house of Israel Nor is Iosephus the only learned man amongst the Iewes that so interpreteth Moses meaning Solomon Iarchi one of the principall of the Rabbins speaks more expresly to this purpose and makes this Glosse or Comment upon Moses words Benedixit ei i.e. in manna c. God blessed the seventh day i.e. in Mannah because for every day of the week an Homer of it fell upon the earth a double portion on the sixt sanctisied it i.e. in Mannah because it fell not on the seventh day at al. Et scriptura loquitur de refutura And in this place saith he the Scripture speaks as of a thing that was to come But what need more be said Mercer a learned Protestant In Gen. 2. one much coÌ„versant in the Rabbins coÌ„fesseth that the Rabbins generally referred this place passage to the following times even to the sanctification of the Sabbath established by the Law of Moses Hebreifere ad futuruÌ„ referunt i.e. sanctificationem Sabbati postea lege per Mosen sancitam unde Manna eo die non descendit And howsoever for his own part he is of opinion that the first Fathers being taught by God kept the seventh day holy yet he conceives withall that the Commandement of keeping holy the Sabbath day was not made till afterwards Nam hinc from Gods own resting on that day postea praeceptum de Sabbato natum est as hee there hath it Doubtlesse the Iewes who so much doted on their Sabbath would not by any means have robbed it of so great antiquity had they had any ground to approve thereof or not known the contrary So that the scope of Moses in this present place was not to shew the time when but the occasion why the Lord did after sanctity the seventh day for a Sabbath day viz. because that on that day he rested from the works which he had created 3 Nor was it otherwise conceived then that Moses here did speak by way of Prolepsis or Anticipation till Ambrose Catharin one of the great sticklers in the Trent-Councell opined the contrary Hee in his Comment on that text fals very foule upon Tostatus and therein leads the dance to others who have since taken up the same opinion Ineptum est quod quidam commentus est c. It is a foolish thing sayth he that In Gen. 2. as a certain Writer fancieth the sanctification of that day which Moses speaks of should not be true as of that very point of time whereof he speaks it but rather is to be referred unto the time wherein he wrote as if the meaning onely were that then it should be sanctified when it was ordered and appointed by the Law of Moses And this he calls Commentum ineptum contra literam ipsam contra ipsius Moseos declarationem A foolish and absurd conceit contrary unto Moses words and to his meaning Yet the same Catharin doth affirme in the selfâ— same Booke Scripturis frequentissimum esse multa per anticipationem narrare that nothing is more frequent in the holy Scriptures then these anticipations And in particular that whereas it is said in the former Chapter male and female created he them per anticipationem diâ—tum esse non est dubitandum that without doubt it is so said by anticipation the woman not being made as he is of opinion till the next day after which was the Sabbath For the Anticipation he cites Saint Chrysostome who indeed tels us on that text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold saith he how that which was not done as yet is here related as if done already He might have added for the purpose Origen on the first of Genesis and Gregory the Great Moral lib. 32. cap. 9. both which take notice of a Prolepsis or Anticipation in that place of Moses For the creation of the woman he brings in Saint Ierome who in his Tract against the Iewes expresly saith mulierem conditam fuisse die septimo that the woman was created on the seventh day or Sabbath to which this Catharin assents and thinks that thereupon the Lord is said to have finished all his works on the seventh day that being the last that he created This seemes indeed to be the old tradition if it be lawfull for me to digresse a little it being supposed that Adam being wearied in giving names unto all creatures on the sixt day in the end whereof hee was created did fall that night into a deepe and heavy sleepe and that upon the Sabbath or the seventh day morning his side was opened and a rib took thence for the creation of the woman Aug Steuchiuâ— in Gen. 2. So Augustinus Steuchius reports the Legend And this I have the rather noted to meet with Catharinus at his own weapon For whereas he concludes from the rest of God that without doubt the institution of the Sabbath began upon that very day wherein God rested it seemes by him God did not rest upon that day and so we either must have no Sabbath to be kept at all or else it will be lawfull for us by the Lords example to do what ever worke we have to do upon that day and after sanctifie the remaynder And yet I needs must say withall that Catharinus was not the onely hee that thought God wrought upon the Sabbath Problem lâ—â— 5â— Aretius also so conceived it Dies itaque tota non fuit quiete transacta sed perfecto opere ejus deinceps quievit ut Hebraeus contextus habet Mercer a man well skilled in Hebrew denyeth not but the Hebrew text will beare that meaning In Gen 2. Who thereupon conceives that the seventy Elders in the translation of that place did purposely translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that on the sixt day God finished all the worke that he had made and after rested on the seventh And this they did saith he ut omnem dubitandi occasionem tollerent to take away all hint of collecting thence that God did any kind of worke upon that day For if hee finished all his works on the seventh day it may be thought saith he that God wrought upon it Saint Hierome noted this before that the Greeke text was herein different from the Hebrew and turns it as an argument against the Iewes and their rigid keeping of the Sabbath Artabimus igitur Iudaeos qui de ocio Sabbati gloriantur Qu Hebraiâ—â— in Gen. quod jam tunc in principio Sabbatum dissolutum sit dum Deus operatur in Sabbato complens opera sua in eo benedicens ipsi diei quia in ipso vniversa compleverat If so if God himselfe did breake the Sabbath as Saint Hierome turns upon the Iewes wee have small cause to thinke that he should at that very time impose the Sabbath as a Law upon his creatures 4 But to proceed Others that have took part with Catharinus against Tostatus have had as ill successe as he in being forced
in processe of time Gen 4. 3. at the yeares end as some expound it For at the yeares end as Ainsworth noteth men were wont in most solemne manner to offer sacrifice unto God with thanks for all his benefits having then gathered in their fruits Exod. 23. 16. The Law of Moses so commanded the ancient Fathers so observed it as by this place we may conjecture and so it was accustomed too among the Gentiles their ancient Sacrifices and their Assemblies to that purpose Ethic. l. 8. as Aristotle hath informed us being after the gathering in of fruits No day selected for that use that we can heare of This Sacrifice of Noah as it was remarkable so it was occasionall an Eucharisticall Oblation for the great deliverance which did that day befall unto him And had it hapned on the seventh day it were no argument that hee made choice thereof as most fit and proper or that he used to sacrifice more upon that day then on any other So that of Abraham in the twelfth of Genesis was occasionall only The Lord appeared to Abraham saying Gen. 12. 7. unto thy seed will I give this land the land of Canaan And then it followeth that Abraham builded there an Altar unto the Lord who appeared unto him The like hee did when hee first set his footing in the promised land and pitched his Tents not farre from Bethel Vers. 8. and when hee came to plant in the Plaine of Mamre Vers. 18. in the next Chapter See the like Gen 21. 33. 1. 22 13. Of Isaac Gen. 26. 25. Of Iacob Gen. 28. 8. 31. 54. 33. 20. 35. 7. 14. No mention in the Scripture of any Sacrifice or publick worship In Gen. 8. 20. but the occasion is set downe Hoc ratio naturalis dictat ut de donis suis honoretur imprimis ipse qui dedit Naturall reason saith Rupertus could instruct them that God was to be honoured with some part of that which he himselfe had given unto them but naturall reason did not teach them that one day differed from another CHAP. III. That the SABBATH was not kept from the Floud to Moses 1 The sonnes of Noah did not keepe the Sabbath 2 The Sabbath could not have been kept in the dispersion of Noahs sonnes had it been commanded 3 Diversity of Longitudes and Latitudes must of necessity make a variation in the Sabbath 4 Melchisedeck Heber Lot did not keepe the Sabbath 5 Of Abraham and his sonnes that they kept not the Sabbath 6 That Abraham did not keepe the Sabbath in the confession of the Iewes 7 Iacob nor Iob no Sabbath-keepers 8 That neither Ioseph Moses nor the Israelites in Egypt did observe the Sabbath 9 The Israelites not permitted to offer Sacrifice while they were in Egypt 10 Particular proofes that all the Morall Law was both knowne and kept amongst the Fathers 1 WEE are now come unto the hither side of the Floud to the sonnes of Noah To whom the Hebrew-Doctors say their Father did bequeath seven several Commandements which they and thâ—ir posterity were bound to keepe Iâ— Lexico p. 1530. Septem praecepta acceperunt filii Noah c. as Shindler reckoneth them out of Rabbi Maimony First That they dealt uprightly with every man Secondly That they should blesse and magnifie the Name of God Thirdly that they abstained from worshipping false gods and from all Idolatry Fourthly That they forbeare all unlawfull lusts and copulations The fift against shedding bloud The sixt against theft and robbery The seventh and last a prohibition not to eat the flesh or any member of a beast taken from it when it was alive whereby all cruelty was forbidden These precepts whosoever violated either of Noahs sonnes or their posterity was to be smitten with the sword Yea these Commandements were reputed so agreeable to nâ—ture that all such Heathens as would yeeâ—d to obey the same were suffered to remaine and dwell amongst the Israelites though they received not Circumcision nor any of the Ordinances which were given by Moses â—o that amongst the precepts given unto the sonnes of Noah we find no footstep of the Sabbath And where a Moderne Writer whom I spare to name hath made the keeping of the Sabbath a member of the second precept or included in it it was not so advisedly done there being no such thing at all Cunaeus de repub Hebr. 2. 19. either in Schindler whom he cites nor in Cunaeus who repeats the selfe-same precepts from the self-same Rabbi Nay which is more the Rabbin out of whom they cite it doth in another place exclude expresly the observation of the Sabbath out of the number of these precepts given the sonnes of Noah The man and woman-servant Ap. Ainsworth in Exod. 20. saith he which are commanded to keepe the Sabbath are servants that are circumcised or baptized c. But servants not circumcised nor baptised but onely such as have received the seven Commandements given to the sonnes of Noah they are as sojourning strangers and may do worke for themselves openly on the Sabbath as any Israelite may on a working day So Rabbi Maymony in his Treatise of the Sabbath Chap. 20. § 14. If then wee finde no Sabbath amongst the sonnes of Noah whereof some of them were the sonnes of their Fathers piety there is no thought of meeting with it in their children or their childrens children the builders of the Tower of Babel For they being terrified with the late Deluge as some conjecture and to procure the name of great undertakers as the Scripture saith resolved to build themselves a Towre unto the top whereof the waters should in no wise reach A worke of a most vast extent if we may credit those reports that are made thereof and followed by the people Antiqu Iud l. â— cap. 5. as Iosephus tells us with their utmost industry there being none amongst them idle If none amongst them would be idle as likely that no day was spared from so great an action as they conceived that worke to be Those that durst bid defiance to the Heaven of God were never like to keepe a Sabbath to the God of Heaven This action was begun and ended Anno 1940 or thereabouts 2 To ruinate these vain attempts it pleased the Lord first to confound the language of the people which before was oâ—e and after to disperse them over all the earth By meanes of which dispersion they could not possibly have kept one and the same day for a Sabbath had it been commanded the dayes in places of a different longitude which is the distance of a place from the first Meridian beginning at such different times that no one day could be precisely kept amongst them The proofe and ground whereof I will make bold to borrow from my late learned friend Natha Carpenter that I may manifest in some sort the love I bore him though probably I might have furnished out this argument
Easter 〈…〉 to the Lords day without much opposition of the Easterne 〈◊〉 6 what Iustin Martyr and Dionysius of Corinth have left us of the Lords day with Clemens Aleraâ—drinus his dislike thereof 〈…〉 the Christians of these Ages used to pray standing on the Lords day and the time of Pentecost 8 what is recorded by Tertullian of the Lords day and the assemblies of the Church 9 Origen as his master Clemens had done before dislikes set dayes for the Assemblie 10 Saint Cyprian what hee tells us of the Lords day and of the reading of the Scriptures in Saint Cyprians time 11 Of other holy dayes established iâ— these three first Ages and that they were observed as solemnely as the Lords day was 12 The name of Sunday often used by the primitive Christians for the Lords day but the Sabbath never CHAP. III. That in the fourth Age from the time of Constantine to Saint Augustine the Lords day was not taken for a Sabbath day 1 The Lords day first established by the Emperour Constantine 2 What labours were permitted and what restrained on the Lords day by this Emperours Edict 3 Of other holy dayes and Saints dayes instituted in the time of Constantine 4 That weekely other dayes particularly the Wednesday and the Friday were in this Age and those before appointed for the meetings of the congregation 5 The Saturday as highly honoured in the Easterne Churches as the Lords day was 6 The Fathers of the Easterne Church crie downe the Iewish Sabbath though they held the Saturday 7 The Lords day not spent wholly in religious exercises and what was done with that part of it which 〈◊〉 left at large 8 The Lords day in this Age a day of Feasting and that it hath beene alwayes judged haereticall to hold fasts thereon 9 Of recreations on the Lords day and of what kind those dancings were against the which the Fathers inveigh so sharpely 10 Other Imperiall Edicts about the keeping of the Lords day and the other holy dayes 11 Of publike Orders on the Lords day and the other holy â—ayes at this time in use 12 The infinite difâ—erences between the Lords day and the Sabbath CHAP. IV. The great improvement of the Lords day in the fift and sixt Ages make it not a Sabbath 1 In what estate the Lords day stood in Saint Austins time 2 Stage-playes and publicke shewes prohibited on the Lords day and the other holy dayes by Imperiall Edicts 3 The base and beastly nature of the Stage-playes at those times in use 4 The barbarous and bloody qualitie of the Spectacula or Shewes at this time prohibited 5 Neither all civill businesse nor all kinde of pleasures restrained on the Lords day by the Emperour Leo as it is conceived 6 The French and Spaniards of the sixt Age begin to Iudaize about the Lords day and of restraint of husbandrie on that day in that Age first made 7 The so much cited Câ—non of the Councell of Mascon proves no Lords day Sabbath 8 Of publike honours done in these Ages to the Lords day both by Prince and Prelate 9 No Evening Service on the Lords day till these present Ages 10 of publike orders now established for the better regulating of the Lords day meetings 11 The Lords day not more reckoned of than the greater Festivals and of the other holy dayes in these Ages instituted 12 All businesse and recreation not by Law prohibited are in themselves as lawfull on the Lords day at on any other CHAP. V. That in the next 600. yeeres from Pope Gregory forewards the Lords day was not reckned of as of a Sabbath 1 Pope Gregories â—are to set the Lords day free from some Jewish rigours at that time obtruded on the Church 2 Strange fancies taken up by some few men about the Lords day in these darker Ages 3 Scriptures and miracles in thâ—se times found out to justifie the keeping of the Lords day holy 4 That in the â—udgement of the most learned in these sixe Ages the Lords day hath no other ground than the authoritie of the Church 5 With how much difficultie the people of these westâ—rne parts were barred from following their husbandrie and Courts of Law on the Lords day 6 Husbandry not restrained in the Easterne parts untill the time of Leo Philosophus 7 Markets and Handy-crafts restrained with no lesse opposition that the Plough and pleading 8 Severall casus reservati in the Lawes themselves wherein men were permitted to attend those businesses on the Lords day which the Lawes restrained 9 Of divers great and publike actions done in these Ages on the Lords day 10 Dancing and other sports no otherwise prohibited on the Lords day than as they were an hindrance to Gods publike service 11 The other holy dayeâ— as much esteemed of and observed as the Lords day was 12 The publicke hallowing of the Lords day and the other holy dayes in these present Ages 13 No Sabbath all these Ages heard of either on Saturday or Sunday and how it stood with Sâ—turday in the Easterne Churchesâ— CHAP. VI. What is the judgement of the Schoole-men and of the Protestaâ—tâ— and what the practise of those Churchâ—â— in this Lords-day â—usinâ—sse 1 That in the judgement of the Schoole-men the keeping of one daâ— in seven is not the morall part of the 4. Commandement 2 as also that the Lords day is not founded on divine authority but the authority of the Church 3 A Catalogue of the holy dayes 〈◊〉 up in the Councell of Lyons and the new doctrine of the Schooles â—ouching the naturall sanctitie of the holy dayes 4 In what estate the Lords day stood in matter of restraint from labour at the Reformaton 5 The Reformatiours finde great fault both with the said â—ew doctrine and restraints from labour 6 That in the iudgement of the Pâ—otestant Divines the â—â—â—ctifying of one day in seven is not the morall part of the 4. Commandement 7 As also that the Lords day hath no other ground on which so stand than the authority of the Church 8 And that the Church hath power to change the day and to transferre it to some others 9 What is the practise of the Roman Lutheran and chiefly the Calvinian Churches on the Lords day in matter of devotion rest from labour and sufferance of lawfull pleasure 10 Dancing cryed doâ—ne by Calvin and the French Churches not in relation to the Lords day but the sport it selfe 11 In what estate the Lords day stands in the Easterne Churches and that the Saturday is observed by the Ethiopians as the Lords day is CHAP. VII In what estate the Lords day stood in this Isle of Britaine from the first planting of Religion to the Reforâ—â—tion 1 What doth occurre about the Lords day and the other Festivals amongst the Churches of the Brittans 2 Of the estate of the Lords day and the other holy dayes in the Saxon Hepâ—arâ—hie 3 The honours done unto the Sunday and the other holy
kept the Sabbath nor any other Ordinances of the Law of Moses So Irenaeus speaking before of Circumcision and the Sabbath placeth this Enoch among those Lib. 4 cap 30. qui sine iis quae praedicta sunt justificationem adepti sunt which had beene justified without any the Ordinances before remembred Tertullian more fully yet Adv. Iudaeos Enoch justissimum nec circumcisum nec sabbatizantem de hoc mundo transtulit c. Enoch that righteous man being neither Circumcised nor a Sabbath-keeper was by the Lord translated and saw not death to be an Item or instruction unto us that we without the burden of the Law of Moses shall be found acceptable unto God Hee set him also in his challenge as one whom never any of the Iewes could prove Sabbati cultorem esse to have been a keeper of the Sabbath Eusebius too who makes the Sabbath one of Moses institutions De Demonstr l. 4. c 6. hath said of Enoch that hee was neither circumcised nor medled with the Law of Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and that hee lived more like a Christian than a Iew. The same Eusebius in his seventh de praeparatione and Epiphanius in the place before remembred affirme thesame of him as they do of Adam Abel Seth and Enos and what this Epiphanius saith of him that hee affirmes also of his sonne Methusalem Sâ—al de Emâ—â—d Temp l 7. Therefore nor Enoch nor Methusalem ever kept the Sabbath It s true the Aethiopians in their Calendar have a certain period which they call Sabbatum Enoch Enoch's Sabbath But this consisteth of seven hundred yeares and hath that name either because Enoch was borne in the seventh Century from the Creation viz. in the yeare six hundred twenty two or because he was the seventh from Adam It s true that many of the Iewes and some Christians too have made this Enoch an Embleme of the heavenly and eternall Sabbath which shall never end 〈◊〉 in Geâ— 4. because he was the seventh from Adam and did never taste of death as did the six that went before him But this is no Argument I trow that Enoch ever kept the Sabbath whiles hee was alive Note that this Enoch was translated about the yeare nine hundred eighty seven and that Methusalem died but one yeare onely before the Floud which was 1655. And so farre we are safely come without any rub 9 To come unto the Floud it selfe to Noah who both saw it and escaped it it is affirmed by some that he kept the Sabbath and that both in the Arke and when he was released out of it if not before Yea they have arguments also for the proofe hereof but very weake ones such as they dare not trust themselves It is delivered in the eighth of the Booke of Genesis that after the return of the Dove into the Arke Noah stayed yet other seven dayes before he sent her forth againe Vers. 10 12. What then This seemes unto Hospinian to be an argument for the Sabbath In historia diluvii columbae ex arca emissae septenario dierum intervallo ratione sabbati videntur So hee and so verbatim Iosias Simler in his Comment on the twentieth of Exodus But to this argument if at the least it may be honoured with that name Tostatus hath returned an answere as by way of prophecie In Gen. 8. He makes this Quaere first sâ—d quare ponit hic quod Noâ— expectabat semper septem dies c. Why Noah betwixt every sending of the Dove expected just seven dayes neither more nor lesse and then returns this answere to it such as indeed doth excellently satisfie both his own Quaere and the present argument Resp. quod Noah intendebat scire utrum aquae cessassent c. Noah saith he desired to know whether the waters were decreased Now since the waters being a moyst body are regulated by the Moone Noah was most especially to regard her motions for as she is either in opposition or conjunction with the Sunne in her increase or in her wane there is proportionably an increase or falling of the waters Noah then considering the Moone in her severall quarters which commonly we know are at seven dayes distance sent forth his Birds to bring him tydings for the Text tels us that he sent out the Raven and the Dove foure timeâ— And the fourth time the Moon being then in the last quarter when both by the ordinary course of nature the waters usually are and by the will of God were then much decreased the Dove which was sent out had found good footing on the earth and returned no more So farre the learned Abulensis which makes cleere the case Nor stand wee onely here upon our defence For wee have proofe sufficient that Noah never kept the Sabbath Vbi supra Iustin the Martyr and Irenaeus both make him one of those which without circumcision the Sabbath were very pleasing unto God and also justified without them Tertullian positively saith it that God delivered him from the great water floud Adv. Iudaâ—â—â— nec circumcisum nec sabbatizantem and chalengeth the Iewes to prove if any way they could sabbatum observasse that he kept the Sabbath Eusebius also tels us of him that being a just man and one whom God preserved as a remayning sparke to kindle piety in the World yet knew not any thing that pertained to the Iewish Ceremony De demonstr l. 1. c 6. not Circumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor any other thing ordained by Moses Remember that Eusebius makes the Sabbath one of Moses Ordinances Finally Epiphanius in the place before remembred ranks Noah in this particular with Adam Abel Seth Enos and the other Patriarchs 10 It s true that Ioseph Scaliger once made the day whereon Noah left the Arke and offered sacrifice to the Lord to be the seventh day of the week De Emendâ—â— Temp. l. 5. 28. Decembris feria septima egressus Noah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immolavit Deo saith his first Edition Which were enough to cause some men who infinitely admire his Dictates from thence to have derived a Sabbath had hee not changed his minde in the next Edition and placed this memorable action not on the seventh day but the fourth I say it might have caused some men for all men would not so have doted as from a special accident to conclude a practice Considering especially that there is no ground in Scripture to proove that those before the Law had in their Sacrifices any regard at all to set times and dayes either unto the sixt day or the seventh or eighth or any other but did their service to the Lord I mean the publick part thereof and that which did consist in externall action according as occasion was administred unto them The offerings of Cain and Abel for ought we can informe our selves were not very frequent The Scripture tels us that it was
Christians with the publick meetings that so they might with greater comfort preserve and cherish the memoriall of so great a mercie in reference unto which the Worlds Creation seemed not so considerable By reason of which work wrought on it it came in time to be entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords day Apocal 10. which attribute is first found in the Revelation writ by Saint Iohn about the 94 yeâ—re of our Saviours birth So long it was before wee finde the Church tooke notice of it by a proper name For I perswade my selfe that had that day been destmâ—te at that time to religious duties or honoured with the name of the Lords day when Paul preached at Troas or write to the Corinthiâ—ns which as before wee shewed was in the fifty â—eventh neither Saint Luke nor the Apostle had so passed it over and called it onely the first day of the weeke as they both have done And when it had this attribute affixed unto it it onely was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as before we said by reason of our Saviours resurrection performed upon it and that the Congregation might not be assembled as well on them as on the other For first it was not called the Lords Day exclusively but by way of eminencie in reference to the resurrection onely all other dayes being the Lords In Psal. 23. aswell as this Prima sabbati significat diem Dominicum quo Dominus resurrexit resurgendo isti seculo subvenit muâ—dumque ipso die creavit qui ob excellentiam tanti miraculi propriâ— dies Dominica appellatur i.e. dies Domini quamvis omnes sunt Domini So Bruno Herbipolensis hath resoluted it And next it was not so designed for the publick meetings of the Church as if they might not be assembled as well on every day as this For as Saint Hierome hath determined In Gal. â— omnes dies aequales sunt nec per parasceven tantum Christum cruciâ—igi die Dominica resurgere sed semper sanctum resurrectionis esse diem semper â—um caâ—rne vesci Dominica c. All dayes are equall in themselues as the Father tells us Christ was not crucified on the Friday onely nor did hee rise onely upon the Lords Day but that wee may make every day the holy-day of his resurrection and every day eat his blessed body in the Sacrament When therefore certain days were publickly assigned by Godly men for the assemblies of the Church this was done onely for their sakes qui magis seculo vacant quam Deo who had more minde unto the World then to him that made it and therefore either could not or rather would not every day assemble in the Church of God Vpon which ground as they made choice of this even in the Age of the Apostles for one because our Saviour rose that day from amongst the dead so chose they Friday for another by reason of our Saviours passiâ—n and Wednesday on the which he had beene betrayed the Saturday or ancient Sabbath being mean-while retained in the Eastern Churches Nay in the primitive times excepting in the heat of persecution they met together every day for the receiving of the Sacrament that being fortified with that viaticum they might with greater courage encounter death if they chanced to meet him So that the greatest honour which in this Age was given the first day of the week or Sunday is that about the close thâ—â—of they did begin to honour it with the name or title of the Lords Day and made it one of those set dayes whereon the people met together for religious exercises Which their religious exercises when they were performed or if the times were such that their assemblies were prohibited and so none were performed at all it was not held unlawfull to apply themselues unto their ordinary labours as we shall see annon in the following Ages For whereas some have gathered from this Text of the Revelation from S. Iohâ—â— being in the spâ—rit on the Lords Day as the phrase there is that the Lords Day is wholy to be spent in spirituall exercises that their conceit might probably have had some shew of likelihood had it been said by the Apostle that he had been in the spirit every Lords Day But being as it is a particular case it can make no rule unlesse it be that every man on the Lords Day should have dreames and visions and be inspired that day with the spirit of prophecie no more then if it had beene told us upon what day Saint Paul had beene rapt up into the third Heaven every man should upon that day expect the like celestiall raptures Adde here how it is thought by some that the Lords Day here mentioned is not to bee interpreted of the first dâ—y of the weeke 〈…〉 as wee use to take it but of the day of his last comming of the day of judgement wherein all flesh shall come together to receive their sentence which being called the Lords Day too in holy Scripture that so the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord 1. Cor. 5. 5. S. Iohn might see it being rapt in spirit as if come already But touching this we will not meddle let them that owne it looke unto it the rather since S. Iohn hath generally beene expounded in the other sence by Aretas and Andraâ—as Caesariensis upon the place by Bede de rat temp c. 6. and by the suffrage of the Church the best expositour of Gods Word wherein this day hath constantly since the time of that Apostle beene honoured with that name above other dayes Which day how it was afterwards observed and how farre different it was thought from a Sabbath day the prosecution of this story will make cleare and evident CHAP. II. In what estate the Lords day stood from the death of the Apostles to the reigne of Constantine 1 Touching the orders setled by the Apostles for the Congregation 2 The Lords day and the Saturday both festivals and both alike observed in the East in Ignatius time 3 The Saturday not without great difficulty made a fasting day 4 The Controversie about keeping Easter and how much it conduceth to the present businesse 5 The feast of Easter not affixed to the Lords day without much opposition of the Easterne Churches 6 What Iustin Martyr and Dionysius of Corinth have left 〈◊〉 of the Lords day Clemens of Alexandria his dislike thereof 7 Vpon what grounds the Christians of the former times used to pray standing on the Lords day and the time of Pentecost 8 What is recorded by Tertullian of the Lords day and the assemblies of the Church 9 Origen as his master Clemens had done before dislikes set dayes for the assemblie 10 S. Cyprian what he tells us of the Lords day and of the reading of the Scriptures in S. Cyprians time 11 Of other holy dayes established in these three first ages and that they were observed as solemnely as the
all promiscuously to sing in the Church it was observed that in such dissonancie of voyces and most of them unskilfull in the notes of musicke there was no small jarring and unpleasant sounds This Councell thereupon ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. Laodic Can. 15. that none should sing hereafter in the Congregation but such as were Canonically appointed to it and skilfull in it By meanes whereof before the shutting up of this fourth Centurie the musicke of the Church became very perfect and harmonious Confess l. 10. cap. 33. suavi artificiosa voce cantata as S. Austin tells us So perfect and harmonious that it did worke exceedingly on the affections of the hearers and did movere animos ardentius in flammam pietatis inflame their mindes with a more lively flame of piety taking them prisoners by the eares and so conducting them unto the glories of Gods kingdome Ibid. S. Austin attributes a great cause of conversion to the powers thereof calling to minde those frequent teares quas fudi ad â—antus ecclesiae â—uae which had beene drawne from him by this sacred musicke by which his soule was humbled and his affections raised to an height of godlinesse The like he also tells us in his ninth Booke of Confessions and sixth Chapter Nor doubt we but it did produce the same effect on divers others who comming to the Churches as he then did to bee partaker of the musicke return'd prepared in minde well disposed in their intentions to be converted unto God Now that the Church might be frequented at the times appointed and so all secret Conventicles stopped in these divided times wherein so many heresies did domineare and that the â—â—ching eares of men might not perswade them to such Churches where God had not placed them so to discourage their owne proper minister it pleased the Fathers in the Councell of Saragossa Anno 368. or thereabouts to decree it thus First Can. 2. Ne latibulis cubiculorum montium habitent qui in suspicionibus perseverent that none who were suspected of Priscillianisme which was the humour that then reigned should lurke in secret corners eyther in houses or in hills but followes the example and direction of the Priests of God And secondly ad alienas villas agendorum conventuum causa non conveniant that none should goe to other places under pretence of joyning there to the assemblie but keepe themselves unto their owne Which prudent Constitutions upon the selfe same pious grounds are still preserved amongst us in the Church of England 12 Thus doe wee see upon what grounds the Lords day stands on custome first and voluntary consecration of it to religious meetings that custome countenanced by the authority of the Church of God which tacitely approved the same and finally confirmed and ratified by Christian Princes throughout their Empires And as the day so rest from labours and restraint from businesse upon that day received its greatest strength from the supreme magistrate as long as hee reteined that power which to him belonged as after from the Canons and decrees of Councells the Decretalls of Popes and orders of particular Prelates when the sole managing of Ecclesiasticall affaires was committed to them I hope it was not so with the former Sabbath which neyther tooke originall from custome that people being not so forward to give God a day nor required any countenance or authority from the Kings of Israel to confirme and ratifie it The Lord had spake the word that hee would have one day in seaven precisely the seventh day from the worlds creation to be a day of rest unto all his people which sayd there was no more to doe but gladly to submit and obey his pleasure nec quiâ—quam reliquum erat praeter obsequij gloriam in the greatest Prince And this done all at once not by degrees by little and little as he could see the people affected to it or as hee found it fittest for them like a probation Law made to continue till the next session and then on further liking to hold good for ever but by a plaine and peremptory order that it should be so without further tryall But thus it was not done in our present businesse The Lords day had no such command that it should bee sanctified but was left plainely to Gods people to pitch on this or any other for the publicke use And being taken up amongst them and made a day of meeting in the congregation for religious exercises yet for 300. yeares there was neyther Law to binde them to it nor any rest from labour or from worldly businesses required upon it And when it seemed good unto Christian Princes the nursing Fathers of Gods Church to lay restraints upon their people yet at the first they were not generall but onely thus that certaine men in certaine places should lay aside their ordinary and daily workes to attend Gods service in the Church those whose employments were most toylesome and most repugnant to the true nature of a Sabbath being allowed to follow and pursue their labours because most necessary to the Common-wealth And in the following times when as the Prince and Prelate in their severall places indeavoured to restraine them from that also which formerly they had permitted and interdicted almost all kinde of bodily labour upon that day it was not brought about without much strugling and on opposition of the people more than a thousand yeares being past after Christs ascention before the Lords day had attained that state in which now it standeth as will appeare at full in the following story And being brought unto that state wherein now it stands it doth not stand so firmely and on such sure grounds but that those powers which raised it up may take it lower if they please yea take it quite away as unto the time and settle it on any other day as to them seemes best which is the doctrine of some Schoole men and diverse Protestant writers of great name and credit in the world A power which no man will presume to say was ever chalenged by the Iewes over the Sabbath Besides all things are plainely contrary in these two dayes as to the purpose intent of the institution For in the Sabbath that which was principally aimed at was rest from labour that neyther they nor any that belonged unto them should doe any manner of worke upon that day but sit still and rest themselves Their meditating on Gods Word or on his goodnes manifested in the worlds Creation was to that an accessory and as for reading of the Law in the Congregation that was not taken up in more than 1000. yeares after the Law was given and being taken up came in by ecclesiasticall ordinance onely no divine authority But in the institution of the Lords day that which was principally aimed at was the performance of religious and Christian duties hearing the Word receiving
fomer plaine-song the adding of particular restrictions as occasion was which were before conteined though not plainely specified both in the Edicts of the former Emperours and Constitutions of the Churches before remembred Yet all this while we finde not any one who did observe it as Sabbath or which taught others so to doe not any who affirmed that any manner of worke was unlawfull on it further than as it was prohibited by the Prince or Prelate that so the people might assemble with their greater comfort not any one who preached or published that any pastime sport or recreation of an honest name such as were lawfull on the other dayes were not fit for this And thereupon we may resolve aswell of lawfull businesse as of lawfull pleasures that such as have not beene forbidden by supreme authority whether in proclamations of the Prince or Constitutions of the Church or Acts of Parliament or any such like declaration of those higher powers to which the Lord hath made us subject are to be counted lawfull still It matters not in case we finde it not recorded in particular termes that wee may lawfully apply our selves to some kinde of businesse or recreate our selves in every kinde of honest pleasure at those particular houres and times which are leâ—t at large and have not beene designed to Gods publicke service All that we are to looke for is to see how farre we are restrained from labour or from recreations on the holy dayes and what authority it is that hath so restrained us that wee may come to know our dutie and conforme unto it The Canons of particular Churches have no power to doe it further then they have beene admitted into the Church wherein we live for then being made a part of her Canon also they have power to binde us to observance As little power there is to be allowed unto the declarations and Edicts of particular Princes but in their owne dominions onely Kings are Gods Deputies on the Earth but in those places onely where the Lord hath set them their power no greater than their empire and though they may command in their owne estates yet is it extra sphaeram activitatis to prescribe lawes to nations not subject to them A King of France can make no law to binde us in England Much lesse must wee ascribe unto the dictates and directions of particular men which being themselves subject unto publicke order are to bee hearkned to no further then by their life and doctrine they doe preach obedience unto the publicke ordinances under which they live For were it otherwise every private man of name and credit would play the tyrant with the liberty of his Christian brethren and nothing should be lawfull but what he allowed of especially if the pretence be faire and specious such as the keeping of a Sabbath to the Lord our God the holding of an holy convocation to the King of heaven Example we had of it lately in the Gothes of Spaine and that strange bondage into which some pragmaticke and popular men had brought the French had not the councell held at Orleans gave a checke unto it And with examples of this kinde must we begin the story of the following Ages CHAP. V. That in the next six hundred yeares from Pope Gregory forwards the Lords day was not reckoned of as of a Sabbath 1 Pope Gregories care to set the Lords day free from some Iewish rigours at that timeâ— obtruded on the Church 2 Strange fancies taken up by some about the Lords day in these darker ages 3 Scriptures and Miracles in these times found out to justifie the keeping of the Lords day holy 4 That in the judgement of the most learned in these six ages the Lords day hath no other ground then the authority of the Church 5 With how much difficulty the people of these times were barred from following their Husbandry and Law-dayes on the Lords day 6 Husbandry not restrained on the Lords day in the Easterne parts untill the time of Leo Philosophus 7 Markets and Handicrafts restrained with no lesse opposition then the plough and pleading 8 Severall casus reservati in the Lawes themselves wherein men were permitted to attend those businesses on the Lords day which the lawes restrained 9 Of divers great and publicke actions done in these ages on the Lords day 10 Dancing and other sports no otherwise prohibited on the Lords day then as they were an hinderance to Gods publicke service 11 The other holy dayes as much esteemed of and observed as the Lords day was 12 The publicke hallowing of the Lords day and the other holy dayes in these present ages 13 No Sabbath all these ages heard of either on Saturday or Sunday and how it stood with Saturday in the Easterne Churches 1 WEe are now come to the declining ages of the Church after the first 600. yeares were fully ended and in the entrance on the seaventh some men had gone about to possesse the people of Rome with two dangerous fancies one that it was not lawfull to doe any manner of worke upon the Saturday or the old Sabbath it a ut die Sabbati aliquid operari prohiberent the other ut dominicorun die nullus debeat lavari that no man ought to bathe himselfe on the Lords day or their new Sabbath With such a race of Christned Iewes or Iudaizing Christians was the Church then troubled Against these dangerous doctrines did Pope Gregory write his letter to the Roman Citizens Epl. 3. l. 11. stiling the first no other then the Preachers of Antichrist one of whose properties it shall be that he will have the Sabbath and the Lords day both so kept as that no manner of worke shall be done on eyther qui veniens diem Sabatum atque dominicum ab omni faciet opere custodire as the Father hath it Where note that to compell or teach the people that they must doe no manner of worke on the Lords day is a marke of Antichrist And why should Antichrist keepe both dayes in so strict a manner Because saith he he will perswade the people that he shall die and rise againe therefore he meanes to have the Lords day in especiall honour and hee will keepe the Sabbath too that so he may the better allure the Iewes to adhere unto him Against the other he thus reasoneth Et si quidem pro luxuria voluptate quâ—s lavari appetit hoc fieri nec reliquo quolibeâ— die concedimus c. If any man desires to bathe himselfe only out of a luxurious and voluptuous purpose observe this wellâ— this we conceive not to be lawfull upon any day but if he doe it onely for the necessary refreshing of his body then neither is it fit it should be forbidden upon the Sunday For if it be a sinne to bathe or wash all the body on the Lords day then must it be a sinne to wash the face upon that day if it be lawfull to
from mine own wardrope at least have had recourse to many other learned men who have written of it For that the difference of time is varied according to the difference of longitudes in divers places of the earth may be made manifest to every mans understanding out of these two principles First if the earth is sphaericall and secondly that the Sunne doth compasse it about it twenty foure houres From hence it comes to passe that places situate Eastward see the Sunne sooner then those do that are placed Westward And that with such a different proportion of time that unto every houre of the Sunnes motion there is assigned a certaine number of miles upon the Earth every fifteen degrees which is the distance of the Meridians being computed to make one houre and every fifteene miles upon the earth correspondent to one minute of that houre By this wee may perceive how soone the noon-tide hapneth in one City before another For if one City stands Eastward of another the space of three of the aforesaid Meridians which is 2700. miles it is apparant that it will enjoy the noon-tyde no lesse then three houres before the other and consequently in 10800. miles which is halfe the compasse of the earth there will be found no lesse then twelve houres difference in the rising and setting of the Sunne as also in the noon and midnight The reason of which difference of times is as before we said the difference of longitudes wherein to every houre Cosmographers have allotted fifteene degrees in the Suns diurnall motion so that fifteen degrees being multiplied by twenty foure houres which is the naturall day the product will be 360 which is the number of degrees in the whole circle Now in these times wherein the sonnes of Noah dispersed themselves in case the Sabbath was to have been kept as simply morall it must needs follow that the morall Law is subject unto manifold mutations and uncertainties which must not be granted For spreading as they did over all the earth some farther some at shorter distance and thereby changâ—ng Longitudes with their habitations they must of meet necessity alter the difference of times and daies and so could keepe no day together Nor could their issue since their time observe exactly and precisely the self-same day by reason of the manifold transportation of Colonies and transmigration of Nations from one Region to another whereby the times must of necessity be supposed to vary The Authour of the Practice of Pietie though he plead hard for the moralitie of the Sabbath cannot but confesse that in respect of the diversitie of the Meridians and the unequall rising and setting of the Sunne every day varieth in some places a quarter in some halfe in others an whole day therefore the Iewish Sabbath cannot saith he be precisely kept in the same instant of time every where in the World Certainly if it cannot now then it never could and then it will be found that some at least of Noahs posterity and all that have from them descendâ—d either did keep at all no Sabbath or not upon the day appointed which comes all to one Or else it needs must follow that God imposed a Law upon his people which in it selfe without relation to the frailty ne dum to the iniquity of poore man could not in possibility have been observed Yea such a Law as could not generally have been kept had Adam still continued in his perfect innocence 3 To make this matter yet more plaine It is a Corollary or conclusion in Geographie that if two men doe take a journey from the self-same place round about the earth the one Eastward the other Westward and meet in the same place againe it will appeare that hee which hath gone East hath gotten and that the other going Westward hath lost a day in their accompt The reason is because hee that from any place assigned doth travaile Eastward moving continually against the proper motion of the Sunne will shorten somewhat of his day taking so much from it as his journey in proportion of distance from the place assigned hath first opposed and so anticipated in that time the diurnall motion of the Sunne So daily gaining something from the length of day it will amount in the whole circuit of the Earth to twenty foure houres which are a perfect naturall day The other going Westward and seconding the course of the Sâ—nne by his own journey will by the same reason adâ—â— as much proportionably unto his day as the other lost and in the end will lose a day in his accompt For demonstration of the which suppose of these two Travellers that the former for every fifteen miles should take away one minute from the length of the day and the latter adde as much unto it in the like proportion of his journey Now by the Golden Rule if every fifteene miles substract or adde one minute in the length of the day then must 21600. miles which is the compasse of the Earth adde or substract 1440 minutes which make up twenty foure houres a just naturall day To bring this matter home unto the businesse now in hand suppose we that a Turk a Iew a Christian should dwell together at Hierusalem whereof the one doth keep his Sabbath on the Friday the other on the Saturday and the thiâ—d sanctifieth the Sunday then that upon the Saturday the Turke begin his journey Westward and the Christian Eastward so as both of them compassing the World do meet again in the same place the Iew continuing where they left him It will fall out that the Turke by going Westward having lost a day and the Christian going Eastward having got a day one and the self-same day will be a Friday to the Turke a â—aturday unto the Iew and a Sunday to the Christian in case they calculate the time exactly from their departure to their returne To prove this further yet by a matter of fact The Hollanders in their Discovery of FretuÌ„ le Maire Anno 1615. 1615. found by comparing their accompt at their comming home that they had cleerly lost a day for they had trauailed Westward in that tedious Voyage that which was Munday to the one being the Sunday to the other And now what should these people do when they were returnd If they are bound by nature and the morall Law to sanctifie precisely one day in seven they must then sanctifie a day a part from their other Countrymen and like a crew of Schismaticks divide themselves from the whole body of the Church or to keepe order and comply with other men must of necessity be forced to go against the law of nature or the morall law which ought not to be violated for any by-respect-whatever But to return unto Noahs sonnes whom this case concernes It might for ought we know be theirs in this dispersion in this removing up and downe and from place to place What shall we thinke of those that planted
for the observation of the sabbath was to reduce them to the worship of those Starres and Planets from which he did intend to weane them I had almost omitted the conceit of Zanâ—hie See â— 1. before remembred who thinks that God made choice of this day the rather because that on the same day he had brought his people out of Egypt In case the ground be true that on this day the Lord wrought this deliverance for his people Israel then his conceit may probably be countenanced from the fifth of Deuteronomy where God recounting to his people that with a mighty hand and an out-stretched arme he had delivered them from Egypt hath thereupon commanded them that they should keepe the sabbath day Lay all that hath been said together and it will come in all to this that as the sabbath was not known till Moses time so being knowne it was peculiar unto Israel onely Non nisi Mosaicae legis temporibus in usu fuisse septimi diei cultum Annal d 7. nec postea nisi penes Hebraeos perdurasse as Torniellus doth conclude it 8 For that the Gentiles used to keepe the seventh day sacred as some give it out is no where to be found I dare boldly say it in all the Writings of the Gentiles The seventh day of the moneth indeed they hallowed and so they did the first and fourth as Hesiod tels us Opera die◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not the first day and the fourth and seventh of every weeke for then they must have gone beyond the Iewes but as the Scholiast upon Hesiod notes it à noviluniâ— exorsus laudat tres the first fourth and seventh And lest it should be thought that the seventh day is to be counted holier then the other two because the attribute of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seemes joyned unto it the Scholiast takes away that scruple à novilunio exorsus tres laudat omnes sacras dicens septimam etiam ut Apollonis natalem celebrans and tels us that all three are accounted holy and that the seventh was also celebrated as Apollos birth-day For so it followeth in the Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence the Flamines or Gentile Priests did use to call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the God born on the seventh day For further proofe hereof Dies Geniales l. 3. c. 18. we finde in Alexander ab Alexandro that the first day of every moneth was consecrated to Apollo the fourth to Mercurie the seventh againe unto Apollo the eighth to Theseus The like doth Plutarch say of Theseus that the Athenians offered to him their greatest Sacrifice upon the eighth day of October because of his arriuall that day from Crete and that they also honoured him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the eighth day of the other moneths because he was derived from Neptune to whom on the eighth day of every month De Dâ—calogo they did offer sacrifice To make the matter yet more sure Philo hath put this difference between the Gentiles and the Iewes that diverse Cities of the Gentiles did solemnize the seventh day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once a moneth beginning their account with the New-moone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that the Iews did keep every seventh day constantly It s true that Philo tels us more then once or twice how that the sabbath was become a generall Festivall but that was rather taken up in imitation of the Iewes then practised out of any instinct or light of nature as wee shall see hereafter in a place more proper Besides which dayes before remembred the second day was consecrate to the bonus Genius Hospin de orig Fest. cap. â— the third and fifteenth to Minerva the ninth unto the Sunne the last to Pluto and every twentieth day kept holy by the Epicures Now as the Greeks did consecrate the New-moones and seventh day to Phoâ—bus the fourth of every moneth to Mercury and the eighth to Neptune sic de câ—teris so every ninth day in the yeare was by the Romans anciently kept sacred unto Iupiter the Flamines or Priests upon that day Saturâ—â—l l. 1 â— 16. offering a Ramme unto him for a Sacrifice Nundinas Iovis ferias esse ait Graâ—ius Licinius â—iquidem Flaminica omnibus nundinis every ninth day in regia Iovi 〈…〉 as 〈◊〉 Macrobius So that we see the seventh day was no more in honour then either the first fourth or eighth and not so much as was the ninth this being as it were a weekly Festivall and that a monethly A thing so cleere and evident that Doctour Boâ—â—d could tell us 2. Edit p. 6â— that the memory of Weeks and Sabbaths was altogether suppressed and buried amongst the Gentiles And in the former page But how the memory of the seventh day was taken away amongst the Romans Ex veteri â—â—ndinarum institâ—â—â— apparet saith Beroaldus And Satan did altogether take away from the Graecians the holy memory of the seveÌ„th day by obtruding on the wicked rites of Superstition which on the eighth day they did keep in honor of Neptune So that besides other holy dayes the one of them observed the eighth day and the other the ninth and neither of them both the seventh as the Church doth now and hath done alwayes from the beginning It s true Diogenes the Grammarian did hold his disputations constantly upon the Saturday or 〈◊〉 in Tiber. â— 32. Sabbath and when Tiâ—erius at an extrordinary time came to heare his exercises in diem septimum distulerat the Pedant put him off until the Saturday next following A right Diâ—genes indeed and as rightly served For comming to attend upon Tiberius being then made Emperour he sent him word ut post annum septimum rediret that he would have him come again the seveÌ„th year after But then as true it is which the same Sâ—etoniâ—s tels us of Antonius 〈◊〉 De 〈◊〉 Grammat a 〈◊〉 too that he taught Rheâ—orick every day declamaret vero non niâ—i â—â—â—dinis but declaimed oâ—â—ly on the ninth But then as true it is which 〈◊〉 hath told us of the Roman Rhetoricians that they pronounced their Declamatioâ—s on the sixth day chiefly Nil saliâ— Arcadico jâ—veni 〈◊〉 cujus mihi sextâ— Quâqâ—â— die 〈…〉 As the Poet hath 〈◊〉 All dayes it seemes alike to them the first fourth sixth eighth ninth and indeed what not as much in honour as the seventh whether it were in civill or in sacred matters 9 I am not ignorant that many goodly Epithetes are by some ancient Poâ—ts amongst the Grecians appropriated to this day which we find gathered up together by Clemens Alexandrinâ—s Clem Strom. l. 5. Euseb. Praepar l. 13. c. 12. and Eâ—sebius but before either of them by one Aristobâ—lns a learned Iew who lived about the time of Ptâ—lomie Philometor King of Egypt Both Hesiod and Homer as they there are cited give it the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or an
〈◊〉 more exactly on the Sabbaths then he did that day 〈◊〉 Martial reckoning up some things of unsavoury â—â—ell names amongst others â—ejunia sabbatariorum for by that name hee did conâ—empâ—ously mean the Iewes as befâ—re I noted And where the Râ—mans in those times begaâ— some of them to incline to the Iewish Ceremonies and were observant of the Sabbath as wee shall â—ee hereafter in a pâ—ace more proper Sat. 5. Persius objects against them this 〈◊〉 a monent 〈…〉 i. e. that being Romans as they were they 〈◊〉 out their Prayers as the Iewes accustomed and by observing of the Fast on the Iewish Sabbaths grâ—w leane and pale for â—â—ry hunger So saith Petroniâ—â— Anâ—â—er that the Iewes did celebrate their Sabbath jejunia lege Hist. l. 36. by a legall fast and Iustin yet more generally septimum diem more gentis sabbatum appellatum in omne aevum jejunto sacravit Moses that Moses did ordainâ— the â—abbath to be a fasting day for ever â—hat the Iewes fasted very often sometimes twice a weeke the Pharisee hath told us in Saint Lukes Gospel and probably the jejunia sabbatariorum in the Poet Martial might reflect on this But that they fasted on the Sabbath is a thing repugnant both to the Scriptures Fathers and all good antiquity except in one case onely which was when their City was besieged Ap. Baron A. 34. n. 156. as Rabbi Moyses Aegyptius hath resolued it Nâ—y if a man had fasted any time upon the Sabbath they used to punish him in this sort ut sequenti etiam die jejunaret to make him fast the next day after Yet on the other side I cannot but conceive that those before remembred had some ground or reason why they did charge the Iewes with the Sabbaths Fast for to suppose them ignorant of the Iewish custome consiâ—ering how thick they lived amongst them even in Rome it selfe were a strange opinion The rather since by Plutarch who lived not long after Sueton if hee lived not with him the Iewes are generally accused for too much riot and excesse upon that day For my part I conceive it thus I finde in Nehemiah Cap. 8. â— 3. that when the people were returned from the captivity Ezra the Priest brought forth the Law before the Congregation and read it to them from the morning untill mid-day which done they were dismissed by Nehemiah to eat Vers 10. 12. and drinke and make great joy which they did accordingly This was upon the first day â—f the Feast of Tabernacles Vers 18. one of the solemne Annuall Sabbaths and this they did for eight dayes together from the first day unto the last that the Feast continued After when as the Church was sâ—tled and that the Law was read amongst them in their Synagoguâ—s on the weekly Sabbaths most probable it is that 〈…〉 the same custome holding the Congregation from morn to noon and that the Iewes came thither Fasting â—s generally men doe now unto the Sacrament the better to prepare themselues and their attention for tâ—at holy exercise In vit Mosiâ— Sure I am that Iosâ—phus tels us that at mid-day they used to dismisse the Assemblies that being the ordinary houre for their repast as also that Buxdorfius saith of the moderne Iewes Sâ—n. Iud. cap. 10. that ultra tempus mâ—ridianum jejunare non licet it is not lawfull for them to fast beyond the noon-tide on the Sabbath days Besides they which found â—o great fault with our Lords Diâ—ciples for eating a few eares of Corn on the Sabbath day are not unlikely in my minde to have aimed at this For neither was the bodily labour of that nature that it should any wayes offend them in so high a measure and the defence made by our Lord in their behalfe being that of Davids eating of the Sâ—ew-bread when he was an hungred is more direct and literall to justifie his Disciples eating then it was their working This abstinence of the Iâ—wes that lived amongst them the Râ—mans noted and being good Trenchermen themselues at all times and seasons they used to hit them in the teeth with their Sabbaths fasting But herein I submit my selfe to better judgements 9 There was another prohibition given by God about the Sabbath which being misinterpreted became as great a snare unto the consciences of men as that before remembred of not kindling fire 〈◊〉 16. and dressing meate upon the Sabbath viz. Let no man goe out of his place on the seventh day Which prâ—hibition being a bridle onely unto the people to keepe them in from seeking after Mannah as before they did upon the Sabbath was afterwards extended to restrain them also either from taking any journey or walking forth into the fields on the Sabbath dayes Nay so precise were some amongst them that they accounted it unlawfull to stirre hand or foot upon the Sabbath ne leviter quispiâ—m se 〈◊〉 quod sâ— fecerit legis trangressor fit 〈◊〉 5â— 13. as Saint Hieromâ— hath it Others more charitably chalked them out a way how farre they might adventâ—re and how farre they might not though in this the Doctours were divided Some made the Sabbath dayes journey to be 2000. Cubits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epâ— 151. of whom Origâ—n tels us others restrained it to 2000. foot of whom Hieromâ— speakes and some againe enlarged it unto six furlongs which is three quarters of a mile For where Iosâ—phus hath informed us that Mount Olivet was sixe furlongs from Hierusalem and where the Scriptures tell us that they were distant about a Sabbath dayes journey wee may perceive by that how much a Sabbath dayes journey was accounted then But of thesâ— things we may have opportunity to speake hereafter In the mean time if the injunction be so absolute and generall as they say it is we may demand of these great Clerks as their Successours did of our Lord and Saviour by what authoritie they doe these things and warrant that which is not warranted in the Text if so the Text be to be expounded Certaine I am that ab initio non fuit sic from the beginning was it neither so nor so The Scripture tels us that when the people were in the Wildernesse they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day They found him where Not in the Campe hee was not so audacious as to transgresâ—e the Law in the open view of all the people knowing how great a penalty was appointed for the Sabbath-breaker but in some place farre off where in he might offend without feare or danger Therefore the people were permitted to walke forth on the Sabbath day and to walke further then 2000. foot or 2000. Cubits otherwise they had never found out this unlucky fellow And so saith Philo De vita Mosis l. 3. that they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Some of the people going out into the wildernesse that they might finde some quiet and retired place in
day in Ieâ—â—sophats time 2. Kings 22. But that which followes of Iosiah is more full then this That godly Prince intended to repaire the Temple and in pursuite of that intendment Hilkiah the Priest to whom the ordering of the work had been committed found hidden an old Copy of the Law of God which had been given unto them by the hand of Moses This Booke is brought unto the King and read unto him And when the King had heard the words of the Law Verse 11. hee rent his clothes And not so onely but hee gathered together all the Elders of Iudah and Hiâ—rusalem Chap. 23. 1 2. and read in their eares all the words oâ— the Book of the Covenant which was found in the house of the Lord. Had it beene formerly the custome to reade the Law each Sabbath unto all the people it is not to be thought that this good King Iâ—siah could possibly have beene such a stranger to the Law of God or that the finding of the Booke had beene related for so strange an accident when there was scarce a Towne in Iudah but was funished with them Or what need such a suddain calling of all the Elders and on an extraordinary time to heare the Law if they had heard it every Sabbath and that of ordinary course Nay so farre were they at this time from having the Law read amongst them every weekly Sabbath that as it seemes it was not read amongst them in the sabbath of yeares as Moses had before appointed For if it had been read unto them once in seven yeares onely that vertuous Prince had not so soone forgotten the contentâ— thereof Therefore there was no synagogue no weekly reading of the law in Iosiahs dayes And if not then and not before then not at all till Ezras time The finding of the booke of God before remembred is said to happen in the yeare 3412. of the worlds creation not forty yeares before the people were led Captives into Babylon in which short space the Princes being carelesse and the times distracted there could be nothing done that concern'd this businesse Now from this reading of the Law in the time of Ezra unto the Councell holden in Hierusalem there passed 490. yeares or thereabouts Antiquitie sufficient to give just cause to the Apostle there to affirme that Moses in old time in every Citie had them that preached him Act. 15. â—1 being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day So that we may conclude for certaine that till these times wherein we are there was no reading of the Law unto the people on the Sabbath dayes and in these times when it was taken up amongst them it was by Ecclesiasticall institution onely no divine authoritie 12 But being taken up on what ground soever it did continue afterwards though perhaps sometimes interrupted untill the finall dissolution of that Church and State and therewithall grew up a libertie of interpretation of the holy words which did at last divide the people into sects and factions Petrus Cunaeus doth affirme that howsoever the Law was read amongst them in the former times De republ l. 2. ca. 17. either in publike or in private yet the bare text was onely read without glosse or descant Interpretatio magistrorum commentatio nulla But in the second Temple when there were no Prophets then did the Scribes and Doctors begin to comment and make their severall expositions on the holy Text Ex quo natae disputationes sententiae contrariae from whence saith he sprung up debates and doubtfull disputations Most probable it is that from this liberty of interpretation sprung up diversity of judgements from whence arose the severall sects of Pharisees Essees and Sadduces who by their difference of opinions did distract the multitude and condemne each other Of whom and what they taught about the Sabbath we shall see next Chapter Nor is it to be doubted but as the reading of the Law did make the people more observant of the Sabbath then they were before so that libertas prophetandi which they had amongst them occasioned many of those rigours which were brought in after The people had before neglected the sabbaticall yeares but now they carefully observed them Iâ—seph Ant li. â—1 ca ulâ— So carefully that when Alexander the Great being in Ierusalem anno 3721 commanded them to aske some boone wherein he might expresse his favour and love unto them the high Priest answered for them all that they desired but leave to exercise the ordinances of their fore-fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that each seventh yeare might be free from tribute because their lands lay then untilled But then againe the libertie and varietie of interpretation bredde no little mischiefe For where in former times according to Gods owne appointment thâ— Sabbath was conceived to be a day of rest whereon both man and beast might refresh themselues and be the more inabled for their ordinary labours by canvassing some Texts of Scripture and wringing bloud from thence instead of comfort they made the Sabbath such an yoke as was insupportable Nor were these weeds of doctrine very long in growing Within an hundred yeares and lesse after Nehemiah the people were so farre from working on the Sabbath day as in his time we see they did and hardly could be weaned from so great a sinne but thought it utterly unlawfull to take sword in hand yea though it were to save their libertie and defend Religion A follie which their neighbour Ptolomie Iâ—sâ—ph Ant. li. 12. c. 1. the great King of Aegypt made especiall use of For having notice of this humour as it was no better he entred the Citie on the Sabbath day under pretence to offer sacrifice and presently without resistance surprised the same the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not laying hand on any weapon or doing any thing in defence thereof but sitting still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an idle slothfulnesse suffered themselues to be subdued by a Tyrant Conquerour This happened Ann. M. 3730. And many more such fruits of so bad a doctrine did there happen afterwards to which now wee hasten CHAP. VIII What doth occurre about the Sabbath from the Maccabees to the destruction of the Temple 1 The Iews refuse to fight in their owne defence upon the Sabbath and what was ordered thereupon 2 The Pharisees about these times had made the Sabbath burdensome by their Traditions 3 Hierusalem twice taken by the Romans on the Sabbath day 4 The Romans many of them Iudaize and take up the Sabbath as other Nations did by the Iews example 5 Augustus Caesar very gratious to the Iews in matters that concerned their Sabbath 6 What our Redeemer taâ—ght and did to rectifie the abuses of and in the Sabbath 7 The finall ruine of the Temple and the Iewish ceremonies on a Sabbath day 8 The Sabbath abrogated with the other Ceremonies 9 Wherein consists the Christian Sabbath mentioned in the Scriptures
abstinence Conc. Tom. 2. Can. 18. A folly presently condemned in a Provinciall Synod held at Gangra of Paphlagonia wherein it was determined thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if any fasted on the Lords day on pretence of abstinence he should be anathema Next sprung up one Aerius no good Sundayes man but one that went not on so good a ground as Eutactus did He stood good man upon his Christian liberty and needes must fast upon the Lords day onely because the Church had determined otherwise De haeres â— 53. Of him S. Austin tells us in the generall that hee cryed downe all setled and appointed fasts and taught his fellowes this that every man might fast as he saw occasion ne videatur sub lege lest else he should be thought to be under the Law More punctually Epiphanius tells us Haeres 75. n. 3. that to expresse this liberty they used to fast upon the Sunday and feast it as some doe of late upon the Wednesday and the Friday antient fasting dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that Author hath it Adde that S. Austin tells us of this Aerius that amongst other of his heresies he taught this for one Presbyterum ab Episcopo nulla differentia discerni debere that there should be no difference betweene Priests and Bisâ—ops A pregnant evidence that those who set themselves against the Hiâ—rarchie of the Church are the most likely men of all to overthrow all orders in the civill state Now as the Manichees did use to fast the Sunday so were they therein imitated by the Priscillianists manichaeorum simillimos the very pictures of the Manichees Epl. 86. as S. Austin calls them save that these last did use to fast on the Christmasse also therein went beyond their patterne And this they did as Pope Leo tells us quia Christum dominum in vera hominis natura natum esse non credunt Epl. 93. c. 4. because they would not be perswaded that Christ the Lord had tooke upon him our humane nature To meete with these proude sectaries for such they were there was a councell called at Saragossa Caesarea Augusta the Latines call it wherein the Fathers censured and anathematized all such as fasted on the Lords day causa temporis aut persuasionis aut superstitionis whether it were in reference unto any time Con. Tom. 1. can 2. or misperswasion or superstition In reference unto any times this seemes to make the Sundayes fast unlawfull in the time of Lent and so it was accounted without all question For this looke Epiphanius Expos. fid Cathol Num. 22. S. Ambr. de Elia jejunio cap. 10. S. Hierome epl ad Lucinum S. Chrysostome Hom. 11. in Gen. 2. In two of which Foure-fathers Chrysostome and Ambrose the Saturday is excepted also S Austin Epl. 86. Concil Agathens can 12. Aurelianens 4. can 2. Humberti Resp. ad libellum Nicetae and last of all Rupertus who lived in the beginning of the 12. De divinis Offic. l. 4. c. 9. Centurie to descend no lower who withall tells us that from the first Sunday in Lent unto Easter day are 42. dayes just whereof the Church fasteth onely the 36. it being prohibited by the Canon to fast upon the day of the Resurrection Vt igitur nostri solennit as jejunij dominico magis coaptetur exemplo quatuor dies qui hanc dâ—minicam proecedunt superadditi sunt Therefore saith he that the solemnity of our fast might come more neere the Lords example the 4 dayes which occurre betweene Shrove-tuesday and the first Sunday in Lent were added to make up the number But to come backe unto the times where before we left partly in detestation of the heretickes before remembred but principally in honour of the resurrection the councell held at Carthage Anno 398 did decree it thus Can. 64. Qui die dominico studiose jejunat non credatur Catholicus that he which of set purpose did fast the Sunday should be held no Catholicke 9 For honest recreations next I finde not any thing to perswade me that they were not lawfull since those which in themselves were of no good name no otherwise were prohibited in this present Age then as they were an hindrance to the publicke service of the Church Can. 88. For so it was adjudged in the Councell of Carthage before remembred Qui die solenni praetermisso ecclesiae solenni conventu ad spectacula vadit excommunicetur Hee that upon a solemne day shall leave the service of the Church to goe unto the common shewes be hee excommunicate where by the way this Canon â—eacheth unto those also who are offenders in this kinde as well on any of the other fâ—stivalls and solemne dayes as upon the Sunday and therefore both alike considerable in the present businesse But hereof and the spectacula here prohibited wee shall have better opportunitie to speake in the following Age. And here it is to bee observed that as Saint Chrysostome before confessed it to be lawfull for a man to looke unto his worldly businesse on the Lords day after the congregation was dismissed so here the Fathers seeme to dispense with those who went unto the common shewes being worldly pleasures though otherwise of no good name as before we sayd in case they did not pretermit Gods publicke service Therefore wee safely may conclude that they conceived it not unlawfull for any man to follow his honest pleaâ—ures such as were harmelesse in themselves and of good report after the breaking up of the congregation Of this sort questionlesse were shooting and all mâ—nly exercises walking abroad or riding forth to take the aire civill discourse good company and ingenuous mirth by any of which the spirits may be quiâ—kned and the body strengthned Whether that dancing was allowed is a thing more questionable and probably as the dauncings were in the former times it might not be suffered nay which is more it had beene infinite scandall to the Church if they had permitted it For we may please to know that in the dancings used of old throughout the principall Citties of the Roman Empire there was much impurity and immodesty such as was not to bee beheld by a Christian eye Some times they danced starke naked and that not privately alone Orat. in Pis. Art 3. in verrem but in publicke feasts This Cicero objects against Lucius Piso quod in convivio saltaret nudus the same he also casts in the teeth of verres and Deiotarus was accused of the like immodesty whereof perhaps he was not guilty As for the Women they had armed themselves with the like strange impudency and though they daunced not naked in the open streetes yet would be hired to attend naked at publicke feasts and after prostitute themselves unto those guests for enterteinment of the which they were thither brought whereof see Athenaeus Dipnos l. 12. Sueton. in Tiberio cap 42. 43. And for their dancings in the
it was conceived had on the Lords day made great spoyle of men and houses in the Citty of Limoges This Gregory of Tours who lived about the end of this sixt Centurie pronounceth to have fallen upon them ob diei dominici injuriam because some of them used to worke upon the Sunday But how could he tell that or who made him acquainted with Gods secret counsailes Had Gregory beene Bishop of Limoges as he was of Toures it may be Limoges might have scaped so fierce a censure and onely Tours have suffered in it For presently he addes in Turonico vero nonnulli aâ— hoc igne sed non die dominico adusti sunt that even in Tourâ— it selfe many had perished by the selfe same fire but being it fell not on the Sunday as it did at Limoges therefore that misery fell on them for some other reason Indeed he tells us of this day that being it was the day whereon God made the light and after was the witnesse of our Saviours resurrection Ideo omni fide a Christianis observari debet ne fiat in eo omne opus publicum therefore it was to be observed of every Christian no manner of publicke businesse to be done upon it A peece of new Divinity and never heard of till this age nor in any afterwards 7 Not heard of till this age but in this it was For it the 24. yeare of Gunthram King of the Burgundians Anno 588. â—onc Mati soâ—eâ—s 2â— Can. 1. there was a Councell called at Mascon a towne situate in the Duchie of Burgundie as we now distinguish it wherein were present Priscus Evantuis Praetextatus and many other reverend and learned Prelates They taking into consideration how much the Lords day was of late neglected for remedy thereof ordeined that it should be observed more carefully for the times to come Which Canon I shall therefore set downe at large because it hath beene often produced as a principall ground of those precise observances which some amongst us have endeavored to force upon the consciences of weake and ignorant men It is as followeth Videmus populum Christianum temerario more diem dominicum contemptâ—i tradere c. It is observed that Christian people doe very rashly slight and neglect the Lords day giving themselves thereon as on other dayes to continuall labours c. Therefore let every Christian in case he carry not that name in vaine give care to our instruction knowing that we have care that you should doe well as well as power to bridle you that you doe not ill It followeth Custodite dieâ— dominicum qui nos denuo peperit c. Keepe the Lords day the day of our new birth whereon wee were delivered from the snares of sinne Let no man meddle in litigious controversies or deale in actions or law-suites or put himselfe at all upon such an exigent that needes hee must prepare his Oxen for their daily worke but exercise your selves in hymnes and singing prayses unto God being intent thereon both in minde and body If any have a Church at hand let him goe unto it and there powre forth his soule in teares and prayers his eyes and hands being all that day lifted up to God It is the everlasting day of rest insinuated to us under the shadow of the Seventh day or Sabbath in the Law and Prophets and therefore it is very meete that wee should celebrate this day with one accord whereon we have beene made what at first wee were not Let us then offer unto God our free and voluntary service by whose great goodnesse wee are freede from the Gaole of errour not that the Lord exacts it of us that we should celebrate this day in a corporall abstinence or rest from labour who onely lookes that wee doe yeeld obedience to his holy will by which contemning earthly things he may conduct us to the heavens of his infinite mercy However if any man shall set at naught this our exhortation be he assured that God shall punish him as he hath deserved and that he shall be also subject unto the censures of the Church In case he be a Lawyer he shall loose his cause If that he be an husbandman or servant he shall be corporally punished for it but if a Clergy man or Monke he shall bee six moneths separated from the Congregation Adde here that two yeares after this being the second yeare of the second Clotaire King of France there was a Synod holden at Auxxerre a towne of Champaigne concilium Antisiodorense in the Latin writers wherein it was decreed as in this of Mascon Non licet die dominico boves jungere vel alia operâ— exercare that no man should be suffered to yoake his Oxen or doe any manner of worke upon the Sunday This is the Canon so much urged I meane that of Mascon to prove that wee must spend the Lords day holily in religious exercises and that there is no part thereof which is to be imployed unto other uses But there are many things to be considered before we yeeld unto this Canon or the authority thereof some of them being of that nature that those who most insist upon it must be faine to traverse For first it was contrived of purpose with so great a strictnes to meete the better with those men which so extreamely had neglected that sacred day A sticke that bends too much one way cannot bee brought to any straightnesse till it be bent as much the other This Synod secondly was Provinciall onely and therefore can oblige none other but those for whom it was intended or such who after did submit unto it by taking it into their Canon Nor will some part thereof be approved by them who most stand upon it none being bound hereby to repaire to Church to magnifie the name of God in the Congregation but such as have some Church at hand and what will then become of those that have a mile two three or more to their parish Churches no Chappell nearer they are permitted by the Canon to abide at home As for religious duties here are none expressed as proper for the Congregation but Psalmes and hymnes and singing prayse unto the Lord and powring forth our soules unto him in teares and prayers and then what shall wee doe for preaching for preaching of the Word which wee so much call for Besides King Gunthram on whose authority this Counsell met in his Confirmatory letters doth extend this Canon as well unto the other holy dayes as unto the Sunday commanding all his Subjects Vigore hujuâ— decreti definitionis generalis by vertue of his present mandate that on the Lords day vel in quibuscunque alijs soleâ—nitatibus and all solemne festivalls whatsoever they should abstaine from every kind of bodily labour save what belong'd to dressing meate But that which needes must most afflict them is that the councell doth professe this abstinence from bodily labour which is there decreed
be done in any part why then necessity requiring is it unlawfull for the whole It seemes then by Saint Gregories doctrine that in hot weather one may lawfully goe into the water on the Lords day and there wade or swimme either to wash or coole his body as well as upon any other Note also here that not the quality of the day but the condition of the thing is to be considered in the denominating of a lawfull or unlawfull act that things unlawfull in themselves or tending to unlawfull ends are unfit for all dayes and that what ever thing is fit for any day is of it selfe as fit for Sunday Finally he concludes with this Dominicorum vero die a labore terreno cessandum est c. We ought to rest indeede on the Lords day from earthly labours and by all meanes abide in prayers that if by humane negligence any thing hath escaped in the sixe former dayes it may be expiated by our prayers on the day of the resurrection This was the salve by him applied to those dangerous sores and such effect it wrought upon them that for the present and long after we finde not any that prohibited working on the Saturday But at the last it seemes some did who thereupon were censured and condemned by another Gregory of that name the seventh Damnavit docentes nonâ—licere die Sabbati operas facâ—re as the Law informes us De consecratione distinct 3. cap. Pervenit But this was not till Anno 1074. or after almost 500. yeares after the times where now we are As for the other fancie that of not going to the Bathes on the Lords day it seemes he crushed that too as for that particular though otherwise the like conceits did breake out againe as men beganne to entertaine strange thoughts and superstitious doctrines about this day especially in these declining Ages of the Church wherein so many errours both in faith and manners did in fine defile it that it was blacke indeed but with little comlinesse The Church as in too many things not proper to this place and purpose it did incroach upon the Iew much of the ceremonies and Priestly habit in these times established being thence derived so is it not to be admired if in some things particular both 〈◊〉 and Synods beganne to Iudaize a little in our present businesse making the Lords day no lesse rigidly to be observed than the Iewish Sabbath if it were not more 2 For in the following Age and in the latter end thereof when learning was now almost come to its lowest ebbe there was a Synod held at Friuli by the command of Pepin then King of France a towne now in the territorie of the State of Venice The principall motive of that meeting was to confirme the doctine of the holy Trinity and the incarnation of the word which in those times had bin disputed The President thereof Paâ—linus Patriarke of Aquilegia Anno 791. of our Redemption There in relation to this day it was thus decreed Diem dominicum inchoante noctis initio i. e. vespere Sabbati quando signum insonuerit c. Wee constitute and appoint that all Christian men that is to say all Christian men who lived within the Canons â—each 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 and that they doe abstaine therein especially from all kinde of sinne as also from all carnall acts Etiam a proprijs conjugibus even from the company of their wives and all earthly labours and that they goe unto the Church devoutly laying aside all suites of Law that so they may in love and charitie praise Gods name together You may remember that some such device as this was fathered formerly on Saint Austine but with little reason Such trimme conceits as these had not then beene thought of And though it be affirmed in the preamble to these constitutions nec novas regulas instituimus nec supervacuas rerum adinventiones inhianter sectamur that they did neither make new rules or follow vaine and needlesse fancies Sed sacris paternorum Canonum recensitis folijs c. but that they tooke example by the antient Canons yet looke who will into all Canons of the Church for the times before and he shall find no such example For my part I should rather thinke that it was put into the Canon in succeeding times by some misadventure that some observing a restraint ab omni opere carnali of all carnall acts might as by way of question write in the Margin etiam a proprijs conjugibus from whence by ignorance or negligence of the Collectours it might be put into the text Yet if it were so passed at first and if it chance that any be so minded and some such there be as to conceive the Canon to be pure and pious and the intent thereof not to be neglected they are to be advertised that the holy dayes must be observed in the selfe same manner It was determined so before by the false Saint Austine And somewhat to this purpose saith this Synod now that all the greater festivalls must with all reverence be observed and honoured and that such holy dayes as by the priests were bidden in the Congregation Omnibus modis sunt custodienda were by all wayes and meanes to be kept amongst them that is by all those wayes and means which in the said Conon were before remembred In this the Christian plainely outwent the Iew amongst whose many superstitions Ap. Ainsw in Ex. 20. 10. there is none such found true indeede the Iewes accounted it unlawfull to marrie on the Sabbath day or on the evening of the Sabbath or on the first day of the weeke lest say the Rabbins they should pollute the Sabbath by dressing meate Conformably whereunto it was decreed in a Synod held in Aken or Aquis granum Caâ— 17. Anno 833. nec nuptias pro reverentia tantae solennitatis celebrari visum est that in a reverence to the Lords day it should no more be lawfull to marrie or be married upon the same The Iewes as formerly wee shewed have now by order from their Rabbins restrained themselves on their Sabbath day from knocking with their hands upon a table to still a child from making figures in the aire or drawing letters in the ground or in dust and ashes and such like niceties And some such teachers Olaus King of Norway had no question met with Anno 1028. For being taken up one Sunday in some serious thoughts and having in his hands a small walking sticke he tooke his knife and whitled it as men doe sometimes when as their mindes are troubled or intent on businesse And when it had beene â—old him as by way of jest how he had â—respassed therein against the Sabbath he gathered the small chippes together put them upon his hand and set fire unto them Vt viz. in se
ulcisceretur Metropol l. 4. c. 8. quod contra divinum praeceptum incautus admisisset that so saith Crantzius hee might revenge that on himselfe which unawares hee had committed against Gods Commandement Crantzius it seemes did well enough approve the follie for in the entrance on this story he reckoneth this inter alia virtutum suarum praeconia amongst the monuments of his pietie and sets it up as an especiall instance of that Princes sanctitie Lastly whereas the moderne Iewes are of opinion that all the while their Sabbath lasts the soules in hell have liberty to range abroad and are released of all their torments so lest in any superstitious fancie they should have preheminence Epi. ad 〈◊〉 c. 5. it was delivered of the soules in Purgatory by Petrus Damiani who lived in Anno 1056. Dominico die refrigerum poenarum habuisse that every Lords day they were manumitted from their paines and fluttered up and downe the lake Avernus in the shape of birds 3 Indâ—ede the mervaile is the lesse that these and such like Iewish fancies should in those times beginne to shew themselves in the Christian Church considering that now some had begun to thinke that the Lords day was founded on the fourth Commandement and all observances of the same grounded upon the Law of God As long as it was taken onely for an Ecclesiasticall istitution and had no other ground upon which to stand then the authority of the Church we finde not any of these rigours annexed unto it But being once conceived to have its warrant from the Scripture the Scripture presently was ransacked and whatsoever did concerne the old Iewish Sabbath was applyed thereto It had bin ordered formerly that men should be restrained on the Lords day from some kind of labours that so they might assemble in the greater numbers the Princes and the Prelates both conceiving it convenient that it should bâ— so But in these Ages there were Texts produced to make it necessary Thus Clotaire King of France grounded his Edict of restraint from â—ervile labours on this day from the holy Scripture quia hoâ— lex prohibet sacra Scriptura in omnihus contradicit because the Law forbids it and the holy Scripture contradicts it And Charles the Great builds also on the selfâ— same ground Statuimus secundùm quod in lege dominus praecepit c. Wee doe ordaine according as the Lord commands us that on the Lords day none presume to doe any servile businesse Thus finally the Emperour Leo Philosophus in a constitution to that purpose of which more hereafter declares that he did so determine secundùm quod Sp. Sancto ab ipsoque institutis Apostolis placuit according to the dictate of the holy Ghost and the Apostles by him tutored So also when the Fathers of the Church had thought it requisite that men should cease from labour on the Saturday in the afternoone that they might be the better fitted for theâ—r devotions the next day some would not rest till they had found a Scripture for it Observemus diem dominicum fratres sicut antiquis praeceptum est de Sabbato c. Let us observe the Lords day as it is commanded from even to even shall yee celebrate your Sabbath The 251. Sermon inscribed de tempore hath resolved it so And lastly that wee goe no further the superstitious act of the good King Olaus burning his hand as formerly was related was then conceived to be a very just reveng upon himselfe because he had offended although unawars contra divinum praeceptum against Gods Commandement Nor were these rigorous fancies left to the naked world but they had miracles to confirme them It is reported by Vincentius and Antoninus that Anstregisilus one that had probably preached such doctrine restored a Miller by his power whose hand had cleaved unto his Hatchet as he was mending of his Mill on the Lords day for now you must take notice that in the times in which they lived grinding had beene prohibited on the Lords day by the Canon Lawes As also how Sulpitius had caused a poore mans hand to wither onely for cleaving wood on the Lords day no great crime assuredly save that some parallell must be found for him that gathered stickes on the former Sabbath and after of his speciall goodnesse made him whole againe Of these the first was made Arch-Bishop of Burges Anno. 627. Sulpitius being successour unto him in his See and as it seemes too in his power of working miracles Such miracles as these they who list to credit shall finde another of them in Gregorius Turonensis Miracul l. 1. c. 6. And some wee shall hereafter meete with when we come to England forged purposely as no doubt these were to countenance some new devise about the keeping of this day there being no new Gospel preached but must have miracles to attend it for the greater state 4 But howsoever it come to passe that those foure Princes especially Leo who was himselfe a Scholler and Charles the Great who had as learned men about him as the times then bred were thus perswaded of this day that all restraints from worke and labour on the same were to be found expresly in the word of God yet was the Church and the most learned men therein of another minde Nor is it utterly impossible but that those Princes might make use of some pretâ—nce or ground of Scripture the better to incline the people to yeeld obedience unto those restraints which were layd upon them First for the Church and men of speciall eminence in the same for place and learning there is no question to bee made but they were otherwise perswaded Isidore Arch-Bishop of Sevill De eâ—clâ—s Offic. l. 1. 29. who goes highest makes it an Apostolicall sanction onely no divine commandement a day designed by the Apostles for religious exercises in honour of our Saviours resurrection on that day performed Diâ—m dominicum Apostoli ideo religiosa solennitate sanxerunt quia in eo redemptor noster a mortuis resurrexit And addes that it was therefore called the Lords day to this end and purpose that resting in the same from all earthly Acts and the temptations of the world we might intend Gods holy worship giving this day due honour for the hope of the resurrection which we have therein The same verbatim is repeated by Beda lib. de Offic. and by Rabanus Maurus lib. de institut Cleric l. 2 c. 24 and finally by Alcuinus de divin Offic. cap. 24. which plainely shewes that all those took it onely for an Apostolicall usage an observation that grew up by custome rather then upon commandement Sure I am that Alcuinus one of principall credit with Charles the Great who lived about the end of the eighth Centurie as did this Iâ—idore in the beginning of the seventh saith clearely that the observation of the former Sabbath had beene translated very fitly to the Lords day by the custome and consent of
Christian people For speaking how the Sabbath was accounted holy in the former times and that the Iewes resting thereon from all manner of worke did onely give themselves to meditation and to feasting Hâ—mil 18. â—ost Peâ—ta he addes cujus observationem mos Christianus ad diem dominicum competentius transtulit Where plainely mos Christianus doth imply no precept no order or command from the Apostles that it should be so and much lesse any precept in the Old Testament which should still oblige And sure I am Rabanus Maurus speakes onely as by way of exhortation as not armed with any warrant from the Apostles or other argumeâ—t from Scripture Homil. iâ— dieb dom Where hee adviseth us a vespera diei Sabbati usque ad vesperam diei dominici sequestrati a rurali opere omni negotio solo divino cultui vacemus Where no man will presume to say that either rest from husbandry and such other businesse or the beginning of the Lords day on the Eve before were introduced by any precept of the Apostles considering how long it waâ— before either of them had bin used in the Christian Church And so Hesychius Bishop of Hierusalem In Levit. lib. 2. cap. who flourished at the selfe same time with Isidore speakes of it onely as a custome or a matter of fact descending by tradition from the Apostles Apostolorum sequentes traditionem diem dominicum conventihus divinis sequestramus which was the most that he could say for the originall thereof indeede who could more Etymolog l. 6. c. 18. And as for Isidore himselfe whom the others followed its cleare that they esteemed the Lords day for no other then a common holiday by farre inferiour unto Easter Pascha festivitatum omniuâ— prima est Then followeth Pentecost Epiphanie Palme-sunday Maundie-thursday and in the last place Dies daminicus the Lords day Which questionlesse he had not placed in so low a roome had he conceived it instituted by any precept or injunction of those blessed Spirits So in a Councell held at Paris Anno 829. it was determined positively that keeping of the Lords day had no other ground then custome onely and that this custome did descend ex Apostolorum traditione immo ecclesiae autoritate at most from Apostolicall tradition but indeede rather from the authority of holy Church And whereas Courts of Law or Law dayes had formerly beene prohibited on this day that so men might in peace and concord goe to Church together the severall Councells that of Friburg Anno 895. and that of Erpford Anno 932. though then the times were at the darkest ascribe it not to any Law or Text of Scripture but onely to the antient Canons Secundâ—ugrave m sanctorum statuta patrum saith the first Can. 26. Secundâ—ugrave m Canonicam institutionem saith the second Cap. 2. And howsoever some have sayd that Alexander Pope of Rome of that name the third referres the keeping of the Lords day to divine commandement yet they that looke upon him well can find no such matter He saith indeed that both the Old and New Testament depute the seventh day unto rest but for the keeping of it holy both that and other dayes appointed for Gods publicke service ecclesia decreverit observanda that he ascribes alone to the Churches order Deâ—ret l. 2. tit 9. de ferijs cap. 3. The like may be affirmed also of restraint from labour that it is grounded onely on the authority of the Church and Christian Princes how ever in some Regall and Imperiall Edicts there be some shew or colour added from the Law of God 5 I say some shew or colour added from the Law of God For as before I sayd it is not utterly impossible but that those Princes might make use of some pretence or shew of Scripture the better to incline the people to yeeld obedience unto those restraints which were layd upon them The Synod held at Mascon and that in Auxerre both before remembred expresly had prohibited all workes of husbandry on this day the former having added for inforcing of it not onely Ecclesiasticall censures but corporall and civillâ— punishments But yet this was not found enough to weane the people from their workes their ordinary labours used before upon that day and it is no marvaile The Iewes were hardly brought unto it though they had heard God thundring from the holy mountaine that they should doe no manner of worke upon their Sabbath It being added thereunto that whosoever should offend therein he should dye the death And certainely it was very long before either Prince or Prelate or both joyned together with all their power and policie could prevaile upon them either to lay aside their labours or forbeare their Law dayes as may appeare by many severall Edicts of Emperours decrees of Popes and Canons of particular Councells Can 18. which have successively beene made in restraint thereof The Synod of Chalons Anno 662. wherein were 44. Bishops and amongst them S. Owen Arch-Bishop of Roane concluded as had beene before non nova condentes sed vetera renovantes that on the Lords day no man should presume to sow or plough or reape vel quicquid ad ruris culturam pertinet or deale in any thing that belonged to husbandry and this on paine of Ecclesiasticall censure and correction But when this did no good Clothaire the third of France for he I thinke it was who set out that Law beginning with the word of God and ending with a threate of severe chastisement Leg. Alâ—maâ— tit 39. ap Brissoâ— doth command the same Die dominico nemo servilia opera praesumat facere quia hoc lex prohibet sacra Scriptura in omnibus contradicit as before was sayd If any doe offend herein in case he bee a bondman let him bee soundly bastinadoed in case a freeman let him be thrice admonished of it if he offend againe the third part of his patrimony was to be confiscated and finally if that prevailed not he was to be convented before the Governour and made a bondslave So for the Realme of Germany a Councell held at Dingulofinum in the lower Bavaria Anno. 772. did determine thus Festo die Solis ocio divino intentus prophanis negotijs abstineto upon the Sunday so they call it let every man abstaine from prophane employments and be intent upon Gods worship If any man shall worke his Cart this day or busie himselfe in any such like worke jumenta ejus publica sunto his Teeme shall presently bee forfeited to the publicke use And if stubbornely they persist to provoke Gods anger be they sold for Bond-men Hist. l. 3. So Aventine reports the Canon And somewhat like to this was ordered by Theodorius king of the Bavarians Ap. Brisson ut supra viz. Si quis die dominico c. If any man upon the Lords day shall yoake his Oxen and drive forth his waine dextrum bovem perdat his right
care of one than of the other 11 And so indeede it had not in this alone but in all things else the holy dayes as wee now distinguish them being in most points equall to the Sunday and in some superiour Leo the Emperour by his Edict shut up the Theater and the Cirque or shewplace on the Lords day The like is willed expressely in the sixt generall Councell holden at Constantinople Anno 692. Can. 66. for the whole Easter weeke Nequaquam ergo his diebus equorum cursus vel aliquod publicum fiat spectaculum so the Canon hath it The Emperour Charles restrained the Husbandman and the tradesman from following their usuall worke on the Lords day The Councell of Melun doth the same for the said Easter weeke and in more particulars it being ordered by that Synod that men forbeare during the time above remembred Can. 77. ab omni opere rurali fabrili Carpentario gynaeceo coement ario pictorio venatorio forensi mercatorio audientiali ac sacrametis exigendis from husbandry the craft of Smithes Carpenters from needle-work cementing painting hunting pleadings merchandize casting of accounts from taking Oathes The Benedictines had but three messe of pottage upon other dayes die vero dominico in praecipuis festivitatibus but on the Lords day and the principall festivalls a fourth was added as saith Theodomare the Abbot in an Epistle to Charles the Great Law-suites and Courts of judgement were to bee layd aside and quite shut up on the Lords day as many Emperours and Councells had determined severally The Councell held at Friburg Anno 895. Conc. Tribu 〈◊〉 26. did resolve the same of holy dayes or Saints dayes and the time of Lent Nullus omnino secularis diebus dominicis vel Sanctorum in festis seu Quadragesimae aut jejuniorum placitum habere sed nec populum illo prâ—â—sumat coercere as the Canon goeth The very same with that of the Councell of Erford Anno 932. cap. 2. But what neede private and particular Synods bee produced as witnesses herein when wee have Emperours Popes and Patriarkes that affirme the same To take them in the order in which they lived Photius the Patriarke of Constantinople Anno 858. Ap. Balsam tit 7. cap. 1. thus reckoneth up the Festivalls of especiall note viz. Seaven dayes before Easter and seaven dayes after Christmasse Epiphanie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the feasts of the Apostles and the Lords day And then he addes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that on those dayes they neither suffer publicke shewes nor Courts of justice Emanuel Comnenus next Emperour of Constantinople Apâ— Balsam Anno 1174. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We doe ordeine saith he that these dayes following be exempt from labour viz. the nativity of the Virgin Mary holy-rood day and so hee rockoneth all the rest in those parts observed together with all the Sundayes in the yeare and that in them there be not any accesse to the seates of judgement Lib. 2. tit de ferijs cap. 5. The like Pope Gregory the ninth Anno 1228. determineth in the Decretall where numbring up the holy dayes he concludes at last that neither any processe hold nor sentence bee in force pronounced on any of those dayes though both parts mutually should consent unto it Consentientibus etiam partibus nec processus habitus teneat nec sententia quam contingit diebus hujusmodi promulgari So the Law resolves it Now lest the feast of Whit sontide might not have some respect as well as Easter it was determined in the Councell held at Engelheim Cap. 6. Anno 948. that Munday Tuesday Wednesday in the Whitsun-weeke non minus quam dies dominicus solenniter honorentur should no lesse solemnely be observed than the Lords day was So when that Otho Bishop of Bamberg had planted the faith of Christ in Pomerania Vrspergens Chronic. and was to give account thereof to the Pope then being he certifieth him by his letters Anno. 1124 that having christned them and built them Churches he left them three injunctions for their Christian carriage First that they eate no flesh on Fridayes secondly that they rest the Lords day ab omni opere malo from every evill worke repairing to the Church for religious dueties and thirdly Sanctorum solennitates cum vigiliis omni diligentia observent that they keepe carefully the Saints dayes with the Eves attendant So that in all these outward matters we finde faire equality save that in one respect the principall festivals had preheminence above the Sunday For whereas fishermen were permitted by the Decretall of Pope Alexander the third as before was sayd diebus dominicis aliis festis on the Lords day and other holy dayes to fish for herring in some cases there was a speciall exception of the greater festivals praeterquam in majoribus anni solennitatibus as the order was But not to deale in generals onely Isidore Arch-bishop of Sevill in the beginning of the seventh Century making a Catalogue of the principall festivalls beginnes his list with Easter and ends it with the Lords day as before we noted in the fifth section of this Chapter Now lest it should be thought that in sacred matters and points of substance the other holy dayes were not as much regarded as the Lords day was the Councell held at Mentz Anno 813 did appoint it thus that if the Bishop were infirme or not at home Non desit tamen diebus dominicis festivitatibus qui verbum dei praedicet juxta quod populus intelligat yet there should still be some to preach Gods word unto the people according unto their capacities both on the Lords day and the other festivals Indeed why should not both be observed alike the Saints dayes being dedicated unto God as the Lords day is and standing both of them on the same authority on the authority of the Church for the particular institution on the authority of Gods Law for the generall warrant It was commanded by the Lord and written in the heart of man by the penne of nature that certaine times should bee appointed for Gods publicke worship the choycing of the times was left to the Churches power and she designed the Saints dayes as shee did the Lords both his and both alotted to his service onely This made Saint Bernard ground them all the Lords day and the other holy dayes on the fourth Commandement the third in the Account of the Church of Rome Spirituale obsequium deo praebetur in observantia sanctarum solennitatum unde tertium praceptum contexitur Serm. 3. Super Salve reg Observa diem Sabbati i. e. in sacris ferijs te exerce So S. Bernard in his third Sermon Super salve Regina 12 The Lords day and the holy dayes or Saints dayes being of so neere a kinne we must next see what care was taken by the Church in these presentages for hallowing them unto the Lord. The times were
Saviour the offering of the paschall Lambe his death and passion Sic Sabbatismus ille requiem annunciabat quae post hanc vitam poâ—ita est sanctis electis so did the Sabbath signifie that eternall rest which after this life is provided for the Saints and elect of God And more than this Spiritualis homo non uno die hebdomadis sed omni tempore sabbatizare satagit the true spirituall man keepes not his Sabbath once a weeke but at all times what ever every houre and minute What then would hee have no day set a part for Gods publicke service no but not the Sabbath Because saith he wee are not to rejoyce in this world that perisheth but in the sure and certaine hope of the resurrection therefore wee ought not rest the seventh day in sloath and idlenesse but we dispose our selves to prayers and hearing of the word of God upon the first day of the weeke on the which Christ rose cum summa cura providentes ut tam illo quam coeteris diebus feriati semper simus a servili opere peccati Provided alwayes that upon that and all dayes else we keepe our selves free from the servile Acts of sinne This was the Sabbath which they principally looked for in this present life never applying of that name to the Lords day in any of those monuments of learning they have lest behinde them The first who ever used it to denote the Lords day the first that I have met with in all this search is one Petrus Alfonsus he lived about the times that Rupertus did who calls the Lords day by the name of the Christian Sabbath Dies dominica dies viz. resurrectionis quae suâ—â— salvationis causa extitit Christianorum sabbatum est But this no otherwise to be construed then by Analogie and resemblance no otherwise than the feast of Easter is called the Christian Passeover and Whitsontide the Christian Pentecost As for the Saturday the old Sabbath day though it continued not a Sabbath yet it was still held in an high esteeme in the Easterne Churches counted a festivall day or at lest no fast and honoured with the meetings of the Congregation In reference to the first we finde how it was charged on the Church of Rome by the sixt Councell in Constantinople Anno 692 that in the holy time of Lent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they used to fast the Saturday which was directly contrary to the Canons of the Apostles as they there alleadge This also was objected by Photius Patriarke of Constantinople against Pope Nicolas of Rome Anno 867 and after that by Michael of Constantinople against Leo the ninth Anno 1053. which plainely shewes that in the Easterne Churches they observed it otherwise And in relation to the other we finde that whereas in the principall Church of Constantinople Curopâ—lâ—t the holy Sacrament was celebrated onely on the greater feasts as also on the Saturdayes and the Sundayes Sabbatis dominicis and not on other dayes as at Rome it was Coâ—stantine surnamed Mononiachus Anno 1054 enriched it with revenue and bestowed much faire plate upon it that so they might be able every day to performe that office Which proves sufficiently that Saturday was alwayes one in all publicke dueties and that it kept even pace with Sunday But it was otherwise of old in the Church of Rome where they did laborare jejunare as Humbertus saith in his defence of Leo the ninth against Nicetas And this with little opposition or interruption save that which had beene made in the Citty of Rome in the beginning of the seventh Century and was soone crushed by Gregory then Bishop there as before we noted And howsoever Vrban of that name the second Hect. Boâ—â— hist. l. â—2 did consecrate it to the weekely service of the blessed Virgin and instituted in the Councell held at Clermont Anno 1095 that our Ladies office Officium B. Marie should be sayd upon it Eandemque Sabbato quoque die prâ—cipua devotione populum Christianum colere debere and that upon that day all Christian folke should worship her with their best devotions yet it continued still as before it was a day of fasting and of working So that in all this time in 1200 yeares we have found no Sabbath nor doe we thinke to meete with any in the times that follow either amongst the Schoolemen or amongst the Protestants which next shall come upon the Stage CHAP. VI. What is the judgement of the Schoolemen and of the Protestants and what the practise of those Churches in this Lords day businesse 1 That in the judgement of the Schoolemen the keeping of one day in seven is not the morall part of the fourth Commandement 2 As also that the Lords day is not founded on Divinâ— authority but the authority of the Church 3 A Catalogue of the holy dayes drawne up in the Councell of Lyons and the new Doctrine of the Schooles touching the native sanctitie of the holy dayes 4 In what estate the Lords day stood in matter of restraint from labour at the Reformation 5 The Reformatours finde great fault both with the sayd new doctrine and restraints from labour 6 That in the judgement of the Protestant divines the keeping of one day in seven is not the morall part of the fourth Commandement 7 as that the Lords day hath no ground on which to stand then the authority of the Church 8 And that the Church hath power to change the day and to transferre it to some other 9 What is the practise of all Churches the Roman Lutheran and Calvinian chiefâ—ly in mattâ—r of Devotion rest from labour and sufferance of lawfull pleasures 10 Dancing cryed downe by Calvin and the French Churches not in râ—lation to the Lords day but the sport it selfe 11 In what estate the Lords day stands in the Easterne Churches and that the Saturday is no lesse esteemed of by the Ethiopians then the said Lords day 1 WEe are now come unto an Age wherein the learning of the world began to make a different shew from what it did to such a period of time in which was made the greatest alteration in the whole fabricke of the Church that ever any time could speake of The Schoolemen who sprung up in the beginning of the thirteenth Age contracted learning which before was diffused and scattered into fine subtilties and distinctions the Protestants in the beginning of the sixteenth endeavouring to destroy those buildings which with such diligence and curiosity had beene erected by ihe Schoole men though they conscented well enough in the present businesse so farre as it concernd the institution either of the Lords day or the Sabbath Of these and what they taught and did in reference to the point in hand wee are now to speake taking along with us such passages of especiall note as hapned in the Christian world by which wee may learne any thing that concernes our businesse And first beginning
with the Schoolemen they tell us generally of the Sabbath that it was a Ceremony and that the fourth Commandement is of a different nature from the other nine That whereas all the other precepts of the Decalogue are simply morall the fourth which is the third in their account is partly morall partly ceremoniall Morale quidem quantum ad hoc quod homo depuâ—et aliquod tempus vitae suae advacandum divinis c. 2 2. qu. 122. art 4. ad 1. Morall it is in this regard that men must set apart some particular time for Gods publicke service it being naturall to man to destinate particular times to particular actions as for his dinner for his sleepe and such other actions Sedin quantum in hoc praecepto determinatur speciale tempus in signum creationis mundi sic est praeceptum ceremoniale But in as much as that there is a day appointed in the Law it selfe in token of Gods rest and the Worlds creation in that respect the Law is ceremoniall And ceremoniall too they make it in referrence to the Allegory out Saviours resting in the grave that day and in relation to the Analogicall meaning of it as it prefigureth our eternall rest in the Heaven of glories Finally they conclude of the fourth Commandement that it is placed in the Decalogue in quantum est praeceptum morale non in quantum est ceremoniale onely so farre forth as it is morall and not as ceremoniall that is that wee are bound by the fourth Commandement to destinate some time to Gods publick service which is simply morall but not the Seventh day which is plainely ceremoniall Aquinas so resolves it In â—raâ— de Sabbato for all the restâ— his judgement in this point if Doctor Prideaux note be true as I have no reason but to thinke so being universally embraced and followed by all the Schoolemen of what sect soever So that in him we have them all all of them consonant in this point to make up the harmony however dissonant enough in many others But that this consent may appeare the more ful perfect we will take notice of two others men famous in the Schooles and eminent for the times in which they lived First Bonaventure who lived in the same time with Aquinas and dyed the same yeare with him which was 1274. hath determined thus Intelligendum est quod praeâ—eptum illud habet aliquid quod est mere morale c. Serm. de dcceâ— precepâ— It is to be conceived saith he that in the fourth Commandement there is something which is simply morall some thing againe that is plainely ceremoniall and something mixt The sanctifying of a day is morall the sanctifying of a seventh day ceremoniall rest from the workes of labour being mixt of both Quod praecipit deus sanctificationem est Praeceptum morale Est in hoc praecepto aliquid ceremoniale ut figuratio diei septimae Item continetur aliquid quod est partim morale partim ceremoniale ut cessatio ab operibus Lastly To status Bishop of Avila in Spaine hath resolved the same aliquid est in eo juris naturalis aliquid legalis In Exod. 20. qu. 11. that in the fourth Commandement there is some thing naturall and something legall that it is partly morâ—ll and partly ceremoniall Naturale est quod dum DeuÌ„ colimus abalij sab stineamus c. Moral naturall it is that for the time we worship God doe abstaine from every thing of what kind soever which may divert our thoughts from that holy action But that wee should designe in every weeke one day unto that employment and that the whole day bee thereto appointed and that in all that day a man shall doe no manner of worke those things hee reckoneth there to be ceremoniall 2 So for the Lords day 2. 2a qu. 122. art 4. ad 4. it is thus determined by Aquinas that it depends on the authority of the Church the custome and consent of Gods faithfull servants and not on any obligation layd upon us by the fourth Commandement Diei dominicae observantia in nova lege â—uccedit observantiae sabbati non ex vi praecepti legis sed ex constitutione ecclesiae consuetudine populi Christiani What followeth thereupon Et ideo non est itae arcta prohibitio operandi in die dominica sicut in die Sabbati Therefore saith he the prohibition of doing no worke on the Lords day is not so rigorous and severe as upon the Sabbath many things being licenced on the one which were forbidden on the other as dressing meate and others of that kind and nature And not so onely but hee gives us a dispensatur facilius in nova lege an easier hope of dispensation under the Gospel in case upon necessity we meddle with prohibited labours then possibly could have beene gotten under the Law The like To status tells us though in different words save that he doth extend the prohibition as well to all the feasts of the Old Testament as all the holy dayes of the new and neither to the Sabbath nor the Lords day onely In veteri lege major fuit strictio in observatione festorum quam in nova lege In Exod. 20. qu. 13. How so In omnibus enim festivitatibus nostris quantâ—cunque sint c. Because saith he in all our festivalls how great soever whether they bee the Lords dayes or the feasts of Easter or any of the higher ranke it is permitted to dresse meate and to kindle fire c. As for the grounds whereon they stood he makes this difference betweene them that the Iewes Sabbath had its warrant from divine commandement but that the Lords day though it came in the place thereof is founded onely on 〈◊〉 constitution In Math. 23. qu. 148. 〈◊〉 Sabbatum â—x man 〈◊〉 cujus 〈◊〉 successit dies dominica tamen manifestum est quod observatio dici dominicae non est de jure divino 〈…〉 Canonico This is plaine enough and this he prooves because the Church hath still a power 〈◊〉 illum diem vel totaliter tollere either to change the â—ay or take it utterly away and to dispense touching the keeping of the same which possibly it neither could noâ— ought to doe were the Lords day of any other institution then the Churches onely They onely have the power to repeale a Law which had power to make it Qui habeâ— institutionem habet destitutionem as is the Bishops plea in a Quare Impedit As for the first of these two powers that by the Church the day may be transferred and abrogated Suarez hath thus distinguished in it verum id esse absolute non practice that is as I conceive his meaning that such a power is absolutely in the Church though not convenient now to be put in practise According unto that of S. Paul which probably was the ground of the distinction All things are lawfull for me but
all things are not expedient This is the generall tendry of the Roman Schooles that which is publickly avowed and made good amongst them And howsoever Petrus de Anchorana and Nicholas Abbat of Patermo two learned Canonists as also Angelus de Clavasio and Silvester de Prierats two as learned Casuists seeme to defend the institution of the Lords day to have its ground and warrant on divine authority yet did the generall current of the Schooles and of the Canonists also runne the other way And in that current still it holds the Iesuites and most learned men in the Church of Rome following the generall and received opinion of the Schoolemen whereof see Bellarm de cultu Sanct. l. 3. c. 11. Estius in 3. Sent. dist 37. Sect. 13. but specially Azorius in his Institut Moral part second cap. 2 who gives us an whole Catalogue of them which hold the Lords day to be founded onely on the authority of the Church Touching the other power the power of dispensation there is not any thing more certaine then that the Church both may and doth dispense with such as have therein offended against her Canons The Canons in themselves doe professe as much there being many casus reservati as before wee sayd expressed particularly in those Lawes and Constitutions which have beene made about the keeping of this day and the other festivalls wherein a dispensation lyeth if wee disobey them Many of these wee specified in the former Ages and some occurre in these whereof now we write Decretal .l. 2 tit de feriis cap. 5. It pleased Pope Gregory the ninth Anno 1228 to inhibit all contentious suites on the Lords day and the other festivalls and to inhibit them so farre that judgement given on any of them should be counted voyde Etiam consentientibus partibus although both parties were consenting Yet was it with this clause or reservation nisi vel necessitas urgeat vel pietas suadeat unlesse necessity inforced or piety perswaded that it should be done So in a Synod holden in Valladolit apud vallem Oleti in the parts of Spaine Anno 1322. Concil â—abinens de feriis a generall restraint was ratified that had beene formerly in force quod nullus in diebus dominicis festivis agros colere aâ—deat aut manualia artificia exercere praesumat that none should henceforth follow husbandry or exercise himself in mechanick trads upon the Lords day or the other holy dayes Yet was it with the same Proviso nisi urgente necessitate vel evidentis pietatis causa unlesse upon necessity or apparant piety or charity in each of which he might have licence from the Priest his owne Parish-Priest to attend his businesse Where still observe that the restraint was no lesse peremptory on the other holy dayes then on the Lords day 3 These holy dayes as they were named particularly in Pope Gregories decretall so was a perfect list made of them in the Synod of Lyons Anno 244. De consecrat distinct 3. c. 1 which being celebrated with a great concourse of people from all parts of Christendome the Canons and decrees thereof began forthwith to finde a generall admittance The holy dayes allowed of there were these that follow viz. the feast of Christs nativity â—aint Stephen S. Iohn the Evangelist the Innocents S. Silvester the Circumcision of our Lord the Epiphanie Easter together with the weeke precedent and the weeke succeeding the three dayes in Rogation weeke the day of Christs ascention Whitsunday with the two dayes after Iohn S. the Baptist the feasts of all the twelve Apostles all the festivities of our Lady S. Lawrence all the Lords dayes in the yearâ— S. Michael the Archangell All Saints S. Martins the Wakes or dedication of particular Churches together with the feasts of such topicall or locall Saints which some particular people had beene pleased to honour with a day particular amongst themselves On these and every one of them the people were restrained as before was sayd from many severall kinds of worke on paine of ecclesiasticall censures to be layd on them which did offend unlesse on some emergent causes either of charity or necessity they were dispensed with for so doing In other of the festivalls which had not yet attained to so great an height the Councell thought not â—it perhaps by reason of their numbers that men should be restrained from labour as neyther that they should be incouraged to it but left them to themselves to bestow those times as might stand best with their affaires and the Common wealth For so the Synod did determine Reliquis festivitatibus quae per annum Cunt non esse plebem cogendam ad feriandum sed nec prohibendam And in this state things stood a long time together there being none that proferd opposition in reference to these restraints from labour on the greater festivalls though some there were that thought the festivalls too many on which those burden of restraints had unadvisedly beene imposed on the common people Nicholas de Clemangis complained much as of some other abuses in the Church so of the multitude of holy dayes Ap. Hospin cap. 4. de fest Christi which had of late times beene brought into it And Pet. de Aliaco Cardinall of Cambray in a discourse by him exhibited to the Councell of Constance made publick suite unto the Fathers there assembled that there might a stop in that kind hereafter as also that excepting Sundayes and the greater festivalls liceret operari post auditum officium it might bee lawful for the people after the end of Divine Service to attend their businesses the poore especially having little time enough on the working dayes ad vite necessaria procuranda to get their livings But these were onely the expressions of well-wishing men The Popes were otherwise resolved and did not onely keepe the holy dayes which they found established in the same state in which they found them but added others daily as they saw occasion At last it came unto that passe by reason of that rigorous and exact kind of rest which by the Canon Law had beene fastned on them that both the Lords day and the other festivalls were accounted holy not in relation to the use made of them or to the holy actions done on them in the honour of God but in and of themselves considered they were avowed to bee vere alijs sanctiores truely and properly invested with a greater sanctity then the other dayes Bellarm. de cultu S. l. 3. c. 10. Yea so farre did they goe at last that it is publickly maintained in the Schooles of Rome non sublatam esse sed mutatam tantum in novo Testamento significatiâ—nâ—m discretionem dierum that the difference of dayes and times and the mysterious significations of the same which had before beene used in the Iewish Church was not abolished but onely changed in the Church of Christ. Aquinas did first leade this dance in
it being no where to be â—ound that it was commanded Gualten more generally that the Christians first assembled on the Sabbath day as being then most famous and so most in use but when the Churches were augmented prâ—ximus à sabbatâ— dies robus sacris destinatus the next day after the Sabbath was desâ—gned to those holy uses If not before then certainly not so commanded by our Saviour Christ and if designed onely then not enjoyned by the Apostles Yea Beza though herein hee differ from his Master Câ—lvin Apoc. 1 10. and makes the Lords day meetings to be Apostolicae verae divinae traditionis to be indeed of Apostolicall and divine tradition yet being a tradition onely although Apostolicall it is no commandement And more then that In Act. â—0 he tels us in another place that from Saint Rauls preaching at Troas and from the Text. 1. Corinth 16. 2. non inepte colligi it may be gathered not unfitly that then the Christians were accustomed to meete that day the ceremony of the Iewish Sabbath beginning by degrees to vanish But sure the custome of the people makes no divine traditions and such conclusions as not unfitly may be gathered from the Text are not Text it selfe Others there be who attribute the changing of the day In Gen. to the Apostles not to their precept but their practice So Mercer Apostoli in Dominicum converterunt the Apostles changed the Sabbath to the Lords day in Gen. 2. Paraeâ—s attributes the same Apostolicae Ecclesia unto the Apostolicall Church or Church in the Apostles time quo modo autem facta fit haec mutatio in sacris literis expressum non habemus but how by what authoritie such a change was made In Thesiâ— p. 733. is not delivered in the Sâ—ripture And Iohn Cuchlinus though hee call it an consuetudinem Apostolicam an Apostolicall customâ— yet hee is peremptory that the Apostles gave no such Commandement Apostolos praeâ—ptum reliquisse constanter negamus So Simler calls it onely consuetudinem tempore Apostolorum receptam Defâ—stis Chr p. 24. a custome taken up in the Apostles time And so Hospinian although saith hee it be apparant that the Lords day was celebrated in the place of the Iewish Sabbath even in the times of the Apostles non invenitur tamen vel Apostolos vel alios legâ— aliqua praecepto observationem ejus instituisse yet find we not that either they or any other In 4. praecepâ— did institute the keeping of the same by any law or precept but left it free Thus Zanchius nullibi legimus Apostoles c. we doe not read saith hee that the Apostles commanded any to observe this day Wee onely read what they and others did upon it liberum ergo reliquerunt which is an argument that they left it to the Churches power In 〈◊〉 â—alat To those adde Vrsin in his exposition on the fourth Commandement liberum Ecclesiae reliquit alios dies eligere and that the Church made choice of this in honour of our Saviours resurrection Arctius in his Common-places Christianiâ—â— Dominicum transtulerunt Gomarus and Ryvet in the â—racts before remembred Both which have also there determined that in the choosing of this day the Church did exercise as well her wisdome as her freedome her freedome being not obliged unto any day by the Law of God her wisdome ne majori mutatione Iudaeos offenderet that by so small an alteration she might the lesse offend the Iewes who were then considerable As for the Lutheran Divines it it is affirmed by Doctour Bound that 〈◊〉 the most part they ascribe too much unto the liberty of the Church in appointing dayes for the assembly of the people which is plain confession But for particulars Brentius as Doctour Prideaux tells us calls it civilem institutionem a civill institution and no commandement of the Gospell which is no more indeed then what is elsewhere said by Calvin when he accounts no otherwise thereof then ut remedium retinendo ordini necessarium as a fit way to retaine order in the Church And sure I am Chemnitius tells us that the Apostles did not impose the keeping of this day as necessary upon the consciences of Gods people by any law or precept whatsoever sed libera fuit observatio ordinis gratia but that for orders sake it had been voluntarily used amongst them of their own accord 8 Thus have we proved that by the Dâ—ctrine of the Protestants of what side soever and those of greatest credit in their severall Churches eighteene by name and all the Lutherans in generall of the same opinion that the Lords Day is of no other institution then the authoritie of the Church Which proved the last of the three Theses that still the Church hath power to change the day and to transferre it to some other will follow of it selfe on the former grounds the Protestant Doctours before remembred in saying that the Church did institute the Lords day as we see they doe confessing tacitely that still the Church hath power to change it Nor do they tacitely confesse it as if they were affraid to speak it out but some of them in plaine termes affirme it as a certaine truth Zuinglius the first reformer of the Switzers hath resolved it so in his Discourse against one Valentine Gentilis a new Arian heretick Audi mi Valentine quibus modis rationibus sabbatum ceremoniale reddatur Tom. 1 p 254 â— Harken now Valentine by what wayes and means the Sabbath may be made a ceremony if either we observe that day which the Iewes once did or thinke the Lords day so affixed unto any time ut nefas sit illum in aliud tempus transferre that wee conceive it an impietie it should be changed unto another on which as well as upon that we may not rest from labour and harken to the Word of God if perhaps such necessity should be this would indeed make it become a ceremony Nothing can be more plaine then this Yet Calvin is as plain when hee professeth that hee regarded not so much the number of seven ut ejus servituti Ecclesias astringeret as to enthrall the Church unto it Sure I am Doctour Prideaux reckoneth him as one of them who teach us that the Church hath power to change the day and to transfer it to some other In Orat. de Sab. and that Iohn Barclaie makes report how once hee had a Consultation de transferenda Dominica in feriam quintam of altering the Lords day unto the Thursday Bucer affirmes as much as touching the authoritie and so doth Bullinger and Brentius Vrsine and Chemnitius as Doctour Prideaux hath observed Of Bullinger Bucer Brentius I haue nought to say because the places are not cited but take it as I think I may upon his credit But for Chemnitius he saith often that it is libera observatio a voluntatie observation that it is an especiall part of our Christian
recorded to bee made touching the keeping of this day but many actions of great note to bee done upon it These wee will ranke for orders sake under these 5 heades 1 Coronations 2 Synods Ecclesiasticall 3 Councells of Estate 4 Civill businesse and 5 battailes and assaults which we shall summe up briefely in their place and time And first for Coronations which as before I said are mixt kinde of actions compound of sacred and of civill William surnamed Rufus was crowned at Canterbury by Archbishop Lanfrancke the 25 of Sept. being Sunday anno 1087. So was King Steven the 21 of Decemb. being Sunday too anno 1135. On Sunday before Christmasse day was Henry the second crowned at London by Archbishop Theobald anno 1155 and on the Sunday before Septuagesima his daughter Ioane was at Palermo crowned Queene of Sicile Of Richard the first it is recorded that hoysing saile from Barbeflet in Normandie hee arrived safely here upon the Sunday before our Lady day in harvest whence setting towards London there met him his Archbishops Bishops Earles and Barons cum copiosa militum multitudine with a great multitude of Knightly ranke by whose advise and Counsaile he was crowned on a Sunday in September following anno 1189 and after crowned a second time on his returne from thraldome and the holy Land anno 1194. on a Sunday too The royall magnificent forme of his first coronation they who list to see may finde it most exactly represented in Rog. de Houeden And last of all King Iohn was first inaugurated Duke of Normandie by Walter Archbishop of Roane the Sunday after Easter day anno 1200 and on a Sunday after crowned King of England together with Isabell his Queene by Hubert at that time Archbishop of Canterbury For Synods next an 1070 a Councell was assembled at Winchester by the appointement of King William the first and the consent of Alexander then Pope of Rome for the degrading of Stigand Archbishop of Canterbury and this upon the Sunday next after Easter And wee finde mention of a Synod called by Richard Archbishop of Canterbury Anno 1175. the Sunday before holy thursday ad quod concilium venerunt fere omnes Episcopi Abbates Cantuariensis dioeceseos where were assembled almost all the Bishops and Abbats of the whole Province For Councells of Estate there was a solemne meeting called on Trinity Sunday anno 1143 in which assembled Maud the Empresse and all the Lords which held her partie where the Ambassadours from Anjou gave up their account and thereupon it was concluded that the Earle of Gloucester should bee sent thither to negotiate his sisters businesse So in the yeere 1185 when some Embassadours from the East had offered to King Heâ—ry the second the Kingdome of Hierusalem the King desâ—gned the first Sunday in Lent for his day of answer Upon which day there met at London the King the Patriaâ—ke of Hierusalem the Bishops Abbats Earles and Barons of the Realme of England as also William King of Scotland and his brother David with the Earles and Barons of that countrey habito inde cum deliberatione concilio c. and then and there upon mature deliberation it was concluded that though the King accepted not the title yet he would give his people leave to put themselves into the action and take up the Crosse. For civill businesse of another nature we find it on record that on the fourth Sunday in Lent next following the same King Henry Knighted his Sonne Iohn and sent him forthwith into Ireland Knighthood at those times being farre more full of ceremonie then now it is Which being but a preparation to warre and military matters leades us unto such battailes as in these times were fought on Sunday Of which wee finde it in our Annalls that in the yeere 1142. upon a Sunday being Candlemasse day King Sâ—ephen was taken prisoner at the battaile of Lincolne as also that on Holy-Crosse day next after being Sunday too Robert Earle of Gloucester Commander of the adverse forces was taken prisoner at the battaille of Winchester So reade wee that on Sunday the 25 of August anno 1173. the King of France besieged and forced the Castle of Dole in Brittaine belonging to the King of England as also that on Sunday the 26 of September anno 1198. King Richard tooke the Castle of Curceles from the King of France More of this kinde might bee remembred were not these sufficient to shew how anciently it hath been the use of the Kings of England to create Knights and hold their Councells of estate on the Lords day as now they doe Were not the others here remembred sufficient to let us know that our progenitours did not thinke so superstitiously of this day as not to come upon the same unto the crowning of their Kings or the publicke Synods of the Church or if neede were and their occasions so required it to fight as well or the Lords day as on any other Therefore no Lords day Sabbath hitherto in the Realme of England 5 Not hitherto indeed But in the Age that followed next there were some overtures thereof some strange preparatives to begin one For in the very entrance of the 13 Age Rog. de Hovâ—â— den Fulco a French Priest and a notable hypâ—crite as our King Richard counted him and the story proves lighted upon a new Sabbatarian fancy which one of his associates Eustathius Abbat of Flay in Normandie was sent to scatter here in England but finding opposition to his doctrine hee went backe againe the next yeere after being 1202 hee comes better fortified preaching from towne to towne and from place to place ne quis forum rerum venalium diebus Dominicis exerceret that no man should presume to market on the Lords day Where by the way we may observe that notwithstanding all the Canons and Edicts before remembred in the fift Chapter of this booke and the third Section of this Chapter the English kept their marketts on the Lords day as they had done formerly as neither being bound to those which had beene made by forraine states or such as being made at home had long before beene cut in peeces by the sword of the Norman Conqueror Now for the easier bringing of the people to obey their dictates they had to shew a warrant sent from God himselfe as they gave it out The title this Mandatum sanctum Dominicae diei quod de coelo venit in Hierusalem c. An holy mandat touching the Lords day which came downe from Heaven unto Hierusalem found on S. Simeons Altar in Golgotha where Christ was Crucified for the sins of all the world which lying there three dayes and as many nights strooke with such terrour all that saw it that falling on the ground they besought Gods mercy At last the Patriarch and Akarias the Archbishop of I know not whence ventured to take into their hands that dreadfull letter which 〈◊〉 written thus Now wipe your eyes and
profestis diebus hoe fiat secus si hoc fiat ex causa honesta intentione non corrupta à persona cui talia non sunt prohibita With which determination I conclude this Chapter CHAP. VIII The story of the Lords-day from the reformation of Religion in this Kingdome till this present time 1 The doctrine of the Sabbath and the Lords day delivered by three severall Martyrs conformably to the iudgement of the Protestants before remembred 2 The Lords day and the other holy dayes confessed by all this Kingdome in the Court of Parliament to have no other ground then the authority of the Church 3 The meaning and occasion of that clause in the Common prayer booke Lord have mercy upon us c. repeated at the end of the fourth Commandment 4 That by the Queenes Injâ—nctions and the first Parliament of her reigne the Lords day was not meant for a Sabbath day 5 The doctrine in the Homilies deliâ—ered about the Lords day and the Sabbath 6 The summe and substance of that Homily and that it makes not any thing for a Lords day Sabbath 7 The first originall of the New Sabbath Speculations in this Church of England by whom and for what cause invented 8 Strange and most monstrous Paradoxes preached on occasion of the former doctrines and of the other effects thereof 9 What care was taken of the Lords day in King Iames his reigne the spâ—eading of the doctrines and of the Articles of Ireland 10 The Iewish Sabbath set on foote and of King Iames his declaration abouâ— lawfull sports on the Lords day 11 What tracts were writte and published in that Princes time in opposition to the doctrines before remembred 12 In what estate the Lords day and the other holy dayes have stood in Scotland since the reformation of Religion in that Kingdome 13 Statutes about the Lords day made by our present Soveraigne and the misconstruing of the same His Majesty reviveth and enlargeth the declaration of King Iames. 14 An exhortation to obedience unto his Majesties most Christian purpose concludes this History 1 THVS are wee safely come to these present times the times of reformation wherein what ever had beene taught or done in the former dayes was publickely brought unto the test and if not well approved of layed aside either as unprofitable or plainely hurtfull So dealt the Reformatours of the Church of England as with other things with that which wee have now in hand the Lords day and the other holy dayes keeping the dayes as many of them as were thought convenient for the advancement of true godlinesse and increase of piety but paring off those superstitious conceits and matters of opinion which had beene enterteined about them But first before wee come to this wee will by way of preparation lay downe the iudgements of some men in the present point men of good quality in their times and such as were content to bee made a sacrifice in the Common cause Of these I shall take notice of three particularly according to to the severall times in the which they lived And first wee will beginne with Master Fryth who suffered in the yeere 1533 who in his declaration of Baptisme thus declares himselfe P. 96. Our forefathers saith hee which were in the beginning of the Church did abrogate the Sabbath to the intent that men might have an ensample of Christian liberty c. Howbeit because it was necessary that a day should be reserved in which the people should come together to heare the word of God they ordayned insteed of the Sabbath which was Saturday the next day following which is Sunday And although they might have kept the Saturday with the Iew as a thing indifferent yet they did much better Some three yeeres after him anno 1536 being the 28 of Henry the eight suffered Master Tyndall who in his answer to Sir Thomas More hath resolved it thus Pag. 287. As for the Sabbath we be Lords over the Sabbath and may yet change it into Munday or into any other day as wee see neede or may make every tenth day holy day onely If we see cause why Neither was there any cause to change it from the Saturday but to put a difference betweene us and the Iewes neither need wee any holy day at all if the people might bee taught without it Last of all Bishop Hooper sometimes Bishop of Gloucester who suffered in Queene Maries reigne doth in a treatise by him written on the ten Commandements and printed in the yeere 1550 goe the selfe same way Pag 103. Wee may not thinke saith hee that God gave any more holinesse to the Sabbath then to the other dayes For if yee consider Friday Saturday or Sunday in as much as they be dayes and the worke of God the one is no more â—oly then the other but that day is alwayes most holy in the which we most apply and give our selves unto holy works To that end did hee sanctify the Sabbath day not that wee should give our selves to illenesse or such Ethnicall pastime as is now used amongst Ethnicall people but being free that day from the travailles of this world wee might consider the works and benefits of God with thankesgiving heare the word of God honour him and feare him then to learne who and where bee the poore of Christ that want our helpe Thus they and they amongst them have resolved on these foure conclusions First â—hat one day is no more holy then another the Sunday then the Saturday or the Friday further than they are set apart for holy uses Secondly that the Lords day hath no institution from divine authority but was ordained by our fore fathers in the beginning of the Church that so the people might have a Day to come together and heare Gods Word thirdly that still the Church hath power to change the day from Sunday unto Monday or what day shee will And lastly that one day in seven is not the Morall part of the fourth Commandement for M. Tyndall faith expressely that by the Church of God each tenth day onely may be kept holy if wee see cause why So that the mervaile is the greater that any man should now affirme as some men have done that they are willing to lay downe both their Lives and Livings in maintenance of those contrary Opinions which in these latter dayes have been taken up 2 Now that which was affirmed by them in their particulars was not long afterwards made good by the generall Bodie of this Church and State the King the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and all the Commons met in Parliament 5. 6. Edw. 6. cap. 3. anno the fift and sixt of King Edward the sixt where to the honour of Almighty God it was thus enacted For as much as men bee not at all times so mindfull to laud and praise God so readie to resort to heare Gods Holy Word and to come to the holy Communion
6â—0 they call it by no other name then Sunday ordaining that upon â—oure Sâ—ndayes in the yeere which are therein specified the Sacrament of the Lords Supper should bee administred to the people and in the yeere 1592 an Act of King Iames the third about the 〈◊〉 and other Vigills â—o bee kept holy 〈◊〉 Evâ—nsong to 〈◊〉 was annulled and abrogated Which plaâ—â—ely shewes that then they thought not of a Sabbath But when the Sabbath doctrinâ— had beene raised in Eâ—glaâ—d Annâ— 1595 as before was â—aid it found a present enterâ—â—â—ment with the Brethren there who had before 〈◊〉 in their publicke writings to our Puritans here Davisâ—n p. 20. that both their caâ—ses were most â—eerely linked together and thereupon they both tooke up the name of Sabbath and imposed the rigouâ— yet so that they esteeme it lawfull to hold fâ—sts thereon Altare Damasc. p. 669. quod sapissâ—â—â— in Ecclesia 〈…〉 factum est and use it often in that Church which is quite contrary unto the nature of a Sabbath And on the other side they deny it to be the weekely festivall of the resurrection Id. 696. Non sunt dies Dominici â—esta Resurrectioniâ— as they have resolved it which shewes as plainely that they build not the translation of their Sabbath on the same grounds as our men have done In briefe by making up a mixture of a Lords day Sabbath they neither keepe it as the Lords day nor as the Sabbath And in this state things stood untill the yeere 1618. what time some of the Ancient holy dayes were revived againe in the assemblie held at Perth in which among some other rites of the Church of England which were then aâ—mitted it was thus determined viz. As wee abhorre the superstitioâ—s observation of festivall dayes by the Papists and derest all licenâ—ious and prophane abuse thereof by the Common sort of Professours so wee thinke that the inestimable benefits received from God by our Lord Iesâ—â— Christ his Birth Passion Resurrection 〈◊〉 and â—â—nding downe of the Holy Ghost was commendably and godly remembred at certaine particular dayes and times by the whole Church of the world and may bee also now Therefore the Assembly ordaines that every Minister shall upon these dayes have the 〈…〉 and make choise of severall and pertinent Texts of Scripture and frame their Doctrine and Exhortation thereunto and rebuke all superstitious observation and licentious prophanation thereof A thing which much displeased some men of contrarie perswasion first out of feare that this was but a Preamble to make way for all the other holy dayes observed in England And secondly because it seemed that these five Dayes were in all points to be observed as the Lords day was both in the times of the Assembly and after the dissolving of the same But pleased or displeased so it was decreed and so still it stands 13 But to returne againe to England It pleased his Majestie now reigning whom God long preserve upon information of many notable misdemeanours on this day committed â— Carol. 1. in his first Parliament to enact That from thence-forwards there should be no Méetings Assemblies or concourse of people out of their Parishes on the Lords day for any Sports or Pastâ—mes whatsoever nor any Beare-baitings Bull-baitings common Playes Enterludes or any other unlawfull Exercises or Pastimes used by any person or persons in their owne Parishes every offence to be punished by the forfeiture of 3. s. 4 d. This being a Probation Law was to continue till the end of the first Session of the next Parliament And in the next Parliament it was continued till the end of the first Session of the next which was then to come So also was another Act made in the said last Session wherein it was enacted 3. Carol. 1. That no Carrier Waggoner Waine-man Carre-man or Drover travaile thence-forwards on the Lords day on paine that every person and persons sâ— offending shall lose and forfeit 20. s. for every such offence And that no Butcher either by himselfe or any other by his privitie and consent doe kill or sell any Victuall on the said day upon the forfeiture and losse of 6. s. 8. d. Which Statutes being still in force by reason that there hath not been any Session of Parliament since they were enacted many both Magistrates and Ministers either not rightly understanding or wilfully mistaking the intent and meaning of the first brought Dancing and some other lawfull Recreations under the compasâ—e of unlawfull Pastimes in that Act prohibited and thereupon disturbed and punished many of the Kings obedient people onely for using of such Sports as had been authorized by his Majesties Father of blessed memorie Nay which is more it was so publikely avowed and printed by one who had no calling to interprete Lawes except the provocation of his owne ill spirit That Dancing on the Lords day was an unlawfull Pastime punishable by the Statute 1. Carol. 1. which intended so hee saith to suppresse Dancing on the Lords day as well as Beare-baiting Bull-beating Enterludes and common Playes which were not then so rife and common as Dancing when this Law was made Things being at this height it pleased his excellent Majestie King Charles Declarat Observing as hee saith himselfe how much his people were debarred of Recreation and finding in some Counties that under the pretence of taking away abuses there had beene a generall forbidding not onely of ordinarie Meetings but of the Feasts of the Dedication of Churches commonly called Wakes to ratifie and publish the Declaration of his Majesties Father before remembred adding That all those Feasts with others should be observed and that all neighbourhood and freedome with manlike and lawfull Exercises be therein used Commanding all the Iustiâ—es of Assise in their severall Circuits to see that no man doe trouble or molest any of his loyall and dutifull people in or for their lawfull Recreaâ—ions having first done their dutie to God and continuing in obedience unto him and his Lawes and further that publication thereof be made by order from the Bishops through all the Parishes of their severall Diocesses respectively Thus did it please his excellent and sacred Majestie to publish his most pious and religious purpose of opening to his loyall people that libertie of the Day which the Day allowed of and which all Christian States and Churches in all times before had never questioned withall of shutting up that Doore whereat no lesse than Iudaisme would in fine have entred and so in time have over-ran the fairest and most beautifull Church at this day in Christendome And certainely it was a pious and Princely Act nothing inferiour unto that of Constantine or any other Christian King or Emperour before remembred it being no lesse pious in it selfe considered to keepe the holy-dayes free from superstition than to preserve them from prophanenesse especially considering that permission of lawfull Pleasures is no lesse proper to a Festivall than