OF THE MORALITY OF THE Fourth Commandement AS STILL IN FORCE TO BINDE CHRISTIANS Delivered by way of Answer to the Translator of Doctor Prideaux his Lecture concerning the Doctrine of the Sabbath Divided into two parts 1. An answer to the Prefacer 2. A consideration of D. Prideaux his Lecture Written by William Twisse D. D. and Pastor of Newbury Exod. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbath Day to keepe it holy Mat. 5. 17. Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill verse 18 For verily I say unto you Till Heaven and Earth passe one jot or one tittle shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled verse 19 Whosoever therefore shall breake one of these least Commandements and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdome of Heaven LONDON Printed by E. G. for Iohn Rothwell and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Sunne in Pauls-Church-yard 1641. The Contents of the chiefe matters handled herein IN the answer to the Prefacer Section 1. 1. The ancients are alleadged in vaine to oppose the Institution of the Sabbath as from the beginning Section 2. 2. The untruth of the Praefacers legends concerning Peter Bruis Fulco and Eustathius and others discovered Section 3. 3. Calvin abused by the Prefacer and misconstrued 2. What credite Barclay deserves relating a consultation of Calvin about transferring the Sabbath to the Thursday 3. Of the force of Apostolicall example Section 4. 4. The vanity of the Prefacers pretence in saying Catarinus opposed Tostatus with ill successe while he maintained the Institution of the Sabbath from the Creation It is made apparant that his successe was far beyond that of Tostatus 2. Whether Adam fell the first day wherein he was created 1. Pererius his arguments for the negative Sect. 4. 2. Doctor Willet his arguments for the affirmative Sect. 4. 3. Pererius his reasons against the institution of the Sabbath from the Creation answered 4. Two Digressions in answer to Rivetus in two particular 1. By way of reply upon his answer to Walaeus his arguments justifying the moraltty of one day in seven 2. To his arguments opposing the morality of one day in seven to be consecrated to the Lord. Section 5. 5. A consideration of Walaeus his discourse in answer to those who conceave the institution of the Lords Day to have beene ordered by Christ himselfe 2. An examination of that phrase of some of our Davines affirming the ancients to have changed the Iewes Sabbath unto the Lords Day for a probable cause wherein it is shewed that the cause hereof was more then probable Section 6. 6. An examination of Chemnitius his discourse concerning the authority of the Lords Day 2. A reply upon Doctor Rivets answer to Master Perkins his arguments standing for the Divine authority of the Lords Day 3. That the Lords Day and the Lords Supper are so called in the same notion 1. affirmed by Doctor Andrewes Perkins Thysius 2. justified by good reason Section 7. 7. A briefe of the arguments on each side for every point 1. As touching the originall institution of the Sabbath 2. As touching the Morality of one day in seven to be consecrated to Gods solemne worship 3. As touching the authority of the celebration of the Lords Day and the immutability thereof 8. The Prefacer and M. Rogers opposing D. Bownde are shewed in every particular to oppose D. Andrewes IN the consideration of D. Prideaux his Lecture 1. How far light of nature doth direct as touching the time which ought to be set apart for Gods solemne service Section 2. 2. Reasons why the Creator should prescribe the proportion of time to be consecrated unto himselfe Section 2. 6. 3. How far light of nature doth direct as touching the particularity of the day under the proportion of one in seven Sect. the same Section 2. 6. 4. That Enosh with his holy company apparting themselves from others had a set time for divine worship Section 3. 5. That it becomes not us to affect liberty to designe the day for the Sabbath Section 6. 6 The danger of leaving it to man to make choyse of the day Section 6. 7. That the clebration of the Lords Day is of divine institution and how far justified by the old Testament and particularly by the fourth Commandement Section 7. 8. That it is nothing strange the Lords Day should be called by the name of the Sabbath Section 8. 2. Sensuall pleasures are cleanly caried under the title of recreation Section 8. The Preface I Have now a long time taken notice of much difference and contention about the morality of the fourth Commandement but I never gave my selfe to looke into the bottome of it till now I ever conceived it for the substance to be Morall otherwise what should it make among the ten Commandements which all account the Law morall in distinction both from the law judiciall and the law ceremoniall given by Moses unto the Jewes These ten Commandements the Lord spake from the top of mount Sina in the hearing of all the people and by way of preparation to so notable a service as to meet with God and to heare him speake unto them two dayes were given them to sanctifie themselves and to wash their cloathes that they might be ready on the third day for the third day the Lord would come downe on mount Sina And so it came to passe For when Moses brought forth the people out of the Campe to meet with God and they stood at the nether part of the Mount Mount Sina was altogether on a smoake because the Lord descended upon it in fire and the smoake thereof ascended as the smoake of a furnace and the whole mount quaked greatly And all the people saw the thundrings and the lightnings and the noise of the trumpet and the mountaine smoaking and when the people saw it they removed and stood a farre off In such heavenly state was this Law delivered and remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy amongst the rest without all example of the like in all the generations that went before And the Lord thought it sit to mind them hereof by his servant Moses Aske now of the dayes that are past which were before thee since the day that God created man upon the earth and aske from the one side of heaven unto the other whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is or hath been heard like it Did ever people heare the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire as thou hast heard and live Out of heaven he made thee to heare his voice that he might instruct thee and upon the earth he shewed thee his great fire and thou heardst his words out of the midst of the fire And because he loved thy Fathers therefore he chose their seed
after them And in his last blessing upon the people when now he was going out of the world Moses as a King putteth them in mind of this saying The Lord came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them he shined forth from mount Paran and he came with ten thousands of Saints from his right hand went a fiery law for them Yea he loved the people all his Saints are in thy hands and they sate downe at thy feet every one shall receive of thy words Moses commanded a Law even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob. And he was King in Jeshurun when the heads of the people and the Tribes of Israel were gathered together It is true there is an hole pickt in the fourth Commandement concerning the sanctifying of the Sabbath as if that among all the rest were not morall but ceremoniall Yet this honour it hath from God that immediatly after the Creation the Lord resting on the seventh day from his works therefore he blessed the seventh day and sanctified it And therefore Doctor Andrewes ere he died Bishop of Winchester in his patterne of Catecheticall doctrine I commonly cite it under his name because it is commonly received to bee his and as I have heard upon divers good grounds treating upon this Commandement and having proposed this question But is not the Sabbath a Ceremony and so abrogated by Christ Makes answer to it in this manner Doe as Christ did in the cause of divorce look whether it were so from the beginning Now the beginning of the Sabbath was in Paradise before there was any sinne and so before there needed any Saviour and so before there was any Ceremony or figure of a Saviour And if they say it prefigured the rest that we shall have from our sinnes in Christ we grant it and therefore the day is changed but no ceremony proved And yet we are not ignorant how Papists have practised to raze the second commandement also out of the Law given on mount Sina as if that also were out of date being as they conceive but of a positive nature at first so little evidence doe they finde for it by the light of Nature and now the world is growne so wise that they know how to worship God by Images without committing any idolatry at all though this mystery of religious state is not thought fit to be communicated unto the vulgar But doe we not all acknowledge the light of Nature to be much corrupted since the fall of Adam how much more our judgement of morall things wherein Aristotle confesseth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demonstration is not to be expected only but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perswasion And if way be given to mens wanton wils for the gratisying of corrupt affections more breaches than these are like to be made in the Decalogue I have heard that Cardinall Cusanus undertooke to justifie the sin of Sodome Sure I am amongst the Lacedemonians wives were common And Brennus that Ancient Invader of other Nations made profession that he knew no other Law of Nature but this that The weaker should be in subjection to the stronger like as King Pyrrhus in his death-bed being demanded who should succeed him in the Kingdom made answer even He whose sword is the longest Carneades I thinke was the man who having on a day made a singular speech in commendation of Justice afterwards discoursed as eloquently to the contrary shewing that there was no justice at all by the law of nature every naturall thing seeking to maintaine it selfe by the destruction of others So the fire maintaines itselfe by the combustion of each combustible thing whereunto it approacheth and the water overflowes all naturally and beats downe all dammes it can to make roome for it selfe And the greatest Beasts maintain themselves by preying on those that have no power to resist them The more cause have wee to blesse God for giving us the Law Morall in writing which grew so miserably defaced in the hearts of men And that herein the sanctifying of the Sabbath is mentioned among the rest this hath ever satisfied mee and assured that the substance thereof is Morall and that accordingly wee ought to inure our selves to the sanctification of the Sabbath though naturally we find in our selves no greater reluctation to any Commandement than to this Pardon me if I judge of others by my selfe in this particular Nay upon this very consideration have we not the more cause to strive against this intestine corruption of ours His Majesty is much delighted in hunting it is a recreation mixt with manly exercise well becomming a King but I he are he never useth to hunt on the Lords day And so much the rather should the Lords Sabbaths be deare unto us because the goodnesse and mercy of God appeares no where more than in giving us his Sabbaths calling upon us thereby to rest from the world unto him and God knowes a Christian soule finds no rest any where but in him and to walke with him in holy meditation as he is pleased to walk in the midst of us as the Holy One of Israel so to draw us away from worldly cares and pleasures to the entertaining of heavenly and holy cares to enrich our selves with the knowledge of God and to recreate our soules in the Lord as hee solaceth himselfe in us according to that Hee tooke his solace in the compasse of the earth and his delight was in the children of men On the Lords day it is that in speciall sort we Christians take hold of that holy Cōmunion which God in great mercy in his Son Jesus Christ vouchsafeth unto us with himselfe speaking unto us as from heaven in his holy Word and giving us liberty to speak unto him The Lord pitcheth his Tabernacle amongst us here on earth and we are as it were taken up into the mount of God there to be transfigured before him When the Lord appeared unto Jacob in a vision by night when he fled from his brother Esau and he saw a ladder erected between heaven and earth and the Lord on the top of it the Angels ascending and descending by it when he awoke How dreadfull saith he is this place The Lord was here and I was not a ware surely it is no other than the house of God and the gate of heaven And are not our Temples the houses of God are they not the very gates of heaven In our solemne assemblies is not aladder erected betweene earth and heaven is not the Lord on the top of it and are not we humbled at his feet to heare his Word The gracious instructions which we receive from him are they not as so many Angels descending unto us the gracious motions that arise in our hearts upon meditation of his Word of thankesgiving to him of rejoycing in him yea of sorrowing for our sins are they not as so many Angels ascending to him Our teares have
the Flood or a long time after that they kept any Day consecrate to GODS Service will it therefore follow that those holy Patriarchs did set no time at all apart for Gods ervice yet is it generally acknowledged as by the light of nature that some time ought to be set apart for Divine service And formerly I have shewed out of Manasses Ben Israel that whereas the Lord enjoyning to the Israelites the observation of the Sabbath bids them remember that they were servants in Egypt this the antient wise men among the Jewes doe aply in this manner Cogita in Egypto ubi serviebas etiam ipso Sabbato per vim te coactum ad labores thinke with thy selfe how that in Egypt where thou servedst that by force thou wast constrained to worke even on the Sabbath So that the observation of the Sabbath was a duty even in those dayes Observe farther that in the fourth Commandement the Jewes are charged to looke unto it not onely that their children and their servants did observe the Sabbath but also the stranger that was within their gates Now these kinde of strangers commonly called Strangers of the gate and thereby distinguished from Strangers of the Covenant were such as were not circumcised though accompted Proselytes in the first degree And on them was usually imposed no other burthen besides the observation of the seven precepts of Noah as Schindler observes upon the roote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which seven precepts of Noah are also reckoned up by the same Schindler in the roote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and albeit the observation of the Sabbath were none of them expresse yet in as much as the Lord gives expresse charge that the strangers within their Gates should observe the Sabbath it seemes it was comprehended under one of them And therefore some thinke it was comprehended under that which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benedictio Dei that is the worship of no other God but the Creator of Heaven and Earth and by name my worthy friend Master Joseph Mede as I have seene in a Manuscript of his touching the interpretation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Acts and hereof he gives this reason namely that the observation of the seventh day was the badge of this namely of worshioping the Creator of Heaven and Earth according to that the Sabbath is a signe between me and you that I Jehovah am your God because in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh Now if the observation of the Sabbath were comprehended under the seven precepts of Noah undoubtedly it was in force and practise amongest the Patriarchs and that not only after but before the flood for undoubtedly they all worshipped the Lord God Creator of Heaven and Earth 2. We have notable evidence for the observation of the Sabbath Day even among the Gentiles And first the distinction of the whole course of time into weekes for the antiquity thereof is remarkable and now lately justified by Rivetus against Gomarus with great variety of learned observation and that especially by Claudius Salmasius that renowned Scholar and Antiquary one of them who with great instance urged Rivetus not to suffer Gomarus to passe unansweared in this point It is true as Rivetus observes that Causabon writing upon Suetonius l. 3. 52. and upon these words Diogenes the Grammarian was wont to dispute at Rhodâ—s on the Sabbath professeth his opinion that the observation of weekes now a dayes generally receaved was not commonly receaved before the dayes of Theodosius though he confesseth that long before it was in use among the Grecians especially those of Asia Yet Rivet makes it good and that out of Tertullian that long before it was in use among the Latines Ioannes Philoponus in his Commentary upon the History of the Creation a book commended by Photius in his Bibliotheca lib. 7. cap. 14 and lately set forth at Vienna in Austria writes thus All men doe agree in this that there are seven dayes only which by revolution in themselves doe complete whole time whereof what reason can wee give but that which Moses gave to wit that in six dayes the Lord made the World and rested the seventh And Clemens Alexandrinus and Eusebius prove the same out of Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The seventh day was that wherein all things were finished and out of Callimachus and out of Linus in diverse passages to the same purse as Rivetus hath shewed in his answer to Gomarus And further that in the French Kings library there is a Chronology of George Syncellus from Adam to Dioclesian wherein Salmasius observes that the computation of times by weekes was before the computation of times by moneths and yeares was found out by Astrologers and that the ancient fathers distinguished the spaces of times only by weekes and that the Caldean Astrologers having observed the course of the Sunne Moone and other planets were the first that bestowed on the seven dayes of the weeke the names of the planets and that by the testimony of an antient author Manuscript Zoroastres and Hystaspis were the authors of these demonstrations But that this circuit of seven dayes was in use before Zoroastres and the first authors of Astrology But the Jewes kept themselves as to the distinction of times by weekes so to call the dayes by their order the first the second and that the Pythagoreans did the like and called the first day of the weeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like as the Hellenists called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the yeare 1627. There was set forth a book at Venice as the same Doctor Rivet writes intitled Thesaurus praeceptorum Isaaci Atiae Iudaei in the first part whereof and 157. praecept touching the Sabbath he writes to this effect that the holinesse of that sacred day is so well known that it were superfluous to use many words in the explication thereof seeing it is found to have impression in the very hearts of the Heathens themselves becaase there is none that knoweth not that when his highnesse to whom none can approch built this wonderfull frame he rested on the seventh day 2. And thus ere I am aware I am fallen upon the holinesse of the day acknowledged generally by the Heathens themselves as this Jewish writer conceaved Theophilus Antiochenus an antient Father in his second booke written to Autolycus acknowledgeth the celebrity of this day amongst all men though the reason thereof was not so well known to most to wit as drawn from Gods rest on that day after he had created the World Tertullian also acknowledged the Heathens to solemnize the seventh much after the same manner that the Jewes did confirmed by the learned observation of Iacobus Godefridus notwithstanding some exceptions made against it And that this was the practise of the Romans he proves farther out of Tibullus and Ovid namely that they did feriari rest on the
places for prayers are not necessary for Christians because as well in a Taverne as in the Church as well in the Market-place as in the Temple before an Altar or before a stable God doth heare being called upon and heareth them who are worthy 3. He commands holy crosses to be broken in peeces and burned because the representation of such an instrument whereupon Christ was so direfully tortured and cruelly slaine is not worthy of any veneration or supplication but in revenge of Christs torments and death to be disgraced with all manner of ignominy and to be hewen in peeces with swords and burnt with fire 4. He doth not only deny the truth of the Lords body and blood daily and continually to be offered in the Church by the Sacrament but determines it to be altogether nothing and that it ought not to be offered unto God 5. He mocks at the sacrifices prayers almes and other good workes which the faithfull that are living performe for the faithfull that are departed and maintaines that they are nothing profitable to one that is dead Now in all this I find nothing at all that savoureth of any Jewish opinion concerning the observation of the Sabbath And more than that when I consider the matter of these Articles for the most part and the course of those times to make worse of their opinions who spake or wrote against the superstitions of those times then there was just cause I begin to suspect that this Peter of Bruis might be an honest man and more orthodox than they who procured his death And is it not wonderous strange that none of the Historians of those times should make any mention of him And that may be the reason why we finde no mention at all made of him in the Booke of Acts and Monuments And Philip Mornay in his mysterium iniquitatis makes an apologie for this Peter de Bruis as being a pious man and thereupon hated and finally martyred by the Papists 2. Of any Sabbatarian speculation as this Prefacer calleth it that Fulco the French Priest lighted on this Author gives no evidence For as for Roger Hoveden I doe not finde that he attributes any such unto him He writes much in his commendation as that The Lord magnified him in the sight of Kings and gave him power to give sight to the blind to cure the lame the blind and others of their diseases That Harlots and Usurers were by his preaching taken off from their lewd courses That hee foretold the Kings of France and England that except they gave over their hostility the sooner one of them should shortly dye of an evill death But of any Sabbatarian speculation hee was addicted unto I finde no mention It is true King Richard sometime called him simply Hypocrite not notable Hypocrite as this Author expresseth it affecting rather to speake with a full mouth than according unto plaine truth And is it much if Kings take liberty to call men as they think good especially when they are provoked by them as King Richard was by this Priest as appeares by the story which is well worth the relating to observe both the present wit of that King and the liberty of Priests with Princes in telling them their faults in those dayes of yore For on a day that Priest Fulco came to King Richard and in very bold manner spake to him thus I tell thee O King as from Almighty God that thou make speed to bestow in marriage those three wretched daughters that thou hast lest some worse thing befall thee Thou Hypocrite quoth the King thou lyest against thine owne head for I have no daughter at all Truly I doe not lye quoth the Priest for as I said thou hast three wicked daughters one of them is Pride another Covetousnesse the third Luxury When the King heard this he called his Earles and Barons that were about him and said Heare the admonition of this hypocrite who saith I have three wicked daughters and commands me to marry them Therefore I bestow my Pride upon the proud Templers my Covetousnesse upon the Monkes of the Cistercian Order and my Luxury upon the Prelates of the Churches Who though they professed single life yet as Mr. Moulin observes in a like case of popish Priests did not professe continencie they might be luxurious enough and that not only in wayes naturall but in wayes unnaturall also This was a biting answer of the King which the Historian no way liked and therefore he cryes out in a poeticall straine O nimis indignum miseris inferre cachinnum But throughout no mention at all of any Sabbatarian speculation that Fulco was possessed with Indeed of Eustachius who was one of his followers we reade afterwards fol. 457. p. 2. what wonderous workes were wrought by him and what were the effects of his preaching among them namely that In London and divers other places in England they would no more presume to make the Lords dayes their market dayes And that in every Church there should be a lampe or some light burning continually before the Lords body and that Citizens and others would have an Almes vessell upon their table to lay aside therein some provision for the poore And that hereupon the Devill raised up against him some Ministers of iniquity who said unto him It is not lawfull for thee to put thy sithe into anothers harvest to whom he answered The harvest is great but the labourers are few Therefore the foresaid Abbat being thus rebuked by the ministers of Satan hee would no longer trouble the Prelats of England with his preaching but returned unto his owne home in Normandy from whence hee came Seven leaves after this we find in the same Author to wit fol. 466. p. 2. That this Abbat of Flay returned into England and preaching the Word of God from City to Citie forbade all to make the Lords dayes their market dayes For he said that this Commandement for observation of the Lords day came from heaven So that this speculation of his was dominicall rather than Sabbatarian And the mandate concerning this is there set downe at large pretended to have come from Heaven to Jerusalem and to have been found on the Altar of Saint Simeon in Golgotha which whether it were feigned by him or by others and received by him on the faith of others the Author specifies not But at the end thereof he shewes how that this Predicant comming to York was there honourably entertained by the Archbishop and Clergie and whole people of that Citie and albeit these things you will say were acted in times of darknesse yet this Prefacer seemes to be of another opinion though little pleased with Eustachius his Sabbatarian speculation Here alone is mention made of the bounds he set to the observation of the Lords day namely that it was to continue from Saturday three of the clock in the afternoone untill the Sun-rising on Munday in which time he would have them
the rest to wit in the way of fitnesse for holy use because of the worke of God on that day Whence it is evidently concluded that the Apostles did not thinke it indifferent therefore though it were left to their liberty in as much as no Commandement was given to them thereabout for ought wee reade yet by the spirit of God they were directed to make choyse of this day and that in reference to such a worke on that day as the like on no other Not that the sanctifying of a rest on this day would make us more holy then the sanctifying of a rest on any other day but onely in reference to some speciall worke of God on that day upon which consideration the ancient Fathers doe generally insist and Bishop Andrewes and Bishop Lake after them doe joyntly rely and not Beza onely Secondly That both Ursine and Paraeus call this a probable reason onely now give me leave to insist upon this and try whether I cannot shew that this reason is more then probable And that first à Posteriori For let us soberly consider how came it to passe that not onely the day whereon Christ rose but answerably hereunto the Day of the weeke to wit the first Day of the weeke was accompted by the Apostles and so commonly called the Lords Day and generally knowne to Christians by that name otherwise S. Iohn had not beene so well understood in his Revelation chap. 1. vers 10. Is it not apparent that Christs rising did ever after give the denomination of the Lords Day to the first day of the weeke Againe the day of Christs Paspassion upon the Crosse is not called the Lords day and why the day of the Resurrection rather surely because S. Paul saith that Christ was declared mightily to be the Sonne of God by the spirit of sanctification in his Resurrection from the dead Hereby then was he manifested to be the Sonne of God the very Lord of Glory and is not this reason more then probable why it should bee called the Lords day Secondly consider that day of the moneth or that day of the yeare whereon the Lord rose wee no where finde that it was usually called the Lords Day but onely that day of the weeke not the day of the weeke wherein hee ascended into Heaven but the day of the weeke wherein hee rose Now the Jewes Sabbath was called the Lords Sabbath the Lords holy Day Es 58. 13. If thou shalt turne away thy foote from my Sabbath from doing thy will on my holy Day Hath the Lord a Day under the Gospell but no Sabbath no holy Day what an unreasonable conceite were this that hee should have an holy Day one in every weeke under the Law and none under the Gospell Now if the Lord hath a day that is peculiarly called his under the Gospell and that day is in the Scripture styled the Lords Day I appeale to every Christian conscience whether the sanctifying of this day as holy to the Lord ought not by more then probable yea even by necessary reason come in place of the sanctifying of the seventh day as an holy rest to the Lord in the dayes of old Otherwise we should have two different dayes in the weeke the one called the Lords Day the other the Lords holy Day or no holy day at all though wee have the Lords Day Lastly consider the very definition of a thing probable which Aristotle makes to be such as seemes so in the judgement of most or in the judgement of most of the wisest or of some few provided they are wiser then the rest but the sanctifying of the first day of the weeke to the Lord that is the Lords Day to the Lord hath seemed fit not to some of the wisest onely in the Church of God but to all even to all the Apostles yea and Evangelists and Pastors and teachers in their dayes and to the whole Church for 1600. yeares since and shall wee call the reason moving them hereunto onely probable 2. yet all this is but a posteriori which yet for the evidence of it I presume most sufficient for the convicting of every sober Christian conscience of that truth to the demonstration whereof it tends I come to give a reason hereof à priori The first creation in the wisedome of God who proceeds not merely according unto probable reason drew after it a Sabbath day the seventh day where on God rested But if God vouchsafeth us a new creation in the same congruity may wee not justly expect a new Sabbath Now the Apostle tells us plainly that old things are passed away and that all things are become new 2 Cor. 5. 17. and this he brings in upon shewing what Christ hath deserved at our hands in as much as he died for us and rose againe vers 15. the end whereof was this that he might be Lord both of quicke and dead Rom. 14. 9. and concludes that whosoever is in Christ is a new creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. And how are we in Christ but by faith Gal. 2. 20. And what is the object of this our faith let the same Apostle answer us If thou confesse with the mouth the Lord Iesus and believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved so that this faith in Christs resurrection is to us the beginning of a new creature And Christs resurrection Sedulius calls nascentis mundi primordium And Athanasius saith That as the Sabbath was the end of the first creation so the Lords Day is the beginning of the second creature And this is it that Bishop Andrewes and Bishop Lake doe worke upon for the celebration of the Lords Day as by Divine institution But I am not a little sensible of some appearance of incongruity rising hereupon Almighty God did not thinke it fit that the first day of creation should be our Sabbath but the seventh from the creation as whereon himselfe rested but in the second creation the first day is made our Sabbath To this I answer two things the first is this if man should not rest unto God till the second creation is finished hee should not rest at all in this world And the sixe dayes being the dayes of Gods worke the seventh was the first of mans worke which God would have to be an holy worke most convenient whereby to take livery and seasin of the world For albeit God commanded Adam to dresse the garden and keepe it when he placed him in it yet it is nothing probable it had need of dressing so soone as it was made and no mention of rest commanded at the first onely it is said that because God rested that day from all his works therefore he blessed the seventh day and sanctified it This I deliver to save the expression of Athanasius 2. But in my judgement there is an exact congruity betweene rest and rest in each creation For as God rested the seventh day from the
of creation the first day of the weeke was the Lords rest from the work of redemption in the morning thereof rising from his grave and in respect of Christs resurrection on this day what colour hath any other day of the weeke comparable hereunto to make it fit to stand in competition with this Yes saith D. Walaeus the Thursday may and that in consideration of Christs ascension on that day yet Doctor Walaeus well knowes that that day of the week was never thereupon called the Lords Day either by the Apostles or by the Church as the day of our Saviors resurrection was Againe consider Christs resurrection and ascension are to be computed but as one compleate motion save that he was to stay some time by the way here on earth for the confirming of his Disciples faith and giving them commission for preaching the Gospel and order to wait at Jerusalem untill they were endued with power from on high to carry the glad tidings of salvation all the world over So Christs dying and continuing under the power of death is but one worke of Redemption He confesseth that Christs resurrection afforded an argument to the Church Apostolicall to prefer this day before all others very well even before the day of his ascention for religious assemblies as al the ancients testifie But it followeth not therefore that Christ by this his fact did institute the same day to the same end Now this is a very strange phrase by his fact on the day to institute the day to such an end T is well knowne facts doe not institute otherwise than as therefrom may be concluded that such a day is to be kept and in this sense he doth as good as confesse that Christ by his fact did institute for the Apostolicall Church did hereupon preferre this day as he confesseth all the ancients doe testifie And did they not inferre this there-hence also as most agreeable to the Will of God Doctor Walaeus proceedeth thus So God in the creation of the world rested the seventh day but unlesse God had proposed this rest of his as an example and confirmed it by precept never had the Church of the old Testament beene bound as from heaven to the weekly observation thereof To this I answer that the like may be said of the observation of one in seven yet seeing God did cōmand this proportion to the Jews without any new commandement we can inferre that surely God requires as good a proportion of us Christians In like manner seeing God commanded unto them the day of his rest from creation we without any the like commandement may better inferre that Christs resting day from the worke of Redemption ought to be our rest than they could that the seventh day ought to betheir rest 2. Man could not possibly have knowne how many dayes God was creating the world so to know what day he rested that they might conforme unto him in their rest unlesse God had revealed it unto them but supposing God had revealed it and withall had called it his holy day and it were knowne unto them that one day in the weeke must be set apart as Gods holy Day in this case I appeal to every Christian conscience whether this were not sufficient to conclude that surely the day of the Lords rest being his holy Day ought to be the day of our rest and our holy day Now thus the case stands with us Christians we know what day our Saviour rose having finished the worke of mans Redemption we know the Jewes Sabbath is abrogated we know the proportion of one day in seven remaines still to be consecrated as an holy day to the Lord we know the Lord prescribed to the Jewes for their Sabbath his resting day from the creation which is called his holy day And in like manner we know that under the Gospel the first day of the weeke being the day of our Saviours resurrection is called by Saint Iohn the Lords Day as for Easter and Pentecost the case is nothing like those festivalls being not of single dayes but of whole weeks once in a yeere yet this proportion we find betweene them and the weekely Sabbath There are in a yeere seven times seven weeks and a fraction lesse than halfe a seven so that the memory of the creation was seven times in a yeere celebrated more than the memory either of their deliverance out of Egypt or of their reaping the fruits of the land of Canaan the one farre surmounting the other yet their Easter began the day of the yeere whereon they came out of Egypt And Doctor Lake Bishop of Bath and Wells Thes 41. de Sabbat professeth that God sets out the day by the worke he doth on the day the worke I say done doth difference a day from a day and Thes 43. Now then when God doth any remarkable worke then will he be honoured with a commemoration day for that worke If the worke concerne the whole by the whole Church and by a part if it concerne a part and Thes 44. And his Will is understood often by his Precept but when we have not that the practice doth guide the Church 45. This is a Catholique rule observed in the institution of all sacred feasts both Divine and Humane 46. The worke of the day is the ground of hallowing the day whether it be weekely monethly or yeerely as particulars evince in Scripture and history The very light of nature doth give testimony unto this as appeareth by the common practice of the heathens as to give some instance hereof what is the originall of the observation of the Fryday as a festivall day amongst Mahumetanes surely this on that day Mahumet fled from Mecha to Jethrib and so that day is accounted the first day of his kingdom and from thenceforth it was ordained to be the first day of their yeere and of their weeke So then the Will of God in the judgement of this reverend Divine is manifested not onely by Precept but by his Worke. And yet I know none speakes more of Precept in this particular than Doctor Walaeus as I have often alleged him pag. 172. Fifthly I grant Iunius went too farre in affirming that Christ did observe the same every weeke betweene his resurrection and ascention but neither doth the contrary appeare by Scripture undoubtedly the two first he did and it is not manifest that the three following he did not and though Cyril inferres here-hence the reasonablenesse of our Christian assemblies on this day yet wee doe not but as Doctor Walaeus concludes that which hee concludes not from any one place but from many places together that do we Neither is it any thing to the purpose that Doctor Walaeus observes of Christs appearing on other dayes as Ioh. 21. 24. once which was at a fish meeting And as little materiall is it that at such other times of his meetings he spake of the kingdome of God Sixthly On like sort Christ sending down
the Spirit on his Apostles on the day of Pentecost hath not so much force considered alone but onely in a conjunct consideration with Christs resurrection on that day And like as after his death he arose on that day manifesting himselfe mightily thereby to be the Sonne of God so after his ascension into heaven he came downe by his Spirit on that day the seventh first day of the weeke after his resurrection manifesting thereby as Peter signifieth that he had obtained the dispensation of the Spirit We doe not say the Spirit was on the day of Pentecost sent downe because it was the Lords day But being sent down on that day as the Law is confessed to have beene delivered on that day this tends to the marking out of that day more and more for manifestation of the power of Christ That day they receiving power from on high by the descending of the holy Ghost upon them whereby they were inabled to preach the Gospel And that day of the weeke which is set apart for Divine service as our Christian Sabbath as that day whereon the Holy Ghost doth ordinarily come downe upon his servants in the ministerie of his Word and celebration of the Sacraments and putting up of our joynt prayers unto him for the sanctifying and edifying Christ body which is the Church and even in this respect that day hath a farre better congruitie to the day that is to be set apart for Divine service than any other day in the week besides The day of his ascension he departed from them as touching his presence corporall but on the day of Pentecost he came downe upon them as touching his presence spirituall and so he doth still in our Sabbath exercises on the Lords day though not in so extraordinary a manner yet no lesse effectually to that edification and sanctification of our soules Seventhly And whereas some urged that if Christ himselfe had not instituted this day after his resurrection the most Primitive Church should have beene left destitute of a certaine day of Gods worship to wit from the time of Christs resurrection to the first consecrating of the Lords Day which they take to be absurd and I confesse it seems unlikely that the Apostles tooke upon them to order ought untill they received the Spirit on the day of Pentecost that being the day they were to receive power from on high to execute the commission given them Mat. 28. 19. to teach all nations till which time they gathered no Churches For the strengthning the former reason it is added That the Jewes Sabbath was now abolished by Christs death and resurrection This I doe not deny but the Apostles might very well be ignorant hereof as yet as not having received the Spirit as yet yea after the receiving it we find they challenged Peter for going to the Gentiles to preach the Gospel Acts 11. to this argument some answer as Walaeus saith that the daies between Christs ascension and the comming downe of the Holy Ghost upon them were spent in continuall meetings of the Apostles and other Disciples But from the day of Pentecost the Lords day thenceforth observed This answer reacheth not unto the daies interceding betweene Christs resurrection and his ascention And when I consider Bishop Lake his discourse grounded as he professeth upon universall observation and which I find no reason to resist namely that the worke of the day commends the day If ever any day deserved to be festivall to any surely the day of our Saviours resurrection deserved to be festivall unto them to rejoyce in the Lord thereon according to that of the Psalmist This is the day which the Lord hath made let us be glad and rejoyce therein the ancient Fathers accommodating the place thereunto The two verses immediatly preceding carrying in the forehead of them a manifest relation unto Christ as the proprietary of their meaning 22. The stone which the builders refused is become the head of the corner 23. This is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes Now when was this manifested namely that the stone which the builders refused became the head of the corner but by Christs Resurrection from the dead being thereby mightily declared to bee the Sonne of God Rom. 14. and was there ever worke more marvellous in the eyes of Gods Servants then the Resurrection of Christ especially considering the disconsolate condition of his Disciples Luke 24. 21. We trusted it had beene he that should have delivered Israel The women departed from the Sepulcher though with feare by reason of the consternation receaved from Angelicall presence their countenance being like lightning yet with great joy by reason of the newes they heard from them of Christs Resurrection upon the noise whereof for they were commanded to carry word of it to his Disciples the Apostles as it seemes were gathered together and in the evening after hee had shewed himselfe to his Disciples going to Emaus Christ presented himselfe in the midst of them Eight dayes after they were met together and Thomas with them who being absent the time before gave out speeches of peremptory incredulity concerning his Resurrection therefore then and not till then also the dores being shut Christ came before them and calls unto Thomas to see his hand and to put his finger into his side These apparitions of our Saviour twice on the first day of the weeke might well adde somewhat to the confirmation of them in the festivity of this day and howsoever betweene his ascension and the day of Pentecost they had their meetings yet how improbable is it they should put no difference betweene such a festivall and other dayes of the weeke A second answer Walaeus gives namely that others say that from the day of Pentecost it was not necessary that the Lords Day should bee observed but that at the first the Apostles together with the Jewes observed their Sabbath not as a ceremony of the Old Testament but as a free circumstance of divine worship as for a while they reteyned Circumcision and difference of meats which they gave over after the Jewes were found obstinately to refuse the Gospell So that in these mens judgements the Lords Day was no festivall to the Apostles till by occasion of the Jewes obstinatenesse a proper occasion for the institution of a new festivall And give mee leave to differ from them in yoking Circumcision and difference of meats with the Jewes Sabbath neither of them prefiguring Christ as to come like as the Jewes Sabbath did prefiguring his rest that day in the grave as the ancients have conceived it without any contradiction that I know Had they permitted sacrifices for a time their comparison had beene more congruous I see no reason to withhold me from concurring with Austin and in him with all the ancients for ought I know to the contrary that Dies Dominicus Resurrectione Domini declaratus est Christianis ex illo coepit habere
Church in case they should exercise this liberty what inconvenience would follow upon the exercising of a lawfull liberty But infinit inconvenience would follow hereupon for seeing this liberty is equally communicated to each particular Church it will follow that it is lawfull for our English Church to institute the Munday the French Church the Tuesday the Hollanders the Wednesday the Germans Thursday the Danes Friday the Swedes the Saturday and the Polonians the Sunday what an intolerable scandall were this amongst Christians Thus our liberty opens way to revive the Jewes Sabbath or to concurre with the Turks who make Friday their holy day nay what scandall also to all the Heathens throughout the world For suppose that as the Jewes keepe the Saturday and the Turks their Fryday so other heathenish nations according to their severall religions should divide the other daies of the weeke to be hallowed between them each religion keeping to their own day most exactly When they should find no agreement amongst Christians what an intolerable scandall were this unto them to harden them against the profession of the Gospel when they see so little agreement among the professors of it And what should move us to affect liberty in this which opens a way to such dissention and confusion and not rather rejoyce in this that to prevent such miserable inconveniences God himselfe hath marked out unto us the first day of the weeke to be the Lords Day in place of the Jewish Sabbath which was the Lords holy day unto them by the most wonderful and comfortable work that ever was wrought even the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour from the dead thereby manifesting him to be the Sonne of God and fulfilling that prophecie of old concerning the stone which the builders refused and making him the head of the corner on that day all power being given unto him both in heaven and in earth Matth. 28. thus drawing us in the Prophets language to professe and say first This is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes and secondly to conclude there-hence in the words immediately following This is the day which the Lord hath made let us be glad and rejoyce in it this undoubtedly is our Christian festivall this day of the weeke and not this day of the yeere which is remarkable being called by Saint Iohn The Lords Day the day wherein Christ appeared unto him and gave unto him the booke of Revelation concerning the secrets of his providence to be fulfilled upon the world for the time to come even till his second comming to destroy the world with fire and to blesse us with new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse the metropolis of which new world shall be new Jerusalem And albeit Doctor Rivetus according to his pious ingenuity which crownes his learning and cathedrall sufficiencies professeth that what hitherto hath beene spoken by him of the choyce and possible change of that day he hath not to any such end ventilated as to favour their profanesse who on holy dayes and chiefely on that day which by so universall a consent even from the beginning of Christianity hath beene consecrated to such use neglecting Gods Service not onely refuse to omit one day in prosecuting workes tending to the use of life temporall but also by unnecessary actions as by pleasant sports stage playes by intemperance also and riot profane the day not without reason dedicated to the Lord. Yet what just occasion hereby may bee in all places and like enough is taken in most places by this doctrine of his who seeth not For albeit publike authority in some places hath by lawes countenanced the solemnization of the Lords Day for which wee of this land have cause to blesse God so as I thinke no Nation more in consideration of many Lawes one after another and by degrees made to restraine abuses on that day as tending to the manifest profanation thereof and by none more then by that act of Parliament in the first of King Charles wherein all men are forbidden to come out of their Parishes upon that day about any sports and pastime evidently manifesting hereby as formerly hath beene proved that all sports and pastimes are prophanations of our Christian Sabbath observed on that day and that in the judgement of the whole Parliament consisting of the Kings Majesty the head thereof with his Lords spirituall all the Bishops of the Kingdome and temporal together with the House of Commons yet if once it shall be receaved according to D. Rivets doctrine of the Sabbath that it is in the power of each Church to set apart what proportion of time they thinke fit for Divine Service and what day they thinke fit who perceives not that they may if they will order it in such a manner as that twise a day they shall come to Church and the rest of the day spend as they thinke good either in the works of their calling or upon their pleasures And whence all this zeale so opposite to holinesse in the issue proceeds I know not save onely to uphold the credit of Calvin who professeth that he doth not so regard the number of seaven as that he would tie any to the servitude thereof and yet I have endeavored to shew that neither this nor other passages taken out of his institutions makes any thing for them And withall it is a wonder to behold how this of Calvin is taken up and obtruded upon us by them who otherwise hate both the name and memory of Calvin And as for Doctor Rivets honest and pious instructions as concerning the duties and our demeanors to bee performed on this day we may easily perceive how little worth they are and how easily they vanish into smoake after that hee hath in the doctrinall part of the Sabbath layd so unhappy a foundation and that by so poore reasons and meane cariage of himselfe that as I verily thinke throughout all his writings there is not to bee found the like For consider whether hee had any hope to set so much as a face and outward shew of probability upon his discourse unlesse first he had manifestly corrupted the adversaries tenet as appeares by his proposing it p. 119. Col. 1. By these saith he and other arguments drawn from Christian liberty it is sufficiently deduced that they who maintaine the Sabbath day not so much to be taken away as to be translated unto the Lords Day and so changed and doe indeed thinke it more holy then another day and that not onely in regard of ordination and use but in respect of signification and effect doe crosse some without Christian liberty which is most certaine of the Papists And indeed Walaeus makes it appeare that Calvin writes herein against the superstitious Papists And did Rivetus opposethem onely it were well but it is apparant that hee disputes not so much against Papists in this argument as against Protestants even such as himselfe But can hee
because on that day of the weeke the Lord rested from the worke of Creation 2500 yeares before why might not the wisdome of our Parliament have imitated God and in memory of our deliverance from the Gunpowder treason on the 5. of November ordeined that day should bee kept festivall so far forth as in the publique congregation to make a solemne and thankfull commemoration of that wonderfull deliverance to begin forsooth a thousand or two thousand yeares after So the Jewes observed yearely the feast of Purim in remembrance of Gods mercifull deliverance of them from the conspiracy of Haman but when did they ordaine this feast to begin not till a thousand yeares after had they done so who would not have said that their wisdome herein had exceeded all humane discretion Or to avoid the like unreasonablenesse on their side well they say that the case is not alike for as much as the fresh remembrance of the Creation and of Gods resting on the seventh day was sufficient unto them both for the maintaining of the division of time into weekes or seven dayes and of sanctifying each seventh unto the Lord but when the memory hereof began to be obliterated to wit about some 900 yeares after the flood then it was fit the Lord should revive the observation of this day by a particular Commandement But herby they shall make the fourth Commandement not only morall but also more naturall then they are aware Though I willingly confesse they might well conceave that after some 15 or 1600 yeares men might grow weary of observing the seventh day the day of Gods rest from the worke of Creation because by experience we finde that after some 15 or 1600 yeares Christians seem to grow weary of keeping holy the Lords day the day whereon the Lord Christ rose from the grave so rested from his worke of redemption But as not long after 1600 yeares the flood came to set an end to the World by water so it may be after 1600 yeares of the Gospell there are but as few yeares to the comming of Christ to set an end unto this World by fire certainely as often as some festivall day is grounded upon some singular worke of God done on that day which Doctor Lake proposeth as a generall and undoubted rule alwayes to hold concerning festivalls no time more fit for the observation of such a day then when the memory of the worke is fresh then is a man like to be more devout more chearefull in Gods service more thankefull unto him for his great goodnesse like as the Angells immediatly upon their Creation praised God Iob. 38. 7. When the Starres of the morning praised me and all the children of God rejoyced which in Cornelius his language was to observe the Sabbath Now give mee leave to enlarge this by proportion As there are Sabbaths of rejoycing so there are Sabbaths of mourning And the expiatiō day commanded unto the Jewes was an annuall feast to inure them to this holy exercise not onely once a yeare but oftner as God should minister occasion Now this day is called by the Lord also a Sabbath Levit. 16. 31. And Doctor Andrewes in his paterne of Catecheticall doctrine handles the duties of such a day in his doctrine of the Sabbath And it is well knowne that dayes of wrath have their course and shall have their course as long as this World lasteth as well as dayes of mercy And wee have cause to blesse God that hee hath inclined his Majesties heart to take notice of such dayes of wrath and accordingly by Proclamation to command a generall humiliation throughout the Land divers and sundry times So wee reade that the Jewes observed a fast on the first moneth besides the fast of the seventh which God commanded as wee reade Zach. 7. 3. 5. and it was observed on the tenth day of that moneth that being the day whereon Nebuchadnezzar burnt the house of the Lord as wee reade Ier. 52. 12 13. Now thus far had they observed the 70 yeares of their captivity Zach. 7. 5. they did not put off the observation of it till a thousand yeares after it being most fit then especially to mourne when God calleth us thereunto and not to put it off when hee calleth us thereunto the Lord sore complayning of such courses and pronouncing an heavy judgement upon offenders in this kinde Esay 22. 12 13 14. Now like as it becomes us to mourne when first God calleth us thereunto so it becommeth us to rejoyce in keeping a festivall unto him when hee calleth us thereunto lest otherwise it prove out of season when it is begun a long time after and utterly neglected upon the fresh memory thereof Wee reade that when the Ilienses inhabitants of Ilium called anciently by the name of Troy sent an Embassage to Tiberius to condole the death of his Father Augustus hee considering the unseasonablenesse thereof it being a long time after his death requited them accordingly saying that hee was sorry for their heavinesse also having lost so renowned a Knight as Hector was to wit above a thousand years before in the warres of Troy Surely when in the fourth Commandement and in the reason given it is sayd For in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and sanctified it it stands with far better reason to conceave the meaning hereof in reference to time past thus therefore the Lord commanded the sanctification of it 2500 yeares before then to understand Moses words Gen. 2. 3. Therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and sanctified it in reference to the time to come thus therefore the Lord commanded that seventh day to be sanctified 2500 yeares after And observe I pray the forme of words in the fourth Commandement when it is sayd Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it not of the time present that hee now doth blesse it and sanctify it but of the time past therefore hee did blesse it and sanctifie it and when I pray but immediately from the Creation that very day whereon hee first rested and consequently that very day he commanded the seventh day to be sanctified for to sanctifie the day is to command the sanctification of it as is confessed otherwise there were no place to plead anticipation And that the phrase of speech must signifie Gods Command for the sanctification of it I have already proved As for the Fathers affirming that the ancient Patriarches did not observe the Sabbath albeit their authority is of no force to countervaile so manifest evidence both of Scripture it selfe and of the reason drawne from the division of time into weekes even from the creation and so continued unto the Jewes in the very dayes of Moses Yet I may be bold to say we have better authority from the ancients for justifying of our cause than our adversaries have for theirs