bounds and limits of truth out of inconsiderate zeal are all others to be censured to be men of the same mould Brotherly love and Charitie cannot but be better Judges 2 We see it carrieth antiquity with it and hath had allowance for a long time in the Churches of Christ 3 It is our rest day and so indeed a Sabbath for the word Sabbath is nothing else but rest so the name well agreeth with the nature of the thing 4 This name best leadeth us to the duty of the day which is to cease from weekely works which are not works of piety works of charity nor works of necessity and to imploy our holy rest on this holy day in the publike worship and service of Christ and in other Christian duties as is very excellently set forth in our thirteenth Canon 5 Learned and holy Bishop Lakes saith in his Thesis that eternali rest was shadowed out in the first Sabbath which our Lords day continueth and is a fore-taste of our eternall rest and a shadow thereof as lasting as the world This being so it may well be called the Sabbath day 6 If the fourth Commandment hath any perpetuity in it for a weekly day to be kept and ours being a weekly resting day then it may be called a Sabbath the Commandment propounding such a day under the name of Sabbath 7 All holy dayes appointed by God besides the weekly Sabbath were called Sabbaths and that upon these reasons because on them they rested to perform holy duties and had a holy Convocation Now why may not our Lords day because of our rest to holy duties and for the publick assemblies on that day be so called Our Linwood out of Aquinas saith Dies Dominicus dici potest dies Sabbati quia est requies vacatio ad Deum 8 The very Gentiles gave the name of Sabbath to their Festivalls as the Learned have observed 9 Christ lesus is the Lord of the Sabbath not only as God but as he is God-man or Mediatour for so himselfe saith the sonne of man is Lord also of the Sabbath Mark 2. 28. Now this Lordship as he is Mediatour he never layeth down 1. Cor. 15. 24. 23 whilest the world doth last and therefore he claimeth and holdeth the Sabbath for his honour that all may with a Sabbath honour the sonne as they have honoured the Iohn 5. 27. Father 10 If our rest into which Christ hath brought us which is a ceasing from sinne be called the keeping of a Sabbath as it is Heb. 4. 9 10 11. Then may a certain set day be so called for that therein we do not only hear and learn how to attain to the spirituall rest but do especially on this day labour through Gods grace to expresse the performance of it in holy and spirituall exercises CHAP. V. In what circuit of time this day hath been kept to weet weekly with the Reason thereof THere is a time for all things saith Salomon and nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can be done but in time therefore must we needs have a time for the service of Christ which time is to be within the circuit of a week Saint Chrysostome telleth us from Gen. 2. 3. that God hath instructed us to set apart one day within the compasse of every week for spirituall exercises whereto agreeth our Reverend Hooker saying In his Eccl. Pol. pag. â—79 that we are bound to account the sanctification of one day in seven a duty which Gods immutable Law doth exact for ever Of this judgement saith Bishop White are divers Divines Cyted by Mr. sprim on the Sab. pag. 17. and 34. many of good note in the Church of God as Junius on Gen. 2. with others whereto may be added Learned Zanchius on the fourth Commandment who saith that one day of seven all men are to consecrate to the externall worship of God Pope Alexander said that both the old and new Testament Cyted by D. Heâ—â—inca 5. p. 2 depute the seventh day to rest Our Church in the Homily of Prayer teacheth us that Gods will and Commandment was to have a solemn and standing day in the week wherein the people should come together But what need I seek herein for consent when the whole Christian Church hath this 1600 yeers kept within this proportion of time which Custome is a Law for saith Saint Augustine Mos populi Dei instituta S. Aug ep c. 86. Majorum pro legetenenda sunt Now this observation of a day within a week is from Gods institution before the Law from the Creation who Gen. 2. having set down the dayes of a week took one within the Exo. 20. circuit of the week for his publick worship which he also commanded his people to observe under the Law both which hath been proved in the two former Treatises Now for the finding of proportion of time who can better proportion it for himself than God himself That is the fittest that can be imagined Nature cannot but acknowledge his wisdom and goodnesse in his choyce saith Master Dow. Hence is it no doubâ— that Peter Martyr said that one day of a week be consecrated pag. 24. 25. In loc Com. ca 7 to Gods worship is an ordinance of perpetuall force and Reverend Bishop Lakes confidently averreth that the seventh In his Thâ—sis part of time is Gods ordinance as everlasting as the world for saith the same Father of our Church the Lords day onely changeth but altereth not the portion of time prescribed Luther Dieterius on Dom. post Trin. Among the Scholemen Iacebus de Valen. and others Stâ—llâ— on Luke 14. Against Brab pag. 151. by the fourth Commandment by which we are guided to it Yea some have held that one day in seven is the morall part of the Commandment Sure I am there is acknowledged an equity in that Law durable for ever both for a time as also for the conveniency and sufficiency of time to which equity it is consonant saith Learned Bishop White that one day in seven be an holy day wherein Christian people ought to rest and give themselves to religious exercises who saith further that the common and naturall equity of that Commandement is morall to wit that Gods people are pag. 90 obliged to observe a convenient and sufficient time for publick and solemne divine worship and for religious and Ecclesiasticall duties And abstinence from secular labour and negotiation and keeping holy one day of every week both for mans temporall and naturall refreshing and for the spirituall good of his soul is very agreeable both to naturall and religious equity and it is grounded upon the ancient custom and practise of gods people in time of the Law And we Christians having obtained a larger measure of divine grace and our obligation to serve God and Christ upon his heavenly promises being greater than in the time of the Iews If in those former times of greater
Scriptures Master Brerwood confesseth That it is meet that Christians dedicate the day wholly to the honour of God that we should not bee lesse devout in celebrating the Lords day than the Jewes in celebrating their Sabbath Because saith hee the obligation of our thankfulnesse is more than theirs Therefore hee wisheth that it were most religiously performed with attendance to holy devotion This day faith Calvin is wholly to bee dedicated to him Calv. on Deut. cap. 5. vers 12. 13. 14. and it is necessarie that so we may intend wholly to the minding of Gods works and bestow the day in praysing and magnifying Gods name wee have no cause saith hee to grudge the giving of one day to him seeing hee leaveth us six for one Let any man give a reason if they give any part of the day to Christ why they should not think him worthy of all the day Is it too much for him and whole six little enough for our selves If wee will take a part from him for the whole none will except they be worse than Jewes and Pagans in observing their dayes which part is it not the morning for when shall we begin then to serve him Not the ending of the day for why are we weary of well doing Gal. 6. Gal. 3. 3. shall wee begin in the spirit and end in the flesh A liberall friend that hath seven pounds in his hands and giveth me six of them freely owing me nothing to imploy the seventh for him If I should grudge to bestow it wholly and take without leave any part of it to my selfe were I not most ungratefull Againe every holy thing is holy unto the Lord and is it not sacriledge to robbe God either of the whole or of part Lastly let us consider this that hee which willingly gives not God all would give him none at all if it were not for by-respects more than conscience of duty For conscience will binde to give the whole where all is due as well as a part of the due Therefore God commanding a day and an whole day as he giveth us six whole dayes so let us afford him his owne day and that wholly CHAP. XV. How this day is to be kept holy morally as the anâ—ient Sabbath was kept FOr the better satisfaction of moderate minds and to cleare this point let us consider how the ancient Sabbath was kept morally how our Lords day was kept in the time of the holy Apostles how to be kept by the stablished authoritie of our Church and how Emperours Kings Councels Synods Fathers and others would have it kept yea God himselfe from profane pollutions Concerning the first the ancient Sabbath was kept in rest and in the employing of that rest unto religious duties which what they were see at large in the other Treatise Section 25. For the Ceremoniall and Leviticall Services on that seventh day they are abrogated so all the Jewish superstitition brought in by mens vaine Traditions are condemned likewise those accessorie precepts for the more strict rest on that day belonging only to the Israelites for a time are taken away and doe nothing concerne us and are not to be imitated of us But the ancient people of God are to be followed of us as farre as the fourth Commandement bindeth us in the naturalitie thereof in the spiritualitie and in its morallitie as the holy people of God then kept it in such common duties as wee are as well as they were bound to performe for Gods service and for the benefiting of their owne soules in the use and exercises of his heavenly ordinances on his holy day This is farre from any Judaizing at all so much laid in the dish and reproachfully cast upon many in these times but without cause at all if the matter be well weighed and they rightly understood as it were to bee wished Their Service was both in the forenoone and in the afternoone every day Num. 28. 3. Exod. 29. 38. then much more on the Sabbath day For in the morning of their Sabbath they had the Service in the Tabernacle and Temple and their Sacrifices doubled Num. 28. 9. and also burning of incense in the morning Exod. 30. 7. So in the afternoone both Sacrifices and burning of incense and thus every day continually Exod. 29. 38. 30. 7. 8. To this David alluded in Psal 141. 2. This afternoone Service was about three aclock and called the ninth houre of Prayer Acts 3. 1. what time the godly used to pray Dan. 9. 21. and which Eliah observed in the offering of Sacrifice 1 King 18. 29. and we read while the incense was offered the people were devout in their prayers Luk. 1. 10. Preaching was also in the Temple for there Christ preached Matth. 26. 55. Mark 12. 25. Luk. 19. 47. John 7. 28. of which as of any strange thing the chiefe Priests and the Elders did not aske him but of his authoritie so to doe Matth. 21. 23. Luk. 20. 1. 2. And into the Temple earely in the morning came hee to teach John 8. 2. and the people to heare Luk. 21. 38. whither the Jewes alwayes resorted John 18. 20. Here also the Apostles preached Acts 3. 1. 12. 5. 21. 23. 42. And in this place no doubt was it in which the Scribes and Pharises sate to teach the people Matth. 23. 2. It is most certaine that on the Sabbath day in the Synagogues there was constant reading and preaching Acts 15. 21. 13. 27. In the morning Christ went in to preach Mark 6. 2. in other places it is not so evident what time it was whether in the forenoone or afternoone when hee came into their Synagogues Mark 1. 21. Luk. 4. 16. 13. 10. nor what time of the day the Apostles went into the Synagogues Acts 13. 14. 14. 1. 17. 2. 10. 18. 4. 19. nor is it certain whether they did depart home a while and came againe It may be they held out from the beginning to the ending and to the breaking up of the Congregation as it seemeth probable in Acts 13. 43. so Nehe. 8. but it is certaine that upon their dayes of fasting they did hold out and continued together from the beginning to the end Nehem. 9. 3. Whatsoever they did for the time they holily begun their Divine exercises with a blessing Nehe. 8. 6. and ended with a blessing Num. 6. 23. 26. Lev. 9. 22. 2â— CHAP. XVI How our Lords day was kept in the Apostles dayes and the Primitive times THe Lords day being knowâ— to bee an holy day and to be kept holy the Church rested on this Histo pag. 95. part 2. day for performance of religious and Christian duties as Doctor Heylin acknowledgeth There was an assembly of Christians they came together saith the Text Acts 20. 7. who came together the whole Church 1 Cor. 14. 23. whither into some one place 1 Cor. 11. 20. 14. 23. for then they had no Temples but met
Archbishop Daroberniae in a Synod Anno 747 with the rest decreed that the Lords day should bee celebrated with the reverence most meet and to be dedicated only to the service of God Our last Archbishop Doctor Abbot so honoured the Lords day as he by his Chaplains licensed divers Treatises for observation of the Lords day and when a Minister presented him with a book to bee licensed which was made for liberty on that day he took it of him and before his face burnt it in the fire For Bishops S. Ambrose telleth us it is well knowne saith he how carefully the Bishops doe restraine all toying light and filthy Dances if at other times then on the Lords day Bishop Babington on Exod. 16. saith that Drinkings Dances Wakes Wantonnesse Beare-baiting and Bull-baiting were wicked prophanation of the Lords day Bishop Downham on the Commandements saith They that keep the day for idle rest make it Sabbatum Boum or Asinorum They that defile it with drunkennesse and the like make it Sabbatum Diaboli and they that prophane it with sports make it Sabbatum aurei vituli Bishop Hooper that Godly Martyr On the ten Commandements saith The Lord sanctified the Sabbath day not that wee should give our selves to illnesse or to such Ethnicall pastimes as is now used amongst Ethnicall people c. Bishop Bayly in his Practice of Piety saith We are this day to abstaine from the works of our callings carrying burdens Faires and Markets studying any Book but Scripture and Divinity all recreations and sports grosse feeding liberall drinking and talking about worldly things Bishop White hath uttered an Against Brab holy speech who saith that all kinde of recreations which are of evill quality in respect of their object or are attended with evill and vicious circumstances are unlawfull and if used on the Lords day are sacrilegious for they rob God of his honour to whose worship and service the holy day is devoted and they defile the soules of men for the clensing and edifying whereof the holy day is appointed 3. Learned Divines NIcho de Clemangiis de novis celebritatibus non instituendis tells us that especially the Lords day and solemne Festivalls should be wholy and onely consecrated to more speciall worship and spent in duties of Devotion in lauding and blessing him for his more speciall favours Doctor Pocklington In his Serm pag. 13. hath a right speech howsoever it be that a little after he varieth saying If the first day of the week be the Lords day as he in another place yeelds it we must look to do the Lords work on it and not trench upon him by doing our own worke thereon yea he cyteth Saint Augustine for this Page 5. that men should leave all worldly businesses on Saints dayes Et maximè Diebus Dominicis especially on the Lords dayes that they betake themselves wholly to the Lords service Reverend Hooker saith that the voluntary scandalous contempt In Eccl. Pol. ca. 5. pag. 385. of the rest from labour wherewith God is publickly served wee cannot too severely correct and bridle Master Dow teacheth a cessation from ordinary labours and holds them In his dâ—scourse of the Sab. pag. 28. unlawfull on this day as they hinder a man from applying himselfe to divine duties and therein are contrary to the divine precept and the morality thereof He requireth first A morning preparation in private Secondly Warneth men that they doe not by improvidence or negligence or forgetfulnesse draw upon themselves a necessity to omit or hinder the dutyes to which this day is consecrated Thirdly that the hindrances and our defects bee supplied by private Devotions and Meditations Fourthly that it is good and commendable to spend the rest of the day in holy meditations private prayer reading and calling to minde what we have read or heard Vincentius Bellovecensis and Bellarmine have condemned Specul morale lib. 3. Concio 6. de Dominic 3. advent Stage-playes Enterludes Masques mixt-Dancing which they call lascivious to be especially on the Lords day most execrable Alex. Fabricius in his destructorium vitiorum pars 4 saith That the Sabbath by dancing is prophaned So did the godly Albigenses and Waldenses who also in a short In the History of the Walden part 3. b. 2. Catechisme upon the Commandments would have the Christians keep the Sabbath in ceasing from worldly labours from sinne and idlenesse and to doe things as might be for the good and benefit of their soules It were tedious to recite the learned in the later times teaching the holy observation of this our Lords day I will Sect. 16. cap. 24. end only with the harmonie of Confessions where it is said that the Lords day ever since the Apostles time was consecrated to religious exercises and unto holy rest CHAP. XXIII God would have our Lords day religiously observed and not to be prophaned GOd doth informe us by his word by which wee finde his institution of one day in a week from the creation as in the first Treatife have beene proved to bee sanctified to holy uses wee finde also the same established by his Law given on Mount Sinai as is manifested in the former Treatise And from the word in the New Testament we finde one day the first day of the week to have been observed and the observation continued now this 1600 yeeres So that one day in a week hath beene given to God as sacred and holy for holy rest in his worship and for holy duties to be performed publickly privately now above five thousand five hundred fourescore yeers some count 6000 a time long enough to settle this truth to observe such a day and as the holy people in the former times before Christ kept their day holily morally so should wee our day too But as God inctrusteth by his word so doth hee also by his works he is said to speak by the work of his providence Geness 24. 50. 51. And when his judgements are in the Esai 26. 10. earth the inhabitants of the world are to learne righteousnesse thereby and even in this for not observing his holy day for as before he punished his people for the prophanation of their Sabbath as the Scripture witnesseth in many places So hath the Lord punished the prophanation of our Christian Sabbath dedicated to his honour and service and hath pleaded by his punishments for the sanctification thereof and to deterre men from the prophaning of it This we must know that there is no evill in a City but the Lord doth it to wit the evill of punishment and the same commeth for sin of what nature or kinde soever the judgements be which are three fold 1 Immediate judgements wherein Gods hand is clearely seene which all will easily acknowledge with feare Such a judgement was the drowning of the old world the burning of Sodome and Gomorrah with fire from heaven So that of Nadab and Abihu with
it whilst the sword was in his owne body and then fell down and dyed in the place the other went back into the Town but dyed also that day 6 Rule The conscience of the sinner is many times a good directer to point out to us that cursed thing If so then what shall we say in this case for divers Prophaners of the Lords day have upon their hurts felt withall the accusation of conscience and acknowledged that those harmes befell them for doing such things as they did on the Lords day Some dying bewailed their sinnes others living made good use thereof and herein reformed themselves of which examples may bee brought to make this good From all this which hath been delivered it may appeare I hope that it is not rash presumption nor any vaine and prophane observation to take notice with reverence of the immediate the mediate and casuall judgements which happen upon the Lords day for the better stirring of us up to the sanctification of the whole day with readinesse of will to the honour of our Lord Jesus so it be without superstition and hypocrisie which such as understandingly know to observe the day aright are farre from both in their intention and practice CHAP. XXVIII Of the serious ponderation of these things CHristian Reader that lovest thine owne soule lay aside all prejudice in the cause labour for selfe-deniall and be in love with the truth Behold the Primitive times weigh the records of our Church the care of Emperours and Kings take notice of the Decrees of Councells and Synods the judgement of the learned in the Church both the Ancient and Moderne the many to the few of a contrary minde and lay to heart these severall kinds of Gods judgements by all which we may see what God and all good men would have us to doe and what to avoid on this day without any Judaizing at all For we doe not put as the Jewes did holinesse in the day as holy in it selfe but as a day set apart by divine authority for holy duties Nor doe we make our rest holy but in the use of it requisite to holy performances of the sacred duties of the day for without cessation from our own profits and pleasures we cannot apply our selves to Divine Services and therefore it being both as a meanes to take us off from the hinderances of holy duties as also a furtherance to the exercises of holinesse which on this day are publickly and privately to be performed we presse the keeping of a Rest If we be well understood I suppose none would say wee did Judaize nor call us by the new reproachfull name of Sabbatarians we hold no more for restraint than holy men have done in former ages Doctor Heylin doth tell us that the fifth and sixth Centurie were fully bent to give the Lords day all fit honour not only in prohibiting all unlawfull pleasures but in commanding a forbearance of some lawfull businesses such as they found to be most hinderance to religious duties S. Augustine long before allowed on the Lords day no wandring about woods and In Serm. de tempo 251. fields with noyse and clamours no telling of tales no playing at dice nor dancing on this day yea he findes fault that whilst they rested from a good work the work of their calling they rested not from vaine and trifling works as if saith he one time of the day were set apart to the Service of God and the rest of the day and the night to their owne pleasures Tertullian before him telleth us how holily the Sabbath was kept after the breaking up of the Congregation as before hath beene delivered And it is worthy to be marked out of Doctor Heylin though he make mention of recreations cap. 3. pag. 84. cap. 4. pag. 123. in his Historie of the Sabbath yet hath he not produced any one testimonie of any one Father for the now conceit of Christian libertie concerning recreations of which he saith after dinner until Evening Prayer and after Evening Prayer untill the time of Supper there is no question to be made but all were practised which were not prohibited But had there beene proofes hee surely would have produced one Father or other for them But come we now to our Opposites See before Mr. Brerewood and see what they say for us without Judaizing and insteed of all the rest I take only here the learned Bishop White who saith thus so farreforth as secular labour and Pag. 226. 227. 261. pastime or recreation are impediments to sacred and religious duties publick or private to bee performed upon holy dayes they are to be avoided and abstinence from them must be used according to the equitie of divine law and the precept of the Church otherwise they are sacrilegious citing Cyrill for his purpose because they are meanes to robbe God of his honour and to hinder the spirituall edification of Christian people and because abstinence from labour and from recreation upon the holy day is subservient to the exercise of religious duties and on the contrary secular labour and pastime are impediments thereunto and if they be acted at such times as the precept of God and the Church prohibit they are prophanations of Gods holy day The same learned Father in another place in his book against Braborn saith that because the Lords day and other holy dayes are devoted to the Service of God and appointed to the exercise of religious and spirituall duties Christian people are to perferre their religious offices of those dayes before their wordly pleasures and profit and the more observant they are hereof the more they please God if other actions of their life be sutable to their devotions yea he saith further and so much as we may say and no more that devout Christians who are so piously affected as that upon the Lords day and other holy dayes they doe resolve to sequester and retire themselves from secular businesses and ordinary pleasures and delights to the end they may more freely attend the service of Christ and apply their mindes to spirituall and heavenly meditations are to be commended and encourged For the doing thereof is a work of grace and godlinesse pleasing and acceptable to God for which he quoteth Col. 3. 2. Joh. 6. 27. Object Let none say that flesh and blood cannot apply it selfe so holily an whole day together Answ For first flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdome of heaven 1 Cor. 15. 50. Secondly we must strive to doe by grace what wee cannot doe by nature else we shall never doe at any time true service to God according to any of his Commandements Thirdly God must not loose his right of service from us because we have procured to our selves wretched natures soone weary of all spirituall duties Fourthly lazie servants can hardly undergoe any labour much lesse to hold out a day yet the awe they beare to their earthly Masters maketh them to doe
the edicts of Kings and Emperours have disanulled what Councells and Synods have decreed against and what Learned and Godly men have both written and spoken against have been before set downe to which I adde here Concilium Antisiodorense in Anno 614. a thousand yeares since at which were 45 Bishops and others of the Clergie learned men who did forbid and expell publick dancing of women Synodus Turonensis in Anno 158◠prohibited on the Lords day rioting publick Feasts Galliards Dancing Clamours Morices Hunting Hawking to serve wine or victualls in Innes or victualling houses to any but strangers the playing of Prize Comedies Tragedies and other spectacles In France in the raigne of Charles the ninth and Henry the third all dancing was prohibited under paine of imprisonment For what doth dancing produce in the rude vulgars but lascivious wantonnesse and the fruit the begeting of bastards and sometime thereupon hath ensued unnaturall murthers by Mothers thereby thinking to hide the former sin Of which there be too many examples and of which one instance before of one gotten with child on the Lords day at night after dancing 4 All sports may well be judged to be forborne on the Lords day which God hath by his hand shewed his displeasure against upon the actors on this day for the reverence we owe to God in beholding his handy work by which he lessons us and giveth us instruction if it be not to observe the day better to what then if we shall make this use of it I am sure we doe not offend Thus we see what sports are on this day to be laid aside And if so I hope well the day will be better employed of many Let it not be offensive to any that I propound these Reasons to their pious considerations to leave their pastimes this day 1 The Scripture forbidding the doing of our own waies finding our owne pleasures and speaking of our owne words Esay 58. 13. By our owne he doth meane what we do please to doe or speake without warrant from him of our owne heads from our owne worldly or carnall desires for all this is properly our owne But if we doe what God commandes Heb 4. 10. Iudg. 2. 19. and what he warrants us that is not properly our owne but Gods For in the former we doe serve our selves and are our own in this we serve God and are his This scripture is the only place in holy writt which teacheth us how to keep a Sabbath spirituall unto God by teaching first what to avoide and then what we should be taken up with on this day to wit with an honourable esteeme of the day in considering whose day it is Gods holy day then what delight we take in it as a Sabbath day and count it honourable and so doe him honour shewing that we delight our selves in the Lord verse 14. This text speaketh first of nothing ☜ proper to the Jewes but what is common to us in keeping our Christian Sabbath with them And therefore the Prophet doth mention onely the Sabbath day and not their seventh day Now Christ is still Lord of the Sabbath Matt. 12. 2. Here is nothing spoken but what is durable for ever in keeping an holy day to the Lord which is First That the day be held an holy day Secondly That it be of the Lord. Thirdly That it be a rest day Fourthly That we delight in it and esteeme it honourable Fifthly That on this day we honour him not doing what we please but forsaking our selves do what he would have us to doe and so to manifest our delight to be that day in the Lord In all which I would faine know what is there that doth not belong to us in keeping our Christian Sabbath Thirdly the scope of the Prophet tendeth as well to us as to them for as in the former part of the Chapter he had laboured to reforme the abuse in their Fasts so here the abuse in their Jewish keeping of the Sabbath externally in an outward service and rest mixing withall their own wayes pleasures and speeches but did not keep it as holy to the Lord in a spirituall manner with delight to honour God as they ought to have done Doth not this tend to the reformation of keeping our Sabbath as most doe as the Jewes did theirs externally mixt with our own wayes pleasures and speeches but not internally with a spiritually delight in the Lord Therefore this Text is fitly urged by our Learned Divines for the religious observation of our Sabbath day 2 The force of the fourth Commandement is yet of continuance and bindeth us as in the former Treatise hath been proved on our Lords day and first to a rest then to the imployment of that rest to an holy use and so to keep the day holy But sports and pastimes are not to speak properly any rest nor are they any holy duties for which we rest thereby to keep the day holy to God Therefore to be forborn this day 3 It is reasonable in all equitie to give God one day wholly to him for spirituall worship and service and for the spirituall good of our own soules for ever who hath given us six whole dayes for our own service and for our outward and worldly estate concerning our bodies which be here but for a time why should wee then grudge to forbeare sports for one day denying God his own right and our poore soules their spirituall good for to satisfie the corrupt minde with corporall delights on this day 4 The libertie of sports pleasures and pastimes on this day steale away the heart from God in time of Divine Worship The thoughts of these pleasures choak the seed of the Luk. 8. 14. On the fourth Commandement word for pleasures as well as worldly cares choak them saith Saint Luke and more too saith Learned Bishop Downham for nature saith he presseth youth more to pleasure than others to their wordly profits So that the thoughts of them doe not only hinder in time of hearing but doth quite take away the heart from after-meditation private prayer and conference without which hearing for the most part becommeth fruitlesse Now if this libertie were restrayned and they set to singing of Psalmes and other Christian and heavenly recreations as Durand before calleth them they knowing whereto they should hold they would bee more attent in the Church and better exercised out of it especially if they were made to know that not to serve the Lord God with joyfulnesse and with gladnesse of heart doth not a little anger and provoke God to wrath Deut. 28. 47. 5 If sports and pastimes have any allowance from God it is either Legally or Evangelically But not Legally for the letter of the Law bindeth strictly Not Evangelically for albeit the rigour of the Law be mitigated by the Covenant of grace and wee by Christ freed from the curse thereof yet neverthelesse we are tyed in love and in
A Threefold TREATISE OF THE SABBATH distinctly divided into The PATRIARCHALL SABBATH MOSAICALL SABBATH CHRISTIAN SABBATH For the better clearing and manifestation of the truth in this Controversie concerning the weekly Sabbath By Richard Bernard Rectour of Batcombe Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy Exod. 20. 8. as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee Deut. 5. 12. LONDON Printed by Richard Bishop for Edward Blackmore and are to bee sold at the signe of the Angel in S. Pauls Church-yard 1641. To the right Honourable the Lords Temporall in the High Court of Parliament To the Honourable the Knights Citizens and Burgesses in the House of Commons more especially To the Grand Committee for Religion To the Committee for the Remonstrance To the Committee for Ministers maintenance and suppression of scandalous Ministers more particularly To the Knights and Burgesses of Somerset-shire or Parliament-men dwelling in that County namely Sir JOHN PAULETT Knight Sir WIL. PORTMAN Baronet Sir JOHN STOWELL Knight of the Bath Sir RALPH HOPTON Knight of the Bath Sir FRANCIS POPHAM K. Sir EDWARD RODNEY K. Sir PETER WROTH K. Mr. DIGBY Mr. POPHAM Mr. LUTTERILL Mr. BASSET Mr. SMITH Mr. PHELIPS Mr. PYNE Mr. HUNT Mr. KIRTON Mr. SEARLE Mr. JOHN ASHE Right Honourable Lords and you the Honourable Assembly of the House of Commons THere hath been no Christian Church beyond the seas departed from Rome which hath given so much honourable respect unto the Lords day our Christian Sabbath as wee here in this our flourishing Kingdome and Nation And it was our glory so to honour the Lord Christ and it will be our great unhappinesse to faile in this our Christian duty so confirmed by Scripture and the generall practice of all true worshippers of his glorious name throughout the whole Christian world the space of these sixteene hundred yeares Yet in this our time and of late dayes are stepped up among us certaine vaine men prophane enough who have attempted to deprive Christ Jesus of his glory in the religious observation of this day grounded upon his glorious Resurrection and us of our spirituall consolation in keeping an whole day set apart for his worship and service For this end books upon books have beene written and by licence passed the Presse to take away the morallity of the fourth Commandement never in any age heretofore doubted of to make also people beleeve that our Christian Sabbath hath no warrant from thence and that it is not of divine institution but alterable from that first day of the week equallizing their devised holy-dayes with it and allowing also the like vaine sports upon this day as upon the other dayes calling such as religiously set the whole day apart for holy uses Sabbatarians and Iudaizers thus reproaching and in their sense belying those that more truly honour Christ than they doe And that they might securely go on in these their prophane errours without controule and perswade the more inconsiderate sort that what they have written are truths and unanswerable they have stopped the meanes of printing sound Antidotes to their empoysoned propositions whereupon they have beene bold to insult over godly orthodox Divines with too many words of insolency scorne and much contempt which they have borne with great patience waiting the Lords leisure till he should bee pleased in his good time to give liberty for the publishing of their learned labours which have of long time lien by them And now blessed be God the time is come the way is made open by your honourable wisdomes goodnesse power and authority for godly and learned men to discover the vaine boastings and the folly of those evill ones to the view of all Some of ours proceed polemically and have made answer fully to the best esteemed of those prophane writers Some only write positively to discover the truth and to make it knowne in a plaine way that the meanest capacity may bee rightly enformed This way have I taken in this threefold Treatise humbly craving pardon for my bold presumption in presenting to your honourable view these my weak endeavours But the cause is Christs and so deserves acceptation and promotion God hath appointed you at this time as his worthiest and meetest instruments for this end I cannot therefore seek for other Patrons in exalting the honour of Christ which by these men hath been so dishonoured and his people so abused For the redresse whereof as you have nobly begun so to proceed on to do ever valiantly in the best service of your God there shall not be wanting the hearty and earnest prayers of Your humble Servant and Suppliant RICHARD BERNARD London March 26. 1641. Faults to be corrected PAge 3. line 21. for grant read ground pag. 50. l. 24. for raigne read raine pag. 57. l. 12. for no read only pag. 59. l. 12. for to read by pag. 71. l. 6. for fourtum read quartum pag. 73. l. 31. dele before pag. 78. l. 28. for John read Josua pag. 95. l. 22. set and after the word rest pag. 127. l. 21. for plaucit read placuit The rest of the escapes I pray the Gentle Reader to correct The Contents of the Patriarchall Sabbath SECTION 1. OF the first Sabbath and why called Patriarchall SECT 2. Of the conceit of an Anticipation or Prolepsis and what it is SECT 3. Arguments against this Anticipation or Prolepsis SECT 4. Of another conceit concerning Destination and what it is also confuted SECT 5. Of the true understanding of the words in Gen. 2. 3. SECT 6. That in Gen. 2. 3. is the Institution of the Sabbath SECT 7. The Institution was binding and required the observation of the Sabbath from the beginning SECT 8. The Sabbath was observed of Gods people before the Law given at Mount Sinai OF THE PATRIARCHALL SABBATH AND THE ORIGINALL THEREOF Gen. 2. 3. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it SECTION I. Of the first Sabbath and why called Patriarchall IN these words is the institution of the Sabbath before the Law given on Mount Sinai I call it the Patriarchall Sabbath because it was known and observed of the holy Fathers of Adam and of the other Patriarkes till Moses and Israel received the Law And to distinguish it from the Mosaicall and Christian Sabbaths of which in the two Treatises following Some there be and more of late than heretofore that do deny the Sabbath to be here instituted Because say some of them for they be not all of one minde that Moses delivered the words by a figure called Anticipation or Prolepsis Other some that they be words of destination that in time to come the seventh day should be blessed and sanctified to Israel for the Sabbath day and so the words not to be taken for a present Institution of the Sabbath day then So the Question is whether the Sabbath day in this place of Genesis hath its first ground and establishment and here its first institution Many of the Ancients some of the
men for profanation of the Sabbath and the contempt of that his holy institution Here I might annex the Patriarch Noah his observation of the number of seven againe and againe in sending out the Dove Gen. 8. 10. 12. and likewise being come out of the Arke in his sacrificing an acceptable offering to God on the seven and twentieth day of the Month in which hee came forth Gen. 8. 14. 20. 25. like enough to bee the observation of the first Sabbath in the new world so let me conceive it till any can shew me plainely the contrarie Howsoever it was we see the number of seven was observed herein by him as being mindfull of the seventh day of Gods resting and sanctifying it for a Sabbath For I would faine know why the number of seven should bee so observed of God and holy men not only by Noah but by Abraham in some cases except it were to minde them of Gods seventh day the first time of the mention of seventh which God so blessed and sanctified in making the seventh day his resting day As for the conceit of perfection in the number of seven I conceive it to bee without ground of Scripture except with relation to Gods seventh day blessed and sanctified 4 Saint Paul in Heb. 4. speaketh of Gods rest on the seventh day when God finished his work and of the participation of that rest as Bishop Lakes saith two wayes Typically and Spiritually the first by Ioshua giving the Israelites rest in Canaan and the second by Christ a rest from sinne here and a spirituall blessednesse hereafter The Apostle telleth us that an entrance was made into the seventh daies rest instituted by God when hee had finished his work and rested thereon into which man entred and rested as also did the Israelites into the Typicall rest by Ioshua and so doe the Israelites of God into the spirituall rest by Jesus Christ Now as wee Christian beleevers doe partake of our rest and as the Israelite beleevers enjoyed the Typicall rest so did the holy Patriarches and Fathers enjoy the seventh day Sabbaths rest and kept that rest for to what purpose else is that first rest mentioned 5 Genebrad in his Chron. saith that the Hebrewes held that Noah and the rest of the Fathers did keep the Sabbath once sanctified by God and citeth Rabbi Iohai Pater Rabbi Simeonis Rabbi Moses Hadarsan and Rabbi Salomò Aben Esra on Exod. 20. is also of this judgement 6 It is most cleare that God gave to the holy men of God his Lawes to live by his Charge his Commandements his Statutes and his Lawes and they observed them so it is said of Abraham the prime Patriarch who also was acquainted therewith Gen. 26. 5. The godly were followers of good things walking with God Gen. 5. 22. and 6. 9. They vexed at the sinfull courses of men 2 Pet. 2. 8. 9. They preached against their impieties Iude 14. 15. 1 Pet. 3. 20. and God threatned destruction to the world therefore Gen. 6. 3 7. and accordingly did destroy them Gen. 7. 19. Now if God gave his Lawes and reproved sinne and punished sinne would hee amongst these his Lawes the particulars whereof are not mentioned suffer his first institution his blessed and sanctified seventh day Sabbath to bee unthought of and to bee neglected May wee reasonably think that the godly having received other Lawes and observed and kept them as the Text sayth they did that they would carelessely omit to observe this institution of the Sabbath amongst those his Lawes Statutes and Commandements 7 Before any feast mentioned by Gods appointment Moses and Aaron and the Elders of the people Exod. 3. 18. could speak of a feast to be kept unto the Lord before Pharaoh Exod. 5 1. on which they were to offer sacrifices unto the Lord verse 3. Now what Festivall day could this bee but the seventh day Sabbath for as yet no other Festivalls were instituted Therefore how ever it was that in Egypt perhaps in time of their cruell bondage and only towards the end of it they could not observe the Sabbath this hinders not to apply it to the Sabbath because Moses spake to Pharaoh in the terme of a Feast and Sacrifice because it was better understood of Pharaoh than if peradventure hee had mentioned the name Sabbath which they might keep in Egypt in the dayes of those Kings which knew Ioseph before the extremity of their bondage 8 The fourth Commandement and all words thereto added telleth us that the Sabbath day was kept holy before the time that it was written in the Tables of Stone First the prefixed Memento telleth us so much that it was before observed and God would still have it carefully kept for the Memento hath respect unto the time past Secondly the manner of this delivery of this Commandement may perswade us to this for the other Commandements are uttered imperatively so as they inforce the dutie as in the fifth Commandement Honour thy Father and Mother the duty charged is Honour and in the other Commandements the sin is forbidden as Thou shalt not take my name in vaine Thou shalt doe no murther and so of the rest But now in the fourth Commandement the Lord falleth not upon the maine of the precept as to say keep holy the Sabbath day but the imperative speech is laid upon the word Remember saying Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy cleane otherwise than in any other of the rest of the precepts and the reason hereof is for that hee had before instituted it and it had been before observed of the Israelites as in the next reason is clearely proved Therefore hee sayth not keep holy the Sabbath as now instituted but thus Remember to keep holy the Sabbath as if hee had said as it hath been before observed of you and still to bee kept holy Thirdly all the principall words annexed to the Commandement tell us of no new thing then imposed but what was well enough known and made use of before as first six dayes for labour they were allowed before Exod. 16. 4. 5. Secondly the seventh day to be the Sabbath this also in plain words Moses had taught them Exod. 16 23. 26. Thirdly of the Lord their God which they knew from Abrahams dayes Gen. 17. 7. and by Moses in Egypt Exod. 6. 7. Fourthly That in it they should not doe any manner of work this they were forewarned of Exod. 16. 29. and some were reproved for offending vers 28. Fiftly that in six dayes God made heaven and earth c. This was evident of old time unto the Fathers Gen. 24. 3. 7. And lastly that hee rested the seventh day blessed and hallowed the Sabbath Gods owne words of the institution Gen. 2. 2. 3. So that we see it clear from the fourth Commandement and the words thereto annexed that this Law was known practised before it was given in Horeb. 9 And lastly to make up all sure Moses telleth us in
all confesse But this precept is not abrogated by Christ but rather established Matth. 5. 17 18. who hath ordained us another rest day in stead of the former seventh day to uphold the Commandement SECTION XXIV The fourth Commandement is a perpetuall Precept THis Commandement to be one of Gods precepts is undenyable but some hold it not durable To leave the ambiguity of the tearm Morall nor yet wholly to tye my self to the word Naturall I will hold my self to the word Durable or Perpetuall That this precept is a perpetuall precept I thus prove I. The Lawes only for a time in Israel were either the Ceremoniall till Christ or the Politicall till the dissolution of the Common-weal of Israel But this precept and Law is neither of these And therefore a perpetuall Law II. Ten is the perpetuall number of Gods Commandements so delivered by God Deut. 4. 13. and 10. 4. So preserved by Moses so reckoned in all the Church of God to this day and by our Church as before I shewed But this is one of the Ten Therefore a perpetuall precept to uphold the number else should there not be Ten except with the Papists we could finde some other precept to cleave it in two to make up the number And the Ten Commandements being Gods Covenant Deut. 4. 13. we may not adde thereto nor take from it For mans Covenant being once confirmed no man disannulleth or addeth thereto Gal. 3. 15. may any then take from Gods Covenant if not then as this Covenant is perpetuall consisting of the number of Ten Commandements no fewer in the first Tables Deut. 4. 13. nor in the second Tables Exod. 34. 1. 28. nor more added Deut. 5. 22. Therefore this fourth Commandement one of them is perpetuall as is the Covenant it self III. That which God did make of equall dignity to all the other perpetuall precepts is perpetuall But God did every way make this Commandement equall in dignity with the rest for as the other were so was this 1. Commanded immediately at the same time with the same Majesty with the same terrour Exod. 20. 18 19. 2. With the same preface uttered under this title The Lord their God and with the same motive of their deliverance from Egypt Exod. 20. 1 2. 3 Written with the same finger of God at the same time in the same Tables of Stone twice over Exod. 31. 18. and 32. 16. and 34. 1. Deut. 10. 1. and 5. 22. 4. It s matter of one and the same Covenant of God Deut. 4. 13. and 9. 15. 5. It was ordained by Angells in the hand of a Mediator Gal. 3. 19. 6. It was put into the same Ark and preserved ever there with the rest Deut. 10. 5. 1 Kin. 8. 9. IV. That which Jesus Christ as God man or man God as Mediator is Lord of is perpetuall for what authoritie he so hath from his Father he never layeth it down unto the end of all things 1 Cor. 15. 24 28. But thus is Christ Lord of the Sabbath Matth. 12. 8. Therefore is it durable to the worlds end V. Its Gods Commandement made upon his own institution from the worlds beginning as I before have proved which institution of blessing and sanctifying the Sabbath day is upon Gods own work in six dayes and his resting on the seventh day giving to us the six and reserving unto himself the seventh unchangeably as appeareth by our taking possession of the six dayes for thousands of yeers Therefore the Commandement made upon the institution and the institution settled upon unchangeable grounds the Commandement must needs be perpetuall VI. That Commandement is perpetuall the breach whereof maketh us guilty of all the other perpetuall precepts and of the whole Law for this it could not do if it and they were not in an untyable link together But the breaking of this fourth Commandement in not keeping the Sabbath makes men guilty of the breach of the whole Law and of all the rest of the Commandements 1. Before the Law given at Mount Sinai Exod. 16. 27 28. where God doth charge them with the breach of his Commandements and Laws becaue they had broken the Sabbath 2. After the Law given for all the breach of the Lords Satutes and despising of his judgements are concluded with this They polluted my Sabbaths This doth the Prophet Ezechiel very often Ezech. 20. 12 13 21 24. and 22. 8. 26. As if the carefull observing of the Sabbath might have prevented all And no marvell for the hallowing of the Sabbath was a signe that they knew the Lord to be their Sanctifier Exod. 20. 12. 10. that they delighted in the Lord and honoured him Isai 58. 13 14. and that they took hold of the Covenant Isai 56. 6. 3. Vnder the Gospel Jam. 2. 10. where the Apostle maketh him that offendeth in one point guilty of all the whole Law Now if we not only break but take away this fourth Commandement we are guilty of the whole Law unlesse we can shew that God hath blotted out and repealed this Commandement out of his Law since he put it in if he have shew where if not then the Commandement remaineth and so in breaking it we offend against the whole Law VII This Commandement is perpetuall for that the observation of the things therein commanded are by Gods appointment in their use the publike practise and profession of the most necessary duties of the three former precepts and the publike upholding of the same For the and holy rest sanctification of the day being rightly imployed is in the publike profession of the true God the God of Israel as the first Commandement teacheth In our worshipping of this God as the second Commandement teacheth In the glorifying of his holy Name in the use of all his ordinances in Psalms of praises in meditation of all his works to take occasion of thanksgiving as the third Commandement doth teach So that in truth the keeping of this fourth Commandement is the publike upholding weekly of those Commandements the practice and profession of the principall duties thereof which be perpetuall as the Commandements themselves be If any say the Churches observation of this day from her own ordinance and other dayes by her appointment may supply the want of this Commandement though it be taken away But here being an immediate Commandement of God for this purpose once given with so great authority what reason is there to let this go and to rest upon an ordinance of lesse force to binde VIII That which the light of nature can finde out of it self for substance and easily will assent unto for the circumstance when it s holpen by due and right means that precept is naturall and then say I perpetuall I read not of any which deny this see Thomas Aquinas 1oe 2oe q. 110. Artic. 1. in the Conclusion whose words are summed in Master Dow his Discourse pag. 8. who doth approve of the proposition But this precept may be found out
day were to shew their delight in the Lord count the day honourable to the Lord and learn to expresse self denyall of their own thoughts delights and work Is 58. 13 14. 6. On this day they did not fast Judith 8. 6. but made merry for it was called the day of their gladnesse Num. 10. 10. wherein they might cheerfully refresh themselves and send relief unto the poor after such former duties done towards the Evening but this mirth was for their understanding of the Word Neh. 8. 9 10 11 12. It is true that this holy day to the Lord was the feast of Tabernacles but why they might not now do so on the Sabbath day I see nothing to the contrary For the strict precepts in the Wildernesse were out of date and the Primitive Church who observed our Christian Sabbath in the roome of the Jewish did make a feast after the end of Divine service See for the observation of that Sabbath Philo Judaeus de vita Mosis de vita Contempla De legatione sua ad Cajum Câ—sarem cited by Wallâ—us de Sab. pag. 127. 134. 135. 136. See also Dav. Kimchâ—on Psa 92. cited by Goniarus in his Book de Sab. pag. 81. SECTION XXVII Of Judaizing and true understanding thereof IT pleased some to taxe others of Judaisme concerning the Sabbath day And why of Judaisme know they why Judaisme was from the Jews but the Sabbath was long before this name became peculiar to a single tribe in Israel Judah so called Seeing they fasten as they must Judaisme upon the Jews let us see after this Tribe was separated from the ten tribes of Israel how they did Sabbatize for so we shall behold their Judaisme that we may judge with righteous judgement For the better understanding hereof let us consider the Jews as before Christs coming when he was come and afterwards in the times following Of these we must have a twofold consideration as faultlesse or faulty 1. As Faultlesse this is no Judaizing for in our discourse its taken in ill part They ever held and do hold the fourth Commandment perpetuall and so ought we as is before proved They held the seventh day Sabbath from the Creatâ—on which they had a warrant from God to do till the Resurrection of Christ so farre faultlesse without Judaizing in an ill sense As faulty and thus I. Before the coming of Christ we shall read that they were 1. Observers of the Sabbath in a bare rest from servile work but then doing their own waies finding their own pleasures not delighting themselves in the Lord nor labouring for Self-denyall on that day Of this their Sabbatizing the Prophet Isaiah speaketh who herein laboured to reform them Isai 58. 13 14. 2. Great prophaners of the Sabbath as appeareth by the Prophets complaints Jer. 17. 27. Ezech. 20. 13 16 21 24 and 22. 8. By Gods punishing of them driving them out of their Land as Captives for tbe breach of the Sabbath 2 Chron. 36. 21. as God had threatned Levit. 26. 34 35. By the Story in Nebe 13. 15 18. where Nehemiah telleth them that the prophaning of the Sabbath was the sin of their Fathers and the evill of their captivity befell them for it Now who with us do so Judaize and Sabbatize both these wayes let the world judge II. At Christs coming we may read That the Jews ceasing from such former prophanesse now were become grosly superstitious not allowing such things to be done as might be lawfully done without the breach of the fourth Commandement as in former instances are cleared This foolish superstition our Saviour confuted by word and by his works And therefore none of sound judgement with us do so Sabbatize our onely care is to observe the Commandement as the godly Jews did shewed in the former 26 Section and as the holy rest requireth in keeping the day holy as set apart for holy ends without putting any holinesse in the day it self III. After Christs Ascension and his Kingdome erected the Jews did faulty in their Sabbatizing 1. In observing the Seventh day from the Creation which was at that time out of date and now not to be observed of any Christian if any do these be Sabbatarians and do properly Judaize and not others It s a foul sin to belye and slander men and to brand them with names of reproach falsly 2. In carnally keeping the Sabbath as the Imperiall Edict of Charles the Great doth speak for these kept it in idlenesse in dancing and revelling See Ignatius in his Epistle to the Magn. St. Augustine de consensu Evangelist lib. 2. cap. 77. This Jewish Sabbatizing let those be blamed for who are guilty and the fault be where it is Thus much for the Mosaicall Sabbath FINIS A Large TREATISE OF THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH THE LORDS DAY also now commonly called SUNDAY By Richard Bernard Rectour of Batcombe Wee ought to doe all things for the truth but nothing against it for hee that striveth against the truth striveth against God for God is truth Let every friend of Christ observe the Lords day Ignatius in Ep. ad Magnes In the honour of Christ his Resurrection Clem. Rom. Const lib. 7. cap. 24. LONDON Printed by R. Bishop for Edward Blackmore at the signe of the Angel in Pauls Church-yard The Contents of this Treatise Chapter 1. THe Preface shewing wherein wee generally consent and agree in one Chap. 2. Of the title of Lords day and of the name Sunday Chap. 3. Of the name Sabbath given to this our Lords day or Sunday Chap. 4. Of the Reasons why it may be so called without offence Chap. 5. In what circuit of time this day hath beene kept to wit weekly with the Reason thereof Chap. 6. Of the first day of the week that it is the Lords day and also the seventh day Chap. 7. Of the time when this first day began to be the Lords day and upon what ground Chap. 8. Of the divers opinions concerning the beginning and ending of the Lords day and wherein Conscience may rest it selfe Chap. 9. The authority is divine by which it was established Chap. 10. It is of divine authority from Christ himselfe Chap. 11. Of some Objections which may be made against it answered Chap. 12. That this day cannot be changed Chap. 13. Of the honourable esteeme of this our Lords day and that it is to be preferred before all other festivall dayes Chap. 14. This day is to be kept holy and the whole day too Chap. 15. How this day is to bee kept holy morally as the ancient Sabbath was kept Chap. 16. How our Lords day was kept in the Apostles dayes and the Primitive times Chap. 17. How our Church would have our Sunday kept holy Chap. 18. How Christian Emperours would have it kept by their Imperiall Constitutions Chap. 19. How it was to be kept by the Edicts of Christian Kings in this our Kingdome Chap. 20. How our late Soveraigne King James and now our King
Charles would have it observed Chap. 21. What Councells and Synods have decreed touching the observation of this day Chap. 22. What Popes the Canon Law Archibishops Bishops and other learned men have said concerning the hallowing of this day Chap. 23. God would have our Lords day religiously observed and not to be prophaned Chap. 24. Of exemplary judgements immediate from God against the prophaners of the Lords day Chap. 25. Of exemplary judgements mediate from God against the prophaners of the Lords day Chap. 26. Of examples of casuall judgements against the prophaners of the Lords day Chap. 27. Of objections which may be or are made against the producing of judgements in this case with answers thereto Chap. 28. Of the serious ponderation of these things Chap. 29. Concerning sports unlawfull at all times much more on the Lords day and why sports lawfull at other times are on this day to be forborne with some objections made and answers to the same It is the saying of S. Augustine Bonum est homini ut eum veritas vineat volentem Epist 174. To this agreeth a learned mans sentence Satius foret à veritate vinci nos quà m contra veritatem vincere posse alium Bucerus Author igitur hujus Tractatus quodcunque in co scripsit ut veritatis sincerè studiosus pro veritate non ut contentiosus quicquam contra veritatem scripsit A TREATISE OF THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH CHAP. I. The Preface shewing wherein wee generally consent and agree in one IT will not be amisse ere I enter upon the Treatise which for the honour of Jesus God blessed for ever I here undertake briefly to lay before the judicious a few things for feare of mistake while wee maintaine the observation of a set solemn day weekly for the worship of Christ and a Christian-like strickt keeping of it holy 1 Wee hereby reject the loose opinions of the Familists Anabaptists and wicked Libertines who would be free from any time of set solemn dayes for Gods publick service and worship contrary to the command of God under the Law and the constant custome of the Church under the Gospel among all Orthodox Christians in all places throughout the whole Christian world in all ages for these 1600 yeers so that saith Chemnitius it is barbarica petulantia In exam Trident Concil most rude impudencie barbarous folly as one translateth it not to observe that day with all due solemnity which hath so long time beene kept by the Church of God This witnesseth Ignatius Iohn the Apostles Disciple Iustine Martyr S. Augustine Tertullian Athanasius Maximus Tauronensis Dionysius Bishop of Corinth in an Epistle of his to Soter Bishop of Rome Against these Familists Anabaptists and Libertines hath written Vrsin in his Chatechisme Zanchie in his Oper. sex dierum and Master Rogers in his Display of the Family of Love 2 Wee renounce all Traskits and Brabornian errours in their points of Judaisme Against the Author of the first sort learned Bishop Andrews hath fully shewed himselfe by his speech in the Starre Chamber Against the later the late learned Bishop of Ely Doctor White hath written at large purposely to confute Brabornes Judaizing in standing for the Jewish Sabbath Against which tenent Musculus Vrsin and Bellarmine hath also written yea Hereticks as Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 26. Ephan de Haeres cap. 30. the Ebionits and Cerinthians holding this have been condemned as the Fathers witnesse The seventh day Sabbath from the Creation now called Saturday is changed and not under the Gospel to be observed of us as an holy day to the Lord. 3 Albeit we doe hold the fourth Commandement to be perpetuall yet we conceive it to be so without any of those See the former Treatise accessorie percepts delivered by Moses whereby though it was in it selfe originally not ceremoniall yet was it by the keeping of those precepts ceremoniously observed 4 As that Law required rest and the holy use of that rest to be imployed on that Sabbath day for the keeping of it holy so doth it now by analogie and proportion for the holy observation of our weekly Sabbath Rest wee doe hold necessary for the day yet not like the foolish superstitious rest of the later Jewes grounded on vaine Traditions confuted by Christ Nor doe we require it otherwise than a necessary meanes to further us to holy duties not as a worship of God in it selfe nor doe wee deny works to be done works of pietie and for pietie works of charity and those that be works of necessitie for all were allowed under the Law as in the other Treatise is proved Moreover wee account the day holy yet not for any inherent holinesse therein but for that it is set apart for holy uses And the difference betweene this and other solemn holy dayes dedicated to the honour of Christ we take to be that this is grounded on authoritie divine and unchangeable and so not the other yet to be observed with rest to religious duties as is ordeyned by the authority of the Church which is not at any time to be despised These things premised I suppose wee that desire for the honour of Jesus Christ that his day be solemnly kept none of ripe judgement will condemne us of Judaisme if they well understand either us or themselves hereafter A charitable interpretation would amend all which were to bee wished to quench the heat of contention by either ignorantly or wilfully misconceiving of us For we hold nothing but what hath beene held by Orthodox Divines the best and most in all ages as in the ensuing chapters of this Treatise framed to the capacitie of the common sort will clearly be made manifest CHAP. II. Of the title of Lords day and of the name Sunday THis terme of Lords day though none can deny it to belong to the day yet some few and but very few to shew perhaps more wit as they think to be able to say something to any thing than worth of matter do make it as it were doubtfull to understand what day should be meant by the Lords day in Revel 1. 10. But this place of Iohn hath generally beene expounded and taken for the day which wee now call Sunday the first day of the weeke by Aretas Andreas Caesariensis by Beda by out later Divines and by the suffrage of the De rat tempo cap. 6. Church the best Expositor of the word which day hath constantly since the time of the Apostle S. John been honoured with this name above all others under this it hath passed along in the writings of all the ancient Fathers in Councels in Histories Ecclesiasticall in Emperiall Constitutions and Edicts of Emperours and Kings Beda on S. Luke saith It is a Christian custome to call it the Lords day which custome hath continued hitherto in all reformed Churches And this name our King and State giveth it in Statute Lawes and Acts of Parliament and our Church in her Ecclesiasticall
and God appointed his service in the Tabernacle and the Temple from Morning to the Evening sacrifice and had no sacrifices in the night time And thus was the Lords day kept except upon some extraordinarie occasions as in Acts 20. 27. and as afterwards in the time of bloody persecution but not in setled dayes of peace Quest Here some may aske Are we then to be carelesse and regardlesse of the night before and the Evening after Answ Not so for on other dayes we begin the Morning with prayer for a blessing unlesse we look for none and end it in the Evening with prayse and thanksgiving if we be not unthankfull If thus we doe as we ought on the week dayes than much more on the Lords day set apart for holy duties The night of which day before and the Evening after are to bee more piously considered of than the like times of the week dayes Our Saturday halfe holy day our Evening Prayer as a preparative to the Sabbath teach us to enter upon the Sabbath holily and to take the nights rest not onely for repairing strength of body for labour as on working dayes but to bee more fit to doe service and worship unto God without drowzinesse of spirit And in the end of the day to behave our selves so as it may appeare wee have received a spirituall blessing that day and have increased in knowledge and other holy graces in the use of Gods holy ordinance CHAP. IX The authority is divine by which it was established THis our Lords day can have no lesse than divine authoritie for it 1 Whether it bee conceived to bee founded upon the perpetuall equitie of the fourth Commandement as is made manifest in the former Treatise and by that which is said in the first chapter of this Nor is this any new conception in these our now present dayes For of this some began to think 600 yeeres agoe as Doctor Heylin acknowledgeth but no doubt it was before for else how could the whole Church In his Hist o◠the Sabbath pag. 132. of Christ retaine the fourth Commandement in the Decalogue without application to a weekly solemne day seeing the substance of the Commamdenent is concerning the observation of a rest day for his worship and service every week whereto else could they properly and directly apply it and hold the intention of the will of God in giving his said Law And if it have no ground from the Commandement how is it that in our Homily it is said wee have Gods expresse Commandement to keep it and lest the Makers of these Homilies might be thought to mistake they often mention the Commandement now what other this is than the fourth I desire to know And let any tell me in a minde affected with the love of the truth and not in a contradicting spirit how it truly can bee said that the Church of Christ hath kept or rather not broken the said Commandement now these 1600 yeers if it hath not been observed in our weekly Lords day 2 Or whether we take the observation of this day to have its ground from Scripture as well we may for this position that Dies dominicus nititur verbo Dei was publickly maintained by a Doctor at the Commencement in Cambridge in Anno 1603. and by the Vice Chancellour so determined nor was then opposed by any other Doctors nor in the Universitie of Oxford any Antithesis put up against it Neither was there just cause why for is it not called the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. and are not also the Christian meetings mentioned on this day in Act. 20. 7. in 1 Cor. 11. 20 where it is said When yee therefore are gathered together in die Domini nostri on our Lords day as the ancient Syriack Translation hath it Sure it is that long since Clotaire Leg. Aleman tit 39. ap Brisson King of France grounded his Edict about the keeping of this day upon the Law and holy Scripture So Charles the great King of France in Anno 789 had the same ground in his regall Edict saying Statuimus secundum quod in lege Dominus praecepit And likewise Leo the Emperour of Constantinople Constit 54. called Phylosophus in Anno 886 seeking to reforme abuses upon the Lords day in his Constitution declared that what he had in that behalfe determined was secundum quod Spiritui Sancto ab ipsoque institutis Apostolis plaucit according to the minde of the Holy Ghost and of the Apostles instructed by him Now may it reasonably bee thought that such great Princes should without the advice of the Learned Clergy in those dayes lay downe such grounds for their proceedings considering how Charles the Great caused five severall Synods at one time to bee assembled about the same Scripture there is for it and so then held And therefore the keeping of this day is of divine authority 3 Or whether wee understand Divine according to that judicious man the Authour of the Antidote against Sabbath errours That which may bee by humane discourse upon reasons of congruitie probably deduced from the word of God as a thing most conveniently to bee observed by all such as desire unfeinedly to order their wayes according to Gods holy will As also it may be proved from equitie either in the Law of nature or by vertue of divine institution or by some Analogy and proportion which the Lawes given to the Jews so far as reason and equity hold alike or by some probable insinuations thereof in the new Testament whereto adde the continuall practice of the Church for as he saith Lex currit cum praxi then may it be said to be de jure divino Now all these do as he granteth and may fully be proved and easily discerned from that which hath been said in the two former Treatises and what in this is already and shall be delivered in some measure concurre for the observation of the weekly Sabbath and therefore is established upon divine authority 4 Or whether we maintaine it to be an institution Apostolicall as many do it is divine We beleeve saith that Father of our Church Bishop White that the holy Apostles ordained Against Brab pag. 189. the Sunday to be a weekly holy day and he addeth his reason because the primitive Fathers who lived some of them in the Apostles dayes and others of them immediatly after and who succeeded them in the Apostolicall Churches did universally De bap contr Donat. l. 4. c. 23 maintaine the religious observation of this day For saith Saint Augustine Quod universalitertenet Ecclesia nec Conciliis institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi authoritate Apostolica traditum rectissimè creditur Saint Chrysostome affirmeth On 1. Cor. Hom. 43. it that the Lords day was made a weekly holy day by the Apostles Who saith Bishop White at sometimes observed this day themselves Act. 20. 7. Saint Basill and Isichius numbers Against Brab
other dayes to be esteemed saith Bellarmine and Tom. 1. de cult sanâ—t cap. 10. 11. lib. 3. On Luke 14. fol. 11. cap. 6. Stella The Councell at Matiscon held it the day of our new Birth Durand saith Dominica dies primatum obtinet major est inter alios dies Rational lib. 7. de festivit Thus we see it honourably graced with very high titles which no other Festivall reached unto 3. The observation of this day is not only of Protestants but also of Papists held to be de jure divino and give reason for it as is before manifested But no other holy day so held by any learned Protestant in any reformed Church 4. Easter day that so esteemed high day about the observation whereof in former times there was such contention when the consent for the Lords day was universally agreed upon unanimously ever yet for the more honour to it it was ordeined to be celebrated on the Lords day only as we finde it to be observed to this day 5. Though the often returne of this our Lords day weekly maketh vaine people lesse to esteem it than other dayes which fall more seldome yet the truth is in the judgement of the wise thiâ— day receiveth the more glory and honour For by being our weekly holy day it commeth in stead of the Jewish Sabbath by the equity of the fourth Commandement and it is for the great honour of our Lord Jesus by the upholding of his Lordship still over the Sabbath betweene which and our weekly Sunday there is an analogy and proportion as Doctor Heylin acknowledgeth at large Page 11. which is not so in any other Festivall among Christians 6 It hath had the start before all other holy dayes to be first honoured with Christian publick meetings holy Convocations and Assemblies Act. 20. 7. 1. Cor. 16. 2. and 11. 20. 7 It was the first for the better observation whereof that had Imperiall Edicts to grace it and in those Edicts for restraint of work upon other holy daies yet the cheifest care was for the Honour of this day as doth appeare by this In Serm. de tempore 251. Page 98. 102. Clause Maxime in dominicis diebus on the Lords dayes most specially For saith Doctor Heylin the Emperours and Prelates had the same affections both sorts earnest to advance this day above all others The Emperour Leo saith he also by two severall Edicts made it singular above other Festifalls Lastly our Church in Canon 45 preferreth it above all other holy dayes in this that licensed Preachers are inioyned to Preach either in their own or in some other Church every Sunday which order is not taken for other holy dayes Thus wee see this day to have the preheminence above any other and indeed it hath before others antiquity the authority establishing it is divine the certainty of the day is without alteration and the unity of judgement with so full a Consent of all sorts in all ages as may well perswade us to give it the glory before any of the rest of the Festivalls which to equall with it is void both of reason and religion as all that which hath been said sufficiently proveth CHAP. XIV This day is to be kept holy and the whole day too AN holy day is to be kept holy none will deny it Our Lords day is an holy day and an high holy day too before all other as in the former chapter is proved and therfore to be kept holy which very tearm of holy challengeth a separation of the day unto holy uses as Gods holy daies all of them in the old Testament were observed and imployed in holy duties as the Scriptures tell us the end of the weekly Sabbath was to keep it holy as the very Commandment sheweth from the mouth of God himselfe Exo. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy and Moses the Interpreter of the Law in Deut. 5. 12. saith the same And our Lords day being our Christian Sabbath in stead thereof should be kept holy We keep holy the Lords day saith Dionysius who lived in Anno. 175. Our King and whole In an Epist to Soter Bishop of Rome State in a Statute hath delivered this as is before noted That it is a principall part of true service unto God to keep holy the Lords day Our Church in the Homily teacheth us That Gods obedient people should use the Sunday holily and carefully keep the day in holy rest and quietnesse both men women children servants and strangers as they have ever done from the Apostles dayes That the Primitive Churches Fathers and Christian Princes did in their severall times alwayes observe and cause to be observed the Lords day with all holy solemnity and godly reverence read the many learned Authours avouching the same quoted for this by Master Sprint in his book of the Christian Sabbath pag. 18. To this effect speaketh Bishop White cited before in chapter 9. affirming that the Primitive Fathers and their Successours did universally maintaine the religious observation of the day That it is to bee kept holy there bee none of sound judgement will deny it But the question is how much of the day is to be set apart unto God The wisdome of God which in mans best reason is most worthy to be our direction appointed a day for Exod. â—0 the celebration of the Sabbath we ought to rest the whole day say the Fathers in a Councell at Nice S. Chrysostome in 3. Hom. on John exhorts to destinate the day wholly to divine imployments The Divines in Ireland have held the Lords day to be wholly dedicated to the service of God And was there ever any thing counted holy as set apart for holy uses which was not wholly sacred The Temple was holy was it so in part or in the whole Set-Festivalls were holy the whole day King Edgar and Canutus enacted by Fox Acts and Mon. fol. 644. Edit 1610. fol. 715. â—echel de Decâ—et Ecclesiae Gal. their Lawes that the Sunday should bee kept holy from Saturday at noon till Munday morning Charles the great ordained to have it kept from evening to evening so zealous were those Princes in those times for the observation of this day to the honour of Jesus they held not the whole day too much S. Augustine in his Sermon de tempore 251. and one Leo the Bishop of Rome who was made Bishop there in Anno 440. almost full 1200 yeares since See Doctor Heylin Hist 119. reckon the Saturday Eye a part of the Lords day And Doctor Heylin citeth also a Synod held at Friuli in An. 791. In 2 part ca. 5. that all Christians should with all reverence and devotion honour the Lords day beginning on the Evening of the day before at the first ringing of the bell Hee telleth us also how S. Jerome relateth that the Monkes in Egypt designed the Lords day wholly unto prayers and reading of holy
together where they conveniently might when and on what day did they assemble together On the first day of the weeke as Luke telleth us Acts 20. 7. and the Syriack translation of the 1 Cor. 11. 20. hath it in die Dominico In Apol. 2. Of this Just Martyr beareth witnesse upon the Sunday all of us assemble in the Congregation all that abide in the Cities or about in the fields do meet together in some place Coimus in Caetum Congregationem saith Tertul. In Apol. cap. 39. with cap. 14. 16. on the Lords day he meaneth Cyprian telleth us that the Sunday was the day wherein they met together So Saint Augustine also enformeth us we Christians assemble with Lib. 2. Epist 5. de Civit. Dei l. 22. cap 8. much diligence on the Lords day saith Clemens Rom. constit Apost li. 2. ca. 36. Into this Congregation would some Gentiles come sometime 1 Cor. 14. 23. and none professing Christ might forsake it Heb. 10. 25. Thus wee see clearely without doubting from Seriptures and Fathers when and where Christians met to worship Christ Being met together let us see what was done in the Congregation 1. For Prayer THey prayed together thus we read of them in the first Congregation after Christs Ascension Acts 1. 14. 24. so 〈◊〉 Acts 4. 23. 24. 16. 13. For prayer was one paâ—â— of their Divine Service mentioned in Act. 2. 42. The Apostles were much addicted to prayer as well as preaching Acts 6. 4. and they and the Christian beleevers were frequent in it as occasions were offered Act. 16. 16. 8. 15. 1â— 3. 20. 36. 12. 5. 12. To the performance of this dutie with thanksgiving they were exhorted 1 Tim. 2. 1. 2. 2. For Reading THere was reading of the Scriptures of the Apostles writings by the Apostles command Col. 4. 16. a charge by the Lord 1 Thes 5. 27. and the Apostles decrees Act. 15. Tertul. Apol. cap. 39. In Apol. 2. 30. 31. They met together saith a Father To heare the holy Scriptures rehearsed In the Congreation saith Just Martyr the Records of the Apostles and the Writings of the Prophets In Ios Hoâ— 15. In Civit. l. â—2 c. 8. are read and other Scriptures saith Origen by the Apostles appointment at the reading whereof all were silent and attentive as S. Augustine telleth us 3. For Preaching THere was also preaching in the Congregation S. Paul on the first day of the week when the Disciples came together preached unto them Acts 20. 7. The Apostles in this spent their strength Acts 5. 42. and S. Paul exhorteth to this in vehemence of spirit and with a thundring charge 2 Tim. 4. 1. 2. Of this speaketh this same Apostle in 1 Cor. 14. and giveth order for the use of mens gifts in the Congregation The preaching then was with reprehension with exhortation 2 Tim. 4. 2. admonition Act. 20. 31. with convincing of errours Tit. 1. 9. with consolation 1 Cor. 14. 3. The matter was the word Acts 13. 5. 14. 25. 17. 13. Rom. 10. 8. 2. Tim. 4. 2. The manner was not with entising words of mans wisdome but in the demonstration of the spirit and power of God 1 Cor. 2. 4. 5. The end for conversion Act. 26. 18. 20. and to save men Act. 11. 14. Of preaching and making a Sermon on this day speaketh Just Martyr and Saint Augustine in the fore cited places When the Sermon was done they sent up their prayers unto the Lord saith Justine Martyr 4. For receiving of the Sacraments ON the first day of the week or Lords day they received the Lords supper Act. 20. 7. They came together to break bread saith the Text So did the Corinthians Apol. 2. Epist 118. come together to receive the Sacrament 1 Cor. 11. 20. This Just Martyr also certifieth us of and S. Augustine in the Primitive times it was administred every Sunday 5. For Psalmes THey in the Congregation sang Psalmes so the Apostle intimateth to us 1 Cor. 14. which as they might learne from the ancient people of God as is observed in the former Treatise so from our Saviour and his Apostles who sang a Psalme when the Passeover was received and the Sacrament instituted and administred Mark 14. 26. Plinie secundus in an Epistle to Traian maketh mention of Christians singing of Hymnes when they met together to worship Christ before day How comfortable singing of Psalmes bee when men sing with understanding and with the spirit as they ought 1 Cor. 14. 15. we may see by Paul and Sylas singing Psalmes in prison Act. 16. 25. 6. For care of the poore THe true Church of Christ had ever care for the poore from the very first Plantation as we may see Acts 2. 45. and 4. 34. And for this purpose were Deacons appointed Act. 6. The Apostles gave a charge for to remember the poore Gal. 2. 10. and Saint Paul took order for the collection every Lords day 1. Cor. 16. 2. which Saint Chrysostome Chrys Hom. 43. on 1 Cor. speaketh much of And this continued in the Christian primitive Congregations They made collections for the widdowes of whom care should ever be had Act. 6. 1. 1 Tim. 5. 3. for the fatherlesse as religion teacheth Iames 1. 27 for the sick poore people captives exiles and strangers Iustiâ— Martyr Apo. 2. which came from farre as Just. Martyr witnesseth 7 For Excommunication and Ordination UPon just cause on this day when they did meet the Leo. Mag. ad Dioscorum Episc Alex. Epi. 41. cap. 3. See Tertul. Apolog. Origen and others cited by Bish â—hitâ— pag 214. See Dr. Heylin Histor part 2. p. 118. sentence of Excommunication was pronounced against some which were vâ—ry notorious offenders 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5. On this day it was thought most proper for investing men with holy Orders for that the holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles this day and there gave us as it were this celestiall rule that on this day alone we should conferre spirituall Orders in quo collata sunt omnia dona gratiarum All spituall graces are conferred And it was appointed that such men as were to receive Ordination should continue fasting from the Even before that spending all that time in prayer humbling themselves before the Lord they might be the ☞ better fitted to receive his graces 8 Of their Love-Feasts DIvine Service being ended Christians observed a Love-Feast or feast of charity where all the rich and poore sate downe promiscuously together recreating themselves with godly conference and singing of Psalmes which as Tertullian saith did admit of Nihil vilitatis nihil immodestiae Apolog. and at what time he saith non prius discumbitur quam oratio ad Deum praegustetur Of this speaks also S. Chrysostome Omnes commune inibant convivium pauperibus qui nihil habebant vocatis omnibus communiter vescentibus S. Paul toucheth upon these Feasts 1 Cor. 11. and S. Jude verse 12.
1 Pet. 4. 17. it is used for any kinde of punishment which God infflicts upon men for sin In this later sense the evill befalling the Sabbath-breakers is a judgement and a due deserved punishment as the word is expounded by the learned in Gal. 5. 10. Shall not fire from heaven thundering and lightning by which some have been killed be held a judgement was not the fall of Paris-gardens Scaffold which hurt and kild so many a judgement These and other evils hapning such as be before mentioned have been held to be judgements and why any should deny them to be so now they give no reason nor indeed can they if they take the word judgement aright as in this case some Opposites doe who affirme that irreligious contempt of Gods ordinances appointed on this day by the Church and law of the Land may pull down Gods judgements yea that if this day were changed into another there would be as exemplarie judgments of God from heaven against this kinde of ungodlinesse of men as ever were in any ages upon the Lords day It is no shame we see to call them judgements And we may without shame say that these evils befell them for prophaning the Lords day and not keeping it holy Our Church in the Homily and in the fore-mentioned exhortation the Fathers in that Synod and learned men have averred as much whose affirmation may be opposed to any private mans negation if we had no reason to strengthen the assertion But is it not granted that the prophanation of the day is a grievous sin And doth not the fourth Commandement impose a morall dutie which is to keep holy the day of rest The sanctification of the day is imposed upon us and this are we pressed to remember Let the day be what it will appointed by divine authoritie as our Lords day is acknowledged to be wee are to keep it holy To keep the day set apart by a divine institution holy is the maine substance of the fourth Commandement and a morall dutie And therefore the not keeping holy the Lords day but polluting it is a sinne against the fourth Commandement and the breach of a morall dutie and therefore for this did the evills befall those that prophaned the day But some will peradventure say that it was the prophanation and irreligious contempt of Gods ordinances appointed upon this day by our Church and the lawes of â—he land sinnes highly provoking Gods wrath 〈◊〉 brought such evils upon them It may be so for vaine and prophane enough are 〈◊〉 persons with whom the Lord is displeased who may adde one sinne to another to the prophaning of the day an irreligious dis-regard of holy duties with disâ—bedience to Authoritie but this sinne maketh not the other to â—â— no cause of the evills hapning to them but serveth rather the more to aggravate the other sinne and so more speediâ—y to hasten their judgement And to this some it may be will adde an other cause to wit the licentiousnesse of such as have bin punished swarving from those dirrections limitation prescribed to them I will not deny this neither for certaine it is that almost all the instances which lately have beene given are of those which have runne out beyond their bounds in the Declaration and no marvell for such as care not for Gods Commandements will easily transgresse the limits prescribed by man But yet here is no discord in the assignment of the cause of their punishment the prophanation of the day for in one and the same action where God is dis-obeyed the Church dis-regared and authority neglected and for all this together the parties punished yet the principall cause is the sinne against God as in this cause it is cleare enough Neverthelesse some cannot peradventure be satisfied with all this that it is lawfull to apply these judgements to particular persons except certaine rules be observed herein such as themselves lay downe for guidance in the same These rules I will write downe and then give answer to them as I may The rules which I finde laid downe for this purpose are these following 1 Rule We must have either extraordinary revelation of the punishments for the sinne of which now there is no expectation in the wise or immediately by the word wee must find those particular sins threatned with those particular judgements which we see to be executed upon them Sometime we finde in Scripture particular judgements threatned for some particular sinnes which some have committed and beene punished for But there be above a thousand sinnes mentioned in Scripture and five hundred of them without any particular threatning added This rule is not alwayes observable Wee see severall kindes of punishments inflicted for some particular sinnes which were not threatned before to light upon the offenders Uzziah for attempting to offer incense was smitten with an incuble Leprosie Nadab and Abihu were burnt with fire from heaven for their sinne Ananias and Saphira for their lying to the Holy Ghost kild immediately in the place Jeroboams arme withered for stretching it out against the Prophet Amaziah for silencing a Prophet given over to seck his owne overthrow Judas for betraying Christ left to be his owne executioner Herod eaten with wormes for his finne yet none of these particular judgements were threatned for these particular sinnes What therefore though we have no threatning that God would punish prophanesse on this day with such particular judgements as have befallen them must we not think those evills to have happened to them for that sinne A sinne deserves punishment but what way and how God will punish that hee reserves to himselfe and seldome hath revealed it though sometimes as we see by Nathan to David 2 Sam. 12. 11 12. and by Moses to the Israelites against Korah and his company Numb 16. 30. 2 Rule That which we suppose to be punished must bee truly and indeed a sinne and not a point disputable but recreations on the Lords day whether lawfull or unlawfull are disputable and therefore without unsufferable arrogancy we cannot apply the evils happening as judgements for sin No truth is so cleare but by agitation siding and exercise of wit may become disputable This might bee shewed in many things evident enough till they come into question The morality of the fourth Commandement was heretofore very manifest and the keeping holy the Sabbath day was of the morality and the not-keeping holy the Sabbath day but polluting it was a sinne The Lord in the old Testament threatned to punish and did severely punish the breach of that Law and the same sinne hee yet punisheth in some though not in all that prophane the Lords day observed of us Christians as our Christian Sabbath as hath been proved If these judgements come not for the prophanation of the day as before I shewed it hath been acknowledged wherefore hath God so long and so often laid his hand on many If God be not provoked to anger hee
commonly are they which follow most after sports And experience telleth us that such as most love pleasure are the least takers of pains the greatest Loyterers and the laziest work-men and labourers The third sort which get hardly their living with the sweat of their brows poore men and their poore children crave quiet rest and not painfull pastime For sports are often performed with greater labour of the body than the work of a mans vocation Rest is best for these and sporting and pastime needlesse in respect of their bodies 2 They are not needfull for the minde and spirit For what good can sports gameing and pastime afford man in this respect on this day after he hath been in Gods house Can they sharpen his desire to returne more chearefully to delight in holy duties It is impossible and the clean contrary is found by experience in such as turne the Sabbaths holy rest and their time which should be for meditation into pleasureable recreations They cannot this day set an edge on nor sharpen the spirit to make the body more vivacious chearfull and lively to goe about a mans calling trade art or profession in the week following 1 Sports and pastimes on one day have no such vigour and force to hold up the spirits for an after dayes worke It is the nights rest and not the sporting on the Lords day that doth it 2 They are not seasonable recreations on this day to quicken the spirits by them For seasonable recreations is in labouring time and is to be intermixt betweene labour and labour for to refresh the wearinesse of the spirits to returne speedily againe to labour Recreation is or should be as a baite to a Traveller a bit and away as a whetting to a Mowers sithe to cut afresh or as an houres sleepe in the day time short and sweet to a wearied man that must hold to his work But the Lords day is not the time of Labour but of rest There is a rest a night before there is a rest on the day and the nights rest following What needs then recreation in the time of so much rest when recreation hath ever relation to labour and not to ease 3 There is no cause of the dulling and blunting of the spirits on this day that there should need sports and pastimes for recreation For if the spirits be wearyed this day it is one of these waies following 1 Either with bodily labour about worldly businesse which ought not to be done which rather men should with tears bewaile than leaving labour to runne to sports for recreation 2 Or with the rest of the body in doing nothing but either standing idlely sit chatting or lying asleep like beasts and so become drowzie or lazie Because most persons ignorant of the heavenly use of an holy rest know not how to bestow the time but either about the world or about pleasures when they are out of the Church But the well instructed know how to spend it better and if slouthfull drowsinesse should take hold on them they know how to stirre their bodies by walking and in walking to meditate on Christ and his benefits alone or to have some to conferre with or to goe else alone to prayer or having a family to instruct them and so shake of their slouth and not by gaming sporting and playing 3 Or else the spirits are dull by going to the Church and there continuing for the time If this be alledged 1 I aske how long are such persons in the whole dayes space at the Church In some Parishes and too many of them one houre in the forenoone and lesse in the afternoone or an houre and halfe in the forenoone and as much in the afternoone and grant to the utmost in the whole day three houres and a halfe or foure houres and that also at divided times with a long pause betweene perhaps of three or foure houres Can foure houres in and about Christs Service and Worship in twenty foure dull and weaken the spirits of any which carry the name of Christians and have any life of saving grace in them 2 I aske againe of these lovers of pleasures first whether they come soone to Church and are at the beginning and so abide to the end Secondly while they stay there doe they not sleep or doe they not sit idlely gazing about or are they not carryed away with many by-thoughts If so as too true can they then plead the dulling of their spirits by so staying sinfully in the Congregation drawing neare with their bodies but in soule and heart be farre from God 3 I aske them are they indeed devout Worshippers and attentive hearers and doe they so understand themselves that they know what they have beene doing what they have reaped thereby then surely they cannot depart away dull in spirit but bee glad of that they have heard Act. 13. 48. Neh. 8. 12. glorifying the word of the Lord and so depart away with joy because they have understood the words declared to them Neither is it possible that they should be so possessed with such prophane dotage and folly that they should think if they found any dulnesse in hearing that sporting and playing gaming and pastime to be the meanes to remove such spirituall dulnesse and to recover their spirits to a more chearfull and quicker attendance to Gods word with joyfulnesse of minde and heart in the use of Gods ordinance So to think is both without religion and also void of very reason it selfe Therefore from hence and from the substance of all that hath beene said I conclude that on this day sports games and pastimes are needlesse and to be forborne And here I end praying thus for my selfe and others Oh Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep thy Law And this our sacred day to the honour of thy Sonne our Lord Jesus Christ And from Judaizing and Paganizing And from all prophanesse good Lord deliver us JOHN 7. 17. If any man will doe his will hee shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or no. Finis hujus Operis