quotquot Interpretes hactenus fuerunt haec verba de die Resurrectionis Domini intellexerunt solus quod quidem sciam Cl. D. Gomarus contradixit 4. Look as Iehovahs or the Lords Holy Day Isaiah 58.13 was the seventh Day in the week then in use in the Old Testament so why should not this Lords Day be meant of some seventh Day the first of seven in the week which the Lord appointed and the Church observed under the New Testament and therefore called as that was the Lords Day 5. There can be no other Day imagined but this to be the Lords Day indeeed Gomarus affirms that it s called the Lords Day because of the Lord Jesus apparition in Vision to Iohn and therefore he tell us that in Scripture phrase the Day of the Lord is such a Day wherein the Lord manifests himselfe either in wrath or in favour as here to Iohn But there 's a great difference between those phrases The Lords Day and the Day of the Lord which it is not called here For such an interpretation of the Lords Day as if it was an uncertaine time is directly crosse to the Scope of Iohn in setting downe this Vision who to beget more credit to it tels us First of the person that saw it I Iohn ver 10. Secondly the particular place in Paimo Thirdly the particular time the Lords Day These considerations do utterly subvert Mr. Brabournes discourse to prove the Jewish Sabbath to be the Lords Day which we are still to observe and may be sufficient to answer the scruples of modest and humble minds for if we aske the Time of it It is on the first Day of the week Would we know whether this time was spent in holy Duties and Sabbath services this also hath been proved Would we know whether it was sanctified for that end Yes verily because it s called the Lords Day and consequently all servile work was and is to be laid aside in it Would we know whether 't is the Christian Sabbath Day Verily if it be the Day of the Lord our God the Lords Day why is it not the Sabbath of the Lord our God If it be exalted and honoured by the Apostles of Christ above the Jewish Sabbath for Sabbath duties why should we not beleeve but that it was our Sabbath Day And although the word Sabbath Day or seventh day be not expressely mentioned yet if they be for substance in this Day and by just consequence deduced from Scripture it is all one as if the Lord had expressely called them so Thesis 40. Hence therefore it followes that although this particular seventh day which is the first of seven be not particularly made mention of in the fourth Commandment yet the last of seven being abrogated and this being instituted in its roome it is therefore to be perpetuated and observed in its roome For though it be true as Mr. Brabourne urgeth That New Institutions cannot be founded no not by Analogy of proportion meerly upon Old Institutions as because children were Circumcised it will not follow that they are therefore to be baptized and so because the Iewes kept that seventh day that we may therefore keep the first day Yet this is certaine that when New things are instituted not by humane Analogy but by Divine appointment the Application of these may stand by vertue of old precepts and general Rules from whence the Application even of old Institutions formerly arose For we know that the Cultus institutuâ— in the New Testament in Ministry and Sacraments stands at this day by vertue of the second Commandment as well as the instituted worship under the Old And though Baptisme stands not by vertue of the institution of Circumcision yet it being De novo instituted by Christ as the Seale of
both Hemispheres consists onely of light which these men say is significative of Heaven Thesis 21. We may and do sanctifie time by sleeping on the Sabbath night as well as by shewing workes of mercy and doing workes of necessity upon the Sabbath Day or as we may do by eating and drinking for to take moderate sleepe is a worke not only of necessity but also of mercy to our selves and therefore to abolish the Sabbath Night from being any part of the Sabbath because we cannot as some think sanctifie time by sleeping no more then by working is very unsound Thesis 22. Moses indeed tells the people Ex. 16.23 that to morrow is the Lords Sabbath but he doth not say that the day time onely was the only time of the Sabbath or that the Day light begins and ends the Sabbath but he mentions that time because on that Daylight of the seventh Day they were apt and inclined to go out as in other daies to gather manna and so to breake the Sabbath and it is as if we should say to one who was ready to ride out on the Sabbath morning about wordly occasions Do not stir out for to morrow is the Sabbath that so we may hereby prevent the breach of the Sabbath in that thing especially at that time wherein one is most inclined so to do Thesis 23. To imagine that the Sabbath must be contained within the bounds of Daylight because Christ Iesus arose at breake of day Mat. 28.1 is of no more force then as if one should conclude the containment of it within the bounds of some darknesse and twylight for its evident that he arose about that time Thesis 24. There is no more necessity of sanctifying a day and a halfe by beginning the day at Evening then by beginning it at Morning light for thus some argue for what is said of the Evening of both Hemisphers that the second Evening would begin 12 houres after the first if the Sabbath was sanctified to begin at the Evening of both Hemispheres and so there would be a day and halfe sanctified the like I say may be averred of the morning supposing that both Hemispheres should begin their Sabbath at the Morning of both Hemispheres but we know that the Sabbath Day is sanctified to begin and end according to the setting and rising Sun in each Hemisphere and Longitude of places respectively Thesis 25. If Evening Morning light and night made up every day the Creation why shall we think but that the Sabbath day also consisted of the same parts and if the whole world was made in six Daies and these Daies be only such as consist of Day-light when then was the third Heaven and Chaos made which did exist before light those Fathers and Schoolemen who set such narrow bounds to the Day had need consider of it least their answer be like his who hearing a simple Preacher desiring the continuance of the life of the King so long as Sun and Moone endured and being askt if that should be so when should his son raigne he replyed it may be the Preacher thought that he might rule by Candle-light Thesis 26. Suppose therefore that there was no publick worship in the Temple as one objecteth among the Iewes in the Night-time yet it will not follow from hence that the Sabbath was to continue no longer then Day-light for the Sabbath might be sanctified privately in the Night as well as more publickly in the Day and thus the Iewes were wont to sanctifie their Sabbaths and so should we Is. 30.29 Psal. 63.7 Psal. 92.2.3 Thesis 27. T is true that its very good to prepare for and end the Sabbath with holy affections yet if a seventh part of weekly time be due to God as six parts of it are due to us thorow the goodnesse of God then let God be glorified as God and the whole day allowed him as his Day let Caesar have his due and God his Thesis 28. Others allow the Lord his whole time but they thinke that he hath fixed the beginning of it at the gates of midnight which Midnight they call morning or Morning Midnight or midnight Morning and therefore they imagine out of Gen. 1. that the Morning was halfe Night wherein time began and halfe Day six houres Night from midnight to six and six houres day from six to midday and by the same proportion the Evening to begin at midday and so to continue six houres Day from 12 to six and six houres Night from six to midnight and therefore they say that God is said to stretch the North uppon the empty Iob. 26.7 because first beginning of the notion of time began from the North point when darknesse was first upon the face of the deepe and from this North point in the Revolution of the Heavens we do account it midnight as being opposite to the South which in the course of the Sun is at midday and therefore also they say that Evening is never taken in all the Scripture for the whole Night but as Evening begins at Midday so Morning begins at Midnight Thesis 29. But if the first day and consequently the Sabbath day should begin at midnight it were meet to give a demonstration that this first darknesse should continue just six houres or halfe the time of such a night when the Sun is in the AEquinoctiall but although it be certaine that the first time began in darknesse yet it s wholly uncertaine whether this darknesse continued but six houres Zanchius and many others have very good cards to shew that this first darknesse continued a compleat night of 12 houres others on the other hand make it far lesse certaine it is it continued some considerable space of time in that it hath the name of Night put upon it but that it should be just six houres neither can mans reason demonstrate it nor hath God in any Scripture revealed it but it is a meere uncertainty and therefore an ill foundation for setling the beginnning of the Sabbath upon Thesis 30. Some would prove the Sabbath to begin at Midnight because Christ arose at Midnight and he arose at Midnight because Sampson a Type of Christ carried away the gates of Gaza at midnight Iudg. 16 3. but such allegoricall reasonings were fit tooles for blind Monkes in former times to delude the simple people with I suppose men are wiser now then to be fed with wind and chaffe and to build their faith upon cozening allegories of humane wit by which as the blind Monkes of old did feede the people so the Familists now deceive the world both which are the fruits of Gods heavy curse upon their hearts who because they did not love the truth to seed upon it are therefore fed with vanity of mind Thesis 31. T is true Paul Preached till midnight Acts 20.7 but doth it hence follow that the Sabbath was to end at midnight no verily for the beginning and end of the Sabbath is not measured
went before And I confesse the argument is strong and undeniable as the words lie under the glosse We must therefore enquire more narrowly into the true translation of the words and their meaning Thesis 55. That therefore which we translate the end of the Sabbath is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which words are variously translated we shall onely observe that the Gr. word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a double signification in frequent use among Greek writers 1. Sâ—mewhile it signifies Late Time or the extream and last time of the continuance of any thing as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the late time or latter time of the Day 2. Sometime it signifies a long Time after as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. a long time after the Trojan war Now in this place it is to be translated and in this latter sence thus A long time or a good while after the Sabbath was ended as it began to dawn to â—hâ— first day of the week c. which interpretation if it be made good will clear up this difficulty viz. that the Jewish Sabbath did not end at the dawning of the First day of the week but long before nor indeed durst I incline to this interpretation if I did not see the Evangelists the best interpreters one of another making the same to my hand Thesis 56. For first Mark who writ after Matthew and is best able to interpret his words expresly saith that the Sabbath was past when the women came to the Sepulchre his words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sabbath being past Mar. 16. 1. Hence therefore if Matthews words should be translated Late on the Sabbath or towards the end of the Sabbath then the Sabbath was not already past as Mark affirms but drawing toward an end Mark therefore telling us that the Sabbath was ended and yet not telling us when it ended why should we not Harmonize the Evangelists by Mathews words which tels us that it was long before 2. The time of the coming of some of the women to the Sepulchre as it was upon the first day of the week so it was some time within the night and hence Mark tels us it was very early Mark 16.2 which cannot be at the rising of the Sun onely when t is said also that they came to the Sepulchre for that is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valde mane or very early Again Luke tels us that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very early or in the depth of the night for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frequently signifies the time of the night when Cocks crow I forbear to instance in Greek Writers because the Evangelist Iohn clears up this most fully who expresly saith that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it being yet dark and though it be said Mark 16.2 that the women came to the Sepulchre about rising of the Sun yet Piscator and others interpret that of their last actuall coming to it their preparation for it being very early while it was yet dark night and it seems there was two comings by several of them to the Sepulchre for its evident that Mary who had most affection came to the Sepulchre while it was yet dark the rest of them possibly preparing thereunto However the Evangelists be reconciled this is evident that the first stirring of the women about that work from which they abstained upon the Sabbath day was very early in the depth of the morning Darknesse before the Day-light when some would begin the Christian Sabbath and from hence it follows 1. That if the Sabbath was not past even before this dark time of the night began but rather ended when the first day of the week began to dawn then it will follow that these holy women did not rest the Sabbath according to the Commandment for we see they are this night busie about those things which they did forbear to do because of the Sabbath Luke 23.52 2. Hence it will also follow that if the Sabbath was not ended before this dark time of the night but onely at the dawning of the Day-light then our Saviour could not arise from the dead the First day of the week but within the dark night of the Jewish Sabbath for Mary came when it was dark and the Lord Christ was risen before she came and how long before no man can tell but its evident that Christ arose the first day of the week Mark 16.9 and therefore the Sabbath was ended long before 3. If therefore the Sabbath was past at the dark time of the night how then can the Sabbath begin at morning Light and if it was past when it was thus dark when then could the Sabbath end but when this night did first begin and if this was so it was then truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good while after the Sabbath was ended when this dawning toward the first day began according to the interpretation given Thesis 57. It is true indeed that this time of darknesse is called morning and hence some would infer that the Sabbath begins in the morning but suppose it be so called yet it is not called morning Light at which time they plead the Sabbath should begin and it is improperly called Morning because as hath been formerly shewn it is preparatively so men usually preparing them for the work of the Day-light following Morning is also frequently taken in Scripture for any early time Eph. 3.5 and so this night of the first day of the week wherein the women arose to their work was an early time and therefore called morning Again suppose a double morning be acknowledged as there was a double evening yet it will not follow that this morning belongs onely to the day following for it may belong to the night before for as where there are two evenings spoken of the former belongs to the day the latter to the night so if we grant two mornings the latter morning may belong to the day ensuing and the former to the Night preceding if therefore any plead for the beginning of the Sabbath at the morning light these places of the Evangelist will not bear them out in it it being dark morning when Christ arose if they say it begins in the dark morning then let them set exactly the time of that dark morning wherein Christ arose and when they would begin it but no wit of man I feare is able to demonstrate this Thesis 58. And surely its of deepe consideration to all those who would have the beginning of the Sabbath to be just at the time of the Resurrection of Christ on the morning That not any one of the Evangelists do set forth or ayme to set forth the exact time of Christs Resurrection they tell us indeed the exact time of the womens preparation and comming to the Sepulchre and of the Earthquake and feare of the Souldiers and that these things were done in the morning but none of them
midnight there was a cry verse 30 31. and this night they went from 〈◊〉 to Succoth verse 37. with 46. and this time is expresly called the morrow after the Passeover Numb 33.3 nor is there any inconvenience or rule broken to kill the Passeover upon one day and continue eating of it some part of another the Passeover being a Feast of more dayes then one Thesis 67. Nor doth it follow that because our Saviour tells Peter Mark 14.30 Luke 22.34 that this Day even this Night viz. of the Passeover he should deny him that this Night therefore was any part of the precedent day for it may be as fairly interpreted to belong to the day following that Night Nor is it necessary to determine this word Day always to a determinate time of 24 houres of which the Night was a part but onely of a speciall season of time for so t is frequently figuratively taken without any respect to a day of 24 or 12 hours viz for a speciall season of Time wherein some speciall providence of God doth appeare and is put into execution as Isay 29.18 and 25.9 and 27 1. Exod. 14.13 1 Sam. 4.7 8. 2 Sam. 4.5 7 8. Thesis 68. It answers many objections produced against the beginning of the day in the Evening for the Morning to consider that the word Day is frequently taken in Scripture for an artificiall day and that the word Morrow frequently signifies a new artificiall Day which in respect of and reference unto the artificiall day going before or following after is no part thereof but as the Proverbe is to morrow is a new day and thus t is taken Iohn 12.12 Iohn 6.22 Act. 21.7 8. 1 Sam. 14.24 Acts 23.31.32 2 Sam. 11.12 13. Exod. 10.4.13 Deut. 21.22 23. Iosh. 8.29 and 10.26 Exod. 7.4.11 12 17. with 8 6. to 13. Exod. 14 ult with 34.2 4 28. Deut. 9.9.11 Whence onely let this be noted that to argue from hence that to morrow Morning or to morrow day light is the beginning of the naturall day because it s called a new or another Day is not solid nor also that although the Night following the artificiall day be not so frequently called to morrow yet sometime it is so called 1 Sam. 30.17 where the evening of their morrow stopt David i. that night Thesis 69. There are some who confesse that the Jewish Sabbath began at the evening ever since the Creation unto the time of Christs resurrection but now they tell us that it begins in the morning because of Christs Resurrection the cause of it which began then so that as this makes the change of the day so it makes a change of the beginning of the day from evening till morning when the Resurrection of Christ began but the feeblenesse of this opinion will appear from these ensuing considerations Thesis 70. 1. Consid. That the foundation of this opinion is exceeding rotten viz. That the day must not begin untill that work which occasions the change doth actually exist But we know that the Passeover began before the work which did occasion it did actually exist viz. the Angels passing over the Israelites at midnight Exod. 12.29 with 12 13 14. and 6.8 indeed the Christian Sabbath day is not before the day of Christ Resurrection yet the beginning of this day may be before the beginning of the Resurrection as it was in the Passeover 2. Consid. That if any of the Evangelists had intended a new beginning of the Sabbath at morning that they would then have set down the exact time of the Lords Resurrection but none of them do this they set down the time of other things to prove that Christ was risen but not the exact time of the Resurrection for its wholly uncertain certain it is that it was before Day-light began for Mary came and found him risen while it was yet dark Iohn 20.1 and how long he was risen before who can determine 3. Consid. That if Christs Resurrection began the Sabbath so that in that moment and point of time wherein Christ arose the Christian Sabbath began then Christ could not lie three dayes in the grave for either he lay three dayes according to the Jewish account beginning the day at evening and then the third day on which Christ arose which also was the first day must begin at evening as we plead for or else he must lie three days according to the new account which begins the third day in the morning leaving out the night before as not appertaining to any part of the week before or after but according to this reckoning its impossible that Christ should lie three days in the grave he may be then indeed said to arise the third day but not to lie any part of the third day because lying in the grave implies some time of continuance therein upon the third day but how could this be when they say that the moment of Christs Resurrection began the day of our Christian Sabbath 4. Consi If the Jewish Sabbath was the last day of the week and began and ended at evening then the Christian Sabbath must either begin at evening when the Jewish Sabbath ended or the first day of the week cannot be the Christian Sabbath but onely a part of the first day and part of the second day for the night which goes before the Christian Sabbath either 1. they must make it to belong to the Jewish Sabbath and then that Sabbath must be sanctified 36. hours and so it must be more then a day which is sanctified which is absurd or 2. they must make it belong to the Christian Sabbath and then they cannot make it begin in the morning or ◠they must leave it out from all weekly account and so take in the night following which is part of the second day as part of the Sabbath 5. Consid. That the seventh part of time cannot be orderly given to God but it must be either the first or last seventh as hath been shewn and the morality of the fourth commandment cannot be observed without giving to God either of these if therefore the Jewish Sabbath ended at Even the Christian Sabbath must immediately succeed it and begin it then or else a morall rule is broken 6. If the Jewish Sabbath began and ended at Even and the Christian Sabbath bega◠at morning what must become of that night which is between them both and to what day of the week must it belong If any say that t is no matter whether it belong to any or no so long as time runs on this answer will not suffice for though time runs on yet what orderly time is there here which is running on Time consists of yeers and yeers of moneths and moneths of weeks and weeks of dayes to what day or what week then must this night belong they that maintain this opinion do roundly affirm that it s no absurdity to leave that one Night out from weekly nor as pertaining to any week
it is to be spent in duties of humiliation as the other Sabbath in duties suitable to the nature of it and hence the Lords care is greatly exact herein 1. That no servile work be done because it is a Sabbath verse 31 32. 2. That it be spent and sanctified from Even to Even meaning like as you do your weekly Sabbaths And hence the Lord saith not You shall celebrate your day of Atonement from even to even but the Lord usually wrapping up arguments in his words Your Sabbath as if he should say You would account it a prophane thing not to celebrate your ordinary weekly Sabbath from even to even or to do any servile work on that day this day is a Sabbath and therefore you must sanctifie it from even to even and therefore do no servile work herein Thesis 91. To imagine as some do That the ordinary Sabbath began at another time because here God makes a new command that it be from even to even in opposition to the other Sabbaths beginning and that otherwise it had been enough to say You shall celebrate this day as a Sabbath one may from the same ground imagine that in other Sabbaths they might do any servile work because here also 〈◊〉 are forbidden it for it may be as well said that other 〈◊〉 had been enough to say You shall sanctifie this day as you do other Sabbaths here therefore is no new institution of time from the beginning of the Sabbath but of a new Ordinance together with the application of time according to common and ordinary account and the Lord expresseth from even to even which makes up a naturall day left mans heart which is soon weary of duties of Humiliation should interpret it of an artificiall day to prevent which mistake the Lord had good reason to set the distinct bounds of it from even to even Thesis 92. Nor can this Evening be fairly interpreted of the former even before Sun set as taking in that also for this evening is to begin at the evening of the ninth day verse 32. which evening of the ninth day is not the evening of that day about two or three of the clock for the tenth day onely is called the day of Atonement verse 27. and therefore part of the ninth day is no part of the Atonement day but as Iunius well expounds it at the evening of the ninth day puta qua nonus dies definit at that nick of time which is the communis terminus of the end of the ninth day and beginning of the tenth you shall then celebrate your Sabbath which curious exactnesse of the Lord is partly to expresse his zeal for the full and plenary observation of the day that he may not lose a moments time of honour as also to shew what care they should have of holding out from the first point to the last period of that Sabbath Thesis 93. And therefore it is a groundlesse deduction from the Text to make this day to be of extraordinary length and so an unfit measure for our ordinary Sabbath And to say that there was a ceremony in beginning this day at even is but gratis dictum and can never be made good unlesse it be by such fetches of wit which can mould the plainest History into the Image of a goodly Allegory a most impudent course of arguing in Austins judgement and in his time Thesis 94. If the Sabbath do not begin at evening why did Nehemiah an exemplary Magistrate command the Gates to be shut when the Gates of Ierusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath Nehem. 13.19 was it not left the Sabbath should be prophaned that night by bringing in of wares and burdens thorow the Gates as well as in the ensuing day is it not expresly said that he set his servants at these Gates that there might be no burden brought in upon the Sabbath day is it not expresly said that he set the Levites to keep the Gates to sanctifie the Sabbath day verse 19 22. Now if this 〈◊〉 was no part of the Sabbath how could they then be said to sanctifie the Sabbath thereby Thesis 95. To imagine that Nehemiah did this to prevent the prophaning of the Sabbath day after is as if a man should shut his doors at noon against such Thieves as he knows will not come to hurt him untill mid-night be past It would be weaknesse in a Magistrate to take away any considerable part of the week which God allows for labour to prevent that evil on the Sabbath which he knows he is sufficiently able to prevent at the approach of the day it self for Nehemiah might easily have shut the Gates in the morning if the Sabbath had not begun before and might have better done it then to cut so large a Thong out of the week time to prevent such defilement of the Sabbath day Thesis 96. When therefore the Gates of Ierusalem began to be dark or as Iunius renders the words quum abumbrarentur portae i. when they were shaddowed by the descent of the Sun behind the mountains which compassed Ierusalem and so did cast a shadow of darknesse upon the Gates of the City somewhat sooner then in other places lesse mountainous this shadow being no part of the dark night is truly said to be before or as the Hebrew is before the face or looking out of the Sabbath for although the Sabbath be said to begin at Sun-set yet t is to be understood not of the setting of the body of the Sun visibly but of the light of the Sun when darknesse begins to be predominant over the light and men are forced to forsake their work now just before this Nehemiah shut the gates at the common term and end of the six daies labour and the Seventh dayes rest and therefore t is a weak objection which some make to say that this evening was not part of the Sabbath because the Gates are said to be shut before the Sabbath Thesis 97. It s said the women who prepared spices for our Savioâ—â—â— body that they rested the Sabbath which is evident to be in the evening and this they did not superstitiously as some say but according to the Commandment Luk. 23.53 54 55 56. if therefore these women began to rest according to the commandment of God upon the evening then the evening by the same Commandment is the beginning of the holy Rest of the Sabbath It is not onely the commandment of God that one day in Seven be sanctified but also that it be sanctified from even to even Thesis 98. Now that they began to rest in the evening is evident from these considerations 1. That our saviour dyed the Ninth hour Luke 23.44 46. which was about three of the clock in the afternoon A little after this Ioseph begs his body and takes it down because it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or preparation for the Sabbath Mark 15.42 in which preparation it s said that the
Sabbath did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 draw on shine forth Luke 23.54 now this shining or breaking forth of the Sabbath cannot be meant of the day light morning shining forth for its a meare dream to think that Ioseph should be so long a time in doing so little work from Saturday in the afternoon untill the next morning light onely in taking of Christ from the Crosse wrapping him in Linnen and laying him in his own Sepulchre which was not far off but neer at hand also Iohn 19.42 The shining forth of the Sabbath also stopâ— the women from proceeding to annoint Christs Body after they had brought their Spices and therefore if the shining forth of the Sabbath had been the morning after they might certainly have had sufficient time to do that work in the shining forth therefore of this Sabbath was in the latter evening in which the Sabbath began and it s said to shine forth by a metaphor because it did then first appear or draw on or as Piscator and sundry others think because about that time the stars in Heaven and the Lamps and Candles in houses began to shine forth which is just then when darknesse is predominant which is the beginning of the Sabbath at evening time 2. If that evening had not begun the Sabbath why did not the women who wanted neither conscience nor affection nor opportunity annoint his body that evening but defer it untill the night after what could stop them herein but onely the conscience of the Commandment which began the Sabbath that evening 3. Either the Sabbath must begin this evening or they did not rest the Sabbath according to the Commandment for if they began to keep the Sabbath at morning light then if they rested according to the Commandement they must keepe it untill the next morning light after but its manifest that they were stirring and in preparing their Oyntments long before that even in the dark night before the light did appeare as hath been formerly shewn Thesis 99. Why the women did not goe about to embalme Christs body the beginning of the dark evening after the Sabbath was past but staid so long a time after till the dark morning cannot be certainly determined perhaps they thought it not suitable to a rule of God and prudence to take some rest and sleep first before they went about that sad work and might think â—he morning more fit for it then the dark evening before when their sorrowfull hearts and spent spirits might need mercy to be shewn them by taking their rest awhile first They might also possibly think it offensive to others presently to run to the embalming of the dead as soon as ever the Sabbath was ended and therefore stayed till the dark morning when usually every one was preparing and stirring toward their weekly work Thesis 100. The Lord Christ could not lie three daies in the grave if the Sabbath did not begin at evening and for any to affirm that the dark morning wherein he arose was part of this first day and did belong thereunto is not onely to overthrow their own principles who begin the Sabbath at the beginning of day light morning but they also make the beginning of the Sabbath to be wholly uncertain for who can tell at what time of this dark morning our Saviour arose Thesis 101. T is true there are some parts of the habitable world in Russia and those Northern Countries wherein for about a moneths time the Sun is never out of sight now although they have no dark evening at this time yet doubtlesse they know how to measure their naturall daies by the motion of the Sun if therefore they observe that time which is equivalent to our dark evenings and sanctifie to God the space of a day as t is measured by the circling Sun round about them they may then be said to sanctifie the Sabbath from even to even if they do that which is equivalent thereunto they that know the East West South North points do certainly know when that which is equivalent to evening begins which if they could not do yet doubtlesse God would accept their will for the deed in such a case Thesis 102. If therefore the Sabbath began at evening from Adams time in innocency till Nehemiahs time and from Nehemiahs time till Christs time why should any think but that where the Jewish Sabbath the last day of the week doth end there the Christian Sabbath the first day of the week begins unlesse any can imagine some Type in the beginning of the Sabbath at evening which must change the begining of the day as the Type affixed did change the day or can give demonstrative reasons that the time of Christs Resurrection must of necessity begin the Christian Sabbath which for ought I see cannot be done And therfore it is a groundlesse assertion that the reasons of the change of the day are the same for the change of the beginning of it and that the chiefe of the reasons for the evening may be as well applyed against the change of the day it selfe as of the time of it But sufficient hath been said of this I shall onely adde this that there is no truth of Christs but upon narrow search into it hath some secret knots and difficulties and so hath this about the beginning of the Sabbath t is therefore humility and self-deniall to follow our clearest light in the simplicity of our hearts and to wait upon the Throne of grace with many tears for more cleare discoveries untill all knots be unloosed FINIS THE SANCTIFICATION OF THE SABBATH WHEREIN The true Rest of the Day together with the right manner of Sanctifying of the Day are briefly opened BY THOMAS SHEPARD Pastor of the Church of Christ at Cambridge in New-England The fourth Part. LONDON Printed for Iohn Rothwell 1650. The generall Contents upon the Sanctification of the Sabbath 1. THe word Sabbath what it signifies Thesis 1. 2. All weekly labour for the Rest of the Sabbath Thesis 2. 3. The Rest of the Sabbath the meanes for a higher end Thesis 3. 4. As strict a Rest now required as was formerly among the Iewes and those places cleared which seeme contrary Thesis 4 5. 5. What worke forbidden on the Sabbath Day Thesis 10. 6. Servile worke forbidden and what is a servile worke Thesis 11 12. 7. The holinesse required upon the Sabbath in five things Thesis 14. 8. A lamentation for prophanation of the Sabbath The Sanctification of the Sabbath Thesis 1. THe word Sabbath properly signifies not common but sacred or holy Rest. The Lord therefore enjoyns this Rest from labour upon this day not so much for the Rest sake but because it is a Medium or means of that holinesse which the Lord requires upon this day otherwise the Sabbath is a day of idlenesse not of holinesse our cattell can rest but a common rest from labour as well as we and therefore its mans sin and shame if he
a spirituall Sabbath in Christ if through Gods righteous judgment blinding their hearts they be also left to reject the outward Word because of an inward woâ—d to teach them and outward Baptisme and Lords Supper because of an inward Baptisme by the Holy Ghost and spirituall Bread from Heaven the Lord Christ Iesus and all outward Ordinances Ministries Churches because of an inward Kingdome and Temple and the Argument will hold strongly that if because they have an inward Sabbath of Rest in the bosome of Christ which I deny not that they may therefore cast away all externall Sabbaths they may then very well reject all outward Baptisme Lords Supper all Churches all Ordinances because herein there is also the inward Baptisme spirituall feeding upon Christ and inward Kingdome and Temple of God But thus they wickedly separate and sever what God hath joyned and may well stand together through the madnesse of which hellish practise I have long observed almost all the late and most pernicious errours of these times arise and those men who have formerly wept for Gods precious Sabbaths and Ordinances and have prayed for them and pleaded for them and have offered their lives in sacrifice for them and fought for them yea that have felt perhaps the comfort sweetnesse and blessing of Gods Sabbaths yea the redeeming and saving-power of Gods Ordinances to their owne soules yet through pretences of more spirituall enjoyments above and beyond and without all these they can part with these their old friends without weeping and reject them as polluted rags and fleshly formes and dark vailes and curtaines which must be drawne aside that so they may not hinder the true Light from shining in them This therfore is the reason why the love of manâ— at this day is grown cold toward the external Sabbath because the internall and spirituall Sabbath is now all in all And therefore many men walk either with bold consciences and will observe no Sabbath or else with loose consciences thinking it lawfull to observe it if men will injoyn it but noâ— thinking that they are tyed and bound therunto from any precept of God That place of Hebrews 4. which they so much stick to wants not light to demonstrate that the Sabbatisme there may well agree not onely with the internall but the outward Christian Sabbath but some of the ensuing Theses will serve to cleare up these things This onely I feare that because of these indignites done thus to Gods Sabbaths even by the under-workings of some of Gods owne people that the time hastens wherein if no man should speake yet the right hand of the sore displeasure of a provoked God by plagues and confusion upon the glory of all flesh will plead for his own Name and for that in speciall which is engraven upon the forehead of his holy Sabbaths Jerusalem remembred with regret of heart in the dayes of her affliction and misery all her pleasant things and especially this of the Sabbath Lam. 1.7 If the dayes of our rest and quietnesse cannot make us to relish the good things of his Temple in the fruition of our Sabbaths then doubt not of it but that the dayes of our affliction shall make a remnant to remember that they were pleasant things of all the mercies of God to Israel this is reckoned to be one of the greatest that he gave his Lawes to Israel Psal. 147.19 20. And of all Lawes this of the Sabbath For so the remnant of the Captivity acknowledged it Nehem. 9.14 who perhaps had far lower thoughts of it before their bondage And if the very making of it known be such a sweet mercy what then is the rest and peace of it the blessing and comfort of it for which I doubt not but many thousands are admiring God in heaven at this day And shall a shady imagination of an Every-day-sabbath make us sell away for nothing such a heavenly and precious season and make it common The Lord Iesus wisht his Disciples to pray that their flight from Jerusalem might not be in winter nor on the Sabbath-day Matth. 24.20 accounting it a great misery that his people should lose the publike benefit through the disturbance of any of one Sabbath-day for be it Iewish or Christian Sabbath I now dispute not sure I am it was a Sabbath-day which it seemes was to continue after Christs Ascension to the Father and therefore not wholly ceremonial And shall we account it no affliction or misery to fight or flie to ride or go to work or play to heare the Word in publike or stay at home upon the Sabbath-day Is it no mercy in these dayes to injoy many Sabbaths which was so sore a misery in Christs account and in the Apostles dayes to lose but one if mans heart be lost in the necessary cumbers of the weeke upon the Sabbath the Lord is wont to recall it again to him if any feare that the time of Grace is past the continuance of the Sabbaths the speciall seasons of grace confutes him if a mans soul be wearied with daily griefs and outward troubles the bosome of Iesus Christ which is in speciall wise opened every Lords day may refresh him and shall we have and professe so little love to such a time more precious then gold to humbled hearts as to cast away such a rich portion of precious time and make it common under a pretence of making every day a Sabbath which is either impossible to do or sinfull the loudest voice one of them of the love of Christ which now sounds in the world continually in the yeers of his people is this Come into my bosome ye weary sinners and enjoy your rest and the next voice to that is this of the Sabbath to call us off from all occasions and then to say to us Come to me my people and rest in my bosome of sweetest mercy all this day Which call would not be a mercy if it were every day for then our owne occasions must be neglected which the wise and fatherly providence of God forbids and spirituall work onely minded and intended which God did never command Nor should any marvel that the voyce of the Law should containe such a voyce of Love and therefore should not think that this controversie about the Law or for this one law of the Sabbath is unfit and unsutable to these Evangelicall and Gospel times for although the Law is dreadfull and full of terrour as considered without Christ and is to man fallen a voyce of words and a voice of terrour and feare which genders unto bondage yet as it is revealed with reference to Christ and a people in Christ so every Commandment doth spirare amorem as he speaks and breaths out Christs love for which the Saints cannot but blesse the Lord with everlasting wonderment that ever he made them to know these heart-secrets of his good will and love especially then when he writes them in their hearts and thereby gives
here that looke as man standing in innocency had cause thus to returne â—rom the pleasant labours of his weekly paradise imployments as shall be shewn in due place so man fallen much more from his toilsome and wearisome labours to this his rest again And therefore as because all creatures were made for man man was therefore made in the last place after them so man being made for God and his worship thence it is that the Sabbath wherein man was to draw most neare unto God was appointed after the creation of man as Peter Martyr observes For although man is not made for the Sabbath meerly in respect of the outward rest of it as the Pharisees dreamed yet hee is made for the Sabbath in respect of God in it and the holinesse of it to both which then the soule is to have its weekly revolution back againe as into that Rest which is the end of all our lives labour and in speciall of all our weekly labour and work Thesis 8. As therefore our blessed rest in the fruition of God at the end and period of our lives is no ceremony but a glorious privilege and a morall duty it being our closing with our utmost end to which we are called so it cannot be that such a Law which cals and commands man in this life to returne to the same rest for substance every Sabbath day should bee a ceremoniall but rather a Morall and perpetuall Law unlesse it should appeare that this weekly Sabbath like the other annuall Sabbath hath been ordained and instituted principally for some ceremonious ends rather than to be a part and indeed the beginning of our rest to come there being little difference between this and that to come but onely this that here our rest is but begun there it is perfected here it is interrupted by our weekly labours there it is continued here we are led into our rest by meanes and ordinances but there we shall bee possessed with it without our need of any helpe from them our God who is our rest being then become unto us immediately All in All. Thesis 9. Were it not for mans worke and labour ordained and appointed for him in this life he should enjoy a continuall Sabbath a perpetuall Rest. And therefore wee see that when mans life is ended his sunne set and his worke done upon earth nothing else remaines for him but only to enter into his perpetuall and eternall Rest All our time should be solemne and sacred to the Lord of time if there were no common worke and labour hâ—re which necessarily occasions common time why then should any think that a weekly Sabbath is ceremoniall when were it not for this lifes labour a perpetuall and continuall Sabbath would then be undoubtedly accounted morall It s hard for any to thinke a servants awfull attendance on his Lord and Master at certaine speciall times not to bee morally due from him who but for some more private and personall occassions allowed him to attend unto should at all times continually be serving of him Thesis 10. The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and no Scripture phrase and therfore not proper fitly and fully to expresse the question in controversie to wit whether the fourth Commandment bee a morall precept The best friends of this word finde it slippery and can hardly tell what it is and what they would have to be understood by it and hence it is become a bone of much Contention a fit mist and swampe for such to fight in who desire so to contend with their Adversaries as that themselves may not bee known either where they are or on what ground they stand Yet it being a word generally taken up and commonly used it may not therefore be amisse to follow the market measure and to retaine the word with just and meet explications thereof Thesis 11. They who describe a morall law to bee such a law as is not typically ceremoniall and therefore not durable doe well and truely expresse what it is not but they doe not positively expresse what it is Thesis 12. Some describe and draw out the proportions of the morall law by the law of nature and so make it to bee that law which every man is taught by the light of nature That which is morally and universally just say some which reason when it is not mis-led and the inward law of nature dictateth by common principles of honesty or ought to dictate unto all men without any outward usher It is that say others which may be proved not only just but necessary by principles drawne from the light of nature which all reasonable men even in nature corrupted have still in their hearts which either they doe acknowledge or may at least bee convinced of without the Scriptures by principles still left in the hearts of all men But this description seems too narrow For 1. Although it be true that the law naturall is part of the law morall yet if the law morall be resolved into the law of nature only and the law of nature bee shrunke up and drawne into so narrow a compasse as what the principles left in corrupt man onely suggest and dictate then it will necessarily follow that many of those holy rules and principles are not the law of nature which were the most perfect impressions of the law of nature in mans first creation and perfection but now by mans apostacy are obliterated and blotted out unlesse any shall thinke worse than the blinde Papists either that mans minde is not now corrupted by the fall in losing any of the first impressions of innocent nature or shall maintaine with them that the Image of God of which those first impressions were a part was not naturall to man in that estate 2. It will then follow that there is no morale discipline as they call it that is nothing morall by discipline informing or positively morall but onely by nature dictating which is crosse not onely to the judgements but solid Arguments of men judicious and most indifferent 3. If that onely is to be accounted morall which is so easily knowne of all men by the light of nature corrupted then the imperfect light of mans corrupt minde must bee the principall judge of that which is morall rather than the perfect rule of morality contained in the Scripture which Assertion would not a little advance corrupt and blinde Nature and dethrone the perfection of the holy Scripture Thesis 13. They who define a morall law to be such a law as is perpetuall and universall binding all persons in all ages and times doe come somewhat nearer to the marke and are not far off from the truth and such a description is most plaine and obvious to such as are not curious and in this sense our adversaries in this cause affirme the Sabbath not to be morall meaning that it is not a Law perpetuall and universall Others on the contrary affirming that it is morall intend
inventions of man to further the worship of God are condemned directly in the second Command 〈◊〉 all such Churches as are framed into a spituall policy after the fashion and patterne of the Word and primitive institution are with leave of Erastus and his disciples enjoyned in the same Commandment and therefore not in the fourth Gomarus and Master Primrose therefore do much mistake the mark and scope of the fourth Commandment who affirme That as in the three first Commandments God ordained the inward and outward service which hee will have every particular man to yeeld to him in private and severally from the society of men every day so in the fourth Commandment he enjoyneth a service common and publick which all must yeeld together unto him forbearing in the mean while all other businesse But why should they think that publick worship is more required here than private Will they say that the Sabbath is not to bee sanctified by private and inward worship as well as by publick and externall worship Is not private preparation meditation secret prayer and converse with God required upon this day as well as publick praying and hearing the Word If they say that these are required indeed but 't is in reference to the publick and for the publick worship sake it may be then as easily replyed that the publick worship is also for the sake of the private that each man secretly and privately might muse and feed upon the good of publick helps they are mutually helpfull one to another and therefore are appointed one for another unlesse any will thinke that no more holinesse is required upon this day than while publick worship continues which we hope shall appeare to bee a piece of professed prophanesse In the meane while looke as they have no reason to thinke that private worship is required in this command because the exercise of private worship is at this time required so they have as little reason to thinke that the publick worship it selfe is herein enjoyned because the exercise of it is to be also at such a time It is therefore the time not the worship it self either publick or private which is here directly commanded although it be true that both of them are herein indirectly required viz. in relation to the Time Thesis 63. If therefore the morall worship it self whether publick externall or private be not directly required in this fourth Command much lesse is the whole Ceremoniall worship here enjoyned as Master Primrose maintaines for the whole Ceremoniall worship both in Sacrifices Ceremonies Typeâ— c. was significant and were as I may so say Gods Images or media cultus meanes of worship by carrying the minde and heart to God by their speciall significations and therefore were instituted worship and therefore directly contained under the second and therefore not under the fourth Command And if there bee but nine Commandments which are morall and this one by his reckoning is to bee ceremoniall and the head of all ceremonials and that therefore unto it all ceremoniall worship is to appertaine then the observation of a Sabbath is the greatest Ceremony according as wee see in all other Commandments the lesser sinnes are condemned under the grosser as anger under murder and lust under adultery and inferiour duties under the chief and principall as honouring the aged and Masters c. under honouring of parents and so if all Ceremonialls are referred to this then the Sabbath is the grossest and greatest ceremony one of them and if so then 't is a greater sinne to sanctifie a Sabbath at any time than to observe new moones and other festivals which are lesse Ceremoniall and are therefore wholly cashiered because ceremoniall and if so why then doth Master Primrose tell us That the Sabbath is morall for substance principall scope and end and that its unmeet for us to observe fewer dayes than the Iewes in respect of weekly Sabbaths Why is not the name and memoriall of the Sabbath abandoned wholly and utterly accursed from off the face of the earth as well as new moones and other Jewish festivals which upon his principles are lesse ceremoniall than the weekly Sabbath It may be an audacious Familist whose Conscience is growne Iron and whose brow is brasse through a conceit of his immunity from and Christian liberty in respect of any thing which hath the superscription of law or works upon it may abandon all Sabbaths together with new Moones equally but those I now aime at I suppose dare not nor I hope any pious minde else who considers but this one thing viz. that when the Lord commands us to Remember to keep the Sabbath holy hee must then according to this interpretation command us that above all other Commandments wee observe his Ceremoniall worship which they say is here enjoyned rather than his morall worship which they acknowledge to be enjoyned in all the other nine Commands at the gate of none of which Commands is written this word Remember which undoubtedly implyes a speciall attendance to bee shewne unto this above any other for as wee shall shew keepe this keep all break this slight this slight all and therefore no wonder if no other Command hath this word Remember writ upon the portall of â—t which word of fence denotes speciall affection and action in the Hebrew Language but I suppose it may strike the hardest brow and heart with terrour and horrour to go about to affix and impute such a meaning to this Commandment viz. That principally above all other duties we remember to observe those things which are ceremoniall for although the observation of Ceremonies bee urged and required of God as Master Primrose truely observes from Psalme 118.27 Ieremiah 17.26 Ioell 19.13 Malachy 1.7 8 10 13 14. yet that God should require and urge the observation of these above any other worship is evidently crosse to reason and expresly crosse to Scripture Isaiah 1.11 12 13 14 15. Isaiah 66.3 Psalme 50.13 Ieremiah 6.20 Amos 3.21 Micah 6.7 To remember therefore to keepe the Sabbath is not to remember to observe Ceremoniall duties Thesis 64. Nor should it seem strange that Jewish holy dayes are not here enjoyned where a holy time a Sabbath day is commanded for those Jewish holy dayes were principally instituted as Wallaeus well observes for signification of Christ and his benefits as may appeare from â— Cor. 5.7 Luke 4.19 Hebrewes 10.5 and therefore being significant were parts of instituted worship belonging to the second not fourth Command but the Sabbath day as shall be shewn is in its originall institution and consecration of another nature and not significant yet this may bee granted that ceremoniall holy dayes may be referred to the fourth Command as appendices of it and if Calvin Vrsin Danaeus and others aimâ— at no more it may bee granted but it will not follow from hence that they therefore belong to the second command indirectly and directly to the fourth
example there was and is a present rule binding immediatly to â—ollow that example if therefore from the foundation of the world God made himself an example in six daies labour and in a seventh daies rest why should not this example then and at that time of innocency be binding there being no example which God sets before us but it supposeth a rule binding us immediatly therunto The great and most high God could have made the world in a moment or in a hundred years why did he make it then in six daies and rested the seventh day but that it might be an example to man It s evident that ever since the world began mans life was to be spent in labour and action which God could have appointed to contemplation only nor will any say that his life should be spent only in labour and never have any speciall day of rest unlesse the Antinomians who herein sin against the light of nature if therefore God was exemplary in his six daies labour why should any think but that he was thus also in his seventh daies rest Pointing out unto man most visibly as it were thereby on what day he should rest A meet time for labour was a morall duty since man was framed upon earth God therefore gives man an example of it in making the world in six daies A meet time for holy rest the end of all holy and honest labour was much more morall the end being better then the means why then was not the example of this also seen in Gods rest M. Ironside indeed is at a stand here and confesseth his ignorance In conceiving how Gods working six daies should be exemplary to man in innocency it being not preceptive but permissive only to man in his apostasie But let a plain analysis be made of the motives used to presse obedience to the fourth command and we shall finde according to the consent of all the Orthodox not prejudiced in this controversie that Gods example of working six daies in creating the world is held forth as a motive to presse Gods people to do all their work within six daies also and the very reason of our labour and rest now is the example of Gods labour and rest then as may also appear Ex. 31.17 And to say that those words in the Commandment viz. Six daies thou shalt labour are no way preceptive but meerly promissive is both crosse to the expresse letter of the text and contrary to morall equity to allow any part of the six daies for sinfull idlenesse or neglect of our weekely work so far forth as the rest upon the Sabbath be hindered hereby Thesis 157. The word Sanctified is variously taken in Scripture and various things are variously and differently sanctified yet in this place when God is said to sanctifie the Sabbath Gen. 2.2 3. it must be one of these two waies either 1. By infusion of holinesse and sanctification into it as holy men are said to be sanctified Or 2. By separation of it from common use and dedication of it to holy use as the Temple and Altar are said to be sanctified Thesis 158. God did not sanctifie the Sabbath by infusion of any habituall holinesse into it for the circumstance of a seventh day is not capable thereof whereof only rationall creatures men and Angels are Thesis 159. It must therefore be said to be sanctified in respect of its separation from common use and dedication to holy use as the Temple and Tabernacle were which yet had no inherent holinesse in them Thesis 160. Now if the Sabbath was thus sanctified by dedication it must be either for the use of God or of man i. either that God might keep this holy day or that man might observe it as a holy day to God but what dishonour is it to God to put him upon the observation of a holy day and therefore it was dedicated and consecrated for mans sake and use that so he might observe it as holy unto God Thesis 161. This day therefore is said to be sanctified of God that man might sanctifie it and dedicate it unto God and hence it follows that look as man could never have lawfully dedicated it unto God without a precedent institution from God so the institution of God implies a known command given by God unto man thereunto Thesis 162. 'T is therefore evident that when God is said to sanctifie the Sabbath Gen. 2.2 3. that man is commanded hereby to sanctifie it and dedicate it to the holy use of God Sanctificare est sanctifica â— mandare saith Iunius And therefore if M Primrose and others desire to know where God commandeth the observation of the Sabbath in Gen. 2.2 they may see it here necessarily implied in the word Sanctifie And therefore if God did sanctifie the Sabbath immediatly after the creation he commanded man to sanctifie it then for so the word Sanctified is expressely expounded by the holy Ghost himself Deut. 5.15 We need not therefore seek for wood among trees and enquire where and when and upon what ground the Patriarchs before Moses observed a Sabbath when as it was famously dedicated and sanctified i. commanded to be sanctified from the first foundation of the world Thesis 163. Our adversaries therefore dazled with the clearnesse of the light shining forth from the text Gen. 2.2 to wit that the Sabbath was commanâ—ed to be sanctified before the fall do fly to their shifts and seek for refuge from severall answers sometimes they say 't is sanctified by way of destination sometimes they â—ell uâ— of anticipation sometime they think the Book of Genesis was writ after Exodus and many such inventions which because they cannot possibly stand one with another are therefore more fit to vex and perplex the mind then to satisfie conscience and indeed do argue much uncertainty to be in the mindes of those that make these and the like answers aâ— not knowing certainly what to say nor where to stand yet let us examine them Thesis 164. To imagine that the Book of Genesis was writ after Exodus and yet to affirm that the Sabbath in Genesis is said to be sanctified and blest only in way of destination i. because God destinated and ordained that it should be sanctified many years after seems to be an ill favoured and mishapen answer and no way fit to serve their turn who invent it for if it was writ after Exodus what need was there to say that it was destinated and ordained to be sanctified for time to come when as upon this supposition the Sabbath was already sanctified for time past as appears in the story of Exodus 19.20 And therefore M. Primrose translates the words thus that God rested and hath blessed and hath sanctified the seventh day as if Moses writ of it as a thing past already but what truth is there then to speak of a destination for time to come I know Iunius so renders the Hebrew words as also
the word Rested but we know how many waies some of the Hebrew â—enses look nor is it any matter now to trouble our selves about them this only may be considered That it is a meer uncertain shift to affirm that Genesis was writ after Exodus M. Ironside tels us he could give strong reasons for it but he produceth none and as for his authorities from humane testimonies we know it is not fit to weigh out truth by humane suffrages and yet herein they do not cast the scale for Genesis to be writ after Exodus for although Beda Abulensiâ— and divers late Jesuites do affirm it yet Eusebius Catharinus Alcuinns a Lapide and sundry others both Popish and Protestant writers are better judgmented herein and their reasons for Genesis to be the first-born as it is first set down seem to be most strong The casting of this cause therefore depends not upon such uncertainties and yet if this disorder were granted iâ— will do their cause no good as if need were might be made manifest Thesis 165. M. Ironside confesseth That Gods resting and sanctifying the Sabbath are â—â—etaneous and acknowledgeth the connexion of them together at the same time by the câ—pulative And and that as God actually rested so he actually sanctifed the day but this sanctification which he means is nothing else but destination or Gods purpose and intention to sanctifie â—t afterward so that in effect this evasion amounts to thus much viz. that God did actually purpose to sanctifie it about 2500. years after the giving of the Law but yet did not actually sanctifie it and if this be the meaning it is all one as if he had said in plain terms viz. that when God is said to sanctifie the Sabbath he did not indeed sanctifie it only he purposed so to do and although M. Primrose and himself tels us that the word sanctifie signifies in the Originall some time to prâ—pare and ordain so it may be said that the word signifies sometimes to publish and proclaim if they say that this latter cannot be the meaning because we reade not in Scripture of any such proclamation that this should be the Sabbath the like may be said upon the reasons mentioned concerning their destination of it thereunto Again if to sanctifie the day be only to purpose and ordain to sanctifie it then the Sabbath was no more sanctified since the Creation then ab aeterno and before the world began for then God did purpose that it should be sanctified but this sanctification here spoken of seems to follow Gods resting which was in time and therefore it must be understood of another sanctification then that which seems to be before all time again as God did not blesse the Sabbath in way of destination so neither did he sanctiffe it in way of destination but he did not blesse it in way of destination for let them produce but one Scripture where the word blessed is taken in this sence for a purpose only to blesse indeed they think they have found out this purpose to sanctifie in the word sanctified Isa. 13.3 but where will they finde the like for the word blessed also for as the day was blessed so it was sanctified and yet I think that the Medes and Persians in Isa. 13.3 are not called Gods sanctified ones because they were destinated to be sanctified for that work but because they were so prepared foâ— it as that they were actually separated by Gods word for the accomplishment of such work but our adversaries will not say that God did thus sanctifie the Sabbath in Paradice by his word and yet suppose they are called his sanctified ones in way of destination yet there is not the like reason so to interpret it here for in Isa. 13.3 God himselfe is brought in immediatly speaking before whose eternall eyes all things to come are as present and hence he might call them his sanctified ones but in this place of Gen. 2.2 Moses not God immediatly speaks of this sanctifying in way of Historicall narration only this destination which is stood so much upon is but a meer imagination Thesis 166. It cannot be denied but that it is a usuall thing in Scripture to set down things in way of Prolepsis and Anticipation as they call it i. to set down things aforehand in the history which many years hapned and came after in order of time but there is no such Prolepsis or Anticipation here as our adversaries dream so that when God is said to sanctifie the Sabbath in Genesis the meaning should be that this he did 2500. years after the creation for this assertion wants all proof and hath no other prop to bear it up then some instances of Anticipations in other places of Scripture the Jesuites from some unwary expressions of some of the Fathers first started this answer whom Gomarus followed and after him sundry others prelatically minded but Rivet Ames and others have scattered this mist long since and therefore I shall leave but this one consideration against it viz. That throughout all the Scripture we shall not finde one Prolepsis but that the history is evident and apparently false unlesse we do acknowledge a Prolepsis and Anticipation to be in the story so that necessity of establishing the truth of the history only can establish the truth of a Prolepsis in the history I forbear to give a taste thereof by any particular instances but leave it to triall buâ— in this place alledged of Gen. 2.2 can any say that the story is apparently false unlesse we imagine a Prolepsis and the Sabbath to be first sanctified in mount Sinai Exod. 20. for might not God sanctifie it in Paradise as soon as Gods rest the cause and foundation of sanctifying of it was existing will any say with Gomarus that the Sabbath was first sanctified Exod. 16. because God blessed them so much the day before with Manna whenas in the Commandment it selfe Exod. 20. the reason of it is plainly set down to be Gods resting on the seveth day and sanctifying of it long before Thesis 167. There is not the least colour of Scripture to make this blessing and sanctifying of the day to be nothing else but Gods magnifying and liking of it in his own mind rejoycing and as it were glorying in it when he had rested from his works and yet M. Primrose casts this block in the way for the blind to stumble at supposing that there should be no such Anticipation as he pleads for for surely if God blessed and sanctified the day it was a reall and an effectuall sanctification and blessing but this magnifying and glorying in it in Gods minde is no reall thing in the blessed God he having no such affections in him but what is said to be in him that way is ever by some speciall effects the simple and pure essence of God admitting no affections per modum affectus sed affectus as is truly and commonly maintained Thesis
The end of daies and why may not this be the end of the daies of the week a known division of time and most famous from the beginning of the world as Râ—vet demonstrates out of the best Antiquaries rather then at the end of the moneths of the yeere But 't is not good to wrastle with probabilities of which many are given which do rather darken then clear up this cause This only may be added that suppose the Patriarks observed no Sabbath from mans fall to Moses time yet it will not follow that man in innocency was a stranger to it because man in his apostacy forgot or did not regard to keep it Thesis 172. If therefore it was a duty which Adam and his posterity were bound to keepe by a Law given them in innocency Then it undeniably follows that the observance of a Sabbath doth not depend upon great numbers of people to sanctifie it for at first creation the number was but two and yet they both were bound to observe it then nor yet is it to be cast aside through any mans freedom from worldly imcumbrances whereby he hath liberty to serve God more frequently every day for thus it was also in the state of innocency and yet the Sabbath to be observed then It is therefore unsound which M. Primrose affirms herein viz. That the consecration of a certain day for Gods service is not necessary but then only when many troop together and make up the body of a great Assembly and that therefore it may be doubted whether the Patriarks having but small families and little cumber observed any Sabbath but rather served God alike every day with great ease and assiduity and that therefore there was no need nor cause of a Sabbath till they became a numerous people at mount Sinai But beside what hath been said how will it appeare that the posterity of Seth called the sons of God Gen. 6.1 2. were not a numerous people Or that Abrahams family was so small out of which he could gather three hundred fighting men to pursue five mighty Princes in battell But suppose they were few yet have not small companies and particular persons as much need of the blessing of a Sabbath and speciall communion with God therein as great numbers and troops of people Is not the observation of the Sabbath built upon better and surer grounds mentioned in Scripture then bignesse of number and freedom from cumbers not mentioned at all Thesis 173. If Adams fall was before the Sabbath as Mr. Broad and some others otherwise orthodox in this point of the Sabbath conceive by too much inconsiderate wresting of Psal. 49.12 Iohn 8.44 yet it will not hence follow that he had no such command in innocency to observe the Sabbath before his fall For whether man had fallen or no yet the thing it selfe speaks that God was determined to work six dayes in making the world and to rest and so to sanctifie the seventh that hee might therein be exemplary to man and consequently God would have given this law and it should have been a rule to him whether he fell or no and indeed the seventh daies rest depends no more upon mans fall then the six daies worke of creation which we see were all finished before the fall the seventh daies holinesse being more sutable to that state then the six daies labour to which we see he was appointed if Gods example had any force to direct and lead him thereunto Againe if the law of labour was writ upon his heart before he was actually called forth to labour viz. To dresse and keep the garden Gen. 2.15 why might not also the law of holy rest be revealed unto him by God and so answerably writ upon his heart before he fell or came actually to rest upon the Sabbath Little of Adams universall obedience to the Law of workes was as yet actuall while he remained innocent and yet all his obedience in time to come was writ upon his heart the first moment of his creation in the Image of God as it were aforehand and why might not thiâ— Law of the Sabbath be writ so aforehand And therefore M. Broad need not trouble himself or others in enquiring whether God sanctified the Sabbath before or after the first seventh day wherein God rested and if before it how Adam could know of the Sabbath before Gods compleat rest upon the first seventh day the cause of it for God was as well able to make Adam privy to his counsell aforehand concerning that day before Gods rest on it which was a motive to the observance of it as he was to acquaint his people with his purpose for a holy Passeover before the occasion of it fell out Mr. Broad indeed tels us that its most probable that God did not blesse and sanctifie the first Sabbath or seventh day of rest because it is not said that God blessed the Sabbath because he would but because he had rested in it but by his leave it is most proper to say that God at the end of the six daies worke had then rested from all his works and thence God is said to sanctifie and rest the seventh day his cessation from worke which is the naturall rest being the cause of resting the seventh day with a holy rest as we have shewn and therefore there is no reason to stay till the seventh day was past and then to sanctifie it against the next seventh day the first seventh day upon the ground mentioned being first sanctified and which Adam might be well enought acquainted with aforehand as hath been shewn Thesis 174. If the Scriptures may be judge of the time of mans fall which yet is not momentous to cast the balance either way in this controversie it will be found that neither Angels nor men did fall the sixt day before the Sabbath for then God looked upon all his works and they were very good Gen. 1.31 and therefore could not as yet be bad and evill by any sin or fall and now because it 's more then probable that if Adam had compleatly sanctified and stood one Sabbath he had stood immutably as I think might be demonstrated he therefoâ—e not standing a whole seventh day for then he could not have fallen and yet not being fallen the sixt day he therefore fell upon the Sabbath day that as the breach of every other command was wrapt up in that first sin so this of the Sabbath The objections against this from Iohn 8.44 that Satan was a murderer from the beginning and from Psal. 49.12 that man in honour did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or abide one night in that estate with some other conjecturall reasons taken from some of the Schoolmens Obs and Sols are easily answered by a serious and sober minde and therefore I leave them Thesis 175. Adams soul say some did not need a Sabbath because every day was a Sabbath to him nor did his body need it
holy Ghost Rev. 22. yet it 's a grosse mistake and most absurd to make every metaphor or similitude and allusion to be a type for the husbandman sowing of the seed is a similitede of preaching of the word Mat. 13. and yet it 's no type of it an effectionate lover and husband is in sundry Scriptures a similitude and resemblance of Christs affection and love to his Church and spouse the head and members of mans body are similitudes of Christ the head and the Church his members but will any affirm that these are also types of Christ and just thus was Paradise and the Tree of life in it they were similitudes to which the holy Ghost alludes in making mention of Christ and his Church but they were no types of them there was typus fictus in them or arbitrarius which is all one with a similitude but there was no Typus destinatus therein being never purposely ordained to shadow out Christ for the Covenant of works by which Adam was to live is directly contrary to the Covenant of grace by faith in Christ Rom. 11.6 by which we are to live Christ is revealed only in the Covenant of grace and therefore could not be so revealed in the Covenant of works directly contrary thereunto Adam therfore was not capable of any types then to reveal Christ to him of whom the first Covenant cannot speak and of whom Adam stood in no need no not so much as to confirm him in that estate for with leave I think that look as Adam breaking the first Covenant by sinne he is become immutably evill and miserable in himself according to the rule of justice in that Covenant so suppose him to have kept that Covenant all his posterity had been immutably happy and holy not meerly by grace but by the same equity and justice of that first Covenant and hence it follows that he stood in no need of Christ or any Revelation of him by types no not to confirm him in that Covenant I know in some sence whatever God communicates to his creature in way of justice may be saîd to be conveyed in a way of grace if grace be taken largly for that which is conveyed out of Gods free will and good pleasure as all things in the world are even to the acceptance of that wherein there is most merit and that is Christs death and satisfaction for sinne but this is but to play with words for it 's clear enough by the Apostles verdict that grace strictly taken is opposite to works Rom. 11.6 the law of works which only reveals doing and life to the law of faith which only reveals Christ and life under which Covenant of grace Adam was not and therefore had no types then to shadow out Christ to say that Paradise and the Tree of life were types by way of anticipation as some lately affirm is as much as to say that they were not types then and therefore neither these nor the Sabbath were Ceremoniall then and that is sufficient for what we aim at only 't is observable that this unsound expression leads into more palpable errours for as they make the Tree of life Typicall by Anticipation so they make the marriage of Adam and Eve and consequently the marriage of all mankinde typicall and then why should not all marriages cease when Christ the Antitype is come nay they make the rivers and precious stones and gold in Paradise thus Typicall of Christ and his Church Rev. 21. and then why may they not make the Angels in heaven Typicall because men on earth who pour out the Vials are resembled to them and why may not men riding upon white Horses be typicall because Christ is so resembled Rev. 19.11 Pererius who collects out of Hugo de vict a type of the whole new Creation in all the works of six daies first Creation may please himself as other Popish Proctors do with such like shady speculations and Phantasmes and so bring in the Seventh day for company to be Typicall also but a good and healthfull stomack should be exceeding fearfull of a little feeding on such windy meat nor do I think that Hugo's new creation is any more Antitypicall to the first six daies Creation then Damascenes types in the fourth Commandment who makes Thou thy son thy daughter thy servant the stranger to be types of our sinfull affections of spirit and the oxe and the asse figures of the flesh and sensuall partâ— both which he saith must rest upon the Sabbath day Thesis 179. If therefore the Sabbath was given to Adam in innocency before all types nay before the least promise of Christ whom such types must shadow forth then it cannot be in its first and native institution typicall and ceremoniall but morall and therefore in it's first and originall institution of which we speak it did not typifie either our rest in Christ from sinne in this life or our rest with God in heaven in another life or any other imagined rest which mans wit can easily invent and invest the Sabbath with but look as our Saviour in reforming the abuses in marriage câ—ls us to the first institution so to know what is perpetuall in the Sabbath it 's most safe to have recourse hither which when it was first observed we see was no way typicall but morall and if man no way clogg'd with sin and earth had then need of a Sabbath have not we much more Thesis 180. As before the Fall the Sabbath was originally and essentially morall so after the fall it became accidentally typicall i. it had a type affixed to it though of it's own nature it neither was nor is any type at all God affixed a farther end unto it after the Fall to be of farther use to type out somewhat to Gods people while in the substance of it it remaineth morall and hence it is that a Seventh day remains morall and to be observed but not that Seventh day which was formerly kept nor have we that end of resting which was under the Law but this end only that we might more immediatly and specially converse with God which was the main end of the Sabbaths rest before mans fall for if the Sabbath had been essentially typicall then it should be abolished wholly and no more remembrance of it then of new moones and Jubilees but because it was for substance morall being extant before the fall and yet had a type affixed to it after the fall hence a Seventh day is still preserved but that Seventh day is now abolished and hence new moons and other Jewish Festivals as they are wholly Ceremoniall in their birth so they are wholly abolished without any change of them into other daies as this of the Sabbath is in their very being Thesis 181. There are sundry Scriptures alledged to prove the Sabbath to be typicall and ceremoniall out of the old and new Testament as Isa. 66.23 Gal 4.10 Rom. 14.4 5. Col. 2.16 but if
improve the day no better then the beasts that perish Thesis 2. And as the rest of the Day is for the holinesse of it so is all the labour of the Week for this holy rest that as the end of all the labour of our lives is for our rest with Christ in Heaven so also of the six daies of every weeke for the holy Rest of the Sabbath the twilight and dawning of Heaven For the eighth Commandement which would not have us steale commands us therefore to labour for our Families and comforts in all the seasons of labour This fourth command therefore which not onely permits but commands us to labour six daies must have another respect in commanding us to labour and a higher end which cannot be any thing else but with respect to the Sabbath that as we are to watch unto prayer so we are to worke unto the Sabbath or so worke all the Weeke day that we may meet with God and sanctifie the Sabbath day Thesis 3. As therefore the holinesse of the Sabbath is morall because it is the end of the day so is the Rest of the Sabbath the immediate means to that end morall also Looke therefore what ever holy duties the Lord required of the Iewes which were not ceremoniall the same duties he requires of us upon this day so what every Rest he required of them for this end he exacts of all Christians also Thesis 4. Those that make the Sabbath ceremoniall imagine a stricter Rest imposed upon the Iewes then Christians are now bound unto because they place the ceremonialnesse of the Sabbath in the strict Rest of it but we are bound to the same Rest for substance of it and the ground for a stricter rest then we are bound unto will be found too light if well pondered Thesis 5. For though it be sayd that the Iewes might not bake nor seeth meat upon this day Exod. 16.23 no nor make a fire upon it Ex. 35.3 no nor gather sticks upon it without Death Numb 6.15.30 all which things Christians now may lawfully do yet none of these places will evince that for which they are alledged Thesis 6. For first it is not said Exod. 16.23 bake and seeth that to day which may serve you next day but that which remains viz. which is not sod nor baked lay it up untill the Morning and consequently for the morrow of the next day which being thus laid up I doe not finde that they are forbidden to bake or seeth that which remaines upon the next day but rather if they must use it the next day they might then bake it or seeth it that day also as they did that of the sixt day and without which they could not have the comfortable use of it upon the Sabbath day indeed it was as unlawfull to grind and beate the Manna in Mills and Morters mentioned Numb 11 8. upon this day as now to thrash and grind Corne this day the meale therefore which did remaine is not forbidden to be baked or sod upon this day nor would Gods speciall and miraculous providence appeare in preserving it from wormes and stinking if there had been any bâ—king of it the day before and not rather upon the Sabbath Day Thesis 7. Although also they were forbidden to kindle fire upon this lay Exod. 35.3 in respect of some use yet they are not forbidden so to do in respect of any use whatsoever For there was fire kindled for the Sabbath sacrifices and it would have bin a breach of the rule of mercy not to kindle a fire for the sick and weake in the wildernesse Nehemiah also a man most strict and zealous for the Sabbath yet had such provision made every day as could not be drest nor eaten without some fire upon the Sabbath day Neh. 5.18 and the Sabbath not being a fast but a feast in those times as well as those hence it s not unsutable to the time to have comfortable provisions made ready provided that the dressing of meaâ— be not an ordinary hindrance to publike or private duties of holinesse upon this day Exod. 12.16 this kindling of the fire here forbidden must therefore be understood in respect of the scope of the place viz. not to kindle a fire for any servile work no not in respect of this particular use of it viz. to further the building of the Sanctuary and Tabernacle made mention of in this Chapter for it s said whosoever shall do any worke therein 1. any servile worke which is more proper for the weeke time shall be put to death verse 2. there is therefore either no dependance of these words in the third verse with those in the second or else we must understand it of kindling fires restrictively for any servile worke which is there forbidden not only the Iewes but us Christians also Thesis 8. The man that gathered sticks on the Sabbath Numb 15.30 was put to death what for gathering of sticks onely why then did not the just God put them to death who were the first offenders and therefore most fit to be made examples who went out to gather Manna upon this day Exod. 1â— This gathering of sticks therefore though little in it selfe yet seemes to be aggravated by presumption and that the man did presumptuously breake the Sabbath and therefore it s generally observed that this very example followes the Law of punishing a presumptuous transgressor with death in this very Chapter and though it be said that they found a man gathering sticks as if it were done secretly and not presumptuously yet we know that presumptuous sins may be committed secretly as well as openly though they are not in so high a degree presumptuous as when they are done more openly the feare of the Law against Sabbath breakers might restrain the man from doing that openly which before God was done proudly and presumptuously and though Moses doubted what to do with the man who had that capitall Law given him before against Sabbath breakers yet they might be ignorant for a time of the full and true meaning of it which the Lord here seemes to expound viz. that a Sabbath breaker sinning presumptuously is to be put to death and although it be doubted whether such a Law is not too rigorous in these Times yet we do see that where the Magistrate neglects to restraine from this sinne the Lord takes the Magistrates work into his own hand and many times cuts them off suddenly who prophane his Sabbath presumptuously and t is worth enquiring into whether presumptuous Sabbath breakers are not still to be put to Death which I doubt not but that the Lord will either one day cleare up or else discover some specialty in the application of this judiciall Law to that Polity of the Iewes as most fit for them and not so universally fit for all others in Christian Common-vvealths but this latter I yet see no proofe for nor doe I expect the clearing up of the other while
practice in sports and revellings upon this day beare sufficient witnesse and oh that we had no cause to wash off this spot with our teares from the beautifull and pleasant face of the glorious grace and peace which once shined in the German Churches by whose Graves we may stand weeping and say this is your misery for this your provoking sin Scotland knows best her own integrity whose lights have been burning and shining long in their clearnesse in this particular But England hath had the name and worn this Garland of glory wherewith the Lord hath crowned it above all other Churches But how hath that little flock of slaughter which hath wept for it and preacht and printed and done and suffered for it beene hated and persecuted who have been the scorne and shame and reproach of men but a company of poor weaklings for going out a few miles to hear a faithful painful Preacher from those idle Shepheards who either could not feed them with knowledge and understanding at home or else would not do it through grosse prophanesse or extream idlenesse And now since God hath broken the yoke of their oppressors and set his people at liberty to returne to Sion and her solemne assemblies as in dayes of old and hath given to them the desires of their hearts that they may now be as holy on the Sabbath as they will without any to reproach them at least to countenance such reproaches of them now I say when one would think the precious Sabbaths which so many of Gods servants in former time have brought down to this generation swiming in their teares and prayers and which many in these dayes have so much looked and longed for that every eye should be looking up to Heaven with thankfulnes for these and that every heart should embrace Gods Sabbaths with teares of joyfulnesse and bid this dear and precious friend welcome and lie and rest in their bosome and so I doubt not but that England hath yet may a corner ful of such precious Jewels to whom Gods Sabbathâ— are yet most precious and glorious and who cannot easily forget such blessed seasons and meanes in them whereby if ever the Lord did good unto them they have been so oft refreshed and wherein they have so oft seen God wherein they have so oft met with him and he with them but whose heart will it not make to relent and sigh to hear of late a company not of ignorant debosht persons malignants prelatical and corrupt and carnal men but of such who have many of them in former times given great hopes of some feare of God and much love to Gods Ordinances and Sabbaths and now what hurt the Sabbaths Ordinances of the Lord Jesus therein have done them I know not but it would break ones heart to see what little care there is to sanctifie the Sabbath even by them who think in their judgments that the day is of God What poore preparation for it either in themselves or families what little care to profit by it or to instruct and catehize their families and to bring them also it love with it what secret wearinesse and dead-heartednesse almost wholly unlamented remains upon them what earthly thoughts what liberty in speech about any worldly matter presently after the most warning Sermon is done that the Lord Jesus hath scarce good carcasses and outsides brought him which cannot but threaten more crows to pick them unlesse they repent and yet this is not so sad as to see the loosenesse of mens judgments in this point of the Sabbath whereby some think a Sabbath lawful but not necessary in respect of any command of God nay some think it superstition to observe a weekly Sabbath which should be every day as they imagine they have allegorized Gods Sabbaths and almost all Gods Ordinances out of the world and cast such pretended Antichristian filth and pollution upon them that spiritual men must not now meddle with them nay verily all duties of the moral Law and fruitful obedience and holy walking and sanctification graces and humiliation and such like are the secret contempt of many and the base drudgery for a â—ll-horse and legal Christian rather then for one that is of an Evangelical frame and herein Satan now appears with the ball at his foot and seems to threaten in time to carry all before him and to kick and carry Gods precious Sabbaths out of the world with him and then farewel dear Lord Jesus with all thy sweet love and life if Sabbaths be once taken from us by the blind and bold disputings of wretched men authority as yet upholds them which is no small mercy and the savour of Christs sweetnesse in them and the external brightnesse of the beauty of them do still remaine on many with that strength and glory that it is not good policy for the prince of darknesse now to imploy all his forces against the gates of the Sabbath but the time hastens wherein the assault will be great and fierce and I much fear that for the secret contempt of these things the Lord in dreadful justice will strengthen delusions about this day to break forth and prosper and then pray you poor Saints of God and hidden ones that your flight may not be in the Winter nor on the Sabbath day but woe then to them that give suâ—k woe then to the high Ministry that should have kept these gates woe then to that loose and wanton generation rising up who think such outward formes and observation of dayes to be too course and too low and mean a work for their enobled spirits which are now raised higher and neerer God then to look much after Sabbaths or Ordinances graces or duties or any such outward forms for I doubt not but if after all the light and glory shining in England concerning Gods Sabbaths if yet they are not thereby become precious but that the Lord will make them so by his plagues if this sin once get head God will burne up the whole world and make himself-dreadful to all flesh untill he hath made unto himself a holy people and a humble people that shall love the dust and take pleasure in the very stones of his house and love the place where his Honour dwels and long for the time wherein his presence and blessing shall appear and be poured out upon the Sabbath day It 's matter of the greatest mourning that they above all other should trouble Gods rest wherein perhaps their souls have found so much rest or might have done that in these times wherein the Lord Jesus was coming out to give unto his house his Ordinances and unto his people his Sabbaths and dayes of rest every way that now they above all others should offer to pull them out of his hand tread them under foot and hereby teach all the prophane rout in the world to do the like with a quiet conscience and without any check by their reasonings that now when
or five or four there being no naturall justice in the number of seven more then in the number of six or four but the answer is easie that if man may give unto God superstitiously too many or prophanely too few and if the appointment of God hath declared it self for a seventh and that the giving of this seventh be most just and equall then let it be considered whether it be not most satisfactory to a scrupling conscience to allow God a seventh day which he hath appointed which is confessed to be most just and perpetually equall and consequently morall and if there be a morall and perpetuall equity to give God one day in seven then 't is no matter whether there be any more naturall equity therein then in one in five or six the disputers of this worlâ— may please themselves with such speculations and shifts but the wisdom of God which hath already appointed one day in seven rather then in six or ten should be adored herein by humble mindes in cutting out this proportion of time with far greater equity then man can now readily see 7. Because deep corruption is the ground of this opinion the plucking up of Gods bounds and land-marks of a seventh is to put the stakes into the Churches hands to set them where she pleaseth or if she set them at a seventh where God would have them yet that this may be submitted to not because God pleaseth but because the Church so pleaseth not because of Gods will and determination but because of the Churches will and determination that so it being once granted that the Church hath liberty to determine of such a day she may not be denied liberty of making any other holidaies or holy things in the worship and service of God and that this is the main scope and root of this opinion is palpably evident from most of the writings of our English adversaries in this controversie Thesis 123. A seventh day therefore is primarily morall yet as was formerly said Thesis 48. there is something else in this commandment which is secundarily morall viz. This or that particular seventh day I will not say that it is accidentally morall as some do but rather secundarily and consequently morall for it is not morall firstly because it is this particular seventh but because it hath a seventh part of time divinely proportioned and appointed for rest falling into it and of which it participates to give almes to the needy is a morall duty and primarily morall but to give this or that quantity may be morall also but it is secundarily morall because it flowes ex consequenti onely from the first for if we are to give almes according to our ability and others necessity then this or that particular quantity thus suting their necessity must be given which is also a morall duty so 't is in this point of the Sabbath Thesis 224. Hence it follows that this Commandment enjoynes two things 1. More generally a seventh 2 More particularly this or that seventh and in speciall that seventh from the Creation this or that seventh are to be kept holy because of a seventh part of time appointed falling into them A seventh day also is to be kept holy by vertue of the Commandement yet not in generall but with speciall eye and respect to that particular seventh wherein this generall is involved and preserved That seventh from the Creation is commanded because of a seventh falling into it and a seventh also is commanded yet with a speciall eye to that seventh wherein it is involved And therefore 't is a vaine objection to affirm that if a seventh be commanded that then â—o particular seventh is or if any particular seventh be so that then a seventh is not for the Commandement we see hath respect to both for what is there more frequent in Scripture then for generall duties to be wrapt up and set forth in some particular things instances and examples and consequently both commanded together and after narrow search into this Commandement we shall finde both the generall and particular seventh not onely inferring one the other but both of them in a manner expresly mentioned Thesis 125. When those that plead for the morality of the fourth Command in respect of a seventh day would prove it to be morall because it is part of the Decalogue and set in the heart of it with a speciall note of remembrance affixed to it c. Mr. Ironside and others doe usually dash all such reasonings out of countenance with this answer viz. That by this argument That particular seventh from the creation is morall which we see is changed for say they that also is set in the heart of the Decalogue with a speciall note of remembrance also But the reply from what hath ben said is easie viz. That that also is indeed morall only 't is secondarily morall not primarily and therefore as we have shewn was mutable and changeable the primary morality in a seventh immutably remaining the morall duty of observing a seventh day is not changed but only the day If Mr. Primrose could prove that there is nothing else commanded in this fourth command but only that particular seventh from the creation he had then enough to shew that this day being justly changed the Commandment is not morall of perpetuall but out or this particular seventh which now is changed himself acknowledgeth that out of it may be gathered the morality of a day and why not of a seventh day also as well as of a day He saith that it is a bold assertion to say that this genus of a seventh is herein commanded But why is it not as bold to affirm the same of a day for out of that particular seventh whence he would raise the genus of a day we may as easily and far more rationally collect the genus of a seventh day Thesis 126. Nor will it follow that because a seventh is morall that therefore any one of the seven daies in a week may be made a Christian Sabbath For 1. We do not say that it is any seventh but A seventh determined and appointed of God for holy rest which is herein commanded 2. The Lord hath in wisdom appointed such a seventh as that man may have six whole daies together to labour in and hence it follows that divine determination without crossing that wisdom could not possibly fall upon any other daies in the Cycle of seven but either upon the last of seven which was the Jewish or the first of seven which now is as shall be shewn the Christian Sabbath 3. As God hath appointed one day in seven for mans rest so in his wisdom he so orders it as that it shall be also a day of Gods rest and that is not to be found in any day of the week but either in the last of seven wherein the Father rested or in the first of seven wherein the Son rested from his work also Thesis 127. 'T