bow to me Rom. 14. 9 10 11. Which is taken from Isa 45. 21 22 23 where Christ is named Jehovah a Just God and a Saviour Heb. and the Messiah or Christ Look unto me and be ye saved for I am God Isa 45. 22 23. Phil. 2. 9 10 11. Which is to the Glory of God the Father v. 11. And you have Father Son and Holy Spirit 2 Cor. 13. 14 and in many other places which I had collected but omit And no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Spirit of God 1 Cor. 12. 3. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself he that believeth not God hath made him a liar because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son 1 John 5. 10. The Witness i. e. the Holy Spirit Some have preached and printed another Jesus and another Spirit and another Gospel 2 Cor. 11. 4. and not Jesus the Lord 1 Cor. 12. 3. and Phil. 2. 11. And have preached another Spirit not the Lord the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 17 18. And another Gospel not the true Gospel by the Grace of Christ Gal. 1. 6. Some pervert the Gospel and are under that Curse and Anathema Gal. 1. 7 8 9. Christ Jesus the Lord was that Christ whom Paul preached 2 Cor. 4. 5. Paul an Apostle not by man but by Jesus Christ Gal. 1. 1 2. Christ Jesus is said to be equal with God Phil. 2. 5 6 11. Christ is our life and is all in all Col. 3. 4 11. And whoso denieth the Son hath not the Father 1 John 2. 23. Let those who deny the Son consider well that word Christ Jesus the Lord in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2. 2 3 6 9. a very full expression of his Godhead God our Saviour 1 Tim. 2. 3. God manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. The living God the Saviour of them that believe 1 Tim. 4. 10. God our Saviour Tit. 1. 3. 2. 10. Looking for the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us Tit. 2. 13 14. Jesus Christ our Saviour Tit. 3. 6. Some false Teachers there were then who privily brought in Damnable Heresies denying the Lord that bought them and some will follow them 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. Deceivers who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh such have not God and if any come to you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house nor bid him God-speed 2 John 3. 7 9 10. Gr. Chairein to rejoice There is no ground that I know to desire Joy to such There are certain men crept in corrupt Worshippers denying the Only God and Master our Lord Jesus Christ Jude 4. To the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty dominion and power v. 25. The Son is the brightness of the Father's Glory of whom God saith And let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1. 1 3 6 13. And we are to worship God not Angels Rev. 19. 10. 22. 8 9. Unto the Son the Father saith thy Throne O God for ever and ever Heb. 1. 8. His Son Jesus Christ he is the true God and eternal life 1 John 5. 20. The first and the last who was dead and is alive Rev. 2. 8. The son of God who searcheth the reins and heart and who will give to every one according to his works Rev. 2. 18 23. And to conclude this point in the close of the Scriptures the Prayer of John unto Christ Come Lord Jesus and for his Grace Rev. 22. 20 21. do also prove the Deity of Christ which is my present point Some defend this Truth from the Opinion of ancient Doctors and learned Fathers whereof I have seen a great collection for whom I have due reverence yet satisfaction to the Conscience coming in ordinarily by the Word of God I have rather chosen this familiar way by the Scriptures Q. 3. The third Question proposed is Whether after the Creation the Lord rested on the seventh day and whether The Seventh-day Sabbath instituted by Christ the seventh-day Sabbath was sanctified and so instituted by him and was observed by him who made the World Answ 1. He that made the World rested on the seventh day for which we have these full Authorities Thus the Heavens and the Earth were finished and all the Host of them Gen. 2. 1. And on the seventh day God Heb. Aelohim the Mightys he ended his work which he had made and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made Gen. 2. 2. For in six days Jehovah he made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and he rested the seventh day Exod. 20. 11. My Sabbaths ye shall keep for it is a sign between me and you A sign whereby his People were distinguished from the rest of the World It is holy unto you a perpetual Covenant For in six days Jehovah made Heaven and Earth and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed Exod. 31. 13 14 15 16 17. And God did rest the seventh day from all his works Heb. 4. 4. Which is also a farther confirmation of the Deity of Christ Answ 2. He that made the World sanctified or made holy the seventh-seventh-day Sabbath After God Heb. Aelohim ended his work it is said expresly and God Heb. Aelohim he blessed the seventh day and he sanctified it Gen. 2. 1 3 4. Wherefore Jehovah he blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it Exod. 20. 11. Blessed and sanctified it and so instituted it In the first Question it appears that the Lord Jesus Christ made the World and in the second that Christ is Jehovah Ans 3. And Jehovah who made the Earth and the Heavenâ— he rested on the seventh day and he blessed it and he sanctified it So we have here the Lord Jesus Christ who made the World resting on the seventh day that is observing it and blessing and sanctifying of it i. e. giving the institution of it and this to Adam and in Adam to Jews and Gentiles to all Mankind without distinction who then were all in Adam's Loâ—â—s and that before the Sin and Fall of Adam So this part of the Moral Law was in Adam given to him and to all his Posterity And this recorded for the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ which some pretend to greaten by dedicating another day to him which he never blessed sanctified or observed that I can find nor has any where in the Scriptures either blessed sanctified or commanded Comparing this with what was before offered That the Lord Jesus Christ made the World and that he is Jehovah I think this one Authority in Gen. 2. 1 2 3 4 sufficient to prove that he rested on the seventh day that he blessed the seventh day and sanctified and so instituted it and no other day of the week And to this Institution I think
To which Objection from John 8. 56 some Answer may be from John 9. 4 5 where Christ says to his Disciples I must work the Works of him that sent me whilest it is day the night cometh when no man can work Where day referrs to the time of Christ's Life and publick Ministry and shews the day of Christ Abraham rejoyced to see John 8. 56 to be the time of Christ's preaching the Gospel which was in part whilst Christ's Life in this World lasted and so John 9. 4 is explained John 9. 5 As long as I am in the World Their Father Abraham joyfully believed the Promise of the Messiah and so by Faith foresaw Christ's Coming and was glad The Jews gloried much in this that they had Abraham to their Father Abraham their Father by Faith foresaw Christ's Coming into the World his preaching the Gospel his dying upon the Cross Abraham saw this by Faith in the Promise which was made to him That in his Seed all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed Gen. 12. 3 22. 18 Abraham saw this in the Type of Isaac's being offered Heb. 11. 17 18 19. This Abraham saw by the Light of Divine Revelation he saw Christ's coming in the Flesh his dying for Sinners typified by the Ram sacrificed instead of Isaac and typified by other Offerings and Sacrifices and he saw by Faith upon the coming of Christ the publication of the Gospel of Christ to the whole World by which means all the Nations of the Earth both Jews and Gentiles are become blessed in his Seed and Abraham was glad with the joy of Faith which gives the Soul a clear view of a certain promised Blessing and Good at a distance as if it were present Heb. 11. 1 13 and so I think John 8. 56 evidently referrs to those Gospel Times which Abraham by Faith in the Promise saw afar off But that day which Christ says Abraham saw being mentioned as a day in general some would fain hook in as one day in every week and so by a narrow understanding of what Abraham saw by Faith would restrain it only to a particular day of the week by their Conjecture Obj. Some guess that Psal 118. 22 24 This is the day the Lord hath made we will rejoice and be glad in it is the Resurrection day And so they say of the day Psal 2. 7 and Acts 13. 33 Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee and to that of Psal 118. 24 they joyn Rom. 1. 4 where Christ is said to be declared the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the resurrection from the Dead Ans Now that the Stone which the Builders rejected Psal 118. 22 is meant of Christ is agreed as also that Christ is the Son of God Psal 2. 4 and that he is declared to be the Son of God with Power by his rising from the Dead Rom. 1. 4. But the day mentioned Psal 118. 24 I take as before to be the time of preaching and promulgating the Gospel of Christ and the Resurrection of Christ did plainly declare him to be God the true Messiah and Saviour of all that believe in him But to graft upon these places any thing of an institution of a weekly new Sabbath or of repealing the Seventh day I take to be a meer Conjecture and has no Foundation but in mens Fancies Others guess the day mentioned Psal 118. 24 to be the Incarnation day either of which Conceits if I could but find somewhere written in the Scriptures I hope I should believe but finding none of these there written to me they do but seem to prove the Shifts and Windlaces some are driven to use to patch up such Conceits And some of the Ancients are said to understand by Psal 2. 7 and Acts 13. 33 the eternal Generation of the Son of God Which some referr to the Resurrection others to the Incarnation of our Saviour The Gospel-day before mentioned is a day of glad Tydings for the promise which was made unto the Fathers God hath fulfilled in Christ Acts 13. 32 33 the glad Tydings of our Deliverance from Sin and Hell by the satisfaction made to the Justice of God by the Merits and perfect Obedience of Christ Obj. Some object from Heb. 4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. Ans Where the rest spoken of v. 1 I take to be the everlasting Rest in Heaven and the day spoken of v. 7 to be the same day spoken of Heb. 3. 13 15 compared with Heb. 4. 2 the day of preaching of the Gospel to which it concerns us much that we hearken lest we be hardened through the deceitfulness of Sin and do not hear the Voice and Call of Christ that so by believing we may enter into everlasting Rest v. 3. of which everlasting Rest the Seventh day on which God rested from all his Works was a Type v. 4 into which everlasting Rest the Hebrews who did not believe in Christ should not enter v. 5 6 who by his own Mouth and the preaching of his Apostles and Ministers did first preach the Gospel to the Jews and warned them to day to hear his voice and not to harden their Hearts which Jews understood the rest formerly promised to referr to a Rest in the Land of Canaan and overlooked that everlasting Rest which was typified by God's giving that Country of Canaan and by the weekly Sabbath Which everlasting Rest Joshua who led them into Canaan did not give them but there remaineth a Sabbatism v. 9 an everlasting Rest to the People of God which those who did believe in Christ upon the preaching of the Gospel in the day and time of preaching of it called another day v. 8. should enter into v. 5 6. Which everlasting Rest it concerned the Jews then and concerns all the World to labour to enter into lest any of us should come short of it v. 1 7 8 9 10 11. Which Sence of that place seems to me not hard to â—e apprehended by a plain understanding without any farther quarrelling about it But for any word there to lay aside the Seventh day which is a Type of Heaven and of everlasting Rest there until we come to Heaven which is the Antitype thereof or for any word there for instituting the First day of the week as a weekly Sabbath after the Resurrection of Christ and in remembrance thereof to be observed by the Churches of Christ in all after Ages I find not The great Sabbatism or Rest then and before promised to the People of God is yet to come This Sabbatism or Rest is all the state of the Churches Deliverance and eternal Felicity by Christ incarnate and glorified which in the First-fruits is all the Grace which he giveth his on Earth but in the proper full performance is the state of Glory that great glorious final anâ— everlasting Life Love Peace Light and Rest in Heaven Anâ— the 9th and 11th
Dominical day was forbidden by Damasus Fol. 308 D E Constantine admonished all the Subjects of the Roman Empire that they should keep holy the days dedicated to the Saviour and likewise that those which are Sabbaths should be honoured or worshipped and he gave a Law to the Presidents of all Nations that they should observe the Dominical day according to the Nodd or Will of the Emperor and that they should honour the days of the Martyrs Eusebius Fol. 396 At a Synod in Eleberide a City in Spain Can. 26 it pleased them to correct an Errour that they should celebrate a Fast of Fasts jejuniorum superpositionem upon every Sabbath day Fol. 477 G 29th Can. Christians oâ—â—â—ot to Judaize and to rest upon the Sabbath but they are 〈◊〉 upon that same day preferring the Dominical before 〈◊〉 day if this please them let them rest as Christians but iâ— they shall be found to Judaize let them be accursed Anathema sint or excommunicated Fol. 740 A B Pope Sylvester changed the How the 1st day came to be called the Lords day Names as Sunday Monday Tuesday c. of all the days of the week changing the Name of the First day which he called The Lord's day Dominicum dixit c. Fol. 915 A the Wife of the Emperor Valence is called Dominica Fol. 360 A B Primasius shews that in some places of Syria and Egypt men did assemble in the Church upon the Sabbath day and some by night after Supper Fol. 380 G H when the Writers of that Age speak of Fasting they mean Not Dining As Peter and his Con-disciples lived together in Concord so let those live together in Concord who fast upon the Sabbath whom Peter planted and those who dine upon the Sabbath whom his Disciples planted Also he says farther that in one Church it was frequent to have some dining upon the Sabbath others fasting In the Eastern Churches they never fasted upon the Sabbath one Sabbath in the whole year excepted which is Pridie feriarum Paschalis the day before the Passover The Churches of the West on the contrary celebrated a Fast every Sabbath of the week Cent. 5 fol. 381 of this Diversity Augustine speaks If we should say that it is sinful to fast upon the Sabbath day we should damn not only the Church of Rome but also many places near to it and somewhat remote where the same Use is held and remains and if we should think it sinful not to fast upon the Sabbath with a sort of Rashness we should blame so many Eastern Churches and the far-greater part of the Christian World And elsewhere he shews from the beginning that this was peculiar to Rome and to a few Western Churches that they observed the Fast of the Sabbath And of the same Sabbath Fast in the African Churches he saith That one Church and the Churches of One Region have those that do fast upon the Sabbath and who do not fast Fol. 383 That â—â—â—ominical day was observed by some at that time appears out of Augustine Also at Colen the Dominical day was a Festival Vincentius Solemn Max. Taurinen Epise Lucius Cent. 6 Fol. 213 F we read of Dominicus Bishop of Carthage Fol. 370 D Dominicus Bishop Centum Cellences Fol. 411 Dominicus Presbyter and Abbot Fol. 323 C D E F G Synodus Matisconensis secundus held by Command of King Junthran made certain Statutes pertaining to Ecclesiastical Discipline and Ceremonies which they promulgated in a Synodal Epistle in this manner viz. We see the Christian People in an unadvised manner to deliver to contempt the Dominical day and as in private days to indulge continual Labours c. And therefore they determine that every one of themselves in the Holy Churches would instruct the People subject to them to keep the Dominical day c. which if not observed by the Lawyer he is irreparably to lose his Cause and a Country-man or Servant not keeping it is to be beaten with heavier blows of Cudgels Cent. 7 fol. 169 206 We find two other Bishops named Dominicus Fol. 61 D Amongst the days the Dominical is most named for amongst the Senones a People in France near the River Sein Lupus performed the Sacrifice upon the Dominical day Vincentius Also the day of the Sabbath is found amongst some It was the Sabbath day the third hour when the People in the Popilian Market in foro Popilio were oppressed in the Church by Grimoaldus Sabellicus Aenead 8 lib. 2. whereof before Fol. 95 E When they did assemble is not expresly shewn but the most mention is made of the Sabbath and of the Dominical day As it is written of the Emperor Constance in the Book belonging to the Pope In Libro Pontificali That coming to Rome quarta feria which I think was on Wednesday that day he went to the Church of St. Peter to Prayer and upon the Sabbath day to St. Mary's and to Peter's upon the Dominical c. In vitaliano this might be in Lent Fol. 103 The Fathers in a Synod held in a Town in Narbone in France forbad the doing any Country Work upon the Dominical day Cent. 8 fol. 181 A Assemblies at the 〈◊〉 were to be either upon the Dominical days and then 〈◊〉 things only were to be done which pertained to the Worship and Service of God Synod Arelaten in Turonensi or upon the Sabbath day for in some places in memory of the old Religion they used to say the Song of Deuteronomy in which is contain'd the whole state of the ancient People to wit what they deserved by pleasing or displeasing Beda Fol. 201 H They rested upon the Dominical day when in Consilio Dinglefingensi it is thus decreed Teste Aventino Upon the Festival of Sunday intent upon a Divine Rest abstain from prophane Business whoso upon this day useth Carriages or doth such work let his Cattel be common publica sunto i. e. as I think Let him have them that will take them and if he disobediently go on let him be reduc'd to Servitude i. e. Let him be made a Bondman or a Slave And Charles the Great in his Constitutions prohibits all buying or selling in any place on the Dominical day Fol. 203 Upon the Sabbath days a sign being given by the Bells Workmen go away from their Labours Ut annotat Author vitae Crode-gangi and that the Dominical day ought to be observed from Evening to Evening Which for the time of beginning and ending the day I agree was rightly commanded if they had not mistaken the First day for the Sabbath day and now that of Dan. 7. 25 was somewhat near coming to pass Fol. 312 B Upon the Feast of Sunday intent upon a Divine Rest abstain from prophane Business the like with fol. 201 else let him be made a Slave Aventin Cent. 9 fol. 34 E Haymo saith The Lord commanded to rest upon the Sabbath which was a sign of future Rest Fol. 107 H. 108 A
little Colour some at first by Subtilty making and others by Carelesness letting in that Observation and now finding some Good by the Ordinances then celebrated approve of the day also and have put all their Strength to defend it An Opinion blown up to a wonderful heighth which yet God by his Word can easily take down For the present some have altered and in part abrogated this old Command and set up a contrary one in its stead and so do become in this not God's Subjects but his Law-givers as if they could make a more holy See Charnock's Attrib pag. 75. righteous Law than the Law of God and have so far forsaken God's Law and walked after the imagination of their own Hearts Jer. 9. 31. In this taxing his Wisdom as if he did not understand Job 21. 22 How unreasonable is this to impose any Law upon God and force him to revoke his own Upon the whole to my weak Understanding it seems evident That the World was made by the Lord Jesus Christ and that he is Jehovah who after the Creation instituted the Seventh day rested on it sanctified it and blessed it and that it was observed from the Creation till it was repeated at Mount Sinai and that there the Commands were given by Christ the Redeemer to Jews and Gentiles i. e. to all Mankind and that same Seventh day observed by Moses and the Prophets till his Incarnation that the Ten Commands and therein the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath were confirmed by Immanuel our God and Saviour after his taking our Nature upon him that the same seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath and no other day of the week was kept by him during his life here and that perfectly and constantly and when he had finished the Work of Redemption that his Body rested in the Grave the next seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath and himself in Heaven as he rested the Seventh day after he ended the Work of Creation and that while he rested in Heaven and his Body in the Grave Believers then rested also according to the Fourth Command and by the Testimony of the Scriptures that the Seventh-day Sabbath was observed by the Apostles and all other Believers after our Lord's Resurrection and that constantly and that the Holy Spirit does call the Seventh day only and no other day of the week the Sabbath throughout the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and that after Christ's Ascension and after the pouring out of the Holy Spirit and that there is no Law nor any Word to be found in the Scriptures which do 2 Tim. 3. 17. Acts 20. 32. most certainly and fully contain the whole and perfect Duty of Man which requires the keeping holy the First day of the week and that there is not there one word of Promise made to the Observers of it nor any Promise of Acceptance from the LORD for any person in that Observation and that there is not one word of Threatning or Displeasure there against those who do not observe it Not one word there which constitutes the First day a Sabbath or calls it by that Name and How can it be proved by any man to be of God when the Word of God does not tell us of it Not one word that repeals or alters the Fourth Command in any jot or tittle nor any Power there given to any that ever were are or shall be in the World to make any Alteration therein and Who can tell us the persons authorized from God to do this Which therefore as long as the Heaven and Earth abide seems to me Luke 16. 17. Exod. 20. 10. Matth. 5. 18. unalterable and shews that the Seventh day is the true weekly Christian Sabbath and ought to be observed 〈◊〉 not repeaâ—ed nor altered there and so confirmed by Christ faces their Consciâ—â—â—'s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the 〈◊〉 and throws down all the Batteries raised against it Fain they would find out some colourable Objections to shelter themselves in a continual Violation of it but still that Law rises up and overthrows all Opposition They pray to God to encline their Hearts to keep that Law and yet keep it down what they can but all will not do GOD who has reserved a Tenth of our Substance has reserved but a Seventh of our Time which we should neither alter nor begrudge And indeed it seems to me marvellous that the observation of the weekly Seventh-day Sabbath should be so long laid aside here in a Land of Light notwithstanding so direct and plain a Command and that the First day should so far obtain for which we have so very little Colour some at first by Subtilty making and others by Carelesness letting in that Observation and now finding some Good by the Ordinances then celebrated approve of the day also and have put all their Strength to defend it An Opinion blown up to a wonderful heighth which yet God by his Word can easily take down For the present some have altered and in part abrogated this old Command and set up a contrary one in its stead and so do become in this not God's Subjects but his Law-givers as if they could make a more holy See Charnock's Attrib pag. 75. righteous Law than the Law of God and have so far forsaken God's Law and walked after the imagination of their own Hearts Jer. 9. 31. In this taxing his Wisdom as if he did not understand Job 21. 22 How unreasonable is this to impose any Law upon God and force him to revoke his own Upon the whole to my weak Understanding it seems evident That the World was made by the Lord Jesus Christ and that he is Jehovah who after the Creation instituted the Seventh day rested on it sanctified it and blessed it and that it was observed from the Creation till it was repeated at Mount Sinai and that there the Commands were given by 〈…〉 kind and that same Seventh day observed by Moses and the Prophets till his Incarnation that the Ten Commands and therein the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath were confirmed by Immanuel our God and Saviour after his taking our Nature upon him that the same seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath and no other day of the week was kept by him during his life here and that perfectly and constantly and when he had finished the Work of Redemption that his Body rested in the Grave the next seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath and himself in Heaven as he rested the Seventh day after he ended the Work of Creation and that while he rested in Heaven and his Body in the Grave Believers then rested also according to the Fourth Command and by the Testimony of the Scriptures that the Seventh-day Sabbath was observed by the Apostles and all other Believers after our Lord's Resurrection and that constantly and that the Holy Spirit does call the Seventh day only and no other day of the week the Sabbath throughout the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and that after Christ's Ascension and after the pouring out of the Holy Spirit and
he created Now from Gen. 2. 4. I reason thus He that made the Heavens and the Earth was and is Jehovah The Lord Jesus Christ made the Heavens and the Earth and therefore the Lord Jesus Christ is Jehovah That he that made the Heavens and the Earth is Jehovah is proved from that Gen. 2. 4. That the Lord Jesus Christ made the Heavens and the Earth is proved before from John 1. 1 3 10. from Col. 1. 12 13 14 15 16. from Heb. 1. 1 2 10. and from Eph. 3. 9. And if that be so then it follows that the Lord Jesus Christ is Jehovah Which great Truth that Christ is Jehovah and that these Three the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit are one Jehovah as God has graciously opened it to us by the help and light of the Old and New Testament compared may now be somewhat perceived throughout the Scriptures In the beginning or by the Head Aelohim i. e. the Mightys Father Son and Holy Spirit he created the Heavens and the Earth Gen. 1. 1. and the Spirit of God Heb. Aelohim the Mightys he moved upon the face of the waters Gen. 1. 2. and Aelohim the Mightys he said Let there be Light Gen. 1. 3. And Aelohim the Mightys he said Let there be a Firmament Gen. 1. 6. So also Gen. 1. 9 14 20 24. And Aelohim the Mightys he said Let us make Man Gen. 1. 26. So also Aelohim the Mightys he created Man in his own image Gen. 1. 27. And Aelohim the Mightys he blessed them v. 28. And Aelohim the Mightys he said v. 29. And Aelohim the Mightys he saw that every thing he had made was very good Gen. 1. 31. And Aelohim the Mightys he ended his Work which he had created And Aelohim the Mightys he rested from all his work which he had created Gen. 2. 2 3. And then it is said that Jehovah Aelohim the Mightys he made the Earth and the Heavens Gen. 2. 4. And the same Jehovah Aelohim the Mightys who made the Earth and the Heavens be formed Man Gen. 2. 7. And he took Man and he put him into the garden v. 15. And Jehovah Aelohim the Mightys he drove Man out of Eden Gen. 3. 23 24. And Jehovah Aelohim the Mightys he said behold the man is become as one of us Gen. 3. 22. And Jehovah he said Gen. 11. 6 Let us go down and there let us confound their language Gen. 11. 7 So Abraham to Abimelech God Heb. Aelohim They caused me to wander So Jacob Gen. 35. 7 built an Altar and there Aelohim they appeared to him Which with other like Expressions do somewhat open the Mystery of the Trinity and their Oneness throughout the Old Testament which place Gen. 2. 4. compared as before does prove the Lord Jesus Christ to be Jehovah who made the Heavens and the Earth And here I pretermit many passages in Genesis as Gen. 18. 1 where Jehovah he was seen by Abraham And Jehovah he said to Abraham v. 13 17. And Jehovah he went away when he had left communing with Abraham v. 33. Which Jehovah I think was the Lord Jesus Christ who here appeared in the shape of a man Gen. 18. 2 the two others who were with Jehovah Gen. 18. 2 seem to be the two Angels who went to Sodom Gen. 19. 1. Which appearing of Jehovah to Man as Man gave Man a kind of foresight of his after-intended Incarnation See the like in the Garden of Eden Gen. 3. 8 22. The word of Jehovah or the word Jehovah came before to Abram in a vision Gen. 15. 1 4. and made him a great personal and family Promise v. 1 5. and he believed in Jehovah and he imputed it to him for Righteousness Gen. 15. 6. Which Jehovah seems to be Christ and the Righteousness imputed to Abram to be the Righteousness of Christ imputed to him by Faith and Abram's believing in Jehovah seems to be believing in Christ Rom. 4. 5 8 9 18 22. I pretermit also that in Gen. 19. 24 where Jehovah he made it to rain upon Sodom and Gomorrah Brimstone and Fire from Jehovah out of Heaven which I think was Jehovah the Son from Jehovah the Father And that in Gen. 32. 24 28 29 30. a man wrestled with Jacob and Jacob as a Prince had power with God and prevailed and was blessed and Jacob called the place Peniel for I have seen God face to face I think was Christ I pass by also that of Jehovah appearing to Moses in a flame of Fire out of the midst of a Bush Exod. 3. 2. called Jehovah v. 4 the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Jacob v. 6 and Jehovah he said I have seen the affliction of my people v. 7. This Jehovah is called the Angel of Jehovah or the Angel Jehovah Exod. 3. 2 which I think was Christ by whose Hands the Father sent Moses Acts 7. 30 31 32 35 whom Stephen there preached and to whom he prayed Lord Jesus receive my spirit v. 59. which Prayer of Stephen to Christ proves also the Deity of Christ Who often spake to Moses Exod. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. Chapters Jehovah who called to Moses out of the Mount and to whom Moses went up Ex. 19. 3. These places I offer as intimating Jehovah mentioned in them to be eminently Christ although I do acknowledge and think there was an unconceivable presence of Jehovah the Father Son and Holy Spirit in the Creation and through out the Scriptures But Gen. 2. 4 compared with John 1. 1 3 10 Col. 1. 12 to 15 Heb. 1. 1 2 10. and Eph. 3. 9 I rely upon as Proofs that Christ made the World and that Christ is Jehovah 2. A second Proof that Christ is Jehovah I offer from Christ's giving of the Law Exod. 20. 1 2. And God Heb. Aelohim He spake all these words saying I the Lord thy God Heb Jehovah Aeloheka i. e. the Lord thy Mightys It has been said that Aelohim comprehends the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit and then if Aelohim spake the Commands then Christ the Son spake them And if Aelohim He spake all these words saying I Jehovah thy God i. e. thy Mightys then Christ who spake all these words is Jehovah Which Jehovah our Aelohim is one Jehovah Deut. 6. 4 which Jehovah is one and his Name one Zech. 14. 9. Although Jehovah One. Jehovah be the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit yet they are one Jehovah Zanchy's Title is Of the Three Aelohim the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit one and the same Jehovah which he rightly calls the Orthodox Doctrine of that Mystery Which as I take it is the professed Judgment also of the most Learned since the Reformation So that if Christ made the World then he is Jehovah and if he be Jehovah then he gave the Law for Jehovah gave the Law and Jehovah Aelohim the Mightys are one Jehovah Aelohim said
do referr the words of our Lord The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath Mat. 12. 8. Mark 2. 28. Luke 6. 5. He instituted it and was best able to give a true and right Interpretation of it whereof more hereafter Q. 4. If the seventh day Sabbath was kept by Believers The Sabbath kept till the Law given from the Creation till it was repeated at Mount Sinai Exod. XX It is at least probable from the words Mikketz Iammim the cutting off of days and the graciousness of Abel and the respect the Lord had to Abel and his Offering Gen. 4. 3 4. who obtained witness that he was righteous Hâ—b 11. 4. that Abel kept the Sabbath and that Enoch kept the Sabbath who walked with God Three hundred years Gen. 5. 22 24. who had this Testimony that he pleased God Heb. 11. 5. The like I may say of Noah a just man and perfect in his Generation who walked with God and found Grace in his eyes Gen. 6. 8 9. and became Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith Heb. 11. 7. And that Abraham kept it Gen. 13. 2 4 5 6. from the word Lashebet to dwell or sabbatize together but especially from that Testimony the Lord gives him Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my Charge my Commandments my Statutes and my Laws Gen. 26. 5. General words which include whatsoever God had commanded and two of those words are applied to God's Commands in general and particularly to the Sabbath Exod. 16. 4 5 28 29. which Commands were committed to writing upon Mount Sinai Exod. 19. 18. 20. 1 2 3. which Commandments we have And that Moses and the Israelites in Aegypt kept the Sabbath appears from Pharaoh's Answer Behold the people of the land are many and you Moses and Aaron make them sabbatize or keep the Sabbath or rest from their burthens Ex. 5. 1 2 3 4 5. Vehishbattem from the Root Shabat he rested or kept the Sabbath mentioned in Gen. 2. 3. And that Moses Aaron and Israel kept the Sabbath after their deliverance out of Aegypt appears in Exod. 16. 5 22 23 25 26 27 28 30. which was before the promulgation of the Law at Mount Sinai Exod. 20. Q 5. Whether the Ten Commands were given by Christ to Jews and Gentiles And whether the same weekly seventh-day Sabbath after the giving the Law at Mount Sinai was observed during the Old Testament That the Commands were spoken by Christ eminently I think appears under the second Head Answ 1. That they were given by him as well to the Gentiles as to the Israelites may appear by God's creating Man in his own image Gen. 1. 27. Which Image and Likeness eminently consists and remarkably appears in the Soul whose Nature is spiritual and ordinarily invisible whose Faculties wherewith GOD in Man's Innocency had enriched it were a clear understanding of his Creator's Mind and a rectitude of Will to observe his Laws and we find Paul chiefly placeth this Image of GOD in Man in Knowledge Col. 3. 10. and in Righteousness and true Holiness Eph. 4. 24. After the Fall of Adam the Understanding was darkened and the Will and Affections corrupted and so they remain to this day until Man be regenerated by Christ and his Holy Spirit and so that first Image of God wherein Man was created according to our measure be by Grace restoâ—ed which brings converted Men and Women about again to much of that original Light and Knowledge of the Will of God and to those good Inclinations to keep his Laws wherewith the Soul of Adam was first beautified which Conversion of Man is called the New Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. and a Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. Which does teach and strongly dispose the Hearts of gracious persons to observe God's Commands which Knowledge in Col. 3. 10 may referr to the Will of God in both Tables and the Holiness in Ephes 4. 24. may referr to conformity to the Laws of the first Table and the Righteousness there to Obedience to the second Table Now the Gentiles as well as the Hebrews at first were all in Adam's Loins and there was no such Difference till the time of Heber Gen. 10. 21 24. and Abraham was of Heber's Posterity and Christ in the Genealogy is said to be the Son of Abraham Mat. 1. 11. Luke 3. 34. in whose Genealogy who was the second Adam we find of the Gentiles And if we look into this Case we may see that as now when the Lord shall by Conversion renew his Covenant with the lost Sheep of the House of Israel those branches broken off above sixteen hundred years shall be grafted in again Rom. 11. 5 to 33. and they shall mourn over him whom their Fathers pierced Rev. 1. 7. So it was then with us Gentiles the Bought with Money which were not of Abraham's Blood at the institution of Circumcision were to be circumcised as well as his own Seed Gen. 17. 12. and Strangers as home-born passed alike under the Discipline of the Church Exod. 12. 19. which shews they were in Fellowship with Israel and Strangers if circumcised might keep the Passover at its first institution one Law was to the Stranger and to the home-born Exod. 12. 48 49. And so for Offerings of a sweet savour to the Lord there was but one Law for the Strangers and for the Jews As ye do so he shall do and as ye so shall the stranger be before the Lord Num. 15. 14 15 16. which Passover and Offerings were all before giving the Law at Mount Sinai Exod. 20. So that the Law in Exod. 20. was given to both And the Lord would not have the Son of the Stranger who joyned himself to him to say The Lord had utterly separated him from his People and those Strangers who joyn themselves to him to serve him and to love the Name Jehovah who keep his Sabbaths he will make them joyful in his House of Prayer and accept their services Isa 56. 1 to 7. And not only Israel but the Stranger were alike established a People unto him Deuteron 29. 10 11 15. And in the fourth Command 't is said of the seventh-seventh-day Sabbath neither thou nor thy stranger shall do any work therein Exod. 20. 10. So that before the Moral Law given one Law was to the Jews and Gentiles as Exod. 12. 48 49. Exod. 15. 14 15 16. and we may say What Difference was there then or is there now between them and us Those of the Jews or Gentiles then living and dying impenitently had not Salvation by the Messiah those of them or the Gentiles then who joyned themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love the Name Jehovah which as I take it was to love Christ had Eternal Life by him and so all such now have and will have to the end of the World And altho' Circumcision in its season were a good Institution yet in the sence above it ever was and will be
so far perfected the Work of Redemption as to say it is finished and after his giving up his Spirit if he rested in Heaven and his Body in the Grave as 't is said he rested when he ended the Work of Creation Gen. 2. 2. Answ That he said It is finished bowed his Head and gave up the Spirit are the words in John 19. 30. Whether he meaneth by finished or accomplished that he had finished or was then ready by his Death to finish all that he was to do and suffer in this World to reconcile Believers to his Father and all that was foretold of him by the Prophets there is little doubt by those who dream not of Purgatories and that Man's Redemption and all the typical Ceremonies of the Law were now fulfilled and ended in Him whom they prefigured where Christ speaketh of that which then presently should be and in the yielding up of his Spirit was accomplished although it may be some of the Types of Redemption were perfected when Christ ascended into the Holy of Holies as the Aaronical and Levitical Priesthood Heb. 8. 4 5. which having little relation that I know to the Sabbath I pretermit That Christ rested in Heaven appears by his giving up the Spirit into the Hands of his Father John 19. 30. and when the penitent Evil-doer upon the Cross prayed unto him Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom Jesus said unto him Verily â— say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradice Luke 23. 42 43. And it will not be denied that this Sinner repenting aâ— the last hour and believing in Christ as his Saviour whom he acknowledged as Lord and to whom he prays which also proveâ— the Deity of Christ intended by Christ's Kingdom his Kingdom of Glory and Christ's gracious Answer That that day that Penitent should be with him in Paradice viz. in Heaven the place and state of eternal Blessedness does confirm it beyond question That Christ gave up his Spirit into the Father's Hands and did immediately upon his expiring pass into Heaven That his Body rested in the Grave appears by Joseph's taking the Body wrapping it in a clean Linnen Cloth laying it in his own new Tomb in a Rock and by his rolling a great Stone to the Door of the Sepulchre As also by the Chief Priests saying to Pilate Sir we remember that he viz. Christ said whilst he was yet alive After three days I will rise again Command then that the Sepulchre be made sure until the third day lest his Disciples come by night and steal him away and say to the people He is risen from the dead Whereupon by Pilate ' s order they went and made the Sepulchre sure sealing the Stone and setting a Watch Mat. 27. 59 to 66. All which Caution and Jealousie of Christ's then Enemies did the more certainly establish the truth of his resting in the Grave and his Resurrection which followed and took away all pretences of ascribing it to any other Power than his own which was and is mighty the Enemies themselves against their Intentions being by this means made Witnesses thereof which Rest of our Lord was no way disturbed by the Triumph of Satan and the then unbelieving Hebrews nor by the Dejection and Sadness of some of his Disciples And his Body resting in the Grave appears also by his Resurrection attested by Angels Mat. 28. 2 3 5. Mark 16. 5. Luke 24. 4. And that He took particular care for the observation of the Sabbath after his death appears by Mat. 24. 20. which flight there mentioned was not till Thirty Eight years at least after his death whereof more hereafter in the Answers to Objections Q. 9. Whilst the Lord Jesus Christ thus rested whether private Believers rested also upon the Seventh day according to the Commandment Answ It seems that day when our Lord suffered was the Preparation which we call Friday and the Sabbath drew on or dawned and the Women which came with him from Galilee followed after and beheld the Sepulchre and how his Body was laid and returning they had prepared Spices and Oyntments and rested or and verily they had rested the Sabbath day i. e. the Seventh day Sabbath according to the Command i. e. the Fourth Command in the Decalogue Luke 23. 54 55 56 and the first day of the week they came early to the Sepulchre Luke 24. 1. Which one Instance being of a Matter of Fact witnessed by the Holy Spirit in this Scripture to be done after the Death of Christ and to be done in obedience to the Fourth Command by these believing Women who it seems were many Mark 15. 40 41 47. and Luke 24. 10. is a Proof that all the Ten Commands were in force after the Death of Christ and after his being in Paradice i. e. in Heaven and that his Commands were still a standing Rule for all to walk by and in particular that the Fourth Command for keeping holy the Seventh day and resting upon it was no way abolished or altered by Christ in his Life or by his Death who was now dead and buried and yet the Seventh-day Sabbath observed And if any such Doctrine for the change of the Sabbath had been preached by Christ it is likely so great a Change would somewhere be recorded in one of the Evangelists but no such matter is there written but the quite contrary in this Text and if any such Change had been made by Christ these Women would have known something of it and would have changed their Practice and kept the First day or else if they knew any such Change we must suppose them wilfully disobedient to such new Command which cannot be imagined And he that will compare and consider Mat. 28. 7 8. Mark 16. 7. John 20. 1 2 3 4. Luke 24. 1 9 12 13. where two of the Disciples travelled to Emmaus upon the First day will easily conclude that the Apostles and I think I may add with little or no doubt and all other Believers did then keep that Seventh-day Sabbath when Christ's Body lay in the Grave in like manner as the good Women did But however that Scripture viz. Luke 23. 56. does fully prove that whilst the Lord rested in Heaven and his Body in the Grave upon his own instituted Seventh-day Sabbath these Believers rested also according to his Command which Practice of these excellent Women after the death of Christ recorded by the Holy Spirit has great weight to resolve this Question Which is the true Christian Sabbath and does prove that whilst the Lord rested in Heaven and his Body in the Grave private Believers rested also Q. 10. Whether the Seventh-day Sabbath was observed after the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ Answ After his Resurrection what day it was that he ascended into Heaven or what day of the week it will be wherein Christ will come again I may not be positive though from some circumstances as the distance of Mount
standing Law for the alteration of the Fourth Command and for the setting up another day of the week to be perpetually observed as a weekly Sabbath by all the World seems all invented and a meer force upon the Text. Nor does the Command and Institution of the Lord's Supper need any Art to defend it for it is plainly and fully given and established Mat. 26. 26 27 28 Mark 14. 22 23 24 Luke 22. 17 18 19 20 which Institution was also observed by the Apostles 1 Cor. 11. 23 24 25. And this I add to avoid Slanders which unless God awe some men by his Word I expect upon every point And upon this place in Acts 20. 7 and upon 1 Cor. 16. 1 2 and Rev. 1. 10 which come to be considered in the next Objection the three Scriptures upon which the great pious and learned Assembly in the 21st Chapter of Conf. parag 7 do as I understand them principally build their Opinion for the First day For the other Texts cited by them as Exod. 20 8 10 11 Isa 56. 2 4 6 7 Gen. 2. 2 3 Mat. 5. 17 18 seem to be against it but what is said in that Paragraph That God in his Word by a positive moral and perpetual Commandment binds all men in all Ages and hath particularly appointed One day in Seven for a Sabbath to be kept holy unto him I think is right and true but for the changing that day to the First day of the week I find not It may be remembred the Greek word Mia signifies One and Eis Mia En is rendered not the First but One in our Translation of the New Testament as I take it about an hundred times and if it were so rendered here One day of the week it would somewhat abate this Objection but I admit that One day probably was the First day And reading this Text according to our Translation the First day of the week I think this is certain from that place that Paul preached to the Disciples which probably was till the Evening after the Seventh day Sabbath and continued his Speech till midnight v. 7 and till break of day v. 11 being ready to depart in the morning which probably was the morning of the First day and then departed v. 11 13. And if Paul departed and travelled v. 11 13 then this also will overthrow the Objection from this place for Travelling and Sabbatizing do not well agree together excepting Cases of Necessity or Mercy which Mercy is also of some Necessity Which I think sufficient Answer to this Objection And however I do say that here is not one word of instituting the First day no such thing as any Command to observe it no such thing as altering the Seventh day And where the plain Light of the Word doth not go before us it is our Wisdom as I think to sit still and be silent Obj. Another Objection is from 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Now concerning the collection for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia even so do ye upon the First day of the week Gr. one of the Sabbaths or one day of the week Let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him that there be no gathering when I come Ans 1. What that Order to the Churches of Galatia was I cannot tell unless it were to Remember the Poor which he was forward to do Gal. 2. 10 and Rom. 15. 26. And when this Collection for the Saints was to be made I cannot tell if it were to be upon one day of the week yearly if that Scripture will bear that sence but of yearly Collections nothing is there that I know expresly written All Husbandmen and most Tradesmen and Merchants some few Cases excepted if they be discrete and diligent may about once in a years time make some probable conjecture how God hath prospered them and accordingly lay by in store for charitable uses And some Callings as Ministers Physicians Lawyers and divers Handicrafts men may weekly make a Judgment what they have gotten and accordingly lay by for such uses though I never yet knew the person that steddily practis'd that Rule Some I have known who have for many years lain aside a tenth part of all they spent as they spent what God bestowed upon them besides voluntary occasional charitable Gifts For instance if they took out Ten Shillings to spend they laid aside One Shilling if Ten Pounds they laid aside One Pound and so proportionably Ans 2. And whether that Order to the Church of Galatia were intended as an Order for all the Churches in the World I find not written Ans 3. And if it was a general Order for a charitable laying aside yet it was no Order to observe the First day Ans 4. And if it be an Order to lay aside upon the First day of the week as the Objectors would have it 't is plainly an Order to cast up their Accounts that day and to tell their Moneys they have got and to reckon how much their Stock is encreased and what can be reasonably spared from their necessary Expences and deducting all Charges which every person must well consider that would discreetly lay aside as God hath prospered him which as I said as I never knew or heard of any man that did upon the first day of the week so I think the Advocates for the First day will hardly allow as proper Work for a Sabbath nor yet is very consistent with an holy Rest upon that day which yet such must do for ought I know and more who make that a general Order such strange Inconveniencies do arise when the Scriptures are strained beyond the plain meaning of them The Order is not to give to charitable uses or to distribute to the Poor that day but that every one lay by him in store which certainly must be upon casting up their Accounts but whatever be the meaning of that place as to Accounts on that day the main drift of it is that every one lay by him in store as God had prospered him that there might be a Stock ready to distribute to the Poor Saints as their Necessities required which in the general sometime or other serious understanding Christians I think do or ought But what one word is there in this 1 Cor. 16. 1 2 for repealing altering or changing the Sabbath or for assembling of the Churches or for assembling any one particular Church or for performing any manner of Worship upon this day Let it be what day some would have it but every one was to lay by him in store i. e. every one as it seems asunder so far is this place from that sence some put upon it Read and Judge Obj. Another Objection is from Rev. 1. 9 10. John was in the Isle Patmos for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ and was in the Spirit upon the Lords day Gr. En te Kuriake
confirmed â—hat the vulgar Opinion for the First day is a vulgar Error which wants nothing to remove it as I humbly apprehend â—ut only the time when Christ will by his Spirit give an efficaâ—y to his plain Command and Word which First day has this Evidence of its weak Foundation that while some of the most â—earned do what they can by Writing and Practice to support â— they often beget new and confirm old Doubts about it and â— discover the Dust they raise to darken the Question to be â—ut Dust and shew the Sandiness of the Ground upon which â—hey build that Change And one sure way to convince an impartial enquiring Mind who has leisure enough is to read Mr. Hughes and Mr. Shepherd's Treatises about it wherein a plain Mind may discern so large Concessions about the Obligation of the Moral Law as seem to me to answer all Objections besides the great Contrariety there is amongst the Writers for the First day wherein he that will observe the Order of Time wherein their Books are written may find especially now of late that the last Book printed for the First day is ordinarily a tacite Answer to that which was last printed before it for the First day as two eminent Writers for the First day as it seems to me in answer to Mr. Hughes without naming him and to one another do shew whereof somewhat before by which 't is evident they think some hurt the Cause they write for and no two that I know of the many that have written have yet agreed upon the Grounds of its Observation And now at last it is openly avowed by one of the greatest of all the Writers for the First day that it is not instituted by the Scriptures By which words I think he gives up this Cause for if it be not instituted by the Scriptures and consequently not by Christ or by his Apostles or by the Holy Spirit there by whom when and where was it instituted Who but Christ has Power to institute a Sabbath day or to alter his Institution To whom has Christ given any Authority to alter one Iota or Tittle of the Moral Law Who are they that are bound to observe a weekly day not instituted by Christ in the Scriptures or are bound to lay aside what he has there instituted because of Private Mens Sayings and Writings And how this Law for the First day being an Universal Law and endeavoured to be imposed on the Universal Church can be excused from an high Usurpation of the Divine Authority and from an accusing Christ as if he had not sufficiently done his Work I know not And whatsoever some write for Obedience to their Inventions I cannot imagine they think any shaâ— be condemned or blamed by Christ at last for not doing whaâ— he has not required in his Word or that they would have uâ— live by the Rule of Tradition when they know and acknowledgâ— we must be judged by another Rule viz. by the Word Anâ— that the Word of God which we have is the Rule by which aâ— Worship Doctrines Conversation Discipline and all Mankindâ— are to be tryed in this World and shall be finally judged at laâ—â— I take to be the great Christian Principle as to this and thâ—â— which as far as I can recollect is generally avowed by all the sound Protestants that I have read or known in the World And I shall not wonder if some men under the colours of Tradition usurp the Divine Authority against the First Command and if such write and plead for what I think I can shew is forbidden in the Second Command and if they break in upon all the Commands for all which Men may easily plead Tradition all Ages more or less having brought forth some Transgressors of all the Commands which to such Arguers are Historical Evidences for such Practices But follow no man farther than he follows Christ And there is no Principle more evident and universally confessed by all the Reformed Christians than that whatever God commands us in his Worship or otherwise that we are to do be the things themselves in our Eye great or small And when Men can bind God's Promises of Assistance and Acceptance to their Inventions whether they be days or any thing else in his Worship or other Duty of Man then and not before they may appoint a new day of Rest Obj. And whereas one learned Writer for the First day thinks we cannot make good any one single Verse of the Scripture without Traditions Ans I had thought to have shewn in a Sheet or two that the sound Protestant Divines do generally agree that a Christian may be infallibly certain of his Faith by the Scriptures the Certainty whereof the Lord by his Spirit seals upon the Hearts of his Converts John 16. 7 8 13. And I had thought to give Instances of those converted by Christ and by his Apostles and since by his Ministers by his Word and Holy Spirit as never â—ent nor going to Tradition to assure them of the Divine Auâ—hority of that Word which did convert them which Word â—veth and abideth for ever And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto us 1 Pet. 23. 25 and is settled in Heaven Psal 119. 89 and will stand for ever Isa 40. 8. But thus much â—ay be a sufficient Answer to that Objection The late great and learned Assembly in their Confession of Faith â— 1. par 9 10 say The infallible Rule of Interpretation of â— Scripture is the Scripture it self and therefore when there is â— Question about the true and full sence of any Scripture it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly And parag 10. The supreme Judge of all Controversies in Religion can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scriptures And the Elders and Messengers of the Congregational Churches c. that met at the Savoy Ann. 1658 in their Declaration of their Faith and Order Ch. 1. Art 4 say The Authority of the Holy Scripture for which it ought to be believed and obeyed dependeth not upon the Testimony of any Man or Church but wholly upon God who is Truth it self the Author thereof and therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God See also Art 5 6. And Art 9 't is said The infallible Rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture it self c. As in the Assemblys Confession above cited and Artic. 10. to the same effect with the Assemblys Confession also And the Confession of Faith of the Antopaedobaptists Chap. 1 speaks the same things and in the same words or at least with very little variation of the words As to Traditions for the First day called Sunday the observation thereof amongst some I acknowledge is Traditions for and against Sunday ancient and that the Heathen Nations did oâ— old long before the Birth of our Lord offer Sacrifice to the Sun and worship
and fol. 140 That amongst thâ— days for publick Assemblies the Dominical day is mostly named also amongst some the day of the Sabbath is found â— was the Sabbath day the third hour when the People were oppressed in the Church by Grimoâ—ldus in the Popilian Markeâ— which was in Rome it self Sabelicus Eâ—eadis 8. lib. 2. So thâ— in Rome it self in this seventh Century some kept the Sabbath for which they were oppress'd and yet for ought I find in aâ— other respects were free from all Exception And fol. 161 they say The Dominical day was solemn â—â— Christians but amongst other Festivals religiously observeâ— they say Isid de Officiis remembers or makes mention of thâ— Sabbath And fol. 185 they say When they did assemble and hoâ— often is not expresly written but the most mention is made â— the Sabbath and of the Dominical day as it is written of Coâ—stance the Emperor in libro Pontificali that coming to Roâ— quarta feria which I take to be our Wednesday that same dâ— he went to the Temple of St. Peter and upon the Sabbath dâ— to St. Maries and upon the Dominical day to St. Peter's Churcâ— which probably was in Lent Cent. 8. In the Eighth Century fol. 1 they say That the Faâ— of the Church of God was deformed and sad being miserabâ— afflicted with two Antichrists the Saracens addicted to the Bâ—phemies of Mahomet and the Popes of Rome Antichrist sittiâ— in the Temple of God Fol. 377 378 they say That the Monks in His Island and the Picts began to celebrate the Sabbath in the Romish manner Ann. Dom. 716. Beda lib. 5. cap. 23. Cent. 9. In the Ninth Century 'tis They kept holy the Dominical day and Synodus Moguntina i. e held at the City Mentz in Germany says We have decreed that all Dominical days be observ'd with all Veneration I find little more of the Dominical day or Sabbath in that Century How far the Canons of that Synod at Mentz were influenc'd from Rome or how far they reach'd in their Power I know not Cent. 10 fol. 365 54 we find that servile Works are not to be done upon the Dominical day Cent. 11 fol. 287 44 Leo the Ninth endeavoured to obtrude a Fast upon all the Sabbaths of the whole Year ever in Lent upon the Eastern Churches c. But Niceâ—as saith That only in the Year is to be observed the Lord's Burial and that a Fast Fol. 289 we have four Columns of Festivals above forty Festivals Fol. 290. 59 Urbane the Second in a Synod at Claremont ordain'd that the Office of Mary i. e. St. Mary should â—e solemnly celebrated upon Sabbath days Diebus sabbathiâ—is Fol. 341 On the Sabbath William the Conqueror in the princiâ—al Feast had magnificent and sumptuous Banquets Malmesb. â—b 3. cap. 52 which they call a Prophanation of the Sabbath Which of the days this was I cannot certainly say but I think â— was the Seventh-day Sabbath Fol. 542. 10 Pope Urbane the Second decrees the Mass to be â—elebrated upon the Sabbath day to the Praise of the Lady-Virâ—in Mary Dominae virginis Mariae So now at Rome the â—ord's Sabbath day was the Lady Maries day so wanton in this â—ey were in that Age. Cent. 12 fol. 911. 17 de Festis They kept holy the Dominiâ—al day and they say that it is the Christian Sabbath Fol. 216 The Sabbath is a Figure of the Passion of Christ â—nd now we must celebrate the Dominical day because of the â—esurrection of Christ Fol. 999. 10 Prophanation of the Sabbath â—hat Slaves and â—xons upon every Dominical day frequenâ—â—â— Market forum â—unense neglecting Divine Worship which Bishop Gerold by â—e Word of God prohibited Cent. 13. The Thirteenth Century brought forth the famous Dominicus by whom afterward the Order of Dominicans was instituted fol. 556. 30. Fol. 320. 44 Estius says The Precept for observing the Sabbath is none of the Ten Commands yet distinguisheth four Precepts as belonging to God the first I am the Lord thy God the second Thou shalt have no other Gods before me the third Command he says is Thou shalt not make to thee any graven Image the fourth Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain And he says There are six pertaining to our Neighbour the first of these is Honour thy Father and Mother c. And so the Sabbath was none of the Ten Commandâ— such wild Conceits have some had about the Moral Law and to lay aside the Seventh day And Fol. 331. 32 one Thomas saith The Precept of the Sabbath literally understood is partly moral and partly ceremonial moral as to this that Man should depute some part of his Life to give his Mind to Divine things But as to this Commands determining a special time in sign of the Creation of the World so the Precept is ceremonial Thus he determines that a special time in the Fourth Command is ceremonial and that this Command is only moral as to some part of Man's Life and says not what part And Estius says that the Fourth is none of the Ten Commands LUCIUS ' s Ecclesiastical History which he gathered out of the Magdeburgenses and out of the oldest and best Historians and Writers printed at Basil 1624. COntentions were stirred up by Anicetus and Victor Cent. 1. lib. 2. Bishops of Rome about celebrating the Passover upon the Dominical day fol. 387 A B C. Cent. 4 fol. 41 The Emperor Constantine commanded that the Dominical day should be free from hearing Causes and doing Business à judiâ—â— negotiis except Tillage and as holy to be observed by all fol. 230 A â— D E. See Magd. 4th Cent. fol. 224 D Sozomenus shews in many Cities and Villages amongst the Egyptians they used to assemble the Evening of the Sabbath on which day that there were publick Assemblies Athanasius signifies also where he names these days of Ecclesiastical Assemblies viz. The Sabbath the Dominical day the Second of the Sabbath Parasceven i. e. a Preparation or Good Friday and the Fourth of the Sabbath or week i. e. Wednesday I think this was in Lent They say Sozomenus has delivered down Tradidit that at Constantinople and almost amongst all the Christians did assemble upon the Sabbath and also Unâ Sabbati upon the First day of the week but at Rome and Alexandria not so Fol. 248 Can. 23 Concilii Eliberini constituted a Fast upon the Sabbath day Fol. 268 F G of the Rights or Customs of the Church of Rome Publick Assemblies 't is said That the Ecclesiastical Assemblies at Rome were not upon the Sabbath as in See Mâ—gdeb 4th Century the Churches of the rest of the World So that the rest of the World kept the Seventh day Sabbath in the fourth Century Sozomenus seems to shew sol 271 D E that a Fast upon every quocunque Sabbath day was peculiar to the Church of Rome Socrates saith At Rome they fast every Sabbath Fasting in Lent upon the
holy beginning it from the twelfth hour on Saturday until Munday Boethius lib. 13. de Scotis and fol. 357 C D In Scotland An. Dom. 1203 William King of Scotland called a Council of the Principal of his Kingdom there it was decreed That Saturday from the Twelfth hour at Noon should be holy and that they should do no prophane Work and this they should observe till Monday Hoveden says this Council was about the observation of the Dominical So as I take it here are these Witnesses to the Truth of this Story Roger Hoveden and Matthew Paris great Authorities as to the truth of the Matter of Fact Says Binius The cause of celebrating this Council in Scotland seems to be what Roger Hoveden describes ann 1201 in these words The same year Eustachius Abbot of Flay returned into England and therein preaching the Word of God from City to City and from place to place he prohibited using Markets on the Dominical days for he said that this Command under written about the observation of the Dominical day came from Heaven So this Device by the Abbot of a new Command from Heaven was especially used by him to alter the Sabbath day in England Of the observation of the Dominical day an holy Command of the Dominical day which came from Heaven in Jerusalem and was found upon the Altar of St. Simeon which is in Golgotha where Christ was crucified for the Sins of the World and the Lord commanded this Epistle which was taken upon the Altar of St. Simeon which for three days and three nights men looking upon fell to the Earth praying GOD Mercy And after the third hour the Patriarch erected himself and Akarias the Archbishop and stretched out the Bishops Mitre or Label expanderunt infulam and they took the holy Epistle of God which when they had taken they found this written I The Lord who commanded you that ye should observe The Arts used to bring the Dâ—minical day into Scotland and England the Dominical Holy-day and ye have not kept it and ye have not repented of your sins as I said by my Gospel Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my Word shall not pass away I have caused Repentance unto life to be preached unto you and ye have not believed I sent Pagans against you who shed your Blood yet ye believed not and because ye kept not the Dominical Holy-day for a few days ye had Famine but I soon gave you Plenty and afterwards ye did worse I will again That none from the ninth hour of the Sabbath so the Abbot of Flay still called the Sâ—venth day the Sabbath and put part of the Sabbath into the First day until the rising of the Sun on Monday do work any thing unless what is good which if any do let him amend by Repentance And if ye be not obedient to this Command Amen I say unto you and I swear unto you by my Seat and Throne and Cherubims who keep my Holy Seat because I will not command you any thing by another Epistle but I will open the Heavens and for Rain I will rain upon you Stones and Loggs of Wood and hot Water by night that none may be able to prevent but that I may destroy all wicked men This I say unto you Ye shall die the Death because of the Dominical Holy-day and other Festivals So the Saints days are hooked in also of my Saints which ye have not kept I will send unto you Beasts having the Heads of Lions the Hair of Women the Tails of Camels and they shall be so hunger starved that they shall devour your Flesh and ye shall desire to flee to the Sepulchres of the Dead and hide you for fear of the Beasts and I will take away the Light of the Sun from your Eyes and will send upon you Darkness that without seeing ye may kill one another And I will take away my Face from you and will not shew you Mercy for I will burn your Bodies and Hearts and of all those who keep not the Dominical Holy-day Hear my voice lest ye perish in the Land because of the Dominical Holy-day recede from Evil and be penitent for your Evils which if ye do not ye shall perish as Sodom and Gomorrah Now know ye that ye are safe by the Prayers of my most holy Mother Mary and of my holy Angels who daily pray for you I gave you Corn and Wine abundantly and then ye did not obey me for Widows and Orphans daily cry unto you to whom you do no mercy Pagans have mercy but ye have not The Trees which bear Fruit I will make to dry up for your sins the Rivers and Fountains shall not yield Water I gave you the Law in Mount Sinai which ye have not kept by my self I gave the Law which ye have not observed For you I was born in the World and my Festival ye have not known this I think referrs to Christmas-day whereof it seems they were then also ignorant naughty men the Dominical day of my Resurrection i. e. Easter-day ye have not kept So they neither knew Christmas day nor kept Easter-day I swear to you by my right Hand unless ye keep the Dominical day and the Festivals of my Saints I will send Pagans Holy-days to kill you Yet ye take away the things of others and of this ye have no consideration for this I will send upon you worse Beasts which shall devour the Breasts of your Women I will curse those who do any Evil upon the Dominical day I will curse those who do unjustly towards their Brethren I will curse those who evilly judge the Poor and Orphans whom the Earth beareth but ye forsake me and follow the Prince of this World Hear my voice and ye shall have good Mercy but ye cease not from evil Works nor from the Works of the Devil because ye commit Perjuries and Adulteries therefore the Nations shall encompass you round and shall devour you as Beasts Then the Lord Eustachius Abbot of Flay came to York in England and being honourably received by Galfrid Archbishop of York and the Clergy and the People of that City he preached the Word of the Lord and of the transgressing the Dominical day and other Festivals or Holy-days he gave the People Repentance and Absolution under such or this Condition That they hereafter should bestow due Reverence to the Dominical day and other Festivals of the Saints it seems the People here in England had little Reverence for Sunday before this or for Holy-days not doing in them any servile Labour nor should exercise or keep Market of things vendible on the Dominical days but should devoutly employ themselves in Good Works and Prayers These things he constituted to be observed from the ninth hour i. e. our Three of the Clock in the Afternoon of the Seventh-day Sabbath until the rising of the Sun on Monday and the People devoted to God upon his preaching
as to Feasts and Fasts Fol. 333 G 334 A The Schism in the East about observing the Passover as the Jews did continues Fol. 369 A B C D and this old Dissention about celebrating the Passover still troubled the Churches some upon one day some upon another so that we may plainly see what bad work these Inventions have made in the Church in former Ages even in the Primitive times Fol. 391 G H 392 A A Synod at Rome where Pope Sylvester the Bishop of the Holy and Apostolick See Prelate of the City of Rome saith about the Solemnity of the Passover It was commanded to all Bishops and Presbyters to keep the observation of the Passover from the Fourteenth of the Moon to the Twenty first Fol. 482 D The Novatians in a Synod constituted That the Feast of the Passover should be celebrated when the Jews celebrated it And fol. 493 A. See fol. 608 C D. 639 B. Fol. 856 B the Jews are said to celebrate the Passover twice in one year Fol. 363 B the Passover was observed as one of the times for Baptizing As for the observation of Easter neither our Saviour nor his Apostles have commanded us any where to observe it which some in the lesser Asia celebrate the Fourteenth day of the Month others in other parts of Asia vary in the Month yet hold it on Saturday and gather that the celebration of the Feast of Easter came up more of Custom than by any Law or Canon Those who keep Easter the Fourteenth day bring the Apostle John for their Author but Rome and the West parts alledge Peter and Paul for themselves And Socrates says he has laid down sufficient to prove that the Feast of Easter began more of Custom than by Command of Christ or any Apostle Soc. 5th Book Chap. 21 Fol. 353 354. Lucius Cent. 5 fol. 384 B the Passover observed and celebrated as an yearly Solemnity of the Lord's Resurrection where we have also the Paschal Vigils or Watchings by Night which I think were at Rome Cent. 6 fol. 170 C all are said to observe the Passover yet there fell out a Contention between the Spaniards and French about the time of celebrating the Paschal day for the French celebrated the Fourteenth of the Calends of May the Spaniard the Twelfth of the Calends of April a pretty great Variation but Sigebert says that Strife was taken away by Miracle for the Spaniards in the time of the Passover wanted Water to baptize which the French had and so it seems it was counted clear from that Accident in that Age that the French were in the right In the Seventh Century fol. 22 E there is said to be a great Contention between the English and Scots about observing the Passover whether it should be observed after the manner of Rome So that these Observations did come from Rome and have plainly served to divide the Christian World but are not instituted in the Scriptures Fol. 72 B That Baptizing amongst the Britains was mostly at the Paschal Solemnity Fol. 76 A At what time or upon what Days or Festivals they did distribute the Supper of the Lord it does not sufficiently appear unless what Caesanus mentions of the time of the Passover Fol. 82 A B About observing the Passover the Britains varied from the Roman Churches as Beda lib. 3 cap. 25 a great Dissention between the Scots and English about this But in a Synod which Theodorus caused afterwards in England it was ordained That the Passover should every where be held upon the Dominical after the Fourteenth day of the Moon of the first Month Ut Pascha ubique servaretur Dominicâ post decimam quartam lunam primi mensis Beda lib. 4 cap. 5. Fol. 104 D Those who did not fast on the day of Christ's Passion were to be debarred from the Paschal Joy this was designed against those who would not fast on the Seventh-day Sabbath Upon the day of our Lord's Birth Clerks are commanded to tell the People what day of the Month the Passover was to be celebrated And fol. 114 G the like And fol. 123 F G Pope John in his Epistle to the Scots reprehends them for observing the Passover different from the Roman Church Tonsures and Unctions and Latin Masses and the Paschal Rite the Popes of Rome obtruded upon the Britains or some of them about the Year Six hundred Sixty six or a little after And there and in fol. 124 we may see many other Romish Rites introducing Fol. 125 B And there were some then who opposed and blamed the Domination of the Pope of Rome Fol. 132 The Britains did not observe the Dominical day of the Passover in its time but from the Fourteenth to the Twentieth day of the Moon But Austin the Pope's Legate endeavoured to perswade the Britains to celebrate the Passover in the Roman manner but Columbanus and Dagaenus Bishops of the Scots and Picts were so tenacious of their own Ceremonies that they would not Eat nor Lodge with those pretended Reformers And in the Isle of Man things came from Disputes to Arms and those addicted to Rome slew as they say 1200 Monks if they do not misreckon who defended the Rights of their Ancestors Fol. 133 The English about that time I think began to observe the Passover in the Romish manner but Bishop Coleman with those with him would not assent but rather left his Bishoprick Fol. 151 G There was some Difference in Spain about this Fol. 190 D E F G H. and fol. 191 192 A Synod is called in Britain about the Controversie of the Passover where the King and his Son differ about it And there is a long Dispute between Bishop Coleman and Presbyter Wilfrid and much of that Dispute is again repeated fol. 289 290 where Osvius the King turns to the Roman Observation of the Passover and Coleman and others who would not receive that Alteration nor the shaving of the Crown returned to Scotland So the Churches are all along beholden to Rome for this Controversie also Cent. 8 fol. 202 B C The Britains i. e. I think the Welch about the Year of Our Lord 731 did not yet celebrate the 〈◊〉 with the English Pictâ— and Scots and other neighbouring People They say the Pictâ— began to celebrate the Passover in the Roman manner Ann. Doâ— 716 Bedâ—â— Sigebertus â—as it Ann. 709 and many German Churches were drawn to the Roman Paschal Celebration And in Spain they differ'd in this from Rome Fol. 290 B C D The Britains still opposed and rejected the Roman Passover Fol. 291 A In the East some observed the Passover one day and some another Cent. 9 fol. 15 E Pope Paschal fol. 185 B. 281 B E made Pope without the Assent of the Emperor Fol. 281 you may read his Character where they say he held the place of Antichrist seven years to Ann. Dom. 824. Cent. 10. We have little that I can find of this matter in the Tenth Century Cent. 11.
of him because we keep his Commands 1 John 3. 21. which we are strictly required to walk after 2 John 6. The Eighth of the 39 Articles of the Church of England says No Christian man whatsoever is free from the Obedience of the Commandments which are called Moral Assemb Conf. chap. 19. of the Law of God says God gave to Adam a Law Par. I. This Law after his Fall continued to be a perfect Rule of Righteousness and as such was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai in Ten Commandments Par. II. This Law commonly called Moral doth for ever bind all as well justified persons as others neither doth Christ in the Gospel any way dissolve but much strengthen this Obligation Par. III V. Although true Believers be not under the Law as a Covenant of Works to be thereby justified or condemned Par. VI. So â—ar that great Assembly about the Ten Commands The Declaration of the Faith c. of the Congregational Churâ—hes before cited says the same things in the same words Ch. 19. Art 1 2 3 5 6. And so doth the Confession of Faith of the Antipoedobaptists â—efore mentioned Ch. 19. Art 1 2 3 5 6. And blessed are they who do his Commandments Rev. 22. 14. Now how can any man perswade himself or others that Christ â—r his Apostles do not intend by the above cited Scriptures the Ten Commands And if he do mean them whence comes this alteâ—ation and Why do men open their Mouths so far against his Tabernacle Rev. 13. 6. i. e. his Law which Tabernacle of the Testimony will be opened again in the Churches and some have already gotten the Victory over the Beast in this also Rev. 15. 2 5. And the Tabernacle of God will be again with men when the new Heaven and the new Earth come Rev. 21. 1 3. And 't is remarkable that the Remnant of the Seed of the Woman are such as keep the Commandments of God with whom the Dragon makes War Rev. 12. 17 and Rev. 14. 12. Here is the patience of the Saints here are they that keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus And all this and much more there is without one word of Exception against the Seventh day Q. 7. Whether the weekly Seventh day Sabbath and no other day was observ'd by the Lord Jesus Christ after his Incarnation and that constantly Answ No Christian man that I know has ever pretended that the Lord did not keep the Seventh-day Sabbath perfectly or that he kept the First day or any other day as a weekly Sabbath nor is there any Scripture for such Pretences And that he kept the Seventh-day Sabbath I think is proveâ— by the Scriptures which in general express his being a Lamâ— without blemish 1 Pet. 1. 19 which he had not been if there hâ— been any defect in his Obedience nor had his Righteousneâ— been perfect if he had not fulfilled all the Law i. e. all Righteousness More particularly it appears besides his course of Education under Joseph and Mary that he observed the Sabbath for upoâ— his setting about his Ministry he with Simon Andrew Jamâ— and John at Capernaum entered into the Synagogue on the Saâ—bath day and taught Mark 1. 21. 6. 1 2 on the Sabbatâ— days Luke 4. 31. On the Sabbath day he went into the Synagogâ— Mat. 12. 1 9 and John 5. 9. The Synagogues seemâ— Synagogues be Houses somewhat of the nature of our Parish-Châ—ches for Prayer and for weekly reading the Law and Propheâ— and sanctifying the Sabbath to which our Lord when he wâ— in the Country did resort And the Sabbath day which Christ observed was the Jeâ— Seventh-day Sabbath as is agreed by all and appears plainly bâ— that Mat. 12 and John 5 by the Jews Exceptions against Chriâ— as breaking their Sabbath as they apprehended but were mistaken And it farther appears that Christ constantly observed the Seventh-day Sabbath for when he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up as his custom was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read Luke 4. 16 to 21. and then and there preached the Gospel and expounded the Scriptures Which shews it was his Custom i. e. his constant Course from his Childhood at Nazareth where he had been brought up to keep the weekly Sabbath days of which Custom I find little said in some Books the Greek Expression for as his Custom was I take to be very full That it was Christ's usual constant Course And as at Nazareth so at Capernaum Christ taught them on the Sabbath days v. 31. And I shall hereafter shew that what is said here Luke 4. 16 31. of Christ is after the Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ said of Paul that it was Paul's Custom also to keep the Sabbath Acts 17. 2. so that Paul did not alter the Sabbath which may also stay the mistaken Cavils about some Expressions in his Epistles as if Paul writ one thing and did another which Custom of Paul and other Believers who attended the Apostle's Ministry I think was a good Custom in the general which held from the beginning of the World till the Ascension of Christ and long afâ—er that as I hope to shew more fully hereafter which was â—bove four thousand years a Custom which one long day in Joâ—hua's and another in Hezekiah's time or the variety of the time of the Sun 's setting in different Climates does no way disturb for â—hat a day longer or shorter than another by some hours is still â— day and but a day and so could not alter or disorder the numâ—er of seven days to a week and so did not alter the seventh day â—ut would puzzle those to answer who make the Objection â—gainst themselves who finding the plainness of the Commandment against them have now invented instead of the Seventh â—ay commanded a new seventh part of time which seventh part â—f time from the Creation to this day by those two long days â— utterly impossible to be ascertain'd but however is a meer Fanâ—y there being no other Command but for the Seventh-day â—hich Christ and afterward Paul usually observed So as I may â—y this was a long undeniable and uninterrupted Custom time â—ut of Mind though 't is true the Sabbath had been somewhat â—rophaned in Nehemiah's time and by him reformed which â—ore confirms the Custom whereof more afterwards And I think all the Advocates for the First day as well as all the Reformed Christians in the World do agree that Christ has fulfilled all Righteousness and that he perfectly kept the Ten Commands whereof the Fourth was and is certainly one and the Seventh day certainly part thereof and that every true Believer has a part in Christ's perfect Obedience and consequently in his perfect keeping of the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath Which I think sufficient for proving this point that the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath and no other was constantly observed by him Q. 8. After the Lord Jesus had
alter one day of the week and the World of Christians be thereby concluded and bound to observe such alterations I know no Bolts or Locks strong enough for such a Door to keep it from letting in upon the Churches of Christ whatsoever pleaseth those in Power in any part of the World whether it do concern God's immediate solemn Worship or Matters of Doctrine Discipline or Conversation Men may as well take the other six as one day as the Romanists for many weeks in the year do and they may as well make any other alteration in the Essentials of Christianity if such Gapps be laid open and by the like reason lay as great Burthens upon the Christian Churches as were upon the Jews of old or as are now upon the Romanists such as are utterly inconsistent with all Instituted Worship and all true Liberty wherein Christ by his Word has made his Churches free in which Liberty we are to stand fast Gal. 5. 1 which Liberty eminently consists in a Freedom not only from the Ceremonial Laws of old contained in Ordinances which are laid aside by Christ which Liberty is purchased by him but also in a Liberty not to be entangled with a new Yoke of Mens Devices and Inventions whereof there is no end Christ has left Laws enough for the well governing of his Churches to which Laws of his if we yield entire subjection we have certainly no need farther to trouble our selves and whilst no man has yet shewn us from the Scriptures any Institution of the First day nor any Alteration of the Seventh after One thousand Six hundred and Ninety years elapsed I do not now expect it for places have been already searched by many Writers and not being yet found I think we may conclude that Change never will be found Obj. This change of the Seventh day to the First some have endeavoured to find in John 20. 19 26. In the 19th Verse it is said That the same day at Evening viz. the Evening after his Resurrection being the First day of the week when the Doors were shut Jesus stood in the midst and said unto them viz. to the Disciples Peace unto you Whence some gather because Christ rose upon the First day and appeared to the Disciples in the Evening therefore we must observe the First day And in the 26th Verse it is said And after eight days his Disciples within and Thomas with them came Jesus the doors being shut and stood in the midst and said Peace unto you Now say some after eight days signifieth here the Eighth day from the Resurrection counting the day wherein Christ rose for one as we call those third days Agues which have but one days intermission Tertians and those Agues which have but two days intermission Quartans and so the Disciples having met on the Resurrection day met again that day Sevennight Answ 1. All which if we do admit here is no Institution of the First day nor any pretence of laying aside or altering the Seventh which I take to be an Answer sufficient to all the Objections that I ever met with upon this Question viz. The First day has no Word-Institution Answ 2. But more particularly the First day John 20. 19 26 is understood by Expositors to be the same day mentioned in Luke 24. 13 29 where two Disciples travelled to Emmaus and Christ with them which Emmaus was about seven miles and an half according to our computation from Jerusalem and so more than a Sabbath-days Journey which they say was about two miles So then these two Disciples did not observe the First day the day of the Resurrection nor assemble to worship nor rest upon it but travelled as far as does appear to us about their ordinary occasions upon the same day that Christ rose Luke 24. 1 13. and Christ travelled with them also upon the same day and how that day was observed by him or them as a day of Rest and Travel too that is to journey and to rest at the same time is very hard for me to conceive Obj. And as to that in John 20. 26 where Jesus is said to come again after eight days when the Disciples were within with Thomas Answ First It is not said they were assembled about any Religious Worship whatsoever is affirmed of that nature is meerly guessed it 's said only that they were within with Thomas with them it 's probable the Persecution against them being then hot upon the crucifying of our Lord they lay concealed from the Jews and locked the Doors and were seldom abroad and at that time were certainly within when Christ miraculously stood in the midst and appeared to them But then Secondly That this second appearing was upon the First day of the week is gratis dictum freely said but is not there written the Text says It was after eight days say these Objectors It was the Eighth day including the former First day that is the day sevennight after his Resurrection So the Text says it was after eight days say they 'T was after six or seven days which seems to me impossible for let any man tell eight upon his Fingers and if he do not find that day after eight days to be Monday or Tuesday as we now call the days then I misreckon and this being an account easie to be cast up I leave it But for men to say that after Eight is after Seven or Six days and must be so understood because some would fain have it so and thereupon to build this Change seems to me contrary to all Sence and further Answer to this I think needless And as to that which they offer from Mark 8. 31 I find divers learned Expositors understand that Mark reckons the time from his first being betrayed and apprehended and that Matthew speaks only of the time that he lay in the Grave which was but part of three days other Answers are given but this part of the Objection seems not to be over-ingenious for that those who make it seem to go about to shake the day of his Resurrection if they could rather than want some Pretence for the First day weekly But however this or that in John 20 be understood yet here is no Institution of the First day nothing of the Worship the Disciples were met about either the one or the other of these Days and consequently little Colour for such a Conceit And as to the Resurrection it is so fully proved by many Eye-witnesses throughout the New Testament as I need to add no more to that Obj. Some fancy the day which Christ says to the Jews that their Father Abraham rejoyced to see and saw and was glad John 8. 56 was the day of the Resurrection and therefore the First day of the week as the day of the Resurrection must be for ever kept holy Ans Which day that Abraham saw others think referrs to the day of his Incarnation and thence inferr the Observation of christmas-Christmas-day
Remegius saith that That Sabbath which the Jews were enjoyn'd to celebrate is a sign of future Rest Fol. 141 D Defestis They rested upon the Dominical day And fol. 141 F The Sabbath is holy on which Christ rested in the Grave Rabanus Cent. 11 fol. 144 E De festis That the Feasts received in the former Ages were yet in use is manifest in Authors for they did to that degree abstain from prophane Works upon the Dominical day that it was thought a Sin to make Ditches Teste Cranizio in Metropoli Fol. 210 Michael Bishop of Constantinople and Leo Arch-deacon did blame damnabant the Church of Rome because they used unleavened Bread in the Supper and observed the Sabbath in Lent This in the 11th Century Fol. 291 D E Pope Urban the Second That Mass is to be celebrated upon the Sabbath to the Honour of the Lady-Virgin Mary Nauclerus Lucius Cent. 12 See Balaeus's Acta Romanorum pontificum That Urban the Second one of the Pope's who lived An. Christi 1126 who if we may believe the Historians was a very bad man made certain Statutes wherein amongst other things he dedicated the Sabbath day to the Virgin Mary with a Mass which Dedication I think remains amongst the Romanists to this day Binius 572 fol. 570 571 says Pope Innocent the First constituted a Fast on the Sabbath day which seems to be the first Constitution of that Fast But the alteration of the Sabbath and the turning it into a Fast and dedicating the Sabbath to the Virgin Mary came all from Rome and was made in the XII Cent. or thereabout by Pope Urban the Second Fol. 134 B Thomas I think Aquinas the Precepts of the Decalogue are by divers diversly distinguish'd for Esychius saith The Precept for the observation of the Sabbath is none of the Ten Commands because it is not at all times to be observed according to the Letter yet he distinguisheth four Precepts belonging to God That the first is I am the Lord thy God The second Thou shalt have no other Gods The third Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image The fourth Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain And those pertaining to our Neighbor the first is Honour thy Father and so the Command for the Sabbath is none of the Ten Commands whereof before But he says This seems to be inconvenient that the Precept for observing the Sabbath should be put amongst the Precepts of the Decalogue if it do not at all belong to the Decalogue Fol. 134 F he says afterward as I understand him that in the Precept Thou shalt not make a graven Image and in the fourth Precept the determinate day of the Sabbath are ceremonial And if that be the meaning then the Command against graven Images as well as that for the Sabbath in the Opinion of â—ome were ceremonial Which Opinions agree well with â—ome now Fol. 139 D E F of the Sabbath Thomas Aquinas The Precept of sanctifying the Sabbath literally understood is partly moral and partly ceremonial moral as to this that Man depute some part of his Life to apply it to Divine things and to this he says there is in Man a natural Inclination and sometime to be deputed to Divine things falls under a moral Command but as to the determining a special time so it is a ceremonial Command and that the Command for sanctifying the Sabbath is put amongst the Commands of the Decalogue so far as it is a moral Precept not in what it is ceremonial So Thomas doth not much differ from Esychius I shall add here a few other old Collections about observing the Sabbath Socrates scholasticus in the fifth Book of his Ecclesiastical Socrates Cent. 4. History chap. 21 about the diversity of Observations in divers places touching Easter Fasting Marriage Service with other Ecclesiastical Rites says Touching the Communion there are sundry Observations and Customs for though in a manner all the Churches throughout the whole World do celebrate and receive the holy Mysteries every Sabbath day after other yet Tradition in Cent. IV for the Seventh day the People inhabiting Alexandria and Rome of an old Tradition do not use it The celebrating and receiving the Holy Mysteries I take to be their publick weekly Assemblies for preaching and for their hearing the Gospel preached for Prayer and Praises and for Baptisms and the Lord's Supper which in a manner were celebrated and received by all the Christian Churches throughout the whole World upon every Sabbath day after other yet the Alexandrians and Romans did not use it This was in the 4th Century between the year of our Lord 380 and the year 397. Socrates fol. 353 354 Ann. Dom. 380. This Writer Socrates was born and brought up in Constantinople where he lived and flourished about 412 years after Christ and so lived in that Age and saw with his Eyes many of the things whereof he writ his History ends Ann. Dom. 440 whose Doctrine is acknowledged by Dr. Hanmeâ— who translated him out of the Greek to be sound and the Story faithful that Socrates was learned and his Judgment grave and his Writings of great Antiquity So we havâ— here Socrates a learned faithful Writer positively affirming aâ— the Churches every where throughout the World as every week came about holding their Religious Assemblies and celebrating the Mysteries i. e. administring of Baptism the Lord's Supper Prayer Preaching Singing c. upon the Sabbath day i. e. the Seventh-day Sabbath upon every Sabbath day after other except the Alexandrians and Romans who then refused to do as all the Christian Churches in the World besides did So here also Tradition is for the Seventh day Sabbath for at least 380 years after Christ Alexandria was a City in literal Aegypt Rome a City in mystical Aegypt these two were then famous for making a Separation and Schism in this from the Word and Command of God and from all the Christian Churches in the World besides And so by the Testimony of Socrates the not sanctifyâ—ng the Seventh-day Sabbath was eminently and principally made by Rome And we find by many Writers whereof â—ome are here before-mentioned that Rome celebrated theri Mysteries at this time upon the First day of the week for which they stifly contended Which Testimony of Socrates I take to be the stronger because it was some time before that Constantine appointed a Rest upon the Dominical day by which Name he called it favouâ—ing the Romish Church under which he had his Education whose removing from Rome to Constantinople gave one lift to â—his day And it seems to me that Constantine being bred unâ—er the Roman Church and having there sucked in their Noâ—on of the First day when he went to Constantinople promulâ—ates his Law for observing it where yet it was not for a long â—me received and then he commanded that day to be conâ—ecrated to Prayer and that throughout all the Roman Empire
which then comprehended both East and West they should â—rbear to Labour or do any Work upon the Dominical â—y Eusebius in The Life of Constantine fol. 59 60 He sends â— Edict to all Governours of Provinces that they should forthâ—ith observe the Dominical day that they should honour Hoâ— days consecrated to the Memory of Martyrs and so settles â—oly-days and the First day by the same Edict Calvis Chro. Fol. 513. â—hich Edict was made about An. Christi 321. â—d Constantine died about An. Dom. 348 saith â—crates in the Margin so that this keeping the weekly Seventh-day Sabbath by all the Christian Churches except the Romans and Alexandrians must be some years after Constantines Death Which Testimony of so substantial a Witness besides the former and after Testimonies I do somewhat relye upon as an humane Authority and Tradition against that Affirmation of neither Trace nor Footstep for any other than the First day and this without the dissent of any single person as they remember dissenting in 1600 years whereas if this and divers Facts before and after remembred be true which by an Historical Faith no man can well doubt then all the Christians in the World between three and four hundred years after Christ except the Romans and Alexandrians in their Assemblies as every week came about celebrated the Mysteries upon the Sabbath day whilst the Romans and Alexandrians celebrated the First day which they called the Dominical day which I take to be a very great Evidence that the change of Times and Laws prophesied Dan. 7. 25 was brought about by Rome Cent. 7. Caranza's Councils fol. 311 312 339 340 the sixth General Council held at Constantinople the Emperor Constantinâ— Pogonatus President and Legates sent from Pope Agatho were present in the year of our Lord 673 Can. 52 the Fathers oâ— that Council enacted That no new Consecration should be all the Lent unless upon the Sabbath and Dominical The Sabbath is yet named by a General Council before the Dominical day and that in the seventh Century for we command that those days be kept Festivals and not to mourn oâ— fast upon them so that 673 years after Christ the Sabbath bâ— a General Council is established a Festival even in Lent And Fol. 340 Can. 55 the Fathers being informed that iâ— Rome they fasted in Lent upon the Sabbath against thâ— Tradition and Custom of the Church here â— Tradition affirmed by a General Council for oâ— Tradition for the Seventh-day Sabbath Ann. Dom. 673. serving the Sabbath as a Festival and that in Lâ—â— it seemed good to the holy Synod that in â—â— Church of Rome the Canon should forthwith oâ— tain or be put in execution if any Clerk be found in tâ— holy Dominical or Sabbath fasting besides one and one onlâ— let him be deposed but if he be a Laick let him be excoâ—municated So severe was this Eastern General Council â— continue the Sabbath a Festival and that against Rome it self 'T is true the First day of the week in some few places where Popery much prevailed at that time might be observed under the name of the Dominical day as a Festival and from the Contention which had been and then was between the Eastern and Western Churches about observing the Passover yearly and the weekly Festival upon the Dominical day it came to pass as I think that so many Popes Abbots Bishops Canons c. assumed the name of Dominicus As before whilst the Disputes between the Popes and the ancient Churches lasted about what day to keep the Passover upon divers of the Popes and Antipopes assumed the name of Paschalis And when this Controversie about the Sabbath was by the Popes somewhat quieted in these Western parts which was about the Thirteenth Century whereof more afterward then arises Dominicus the Hermit and then St. Dominic about 1243 i. e. about 447 years since and erects the Order of Dominicans which is continued amongst the Romanists to this day Cardinal Baronius's Annals An. Christi 603 sect 2 tom 8. Moguntiae sect 17. This year at Rome St. Gregory the Pope corrected that Error which some preached by Jewish Superstition or the Grecian Custom That it was a Duty to worship upon the Sabbath in like wise as upon the Dominical days and he calls such Preachers The Preachers of Antichrist By which it is evident that some then held themselves and others obliged to keep holy the Sabbath and preached it up and probably in Rome though the Pope calls it an Error This was in the seventh Century So as notwithstanding all the great contrary Affirmations and Boastings there are in the ancient Histories many Evidences of Tradition for the Seventh-day Sabbath Cent. 9. Baronius Ann. Chr. 828 sect 25 26 27 mentions a Story of a Maid possessed with a Daemon who being examined by a Romish Priest said He was an Officer and Disciple of Satan sent with Eleven more to destroy the Kingdom of the Franks because inter alia they did not keep the Dominical days as that Daemon calls them and other Holy-days So it seems it did not then obtain in France To which the Case of Abbot Eustachius in Scotland has some resemblance Cent. 10. Augustine on the 6th Chapter of John Tract 26. saith That in some places they communicate upon the Saturday and Sunday only which is quoted in Galvin's fol. English Institutions fol. 701 Quaere when and where that was Binius Cent. 13 Tomi tertii part altera fol. 1448. We have the initiating or first bringing in the Dominical day by a Council into Scotland which is there said to be An. Dom. 1203 that is in the 13th Century which is a famous Instance and as to that Kingdom will strike off Twelve hundred years of the pretended Sixteen hundred years Tradition It was in Scotland which Kingdom had divers early Plantations of the Gospel in some parts of it but generally received the Christian Religion about the year 435. Heylin's Geog. fol. 332. but if my Authorities be good had no observation of the First day until the year 1201 or 1202 or 1203. which Binius says was 1203 near Eight hundred years after Christianity was planted and professed in that Church and Kingdom and but about 490 years since Binius's Councils Tomi tertii Pars altera fol. 1448. A Council was celebrated in Scotland about the initiating or first bringing in then surely it was not there before of the Dominical i. e. of the First day which some now call the Lord's day or Sunday which he calls the Dominical which Council he says was held An. Dom. 1203 in the time of Pope Innocent III. See Roger Heveden whom Binius quotes An. 1202 and Matt. Paru's old Impression f. 192 193 and Lucius's Ecclesiastical History which he gathered out of the oldest and best Writers printed at Basil 1624. Lucius Cent. 13 fol. 264 Lucius says of the Dominical day In a certain Council in Scotland it was enacted That it should be