by them who deny it here 4 Anticipations of the same nature not strange in Scripture 5 No Law imposed by God on Adam touching the keeping of the Sabbath 6 The Sabbath not ingraft by nature in the soule of man 7 The greatest Advocates for the Sabbath deny it to be any part of the Law of Nature 8 Of the morality and perfection supposed to be in the number of seven by some learned men 9 That other numbers in the confession of the same learned men particularly the first third and fourth are both as morall and as perfect as the seventh 10 The like is proved of the sixth eighth and tenth and of other numbers 11 The Scripture not more favourable to the number of seven then it is to others 12 Great caution to be used by those who love to recreate themselves in the mysteries of numbers 1 I Purpose by the grace of God to write an History of the Sabbath and to make knowne what practically hath been done therein by the Church of God in all ages past from the Creation till this present Primaque ab origine mundi ad mea perpetuum deducere tempora carmen One day as David tells us teacheth another Nor can wee have a better Schoolmaster in the things of God then the continuall and most constant practice of those famous men that have gone before us An undertaking of great difficulty but of greater profit In which I will crave leave to say as doth Saint Austine in the entrance to his Bookâ— de Civitate Magnum opus arduum sed Deus est adjutor noster Lib. 1. c. 1. Therefore most humbly begging the assistance of Gods holy Spirit to guide me in the way of truth I shall apply myselfe to so great a worke beginning with the first beginnings and so continuing my discourse successively unto these times wherein we live In which no accident of note as farre as I can discerne shall passe unobserved which may conduce to the discovery of the truth and setling of the minds of men in a point so controverted On therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the present businesse In the beginning saith the Text God created the Heaven and the Earth Gen. 2. Which being finished and all the hosts of them made perfect on the seventh day God ended his worke which â—e had made and hee rested on the seuenth day from all his worke which he had made And then it followeth And God blessâ—d the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it hee had rested from all his worke which God created and made Vnto this passage of the text and this point of time some have referred the institution and originall of the Sabbath taking these words to be a plain narration of a thing then done according to that very time wherein the Scripture doth report it And that the sanctifying of the seventh day therein mentioned was a Commandement given by God to our Father Adam touching the sanctifyng of that day to his publick worship Conceiving also that there is some speciall mystery and morality in the number of seven for which that day and none but that could be designed and set apart for this employment Others and those the ancienter and of more authority conceive these words to have been spoken by a Prolepsis or Anticipation and to relate unto the times wherein Moses wrote And that it was an intimation onely of the reason why God imposed upon the Iewes the sanctifying rather of the seventh day then of any other no precept to that purpose being given to Adam and to his posterity nor any mystery in that number why of it selfe it should be thought most proper for Gods publick service The perfect stating of these points will give great light to the following story And therefore wee will first crave leave to remoove these doubts before we come to matter of fact that afterwards I may proceed with the greater â—ase unto my seâ—f and satisfaction to the Reader The ground-worke or foundation laid the building will be raysed the surer 2 And first it is conceived by many learned men that Moses in the second of Genesis relates unto the times in the which hee lived and wrote the History of the Creation when God had now made known his holy will unto him and the Commandement of the Sabbath had by his Ministery been delivered to the house of Israel This is indeed the ancienter and more generall tendry unanimously delivered both by Iew and Christian and not so much as questioned til these later dayes And howsoever some ascribe it to Tostatus as to the first inventer of it yet is it ancienter farre then he though were it so it could not be denyed but that it had an able and a learned Author A man considering the times in which he lived and the short time of life it pleased God to give him that hardly ever had his equall Iâ— Gen. 2. It s true Tostatus thus resolues it He makes this quaere first Num Sabbatum cum à Deo sanctificatum fuerit in primordio mundi rerum c. Whether the Sabbath being sanctified by God in the first infancy of the World had beene observed of men by the Law of nature And thereunto returns this answere quod Deus non dederit praceptum illud de observatione Sabbati in principio sed per Mosen datum esse c. That God commanded not the Sabbath to be sanctified in the beginning of the World but that it was commanded afterwards by the Law of Moses when God did publickly make known his will upon Mount Sinai And that wheras the Scripture speaketh of sanctifying the seventh day in the second of Genesis it is not to be understood as if the Lord did then appoint it for his publick worship but is to be referred unto the time wherein Moses wrote which was in the Wildernesse Et sic Moses intendebat dicere quod Deus illum diem sanctificavit sc. nobis c. And so the meaning of the Prophet will be briefly this that God did sanctifie that day that it to us to us that are his people of the house of Iacob that we might consecrate it to his service So farre Tostatus In which I must confesse that I see not any thing but what Iosephus said before him though in other words who speaking of the Worlds Creation doth conclude it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. So that Moses saith Antiqu. l. 1. 2. that the World and all that is therein was made in six whole dayes and that upon the seventh day God took rest and ceased from his labours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. By reason whereof wee likewise desist from travaile on that day which we call the Sabbath i. e. repose So that the institution of the Sabbath by Tostatus and the observation of it by Iosephus are both of them referred by their us and wee unto the times of Moses and the
could that Adam ever kept the Sabbath Doceant Adamum sabbatizasse as hee there hath it Which doubtlesse neither of them would have done considering with whom the one disputed and against whom the other wrote had they not beene very well assured of what they said The like may be affirmed both of Eusebius De Praepar E. vâ—â—g l. 7. c. 8. and Epiphaâ—ius two most learned Fathers Whereof the first maintayning positively that the Sabbath was first given by Moses makes Adâ—m one of those which neither troubled himselfe with Circumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor any of the Lawes of Moses Adv haerâ—â—â—s l. 1. â— 5. The other reckoneth him amongst those also who lived according to that faith which when he wrote was generally received in the Christian Church Therefore no Sabbath kept by our Father Adam 6 But whatsoever Adam did Abel I hope was more observant of this duty Thus some have said indeed but on no authority It is true the Scriptures tell us that he offered Sacrifice but yet the Scriptures do not tell us that in his Sacrifices he had more regard unto the seventh day then to any other To offer Sacrifice he might learne of Adam or of naturall reason which doth sufficiently instruct us that we ought all to make some publick testimony of our subjection to the Lord. But neither Adam did observe the Sabbath nor could nature teach it as before is shewne And howsoever some Moderne Writers have conjectured and conjectured onely that Abel in his Sacrifices might have respect unto the Sabbath yet those whom we may better trust have affirm'd the contrary For Iustin Martyr disputing against Trypho brings Abel in for an example that neither Circumcision nor the Sabbath the two great glories of the Iewes were to be counted necessary For if they were saith hee God had not had so much regard to Abels Sacrifice being as hee was uncircumcised and then he add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that though he was no Sabbath-keeper yet was he acceptable unto God And â—o Tertullian that God accepted of his Sacrifice Adv. Iudaeâ—â— though he were neither circumcised nor kept the Sabbath Abelem offerentem sacrificia incircumcisum neque sabbatizantem laudavit Deus accepta ferens quâ— in simplicitate cordis offerebat Yea and hee brings him also into his challenge Doceant Abel hostiam Deo sanctam offerentem Sabbati religionem placuisse which is directly contrary to that which is conjectured by some Moderne Writers Adv. haeres l 1 n. 5. So Epiphaniâ—s also makes him one of those who lived according to the tendries of the Christian Faith The like hee also saith of Seth whom God raised up instead of Abel to our Father Adam Therefore no Sabbath kept by either 7 It is conceived of Abel that hee was killed in the one hundred and thirtieth yeare of the Worlds Creation of Eâ—os Seths sonne that he was borne Anno two hundred thirty six And till that time there was no Sabbath But then as some conceive the Sabbath day began to be had in honour because it is set downe in Scripture that then began men to call upon the Name of the Lord. Gen. 4. Aâ—â—al Anno 236. n. 4. That is as Torniellus descants upon the place then were spirituall Congregations instituted as wee may probably conjecture certaine set formes of Prayers and Hymnes devised to set forth Gods glory certaine set times and places also set apart for those pious duties praecipue diebus Sabbati especially the Sabbath dayes in which most likely they began to abstaine from all servile works in honour of that God whom they well knew had rested on the seventh day from all his labours Sure Torniellus minde was upon his Mattins when he made this Paraphrase Hee had not else gathered a Sabbath from this Text considering that not long before hee had thus concluded That sanctifying of the Sabbath here on earth was not in use V. â— 3. of this Chapter untill the Law was given by Moses But certainly this Text will beare no such matter were it considered as it ought The Châ—ldee Pâ—raphrase thus reades it Tunc in diebus ejus inceperunt filii hominumâ— Qâ—â—ebraiâ— iâ—â—n Gâ—â— ut non orarent in nomine Domini which is quite contrary to the English Our Bibles of the last Translation in the margin thus then began men to call themselues by the name of the Lord and generally the Iewes as Saint Hierome tels us doe thus glosse upon it Tunc primum in nomine Domini in similitudine eius fabricata sunt idola that then began men to set up Idols both in the name and after the similitude of God Ainsworth in his Translation thus Then began men prophanely to call upon the Name of the Lord who tels us also in his Annotations on this Text out of Rabbi Maimony that in these dayes Idolatry tooke its first beginning and the people worshipped the starres and all the host of Heaven so generally that at the last there were few left which acknowledged God as Enoch Methuselah Noah Sem and Heber So that wee see not any thing in this Text sufficient to produce a Sabbath But take it as the English reades it which is agreeable to the Greeke and vulgar Latine and may well stand with the originall yet will the cause be little better For men might call upon Gods Name and have their publick meetings set formes of Prayer without relation to the seventh day more then any other De Pâ—aeparat Evang l 7 8. As for this Eâ—os Eusebius proposeth him unto us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the first man commended in the Scripture for his love to God that we by his example might learn to call upon Gods Name with assured hope But yet withall he tels us of him that he observed not any of those Ordinances which Moses taught unto the Iewes whereof the Sabbath was the chiefe as formerly we observed in Adam And Epiphanius rankes him amongst those Fathers who lived according to the rules of the Christian Church Therfore no Sabbath kept by Enos 8 We will next looke on Enoch who as the Text tels us walked with God and therefore doubt wee not but he would carefully have kept the Sabbath had it been required But of him also the Fathers generally say the same as they did before of others For Iustin Martyr not onely makes him one of those which without Circumcision and the Sabbath had been approved of by the Lord but pleads the matter more exactly The substance of his plea is this that if the Sabbath or circumcision were to be counted necessary to eternall life wee must needs fall upon this absurd opinion Dial. cum Tryphâ—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the same God whom the Iewes worshipped was not the God of Enoch and of other men about those times which neither had been Circumcised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor
5. Rupertuâ— harps on the same string that the others did save that hee thinks the sabbath given for no other cause then that the labouring man being wearied with his weekly toyle might have some time to refresh his spirits Sabbatum nihil aliâ—d est nisi requâ—es vel qâ—am ob caâ—sam data est nisi ut operarius fessus caeteris septimanae diebus uno die requiesceret Gaudentius Brixianus in his twelfth Homily or Sermon is of the same minde also that the others were These seeme to ground themselues on the fifth of Deutronomy Vers. 14. where God commands his people to observe his sabbaths that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou And then it followeth Vers. 1â— Remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence though with a mighty hand an out-stretched arme therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day The force of which illation is no more then this that as God brought them out of Egypt wherein they were servants so he commands them to take pity on their servants and let them rest upon the sabbath considering that they themselues would willingly have had some time of rest had they been permitted A second motive might be this to make them alwayes mindfull of that spirituall rest which they were to keepe from the acts of sinne and that eternall rest that they did expect from all toyle and misery In reference unto this eternall rest Saint Augustine tels De Gen. ad lit l. 4 c. 11. us that the Sabbath was commanded to the Iewes in umbra futuri quae spiritalem requiem figuraret as a shadow of the things to come in S. Pauls language which God doth promise unto those that doe the works of righteousnesse And in relation to the other the Lord himselfe hath told us that he had given his Sabbath unto the Iewes to be a signe between him and them that they might know that he was the Lord that sanctified them Exod. 31. 13. which is again repeated by Ezech. cap. 20. 12. That they may know that I am the Lord which sanctifieth them For God as Gregory Nyssen notes it seemes onely to propose this unto himself that by all meanes he might at least destroy in man De reâ—urrect Chr. Orat. 2. his inbred corruption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was his ayme in Circumcision and in the Sabbath and in forbidding them some kinde of meates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for by the Sabbath he informed them of a rest from 〈◊〉 To cite more Fathers to this purpose were a thing unnecessary and indeed sâ—nsibile super sensum This yet confirmes us further that the Sabbath was intended for the Iewes alone For â—ad God given the Sabbath to all other people as he did to them it must have also been a â—igâ—e that the Lord had sanctifiâ—d all people as hee did the Iewes 7 There is another motive yet to be considered and that concerneâ— as well the day as the institution God might have given the Iewes a Sabbath and yet not tied the sabbath to one day of seven or to the seventh precisely from the Worldâ— Creation Constitâ—i potuisset quod in die sabbâ—â—i coloretur Deâ—â— aâ—t in die Marâ—is aut in altera die God In Exod. 20. qu. 11. saith Tâ—stâ—tus might have ordered it to have his Sabbath on the Saturday or on the Tuesday or any other day what ever what any other of the weeke and no more then so No hee might have appointed it aut bis aut semel tantum in 〈◊〉 aut in mense once or twice a yeere or every moneth as hee had listed And might not God as well exceed this number as fall short thereof yes say the Protestant Doctors that hee might have done He might have made each third or fourth or fifth day a sabbath In Exod. 20. indeed as many as he pleased Sivolâ—isset Deuâ— absolut 〈◊〉 suo potâ—itplures dies imper are cultui suo impendendos so faith Doctor Ryâ—et one of the Professors of Leiden and a great Friend to the antiquity of the sabbath What was the principall motive then why the seventh day was chosen for this purpose and â—one but that Dial. cum Try phone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to keep God alwayes in their mindes so saith Iustin Martyr But why should that bee rather doâ—â— by a seventh day Sabbath then by any other De fest Paschal â—om 6. Saint Cyrill answeres to that point exceeding fully The Iewes saith hee became infeâ—ted with the 〈◊〉 of Egypt worshipped the 〈…〉 host of Heaven which seemes to be insinuated in the fourth of Deut. vers 19. Therefore that they might understand the Heavens to be Gods workmanship â—os 〈◊〉 suum 〈◊〉 jubet he willeth them that they imitate their Creatour that resting on the sabbath day they might the better understand the reason of the Festivall Which if they did saith hee in case they rested on that day whereon God had rested it was a plaine confession that all things were made by him and consequently that there were no other Gods besides him Et haec una ratio sabbato indicte quietis Indeed the one and onely reason that is mentioned in the body of the Commandement which reâ—â—ects onely on Gods rest from all his worke which he had made and leaves that as the absolute and sole occasion why the seventh day was rather chosen for the sabbath then the sixt or eighth or any other Which being so it is the more to be admired that Philo being a learned Iew or any learned Christian Writer leaving the cause expressed in the Law it selfe should seeke some secret reason for it out of the nature of the day De Abrahamo or of the number First Philo tels us that the Iewes doe call their seventh day by the name of sabbath which signifieth repose and rest Not because they did rest that day from their weekly labours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but because seven is found to be both in the world and man himselfe the most quiet number most free from trouble warre and all manner of contention A strange conceit to take beginning from a Iew Problem loc 55. yet that that followes of Aretius is as strange as this Who thinks that day was therefore consecrated unto rest even amongst the Gentiles quod putarent civilibus actionibus ineptum esse fortasse propter frigus planetae contemplationibus vero idoneum because they thought that day by reason of the dulnesse of the Planet Saturne more fit for contemplation then it was for action Some had it seemes conceived so in the former times whom thereupon Toâ—tatus censures in his Comment on the fifth of Deutroâ—â—â—y For where it was Gods purpose Qu. 3. as before we noted out of Cyrill to weane the people from Idolatry and Superstition to lay down such a reason
perfect harmonie and agreement which is betweene this Church and the purest times It is our constant prayer to almighty God aswell that he would strengthen such as do stand and confirme the weake as to raise up those men which are fallen into sinne and errour As are our prayers such should be also our endeavours as universall to all sorts of men as charitable to them in their severall cases and distresses Happy those men who do aright discharge their duties both in their prayers and their performance The blessing of our labours we must leave to him who is all in all without whom all Pauls planting and Apollos watering will yeeld poore increase In which of these three states soever thou art good Christian Reader let me be seech thee kindly to accept his pains which for thy sake were undertaken that so be might in some poore measure be an instrument to strengthen or confirme or raise thee as thy case requires This is the most that I desire and lesse then this thou couldst not do did I not desire it And so fare thee well THE HISTORY OF THE SABBATH The second Booke CHAP. I. That there is nothing found in Scripture touching the keeping of the LORDS DAY 1 The Sabbath not intended for a perpetuall ordinance 2 Preparatives unto the dissolution of the Sabbath by our Saviour Christ. 3 The Lords day not enjoyned in the place thereof either by Christ or his Apostles but instituted by the authority of the Church 4 Our Saviours resurrection on the first day of the weeke and apparitions on the same make it not a Sabbath 5 The comming downe of the Holy Ghost upon the first day of the weeke makes it not a Sabbath 6 The first day of the weeke not made a Sabbath more than â—thers by Saint Peter Saint Paul or any other of the Apostles 7 Saint Paul frequents the Synagogue on the Iewish Sabbath and upon what reasons 8 What was concluded against the Sabbath in the Councell holden in Hieruâ—alem 9 The preaching of Saint Paul at Troas upon the first day of the weeke no árgument that then that day was set apart by the Apostles for religious exercises 10 Collections on the first day of the week 1. Cor. 16. conclude as little for that purpose 11 Those places of Saint Paul Galat. 4. 10. Coloss. 2. 16. doe prove invincibly that there is no Sabbath to be looked for 12 The first day of the week not called the Lords day untill the end of this first age and what that title addes unto it 1 WEe shewed you in the former book what did occurre about the Sabbath from the Creation of the World to the destruction of the Temple which comprehended the full time of 4000 years and upwards in the opinion of the most and best Chronologers Now for five parts of eight of the time computed from the Creation to the Law being in all 2540 yeares and somwhat more there was no Sabbath knowne at all And for the fifteene hundred being the remainder it was not so observed by the Iewes themselves as if it had been any part of the Law of Nature but sometimes kept and sometimes broken either according as mens private businesses or the affaires of the republicke would give way unto it Never such conscience made thereof as of adultery murder blasphemy or idolatrie no not when as the Scribes and Pharisees had most made it burdensome there being many casus reservati wherein they could dispense with the fourth Commandement though not with any of the other Had they beene all alike equally natural moral as it is conceived they had been all alike observed all alike immutable no jot nor syllable of that law which was ingraft by nature in the soule of man being to fall unto the ground Luk 16. 17. till heaven and earth shall passe away and decay together till the whole frame of Nature for preservation of the which that Law was given be dissolved for ever The Abrogation of the Sabbath which before we spake of shews plainly that it was no part of the Morall law or Law of Nature there being no law naturall Contr. Marc. l. 2 which is not perpetuall Tertullian takes it for confest or at least makes it plaine and evident Temporale fuisse mandatum quod quandâ—que cessaret that it was onely a temporarie constitution which was in time to have an end c. 16. And after him Procopius Gazâ—eus in his notes on Exodus layes downe two severall sorts of laws whereof some were to be perpetuall and some were not of which last sort were Circumcision and the Sabbath Quae dâ—raverunt usque in adventum Christi which lasted till our Saviours comming and he being come Iâ— Col. 2 16. went out insensiblie of themselues For as S. Ambrose rightly tels us Absente imperatore imagâ— ejus habet autoritatem praesente non habet c. What time the Emperour is absent we give some honour to his State or representation but none at all when he is present And so saith he the Sabbaths and new-moones and the other festivals before our Saviours comming had a time of honour during the which they were observed but he being present once they became neglected But heâ—eof wee have spoke more fully in our former booke 2 Neglected not at once and upon the sudden but leasurely and by degrees There were preparatives unto the sabbath as before we shewed before it was proclaimed as a Law by Moses and there were some preparatives required before that law of Moses was to be repealed These we shall easiliest discover if we shall please to looke on our Saviours actions who gave the first hint unto his disciples for the abolishing of the sabbath amongst other ceremonies It 's true that he did frequently repaire unto the synagogues on the sabbath dayes and on those dayes did frequently both reade and expound the Law unto the people Luk. 4. 16. And he came to Nazareth saith the Text where he had beene brought up and as his custome was he went into the Synagogue on the sabbath day and stood up to reade It was his custome so to do both when he lived a private life to frequent the Synagogue that other men might do the like by his good example and after when he undertooke the ministerie to expound the Law unto them there that they might be the better by his good instructions Yet did not be conceive that teaching or expounding the word of God was annexed onely to the Synagogue or to the sabbath That most divine and heavenly Sermon which takes up three whole Chapters of S. Matthews Gospell was questionlesse a weeke dayes worke and so were most of those delivered to us in S. Iohn as also that which he did preach unto them from the ship-side and divers others Nay the text tells us Luk 8. 1. that he went through every Citie and Village preaching and shewing the glad tydings of God Too great a
commemorated in holy Scripture as when God sent out his Disciples by two and two when he chose twelve Apostles and left foure Evangelists But these things it were needles to suggest to you who have so many times beene lessened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stop your eares against such follies Saint Augustine also though hee had descanted a while upon the mysteries of this number De Civil Dei l. 11. c. 31. yet he cuts off himselfe in the very middle as it were Ne scientiolam suam leviter magis quam utiliter jactare velle videatur lest hee should seeme to shew his reading with more pride then profit And thereupon he gives this excellent rule which I could wish had beene more practised in this case Habenda est itaque ratio moderationis gravitatis ne forte cum de numero multum loquimur mensuram pondus negligere judicemur Wee must not take saith hee so much heed of numbers that wee forget at the last both weight and measure And this wee should the rather doe because that generally there is no rule layd downe or any reason to be given in nature why some particular numbers have been set apart for particular uses when other numbers might have served why Hiericho should be rather compassed seven times then sixe or eight why Abraham rather trained three hundred and eighteene of his servants then three hundred and twenty or why his servant tooke ten Camels with him into Padan Aram and not more or lesse with infinite others of this kind in the Law Leviticall Yet I deny not but that some reason may be given why in the Scripture things are so often ordered by sevens and sevens viz as Iustin Martyr tels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Râ—spons ad qu. 69. the better to preserve the memory of the Worlds Creation Another reason may be added which is by this inculcating of the number of seven unto the Iewes to make that people who otherwise were at first averse from it as before I noted continually mindfull of the Sabbath Numerum septenarium propter Sabbatum Iudaeis familiarem esse In Esaiae 4. was the observation of Saint Hierom. To draw this point unto an end It is apparant by what hath before been spoken that there is no Sabbath to be found in the beginning of the World or mentioned as a thin done in the second of Genesis either on any strength of the Text it self or by immediate ordinance and command from God collected from it or by the law and light of nature imprinted in the soule of man at his first creation much lesse by any naturall fitnesse in the number of Seaven whereby it was most capable in it selfe of so high an honour which first premised we shall the easier see what hath been done in point of practice CHAP. II. That there was no SABBATH kept fromâ— the Creation to the Floud 1 Gods rest upon the seventh day and from what hee rested 2 Zanchius conceit touching the sanâ—tifying of the first seventh day by Christ our Saviour 3 The like of Torniellus touching the sanctifying of the same by the Angells in Heaven 4 A generall demonstration that the Fathers before the Law did not keepe the Sabbath 5 Of Adam that he kept not the Sabbath 6 That Abel and Seth did not keepe the Sabbath 7 Of Enos that hee kept not the Sabbath 8 That Enoch and Methusalem did not keepe the Sabbath 9 Of Noah that hee kept not the Sabbath 10 The Sacrifices and devotions of the Ancients were occasionall 1 HOw little ground there is whereon to build the originall of the â—abbath in the sâ—cond of Genesis wee have â—t large declared in the former Chapter Yet wee deny not but that Text affords us a sufficient intimation of the equity and reason of it Oâ—igen câ—ntra Ceâ—s l. 6. which is Gods rest upon that day after all his works that hee had made Not as once Celsus did object against the Christians of his time as if the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. like to some dul artificer was weary of his labours and had need of sleepe for he spake the word onely and all things were made There went no greater labour to the whole creation then a dixit Dominus Therefore Saint Austin rightly noteth Dâ— Gen. ad lit l. 4. c 14. nec cum creavit defessus nec cum cessavit refectus est that God was neither weary of working nor refreshed with resting â—he meaning of the Text is this that hee desiâ—ted then from adding any thing de novo unto the World by him created as having in the six former dayes fashioned the Heaven and Earth and eveâ— thing in them contained and furnished them with all things necessary both for use and ornament I say from adding any thing de novo unto the World by him created but not from governing the same which is a worke by us as highly to be prized as the first creation and from the which God never resteth Sabbaths and all dayes are alike in respect of providence in reference to the universall government of the World and Nature Hom 23. in Num. Semper videmus Deum operari Sabbatum nullum est in quo Deus non operetur in quo non producat Solem suum super bonos malos No Sabbath whereon God doth rest from the administration of the World by him created whereon hee doth not make his Sun to shine both on good and bad whereon he raines not plenty upon the sinner and the just as Origen hath truly noted Nor is this more then what our Saviour said in his holy Gospell I worke saith he and my Father also worketh Contra Fausâ—um Man l. 16. â— 6. A saying as saith Saint Austine notes at which the Iewes were much offended our Saviour meaning by those words that God rested not nec ullum sibi cessationis statuisse diem and that there was no day wherein he tended not the preservation of the creature and therefore for his own part he would not cease from doing his Fathers businesse ne Sabbatis quidem no though it were upon the Sabbath By which it seemeth that when the Sabbath was observed and that if still it were in force it was not then and would not be unlawfull unto any now to look to his estate on the Sabbath day and to take care that all things thrive and prosper which belong unto him though he increase it not or adde thereto by following on that day the workes of his daily labour And this according to their rules who would have Gods example so exactly followed in the Sabbaths rest who rested as we see from creation onely not from preservation So that the rest here mentioned was as before I said no more then a cessation or a leaving off from adding any thing as then unto the World by him createdâ— Vpon which ground hee afterwards designed this day for his holy Sabbath
from mine own wardrope at least have had recourse to many other learned men who have written of it For that the difference of time is varied according to the difference of longitudes in divers places of the earth may be made manifest to every mans understanding out of these two principles First if the earth is sphaericall and secondly that the Sunne doth compasse it about it twenty foure houres From hence it comes to passe that places situate Eastward see the Sunne sooner then those do that are placed Westward And that with such a different proportion of time that unto every houre of the Sunnes motion there is assigned a certaine number of miles upon the Earth every fifteen degrees which is the distance of the Meridians being computed to make one houre and every fifteene miles upon the earth correspondent to one minute of that houre By this wee may perceive how soone the noon-tide hapneth in one City before another For if one City stands Eastward of another the space of three of the aforesaid Meridians which is 2700. miles it is apparant that it will enjoy the noon-tyde no lesse then three houres before the other and consequently in 10800. miles which is halfe the compasse of the earth there will be found no lesse then twelve houres difference in the rising and setting of the Sunne as also in the noon and midnight The reason of which difference of times is as before we said the difference of longitudes wherein to every houre Cosmographers have allotted fifteene degrees in the Suns diurnall motion so that fifteen degrees being multiplied by twenty foure houres which is the naturall day the product will be 360 which is the number of degrees in the whole circle Now in these times wherein the sonnes of Noah dispersed themselves in case the Sabbath was to have been kept as simply morall it must needs follow that the morall Law is subject unto manifold mutations and uncertainties which must not be granted For spreading as they did over all the earth some farther some at shorter distance and thereby changâ—ng Longitudes with their habitations they must of meet necessity alter the difference of times and daies and so could keepe no day together Nor could their issue since their time observe exactly and precisely the self-same day by reason of the manifold transportation of Colonies and transmigration of Nations from one Region to another whereby the times must of necessity be supposed to vary The Authour of the Practice of Pietie though he plead hard for the moralitie of the Sabbath cannot but confesse that in respect of the diversitie of the Meridians and the unequall rising and setting of the Sunne every day varieth in some places a quarter in some halfe in others an whole day therefore the Iewish Sabbath cannot saith he be precisely kept in the same instant of time every where in the World Certainly if it cannot now then it never could and then it will be found that some at least of Noahs posterity and all that have from them descendâ—d either did keep at all no Sabbath or not upon the day appointed which comes all to one Or else it needs must follow that God imposed a Law upon his people which in it selfe without relation to the frailty ne dum to the iniquity of poore man could not in possibility have been observed Yea such a Law as could not generally have been kept had Adam still continued in his perfect innocence 3 To make this matter yet more plaine It is a Corollary or conclusion in Geographie that if two men doe take a journey from the self-same place round about the earth the one Eastward the other Westward and meet in the same place againe it will appeare that hee which hath gone East hath gotten and that the other going Westward hath lost a day in their accompt The reason is because hee that from any place assigned doth travaile Eastward moving continually against the proper motion of the Sunne will shorten somewhat of his day taking so much from it as his journey in proportion of distance from the place assigned hath first opposed and so anticipated in that time the diurnall motion of the Sunne So daily gaining something from the length of day it will amount in the whole circuit of the Earth to twenty foure houres which are a perfect naturall day The other going Westward and seconding the course of the Sâ—nne by his own journey will by the same reason adâ—â— as much proportionably unto his day as the other lost and in the end will lose a day in his accompt For demonstration of the which suppose of these two Travellers that the former for every fifteen miles should take away one minute from the length of the day and the latter adde as much unto it in the like proportion of his journey Now by the Golden Rule if every fifteene miles substract or adde one minute in the length of the day then must 21600. miles which is the compasse of the Earth adde or substract 1440 minutes which make up twenty foure houres a just naturall day To bring this matter home unto the businesse now in hand suppose we that a Turk a Iew a Christian should dwell together at Hierusalem whereof the one doth keep his Sabbath on the Friday the other on the Saturday and the thiâ—d sanctifieth the Sunday then that upon the Saturday the Turke begin his journey Westward and the Christian Eastward so as both of them compassing the World do meet again in the same place the Iew continuing where they left him It will fall out that the Turke by going Westward having lost a day and the Christian going Eastward having got a day one and the self-same day will be a Friday to the Turke a â—aturday unto the Iew and a Sunday to the Christian in case they calculate the time exactly from their departure to their returne To prove this further yet by a matter of fact The Hollanders in their Discovery of FretuÌ„ le Maire Anno 1615. 1615. found by comparing their accompt at their comming home that they had cleerly lost a day for they had trauailed Westward in that tedious Voyage that which was Munday to the one being the Sunday to the other And now what should these people do when they were returnd If they are bound by nature and the morall Law to sanctifie precisely one day in seven they must then sanctifie a day a part from their other Countrymen and like a crew of Schismaticks divide themselves from the whole body of the Church or to keepe order and comply with other men must of necessity be forced to go against the law of nature or the morall law which ought not to be violated for any by-respect-whatever But to return unto Noahs sonnes whom this case concernes It might for ought we know be theirs in this dispersion in this removing up and downe and from place to place What shall we thinke of those that planted
holy day so it was esteemed amongst them as before is shewn but other dayes esteemed as holy From Homer they produce two Verses wherein the Poet seemes to be acquainted with the Worlds Creation and the perfection of it on the seventh day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the seventh day all things were fully done On that we left the waves of Acheron The like are cited out of Linus as related by Eusebiâ—â— from the collections of Aristobulus before remembred but are by Clemâ—ns fathered on Callimachuâ— another of the old Greek Poets who between them thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which put together may be thus Englished in the main though not 〈◊〉 On the seventh day all things were made complete The birth-day of the World most good most great Seven brought forth all things in the starrie Skie Keeping each yeere their courses constantly This Clemens makes an argument that not the Iewes onely but the Gentiles also knew that the seventh day had a priviledge yea and was hallowed above other dayes on which the world and all things in it were complete and finished And so we grant they did but neither by the light of nature nor any observation of that day amongst themselves more then any other Not by the light of nature For Aristobulus from whom Clemens probably might take his hint speaks plainly that the Poetâ— had consulted with the holy Bible and from thence sucked this knowledge Ap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that Authour saith of Hesiod and Homer Which well might be considering that Homer who was the oldest of them flourished about five hundred yeares after Moses death Callimachus who was the latest above seven hundred yeares after Homers time Nor did they speake it out of any observation of that day more then any other amongst themselues The generall practice of the Gentiles before related hath throughly as we hope removed that scruple They that from these words can collect a Sabbath had need of as good eyes as Clemens Strom l. 5. who out of Plato in his second dâ— republ conceives that he hath found a sufficient warrant for the observing of the Lords day above aâ—l the rest because it is there said by Plato that such as had for seven dayes solaced in the pleasant Meadowes were to depart upon the eighth and not returne till foure dayes after As much a Lords day in the one as any Sabbath in the â—ther Indeed the argument is weak that some of those that thought it of especiall weight have now deserted it as too light and triviall Ryvet by naâ—e who cites most of these Verses in his notes on Genesis to prove the Sabbath no lesse ancient then the worlds Creation doth on the Decalogue thinke them utterly unable to conclude that point nisi aliunde suffulciantur unlesse they be well backed with better arguments and authorities out of other Authours 10 Nay more then this the Gentiles were so farre from sanctifying the Sabbath or seventh day themselues that they derided those that kept it The Circumcision of the Iews was not more ridicâ—lous amongst the Heathens then their Sabbathâ— were nor were they more extremely scoffed at for the one Ap. Aug. de civit Dei l. 6. c. 11. then for the other by all sorts of Writers Seneca layes it to their charge that by occasion of their Sabbaths septimam fere aetatis suae partem vacando perdant Hist â— 5. they spent the seventh part of their their lives in sloth and idlenesse and Tacitus that not the seventh day but the seventh yeare also was as unprofitably wasted Septimo quoque die otium placuisse ferunt dein blandiente inertia septimum quâ—que annum ignaviae datum Moses saith he had so appointed because that after a long sixe dayes march the people became quietly setled on the seventh Iuvenal makes also the same objection Sat. 14. against the keeping of the Sabbath by the Iewish Nation quod septima quaeque fuit lux Ignava partem vitae non attigit ullam And Ouid doth not onely call them peregrina sabbata Reme amor l. â— as things with which the Romans had but smal and that late acquaintance but makes them a peculiar marke of the Iewish Religion Quaque die redeunt De Arte l. 1. rebus minus apta gerendis Culta Palestino septima sacra viro The seventh day comes for businesse unfit Held sacred by the Iew who halloweth it Where by the way Tostatus notes upon these words In Exod 20. that sacra sâ—ptima are here ascribed unto the Iewes as their badge or cognizance which had been most improper indeed untrue si gentes aliae servarent sabbatum if any other Nation specially the Romans had observed the same But to proceed Persius hits them in the teeth with their recutita sabbata Sat. 5. â— 4 ep â— and Martial scornfully calleth them Sabbatarians in an Epigram of his to Bassus where reckoning up some things of an unsavoury smell he reckoneth Sabbatariorum jejunia Ap. Iosephum Anâ—iq l. 12. 1. amongst the principall So Agacharcides who wrote the lives of Alexanders successours accuseth them of an unspeakable superstition in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they suffered Pâ—olomie to take their City of Hierusalem on a sabbath day rather then stand upon their guard But that of â—piâ—n the great Clerke of Alexandria Ioseph adv Apiâ—n l. 2. is the most shamefull and reproachfull of all the rest Who to despight the Iewes the more and lay the deeper stain upon their Sabbaths relates in his Egyptian story that at their going out of Egypt having travelled for the space of six whole dayes they became stricken with câ—rtain inflammations in the privie parts which the Egyptians call by the name of Sabbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for that cause they were compelled to rest on the seventh day which afterwards they called the Sabbath Then which what greater calumny could a malicious Sycophant invent against them Doubtlesse those men that speake so â—â—â—picably and reprochfully of the Iewish sabbath had never any of their own Nor did the Greeks and Lâ—tines and Egyptians only out of the plenty or the redundaÌ„ce rather of theiâ— wit deride scoffâ— the Sabbaths celebrated by those of Iewry it was a 〈…〉 on them Cap. 〈…〉 when wit was not so 〈…〉 For so the Prophet Ieremiah in his Lamentations made on the death of King Iosiah 〈…〉 at her sabbaths 〈…〉 this observation All nations else both Grâ—cian and Barbarian had never so agreed together to deride them for it 11 Yet we deny not all this while but that the fourth CoÌ„mandement so much therof as is agreeable to the law and light of nature was not alone imprinted in the minds of the Gentiles but practised by them For
therefore there must be some device to expound this Text and make the matter feasible Hereupon Achiba Simeon and Hillel three principall Rabbins of these times found out a shift to satisfie the Text and yet not binde the people to impossible burdens This was to limit out the Sabbaths journey allowing them 2000. foot to stirre up and downe for the ease and comfort of the body by which devise they thought the matter well made up the people happily contented and the Law â—bserved This was the refuge of the Iews when afterwards the Christians pressed them with the not keeping of this Text R. Aâ—hiba Simeon Hillel magistri nostri tradiderunt nobis ut bis mille pedes ambularemus in sabbato Ad Algasium as Saint Hierome tells us But this being somewhat of the least they afterwards improved it to 2000. Cubits then to three quarters of a myle as before we noted and this with this inlargement too that in their Townes and Cities they might walke as much and as farre as they listed though as bigge as Nineveh This Rab. Hillel above named lived in the yeare 3928. which was some fifteene yeares after Ionathans death and therefore to be reckoned of these times in the which we are The other two for ought we know were his Coaetanei and lived about the same times also So for the other Text Thou shalt not kindle fire on the Sabbath day this also must be literally understood and then comparing this with that in Exodus Bake that which ye will bake to day it needs must follow that no meat must be made ready on the Sabbath We shewed before that generally the people did use to fast on the Sabbath day till they came from Church that so they might be more attent unto the reading of the Law this might suggest a plausible pretence unto the Pharisee to teach the people that they should forbeare from dressing meate that so their servants also might be present when the Law was read Hence came the saying used amongst them Qui parat in parasceve vescetur in Sabbato hee that doth cooke it on the Eve may cate upon the Sabbath There is a Texâ— in Ieremy Ch. 17. v. 〈◊〉 expresly against bearing of burdens on the Sabbath day This by the Christian Fathers is interpreted of the burden of sinne Custodit animam suam qui non portat pondera peccatorum in die quietis sabbati as Saint Hierome hath it on the place See the same Father also on the 58 of Esay and Basil on the first of the same Prophet And certainly had Gods intent beene plaine and peremptory that whosoever did beare any burden on the Sabbath day should never enter into the Kingdome of Heaven our Saviour never had commanded the poore lame man to take up his bed upon the Sabbath But for the Pharisees they have so dallied with this Text that they have made both it and themselues ridiculous For finding it impossible that men should carry nothing at all about them to salue the matter they devised some nice absurdities A man might weare no nailed shooeâ— on the Sabbath day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the nailes would be a burden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which a man did carry on one shoulder onely was a burden to him not what he carried upon both as Origen informs us of them So where they fonnd it in the Law that thou shall doe no manner of worke they would have no worke done at all no though it were to save ones life neither to heale the wounded or to cure the sick both which they did object against Christ our Saviour nor finally to take sword in hand for the defence either of mens persons or their Country And though their rigour herein had been over-ruled by Mattathias and that it was concluded lawfull to fight against their enemies on the Sabbath day yet they fâ—und out a way to elude this order teaching the people this that they might fight that day against their enemies if they were assaulted but not molest them in their preparations for assault and batterie This is now made the meaning of the former law and this cost them deare As good no Law at all as so bad a Comment 3 For when that Pompey warred against them and besieged their Temple hee quickly found on what foot they halted and did accordingly make use of the occasions which they gave unto him Had not the Ordinance of the Country as Iosephus tels it commanded us to keepe the Sabbath Antiq. Iud. l. 14. c. 8. and do no labour on that day the Romans never had been able to have raised their Bulwarks How so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because the Law permits us to defend our selves in case at any time we are assailed and urged to fight but not to set upon them or disturbe them when they have other worke in hand Which when the Romans found saith he they neither gave assault or proferd any skirmish on the Sabbath dayes but built their Towers and Bulwarks and planted Engines thereupon and the next day put them in use against the Iewes It seemes they were not well resolued on the former point whether they might defend themselues on the Sabbath day Hist. l. 56. though they were assaultâ—d For on that day it was that Pompey tooke the City and enslaved the people So Dio tells us touching the use the Romans made of that advantage addes for the close of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that at the last they were surprised upon the Saturday not doing any thing in their owne defence Strabo therein concurres with Dio 〈…〉 in making Saturday the day but takes it for a solemne fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherin it is not lawfull to do any worke And so it was a Fast indeed but such a Fast as fell that time upon the Sabbath Iosephus tels us onely that the Temple was taken in the third moneth on a fasting day Exerc. 16. 108. which Câ—saubon conceives to be the seventh and Scaliger the seventeenth of the moneth called Tamur Em. Temp. edit 2. l. 3. but both agree upon it that it was the Sabbath As for their fasting on that day it was permitted in this case and in this case onely when as their City was besieged as before wee shewed Yet could not this unfortunate rigour be any warning to the Iewes but needs they must offend again in the self-same kind For just upon the same day seven and twenty yeares the City was againe brought under by Sosius and Herod who had then besieged it in the same moneth and on the same day L. 14. â— 24. l 49. as Iosâ—phus tâ—ls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and on the day called Saturday as Dion hath it So fatall was it to the Iewes to perish in the folly of their superstitions The first of these two actions is placed in Anno 3991. therefore the last being just 27 years after must be 4018 of the Worlds Creation
Augustus Caesar being then in the Triumvirate 4 By means of these two victories the Iewes being tributary to the Romans began to finde admittance into their Dominions in many places of the which they began to plant and filled at last whole Townships with their numerous Families Scarce any City of good note in Syria and the lesser Asia wherein the Iewes were not considerable for their numbers and in the which they had not Synagogues for their devotions So that the manner of their lives and formes of their Religion being once observed the Roman people many of them became affected to the rites of the Iewish worship and amongst other Ceremonies to the Sabbath also It was the custome of the Romans to incorporate all Religions into their own and worship those Gods whom before they conquered Et quos post cladem triumphatos colere coâ—perunt in Minutius words Therefore the marveile is the lesse that they were fond of somthing in the Iews religion though of all others they most hated that as most repâ—gnant to their own Yet many of them out of wantonnesse and a love to novelties began to stand upon the Sabbath some would be also circumcised and abstaine from Swines flesh others use Candlesticks and Tapers as they saw the Iewes 〈…〉 The Satyrist thus scoffs them for it Quidam sortiti metuentem Sabbata patrem Nil praeter nubes coeli numen adorant Nec distare putant humana carne suillam Qua pater abstinust mox praeputia ponunt Some following him the Sabbaths who devised Onely the Clouds and Skie for Gods adore Hating Swines flesh as they did mans before Cause he forbare it and are circumcised Remember Persius taunteth them with their Sabbatâ— recutita as before wee noted Now as the Poet did upbraid them with Circumcision and forbearing Swines flesh Epist. 95. so Seneca derides them for the Sabbaths and their burning Tapers on the same as a thing unnecessary neither the Gods being destitute of light nor mortall men in love with smoke Accondere aliquam lucernam sabbâ—â—â—â— praecipiamus quoniam nec lumine dii egent ne homines quidem delectantur fuligine Nay some of them bewaile the same and wish their Empire never had extended so farre as Iewrie that so the Romans might not have beene acquâ—iâ—ted with these superstitions of their Sabbaths O utinam nunquam Iudaea subacta fâ—isset Pompeii bellis 〈◊〉 Imperioque â—iti Latius excisae gentis contagia serpunt Victâ—resque suos natiâ— victa preâ—it O would Iudaea never had been wonne By Pompeys armies or Vespasians sonne Their superstition spreads it selfe so farre That they give Lawes unto the Conquerour Nor were the Sabbaths entertaind onely in Rome it selfe Some in almost all places of their Empire were that way enclined as Seneca most rightly noted Eo usque sceleratissimae gentis consuetudo invaluit ut per omnes jam tarras recepta sit victi victoribus leges dederunt Saint Augustine so reports him in his sixt Book de civitate Cap. 1â— And this is that De mund opiâ— which Philo meanes when as hee calls the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the generall Festivall of all people when hee sots up this challenge against all the World De vita Mos. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. What man is there in all the World who doth not reverence this our holy Sabbath which bringeth rest and ease to all sorts of Men Masters and Servants bond and free yea to the very bruite beasts also Not that they knew the Sabbath by the light of nature or had observed the same in all ages past but that they had admitted it in Philos time as a Iewish ceremony For let Iosephus be the Comment upon Philo's Text and he will thus unfold his meaning The Lawes saith hee established amongst us have been imitated of all other Nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea L. 2. cont Apâ—on and the common people did long since imitate our piety Neither is there any Nation Greek or Barbarous to which our use of resting on the seventh day hath not spread it selfe who also keep not Fasting dayes and Lamps with lights and many of those Ordinances about meates and drinkes which are enjoynd us by the Law So farre Iosephus 5 These Romans and what other Nations they were soever which did thus Iudaize about the Sabbath were many of them Proselytes of the Iews such as had been admitted into that Religion for it appeares that they did also worship the God of Heaven and were circumciâ—â— cumcised and abstained from Swines flesh Otherwise we may well beleeve that of their own accord they had not bound themselues so generally to observe the Sabbath being no parts nor members of the Iewish state considering that such strangers as lived amongst them not being circumcised nor within the Covenant were not obliged so to do In Exod. â—0 qu. 14. Tostatus tels us of two sorts of strangers amongst the Iews The first qui adveniebat de Gentilitate convertebatur ad Iudaismum c. who being originally of the Gentiles had been converted to the religion of the Iewes and was circumcised and lived amongst them and such were bound saith he to observe the Sabbath omnes observantias legis and all other rites of the Law of Moses This is evident by that in the twelfth of Exodus where it is said that every man-servant bought with money when he was circumcised should eat the passeover but that the forreiner and hired servant conceiue it not being circumcised might not eat thereof The other sort of strangers were such as lived amongst them onely for a certain time to trade and traffique or upon any other businesse of what sort soever And they saith hee were not obliged by the Commandement to keepe the Sabbath quia non poterant cogi ad aliquam observantiam lâ—galem nisi vellent accipere circumcisionem because they could not be constrained to any legall ordinance except they would be circumcised which was the doore unto the rest Finally he resolues it thus that by the stranger within their gates which by the Law were bound to observe the Sabbath were onely meant such strangers de gentilitate ad Iudaismum conversi which had renounced their Gentilisme and embraced the Religion of the Iewes And he resolued it so no doubt according to the practice of the Iewes amongst whom he lived and to the doctrine of their Rabbins amongst whose writings he was very conversant Lyra himselfe a Iew and therefore one who knew their customes as wel as any doth affirme as much and tels us that the stranger in the Law intended Gentilis est conversus ad ritum Iudaeorum is such a stranger as had been converted to the Iewish Church And this may yet appeare in part by the present practice of that people who though themselues milke not their Kine on the Sabbath day
strictest time of the Pharisaicall rigours was accounted lawfull Indeed the maruaile is the lesse that they are so uncharitable to poore Brutâ— creatures when as they take such little pitty upon themselves Crantziâ—â— reports a story of a Iew of Magdeburg who falling on the Saturday into a Prioy would not be taken out because it was the Sabbath day and that the Bishop gave command that there hee should continue on the Sunday also so that betweene both the poore Iew was poysoned with the very stinke The like our Annals do relate of a Iew of Tewkesbury whose story being cast into three riming Verses according to the Poetry of those times I have here presented and translated Dialogâ—ewise as they first made it Tende manus Solomon ut te de stercore tollam Sabbata nostra colo de stercore surgere nolo Sabbata nostra quidem Solomon celebrabis ibidem Friend Solomon thy hands up-reare And from the jakes I will thee beare Our Sabbath I so highly prize That from the place I will not rise Then Solomon without more adoe Our Sabbath thou shalt keepe there too For the continuance of their sabbath as they begin it early on the day before so they prolong it on the day till late at night And this they do in pitie to the souls in Hell wâ—o all the while the Sabbath lasteth have free leave to play For as they tell us silly wretches upon the Eve before the Sabbath it is proclaimed in Hell that every one may goe his way and take his pleasure and when the Sabbath is concluded they are recalled againe to the house of torments I am ashamed to meddle longer in these trifles these dreames and dotages of infatuated men given over to a reprobate sense Nor had I stood so long upon them but that in this Anatomie of the Iewish follies I might let some amongst us see into what dangers they are falling For there are some indeed too many who taking this for granted which they cannot proove that the Lords Day succeeds into the place and rights of the Iewish sabbath and is to be observed by vertue of the fourth Commandement have trenched too neere upon the Rabbins in binding men to nice and scrupulous observances which neither we nor our Fore-fathers were ever able to endure But with what warrant they have made a sabbath day in the Christian Church where there was never any knowne in all times before or upon what authoritie they have presumed to lay heavy burthens upon the consciences of poore men which are free in Christ wee shall the better see by tracing downe the story from our Saviours time unto the times in which wee live But I will here set down and rest beseeching God who enabled me thus farre to guide me onwards to the end Tu qui principio medium medio adjice finem THE HISTORY OF THE SABBATH The second Book From the first preaching of the Gospell to these present times By Pet. Heylyn COLOSS. 2. 16 17. Let no man judge you in meate or in drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moone or of the SABBATH dayes which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ. LONDON Printed by Thomas Harper for Henry Seyle at the Tygers head in Saint Pauls Church-yard 1636. To the Christian Reader ANd such I hope to meet with in this point especially which treating of the affaires of the Christian Church cannot but be displeasing unto tâ—em which are not Christianly affected Our former Book wee destinated to the Iewish part of this enquiry wherein though long it was before we found it yet at the last we found a Sabbath A Sabbath which began with that state and Church and ended also when they were no longer to be called a Nation but a dispersed and scattered ruine of what once they were In that which followeth our enquirie must be more diffused of the same latitude with the Church a Church not limited and confined to some Tribes and Kindreds but generally spreading over all the world We may affirme it of the Gospel what Florus somtimes said of the state of Rome Ita late per orbem terrarum arma circumtulit ut quires ejus legunt non unius populi sed generis humani facta discunt The historie of the Church and of the World are of like extent So that the search herein as unto me it was more painfâ—ll in the doing so unto thee will it be more pleasing being done because of that varietie which it will afford thee And this Part wee have called the History of the Sabbath too although the institution of the Lords Day and entertainment of the same in all times and Ages since that instiâ—ution be the chiefe thing whereof it treateth For being it is said by some that the Lords Day succeeded by the Lords appointment into the place and rights of the Iewish Sabbath so to be caâ—â—ed and so to be observed as the Sabbath was this booke was wholy to bâ— spent in the search thereof whether in all or any Ages of the Church either such doctrine had bin preached or such practice pressed upon the conscience of Gods people And search indeed we did with all care and diligence to see if wee could finde a Sabbath in any evidence of Scripture or writings of the holy Fathers or Edicts of Emperours or Decrees of Councels or finally in any of the publick Acts Monuments of the Christian Church But after serverall searches made upon the alias and the pluries wee still returne Non est inventus and thereupon resolve in the Poets language Et quod invenis usquam esse putes nusquam that which is no where to be found may very strongly be concluded not to be at all Buxdorfius in the 11. Chapter of his Synagoga Iudaica out of Antonius Margarita tels us of the Iews quod die sabbatino praeter animam consuâ—tam praediti sunt alia that on the Sabbath day they have an extraordinary soule infused into them which doth enlarge their hearts and rowze up their spirits Vt Sabbatum multo honorabilius peragere possint that they may celebrate the Sabbath with the greater honour And though this sabbatarie soule may by a Pythagoricall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeme to have transmigrated from the Iewes into the bodies of some Christians in these later dayes yet I am apt to give my selfe good hopes that by presenting to their view the constant practise of Gods Church in all times before and the consent of all Gods Churches at this present they may be dispossessed thereof without great difficulty It is but anima superflua as Buxdorfius cals it and may be better spared then kept because superfluous However I shall easily perswade my selfe that by this generall representation of the estate and practise of the Church of Christ I may confirme the wavering in a right perswasion and assure such as are already well affected by shewing them the
darknesse by the light of his most glorious resurrection â—p 119. The like S. Austin Dies Dominicaâ— Christianis resurrectione Domini declaratus est ex 〈◊〉 cepit habere festivitatem suam The Lords day was made knowne saith he unto us Christians by the resurrection and from that began to be accounted holy See the like lib. 22. de Civit. Dei c. 30. serm 15. de Verbis Aâ—stoli But then it is withall to be observed that this was onely done on the authoritie of the Church and not by any precept of our Lord and Saviour or any one of his Apostles And first besides that there is no such preceâ—â— extant at all in holy Scripture Li 5 C. 22. Socrates hath affirmed it in the generall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that the designes of the Apostles was not to busie themselues in prescribing festiuall dayes but to instruct the people in the wayes of godlinesse Now lest it should be said that Socrates being a Novâ—tian was a profest enemie to all the orders of the Church we have the same De Sabb. ◠〈◊〉 almost verbatim in Nicephorus li. 12. cap. 32. of his Ecclesiasticall History S. Athanasâ—us saith as much for the particular of the Lords day that it was taken up by a voluntarie usage in the Church of God without any commandement from above 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. As saith the Father it was commanded at the first that the Sabbath day should be observed in memory of the accomplishment of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so do we celebrate the Lords day as a memoriall of the beginning of a new creation Where note the difference here delivered by that Reverend Prelate Of the Iews Sabbath it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it was commanded to be kept but of the Lords day there is no commandement onely a positive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an honour voluntarily afforded it by consent of men Therefore whereas we finde it in the Homilie entituled De Semente 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Christ transferred the Sabbath to the Lords day this must be understood not as if done by his commandement but on his occasion the resurrection of our Lord upon that day being the principall motive which did induce his Church to make choice thereof for the assemblies of the people For otherwise it would plainly crosse what formerly had been said by Athaâ—asius in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not him onely but the whole cloud of witnesses all the Catholick Fathers in whom there is not any words which reflects that way but much in affirmation of the contrary For besides what is said before elsewhere shall be said in its proper place The Councell held at Paris An. 829 ascribes the keeping of the Lords Day at most to Apostolicall tradition confirmed by the aâ—tority of the Church Cap. 50. For so the Councel ChristianoruÌ„ religiosae devotionis quae ut creditur Apostolorum traditione immo Ecclesiae autoritate descendit mos â—inolevit ut Dominicum diem ob Dominicae resurrectionis memoriam honorabiliter colat And last of all Tostatus puts this difference between the Festivals of the old testament and those now solemnized in the new that in the Old Testament God appointed all the Festivals that were to be observed in the Iewish Church in novo nulla festivitas a Christo legislatore determinata est sed in Ecclesia Praelati ista statuunt but in the new there were no Festivals at all prescribed by Christ as being left unto the Prelates of the Church by them to be appointed as occasion was What others of the ancient writers Cap. 24. V. 10 and what the Protestant â—ivines have affirmâ—d herein we shal hereafter see in their proper places As for these words of our Redeemer in S. Matthews Gospel Pray that your flight be not in the winter neither on the Sabbath day they have indeed beene much alleaged to prove that Christ did intimate at the least unto his Apostles and the rest that there was a particular day by him appoointed where of he willed them to be câ—refull which being not the Iewish Sabbath must of necessâ—â—â— as they thinke be the Lords Day But certainly the Fâ—â—â—ers tâ—ll us no such matter nay they say the contraâ—y and make these words apart of our Redeâ—mâ—rs admâ—â—iâ—ion to the Iewes In Math â—4 not to the Apostles â—aint Châ—ysostâ—â—e hath it so expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Behold saith he how he addresseth his discourse unto the Iewes tels them of the euils which shold fall upon theÌ„ for neither were the Apostles bound to observe the Sabbath nor were they there wheÌ„ those calamities fell upon the Iewish Nation Nâ—t in the winter nor on the Sabbath and why so saith he Because their flight being so quick suddaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither the Iews would dare to flie on the Sabbath for such their superstitioÌ„ was in the later times nor would the winter but be very troublesome in such distresses In Math 24. Theophilact doth affirme expresly that this was spake unto the Iews spoke upon the selfâ—ame reasons adding withall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that before any of those miseries fell upon that Nation the Aposâ—les were all departed from out Ierusalem S. Hierom saith as much as unto the time that those calamities which by our Sauiour were foretold were generally referred unto the wars of Titus and Vespasian and that both in his Comment on S. Mathews Gospel and his Epistle to Algasia Qu. 4. And for the thing that the Apostles and the rest of the Disciples were al departed from Ierusalem before that heavy warre began is no lesse evident in story For the Apostles long before that time were either martyred or dispersed in severall places for the enlargment of the Gospel not any of them resident in Ierusalem after the martyrdome of S. Iames who was Bishop there And for the residue of the Disciples they had forsook the Country also before the warres being admonished so to do by an heavenly vision which warned them to withdraw from thence and repaire to Pella beyond Iordan as Eusebius tels us Hist. Eccl. l. 3. c. 5 So that these words of our Redeemer could not be spoke as to the Apostles and in them unto all the rest of the Disciples which should follow after but to the people of the Iewes To whom our Saviour gave this caâ—tion not that hee did not thinke it lawfull for them to fâ—ie upon the Sabbath day but that as things then were and as their consciences were intangled by the Scribes and Pharisees he found that they would count it a most grievous misery to be put unto it To returne then unto our story as the chiefe reason why the Christians of the primitive times did set apart this day to religious uses was because Christ that day did rise again from death to life for our
Lords day was 12 The name of Sunday often used for the Lords day by the primitive Christians but the Sabbath never 1 WE shewed you in the former Chapter what ever doth occurre in the Acts and Monuments of the Apostles touching the Lords day and the Sabbath how that the one of them was abrogated as a part of the Law of Moses the other rising by degrees from the ruines of it not by authoritie divine for ought appeares but by authoritie of the Church As for the duties of that day they were most likely such as formerly had beene used in the Iewish Synagogâ—es reading the Law and Prophets openly to the Congregation and afterwards expounding part thereof as occasion was calling upon the Lord their God for the continuance of his mercies and singing Psalmes and Hymnes unto him as by way of thankfulnesse These the Apostles found in the Iewish Church and well approving of the same as they could not otherwise commended them unto the care of the disciples by them to be observed as often as they met together on what day soever First for the reading of the law In Ios. hom 15. Origen saith expresly that it was ordered so by the Apostles Iuâ—aicarum histooriarum libri traditi sunt ab Apostolis legendi in Ecclesiis as he there informes us To this was joyned in tract of time the reading of the holy Gospell and other Evangelicall writings it being ordered by S. Peter that S. Marks Gospell should be read in the Congregation Hist l. 2. 15. as Eusebius tells us and by S. Paul 1. Thes. ca. ulâ— v. 17. that his Epistle to the Thessalonians should be read unto all the holy brethren and also that to the Colossians to be read in the Church of the Laodiceans as that from Laodicea Ca ulâ— v. 16. in the Church of the Colossians By which example not onely all the writings of the Apostles but many of the writings of Apostolicall men were publickly read unto the people and for that purpose one appointed to exercise the ministerie of a Reader in the congregation So antient is the reading of the Scriptures in the Church of God To this by way of Comment or application was added as we finde by S. Pauls dirâ—ctions the use of prophecie or preaching 1 Cor. 14. â— 3. interpretation of the â—criptures to edifying and to exhortation and to comfort this exercise to be performed with the head uncovered 1. Coâ— 11. 4. as wel the Preacher as the hearer Every man praying or prophecying with his head covered dishonoureth his head as the Apostle hath informed us Where we have publicke prayers also for the Congregation the Priest to offer to the Lord the prayers and supplications of the people and they to say Amen unto those prayers which the Priest made for them These to conteine in them all things necessarie for the Church of God which are the subject of all supplications 1. Tim. 2. prayers intercessions and giving of thanks and to extend to all men also especially unto Kings and such as be in authoritie that under them we may be godly and quietly governed leading a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie For the performance of which last duties with the greater comfort it was disposed that Psalmes and Hymnes should be intermingled with the rest of the publicke service which comprehending whatsoever is most excellent in the booke of God and being so many notable formes of praise and prayer were chearfully and unanimously to be sung amongst them And thereupon S Paul reprehended those of Corinth 1. Cor. 14. 26. in that they joyn'd not with the assemblie but had their psalmes unto themselves Whereby it seemes that they had left the true use of psalmes which being so many acclamations exultations and holy provocations to give God the glory were to be sung together by the whole assemblie their singing at that time being little more then a melodious kinde of pronuntiation such as is commonly now used in singing of the ordinarie psalmes and prayers in Cathedrall Churches And so it stood till in the entrance of this age Ignatius Bishop of Antiochia one who was conversant with the Apostles brought in the use of singing alternatim course by course according as it still continues in our publicke Quires where one side answers to another some shew whereof is left in Parochiall Churches in which the Minister and the people ansâ—er one another in their severall turnes To him doth Socrates referre it Hist. li. 6. â— 8. and withall affirmes that he first learn't it of the Angels whom in a vision he had heard to sing the praise of God after such a manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that Author hath it And where Theodoret doth referre it to Flavianus and Diodorus Priests of Antiochia Hist. l. 2 c. 24. during the bustlings of the Arian Hereticks In Dâ—maso and Platina unto Damasus Pope of Rome Theodoret is to be interpreted of the restitution of this custome having beene left off and Platina of the bringing of it into the Westerne Churches For that it was in use in Ignatius time who suffered in the time of Trajan and therefore probablie began by him as is said by Socrates is evident by that which Plinie signified to the selfe same Trajan where he informes him of the Christians Quod soliti essent stato die ante lucem convenire carmenque Christo tanquam Deo dioere secum invicem c. Their greatest crime said he was this that at a certaine day but what that day was that he tells not they did meet together before day-light and there sing hymmes to Christ as unto a God one with another in their courses and after binde themselves together by a common Sacrament not unto any wicked or unjust attempt but to live orderly without committing robberie theft adulterie or the like offences 2 Now for the day there meant by Plinie it must be Saturday or Sunday if it were not both both of them being in those timeâ— and in those parts where Pliny lived in especial honour as may be gathered from Ignatius who at that time flourished For demonstration of the which we must first take notice how that the world as then was very full of dangerous fancies and hereticall dotages whereby the Church was much disquieted and Gods worship hindred The Ebionites they stood hard for the Iewish Sabbath and would by all meaneâ— have it celebrated as it had beene formerly observing yet the Lords day as the Christians did in honour of the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Eusebius tells Hisâ— l. 3 c. â— 3. The like saith Epiphaâ—ius of them l. 1. Haeres 30. n. 2. And on the other side there was a sort of Hereticks in the Easterâ—e parts whereof see Irenaeus li. 1. ca. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. who thought that this world being corruptible could not be made but by a
all promiscuously to sing in the Church it was observed that in such dissonancie of voyces and most of them unskilfull in the notes of musicke there was no small jarring and unpleasant sounds This Councell thereupon ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. Laodic Can. 15. that none should sing hereafter in the Congregation but such as were Canonically appointed to it and skilfull in it By meanes whereof before the shutting up of this fourth Centurie the musicke of the Church became very perfect and harmonious Confess l. 10. cap. 33. suavi artificiosa voce cantata as S. Austin tells us So perfect and harmonious that it did worke exceedingly on the affections of the hearers and did movere animos ardentius in flammam pietatis inflame their mindes with a more lively flame of piety taking them prisoners by the eares and so conducting them unto the glories of Gods kingdome Ibid. S. Austin attributes a great cause of conversion to the powers thereof calling to minde those frequent teares quas fudi ad â—antus ecclesiae â—uae which had beene drawne from him by this sacred musicke by which his soule was humbled and his affections raised to an height of godlinesse The like he also tells us in his ninth Booke of Confessions and sixth Chapter Nor doubt we but it did produce the same effect on divers others who comming to the Churches as he then did to bee partaker of the musicke return'd prepared in minde well disposed in their intentions to be converted unto God Now that the Church might be frequented at the times appointed and so all secret Conventicles stopped in these divided times wherein so many heresies did domineare and that the â—â—ching eares of men might not perswade them to such Churches where God had not placed them so to discourage their owne proper minister it pleased the Fathers in the Councell of Saragossa Anno 368. or thereabouts to decree it thus First Can. 2. Ne latibulis cubiculorum montium habitent qui in suspicionibus perseverent that none who were suspected of Priscillianisme which was the humour that then reigned should lurke in secret corners eyther in houses or in hills but followes the example and direction of the Priests of God And secondly ad alienas villas agendorum conventuum causa non conveniant that none should goe to other places under pretence of joyning there to the assemblie but keepe themselves unto their owne Which prudent Constitutions upon the selfe same pious grounds are still preserved amongst us in the Church of England 12 Thus doe wee see upon what grounds the Lords day stands on custome first and voluntary consecration of it to religious meetings that custome countenanced by the authority of the Church of God which tacitely approved the same and finally confirmed and ratified by Christian Princes throughout their Empires And as the day so rest from labours and restraint from businesse upon that day received its greatest strength from the supreme magistrate as long as hee reteined that power which to him belonged as after from the Canons and decrees of Councells the Decretalls of Popes and orders of particular Prelates when the sole managing of Ecclesiasticall affaires was committed to them I hope it was not so with the former Sabbath which neyther tooke originall from custome that people being not so forward to give God a day nor required any countenance or authority from the Kings of Israel to confirme and ratifie it The Lord had spake the word that hee would have one day in seaven precisely the seventh day from the worlds creation to be a day of rest unto all his people which sayd there was no more to doe but gladly to submit and obey his pleasure nec quiâ—quam reliquum erat praeter obsequij gloriam in the greatest Prince And this done all at once not by degrees by little and little as he could see the people affected to it or as hee found it fittest for them like a probation Law made to continue till the next session and then on further liking to hold good for ever but by a plaine and peremptory order that it should be so without further tryall But thus it was not done in our present businesse The Lords day had no such command that it should bee sanctified but was left plainely to Gods people to pitch on this or any other for the publicke use And being taken up amongst them and made a day of meeting in the congregation for religious exercises yet for 300. yeares there was neyther Law to binde them to it nor any rest from labour or from worldly businesses required upon it And when it seemed good unto Christian Princes the nursing Fathers of Gods Church to lay restraints upon their people yet at the first they were not generall but onely thus that certaine men in certaine places should lay aside their ordinary and daily workes to attend Gods service in the Church those whose employments were most toylesome and most repugnant to the true nature of a Sabbath being allowed to follow and pursue their labours because most necessary to the Common-wealth And in the following times when as the Prince and Prelate in their severall places indeavoured to restraine them from that also which formerly they had permitted and interdicted almost all kinde of bodily labour upon that day it was not brought about without much strugling and on opposition of the people more than a thousand yeares being past after Christs ascention before the Lords day had attained that state in which now it standeth as will appeare at full in the following story And being brought unto that state wherein now it stands it doth not stand so firmely and on such sure grounds but that those powers which raised it up may take it lower if they please yea take it quite away as unto the time and settle it on any other day as to them seemes best which is the doctrine of some Schoole men and diverse Protestant writers of great name and credit in the world A power which no man will presume to say was ever chalenged by the Iewes over the Sabbath Besides all things are plainely contrary in these two dayes as to the purpose intent of the institution For in the Sabbath that which was principally aimed at was rest from labour that neyther they nor any that belonged unto them should doe any manner of worke upon that day but sit still and rest themselves Their meditating on Gods Word or on his goodnes manifested in the worlds Creation was to that an accessory and as for reading of the Law in the Congregation that was not taken up in more than 1000. yeares after the Law was given and being taken up came in by ecclesiasticall ordinance onely no divine authority But in the institution of the Lords day that which was principally aimed at was the performance of religious and Christian duties hearing the Word receiving
ulcisceretur Metropol l. 4. c. 8. quod contra divinum praeceptum incautus admisisset that so saith Crantzius hee might revenge that on himselfe which unawares hee had committed against Gods Commandement Crantzius it seemes did well enough approve the follie for in the entrance on this story he reckoneth this inter alia virtutum suarum praeconia amongst the monuments of his pietie and sets it up as an especiall instance of that Princes sanctitie Lastly whereas the moderne Iewes are of opinion that all the while their Sabbath lasts the soules in hell have liberty to range abroad and are released of all their torments so lest in any superstitious fancie they should have preheminence Epi. ad 〈◊〉 c. 5. it was delivered of the soules in Purgatory by Petrus Damiani who lived in Anno 1056. Dominico die refrigerum poenarum habuisse that every Lords day they were manumitted from their paines and fluttered up and downe the lake Avernus in the shape of birds 3 Indâ—ede the mervaile is the lesse that these and such like Iewish fancies should in those times beginne to shew themselves in the Christian Church considering that now some had begun to thinke that the Lords day was founded on the fourth Commandement and all observances of the same grounded upon the Law of God As long as it was taken onely for an Ecclesiasticall istitution and had no other ground upon which to stand then the authority of the Church we finde not any of these rigours annexed unto it But being once conceived to have its warrant from the Scripture the Scripture presently was ransacked and whatsoever did concerne the old Iewish Sabbath was applyed thereto It had bin ordered formerly that men should be restrained on the Lords day from some kind of labours that so they might assemble in the greater numbers the Princes and the Prelates both conceiving it convenient that it should bâ— so But in these Ages there were Texts produced to make it necessary Thus Clotaire King of France grounded his Edict of restraint from â—ervile labours on this day from the holy Scripture quia hoâ— lex prohibet sacra Scriptura in omnihus contradicit because the Law forbids it and the holy Scripture contradicts it And Charles the Great builds also on the selfâ— same ground Statuimus secundùm quod in lege dominus praecepit c. Wee doe ordaine according as the Lord commands us that on the Lords day none presume to doe any servile businesse Thus finally the Emperour Leo Philosophus in a constitution to that purpose of which more hereafter declares that he did so determine secundùm quod Sp. Sancto ab ipsoque institutis Apostolis placuit according to the dictate of the holy Ghost and the Apostles by him tutored So also when the Fathers of the Church had thought it requisite that men should cease from labour on the Saturday in the afternoone that they might be the better fitted for theâ—r devotions the next day some would not rest till they had found a Scripture for it Observemus diem dominicum fratres sicut antiquis praeceptum est de Sabbato c. Let us observe the Lords day as it is commanded from even to even shall yee celebrate your Sabbath The 251. Sermon inscribed de tempore hath resolved it so And lastly that wee goe no further the superstitious act of the good King Olaus burning his hand as formerly was related was then conceived to be a very just reveng upon himselfe because he had offended although unawars contra divinum praeceptum against Gods Commandement Nor were these rigorous fancies left to the naked world but they had miracles to confirme them It is reported by Vincentius and Antoninus that Anstregisilus one that had probably preached such doctrine restored a Miller by his power whose hand had cleaved unto his Hatchet as he was mending of his Mill on the Lords day for now you must take notice that in the times in which they lived grinding had beene prohibited on the Lords day by the Canon Lawes As also how Sulpitius had caused a poore mans hand to wither onely for cleaving wood on the Lords day no great crime assuredly save that some parallell must be found for him that gathered stickes on the former Sabbath and after of his speciall goodnesse made him whole againe Of these the first was made Arch-Bishop of Burges Anno. 627. Sulpitius being successour unto him in his See and as it seemes too in his power of working miracles Such miracles as these they who list to credit shall finde another of them in Gregorius Turonensis Miracul l. 1. c. 6. And some wee shall hereafter meete with when we come to England forged purposely as no doubt these were to countenance some new devise about the keeping of this day there being no new Gospel preached but must have miracles to attend it for the greater state 4 But howsoever it come to passe that those foure Princes especially Leo who was himselfe a Scholler and Charles the Great who had as learned men about him as the times then bred were thus perswaded of this day that all restraints from worke and labour on the same were to be found expresly in the word of God yet was the Church and the most learned men therein of another minde Nor is it utterly impossible but that those Princes might make use of some pretâ—nce or ground of Scripture the better to incline the people to yeeld obedience unto those restraints which were layd upon them First for the Church and men of speciall eminence in the same for place and learning there is no question to bee made but they were otherwise perswaded Isidore Arch-Bishop of Sevill De eâ—clâ—s Offic. l. 1. 29. who goes highest makes it an Apostolicall sanction onely no divine commandement a day designed by the Apostles for religious exercises in honour of our Saviours resurrection on that day performed Diâ—m dominicum Apostoli ideo religiosa solennitate sanxerunt quia in eo redemptor noster a mortuis resurrexit And addes that it was therefore called the Lords day to this end and purpose that resting in the same from all earthly Acts and the temptations of the world we might intend Gods holy worship giving this day due honour for the hope of the resurrection which we have therein The same verbatim is repeated by Beda lib. de Offic. and by Rabanus Maurus lib. de institut Cleric l. 2 c. 24 and finally by Alcuinus de divin Offic. cap. 24. which plainely shewes that all those took it onely for an Apostolicall usage an observation that grew up by custome rather then upon commandement Sure I am that Alcuinus one of principall credit with Charles the Great who lived about the end of the eighth Centurie as did this Iâ—idore in the beginning of the seventh saith clearely that the observation of the former Sabbath had beene translated very fitly to the Lords day by the custome and consent of
daies by the Saxon Monarchs 4 Of publicke actions civill Ecclesiasticall mixt and military done on the Lords day under the first sixe Norman Kings 5 New Sabbath doctrines brâ—ached in England in King Johns reigne and the miraculous originall of the same 6 The prosecution of the former Story and ill successe therein of the undertakers 7 Restraine of worldly businesse on the Lords day and the other holy dayes admitted in these times in Scotland 8 Restraint of certaine servile workes on Sundayes holy dayes and the Wakes concluded in the Councell of Oxon under King Henry 3. 9 Husbandrie and legall processe prohibited on the Lords day first in the reigne of King Edward 3. 10 Seâ—â—ing of Woollon the Lords day and the solemne Feasts forbidden first by the said King Edward as after Faires and Markets generally by King Henry 6. 11 The Cordwainers of London restrained from selling of their wares on the Lords day and some solemne feasts by King Edward the 4. and the repealing of that Law by King Henry the 8. 11 In what estate the Lords day stood both for the doctrine and the practise in the beginning of the Reigne of the said King Henry CHAP. VIII The Story of the Lords day from the reformation of Religion in this Kingdome till this present time 1 The Doctrine of the Lords day and the Sabbath deliuered by â— sâ—vâ—rall Martyrs conformably unto the judgement of the Protestants before remembred 2 The Lords day and the other holy dayes confessed by all this Kingdome in the Court of Parliament â—o have no other grâ—â—nd than the authoritie of the Church 3 The meaning and occasion of that clause in the Common-Prayer Booke Lord have mercy upon us c. repeated 〈…〉 end of the fourth Commandement 4 That by the Queenes Injunctions and the first Parliament of hâ—r reigne the Lords day was not meant for a Sabbath day 5 The doctrine in the Homilies delivered about the Lords day and the Sabbath 6 The 〈◊〉 and substance of that Homily and thâ—t it proves no Lords day Sabbath but the contrary 7 The first originall of 〈…〉 Sabbathâ—speculaâ—ions in this Church of England by whom and for what cause invented 8 Strange and most monstrous Paradoxes preached on occasion of the former doctrines and other effects thereof 9 What care was taken of the Lords day in King James his Reigne the spreading of the former doctrines and of the Articles of Ireland 10 The Iewish Sabbath set on foot and of King Iames his Declaration about lawfull sports on the Lords day 11 What tracts were writ and published in that Princes Reigne in opposition of the Doctrines before remembred 12 In what estate the Lords day and the other holy dayes have stood in Scotland since the reformation of Religion in that Kingdome 13 Statutes about the Lords day made in the Reigne of our dread Soveraigne now being and the misconstruing of the same his Majestie reviveth and enlargeth the Declaration of King Iames. 14 An exhortation to obedience unto his Majesties most Christian purpose concludes this History An Advertisement to the Reader touching the Errata THat the Errata of this Booke are gâ—â—wne unto so great a number is neither novum crimeâ— nor in auditum We may with farre 〈…〉 complaine thereof than we can amend it yet for the present I have taken the best care I could although not to prevent yet to correct them Such as are meâ—â—ely literall or no impediment to the sense are left unto the Readers care and ingenuity The rest thâ— Greeke alone excepted which both for accent and for letter hath beene exceeding much mistaken are here collected to thy â—and and are these thâ—t follow viz. PART 1. P. 8. l. 14 r. I deny not p. 9 l. 17 r. narratione p. 10 l. 34 r. posaivâ—â— p. 13. l. 10 r. Ames p. 16. l. 25. for which r. what p. 19. l. 4. r. wherein Bodinus p. 21 l. 2 r. multa p. 23 l. 17 r. palliate their p. 27 l. 29 del saith p. 3 r 1 32 r. Sâ—bbatizasse p. 32 l. 22 r. which doth p. 37 r. present p. 57 l. 36 r. dictated p. 76 l. 31 r. notes it of every moneth p. 83 l. 13 r. weekes p. 94 l. 8 for one r. on the. p. 95 l. 34 r. against Marcion p. 104 in marg r. In â—â—ta sua p. 114 l. â—8 r. dedicated p. 121 l. 26 r. Common-wealth p. 135 l 37 for the other r. those p. â—39 r. Issâ—char p. 147 l. 3â— yet was it not p. 161 l. 5 r. Tamuz p. 177 l. 5 r. Load PART 2. Epistle l. 2. r. part p. 12 l. 7 for as it is r. who as 〈◊〉 ls p. 13 l. 5 r. 〈◊〉 Christus p. 23 l. 9 del ancient p. 27 l. 37 r. from whom it seemes p. 47 l. 21 r. decretory ib. l. 25 r. neither for the. p. 49 l. 9 r. 〈◊〉 ib. 17 del Buâ— p. 57 l. 5 r. the old use in p. 58 l. 5 for nor r. now ib. l. 34. r. instituted by ib. l. 35 r. in those p. 62 l. 13 r. as not to p. 66 l. 29. r. intituled p. 69. l. 1. for evill r. civill ib. 11 r. runnes ib. 19 20 for care many r. ceremony p. 71 del up p. 73 l. 22 r. on wednesdayes p. 74 l. 31 â— Iudaisme p. 75 l. 1 r. faire p. 76 l. 11. for Romish r. Iewish ib. l. 23 r. contrived ib. 34 for Two r. To. p. 82. l. 17 for or read on ib. 28 r. followers p. 88 l. 1 r. discreet behaviour p. 91 l. 10 for Easter r. Earth p. 101 l. 10 r. possessed ib. l. 23 r. fift Centurie p. 107 l. â— r. whereas thaâ— p. 112 l. 34 del that p. 116 l. 4 r. wholly p. 130 l. 31 for true r. it s true p. 144 l. 34 r Oviedâ— p. 147 l. 20 r. Chartres p. 175. l. 33 r. Ryveâ— p. 224 l. 13 r. envying p. 226 l. 9 for now in r. now at the first p. 230 l. 37 r. clause p. 253 r. on the lewes p. 255 l. 35 r. the Musicians head p. 258 l. 31 r. with as much violence p. 260 l. 4. for or r. on p. 263 l. 11. r. goe backe a little p. 265. l. 35. r. 560. THE HISTORY OF THE SABBATH THE FIRST BOOKE From the Creation of the World to the destruction of the Temple BY PET. HEYLYN EXOD. 31. 15 16. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keepe the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations it is a signe betweene mee and the children of Israel for ever LONDON Printed for Henry Seile and are to bee sold at the Signe of the Tygers-head in Saint Pauls Church-yard 1636. THE HISTORY OF THE SABBATH CHAP. I. That the SABBATH was not instituted in the beginning of the World 1 The entrance to the worke in hand 2 That those words Genes 2. And God blessed the seventh Day c. are there delivered as by way of anticipation 3 Anticipations in the Scripture confessed
that so by his example the Iewes might learne to rest from their Worldly labours and be the better fitted to meditate on the workes of God and to commemorate his goodnesse manifested in the Worlds Creation 2 Of any other sanctification of this day by the Lord our God then that he rested on it now and after did command the Iewes that they should sanctifie the same we have no Constat in the Scriptures nor in any Author that I have met with untill Zanchies time Indeed hee tels us a large story of his owne making how God the Sonne came down to Adam and sanctified this first Sabbath with him that hee might know the better how to doe the like Ego quidem non dubito c. I little doubt saith he De creat â—aminis l. 1. ad finem I will speake onely what I thinke without wrong or prejudice to others I little doubt but that the Sonne of God taking the shape of man upon him was busied all this day in most holy conferences with Adam that he made known himselfe both to him and Eve taught them the order that he used in the Worlds creation exhorted them to meditate on those glorious works in them to prayse the Name of God acknowledging him for their Creatour after his example to spend that day for ever in these pious exercises I doubt not finally saith hee but that hee taught them on that day the whole body of divinity and that he held them busied all day long in hearing him and celebrating with due prayses their Lord and God and giving thankes unto him for so great and many benefits as God had graciouâ—ly vouchsafed to bestow upon them Which said he shuts up all with this conclusion Haec est illius septimi diei benedictio sanctificatio in qua filius Dei una cum patre spiritu sancto quievit ab opere quod fecerat This was saith hee the blessing and sanctifying of that seventh day wherein the Sonne of God together with the Father and the Holy Ghost did rest from all the workes that they had made How Zanchie thwarts himselfe in this See n. 5. wee shall see hereafter Such strange conceptions though they miscarry not in the birth yet commonly they serve to no other use then monsters in the works of nature to be seen and shewne with wonder at all times and sometimes with pitie Had such a thing occurred in Pet. Comestors supplement which he made unto the Bible it had been more tolerable The Legendaries and the Rabbins might fairely also have been excused if any such devise had been extant in them The gravity of the man makes the tale more pittifull though never the more to be regarded For certainly had there been such a weighty conference between God and Man and so much tending unto information and instruction it is not probable but that we should have heard thereof in the holy Scriptures And finding nothing of it there it were but unadvisedly done to take it on the word and credit of a private man Non credimus quia non legimus was in some points Saint Hieroms rule and shall now be ours 3 As little likelihood there is that the Angels did observe this day and sanctifie the same to the Lord their God yet some have been so venturous as to affirme it Sure I am Torniellus saith it Annal. d. 7. And though he seem to have some Authors upon whom to cast it yet his approving of it makes it his as well as theirs who first devised it Quidam non immerito existimarunt hoc ipso die in Coelis omnes Angelorum choros speciali quadam exultatione in Dei laudes prorupisse quod tam praeclarum admirabile opus absolvisset Nay he and they who ever they were have a Scripture for it 38. 4 6. even Gods words to Iob Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth when the morning starres sang together and all the sonnes of God shouted for joy Who and from whence those Quidam were that so interpreted Gods words I could never finde and yet have took some pains to seek it Sure I am Saint Austin makes a better use of them and comes home indeed unto the meaning Some men it seemes affirmed that the Angels were not made till after the sixe dayes were finished De Civit Dei l. 11. c. 9. in which all things had been created and he referres them to this Text for their confutation Which being repeated he concludes I am ergo erant Angeli quando facta sunt sydera facta autem sunt sydera die quarto Therefore saith he the Angels were created before the Starres and on the fourth day were the starres created Yet Zanchius and those Quidam be they who they will fell short a little of another conceit of Philos De vita Mosis lib. 3. who tels us that the Sabbath had a privilege above other dayes not onely from the first Creation of the World though that had beene enough to set out the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but even before the Heavens and all things visible were created If so it must be sanctified by the holy Trinitie without the tongues of men and Angels and God not having worked must rest and sanctifie a time when no time was But to return to Torniellus however those Quidam did mislead him make him think that the first Sabbath had been sanctified by the holy Aâ—gels yet he ingenuously confesseth that saâ—ctifying of the Sabbath here upon the earth was not in use till very many ages after Annal d 7. not till the Law was given by Moses Veruntamen in terris ista Sabbati sanctificatio non nisi post multa secula in usum venisse creditur nimirum temporibus Mosis quando sub praecepto data est filiis Israel So Torniellus 4 So Torniellus and so farre unquestionable For that there was no Sabbah kept amongst us men till the times of Moses the Christian Fathers generally and some Rabbins also have agreed together Which that we may the better shew I shall first let you see what they say in generall and after what they have delivered of particular men most eminent in the whole story of Gods Booke untill the giving of the Law And first that never any of the Patriarkes before Moses time did observe the Sabbath Iustin the Martyr hath assured us Dial. cum Tâ—yph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 None of the righteous men saith he and such as walked before the Lord were either circumcised or kept the Sabbath untill the severall times of Abraham and Moses And where the Iewes were scandalized in that the Christians did eat hot meats on the Sabbath dayes the Martyr makes reply that the said just and righteous men not taking heed of any such observances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obtained a notable testimony of the Lord himselfe Adv haeres l. â— c. 30. So Irenaeus
having first told us that Circumcision and the Sabbath were both given for signes and having spoke particularly of Abraham Noah Lot and Enoch that they were justified without them addes for the close of all that all the multitude of the faithfull before Abraham were justified without the one Et Patriarcharum â—orum qui ante Mosen fuerunt and all the Patriarkes which preceded Moses without the other Adv. Iudâ—â—s Tertullian next disputeth thus against the Iewes that they which think the Sabbath must be still observed as necessary to salâ—ation or Circumcision to be used upon pain of death Doceant in Praeteritum justos sabbatriasse aut circumcidisse sic amicos Dei effectos esse ought first of all saith he to prove That the Fathers of the former times were circumcised or kept the Sabbath or that thereby they did obtaine to be accounted the friends of God Hist. l. 1. c. 4. Then comes Eusebius the Historian and he makes it good that the Religion of the Patriarchs before Moses Law was nothing different from the Christian and how proves he that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were not circumcised no more are we they kept not any Sabbath no more doe we they were not bound to abstinence from sundry kinds of meates which are prohibited by Moses nor are wee neither Which argument be also useth to the self-â—ame purpose in his first Booke de demonstr Evang. and sixth Chapter And in his seventh de praeparatione Cap. 6. he resolves it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Hebrewes which preceded Moses and were quite ignorant of his Law whereof he makes the Sabbath an especiall part disposed their wayes according to a voluntary kind of pietie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 framing their lives and actions to the law of nature Adv haereses l. 1. n. 5. This argument is also used by Epiphanius who speaking of the first ages of the World informs us that as then there was no difference among men in matters of opinion no Iudaisme nor kinde of heresie whatsoever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. but that the faith doth now flourish in Gods Church was from the beginning If so no Sabbath was observed in the times of old because none in his I could enlarge my Catalogue but that some testimonies are to be reserved to another place when I shall come to shew you that the commandement of the Sabbath was published to Gods people See Ch. 4. by Moses onely and that to none but to the Iewes After so many of the Fathers the moderne Writers may perhaps seeme unnecessary 2 Edit p 12. yet take one or two First Musculus as Doctour Bound informes mee for I take his word who tels us that it cannot bee proved that the Sabbath was kept before the giving of the Law either from Adam to Noah or from the floud to the times of Moses or of Abraham and his posterity Which is no more then what wee shall see shortly out of Eusebius Hospinian next Defâ—â—is 1 cap â— who though he faine would have the sanctifying of the Sabbath to be as old as the beginning of the World yet he confesseth at the last Patris idcirco Sabbatum observasse ante legem that for all that it cannot be made good by the Word of God that any of the Fathers did observe it before the Law These two I have the rather cited because they have beene often vouched in the publike controversie as men that wished well to the cause and say somewhat in it 5 We are now come unto particulars And first we must begin with the first man Adam The time of his Creation as the Scriptures tels us the sixt day of the week being as Scaliger conjectured in the first Edition of his Worke Emend temp l. 5. the three and twentieth day of Aprill and so the first Sabbath Sabbatum primum so hee calls it was the foure and twentieth Doctrina temp l 4 c. 6 Petavius by his computation makes the first Sabbath to be the first day of November and Scaliger in his last Edition the five and twentieth of October more neere to one another then before they were Yet saith not Scaliger that that primum Sabbatum had any reference to Adam though first he left it so at large that probably some might so conceive it for in his later thoughts he declares his meaning to be this Sabbatum primum in quo Deus requievit ab opere Hexaâ—meri Indeed the Chaldee paraphrase seemes to affirme of Adam that he kept the Sabbath For where the 92 Psalme doth beare this Title A Song or Psalme for the Sabbath day the Authors of that paraphrase doe expound it thus Laus Canticum quod dixit homo primus pro die Sabbati the Song or Psalme which Adam said for the Sabbath day Somewhat more wary in this point was Rabbi Kimchi who tels us how that Adam was created upon Friday about three of the clocke fell at eleven was censured and driven out of Paradise at twelve that all the residue of that day and the following night he bemoned his miseries was taken into grace next morning being Sabbath day and taking then into consideration all the works of God brake out into such words as those although though not the same A tale that hath as much foundation as that narration of Zanchie before remembred Who though he seeme to put the matter out of doubt with his three non dubito's that Christ himselfe did sanctifie the first Sabbath with our Father Adam and did command him ever after to observe that day yet in another place he makes it onely a matter of probability that the commandement of the Sabbath Iu 4. mandaâ—uÌ„ was given at all to our first parents Quomodo autem sanctificavit Non solum decreto voluntate sed reipsa quia illum diem ut non pauci volunt probabile est mandavit primis parentibus sanctificandum So easily doth he overthrow his former structure But to return unto the Rabbins and this dreame of theirs Besides the strangenesse of the thing that Adam should continue not above eight houres in Paradise and yet give names to all the creatures fal into such an heavy sleep and have the woman taken out of him that shee must be instructed tempted and that both must sin and both must suffer in so short a time besides all this the Christian Fathers are exprâ—sse that Adam never kept the â—abbath Iustine the Martyr in his Dialogue with Trypho a learned Iew makes Adam one of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being neither circumcised nor keeping any Sabbath were yet accepted by the Lord. And so Tertullian in a Treatise written against the Iewes Adv Iudaeos affirmes of Adam quod nec circumcisum nec sabbatizantem Deus â—um instituerit Nay which is more he makes a challenge to the Iewes to prove unto him if they
kept the Sabbath nor any other Ordinances of the Law of Moses So Irenaeus speaking before of Circumcision and the Sabbath placeth this Enoch among those Lib. 4 cap 30. qui sine iis quae praedicta sunt justificationem adepti sunt which had beene justified without any the Ordinances before remembred Tertullian more fully yet Adv. Iudaeos Enoch justissimum nec circumcisum nec sabbatizantem de hoc mundo transtulit c. Enoch that righteous man being neither Circumcised nor a Sabbath-keeper was by the Lord translated and saw not death to be an Item or instruction unto us that we without the burden of the Law of Moses shall be found acceptable unto God Hee set him also in his challenge as one whom never any of the Iewes could prove Sabbati cultorem esse to have been a keeper of the Sabbath Eusebius too who makes the Sabbath one of Moses institutions De Demonstr l. 4. c 6. hath said of Enoch that hee was neither circumcised nor medled with the Law of Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and that hee lived more like a Christian than a Iew. The same Eusebius in his seventh de praeparatione and Epiphanius in the place before remembred affirme thesame of him as they do of Adam Abel Seth and Enos and what this Epiphanius saith of him that hee affirmes also of his sonne Methusalem Sâ—al de Emâ—â—d Temp l 7. Therefore nor Enoch nor Methusalem ever kept the Sabbath It s true the Aethiopians in their Calendar have a certain period which they call Sabbatum Enoch Enoch's Sabbath But this consisteth of seven hundred yeares and hath that name either because Enoch was borne in the seventh Century from the Creation viz. in the yeare six hundred twenty two or because he was the seventh from Adam It s true that many of the Iewes and some Christians too have made this Enoch an Embleme of the heavenly and eternall Sabbath which shall never end 〈◊〉 in Geâ— 4. because he was the seventh from Adam and did never taste of death as did the six that went before him But this is no Argument I trow that Enoch ever kept the Sabbath whiles hee was alive Note that this Enoch was translated about the yeare nine hundred eighty seven and that Methusalem died but one yeare onely before the Floud which was 1655. And so farre we are safely come without any rub 9 To come unto the Floud it selfe to Noah who both saw it and escaped it it is affirmed by some that he kept the Sabbath and that both in the Arke and when he was released out of it if not before Yea they have arguments also for the proofe hereof but very weake ones such as they dare not trust themselves It is delivered in the eighth of the Booke of Genesis that after the return of the Dove into the Arke Noah stayed yet other seven dayes before he sent her forth againe Vers. 10 12. What then This seemes unto Hospinian to be an argument for the Sabbath In historia diluvii columbae ex arca emissae septenario dierum intervallo ratione sabbati videntur So hee and so verbatim Iosias Simler in his Comment on the twentieth of Exodus But to this argument if at the least it may be honoured with that name Tostatus hath returned an answere as by way of prophecie In Gen. 8. He makes this Quaere first sâ—d quare ponit hic quod Noâ— expectabat semper septem dies c. Why Noah betwixt every sending of the Dove expected just seven dayes neither more nor lesse and then returns this answere to it such as indeed doth excellently satisfie both his own Quaere and the present argument Resp. quod Noah intendebat scire utrum aquae cessassent c. Noah saith he desired to know whether the waters were decreased Now since the waters being a moyst body are regulated by the Moone Noah was most especially to regard her motions for as she is either in opposition or conjunction with the Sunne in her increase or in her wane there is proportionably an increase or falling of the waters Noah then considering the Moone in her severall quarters which commonly we know are at seven dayes distance sent forth his Birds to bring him tydings for the Text tels us that he sent out the Raven and the Dove foure timeâ— And the fourth time the Moon being then in the last quarter when both by the ordinary course of nature the waters usually are and by the will of God were then much decreased the Dove which was sent out had found good footing on the earth and returned no more So farre the learned Abulensis which makes cleere the case Nor stand wee onely here upon our defence For wee have proofe sufficient that Noah never kept the Sabbath Vbi supra Iustin the Martyr and Irenaeus both make him one of those which without circumcision the Sabbath were very pleasing unto God and also justified without them Tertullian positively saith it that God delivered him from the great water floud Adv. Iudaâ—â—â— nec circumcisum nec sabbatizantem and chalengeth the Iewes to prove if any way they could sabbatum observasse that he kept the Sabbath Eusebius also tels us of him that being a just man and one whom God preserved as a remayning sparke to kindle piety in the World yet knew not any thing that pertained to the Iewish Ceremony De demonstr l. 1. c 6. not Circumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor any other thing ordained by Moses Remember that Eusebius makes the Sabbath one of Moses Ordinances Finally Epiphanius in the place before remembred ranks Noah in this particular with Adam Abel Seth Enos and the other Patriarchs 10 It s true that Ioseph Scaliger once made the day whereon Noah left the Arke and offered sacrifice to the Lord to be the seventh day of the week De Emendâ—â— Temp. l. 5. 28. Decembris feria septima egressus Noah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immolavit Deo saith his first Edition Which were enough to cause some men who infinitely admire his Dictates from thence to have derived a Sabbath had hee not changed his minde in the next Edition and placed this memorable action not on the seventh day but the fourth I say it might have caused some men for all men would not so have doted as from a special accident to conclude a practice Considering especially that there is no ground in Scripture to proove that those before the Law had in their Sacrifices any regard at all to set times and dayes either unto the sixt day or the seventh or eighth or any other but did their service to the Lord I mean the publick part thereof and that which did consist in externall action according as occasion was administred unto them The offerings of Cain and Abel for ought we can informe our selves were not very frequent The Scripture tels us that it was
in the sixteenth of Exod. v. 27. And therefore stood the more in need not onely of a watch-word or Memento even in the very front of the Law it selfe but of some sharper course to stirre up their memory Therefore this execution was the more reqvisite at this instant aswell because the Iewes by reason of their long abode in a place of continual servile toyle could not be suddainly drawne unto contrary offices without some strong impression of terrour as also because nothing is â—ore needfull then with extremity to punish the first transgressours of those Lawes that do require a more exact observation for the times to come What time this Tragedy was acted is not known for certain By Torniellus it is placed in the yeare 2548. of the Worlds Creation which was some foure yeares after the Law was given More then this is not extant in the Scripture touching the keeping of the Sabbath all the life of Moses What was done after we shall see in the land of Promise 3 In the mean time it is most proper to this place to take a little notice of those severall duties wherein the sanctifying of the Sabbath did consist especially that we may know the better what we are to looke for at the peoples hands when wee bring them thither Two things the Lord commanded in his holy Scripture that concern the Sabbath the keeping holy of the same one in relation to the people the other in reference to the Priest In reâ—erence to the people he commaâ—ded onely rest from labour that they should doe no manner of worke and that 's contained expresly in the Law it selfe In reference to the Priest Numb 28. he commanded sacrifice that on the Sabbath day over and above the daily sacrifice there should be offered to the Lord two Lambes of an yeare old without blemish one in the morning and the other in the evening as also to prepare first and then place the Shewbread being twelue loaves one for every Tribe continually before the Lordeâ—very Sabbath day These severall references so divided the Priest might do his part without the people and contrary the people doe their part without the Priest Of any Sabbath duties which were to be performed betweene them wherein the Priest and people were to joyne together the Scriptures are directly silent As for these severall duties that of the Priest the Shew-bread and the sacrifice was not in practice till they came to the Land of Canaan and then though the Priest offered for the people yet he did not with them So that for forty yeares together all the life of Moses the sanctifying of the Sabbath did consist onely for ought we finde in a bodily rest a ceasing from the works of their weekly labours and afterwards in that and in the sacrifices which the Priest made for them Which as they seeme to be the greater of the two so was there nothing at all therein in which the people were to doe no not so much except some few as to be spectatours the sacrifices being offered onely in the Tabernacle as in the Temple after when they had a Temple the people being scattered over all thâ— Country in their Townes and Villages Of any reading of the Law or exposition of the same unto the people or publicke forme of prayers to be presented to the Lord in the Congregation wee finde no footstep now nor a long time after None in the time of Moses for hee had hardly perfected the Law before his death the booke of Deâ—teronomy being dedicated by him a very little before God tooke him None in a long time after no not till Nehemiahs dayes as wee shall see hereafter in that place and time The resting of the people was the thing commanded in imitation of Gods rest when his works were finished that as hee rested from the works which hee had created so they might alâ—o rest in memoriall of it But the employment of this rest to partiâ—ular purposes either of contemplation or devâ—tion than not declared unto us in the Word of God but left at large either unto the libertie of the people or the Authoritie of the Church Now what the people did how they imployed this rest of theirs that Philo tels us in his third Booke of the life of Moses Moses saith hee ordained that since the World was finished on the seventh day all of his Common-wealth following therein the course of nature should spend the seventh day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Festivall delights resting therein from all their works yet not to spend it as some do in laughter childish sports or as the Romans did their time of publick Feastings in beholding the activity either of the Iester or common Dancers but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a little after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the study of true philosophy and in the contemplation of the workes of nature And in another place De Decâ—log He did command saith he that as in other things so in this also they should imitate the Lord their God working six dayes and resting on the seventh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and spending it in meditation of the works of nature as before is said And not so only but that upon that day they should consider of their actions in the weeke before if happily they had offended against the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that so they might correct what was done amisse and be the better armed to offend no more So in his booke de mundi opificio he affirmes the â—ame that they implyed that day in divine Philosophy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even for the bettering of their manners and reckoning with their consciences That thus the Iewes did spend the day or some part thereof is very probable and wee may take it well enough upon Philo's word but that they spent it thus by the direction or command of Moses is not so easily proved as it is affirmed though for my part I willingly durst assent unto it For be it Moses so appointed yet this concernes onely the behaviour of particular persons and reflects nothing upon the publick duties in the Congregation 4 It 's true that Philo tels us in a booke not extant how Moses also did ordaine these publick meetings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ap. Euseb. Praepar l. 8 7. What then did Moses order to be done on the Sabbath day He did appoint saith he that we should meet all in some place together and there set down with modesty and a generall silence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to heare the Law that none plead ignorance of the same Which custome we continue stiâ—l harkening with wonderfull silence to the Law of God unlesse perhaps we give some joyfull acclamation at the hearing of it some of the Priests if any present or otherwise some of the Elders reading the Law and then expounding it unto us till the night come on Which done the people are dismissed full of divine
Law unto the people on the Sabbath dayes as after in the Synagogues For where those Cities were but foure in every Tribe one with another the people must needs travaile further then six Furlongs which was a Sabbath dayes journey of the largest measure as before we noted or else that nice restriction was not then in use And were it that they tooke the paines to goe up unto them yet were not those few Cities able to coÌ„tain the multitudes When Ioab not long after this 2 Sâ—m â—4 did muster Israel at the command of David he found no fewer then thirteen hundred thousand fighting men Suppose we then that unto every one fighting man there were three old men women and children fit to heare the Law as no doubt there were Put these together and it will amount in all to two and fifty hundred thousand Now out of these set by foure hundred thousand for Hierusalem and the service there and then there will remayne one hundred thousand just which must owe suite and service every Sabbath day to each severall City of the Levites Too vast a number to be entertained in any of their Cities and much lesse in their Synagogues had each house beene one So that wee may resolue for certain that the dispersion of the Levites over all the Tribes had no relation hitherto unto the reading of the Law or any publick Sabbath duties CHAP. VII Touching the keeping of the SABBATH from the time of David to the Maccabees 1 Particular necessities must give place to the Law of Nature 2 That Davids flight from Saul was upon the Sabbath 3 What David did being King of Israel in ordering things about the Sabbath 4 Elijahs flight upon the Sabbath and what else hapned on the Sabbath in Elijahs time 5 The limitation of a Sabbaths dayes journey not known amongst the Iewes when Elisha lived 6 The Lord becomes offended with the Iewish Sabbaths and on what occasion 7 The Sabbath entertained by the Samaritans and their strange niceties therein 8 Whether the Sabbaths were observed during the Captivitie 9 The speciall care of Nehemiah to reforme the Sabbath 10 The weekly reading of the Law on the Sabbath dayes began by Ezra 11 No Synagogues nor weekly reading of the Law during the Government of the Kings 12 The Scribes and Doctours of the Law impose new rigours on the people about their Sabbaths 1 THus have wee traced the Sabbath from the Mount to Silo the space of forty five yeares or thereabouts wherein it was observed sometimes and sometimes broken broken by publick order from the Lord himselfe and broken by the publick practice both of Priest and people No precept in the Decalogue so controuled and justled by the Legall Ceremonies forced to give place to Circumcision because the younger and to the Legall Sacrifices though it was their Elders t and all this while no blame or imputation to be laid on them that so prophaned it Men durst not thus have dallied with the other nine no noâ— with this neither had it been a part of the Law of nature Yet had the Sabbath beene laid by in such cases onely wherein the Lord had specially declared his will and pleasure that these and these things should be done upon it or preferred before it there was lesse reason of complaint But we shall see in that which followed that the poore Sabbath was inforced to yeeld up the place even to the severall necessities and occasions of particular men and that without Injunction or Command from the Court of Heaven This further proves the fourth Commandement as farre as it concernes the time one whole day of seven Ryvet in Deca to be no part nor parcell of the Law of Nature for if it were the Law of Nature it were not dispensable no not in any exigent or distresse what euer Nullum poriculum suadet ut qua ad legem natur alem directe pertinent infringamus No danger saith a moderne Writer is to occasion us to breake those bonds wherewith wee are obliged by the Law of Nature Aquinas 1. 2 ae qu. 100. art 9. Nor is this onely Protestâ—nt Divinitie for that Praecepta decalogi omnino sint indispensabilia is a noted maxime of the Schoolmen And yet it is not onely Schoole Divinitie Qu. 〈◊〉 N. Test. 6â— for the Fathers taught it It is a principle of Saint Austins Illud quod omnino non licet semper non licet nec aliqua necessitate mitigatur ut admissum non obsit est enim semper illicitum quod legibus quia criminosum est prohibetur That saith the Father which is unlawfull in it selfe is unlawfull alwayes nor is there any exigent or extremity that can so excuse it being done but that it makes a man obnoxiouâ— unto Gods displeasure For that is alwayes to be reckoned an unlawfull thing which is forbidden by the Law because simply evill So that in case this rule be true as no doubt it is and that the fourth Commandement prohibiting all manner of worke on the Sabbath day as simply evill be to be reckoned part of the Morall Law they that transgresse this Law in what case soever are in the self-same state with those who to preserve their lives or fortunes renounce their Faith in God and worship Idols which no man ought to do no though it were to gain the world For what will it profit a man to gain the world and to lose his soule 2 But sure the Iewes accounted not the Sabbath of so high a nature as not to venture the transgressing of that Law if occasion were Whereof or of the keeping it we have no monument in Scripture till we come to David The residue of Iosuah and the Booke of Iudges give us nothing of it Nor have wee much in the whole story of the Kings but what we have wee shall present unto you in due place and order And first for David we reade in Scripture how he stood in feare of Saul his Master 1. Sam. 20. how in the Festivall of the New-moon his place was empty how Saul became offended at it and publickly declared his malicious purpose which in his heart he had before conceived against him On the next morning Ionathan takes his bow and arrowes goes forth a shooting takes a boy with him to bring back his arrowes and by a signall formerly agreed between them gives David notice that his Father did seeke his life David on this makes haste and came to Nob unto Abimelech the Priest and being an hungry desires some sustenance at his hands The Priest not having ought else in readinesse sets the Shew-bread before him which was not lawfull for any man to eat but the Priest alone Now if we aske the Fathers of the Christian Church what day this was on which poore David fled from the face of Saul they answere that it was the Sabbath Saint Athanasius doubtingly Hâ—m dâ— semâ—nâ—â— with a peradventure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Buxdoâ—f Syâ—agog c. 1â— permissum est iis ut die Sabbatino dicant Christiano c. Yet they may give a Chrisâ—ian leave to performe that office and then to buy the milke of him for a toy or trifle Adde here what formerly wâ—â— noted of their Servants Of whom wee told you out of Rabbi Maimony Ch. 3. n. 1. that if they were not circumcised or baptizâ—d they were as sojourning strangers and may doe worke for themselues openly on the Sabbath as any of the Israelites might on a working day By which it seems that strangers yea and servants too in case they were not circumcised or otherwise initiated into their Churches were not obliged to keep the Sabbath Which plainly shews that by the Iewes themselues the keeping of the Sabbath was not taken for a morall Law or to concerne any but themselues and those of their religion onely For had they took it for a part of the Law of Nature as universally to be observed as any other they had not suffered it to be broke amongst them before their faces and that without controule or censure no more then they would have pâ—rmitted a sojourning stranger to blaspheme their God or publickly to set up Idolatry or without punishment to steale their goods or destroy their persons The rather since their Sabbath had prevailed to farre as to be taken up with other parts of their religion in many principall Cities of the Roman Empire or otherwise by way of imitation so much in use among the Gentiles And this I have the rather noted in this place and time because that in these times the Countrie of the Iewes was most resorted to by all sorts of strangers and they themselues in favour with the Roman Emperours 5 Indeed these customes of the Iewes did flie about the Roman Empire with a swifter wing by reason of that countenance which great Augustus Caesar did shew both to the men Pâ—â—â—lo leg ad Caium and unto their Sabbath First for the men he did not onely suffer them to enjoy the liberty of conscience in their owne Country and there to have their Synagogues and publick places of assembly as before they had but hee permitted them to inhabit a great part of Rome and there to live according to their Country laws 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet saith hee he knew that they had their Proseâ—chas or Oratories that they assembled in the same especially on the holy Sabbaths finally that there they were instructed in their own religion Then for the Sabbath the Iewes had anciently been accustomed not to appeare in judgement either upon the Sabbath day or the Eve before Augustus doth confirme this priâ—iledge Ios. Antiq l. 16. c 10. bestowes upon their Syâ—agâ—gâ—es the prerogative of Sanctâ—ary enables them to live according to the Lawes of their own Country and finally threatneth severe punishment on those which should presume to do any thing against his Edict The tenour of which Edict is as followeth Câ—â—sar Augustus Pont. Max. Trib. Pleb 〈…〉 gens semper â—â—da grata fuit populo Rom. c placet mihi de 〈◊〉 Senatus sententia eos propriis uti legibus ritibus quibus utebantur tempore Hyrâ—ani Pontificiâ— Dei maâ—imâ— eorum â—anis jus Asyli manerâ— c. â—eque cogi ad prâ—standa vâ—dimonia sabbatis aut pridie sabbatorum post hâ—ram nonam in Parasceve Qâ—id si quis contra decretum â—â—sus fuerit gravi poena mâ—â—ctabitur This Edict was set forth Anno 4045. and after many of that kind were published in severall Provinces by Mark Agrippa Provâ—st Generall under Câ—â—sar as also by Norbanus â—laccus and Iulius Antonius Proconsuls at that time whereof see Iosephus Nay Phil. legat ad Câ—iâ—m when the Iews were growne so strict that it was thought unlawfull either to give or take an almes on the Sabbath day Augustus â—or his part was willing not to breake them of it yet so to order and dispose his bounties that they might be no loosers by so fond a strictnesse For whereas he did use to distribute monethly a certaine donative either in money or in corne this distribution sometimes happened on the Sabbath dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Philo hath it whereon the Iewes might neither give nor take neither indeed do any thing that did tend to sustenance Therefore saith he it was provided that their proportion should be given them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the next day after that so they might be made partakers of the publicke benefit Not give nor take an Almes on the Sabbath day Their superstition sure was now very vehement seeing it would not suffer men to do the works of mercy on the day of mercie And therefore it was more then time they should be sent to schoole againe to learne this lesson I will have mercie and not sacrifice 6 And so indeed they were sent unto Schoole to him who in himselfe was both the teacher and the truth For at this time our Saviour came into the world And had there beene no other businesse for him to do this onely might have seemed to require his presence viz. to rectifie those dangerous errours which had beene spread abroad in these latter times about the Sabbath The service of the Sabbath in the congregation he found full enough The custome was to reade a Section of the law out of the Pentateâ—ch or five books of Moses and after to illustrate or confirme the same out of some parallell place amongst the Prophets That ended if occasion were and that the Rulers of the Synagogue did consent unto it there was a word of exhortation made unto the people conducing to obedience and the works of piety So farre it is apparant by that passage in the Acts of the Apostles touching Paul Châ—p 13. 1â— and Barâ—abas that being at Antioch in Pisidia on the Sabbath day after the reading of the Law and Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue fent unto them saying Ye men and brethrâ—n if ye have any word of exhortation to speake unto the people dicite say on As for the Law I note thâ—s onely by the way they had divided it into 54 Sections which they read over in the two and fifty sabbaths joyning two of the shortest twice together that so it might bee all read over within the yeare beginning on the sabbath which next followed the feast of Tabernacles ending on that which came before it So farre our Saviour found no fault but rather countenanced and confirmed the custome by his gratious presence and example But in these rigid vanities and absurd traditions by which the Scribes and Pharisees had abused the sabbath and made it of an ease to become a drudgerie in those he thought it requisite to detect their follies and ease the people of that bondage which they in their proud humours had imposed upon them The Pharisees had taught that it was unlawfull on the sabbath day
either to heale the impotent or relieve the sick or feed the hungrie but he confutes them in them all both by his Acts and by his disputations Whatever â—e maintain'd by argument he made good by practise Did they accuse his followers of gathering corne upon the Sabbath being then an hungred he le ts them know what David did in the same extremitie Their eating or their gathering on the Sabbath day take you which you will was not more blameable nay not so blameable by the law as David's eating of the shewbread which plainly was not to be eate by any but the Priest alone The â—ures he did upon the Sabbath what were they more then which themselves did daily do in laying salves unto those Infants whom on the Sabbath day they had circumcised His bidding of the impotent man to take up his bed and get him gone which seemed so odious in their eyes was it so great a toyle as to walke round the walls of Hiericho and beare the Arke upon their shoulders or any greater burden to their idle backs then to lift up the â—xe and set him free out of that dangerous ditch into the which the hasty â—east might fall aswell upon the Sabbath as the other dayes Should men take care of oxen and not God of man Not so The Sabbath was not made for a lazie idoll which all the Nations of the world should fall downe and worship but for the ease and comfort of the labouring man that he might have some time to refresh his spirits Sabbatum propter hominem factum est the Sabbath saith our Saviour was made for man man was not made to serve the Sabbath Nor had God so irrevocablie spoke the word touching the sanctifying of the Sabbath that he had left himselfe no power to repeale that Law in case he saw the purpose of the Law perverted the Sonne of man even he that was the Sonne both of God and Man being Lord also of the Sabbath Nay it is rightly marked by some that Christ our Saviour did more works of charitie on the Sabbath day then all dayes else Zanchius obserues it out of Irenaeus In Mandat â— Saepius multo Christum in die Sabbati praestitisse opera charitatis quam in aliis diebus and his note is good Not that there was some urgent and extreme necessitie either the Cures to be performed that day or the man to perish For if we looke into the story of our Saviours actions we finde no such matter It 's true that the Centurions sonne and Peters mother in law were even sicke to death and there might be some reason in it why he should haste unto their Cures on the Sabbath day But on the other side the man that had the withered hand Matth. 13. and the woman with her fluxe of bloud eighteene yeares together Luk. 13. he that was troubled with the dropsie Luk. 14. and the poore wretch which was afflicted with the palsie Ioh. 5. in none of these was found any such necessity but that the cure might have beene respited to another day What then Shall it be thought our Saviour came to destroy the Law No. God forbid Himselfe hath told us that he came to fulfill it rather He came to let them understand the right meaning of it that for the residue of time wherein it was to be in force they might no longer be misled by the Scribes and Pharisees and such blinde guides as did abuse them Thus have I briefly summed together what I finde scattered in the writings of the ancient Fathers which who desires to finde at large may looke into Ireâ—aeus li. 4. ca. 19. 20. Origen in Num hom 23. Tertull. li. 4. contr Marcion Athanas. hom de Semente p. 10â—1 1072. edit gr lat Victor Antioch cap. 3. in Marâ—um Chrysost. hom 39. in Matth. 12. Epiphan li. 1. haeres 30. n. 32. Hierom. in Matth. 12. Ambros in cap. 3. Luk. li. 3. Augustin cont Faustum li. 16. ca. 28. lib. 19. ca 9. to descend no lower With one of which last Fathers sayings Cont. Adimant ca. 2. we conclude this list Non ergo Dominus rescindit Scripturam Vet. Test sed cogit intelligi Our Saviours purpose saith the Father was not to take away the Law but to expound it 7 Not then to take away the Law it was to last a little longer He had not yet pronounced Consummatum est that the Law was abrogated Nor might it seeme so proper for him to take away one Sabbath from us which was rest from labour untill he had provided us of another which was rest from sinne And to provide us such a Sabbath was to cost him dearer then words and arguments He healed us by his word before Now he must heale us by his stripes or else no entrance into his rest the eternall Sabbath Besides the Temple stood as yet and whilest that stood or was in hope to be rebuilt there was no end to be expected of the legall ceremonies The Sabbath and the Temple did both end together and which is more remarkable on a Sabbath day The Iews were still sicke of their old disease and would not stirre a foot on the Sabbath day beyond their compasse no though it were to save their Temple and in that their Sabbath or whatsoever else was most deare unto them Nay they were more superstitious now then they were before For whereas in the former times it had beene thought unlawfull to take armes and make warre on the Sabbath day Iosâ—ph de bello li. 4. ca 4. unlesse they were assaulted and their lives danger now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was pronounced unlawfull even to treat of peace A fine contradiction Agrippa layed this home unto them when first they entertain'd a rebellious purpose against the Romans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Id. li. 2. c. 1â— If you observe the custome of the Sabbaths and in them do nothing it will be no hard matter to bring you under for so your Ancestors found in their warres with Pompey who ever deferred his works untill that day wherein his enemies were idle and made no resistance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If on the other side you take armes that day then you transgresse your countrey laws your selues and so I see no cause why you should rebell Where note Agrippa cals the sabbath a custome and their Countrey law which makes it evident that they thought it not any Lâ—w of Nature Now what Agrippa said did in fine fall out the Citie being taken on the sabbath day as Ios. Scaliger computes it or the Parascâ—ve of the sabbath as Rab. Ioses hath determined Most likely that it was on the sabbath day it selfe For Dion speaking of this warre and of this taking of the Citie Lib 65. concludâ—s it thus Lib 65. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierusalem saith he was taken on the Saturday which the Iews most reverence till this day Thus
to be no ordinance of the Lords that he exacteth no such duty from us and that it is an ecclesiasticall exhortation onely and no more but so And if no more but so it were too great an undertaking to bring all nations of the world to yeeld unto the prescript of a private and particular Canon made onely for a private and particular cause and if no more but so it concludes no Sabbath 8 Yet notwithstanding these restraints from worke and labour the Church did never so resolve it that any worke was in it selfe unlawfull on the Lords day though to advance Gods publicke service it was thought good that men should bee restrained from some kinde of worke that so they might the better attend their prayers and follow their devotions It s true these centuries the fifth and sixth were fully bent to give the Lords day all fit honour not onely in prohibiting unlawfull pleasures but in commanding a forbearance of some lawfull businessâ— such as they sound to yeeld most hinderance to religious duties Yea and some workes of pietie they affixt unto it for its greater honour The Prisoners in the common Gaoles had formerly beene kept in too strictly It was commanded by Honorius and Theodosius at that time Emperous Anno 412. that they should be permitted omnibus diebus dominicis every Lords day to walke abroade with a guard upon them as well to crave the charity of well disposed persons as to repaire unto the Bathes for the refreshing of their bodies Nor did he onely so command it but set a mulct of 20 pound in gold on all such publicke ministers as should disobey the Bishops of the Church being trusted to see it done Where note that going to the Bathes on the Lords day was not thought unlawfull though it required no question corporall labours for had it beene so thought as some thought it afterwards the Prelates of the Church would not have taken it upon them to see the Emperours will fulfilled and the law obeyed A second honour affixt in these Ages to the Lords day is that it was conceived the most proper day for giving holy Orders in the Church of God and a law made by Leo then Pope of Rome and generally since taken up in the Westerne Church that they should bee conferred upon no day else There had beene some regard of Sunday in the times before and so much Leo doth acknowledge Quod ergo a patribus nostris propensiore cura novimus servatum esse Epl. decret 81. a vobis quoque volumus custodiri ut non passim diebus omnibus sacerdotalis ordinatio celebretur But that which was before a voluntary Act is by him made necessary and a law given to all the Churches under his obedience Vt his qui consecrandi sunt nunquam benedictiones nisi in die resurrectionis dominicae tribuantur that ordinations should bee celebrated on the Lords day onely And certainely he gives good reason why it should be so except in extraordinarie and emergent cases wherein the law admits of a dispensation For on that day saith he The holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles and thereby gave us as it were this celestiall rule that on that day alone we should conâ—erre spirituall orders in quo â—ollata sunt omnia dona gratiarum in which the Lord conferred upon his Church all spirituall graces Nay that this busines might be done with the more solemnity and preparation it was appointed that those men who were to be invested with holy Orders should continue fasting from the Eve before that spending all that time in prayer and humbling of themselves before the Lord they might be better â—itted to receive his Graces For much about these times the service of the Lords day was enlarged and multiplyed the Evenings of the day being honoured with religious meetings as the Mornings formerly Yea and the Eves before were reckoned as a part or parcell of the Lords day following Cui a vespere sabbati initium constat ascribi as the same Decretall informes us The 251 Sermon de tempore ascribed unto Saint Aâ—stine doth affirme as much but we are not sure that it is his Note that this Leo entred on the chaire of Rome Anno 440 of our Saviours birth and did continue in the same full 20 years within which space of time he set out this decretall but in what yeare particularly that I cannot finde 10 I say that now the Evenings of the Lords day began to have the honour of religious meetings for ab initio non fuit sic it was not so from the beginning Nor had it beene so now but that almost all sorts of people were restrained from worke aswell by the Imperiall Edicts as by the constitutions of particular Churches by meanes where of the afternoone was left at large to bee disposed of for the best increase of Christian Pietie Nor probably had the Church conceived it necessary had not the admiration which was then generally had of the Monasticke kinde of life facilitated the way unto it For whereas they had bound themselves to set houres of prayer Epitaphium Paulâ— matr Mane hora tertia sexta nona vespere noctis medio at three of the clocke in the morning at sixe at nine and after in the evening and at midnight as S. Hierome tells us the people generally became much affected with their strict devotions and seemed not unwilling to conforme unto them as farre at least as might consist with their vocations upon this willingnesse of the people the service of the Church became more frequent then before and was performed thrice every day in the greater Churches where there were many Priests and Deacons to attend the same namely at sixe and nine before noone and at sometime appointed in the evening for the afternoone accordingly as now wee use it in our Cathedrall and Collegiate Churches But in inferiour townes and pettit villages where possibly the people could not every day attend so often it was conceived sufficient that they should have the morning and the evening prayer sung or sayd them that such as would might come to Church for their devotions and so it is by the appointment of the Rubricke in ouâ— Common Prayer Booke Onely the Sundayes and the holyâ— dayes were to be honoured with two severall meetings in the morning the one at sixe of the Clocke which simply was the morning service the other at nine for the administration of the holy Sacrament and Preaching of the Word to the congregation This did occasion the distinction of the first and second Service as we call them still though now by reason of the peoples sloth and backwardnesse in comming to the Church of God they are in most places joyn'd together So whereas those of the monasticke life did use to solemnize the Eve or Vigils of the Lords day and of other festivals with the peculiar and preparatory service to the day it selfe that profitable and pious custome
meat as the same Scaliger hath recorded So having looked over all the residue of the Christian World and found no Sabbath in thâ— same except onely nominall and that aswell upon the Saturday as upon the Sunday it is nâ—w time wee turned our course and set saile for England where we shall find as little of it as in other places untill that forty yeares agoe no more some men began to introduce a Sabbath thereunto in hope thereby to countenance and advance their other projects CHAP. VII In what estate the Lords-day stood in this Isle of Brittaine from the first planting of religion to the reformation 1 What dâ—th occurre about the Lords day and the other festivalls amongst the Churches of the Brittans 2 Of the estate of the Lords day and the other holy dayes in the Saxon Heptarchie 3 The honours done unto the Sunday and the other holy dayes by the Saxon Monarchs 4 Of the publicke actions Civill Ecclesiasticall mixt and Military done on the Lords day under the first six Norman Kings 5 New Sabbath doctrines broached in England in King Iohns Reigne and the miraculous originall of the same 6 The prosecution of the former story and ill successe therein of the undertakers 7 Restraint of worldly businesse on the Lords day and the other holy dayes admitted in those times in Scotland 8 Restraint of certaine servile works on Sundayes holy dayes and the wakes concluded in the Councell of Oxon under Henry 3. 9 Husbandrie and Legall processe prohibited on the Lords day first in the reigne of Edward 3. 10 Selling of wools on the Lords day and the solemne feasts forbidden first by the said King Edward as after faires and markets generally by King Henry 6. 11 The Cordwainers of London restrained from selling their wares on the Lords day and some other festivalls by King Edward the fourth and the repealing of that Act by King Henry the eight 12 In what estate the Lords day stood both for the doctrine and the practise in the beginning of the reigne of the said King Henry 1 AND now at last wee are for England that we may see what hath beene done amongst our 〈◊〉 in this particular and thereby bee the better lessoned what wee are to doe For as before I noted the Canons of particular Churches and edicts of particular princes though they sufficiently declare both what their practise and opinion was in the present point yet are no generall rule nor prescript to others which lived not in the compasse of their authority Nor can they further binde us as was then observed then as they have beene since admitted into our Church or State either by adding them unto the body of our Canon or imitating them in the composition of our Acts and statutes Onely the Decretalls of the Popes the body of their Canon Law is to bee excepted which being made for the direction and reiglement of the Church in generall were by degrees admitted and obeyed in these parts of Christendome and are by Act of Parliament so farre still in force as they oppose not the prerogative royall or the municipall lawes and statutes of this Realme of England Now that wee may the better see how it hath beene adjudged of here and what hath beene decreed or done touching the Lords day and the other holy dayes wee will ascend as high as possiblie we can even to the Church and Empire of the Brittans Of them indeed wee finde not much and that delivered in as little it being said of them by Beda Hist. l. 1. c. 8. that in the time of Constantine they did dies festos celebrare observe those holy dayes which were then in use which as before we said were Easter Whitsontide the feasts of Christs Nativity and his Incarnation every yeere together with the Lords day weekely And yet it may bee thought that in those times the Lords day was not here of any great account in that they kept the feast of Easter after the fashion of the Churches in the Easterne parts decima quarta luna on what day of the weeke soever which certainely they had not done had the Lords day obteined amongst them that esteeme which generally it had found in the westerne Churches And howsoever a late writer of Ecclesiasticall history endeavour to acquit the Brittans of these first Ages Brought hist. â— 4. c. 13. from the erroneous observation of that feast and make them therein followers of the Church of Rome yet I conceive not that his proofes come home to make good his purpose For where it is his purpose to prove by computation that that erroneous observation came not in amongst the Brittans till 30 yeeres before the entrance of S. Austin and his associates into this Iland and for that end hath brought a passage out of Beda touching the continuance of that custome its plaine that Beda speakes not of the Brittish but the Scottish Christians Permansit autem apud â—os the Scottish-Irish Christians as himselfe confesseth hujusmodi observantia Paschalis tempore non pauco hoc est usque ad annum Domini 717. per annos 150 which was as hee computes it somewhat neere the point but 30 yeeres before the entrance of that Austin Now for the Scots it is apparant that they received not the faith till the yeere of Christ 430 not to say any thing of the time wherein they first set sooting in this Iland which was not very long before and probably might about that time of which Beda speakes receive that custome of keeping Easter from the Brittans who were next neighbours to them and a long time lived mingled with them But for the Brittans it is most certaine that they had longer beene accustomed to that observation though for the time thereof whether it came in with the first plantation of the Gospell here wee will not contend as not pertaining to the businesse which wee have in hand Suffice it that the Brittans anciently were observant of those publicke festivalls which had beene generally entertained in the Church of God though for the time of celebrating the feast of Easter they might adhere more unto one Church then unto another As for the Canon of the Councell of Nice Anno 198. which is there alledged Baronius rightly hath observed out of Athanasius that notwithstanding both that Canon and the Emperours Edicts thereupon tamen etiam postâ—a Syros Cilices Mesopotamios in eodem errore permansisse the Syrians Cilicians and Mesopotamians continued in their former errours And why not then the Brittans which lay farther off as well as those that dwelt so neere the then Regall Citty 2 Proceed wee next unto the Saxons who as they first received the faith from the Church of Rome so did they therewithall receive such institutions as were at that time generally entertained in the Roman Church the celebration of the Lords day and the other festivalls which were allowed of and observed when Gregory the Great attained the Popedome
nititur Verbo Dei was publikely maintained by a Doctor there and by the then Vice-Chancellour so determined neither the following Doctors â—here or any in the other Universitie that I can heare of did ever put up any Antithesis in opposition thereunto At last some foure yeeres after his Majesties Declaration before remembred anno 1622. Doctor Prideaux his Majesties Professour for the Universitie of Oxon. did in the publike Act declare his judgement in this point de Sâ—bbato which afterwards in the yeere 1625. he published to the World with his other Lectures Now in this Speech or Determination hee did thus resolve it First That the Sabbath was not instituted in the first Creation of the World nor ever kept by any of the ancient Patriarkes who lived before the Law of Moses therefore no Morall and perpetuall Precept as the others are Sect. 2. Secondly That the sanctifying of one day in seven is ceremoniall onely and obliged the Iewes not Morall to oblige us Christians to the like observance Sect. 3. 4. Thirdly That the Lords day is founded onely on the Authoritie of the Church guided therein by the practice of the Apostles not on the fourth 〈◊〉 which in the 7. Section he eâ—tituleth a Scandalous Doctrine nor any other authoritie in holy Scripture Sect. 6. 7. Fourthly That the Church hath still authoritie to change the day though such authoritie be not â—it to be put in practise Sâ—ct 7. Fifthly Thâ—â— in the celebration of it there is no such cessation from the workes of labour required of us as was exacted of the Iewes but that wee lawfully may dresse Meat proportionable unto every mans estate and doe such other things as be no hinderance to the publike Service appointed for the day Sect. 8. Sixtly That on the Lords day all Râ—creations whatsoever are to be allowed which honestly may refresh the spirits and encrease mutuall love and neighbourhood amongst us and that the Names whereby the Iewes did use to call their Festivals whereof the Sabbath was the chiefe were borrowed from an Hebrew word which signifies to Dance and to make merry or rejoyce And lastly that it appâ—rtaineâ— to the Christian Magistrate to order and appoint what â—astimeâ— on the Lords day are to be permitted and what prohibited not unto every private person much lesse to every â—anâ— rash Zeale as his owne words are who out of a schismaticall 〈◊〉 debarring men from lawfull Pastimes doth encline to Iâ—daisme Sect. 8. This was the summe and substance of his resolution then which as it gave content unto the sounder and the better part of the Assembly so it did infinitely stomacke and displease the greater numbers such as were formerly possessed with the other Doctrines though they were wiser than to make it a publike Quarrell Onely it pleased M. Bifeild of Surrey in his Reply to a Discoâ—rse of M. Brerewoods of Gresham Colledge anno 1631. to taxe the Doctor as a spreader of wicked Doctrine and much to marvell with himselfe how either he durst be so bold to say P. 161. or having said it could be suffered to put it forth viz. That to establish the Lords day on the fourth Commandement were to encline too â—uch to Iudaisme This the said M. Bifeild thinkes to be a foule aspersion on this faâ—ous Church But in so thinking I conceive that he consulted more his owne opinion and his private interest than any publike maintenance of the Churches cause which was not injured by the Doctor but defended rather But to proceed or rather to goe a little About a yeere before the Doctor thus declared his judgement one Thom. Broad of Gloucestershire â—ad published something in this kind wherein to speake my minde thereof he rather shewed that he disliked those Sabbath Doctrines than durst disprove them And before either M. Brâ—rewood whom before I named had writ a learned Treatise about the Sabbath on a particular occasion therein mentioned but published it was not till after both anno 1629. Adde here to joyne them all together that in the Schooles at Oxon anno 1628. it was maintained by Doctor Robinson now Archâ—eacon of Gloucester viz. Ludos Recreationis gratia in die Dominico non esse prohibitos Divina Lege That Recreations on the Lords day were not at all prohibited by the Word of God 12 As for our neighbour Church of Scotland as they proceeded not at first with that mature deliberation in the reforming of that Church which had beene here observed with us so did they runne upon a Course of Reformation which after was thought fitting to be reformed The Queene was young and absenâ— in the Court of France the Regent was a desolate Widow a Stranger to that Nation and not well obeyed So that the people there possessed by Cnoxe and other of their Teachers tooke the cause in hand and went that way which came most neere â—nto Geneva where this Cnoxe had lived Among the first things wherewithall they were offeâ—ded were the Dâ—nsreis and in the yeere 1592 the Act of the Queene Regent granting licence to keepe the said two feasts was by them repealed Yet finde wee by the Bishop of Brechin in his discourse of the Proceedings at the Synod of 〈◊〉 that notwithstanding all the Acts Civill and Ecclesiasticke made against the superstitious observation and prophane abuse of Zule day the people could never bee induced to labour on that day and wheresoever Divine service was done that day as in townes which have alwaies morning and evening Prayers they were perceived to resort in greater numbers on that day then on any other to the Church As for King Iames of happie memorie hee did not onely keepe the said great festivalls from his youth as there is said but wished them to bee kept by all his subjects yet without abuse and in his Basilicon Doron published Anno 1598 thus declares himselfe that without superstition playes and lawfull games may bee used in May and good cheere at Christmasse Now on the other side as they had quite put downe those daies which had beene dedicated by the Church to religious meetings so they appointed others of their owne authoritie For in their booke of â—â—scipline before remembred it was thus decreed viz. That in every notable towne a day besides the Sunday should bee appointed weekely for Sermons that during the time of Sermon the day should bee kept free from all exercise of labour as well by the master as by the Servant as also that every day in the said great townes there be either Sermon or Prayers with reading of the Scriptures So that it seemeth they onely were â—fraid of the name of holy dayes and were contented well inough with the thing it selfe As for the Lords day in that Kingdome I finde not that it had attained unto the name or nature of a Sabbath day untill that doctrine had beene set on foote amongst us in England For in the booke of discipline set out as formerly was said in
very evill Author Therefore as the Iews did by the festivall solemnitiâ— of their Sabbath rejoyce in God that created the world as in the Author of of all goodnesse so they in hatred of the maker of the world sorrowed and wept and fasted on that day as being the birth-day of all evill And whereas Christiâ—â—â— men of sound heleefe did solemnize the Sunday in a joyfull memorie of Christs resurrectioâ— so likewise at the selfe same time such Hereticks as denyed the resurrection did contrary to them that held it and fasted when the rest rejoyced For the expressing of which two last heresies Ignat. it was that he affirmed with such zeale and earnestnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any one did fast either upon the Lords day or the sabbath except one sabbath in the yeare which was Easter Eve he was a murderer of Christ So he in his Epistle ad Philippenses The Canons attributed to the Apostles Can. 65. take notice of the misdemeanour though they condemne it not with so high a censure it being in them onely ordered that if a Clergie-man offended in that kinde he should be degraded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if any of the Laitie they should be excommunicated Which makes me marvell by the way that those which take such paines to justifie Ignatius as Baroniuâ— doth in Ann. 57. of his Grand Annales should yet condemne this Canon of imposture which is not so severe as Ignatius is onely because it speakes against the Saturdayes fast Whereof consult the Annales Ann. 102. Now as Ignatius labours here to advance the sabbath in opposition of those hereticks before remembred making it equally a festivall with the Lords day so being to deale with those which too much magnified the sabbath and thought the Christians bound unto it as the Iews had beene he bends himselfe another way and resolves it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Let us not keep the Sabbath in a Iewish manner in sloth and idlenesse for it is written that he that will not labour shall not eate and in the sweat of thy brows shalt thou eate thy bread But let us keepe it after a spirituall fashion not in bodily ease but in the studie of the law not eating meat drest yesterday or drinking luke-warme drinks or walking out a limited space or setling our delights as they did on dancing but in the contemplation of the works of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And after we have so kept the sabbath let every one that loveth Christ keep the Lords day festival the resurrection day the Queene and Empresse of all dayes in which our life was raised againe and death was overcome by our Lord â—nd Saviour So that we see that he would have both dayes observed the Sabbath first though not as would the Ebionites in a Iewish sort and after that the Lords day which he so much magnifieth the better to abate that high esteeme which some had cast upon the Sabbath Agreeable unto this we finde that in the Constitutions of the Apostles for by that name they passe though not made by them both dayes are ordered to be kept holy one in memoriall of the Creation the other of the Resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See the like l. 8. c. 33. of which more hereafter 3 And so it was observed in the Easterne parts where those of the dispersion had tooke up their seats and having long time had their meetings on the Sabbath day coâ—ld not so easily be perswaded from it But in the Westerne Churches in the which the Iews were not so considerable and where thoseâ— hereticks before remembred had beene hardly heard of it was plainly otherwise that day not onely not being honoured with their publicke meetings but destinate to a setled or a constant fast Some which have looked more nearely into the reasons of this difference conceive that they appointed this day for fasting in memory of Saint Peters conflict with Simon Magus which being to be done on a Sunday following the Church of Rome ordained a solemne fast on the day before the better to obtaine Gods blessing in so great a businesse which falling out as they desired they kept it for a fasting day for ever after Saint Austin so relates it as a generall and received opinion but then he addeâ— Quod eam esse falsam perhibeant plerique Romani That very many of the Romans did take it onely for a fable As for Saint Austin he conceives the reason of it to be the severall uses which men made of our Saviours resting in the grave the whole Sabbath day For thence it came to passe saith he that some especially the Easterne people Adrequiem significandam mallent relaxare jejunium to signifie and denote that rest did not use to fast where on the other side those of the Church of Rome and some Westerne Churches kept it alwayes fasting Propter humilitatem mortis Domini by reason that our Lord that day lay buried in the sleepe of death But as the Father comes not home unto the reason of this usage in the Easterne countries so in my minde Pope Innocent gives a likelier reason for the contrary custome in the Westerne For in a Decretall by him made touching the keeping of this Fast Coâ—cil Tom. â— he gives this reason of it unto Decentius Eugubinus who desired it of him because that day and the day before were spent by the Apostles in griefe and heavinesse Nam constat Apostolos biduo isto in moerore fuisse propter metum Iâ—daeorum se occulâ—isse as his words there are The like saith Platina that Innocentius did oâ—daine the Saturday or Sabbath to be alwayes fasted Quod tali die Christus in sepulchro jacuisset quod discipuli ejus jejunassent In Innocent Because our Saviour lay in the grave that day and it was fasted by his disciples Not that it was not fasted before Innocents time as some vainely thinke but that being formerly an arbitrary practiâ—e only it was by him intended for a binding Law Now as the African and the Westerne Churches were severally devoted either to the Church of Rome or other Churches in the East so did they follow in this matter of the Sabbaths fast the practice of those parts to which they did most adhere Millaine though neere to Rome followed the practice of the East which shewes how little power the Popes then had even within Italie it selfe Paulinus tels us also of S. Ambrose Invâ—ta Ambâ—os that he did never use to dine nisi die sabbati Dominicâ— c. but on the Sabbath the Lords day and on the Anniversaries of the Saints and Martyrs Yet so that when he was at Rome hee used to doe as they there did submitting to the orders of the Church in the which hee was Whence that so celebrated speech of his Cum hiâ— sum nonjejuno sabbato cum Romae sum jejuno sabbato at Rome he did at
Saviour the offering of the paschall Lambe his death and passion Sic Sabbatismus ille requiem annunciabat quae post hanc vitam poâ—ita est sanctis electis so did the Sabbath signifie that eternall rest which after this life is provided for the Saints and elect of God And more than this Spiritualis homo non uno die hebdomadis sed omni tempore sabbatizare satagit the true spirituall man keepes not his Sabbath once a weeke but at all times what ever every houre and minute What then would hee have no day set a part for Gods publicke service no but not the Sabbath Because saith he wee are not to rejoyce in this world that perisheth but in the sure and certaine hope of the resurrection therefore wee ought not rest the seventh day in sloath and idlenesse but we dispose our selves to prayers and hearing of the word of God upon the first day of the weeke on the which Christ rose cum summa cura providentes ut tam illo quam coeteris diebus feriati semper simus a servili opere peccati Provided alwayes that upon that and all dayes else we keepe our selves free from the servile Acts of sinne This was the Sabbath which they principally looked for in this present life never applying of that name to the Lords day in any of those monuments of learning they have lest behinde them The first who ever used it to denote the Lords day the first that I have met with in all this search is one Petrus Alfonsus he lived about the times that Rupertus did who calls the Lords day by the name of the Christian Sabbath Dies dominica dies viz. resurrectionis quae suâ—â— salvationis causa extitit Christianorum sabbatum est But this no otherwise to be construed then by Analogie and resemblance no otherwise than the feast of Easter is called the Christian Passeover and Whitsontide the Christian Pentecost As for the Saturday the old Sabbath day though it continued not a Sabbath yet it was still held in an high esteeme in the Easterne Churches counted a festivall day or at lest no fast and honoured with the meetings of the Congregation In reference to the first we finde how it was charged on the Church of Rome by the sixt Councell in Constantinople Anno 692 that in the holy time of Lent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they used to fast the Saturday which was directly contrary to the Canons of the Apostles as they there alleadge This also was objected by Photius Patriarke of Constantinople against Pope Nicolas of Rome Anno 867 and after that by Michael of Constantinople against Leo the ninth Anno 1053. which plainely shewes that in the Easterne Churches they observed it otherwise And in relation to the other we finde that whereas in the principall Church of Constantinople Curopâ—lâ—t the holy Sacrament was celebrated onely on the greater feasts as also on the Saturdayes and the Sundayes Sabbatis dominicis and not on other dayes as at Rome it was Coâ—stantine surnamed Mononiachus Anno 1054 enriched it with revenue and bestowed much faire plate upon it that so they might be able every day to performe that office Which proves sufficiently that Saturday was alwayes one in all publicke dueties and that it kept even pace with Sunday But it was otherwise of old in the Church of Rome where they did laborare jejunare as Humbertus saith in his defence of Leo the ninth against Nicetas And this with little opposition or interruption save that which had beene made in the Citty of Rome in the beginning of the seventh Century and was soone crushed by Gregory then Bishop there as before we noted And howsoever Vrban of that name the second Hect. Boâ—â— hist. l. â—2 did consecrate it to the weekely service of the blessed Virgin and instituted in the Councell held at Clermont Anno 1095 that our Ladies office Officium B. Marie should be sayd upon it Eandemque Sabbato quoque die prâ—cipua devotione populum Christianum colere debere and that upon that day all Christian folke should worship her with their best devotions yet it continued still as before it was a day of fasting and of working So that in all this time in 1200 yeares we have found no Sabbath nor doe we thinke to meete with any in the times that follow either amongst the Schoolemen or amongst the Protestants which next shall come upon the Stage CHAP. VI. What is the judgement of the Schoolemen and of the Protestants and what the practise of those Churches in this Lords day businesse 1 That in the judgement of the Schoolemen the keeping of one day in seven is not the morall part of the fourth Commandement 2 As also that the Lords day is not founded on Divinâ— authority but the authority of the Church 3 A Catalogue of the holy dayes drawne up in the Councell of Lyons and the new Doctrine of the Schooles touching the native sanctitie of the holy dayes 4 In what estate the Lords day stood in matter of restraint from labour at the Reformation 5 The Reformatours finde great fault both with the sayd new doctrine and restraints from labour 6 That in the judgement of the Protestant divines the keeping of one day in seven is not the morall part of the fourth Commandement 7 as that the Lords day hath no ground on which to stand then the authority of the Church 8 And that the Church hath power to change the day and to transferre it to some other 9 What is the practise of all Churches the Roman Lutheran and Calvinian chiefâ—ly in mattâ—r of Devotion rest from labour and sufferance of lawfull pleasures 10 Dancing cryed downe by Calvin and the French Churches not in râ—lation to the Lords day but the sport it selfe 11 In what estate the Lords day stands in the Easterne Churches and that the Saturday is no lesse esteemed of by the Ethiopians then the said Lords day 1 WEe are now come unto an Age wherein the learning of the world began to make a different shew from what it did to such a period of time in which was made the greatest alteration in the whole fabricke of the Church that ever any time could speake of The Schoolemen who sprung up in the beginning of the thirteenth Age contracted learning which before was diffused and scattered into fine subtilties and distinctions the Protestants in the beginning of the sixteenth endeavouring to destroy those buildings which with such diligence and curiosity had beene erected by ihe Schoole men though they conscented well enough in the present businesse so farre as it concernd the institution either of the Lords day or the Sabbath Of these and what they taught and did in reference to the point in hand wee are now to speake taking along with us such passages of especiall note as hapned in the Christian world by which wee may learne any thing that concernes our businesse And first beginning
with the Schoolemen they tell us generally of the Sabbath that it was a Ceremony and that the fourth Commandement is of a different nature from the other nine That whereas all the other precepts of the Decalogue are simply morall the fourth which is the third in their account is partly morall partly ceremoniall Morale quidem quantum ad hoc quod homo depuâ—et aliquod tempus vitae suae advacandum divinis c. 2 2. qu. 122. art 4. ad 1. Morall it is in this regard that men must set apart some particular time for Gods publicke service it being naturall to man to destinate particular times to particular actions as for his dinner for his sleepe and such other actions Sedin quantum in hoc praecepto determinatur speciale tempus in signum creationis mundi sic est praeceptum ceremoniale But in as much as that there is a day appointed in the Law it selfe in token of Gods rest and the Worlds creation in that respect the Law is ceremoniall And ceremoniall too they make it in referrence to the Allegory out Saviours resting in the grave that day and in relation to the Analogicall meaning of it as it prefigureth our eternall rest in the Heaven of glories Finally they conclude of the fourth Commandement that it is placed in the Decalogue in quantum est praeceptum morale non in quantum est ceremoniale onely so farre forth as it is morall and not as ceremoniall that is that wee are bound by the fourth Commandement to destinate some time to Gods publick service which is simply morall but not the Seventh day which is plainely ceremoniall Aquinas so resolves it In â—raâ— de Sabbato for all the restâ— his judgement in this point if Doctor Prideaux note be true as I have no reason but to thinke so being universally embraced and followed by all the Schoolemen of what sect soever So that in him we have them all all of them consonant in this point to make up the harmony however dissonant enough in many others But that this consent may appeare the more ful perfect we will take notice of two others men famous in the Schooles and eminent for the times in which they lived First Bonaventure who lived in the same time with Aquinas and dyed the same yeare with him which was 1274. hath determined thus Intelligendum est quod praeâ—eptum illud habet aliquid quod est mere morale c. Serm. de dcceâ— precepâ— It is to be conceived saith he that in the fourth Commandement there is something which is simply morall some thing againe that is plainely ceremoniall and something mixt The sanctifying of a day is morall the sanctifying of a seventh day ceremoniall rest from the workes of labour being mixt of both Quod praecipit deus sanctificationem est Praeceptum morale Est in hoc praecepto aliquid ceremoniale ut figuratio diei septimae Item continetur aliquid quod est partim morale partim ceremoniale ut cessatio ab operibus Lastly To status Bishop of Avila in Spaine hath resolved the same aliquid est in eo juris naturalis aliquid legalis In Exod. 20. qu. 11. that in the fourth Commandement there is some thing naturall and something legall that it is partly morâ—ll and partly ceremoniall Naturale est quod dum DeuÌ„ colimus abalij sab stineamus c. Moral naturall it is that for the time we worship God doe abstaine from every thing of what kind soever which may divert our thoughts from that holy action But that wee should designe in every weeke one day unto that employment and that the whole day bee thereto appointed and that in all that day a man shall doe no manner of worke those things hee reckoneth there to be ceremoniall 2 So for the Lords day 2. 2a qu. 122. art 4. ad 4. it is thus determined by Aquinas that it depends on the authority of the Church the custome and consent of Gods faithfull servants and not on any obligation layd upon us by the fourth Commandement Diei dominicae observantia in nova lege â—uccedit observantiae sabbati non ex vi praecepti legis sed ex constitutione ecclesiae consuetudine populi Christiani What followeth thereupon Et ideo non est itae arcta prohibitio operandi in die dominica sicut in die Sabbati Therefore saith he the prohibition of doing no worke on the Lords day is not so rigorous and severe as upon the Sabbath many things being licenced on the one which were forbidden on the other as dressing meate and others of that kind and nature And not so onely but hee gives us a dispensatur facilius in nova lege an easier hope of dispensation under the Gospel in case upon necessity we meddle with prohibited labours then possibly could have beene gotten under the Law The like To status tells us though in different words save that he doth extend the prohibition as well to all the feasts of the Old Testament as all the holy dayes of the new and neither to the Sabbath nor the Lords day onely In veteri lege major fuit strictio in observatione festorum quam in nova lege In Exod. 20. qu. 13. How so In omnibus enim festivitatibus nostris quantâ—cunque sint c. Because saith he in all our festivalls how great soever whether they bee the Lords dayes or the feasts of Easter or any of the higher ranke it is permitted to dresse meate and to kindle fire c. As for the grounds whereon they stood he makes this difference betweene them that the Iewes Sabbath had its warrant from divine commandement but that the Lords day though it came in the place thereof is founded onely on 〈◊〉 constitution In Math. 23. qu. 148. 〈◊〉 Sabbatum â—x man 〈◊〉 cujus 〈◊〉 successit dies dominica tamen manifestum est quod observatio dici dominicae non est de jure divino 〈…〉 Canonico This is plaine enough and this he prooves because the Church hath still a power 〈◊〉 illum diem vel totaliter tollere either to change the â—ay or take it utterly away and to dispense touching the keeping of the same which possibly it neither could noâ— ought to doe were the Lords day of any other institution then the Churches onely They onely have the power to repeale a Law which had power to make it Qui habeâ— institutionem habet destitutionem as is the Bishops plea in a Quare Impedit As for the first of these two powers that by the Church the day may be transferred and abrogated Suarez hath thus distinguished in it verum id esse absolute non practice that is as I conceive his meaning that such a power is absolutely in the Church though not convenient now to be put in practise According unto that of S. Paul which probably was the ground of the distinction All things are lawfull for me but