of the Sabbath Mat. 12. 8. Ergo the only Institutor of it Now for the better understanding of Christ his being Lord of the Sabbath we must know three things 1 How he is Lord of the Sabbath and that is as he is God-Man and Man-God for it is said in the Text The Sonne of man is Lord of the Sabbath 2 Whence he hath this Lordship even from God his Father who hath given him the Kingdome all power in heaven and in earth Mat. 28. 18. delivering all things into his hands John 13. 3. and 3. 35. Luk. 10. 22. having committed all judgement to his sonne and made him both Lord and Christ John 5. 22. Act. 2. 36. 3 How long he holdeth this his Lordship Rule and Dominion even till the consummation of all things till God be all in all never laying it down untill all things be fulfilled 1 Cor. 15. 24. 28. Therefore is he yet the Lord of the Sabbath the Sabbath is his till the worlds end and hee retaineth his right still therein his right in the fourth Commandement which right must bee shewed either in retaining of the seventh day on which God rested and to which the Commandement was accommodated till his second comming by the change of it or in his substituting another day in steed thereof But we see that seventh day altered and therefore hee sheweth himselfe Lord of the Sabbath by appointing this his day for else should the other have remained under the Gospel or if not then no other being ordained in its steed by him he had lost his Lorship over the Sabbath which here he challenged a right in and still keepeth untill his second comming Argument 10. TEnthly and lastly to these reasons may be added the judgement of the Parliament the representative body of all this Kingdome with his Majesties royall assent in the first yeere of his happy raigne which is this That the keeping of the Lords day holy is a principall part of the true service of God which words are an acknowledgment that the Lord was the Institutor of the Sabbath for it is no service to God much lesse a principall part of his service for that may be mans will-worship but cannot be service unto God unlesse hee himselfe bee the Institutor and Authour of it CHAP. XI Of some Objections which may bee made against it answered Object 1. IT is not commanded in the New Testament Ergo hee instituted it not Ans 1. If it were not yet might hee bee the Institutor of it by his resting blessing and observing the day as his Fathers resting and blessing the seventh day was his institution of it as is proved in the first Treatise 2. I have shewed that Christ gave Commandements of the things pertayning to the kingdome of God whereof the observation of this day is one And therefore hee gave Commandement concerning this day Object 2. It is not expresly commanded Answ 1. This objection is made before to which I have in part answered 2. I answer further that our book of Homilies telleth In Homily of Prayer us againe and againe that there is expresse Commandement for it The Authors of this book say there is The Objectors say there is not set one against the other To the book all the Ministers in the Church of England have subscribed but not to this Objection against it 3. I answer there is in the New Testament no formall expression of any of the other Commandements of the first Table neither of the first nor second nor third because they stood in force and therefore no need formally to expresse them no more need was there for any such expression of this First because the fourth Commandement stood still in force as well as the rest for first Christ did challenge Lordship over this fourth Commandement in his assumed humane nature Matth. 12. 8. to shew that in his state of humiliation hee lost not his authoritie over it Secondly because the changing of the seventh day into another day was not the taking away of the fourth Commandement but only the accommodation of the same Commandment to our Lords day for the continuation of it still For if the fourth Commandement bee not observed in keeping of this our Lords day then will it follow 1 That either there is no fourth Commandement and so not ten Commandements which number hath bin observed without addition or diminution to this day the space of 3221 yeeres in Gods Church both of the Jewes and of the Gentiles or else if it be one of the Tenne as God gave it Exo. 20. for one of them then have we lived in sinfull neglect of this Commandement now this 1600 yeeres 2 It will follow that Christ hath lost his Lordship of it or suffered one of his Fathers Commandements to be carelesly neglected neither of which may bee granted without indignitie offered to Christ and his truth 3 That Christ had not come to fulfill but to destroy the Law contrary to Matth. 5. 17. for if he neither kept the former day but took it away nor ordeined certainely in the roome of it another day he had destroyed this Law 4 It also will follow that the Sonne should not be honoured of all men as they have honoured the Father with the fourth Commandement and with a set day by his appointment for his publick worship and solemn service But all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father Ioh. 5. 23. And therefore with this fourth Commandement and with a set day by his appointment for his publick and solemne worship and service should he be honoured Object 3. The taking away of the seventh day appointed by God disanulleth the Commandement it selfe Answ Not so for we must wisely understand and discerne betweene the substance of the Commandement and circumstance between the substance of the Commandement it selfe and the accommodation thereof unto a day See the other Treatise The Commandement is Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy This only is the Commandement so by Moses it is cleare note it well in Deut. 5. 12. The application and accommodation of the Commandement was unto the seventh day which day may be taken away as not of the substance but a circumstance of the Commandement of the Sabbath rest day applyed unto that seventh day and yet the Commandement be still of force As for example in the accommodation of another precept thus Honour the King 1 Pet. 2. 17. This is a Commandement whosoever is King The accommodation of that may be thus Saul is King this is not of the substance of the Commandement yet while Saul is King we are commanded to honour King Saul but in time Saul is taken away neverthelesse the Commandement Honour the King is of force to another person in his stead as David succeeding the Commandement is honour King David The same Commandement which bindeth me to honour the King bindeth me to honour Saul while he is King And when Saul is
A Threefold TREATISE OF THE SABBATH distinctly divided into The PATRIARCHALL SABBATH MOSAICALL SABBATH CHRISTIAN SABBATH For the better clearing and manifestation of the truth in this Controversie concerning the weekly Sabbath By Richard Bernard Rectour of Batcombe Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy Exod. 20. 8. as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee Deut. 5. 12. LONDON Printed by Richard Bishop for Edward Blackmore and are to bee sold at the signe of the Angel in S. Pauls Church-yard 1641. To the right Honourable the Lords Temporall in the High Court of Parliament To the Honourable the Knights Citizens and Burgesses in the House of Commons more especially To the Grand Committee for Religion To the Committee for the Remonstrance To the Committee for Ministers maintenance and suppression of scandalous Ministers more particularly To the Knights and Burgesses of Somerset-shire or Parliament-men dwelling in that County namely Sir JOHN PAULETT Knight Sir WIL. PORTMAN Baronet Sir JOHN STOWELL Knight of the Bath Sir RALPH HOPTON Knight of the Bath Sir FRANCIS POPHAM K. Sir EDWARD RODNEY K. Sir PETER WROTH K. Mr. DIGBY Mr. POPHAM Mr. LUTTERILL Mr. BASSET Mr. SMITH Mr. PHELIPS Mr. PYNE Mr. HUNT Mr. KIRTON Mr. SEARLE Mr. JOHN ASHE Right Honourable Lords and you the Honourable Assembly of the House of Commons THere hath been no Christian Church beyond the seas departed from Rome which hath given so much honourable respect unto the Lords day our Christian Sabbath as wee here in this our flourishing Kingdome and Nation And it was our glory so to honour the Lord Christ and it will be our great unhappinesse to faile in this our Christian duty so confirmed by Scripture and the generall practice of all true worshippers of his glorious name throughout the whole Christian world the space of these sixteene hundred yeares Yet in this our time and of late dayes are stepped up among us certaine vaine men prophane enough who have attempted to deprive Christ Jesus of his glory in the religious observation of this day grounded upon his glorious Resurrection and us of our spirituall consolation in keeping an whole day set apart for his worship and service For this end books upon books have beene written and by licence passed the Presse to take away the morallity of the fourth Commandement never in any age heretofore doubted of to make also people beleeve that our Christian Sabbath hath no warrant from thence and that it is not of divine institution but alterable from that first day of the week equallizing their devised holy-dayes with it and allowing also the like vaine sports upon this day as upon the other dayes calling such as religiously set the whole day apart for holy uses Sabbatarians and Iudaizers thus reproaching and in their sense belying those that more truly honour Christ than they doe And that they might securely go on in these their prophane errours without controule and perswade the more inconsiderate sort that what they have written are truths and unanswerable they have stopped the meanes of printing sound Antidotes to their empoysoned propositions whereupon they have beene bold to insult over godly orthodox Divines with too many words of insolency scorne and much contempt which they have borne with great patience waiting the Lords leisure till he should bee pleased in his good time to give liberty for the publishing of their learned labours which have of long time lien by them And now blessed be God the time is come the way is made open by your honourable wisdomes goodnesse power and authority for godly and learned men to discover the vaine boastings and the folly of those evill ones to the view of all Some of ours proceed polemically and have made answer fully to the best esteemed of those prophane writers Some only write positively to discover the truth and to make it knowne in a plaine way that the meanest capacity may bee rightly enformed This way have I taken in this threefold Treatise humbly craving pardon for my bold presumption in presenting to your honourable view these my weak endeavours But the cause is Christs and so deserves acceptation and promotion God hath appointed you at this time as his worthiest and meetest instruments for this end I cannot therefore seek for other Patrons in exalting the honour of Christ which by these men hath been so dishonoured and his people so abused For the redresse whereof as you have nobly begun so to proceed on to do ever valiantly in the best service of your God there shall not be wanting the hearty and earnest prayers of Your humble Servant and Suppliant RICHARD BERNARD London March 26. 1641. Faults to be corrected PAge 3. line 21. for grant read ground pag. 50. l. 24. for raigne read raine pag. 57. l. 12. for no read only pag. 59. l. 12. for to read by pag. 71. l. 6. for fourtum read quartum pag. 73. l. 31. dele before pag. 78. l. 28. for John read Josua pag. 95. l. 22. set and after the word rest pag. 127. l. 21. for plaucit read placuit The rest of the escapes I pray the Gentle Reader to correct The Contents of the Patriarchall Sabbath SECTION 1. OF the first Sabbath and why called Patriarchall SECT 2. Of the conceit of an Anticipation or Prolepsis and what it is SECT 3. Arguments against this Anticipation or Prolepsis SECT 4. Of another conceit concerning Destination and what it is also confuted SECT 5. Of the true understanding of the words in Gen. 2. 3. SECT 6. That in Gen. 2. 3. is the Institution of the Sabbath SECT 7. The Institution was binding and required the observation of the Sabbath from the beginning SECT 8. The Sabbath was observed of Gods people before the Law given at Mount Sinai OF THE PATRIARCHALL SABBATH AND THE ORIGINALL THEREOF Gen. 2. 3. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it SECTION I. Of the first Sabbath and why called Patriarchall IN these words is the institution of the Sabbath before the Law given on Mount Sinai I call it the Patriarchall Sabbath because it was known and observed of the holy Fathers of Adam and of the other Patriarkes till Moses and Israel received the Law And to distinguish it from the Mosaicall and Christian Sabbaths of which in the two Treatises following Some there be and more of late than heretofore that do deny the Sabbath to be here instituted Because say some of them for they be not all of one minde that Moses delivered the words by a figure called Anticipation or Prolepsis Other some that they be words of destination that in time to come the seventh day should be blessed and sanctified to Israel for the Sabbath day and so the words not to be taken for a present Institution of the Sabbath day then So the Question is whether the Sabbath day in this place of Genesis hath its first ground and establishment and here its first institution Many of the Ancients some of the
hee highly pleaseth God who keepeth holy the whole day For by the judgment of the King and the whole State such a one as keepeth it is performing a principall part of the true Service of God Thirdly In prohibiting on this day all meetings assemblies or concourse of people out of their owne Parishes for any sportes or pastimes whatsoever All Beare-baitings Bull-baitings Common Plaies Enterludes or any other unlawfull exercises or pastimes Also that no Carryer Waggoner Waine-man Car-man or Drover travell on the Lords day Or any Butcher by himselfe or by any other with his privitie and consent kill or sell any victuall on this day Hereto may I adde our Common Law by which as the Sages in the Law have resolved it That the day is exempted from Law-dayes publik Sessions in Courts of Justice and that no plea is to be holden no writ of a Scire facias must beare date on a Sunday for if it doe it is an errour so a Fine levied with Proclamations if the Proclamations bee made on this day all of them are held erroneous acts And all this was for the solemnitie of the day as also the intent that the people might apply themselves to prayer and Gods publick Worship and Service Thus we see the honourablenesse of this day and the high esteeme thereof as it hath beene and still ought to bee in our Kingdome amongst all faithfull Christians CHAP. XXI What Councels and Synods have decreed touching the observation of this day IT cannot be but where Emperours and Kings have taken care for keeping holy the Lords day they had the judgâ—ment of the godly Divines in their times But to cleare more this point let us see what hath by the learned beene decreed concerning this The Councell of Carthage decreed to petition the Emperour then that there might bee no Shewes nor other See Dr. Heylin pag. 101. 111. pag. 112. Playes on the Lords day c. The Councell held at Aragon would have no sentence pronounced in any cause on the Lords day The third Councell at Orleance informeth us that husbandry reaping hedging and such servile works were prohibited The Councell at Mascon decreed that the day should be kept holy calling it the Lords day the day of our new birth the everlasting day of rest insinuated unto us under the shadow of the seventh day or Sabbath in the Law and the Prophets On this day none were to meddle in Litigious Controversies in actions or Law Suits nor prepare his Oxen for daily labour but to goe to the Church and there powre out his soule in teares and prayers celebrate the day with one accord offer unto God their free and voluntary service exercise themselves in Hymnes and singing praises unto God being intent thereon in minde and body c. The Councell at Dingulosinum in Bavaria determined that upon Sunday every one being intent upon Divine rest should abstaine from prophane or common businesses In the Councell of Angiers tradesmen were appointed to lay by their labours and among those the Miller and the Barber The Councell at Coleine decreed that the people should be diligently admonished why other holy dayes but especially the Lords day which hath beene alwayes famous in the Church from the Apostles time were instituted to wit that all might equally come together to heare the Word of the Lord to receive the Sacraments to apply their mindes to God alone to be spent only in Prayers Hymnes Psalmes and spirituall Songs And here were prohibited Playes Dances wicked Discourses filthy Songs all Luxurie and Victualling Houses were commanded to be shut up Concilium Bituriense exhorteth saying Let them practice nothing but that which savours of pietie and there are prohibited prophane Assemblies ryotous Feasts Dances Morices disguises Stage Playes and going to Alehouses Concilium Basiliense forbad Dice and Tables and would that such as did walke with chaste eyes modesty and gravitie should not goe to Dancing In a Synod held at Friuli it was decreed That all Christian men should with all reverence and devotion honour the Lords day and abstaine from all carnall acts Etiam * So S. Augu. in 244. Serm. de tempore à propriis conjugibus and all earthly labours and goe to the Church devoutly A Synode held in Aken or Aquiâ—granum 800. yeeres agoe held that in reverence to the Lords day it should no more bee lawfull to marry or bee married In a Roman Synod under Leo the fourth it was decreed that no Market no not for meat should be kept and no person should receive judgment on that day And under Alexander the third in a Councell of Compeigne it was ordained that none should bee doomed to death or condemned to bodily punishment In a Synod at Coy it was decreed that men should doe no servile work nor take any journey A Synod at Petricow in Poloniae forbad Taverne-meetings Dice Cards and such like pastimes as also instrumentall musick and Dancing CHAP. XXII What Popes the Canon Law Archbishops Bishops and other learned men have said concerning the hallowing of this day 1 Popes POpe Alexander the third saith that both the old and new Testament depute the seventh day unto rest Pope Gregory the ninth commanded a restraint from labour both of man and beast In Pope Eugenius his time the Princes and Prelates as Doctor Heylin confesseth did agree together to raise the Lords day to as high a pitch as they fairely might and a Canon was made by that Pope in a Synod at Rome 800 yeares agoe to forbid businesses and works of labour criminall causes and vaine sports on the Lords day and other Festivalls Pope Gregory in Epist 3. lib. 11. held it not lawfull for any to See Ios Bentham his society of Sects pag. 154. citing Leo the first and Leo the third their decrees for carefull observation of the Lords day bath themselves out of luxury and pleasure on the Lords day but that wee should rest from our earthly labours and by all meanes abide in prayers c. By the Canon Law grinding hath beene inhibited and by the same Lawes travelling hath beene forbidden and counted a mortall sinne See at large Doctor Heylin out of Tostatus the strictnesse of the observation of the Lords day and holy dayes let me adde one thing out of Summa Angel tit interrogationes in confessione The Priests did ask the confitents as a sinne whether they had used pastimes and dancings on the Lords day Our Linwood the Canonist de Consecr Dist 3. ca. Jemina saith Die Dominico nihil aliud agendum nisi Deo vacandum nulla operatio in illa die sancta agatur nisi tantum Hymnis Psalmis Canticis spiritualibus dies illa transigatur 2 Archbishops and Bishops ARchbishop Islips with the assent and counsell of the Prelates assembled in a Synod 1349 decreed that there should bee a generall restraint from all manner of servile work and that the Sunday should begin at the Saturday at Evening Cuthbert