Covenants of promise made with the Iewes saith with an affirmative interrogation Who doth not honour the sacred and holy day that returneth every weeke But besides that it may be hee spoke hyperbolically and led away with a Iewish affection towards the ceremonies of his owne Nation he designes at the most some reverend opinion which the observation of that day solemnized with so great devotion amongst the Iewes had purchased amongst forraine Nations which seeing that Iewish discipline and devotion were in a manner forced to admire it And not that they also kept it commonly as being or holding that they were naturally obliged thereunto It is manifest that wee must give this interpretation to these words of Philo by other places where in the same yea in stronger termes hee saith the like of the fast observed solemnely by the Iewes on a certaine day of the yeere Who saith hee doth not worship with admiration the feast which returneth yeerely in the sacred month And in generall speaking of all the statutes observed by the Iewes and of all the Lawes given by Moses hee saith that men of all other Nations almost had them in some veneration This Moses had foretold in the Booke of Deuteronomy Chap. 4. vers 6. where speaking to the people of the Statutes and Iudgements which hee had taught them even as the LORD his God commanded him hee saith Keepe therefore and doe them for this is your wisedome and your understanding in the sight of all Nations which shall heare all these Statutes and shall say Surely this great Nation alone is awise and understanding people Thus Philo sheweth cleerely enough that the Gentiles knew nothing of the Sabbath day no more then of the other ordinances of Moses but by the relation of the Iewes Hee attributeth nothing to the Sabbath but hee affirmeth the same of all other ordinances of the Law and therefore no man can build upon his words a more universall obligation for the Sabbath then for all the rest of the Iewish ceremonies For who will say that the fast and other ceremonies which he speakes of in the same discourse obliged by a naturall or positive Law other Nations or that they were ordinarily practised among them Likewise when he saith in his Booke of the workemanship of the World that the Sabbath day is a feast not of one people only but of all Nations hee uttereth onely his opinion concerning the dignity and merit of that day and not what was in effect practised amongst other Nations as hee explaineth his owne words adding This day is worthy to be called a feast of all Natitions although no Nation in the world the Iewes excepted hath ever solemnized it with a common and ordinary observation And indeed this learned man writing in his Booke upon the Decalogue that the fourth Commandement ordaineth the seventh day and an holy and pious observation thereof hee appropriates that saying to the Iewes adding that every seventh day is holy to the Iewes and faith onely of other Nations that some of them observed a seventh day every moneth beginning to reckon the daies by the new Moone If perhaps some amongst these people reverenced and observed the seventh day of the weeke in some sort that came not from a naturall instinct inforcing them thereunto nor from any knowledge derived unto them by the Traditions and Instructions of their Fathers but from imitations of the Iewes from whose practice and fashions in their religious devotions and amongst the rest in the observation and celebration of the Sabbath questionlesse many particularities were introduced amongst the Gentiles in the celebration of their feasts and solemnities As some among them taking example from the Iewes circumcised their children 3 This is the meaning of Iosephus in his second Booke against Appion when hee saith that other Nations had zeale and emulation for the piety and religion of the Iewes and forthwith alledgeth the custome of the seventh day as which was come to them all Of which passage those that alledged it cannot take an argument for the moralitie and perpetuitie of the Sabbath day more then for the other ceremonies of the Iewes admitted and allowed of all which the same people and Nations imitated and whereof Iosephus speaketh in the same place For hee mentioneth with the seventh day the fasts lights prohibition of certaine meats which hee saith also to have beene observed by them not for any reason and naturall obligation that they saw in these things or in the Sabbath more than in the rest but through a facility and inclination of mans spirit to imitate the outward fashions of devotion which are practised by others 9 These passages of Philo of Iosephus and others gathered out of other authors Iewes Pagans Christians which make mention of a common knowledge of the seventh day of Sabbath among the Gentiles and also of some kinde of observation thereof amongst some of them are of no use For all these authors have written long yea some thousand yeeres and more after the establishment of the Iewish government and religion At which time the Ordinance that God had given to the Iewes about the Sabbath might have beene knowne of all Nations and imitated of those who thought fit so to doe Were not the ten Tribes transported out of their native soile and dispersed among the Medes Perses and other Nations Had not the Iewes beene captives in Babylon threescore and ten yeeres and sent home by Cyrus afore any man amongst the Gentiles set his hand to a penne to write Histories Were not the Iewes spred over the whole Roman Empire before CHRIST came into the World What wonder then if their rites and ceremonies were knowne every where yea and followed by those of the Gentiles that became Proselytes such as was the Ethiopian Evnuch in his owne Countrey Acts 8. vers 27. The Roman Centurion Cornelius in Cesaria Acts 10. verse 2. Another Centurion in Capernaum Luke 7. verse 4 5. and more during the Empire of the Romans and may be before it also What if whole Nations had imbraced all the Iewish ceremonies or a part of them or the Sabbath onely and a thousand Writers should give testimony thereunto can wee out of that cloud of Heathen Iewish or Christian witnesses make a necessary inference that the observation of a seventh day of Sabbath is a point of the naturall and morall law or that it had sway as soone as the world began Which is the maine point in this question to be thorowly sifted out and cleerely proved As for the passages of a few heathenish Poets Linus Homere Hesiode which speake of the seventh day as of a holy day that all things were made in exceptions may be taken against them because either they are not to be found in those authors upon whom they are fathered and therefore they are justly suspected to be a Cuckoes egges or are mis-taken and wrested into a contrary meaning which is most cleere in the passage of
of the Apostle 4. First answer In that place the Apostle speaketh not directly of any rest ordained to man but onely of Gods rest 5. Second answer Indirectly Gods rest on the seventh day and the rest of the Iewes commanded to them afterwards being as types and figures of the heavenly rest applyed unto the said words prove not that both are one rest and the one as ancient as the other 6. Confirmation of this answer 7. Answer to the first argument It is not necessary to understand that Gods rest on the seventh day is a rest given to man as the two other rests of God must be so understood 8. Answer to the second argument shewing by the exposition of the words of the Apostle that there is no equivocation to be found in them although the rest of God in one place be not understood of a rest given to man as in the two other places 9. Answer to the third argument shewing there is no defect in the argumentation of the Apostle although he speaketh not directly of the rest ordained in the fourth Commandement THEY object also from the fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes that the Apostle citeth out of the 95. Psalme verse 11. and applyeth to the Hebrewes the threat denounced of old against the incredulous Israelites in the daies of Moses that they should never enter into his rest That the Psalmist adapted it also to the Iewes of his time exhorting them not to harden their hearts when they shall heare the voice of God as their Fathers have done lest they also should come short of entring into his rest That I say the Apostle citing that threat as applyed by the Psalmist to his time observeth that God at that time spoke on this wise I have sworne in my wrath if they shall enter into my rest although his workes were finished from the foundation of the world For he spake in a certaine place to wit in the second Chapter of Genesis of the seventh day on this wise And God rested the seventh day from all his workes And that from thence the Apostle maketh this inference that God in this threat wherein hee spake in Davids time of a rest to come whereof the Israelites should come short could not understand the rest of the seventh day mentioned in the second of Genesis because that rest had a great sway from the foundation of the world As hee sheweth also in the verses following that it could not be taken for the rest of the Land of Canaan because Ioshuah a long time before had brought the Israelites into that rest and therefore of necessity God spake of another rest then of these two to wit of a spirituall and heavenly rest which those that beleeve are admitted into and all those that beleeve not come short of 2 They endeavour to make out of this discourse this illation that the observation of the Sabbath day was ordained to all men from the beginning of the world even from that seventh day wherein God rested from all his workes For they put in this the force of the argumentation of the Apostle to wit That the rest of the seventh day was not to be understood in the threat denounced in Davids time against the Israelites that they should never enter into Gods rest because men were already entred into it from the beginning of the world as it is written And God rested the seventh day from all his workes and is so cited by the Apostle and by them urged as impossible to be understood onely of Gods resting from all his works after he had finished them and as of necessity to be taken for a rest ordained of God to men which at that same time hee brought them into 3 Because even as the Apostle by the other rest of the land of Canaan which he alledgeth also and by the heavenly rest which he mentioneth likewise understands a rest that men enter into and whereof they have an enjoying and possession the one and the other being called Gods rest because he puts them in possession of them likewise by the rest of God on the seventh day which hee maketh mention of as of a thing which had sway when the workes of God were finished from the beginning of the world he understands necessarily a rest which men enjoyed and practised at that same time after Gods example For otherwise and if it had not belonged to men in vaine had the Apostle excepted it as a thing that could not be understood in Gods threat As also there should be an equivocation in this that the Apostle making mention of three rests of God to wit of the rest of the seventh day of the rest of the land of Canaan and of the heavenly rest should by the first understand a rest whereby God onely rested and belonging to him alone and by the two others a rest which he had given or was to give to men for their rest That moreover if by the rest of the seventh day he had not understood a rest ordained to men from the beginning but only Gods owne rest his argumentation should be defective and subject to an easie reply because he had omitted the rest which out of all doubt God instituted at least in the fourth Commandement concerning which rest seeing hee excluded it not the Hebrewes might have replyed unto him that God understood and denoted it in that threat wherewith hee threatned the Israelites by David that they should not enter into his rest and so hee had not obtained his end which was to shew that God speaketh there of the heavenly rest and not of any other 4 To all this reasoning which to some that make use of it seemeth to be of great weight to others but light and probable I answer shortly that albeit it hath some shew it hath not strength enough to prove that which is in question to wit that the observation of the Sabbath day was ordained to man from the beginning of the world For the Apostle in the place above cited ver 3. 4. speaketh not expresly of any rest ordained to man nor that men had at that time entred into any rest nay he maketh no mention that God had blessed and sanctified the Sabbath day but saith that God did rest the seventh day as soone as his works were finished Therefore it is not his scope to teach that the rest of the seventh day was kept by men from the foundation of the world and that for that cause God could not understand it when in the daies of David he spake to the Israelites of a new entrance into his rest For if hee had propounded to himselfe that end doubtlesse he had uttered it in more expresse tearmes at least he had rather cited these words of the second Chapter of Genesis And God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it which had manifestly beene more unto the purpose then these others And the seventh day God rested from all his workes
Altera ceremonialis ac temporaria videlicet ut tempus illud sit dies septimus There are two parts of this Commandement one morall and perpetuall namely that a Sabbath be sanctified that is to say some set time is to bee appointed to divine service or the publike worship of God Another ceremoniall and temporary namely that that time should be a seventh day Item Cùm igitur Sabbathum septimi diei typus fuerit admonens populum de suo officio seu de pietate erga Deum de beneficio Dei erga populum per Christum praestando unà cum aliis ceremoniis adventu Christi per quem est impletum quod illa significabant abrogatum est Quod etiam Paulus testatur Col. 2. Seeing therefore a seventh dayes rest was a type remembring the people both of their duty or piety towards God and also of Gods bountifulnesse towards them which in Christ was to be manifested both it and the other ceremonies at the comming of Christ were abolished by whom was fulfilled that which they signified Which also S. Paul Col. 2. doth testifie Item Decalogus est perpetuus quatenus est Moralis Appendices autem sive determinationes moralium praeceptorum significationis causâ usque ad Messiam servandae The Decalogue is perpetuall so farre as it is morall but the appurtenances and determinations of the morall precepts such as is that of the Sabbath are because of that which they typifie to last till Christ. Et capite de lege divina Quaest. 1. Quae sint partes legis divinae Leges morales inquit non sunt certis circumstantiis definitae sed sunt generales ut tempus aliquod esse dandum ministerio c. Leges verò ceremoniales forenses sunt speciales sive circumstantiarum determinatio quae observandae sunt in ritibus vel actionibus externis Ecclesiasticis politicis ut septimum diem esse tribuendum ministerio c. The morall Lawes are not limited by circumstances but are generall and indefinite as that some time is to be assigned to divine service c. But the ceremoniall and judiciall lawes are speciall or are the very determination of the circumstances which are to be observed in outward rites or actions whether Ecclesiasticall or civill as that a seventh day is to be assigned to divine service c. Viret on the fourth Commandement towards the end We must distinguish as is fit betwixt the ceremonie of this precept and that which it retaineth of the law of nature imprinted in every mans heart for setting apart the ceremonie of it yet notwithstanding our conscience beareth witnesse unto us if we hold this for a certain truth that there is a God to whom we owe honour and glory that it is necessary that we hearken to his word and that both we and all ours be carefull of the ministery of the same which he hath ordained Zanchius in explicat 4 praecept Apostolus ad Col. 2. 17. aperte ait praeter alia ceremonialia Sabbatum etiam fuisse umbram rerum futurarum corpus autem hoc est veritatem earum rerum esse in Christo. The Apostle Col. 2. 17. saith in plaine termes that besides the other ceremonies the Sabbath also was a shadow of things to come but that the body that is to say the truth of them was in Christ. Item Mandatum quartum ceremoniale est quatenus talem diem nempe septimum diem quem Sabbatum vocant exercitio divini cultus destinat praescribit Ita ad solos Indaeos pertinuit nsque ad Christum Per Christum autem unà cum aliis ceremoniis abrogatm fuit The fourth Commandement is ceremoniall so far as it appointeth and prescribeth for divine worship such a day namely a seventh day which is called the Sabbath And thus considered it pertained to the Iewes onely till Christs time But by Christ it was abrogated together with the rest of the ceremonies Item Although elsewhere he declareth his opinion to be that the Sabbath hath beene celebrated since the beginning of the world notwithstanding here he speaketh of it as of a thing questionable as of a private opinion of certaine men Quomodo autem sanctificavit inquit non solum decreto voluntate sed re ipsa quia illum diem ut non pauci voluâ—â— probabile est mandavit primis hominibus sanctificandum How did he sanctifie it speaking of the Sabbath Not onely by his decree and purpose but really and in very deed because he commanded our first parents to hallow it as is the opinion of a great many and it is also probable And afterwards disputing against the Sabbatarians who will have all Christians obliged to the observation of the seventh day because the fourth Commandement is morall and concerneth all nations which they prove thus because say they from the beginning before Moses Law was given God sanctified it and the Patriarches kept it holy To which he answereth Quod â—iunt Patres ante legem diem septimum sanctificâsse quanquam hoc non facili apertè demonstrari potest ex S. literis sicut Tertullian adv Indaeos contendit ego tamen non contradixerim Sed quod inferunt esse igitur naturale ita ut etiam ad nos pertineat tam facile sequitur si dicas Patres ante legem offerebant animalia item circumcidebantur Ergo utrumque naturale est ideò utrumque etiam à nobis praestari debet As for that which they affirme that the Fathers before the Law kept holy the seventh day although this cannot easily and clearely be proved out of Scripture which also Tertullian adv Iudaeos doth maintaine notwithstanding I for my part will not gainesay it But the consequence which thence they inferre that therefore this Law is morall and concerneth us also is as pertinent as if you should argue thus The Fathers before the Law did offer the sacrifices of beasts and were also circumcised therefore both are morall and are to bee performed by us also Item Non ita morale est quin etiam sit ceremoniale mandatum hoc de Sabbato Morale est quatenus natura docet piet as postulat ut aliquis dies destinetur quieti ab operibus servilibus quo divino cultui vacare possit Ecclesia Ceremoniale est ad Iudaeos particulariter pertinens quatenus septimus fuit praescriptus non alius This precept of the Sabbath is not so morall but that also it is ceremoniall It is morall thus farre in that nature teacheth us and piety bindeth us to it that some one day be appointed to a rest from servile works that the Church may more freely give it selfe to the worship of God It is ceremoniall and peculiarly belongeth to the Iewes so farre as a seventh day is prescribed by it and no other Item Substantia hujus praecepti quatenns ad nos quoque pertinet confirmatum à Christo non est ut diem septimum
had observed the same course towards Adam for that commandement as hee did for all the rest and for all the rest as for that which neverthelesse he did not For he ingraved the substance and tenor of all the other Commandements in Adams heart and made him to know them naturally without any instruction by word of mouth whereof he had no need But he wrote not in his heart the knowledge of the fourth Commandement seeing as they say he declared it unto them by audible words resounding in his eares that he might know it whence it followeth that all the rest are morall but this is not whereof we shall have occasion to discourse more largely in the first Chapter of the second part of this Treatise 2 Of those that defend the morality of one Sabbath day in the weeke some seeke to decline the weight and edge of the foresaid arguments by a frivolous distinction saying that morall things are of two sorts the one that are founded in the Law of nature and therefore oblige all men naturally The others that are of a positive Law depend on institution and notwithstanding are parts of the morall Law of a perpetuall necessity and of an immutable right as well as all other morall precepts are that the morall Law as it is morall is of farre greater extension then is the Law of nature and that the Sabbath is morall in this last sort 3 But first they speake against the ordinary sence and custome of all men who by the word morall understand that which is naturally and universally just that is which reason when it is not misled and the inward Law of nature dictateth by common principles of honesty or ought to dictate to all men of it selfe without any outward Vsher This Law all men take for the Law of nature and reciprocally they take the Law of nature for this Law which is proved by the ordinary and common distinction that all Divines make betweene the morall ceremoniall and judiciall Lawes which in former times God gave to the Iewes in which distinction they referre to the last hands and sorts all the positive ordinances which pertained to the ecclesiasticall or civill government and to the first the ordinances and rules of the Law of nature wherof these others were circumstantiall appendices and determinations Nay morall signifieth onely the duties of essentiall godlinesse and righteousnesse in things belonging naturally to good and holy manners towards GOD or towards man whether in doing good or departing from evill and not all things that may be usefull and in some sort may bee referred to the rules of good behaviour Otherwise things ceremoniall and judiciall as such should not bee distinguished from morall things for these also have an usefull reference to the foresaid duties of good and godly behaviour And therefore if the ordinance of the Sabbath although advowed to bee a positive Law is notwithstanding called morall it shall bee in one and the same respect both morall and ceremoniall and all ther ceremonies may after the same manner challenge the name of Moralities which is absurd 4 Secondly after they have confessed the Sabbath to bee a part of the positive Law grounded only on the order and discipline that GOD was pleased to establish they broach an affirmation without ground and without reason when they say therewith that it is of an immutable right and carrieth with it a perpetuall obligation For where and from whence is there any evidence of this doth this right belong to all things that are of the positive Law Their condition and nature giveth it unto them Will any Divine any Lawgiver any Logician make of this a probleme and hold for the affirmative Away with Sophistry and captious dealing It must bee the revealed will of God that matcheth positive with naturall Lawes and marketh them with the silver stampe of immutability Now if GOD hath not communicated this dignity with any positive Law ordained by him from the beginning of the world till this day what appearance is there that he hath given it as it were by birth-right to the Sabbath Have they to underprop this their assertion any cleere and evident testimony brought from the unreprocheable truth of holy Scripture For we make no account of any mans bare affirmation But the whole drift of the discourse following shall shew more and more God willing how short they come of their promises and of the But and Blank they aime at CHAPTER third REASON 3. 1. The Pagans never knew neither by Nature nor by Tradition the necessity of the keeping of a Seventh day of Sabbath 2. Yet they knew all morall duties commanded in the first and second Table of the morall Law 3. They knew also that God is to be served publikely and that a part of his service consisted in the offering of Sacrifices 4. They knew likewise by naturall light that some dayes are to be appointed for his service and are blamed for the transgression of all other Commandements that are morall c. 5. But are never blamed for the inobservation of one day of Seven 6. Nay they did laugh to scorne the Iewish Sabbath 7. Answer to an objection taken out of Philo against the foresaid affirmation 8. To another from IOSEPHUS 9. As also to other passages of diverse Authors Pagans Iewes and Christians which serve to overthrow it 10. The Pagans did never keepe regularly for their publike devotions any other Seventh day of the weeke 11. Yea are never reproved for any such omission 12. Reply to this answer 13. First answer to the said reply 14. Second answer unto it 1 MY third argument shall be taken from this that the Gentiles never knew by naturall light nor also by tradition come unto them from hand to hand by the care of their fore-Fathers the necessity of the keeping of the Seventh day of the weeke and never practised any such day Surely if it were a morality and a point of the Law of Nature or if GOD had prescribed it by a particular Commandement to Adam willing him to sanctifie it particularly and to celebrate in it the remembrance of his workes and rest hee had done it purposely that Adam should instruct his off-spring to the like seeing there was a like reason for them and for him Yea all his progeny and successors in whom abideth still the Law of Nature although darkened with sinne had knowne in some sort by the residue of the light of Nature glittering in them that they were bound to keepe a Seventh Day At least the notice of this Commandement which is pretended to have beene given to their first Father from the beginning should have come to them by Tradition successively from the Fathers to the Children till their dayes For we see that all the Gentiles by the light of Nature and by Tradition have had some knowledge of all things that in themselves are good and lawfull and of all morall precepts 2 They have knowne that one
that although God had ordained by the Law of Moses that his people should surcease from all outward and servile workes on the Sabbath day yet he required not that cessation as a thing essentiall to his service or so necessary that it could not upon any occasion be lawfull to man to doe such workes on that day but rather that authority and power was given him according to Gods intention in case hee were forced thereunto by some urgent necessity As for example the saving or sustaining of his life For the keeping of the Sabbath was not the scope and end which man was made for or a thing of so great consideration before God as is the conservation of the necessary interests of man For if that had beene it should not have been lawfull to man to breake it upon any case or necessity whatsoever but nill he will he he must be subject to the most straite observation thereof notwithstanding any danger whatsoever hee may fall into thereby Nay man was rather the scope and end of the Sabbath and of the observation thereof and his interests were of greater importance then they And therefore when mans goods life or reputation are in jeopardy the Sabbath must give place unto them as being a thing wherein consisteth not properly and essentially the glory and service of God and which is to be kept onely as a helpe to his service when stronger and more profitable considerations for the glory and service of God bind not to the contrary as they doe when life honour or such other things of great consequence to man come in question For then it is more expedient for the glory and service of God that a mans life honour goods c. be saved by some worke otherwise forebidden on the Sabbath day then that with a manifest hazard of his life honour or goods he should tie himselfe to a precise keeping of the Sabbath and to a scrupulous cessation which in such a case should become superstitious It is questionlesse that the matter was to be taken so under the old Testament and this is the maine point that Christ intended to maintaine and verifie against the Pharisees which urged a so precise and strict observation of the Sabbath that it turned to the prejudice and damage of man made man slave of the Sabbath subjected not the Sabbath to man and GOD so inthralled man with the keeping of that day that it was a thing unlawfull unto him to prepare and take in his pinching hunger a mouthfull of meate for his sustenance although hee should starve and perish for want of food 3 Vpon this reasoning of Iesus Christ it followeth clearely that the keeping of a seventh day of Sabbath appointed in the fourth Commandement is not morall For first Christ sorts it with the observations commanded in the Law touching the Shew-bread the sacrifices and other ceremoniall services of the Temple Matth. 12. vers 6. as being of the same nature that is belonging simply to the Iudaicall policie order and government And all the strength of his argument is grounded upon this point that the Sabbath is of the same nature with these ceremonies and therefore as they might be dispensed with keeping of them if stronger reasons obliged them to the contrary so they might sometimes be released from the forbearing of all workes on the Sabbath day if they had just and necessary reason to doe some workes that day Else the Pharisees might have most easily replyed that although David in his hunger tooke the liberty to eat the Shew-bread which was not lawfull to eate but to the Priests and albeit it was lawfull to any man to preferre the workes of mercy in his owne or in his neighbours necessity to sacrifice yet it followed not that hunger could give him any licence to breake the Sabbath because these observations concerning the Shew-bread and the Sacrifices were but ceremonies which might be sometimes omitted and dispensed with whereas the Sabbath and the keeping of it was a thing morall and undispensable 4 Secondly Iesus Christ saith that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath Marke 2. verse 27. Now it cannot be said of any thing truely morall and ordained of God by a morall Commandement that it is made for man and not man for it that it is the end of man and not man the end of it that it should yeeld to the interests of man and not man to the interests of it For example dare any man be so bold as to say that the Commandements to have no other GOD but the true GOD to shunne Idolatry to abstaine from blaspheming and profaning in any manner the name of GOD to honour Father and Mother not to be a Murtherer a Whoremunger a Thiefe a false Witnesse not to covet another mans goods not to love GOD and the neighbour are made for man and not man for them and that man may dispense with them for his owe particular interests Verily it is not lawfull to a man to breake these Commandements as it is lawfull to him to breake the Sabbath for his owne conservation in any thing that hath reference unto him Nay hee should tread under foot all his owne interests rather then transgresse in any of those points Which sheweth evidently that the Commandement concerning the Sabbath is not of the same nature that these others are of That these are morall are of the Law of nature have in themselves an essentiall justice and equity and for that cause are undispensable so binding conscience at all times that it cannot be lawfull at any time to doe any thing against them That this of the Sabbath was onely a Commandement of order of ceremoniall policie of a positive Law and for that cause liable to dispensation and abrogation as in effect it was dispensed with in the forenamed occasions and CHRIST by his comming into the world hath abolished under the new Testament the particular Commanment given concerning it 5 The observation which is made by some that Christ saith that man was not made for the Sabbath or for the day of rest but saith not that man was not made to sanctifie the Sabbath is but a vaine subtilty For by the Sabbath Christ understandeth both the rest of the day and the day of rest For in the Scripture the word Sabbath signifieth the one and the other And seeing the observation and sanctification of the day consisted at least in part in a rest and cessation of all externall workes as is evident by the words of the fourth Commandement and of Exodus Chap. 31. v. 14 15. and of Ieremiah Chap. 17. vers 22. 24. yea seeing this sanctification onely was proper unto it and particularly tied unto it and seeing it taketh from it the name of Sabbath wherewith it is honored to say that man is not made for the rest or cessation and is not necessarily tied unto it but may dispense with it not through a fancy and at
nor also of Gods rest which in effect hath continued ever since because this other rest which it figured shall never have an end 7 Now this figure of Gods resting from the works of grace which he had first resolved and determined in himselfe and founded upon his owne rest from the workes of nature was intimated by him when giving his Law to the Israelites he commanded to forbeare all workes and by that cessation to sanctifie the seventh day which he had rested in to the intent that this day and their cessation on it as an image correspondent in some sort to the example of his owne rest should be unto them likewise a type and figure of the eternall rest which they should obtaine in heaven after all the workes and toiles of this life according to his good pleasure whereby he had ordained from the beginning that it should be so And so Gods rest on the seventh day after the creation was ended and the rest which he ordained also to the Israelites on that same day after their six daies worke were in effect two types of one and the same thing to wit of the accomplishment of the salvation and of the blessednesse and glory of the faithfull in heaven but in divers respects according as this accomplishment may have relation either to God or to the faithfull To God as to the author who having begun and furthered it will also accomplish and perfect it in which respect it hath had properly Gods rest for figure To the faithfull as unto those which shall injoy and possesse the benefit thereof after the turmoile of their irkesome workes in this world In which regard it had properly for type the rest ordained to the Israelites It is likely that the Apostle in consideration of this mystery when he speaketh vers 9. of the heavenly rest calleth it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he doth in all the former verses but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 using a word taken from the Sabbath of the Iewes and that purposely to teach us that the Sabbath of the Iewes in the relation it had to Gods rest on the seventh day which it was founded upon was a figure of the eternall rest prepared for the faithfull 8 And indeed the Iewes have alwaies understood it so For they teach that this rest of the seventh day was a type of the rest prepared for Gods people in the world to come Whereunto they apply this Title of the 92. Psalme A Psame of song for the Sabbath day saying that this Psalme is a song for the time to come to wit for the day of eternall life which is all Sabbath all an holy rest signified also by the Sabbath named jointly with the new Moones in Isaiah 66. Chapter verse 23. Where God saith that from one New Moone to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before him Which words being applyed to the estate and condition of the world to come as they may be most fitly give to understand that the New Moones and the Sabbaths wherein holy convocations and solemne actions of Gods service were practised were types and figures of the great convocation of all that are his in his heavenly kingdome and of the eternall rest which they shall enjoy there serving him without interruption because there is no intervall no space there betweene the Sabbaths and the New Moones that is betweene the times appointed for rest and the solemne service of GOD as there was under the Law among the Iewes but one Sabbath following immediately another one New Moone succeeding without interposition another as the words of the Text doe import and the whole time being nothing else then a continuall Sabbath that is a perpetuall tenor an unintermitted continuance without change of serving God after a most glorious and unconceivable manner And as God after he had created and made all his workes in sixe dayes ceased on the seventh day ceased I say not simply but with pleasure and content enjoying that glory which from hence redounded unto him even so he shall then rejoyce and magnifie himselfe on that day in all his faithfull in whom he shall have accomplished his glorious work of their redemption and they reciprocally shall rejoyce in him shall rest from their labours and their workes shall follow them Revel 14. ver 3. That is they shall receive pleasure glory and reward of all their good works and shall inherite a glorious rest conformable in some sort to Gods rest Vndoubtedly the use which the Sabbath day had to be a type and figure of this heavenly rest was the cause that God did so precisely urge the Iewes to observe and keepe it inviolably For he designed by so severe an injunction of the exact observation of the typâ— the great importance and necessity of the thing signified thereby 9 Of this I inferre first that the day of rest seeing it was ordained to be a type and figure of the heavenly and eternall rest which Iesus Christ was to purchase to those that are his â—onsâ—â—ering â—â—so that the Scripture for no other â—ause maketh mention oâ— Gods resting on that day and hallowing of it out for this typicall and mâ—sterious use that say I that day was not ordained to Adam from the beginning to bee kept by him in the state of innocency because there is great cause to beleeve that although Adam had persevered in that state and condition he should not have entred into the heavenly rest but had enjoyed simply a terrestriall and eternall blessednesse here below in the Paradise of Heden where God had put him because the heavenly happinesse is alwayes proposed in the Scripture as a supernaturall gift of the grace of God through Christ Iesus and not at all as a naturall grace And it is in that respect that the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romanes Chapter 5. ver 15. 16 17. saith that we receive much more in Iesus Christ then we have lost in Adam and that there is a superaboundance of grace by IESUS CHRIST towards us going farre beyond all the losse wee have made in Adam which could not be said if we had lost any thing over and above an earthly felicity and immortality in these lower parts and if Adam persisting in the state of integrity was to be after many ages on earth received into the kingdome of heaven To which belongeth also that which is written in the fifteenth Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians where the Apostle making a distinction betweene Adam and Christ saith verse 45. that Adam was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into a living soule that is to live a naturall life on earth and to communicate it to his off-spring but Iesus Christ was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into a quickning spirit that is to give to those that are his a spirituall and heavenly life by the mighty power of the grace of Sanctification Also that which he addeth Verse
47. The first man made of the earth was earthy ordained to abide on earth But the second man is the Lord from heaven ordained to have his residence in heaven and to introduce thither all that are his So in all likelihood Adam was not to be transported into the kingdome of heaven although he had continued constantly in his first integrity and uprightnesse Nay in case hee had beene received into that glorious felicity that could not nor should not have befallen him by Iesus Christ as such an one that is as Saviour and Mediator And therefore it is not likely that God ordained in the state of innocency the Seventh day of rest which was never established by him but to be a figure of the heavenly rest and eternall blessednesse which Iesus Christ imparts to all those that beleeve in him 10 Secondly I inferre againe from the same doctrine that seeing the day of rest was first established to bee a figure of the heavenly rest whereof CHRIST is author it hath no obligatory force under the New Testament but ought to cease as have done all other signes figuring the graces which Iesus Christ hath brought unto us and among the rest the type and figure of the rest of the Israelites in the land of Canaan which the Apostle joyneth together with the rest of the Seventh day setting downe the one and the other as types in the same fashion and of the same nature of the heavenly rest 11 The exception which some take against this inference is most absurd when they say that if the Sabbath day was a type of the heavenly rest it ought to remaine in its vigor and strength till this rest come and all the faithfull have obtained it For to the end it should continue no longer it sufficeth that this heavenly and eternall rest hath beene purchased by IESUS CHRIST and that the faithfull possesse it already in part some of them being in heaven happy in their soules and resting from their labours the rest being here beneath where they receive the first fruits and an essay of that blessednesse by the spirituall consolations contentments and delights which in the middest of their greatest afflictions are shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in them Otherwise if the foresaid reason were of any value the other Sabbaths to wit the Sabbath of the seventh yeere and the Iubile of the fiftieth yeere which were Sabbaths of rest unto the the land should continue still because they were figures of that rest which is not yet come Nay all the signes of the Old Testament should remaine because they figured spirituall benefits which are alwayes to come either wholly or in part to all GODs Elect while they are here on earrh The signification of the Iewish circumcision to wit the circumcision of the heart shall not be brought to perfection and absolutely finished till wee be in the kingdome of heaven But it sufficeth for an absolute abolishment of all the signes of the Old Testament that Iesus Christ hath actually acquired all the benefits figured by them although the Elect inherite them not yet totally and perfectly As for the day which the Church hath appointed to be a day of rest under the New Testament it hath not beene ordained to serve for a type and figure which it neither could nor ought to doe but only for order and to be a meanes of the practise of holy duties whereunto some day was of necessity to be allowed CHAPTER Twelfth Answer to the replyes made unto the former Argument 1. First reply the Sabbath being morall from the beginning of the world the figure was accidentally annexed unto it 2. Answer The Sabbath was a legall figure and no thing else 3. Second reply The Sabbath was never a figurative and Typicall signe but only doctrinall marking the straite communion betweene GOD and those that are his and is still such a signe 4. Answer to this reply by the distinction of signes in those that are onely doctrinall and onely memoriall or which besides are figurative or typicall 5. Of which last sort was the Sabbath 6. And therefore it was to be abrogated as well as all other types and figures of the Law 7. Which were all not only typicall but also doctrinall 8. Why the signes of the Christian Church are not figures types 9. Third reply concerning the Raine-bow which is a signe only and no type at all answered 10. Some things yet subsisting which were signes figures and types under the LÃ w may be yet lawfully used but not as signes figures types 11. For cleering of this the types of the Law are distinguished into those whose whole essence consisted in their typicall use as the Circumcision Passeover sacrifices c. 12 And in those which besides the type may in the new Testament have some other good and religious use as abstinence of certaine meats observation of the first day of Moneths of feasts of Sabbaths c. but not as any part of Gods service or through necessity of obedience to Gods Commandement 13 Of this last sort is the Sabbath 14 Fourth reply The Sabbath did not figure Christ therefore it was not a type 15 Answer by a distinction of legall types in those which represented directly Christs person and actions 16 And in those which represented directly his benefits such as were the Circumcision all kinde of Sabbaths the weekely Sabbath all these are abrogated and therefore this also 17 All other judaicall ceremonies although they had no relation to Christ have beene abrogated how much more the Sabbath 1 TO the last reason heretofore alledged some doe reply that indeed in the Sabbath there was a kind of figure ceremony annexed only unto it accidentally but as for the thing it selfe the Sabbath hath beene since the beginning of the world and continueth still a morall thing seeing it was ordained to Adam before sinne came unto the world and to the Israelites before the Law since the giving whereof God added the ceremony to the day to the intent it might be a part not onely of the morall but also of the ceremoniall Law that Christ hath taken away the ceremony but a seventh day of Sabbath hath alwaies the same vigor and force it had from the beginning 2 It sufficeth to answer that this reply layeth a false foundation to wit that a seventh day of Sabbath is of it selfe morall that it was in the time of innocency ordained to Adam and commanded to the Israelites before the Law Whereas it was first ordained by the Law and not before and the figure was not annexed unto it as an accident to a thing already subsisting Nay it was never of its owne nature but a legall figure belonging to the government and ceremonies of the Law as hath beene already and shall be more abundantly confirmed in the refutation of the arguments broached for the contrary opinion 3 Others doe reply by denying that in the observation of
day such as the Law ordained afterwards hee had kept himselfe quiet and had not applyed so holy a day to let forth the Pigeon that it might flye abroad here and there and to observe what tokens she should bring unto him of the decreasing of the waters which was rather a violation then a sanctification of the Sabbath according to the tenor of the Law And therefore although Noah had let out the Dove on the seventh day of the weeke that should not be attributed to any particular designe tyed to that day rather than to another but taken as done on that day indifferently as it might have beene done on any other day without seeking any other reason thereof 5 To the other passage taken out of the 29. Chapter of Genesis I answer that the weeke there mentioned is not necessarily to bee understood of a weeke of dayes ordinary and regular But it may be taken for a weeke of yeeres or for a number of seven yeeres and the pronoune THIS twice repeated for Rachel the sence of Labans words to Iacob being this As thou hast served seven yeeres and hast received Leah for reward to bee thy Wife fulfill also a weeke that is serve other seven yeeres for THIS that is for Rachel and she also shall be given thee to be thy wife and so is this place explained by many interpreters But if the pronoune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first place is understood of Leah and the weeke of a weeke of dayes and if Labans words to Iacob be taken as if he had desired him to fulfill a weeke of dayes ordained for the celebration of the solemnity of his mariage with Leah promising that after these seven dayes hee should also give him Rachel as others take it that also availes not For from thence is proved only that the custome was to bestow seven daies on the solemnities and pastimes of weddings But that there was then a weeke regular and ordinary whereof the last day was the same that God rested on from all his workes and was also to that people an holy day of rest it is a conclusion which cannot be gathered out of that history and will never be proved 6 Seeing therefore there is no sufficient proofe of a stinted distinction of daies before the Law this may be to me a contrary argument to prove that the Sabbath day was not then kept For seeing out of the observation thereof followeth of necessity the distinction of weekes if it had been observed from the beginning of the world frequent mention had bin then made of weeks and the men of those daies had counted by weeks as well as by daies moneths and yeeres which is not to be found Nay it is most likely that the distinction of weekes beganne first among the Iewes as soone as the Law was given and from the Iewes came to the Gentiles as a distinction of time very commodious and convenient though they corrupted it consecrating the seven daies of the weeke to the seven planets which they made Idols of and imposing unto them their names whereas the Iewes named them according to their order with relation to the Sabbath the first second third c. of the Sabbath 7 Yet although the faithfull before the Law did not keepe a distinction of daies the inconvenience propounded in the beginning of this Chapter followeth not to wit that if so be they did not celebrate the remembrance of the creation which God finished in sixe daies and from which he began to rest on the seventh day or that they had otherwise forgotten that great worke of God For considering the creation absolutely they could not be ignorant that God had created the world seeing the thing speaketh of it selfe and all creatures cry with a loud voice that they have one Author that hath made them seeing also the distinction of daies and months that was knowne unto them by the ordinary course of the heavenly lights led them of necessity to a beginning no lesse then the distinction of weekes which had in it no particular thing capable to teach them so much As for the Gentiles which were ignorant of the creation of the World and weened it to be eternall that was in them a grosse and blockish error against the light and documents of Nature Yet it was not universall For there have beene some in all times who have beleeved and taught that the world hath had a beginning and was made though they have erred in their opinions concerning the framing thereof 8 Adde to this that in the holy generation of these first faithfull the Fathers had alwaies a speciall care to teach it to their children by a continuall tradition which with the manifestation of the creation in generall might also make knowne unto them the particular order observed of God in that wonderfull worke to wit that in sixe daies he made heaven and earth and rested the seventh day For it is likely that Adam learned it of God that hee kept the knowledge thereof and imparted it to his children who called it to memory and at all occasions glorified for it the Lord their God So they might know without any regular observation of weekes on what day God began and on what day hee ended the creation of the world For the foresaid tradition being supposed by the distinction of moneths and yeeres which was alwaies observed it was easie to make that supputation although some even of the chiefe men among the Iewes as Philo in the first Booke of the life of Moses sticke not to say that the natall day of the world wherein it was finished beganne not to be knowne but by the Israelites when God at first rained Manna upon them in the wildernesse and that it was wholly unknowne to the Fathers in which affirmation I see no inconvenience 9 But howsoever it was no manner of way necessary that they should celebrate ordinarily the memory of the creation and of the rest of God on a solemne and stinted day yea on the last of the seven daies wherein GOD rested and marke the revolution thereof from day to day Neither doth it appeare that they did any such thing Nay it is farre more apparent that God gave the first knowledge and commanded the ordinary and common observation of this day when raining Manna upon the Israelites sixe daies consequently he gave then none on the seventh day saying it was the Sabbath day which he would have them to keepe in time to come and which he enjoined expresly unto them in the Decalogue declaring that on that day hee rested from the workes of the Creation CHAPTER fifth Answer to the fourth Reason 1. Fourth reason for the morality of the Sabbath taken out of the fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes vers 3 4. 2. Whence they gather that the Sabbath day was ordained to all men from the beginning of the world 3. And that by three arguments inforced upon the words
the observation of one of seven daies is not morall 20. Second answer shewing divers absurdities following the opinion of the morality of one of seven daies and of the substitution of the first of seven to the last by Christ himselfe 21. Their reply that when Christ made the first alteration of the Sabbath the Disciples observed the Sabbath of the last and of the first day of the weeke consecutively is but an imagination 22. Christs resurrection was of as great force to change the generall order of the observation of one of seven daies as of the last day of the weeke nay to ordaine each fourth day of the weeke for Gods service as well as the first 23. The day of Christs resurrection is no more obligatory then the day of his nativity of his death or of his ascention and is a meer institution of the Church 24. Seventh Objection from the last words of the Commandement And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it whence they gather that the keeping of the seventh day is a meanes of all kinde of blessings whereof Christians have as great need at Iewes c. 25. First answer Christians have as great need of Gods blessing as had the Iewes but not by the same meanes 26. Second answer the Sabbath was not a meanes of blessing to the Iewes by any inherent and naturall quality but by reason of the exercises of godlinesse practised in it and so the exercises of our Christian religion bring a blessing upon us whensoever they are practised 27. It is a fond assertion that if God hath not appointed to Christians a particular day for his service as he did to the Iewes our condition shall be worse then theirs 28. All the particularities of the fourth Commandement may be applyed to Christians as well as to Iewes 29. As the reasons of the institution of their holy-daies 30. Which neverthelesse we are not bound to keepe 31. Item the remembrance of the creation c. 32. The necessity of a new day for Gods service inferreth not a divine institution 1 BEsides the generall argument which is taken from the nature of the fourth Commandement and hath beene refuted in the former Chapter others more particular are taken from the termes and words of the said Commandement and first they urge vehemently these first words thereof Remember the Sabbath day from whence as they pretend it may be inferred that seeing the remembring of a thing denoteth that it was knowne before God when he commanded the Israelites to remember the Sabbath day supposeth that it was not a new ordinance which he gave unto them then but an ancient one yet which undoubtedly they had forgotten and whereof it was necessary they should be put in remembrance and the observation urged for the time to come 2 It is said also that the sanctification of the Sabbath day which God enjoyneth saying Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy cannot be called a ceremony but this instance is very feeble For first although it should prove that the institution of the Sabbath day which is here debated did preceed the Law from the beginning it cannot for all that inforce the morality thereof Nay much otherwise some doe thinke that God in the beginning and entrance of the Commandement used the word Remember because it not being naturall and morall as the rest are the Iewes might have more easily forgotten it Secondly it doth no manner of way prove the antiquity of this ordinance For when he that commandeth any thing saith to him to whom he giveth instructions Remember what I say and command thee such a speech implyeth not alwaies that an injunction is given him of a thing he knew before which is againe recorded unto him that he may call it to minde Nay most often his intention is only to advise him to consider exactly to meditate carefully and to accomplish faithfully in time to come that which at that time is injoyned him For this terme Remember when commandements are given is not alwaies relative to the time past but sometimes hath regard onely to the time to come which joyning and continuing for some daies or yeeres successively the time wherein they were given is past and so men have need to call them to minde as a thing past So God instituted the Passeover for a memoriall of the deliverance of the first borne of his people from the destroyer when the first borne of the Egyptians were slaine although it happened after the said institution Exod. 12. vers 14. 27. 29. So Moses said unto them Remember this day in which yee came out from Egypt Exod. 13 vers 3. willing them in time to come to call to minde that whereof they had the first knowledge and experience and not before but at that instant So Christ instituted to his Disciples the Sacrament of the Eucharist saying This doe yee in remembrance of me that is of my death 1 Cor. 11. vers 24. 25 26. although hee was at table with them and was not put to death till the next day after So this speech Remember the Sabbath day must be taken relatively to the time to come as if God had said Take heed that afterwards yee keepe in minde the ordinance which I give you at this instant that you may observe it carefully and in the 12. verse of the fifth Chapter of Deuteronomy in liev of Remember it is written Keepe the Sabbath day or Take heed to the Sabbath day to sanctifie it Hee that commandeth another to doe any thing of moment in a time future ordinary and regulate may very well speake unto him in these termes Remember such a thing and the time that thou art to doe it in before it come to the end that when it shall come thou mayest be prepared to doe it and mayest doe it accordingly which is all that God intended to say to the Iewes in his Commandement touching the Sabbath to wit that before that day should fall out they should remember it in the precedent dayes and dispose themselves in time to sanctifie it Thirdly although it should be taken as relative to the time past it is needlesse to extend it to a long time before and namely to the beginning of the world but only to some few dayes foregoing when GOD through the occasion of the Manna spake unto them of the Sabbath day forbidding them to goe out of their place on that day to gather of it because they should find none and commanding them to rest and to abide every man in his place which day when afterwards he gave the Law he commanded them more particularly and expressely to remember because they heard mention made of it a short while before and to beware of profaning it as they had done already Exod. 16. verse 28 29. And questionlesse to that which he said unto them concerning the Sabbath in the sixteenth Chapter of Exodus are to be referred these words which in the fifth Chapter of
maxime rejecteth as unlawfull Now what certainty or probability is there that Iesus Christ on the first day of his appearing to his Disciples gave them this ordinance Further although he had given it sith he appeared not unto them till the evening following the day in the morning whereof he rose againe they were at least all that day preceding his first manifestation unto them free from all bond tying them to the observation of any particular seventh day and their obligation to the observation of a certaine day hath begun by the extremity of the day to wit at the same time when CHRIST appearing unto them injoyned them to heepe it which difficulties I see not how those that hold the aforesaid maxime can well resolve 21 They say that when the first change was made the Disciples kept two Sabbaths consecutively to wit the last of the weeke to put an end to the order of the ancient Testament and thereafter the first day of the weeke immediately following to begin the new order which was to remaine for ever under the New Testament and to keepe alwayes one day of seven But this saying is a pure imagination For who hath told them that the Disciples did keepe that course Besides this giveth no satisfaction to the difficulties afore mentioned For Iesus Christ being dead and having by his death abrogated all the ceremonies of the Law the last day of the weeke at the same very instant that he gave up the Ghost ceased to be obligatory And so although Iesus Christ shewing himselfe to his Disciples on the first day of the weeke that he rose in had ordained unto them expressely that day and made them to sanctifie it in quality of a Sabbath day to persist afterwards till the end of the world neverthelesse sith the day before which was the Sabbath had not obliged them to keep it and if they observed it they did it not through any obligation binding them thereunto because it was abolished it followeth manifestly that the obligation to one day of seven was caused in one weeke at least yea in more then one if he ordained not Sunday to be kept as soone as he shewed himselfe unto them after his resurrection Nay is casseered in them all if he gave them no ordinance at all concerning that or any other day which is more probable as we shall see more fully hereafter Howsoever of this ariseth this conclusion that the order of one of seven daies is not morall sith it could suffer once at least an interruption in the obligation or binding power which it had 22 I would againe faine know sith Christs resurrection might without inconvenience cause the changing of the particular day wherein the Sabbath was before observed which was the last day of the weeke into another day which was the first wherein it came to passe why it might not likewise without any inconvenience at all give occasion to change the whole generall order of the observation of one day of seven and deliver the Church from all obligation unto it Sith as we have already shewed there is no greater necessity to observe one day of seven then the last of seven Sith also this resurrection of Christ which was as it were his rest from the worke of our Redemption cannot be said to have happened as Gods rest from the worke of Creation after sixe daies of labour to ratifie thereby the observation of this number but to reckon since the day wherein Christ began to be in agony in the garden which was to speake properly the beginning of the worke of our Redemption till the day that he rose out of the grave which containeth the space of three or foure daies wherein he suffered died was buried came to passe after three or foure daies only of labour and of paine whereby he redemed us why may it not with as good reason be a foundation and powerfull motive to change one day of seven into one of foure sith Christ rose on the fourth day after the beginning of his passion as well as the observation of the last day of the weeke into the first in consequence of his resurrection on that first day For there should be as little evill or danger in the one as in the other 23 But here is the maine point of the matter For as much as the order which God observed of sixe daies for his labour in the Creation and of a seventh day for his rest carrieth not with it any necessary and naturall obligation to imitate it and was not obligatory under the old Testament but because it pleased God to command and establish it by his Law for that time onely under the new Testament there was no obligation to keepe it and therefore the necessity of observing it as of all other legall ceremonies having come to an end and being expired the last day of seven hath wihout sinne yea with good reason been changed into the first that Christ rose in the Church thinking it fit to do so whereunto she was not moved by an opinion that the consideration of Christs rising from the dead on that day was of it selfe obligatory For why should the day of Christs resurrection of its nature oblige us to observe it as a day holy and solemne rather then the day of his nativity or the day of his death whereby he said All was fulfilled Ioh. 19. vers 30. to wit all that was requisite for the expiation of our sinnes and redemption of the world conformably to the ancient prophecies and figures of the Law or the day of his ascension which might as well and better be called the day of Christs rest then the day of his resurrection Sure the Church might have in any of those daies called to minde and celebrated the remembrance of the worke of our Redemption as well as in the day of the Resurrection because all the actions of Christ have respect unto it Nay she might have as well changed the order of one of seven into a day of another number seeing the worke of Redemption was not tyed to the same number of daies was that the worke of Creation But because there was no necessity in this she thought it expedient to keepe this order of one day in the weeke observed by the Iewes amongst whom the weeke had its beginning and to change onely the particular seventh day of the Iewes into another to make a distinction between them and that servile people as also to keepe a memoriall of Christs Resurrection Of all this it appeareth evidently that the reason taken from Gods example as it is alledged out of the fourth Commandement hath no force to prove that which it is produced for and to shelter those that make a buckler of it 24 Finally they rely much upon these last words of the Commandement God hath blessd the Sabbath day and hath sanctified it Now say they if GOD hath ordained this seventh day to be observed and to be a
perpetuall 4 The first reply to this Answer refuted 5. The said reply is not well grounded on the example of a Pharisee who called Christ to eat bread on the Sabbath day 6. Confirmation of the refutation of the said reply by the Scriptures 7. By the testimony of Saint Augustine and of Saint Ignace and by reason 8. The second reply taken from equality yea from oddes of reason refuted 9. A mystery hid in the prohibition to cooke meat on the Sabbath day c. 10. Third Answer the prohibition to kindle fire was perpetuall and not referred to the building of the Tabernacle 11. If it was referred thereto it was onely by application 12. If it was not lawfull to kindle fire for the uses of the Tabernacle farre lesse for other uses 13. Confirmation of this answer by reason and by the testimony of Philo. 14. Fourth Answer The particular prohibitions were explications of the generall prohibition of the fourth Commandement 15. Fifth and last Answer God hath no where made an exception of any worke on the weekely Sabbath as he did on the Sabbath of the Passeover 1 SOme of the contrary opinion have seene the difficulty propounded in the former Chapter to wit that there is no reason to say that some workes which the Iewes were forbidden to do as wel as all other by the fourth Commandement are permitted but the rest are not permitted if it be true that the prohibition of the fourth Commandement obligeth us as they pretend Therefore they say that these workes which as they confesse we are permitted to doe as to kindle the fire and to make meat ready on the Sabbath day were permitted to the Iewes as well as unto us and are not comprised in the prohibition of the fourth Commandement and that the particular prohibitions which are made in Exodus Chapter 16. and 35. were temporall had respect only to the time of the peoples sojourning in the wildernesse and were grounded on reasons particular to that time 2 But this is an affirmation without ground and without all likelihood For to speake of the injunction given them to tarry every man in his place and not to goe out of it on the Sabbath day Exod. 16. vers 29. it is true that it was given them by occasion of the Manna to the intent that they should not goe forth to seeke any yet undoubtedly it was extended also to all other things of the like nature to wit to all bodily and earthly ends God by that one example forbidding them to apply themselves to the seeking of them there being a like reason for all I say bodily and earthly because a spirituall and heavenly end was excepted by the third verse of the three and twenty Chapter of Leviticus and there was no other end but such a one which might be an exception from the said prohibition Will any man say that during their abode in the wildernesse they might freely and without offence goe about other worldly businesses the gathering of Manna excepted This goeth beyond all semblance of truth And therefore if this was not left to their liberty the prohibition of the sixteenth Chapter of Exodus had a farther regard than to the Manna onely Now if they were restrained in the wildernesse and durst not goe forth for earthly imploiments as to gather Manna what reason can be alleaged why in the land of Canaan they were free to come and to goe and trouble themselves with the care and pursuit of the bread that perisheth and of other things of this world 3 The same judgement ought to be made of the prohibition to to cooke and dresse meat in the wildernesse on the Sabbath day which meat was Manna wherefore ought not this prohibition to have place in the land of Canaan for all other meats The Israelites had they not leisure in Canaan to prepare their meat the day before the Sabbath as much nay more than they had for the Manna in the wildernesse Neverthelesse the day before the Sabbath which was the sixth day of the weeke God said to them concerning the Manna Bake that which ye will bake and seethe that which ye will seethe and all that remaineth lay it up to be kept till the morning for you And why To morrow saith he is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord Exod. 16. vers 23. words which shew that the observation of the Sabbath day by him prescribed unto them with respect not onely to their pilgrimage in the wildernesse but also to their abode in Canaan was the cause why hee rained not Manna upon them and suffered them not to prepare any on that day and by his law forbade them universally in their generations to cooke and prepare any meat on the Sabbath day For if it were a thing that he left to their libertâ— by the Law wherefore did hee not raine Manna upon them on the Sabbath day Or if hee gave them not any lest they should goe forth and gather it on that day and if he obliged them to gather twice as much the day before giving them that day bread for two dayes vers 29. which necessity forced them to doe seeing the next day there was not any to bee found in the fields wherefore did he not at least suffer them to deferre till the Sabbath day the cooking of that portion which they had gathered and laid up for that day rather than to injoyne them as he did to make ready twice as much the day before and so take from them all occasion of preparing it on the Sabbath day which they might have done easily although there was none to be found in the fields that day Certes he did betoken that not onely the seeking and gathering but also the cooking and preparing of meat on that day displeased him because it was a day ordained by him to rest in which is a perpetuall reason for all the dayes and times that the Law of Moses was to continue 4 To say that God commanded both to gather and to prepare the Manna the day before and to keepe it till the Sabbath day because he would manifest his miraculous power in preserving from corruption the Manna which else had bred wormes and stunke Exod. 16. vers 20. from one of these dayes to the other is an unsufficient answer For first the same miracle had beene although the Manna had beene kept crude and unbaked to be sodden and prepared the next day Secondly God might have done if it had pleased him the same miracle in respect to another day as well as to the Sabbath day Wherefore then did he it for the Sabbath day but to ordaine to the Israelites the cessation from all workes and amongst others from making meat ready on the Sabbath day in their generations Also wee see no examples of preparing of meat on the Sabbath day among them 5 To prove that they did is unfitly alleaged the first verse of the fourteenth chapter of S. Luke
without most important and weighty reasons For considering that Gods externall service for which a day of rest is appointed is not the principall service that God requireth and that it ought to give place to the workes of true godlinesse and love according to Gods owne words I will have mercy and not sacrifice Hos. 6. vers 7. Matth. 12. vers 7. It is certaine there may be many lawfull reasons taken from true charity which we owe to our selves or to our neighbours whereby we may be dispensed with in the practise of Gods outward service on the Sabbath day and licensed to doe on it bodily und servile workes in stead of that service 26 But against this liberty which I maintaine all Christians have to worke or to cheare up themselves on Sunday in the manner before specified it is objected That worldlings when they are lured with some worldly advantage when they seek or look for some gaine on market or faire dayes take heed lest they loose so good an occasion shun all games and pastimes that may withdraw or divert them from their gaine make alwayes pleasure to plie and give place to profit And therefore farre lesse ought Christians on the Lords day which is as it were the great Market-day for their soules wherin they have need to prepare to themselves a great spirituall gain and make all their provisions to seeke or take any leisure for the occupations and pastimes of this life namely seeing our diligence cannot be so great our care so vigilant our labour so profitable but that we have much more profit to be made than all the profit we haue purchased already But if we make of the Sabbath our delight according to Gods exhortation in Esa. chap. 58. vers 13. we shall finde neither leisure nor place for worldly affaires 27 To the which I answer that the care of worldlings lest they should bee any wayes diverted from their trafficke and from the search of gaine on market-dayes by any game or pastime is nothing to the purpose It is true that we ought to be more carefull of the spirituall food of our soules than they are of the temporall profit of their bodies But this argument is made as if Sunday were onely Gods Market-day to speake so wherein wee may purchase unto us that profit as if it being past our hope of the acquisition thereof on another day of the weeke were utterly lost and as if a small and short occupation or recreation of this world taken on that day could bereave us of so great a good which foundation being sandie the building upon it fals to the ground 28 We ought to make of the Sabbath our delight but not in the same sense as the Iewes that is not of an externall and ceremoniall but of a spirituall Sabbath which the Prophet betokeneth in the place quoted that is Not to follow our owne wayes and not to doe our owne will which is the dayly Sabbath of the New Testament For God hath not ordained unto us a corporall one saving in some respects specified before which is much different from the Sabbath which the Iewes were obliged to observe 29 It is manifest of that hath beene said that our Sunday may in some sort be called a day of Sabbath or of rest because wee ought for the publike exercises of religion on it give over all our ordinary workes But it cannot be absolutely qualified with this name and with regard to an abstinence as precise as was required on the Iewish Sabbath day Moreover as wee have observed heretofore this name of Sabbath day is the proper name of the ancient day of the Iewes and not of the new day of Christians wherefore it were better done to abstaine from denoting it by the qualification of that name and to call it onely The Lords day or Sunday seeing these names have beene appropriated unto it by the Christian Church CHAPTER Sixth A more particular explication how the faithfull ought to carry themselves in the observation of Sunday 1. Duty of the Governours of the Church and of all particular Christians about the ordering and practise of Gods service 2. The faithfull ought to submit themselves to the order of the Church and to keepe the dayes appointed for Gods service by the publike practice thereof in the Congregation 3. How they ought to carry themselves where there is no Church 4. How where there is a Church during the service 5. How after the service 6. The sanctification of Sunday is grounded on the holinesse of the exercises practised in it and is so considered by the faithfull 7. Profane men because they have no heart to Gods service contemne the Lords day 8. Godly men doe quite contrary GOd for the edification and entertainement of his Church here below injoyneth to those that have charge of her governement to offer up prayers and thankesgivings to preach the Gospell to minister the Sacraments to assemble the faithfull together to establish good order in the Church and to particular Christians to pray devoutly to love Gods word to keep it receive the Sacraments frequent carefully the holy assemblies obey in things belonging to order and discipline those that have rule over them and submit themselves unto them not to be contentious against the good customes of the Church and to doe this not each of them for himselfe onely but also to procure that all persons subject to their governement their subjects their children their servants doe the same All Christians when they know that there are holy convocations for the hearing of the Word and the practice of other religious exercises and that the Order of the Church hath appointed unto them set dayes as in every week a Sunday are bound by these injunctions to resort carefully unto them and to take paines that their inferiours over whom they have authority follow their example And if indeed they love the word of God and the exercises of godlinesse to shew it by a diligent frequenting and serious practice of them as of a thing which God hath injoyned to all and for the things sake to observe the day wherein it is practised although God hath not prescribed nor appointed it and it hath no other foundation but the Order of the Church whereunto neverthelesse God hath commanded in generall all men to submit themselves 1 Cor. 14. vers 40. For it is not for the dayes sake that we ought to practise and respect the holy exercises which ordinarily are done on it but it is these exercises that make the day considerable and give credit authority and respect unto it The exercises are to be much esteemed for themselves and for Gods sake who hath expresly injoyned them The day is not honoured and accounted of but for their sake in as much as the Church is pleased to doe them on it Yet if a Christian were brought to that extremity that hee must remaine in a place where there is no Church nor order
consideration thereof they were commanded to keepe the Sabbath day which is the thing that God pronounceth most expressely in the place lately cited Deut. 5. verse 15. and Ezek. 20. verse 11 12. where upon that hee had said ver 10. that hee caused the Israelites to goe forth out of the land of Aegypt he addeth and I gave them my statutes moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths c. 2 Secondly seeing the Sabbath day was ordained to be a memoriall of a benefit particular to the Israelites to wit of their deliverance out of the land of Aegypt and of their separation from all other nations it followeth that the Sabbath day obligeth not Christians under the New Testament as if it were morall and as if God had â—â—dained it by an expresse commandement to continue till the worlds end For this end of the Sabbath to be a memoriall of their deliverance and separation from all other people dwelling upon the face of the earth with the other end afore mentioned to be a figurative signe of Iesus Christ to come and of the saving benefits which were to be purchased by him made up the whole use of the Sabbath Of which end neither the one nor the other doth belong to the New Testament 3 The faithfull Christians are a people more spirituall then the Iewes were because they are under the Gospell which is an estate more spirituall and heavenly then was the condition of Gods people under the Law for which cause it is called the kingdome of heaven And therefore all dayes under the Gospell should be to all the faithfull that live in that blessed and heavenly estate as many Sabbath dayes more particularly then to the Iewes to rest from their sinnes and to give themselves to prayers calling upon the Name of the Lord to reading and meditation of his holy Word and to other religious exercises of godlinesse according to the words in Isaiah Chapter 66. v. 23. if they be applyed unto the estate of the Church under the Gospell as they may be and indeed are so expounded by many interpreters when it is there said that then there shall be no more New Moones nor Sabbaths distinguished by intervalls and spaces of times but one Sabbath shall succeed immediately to another Sabbath and that all the dayes of the weeke and of the whole yeere shall bee as Sabbaths unto them This is the conclusion of all that hath beene said in this first part which shall be more fully confirmed by the refutation of the arguments that are brought to maintaine the morality of the Sabbath Which refutation shall bee the subject of the second part of this Treatise THE SECOND PART wherein the reasons brought to justifie the morality and perpetuity of a Seventh day of Sabbath are confuted CHAPTER First First Answer to the first Reason 1. The opinion of those that hold the morality of a Seventh day of Sabbath cleerely set downe 2. Their first Reason taken out of Genesis Chapter 2. ver 2 3. Where it is said that God rested on the Seventh day from all his workes and blessed the Seventh day and sanctified it c. 3. First answer to this Reason Moses writing the History of the Creation after the Law was given declareth occasionally the cause that moved God to blesse and sanctifie the Seventh day to the Iewes according to the custome of the Scripture to joyne things done long before with those that were done long after as if they had beene done together and at one time 4. Confirmation of this by places named by anticipation 5. By that which is written Exod. 16. ver 33 34. where it is said that Aaron laid up in a Pot an Omer of Manna before the Testimony which was not done many yeeres after 6. And by the History of Davids combat with Goliah 1 Sam. 17. Where it is written ver 54. that David tooke the head of the Philistine and brought it to Ierusalem but he put his armour in his tent although there was a great intervall of time betweene these two actions 7. This joyning of things farre removed in time is not unsutable to him that speaketh or writeth 8. First instance against this answer taken from the connexion of the third verse with the second from the same tence used in both and from the identitie of the same seventh day spoken of in both c. 9. First answer to this instance shewing that in the holy Scripture things distant in-time are expressed by words of the same tence when the one hath some dependancie upon the other 10. Application of this answer to the blessing and sanctification of the seventh day in Moses his time joyned with Gods rest after the creation because it was the foundation of that blessing 11. Second answer It was not the same particular seventh day after the creation but the same by revolution which God sanctified 12. Third answer the Hebrew article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confirmeth not that the seventh day which God blessed was the same seventh day wherein he rested 13. Second instance as Gods blessing of his creatures after they were made was present so was his blessing of the seventh day immediately after the creation 14. Answer to this instance the reason is not alike 15. Confirmation of the answer made to the words of Moses in Genesis by the conformity of the same words used in the commandement given to the Iewes concerning the Sabbath 16. As also because the Sabbath was not hallowed for Adam who in the estate of innocency had no need of such a day 17. First instance Adam was taught by Gods example that hee stood in need of such a day refuted 18. Second instance as God ordained Sacraments to Adam so he ordained to him a seventh day of rest refuted by a reason shewing the nullity of that consequence 19. And by the excellency of Adams condition to which the ordination of such a day was derogatory 20. Third instance as Gods rest on the Seventh day was the foundation of the commandement given to the Iewes to rest on that day so was it from the beginning refuted 1 THose that hold the second opinion doe say that the keeping of a Seventh day of Sabbath is a morall thing which from the beginning of the world should continue to the end thereof with this difference only that God before and till the comming of Iesus Christ had ordained that the last day of the weeke wherein hee rested from all the workes which hee had made when he created the world should be sanctified by all men in remembrance of the creation and of his rest on that day But since the manifestation of Iesus Christ it was his will that instead of the last day of the weeke the first day wherein Christ rising from among the dead rested from the work of our redemption should be observed in the Christian Church for a memoriall of this worke which being more excellent then the former it was beseeming
signes And I cannot see a cause why under the new Testament we should burthen our selves with a signe which God declareth to have beene ordained by him to the Iewes in their generations as if without it we could not remember the thing signified unto them by it Let us content our selves with the gracions signes and memorialls which Iesus Christ hath instituted and given us of the worke of our Redemption fulfilled by him of our justification of our sanctification c. These are Baptisme and the Lords Supper which being signes of a worke farre more excellent then the Creation have caused the ancient memoriall of that other worke to cease which notwithstanding we may and ought to record having in nature continually many memorialls thereof before our eyes to wit the heavens the earth all the creatures which advertise us of their Author and of the beginning of their existance And in holy Scripture many documents which entertaine and hold us most frequently in the consideration of this worke Yea the Sacraments also signifying unto us our Regeneration and new Creation draw us back consequently to the meditation of our first Creation And we may in all places and times indifferently call to minde and for it glorifie the Lord our God possessour of heauen and earth although we be not tyed by the Law to any particular day For of him and through him and to him are all things To him be glory for ever Rom. 11. 36. 13 The example of God who made in sixe daies heaven and earth and rested on the seventh day is of no force to this purpose For to say without restriction that Gods example is of necessity to be alwaies followed as being of it selfe and of its nature imitable or rather that God in all his works proposeth himselfe as a paterne and president to follow is a proposition too generall God may be considered either in regard of his attributes or in regard of his actions Of his attributes there be some which wee ought to imitate and they are in the Scripture laid downe unto us as examples of imitation Such are his goodnesse his mercy his love his justice as it is written Be yee holy for I am holy Levit. 19. vers 2. 1 Pet. 1. vers 16. Be yee perfect and mercifull as your Father which is in heaven is perfect and mercifull Matth. 6. vers 48. Luk. 6. vers 36. Let us love one another for love is of God for God is love 1 Ioh. 4. verse 7 8. If yee know that he is righteous yee know that every one that doth righteousnesse is borne of him 1 Ioh. 2. vers 29. There be others which to speake properly are not paterns of imitation neither are we in any sort able to imitate them Such are his Eternity the Infinity of his Essence and Knowledge his omnipotency c. which also we are nevâ—â— exhorted to imitate 14 It is consequently even so of his actions and of his fashion in working Of them some flow immediatly from these first attributes of his holinesse bounty mercy love righteousnesse c. and are essentially actions charitable mercifull bountifull righteous c. These of their nature and of themselves are imitable and that alwaies For example God is bountifull and doth good unto all forgiveth all those that have recourse to his mercy giveth a convenient and sutable reward unto vertue and a due punishment to vice protecteth those that are strengthlesse and oppressed upholdeth those that are infirme and weake c. whereof hee hath given triall by divers experiences From thence wee may conclude truely and soundly that by reason of the righteousnesse holinesse goodnesse which are essentially imprinted in these actions men ought to imitate them in all times to their power and abilitie according to the calling wherein they are called and the rules that he hath in his holy Word prescribed unto them There be other actions proceeding from these other attributes or proprieties of God For example from his omnipotency Such as are his miraculous actions God hath created the world of nothing hath framed man of the dust of the earth and doth a thousand more or such great wonders These actions oblige us not to imitate Gods example in them also God propoundeth them not unto us as examples to be followed for we are not able to imitate them Likewise wee are not bound to immitate the actions and proceedings of God which are grounded on his Will pure and simple whereof although God had the reasons in his owne brest yet we cannot on our part alledge any reason taken from an essentiall righteousnesse inherent in them but onely say for all reason he hath done as it pleased him As that he made the walls of Ierico to fall downe by seven blasts of seven trumpets of Rams-hornes in seven severall daies Iosh. 6. vers 3. 4. 20. cured Naaman of his leprosie sending him to Iordan to wash in it seven times 2 King 5. vers 10. 14 c. 15 Like in all things is unto this the course which God did observe in the Creation making all his works in sixe daies and resting on the seventh day For no man can tell why he did so saving onely because he would the thing it selfe not having in it any naturall equity or evident morality And therefore no kinde of obligation to doe the like can be naturally inferred from thence I meane to observe sixe daies of worke and one of rest All these and other semblable proceedings of God are not an example and oblige not any man to imitate them saving in case God be pleased to command them to doe so as hee would not through any necessity which was in the thing and whereby he was bound to make such a Commandement but because such was his good pleasure command the Iewes to worke sixe daies and rest the seventh day who also afterwards observed that precept not through necessity of imitation taken from the thing it selfe nor that naturally it was emplary unto them but because it pleased God to command them so to doe As also in the fourth Commandement this reason that God in sixe dayes made and finished all his workes and rested the seventh day is not alleadged immediately for an example and a cause of obligation to the Iewes to doe the like but as an occasion that GOD tooke according to his free will to bind them by that Commandement to this observation which also in consequence of the said Commandement they practised For it is said in expresse tearmes In sixe dayes God made all his workes and rested the seventh day Therefore he blessed the seventh day and hallowed it to wit to be observed by the Iewes And it was this blessing and hallowing notified by Commandement which obliged the Iewes to the observation of the seventh day and not Gods course of proceeding immediately For undoubtedly this will be advowed that if God had not declared his will by a Commandement the Iewes had not thought
cum Tryphone Iudaeo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the forenamed righteous men Adam Abel c. and after them Abraham also did please God though they observed no Sabbath Irenaeus l. 4. adv Haeres c. 30. speaking of Circumcision and of the Sabbath which he maketh to be types and figures of the same nature saith Quia non per haec justificatur homo sed in signo data sunt populo ostendit quòd ipse Abraham fine circumcisione sine observatione Sabbatorum credidit Deo reputatum est illi in justitiam That man is not justified by these things but that they were given him for signes and tokens is manifest from this that Abraham not being yet circumcised nor observing the Sabbaths beleeved in God and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse And a little after Reliqua omnis multitudo eorum qui ante Abraham fuere justi Patriarcharum qui ante Moysem fuerunt sine his quae praedicta sunt sine lege Moysis justificati sunt All the company of them who before Abraham were just and of the Patriarches that were before Moses were justified without observing the things above-specified and without Moses Law Tertullian also libro advers Iudaeos cap. 2. in fin joyntly speaking of Circumcision and of the Sabbath saith Cum neque circumcisum neque Sabbatizantem Deus Adam instituerit consequenter quoque sobolem ejus Abel offerentem sibi sacrificia incircumcisum nec Sabbatizantem laudavit accepta ferens quae offerebat in simplicitate cordis Noe quoque incircumcisum sed non Sabbatizantem de diluvio liberavit Enoch justissimum non circumcisum nec Sabbatizantem de hoc mundo transtulit Melchisedech summi Dei Sacerdos incircumcisus non Sabbatizans ad Sacerdotium Dei allectus est That God created Adam neither circumcised nor observing the Sabbath and afterwards also he praised his sonne Abel sacrificing unto him although he was neither circumcised nor kept the Sabbath accepting of those things which in the singlenesse of his heart he offered He delivered also from the Deluge Noe who was neither circumcised nor an observer of the Sabbath Hee translated just Enoch out of this world who neither was circumcised nor observed the Sabbath Melchisedech also was made high Priest of the great God though neither circumcised nor a keeper of the Sabbath Abraham indeed was circumcised but hee was accepted of God before hee was circumcised nor did hee at all observe the Sabbath And in the fourth Chapter Doceant Adam Sabbatizasse aut Abel hostiam Deo sanctam offerentem Sabbati religionem placuisse aut Enoch translatum Sabbati cultorem fuisse aut Noe Arcae fabricatorem propter diluvium immensum Sabbatum observâsse aut Abraham in observatione Sabbati Isaac filium suum obtulisse aut Melchisedech in suo sacerdotio legem Sabbati accepisse Let them prove to us that Adam did observe the Sabbath or that Abel when hee offered up his sacrifice to God observed the Sabbath or that Enoch who was translated from this world or that Noe the builder of the Arke against the deluge were observers of it or that Abraham observing it offered up his sonne Isaac or that Melchisedech during his Priesthood received any lawes concerning the Sabbath And a little after he inferreth that this Commandement of the Sabbath was temporall and ought not to be observed under the New Testament no more than circumcision and the Leviticall sacrifices Eusebius l. 1. c. 5. Hist. Eccles. proveth that the Fathers before Moses were in effect Christians though they carried not the name for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They cared not for the Circumcision of the body because nor we neither Nor for the observation of Sabbaths because nor we neither And in his first Booke De demonstrat Evangelicâ c. 6. shewing That the Patriarches before Moses did not observe the ceremonies of the Mosaicall Law amongst them in expresse termes he ranketh the observation of the Sabbath and saith of Melchisedech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moses maketh mention of Melchisedech Priest of the most High God who was neither circumcised in the flesh nor anointed with a compound ointment Exod. 30. 25. according to the prescript of Moses Law nor knew any such thing as a Sabbath nor heard any thing at all of those Lawes which afterwards by Moses were given to the whole people of the Iewes And a little after of Iob he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What shall wee say of most blessed Iob that thrice unblamable just and religious man How came he to that height of holinesse and righteousnesse that was in him Was it by observing the Mosaicall Law No truly But was it then by keeping the Sabbath day or any other of the Iewish rites and ceremonies How could that be seeing he was before Moses and the making of his Lawes S. August tom 3. l. despiritu liter c. 14. In decem praeceptis in lapideis tabulis digito Dei scriptis Dicatur mihi quid non sit observandum à Christiano excepta Sabbathi observatione c. In the ten Commandements written by the finger of God in Tables of stone let them tell me what is not to bee observed by a Christian except the command of the Sabbath And a little after An propter unum praeceptum quod ibi de Sabbato positum est dictus est Decalogus litera occidens quoniam quisquis illum diem nunc usque observat sieut litera sonat carnaliter sapit Is the Decalogue called a killing letter for that one precept of it concerning the Sabbath because whosoever observeth that day according to the literall sense is carnally wise And afterwards ranking the Sabbath with circumcision and the other ceremonies hee calleth them all typicall Sacraments And cap. 15. having said that the grace revealed under the New Testament was vailed and covered under the old he addeth that to that vaile and covering did pertaine the precept concerning the Sabbath which is in the Decalogue which also he calleth typicall and sheweth in what consisteth the type and figure and saith the Iewes observed the Sabbath as a shadow And tom 4. l. quaest in Exod. quaest 172. Moses after hee came downe from the mount the second time Exod. 34. Ex decem praeceptis hoc solum de Sabbato praecepit quod figuratè ibi dictum est alia quippe novem sicut praecepta sunt etiam in Novo Testamento observanda minimè dubitamus Illud autem unū de Sabbato usque adeo figurata diei septimi observatione apud Israelitas velatum est in mysterio praeceptum fuit quodam Sacramento figurabatur ut hodiè à nobis non observetur sed solum quod significabat intueamur Of all the ten Commandements hee repeated to the people this onely of the Sabbath which is there set downe for a figure for we doe not doubt but that the other nine are also to be observed under the