wants and if we have hearts to weep over our week day sins and stir up our selves to take hold of Christ that we may make peace with God they that have any acquaintance with heart-work find it hard to have to do with a dusty world full of sins and snares and not be defiled or intangled with it earthly things are apt to leave a tincture upon the most holy and heavenly hearts There must therefore be a rubbing off this rust of the world a washing these dirty hearts and hands before we are fit to draw nigh to God in solemn Worship Exod. 19.14 What were those Ceremonial washings of old but emblematical predictions and documents of preparation to Gospel-worship and if I mistake not something to this purpose is prophesied concerning the purest times and Churches in these later days Rev. 15.2 3. Revel 15. We read of those that had gotten the victory over the Beast and his Image i. e. those that had shaken off the yoke of Anti-Christian Tyranny and Superstition standing upon a sea of glass with the harps of God in their hands those harps in their hands speak them in a posture of publike worship But what means their standing upon a sea of glass Why among other things I conceive it alludes to that Laver or * 1 Kings 7.23 sea in Solomons Temple in which the the Priests were wont to * 2 Chron. 4.6 wash when they went to worship and it may teach us thus much that the people of God under the Gospel as well as they under the Law must wash before they worship there must be some preparation Secondly the sanctification of the Sabbath follows and this also consists in two things Holy rest and holy work First we must keep it as a day of holy rest to the Lord resting from our own works our own words and our own thoughts 1. We are bound upon the Lords day to rest and cease from our own works whether works of labour or works of pleasure if I may so distinguish The Lords day must neither be our working-day nor our play-day both these are prohibited by the letter of the fourth Commandment and the analogy of that Text which seems to be written as a Commentary upon the Commandment Isai 58.13 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own ways nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thy own words c. In which words we have the lively Picture and Pourtraiture of a true Sabbath in both parts of it it must be celebrated with rest from our own ways works words pleasures and this rest must be accompanied with a spiritual rejoycing in God and delight in his Sabbath arising from an honourable esteem of the day considering whose day it is namely the Lords Now the scope of this Text is as applicable to our Christian Sabbath as ever it was to the Jews Sabbath ours being first a day of holy rejoycing in the Lord as well as theirs Psal 118.24 Secondly a day which hath the Lord for its author as well as theirs Thirdly a day every whit as honourable as theirs yea a degree above it being instituted upon a more noble account Viz. The most gracious and glorious work of Redemption Fourthly a day in all respects as holy as theirs holy I mean in respect of separation and dedication to holy duties as prayer preaching breaking of bread praise and thanksgiving Acts 2.1 and 20.7 Psal 118.27 28. Therefore it must be kept with rest from accustomed labour and pleasure as well as theirs and that by vertue of the fourth Commandment which requires the sanctifying of one day in seven of divine appointment as a Sabbath with rest from servile works and secular imployments And let it be further considered both the fourth Commandement and the Prophet Isaiah in commenting upon it do first and chiefly call for sanctity Secondarily for rest First Remember the Sabbath to sanctifie it then Thou shalt do no work Sanctification is required as the end cessation from labour as the means the one as principal the other as accessary Now both Prophets and Apostles have markt out the Lords day as a holy day to be spent in holy duties of solemn worship and that weekly therefore by the Law of God and nature we are bound to keep it as a day of weekly rest otherwise we separate the end from the means which cannot be rest from servile work being an inseparable adjunct to a day of solemn worship What then shall we say to those that afterwarning make the Lords day either a common working-day or a sporting day the former I may fitly call the Devils workmen who will one day pay them their wages the other the flesh's Bondmen whose pleasure in the end will prove torment without end The Lord awaken both to repentance better then that of Esau whose sin of the two is greater then his * Hebr. 12.16 there are prophane Esau's under the Gospel and they are the worst of Esau's there is also a sin called * Rom. 2.22 Sacrilege condemned in the Gospel and Sabbath-breaking is very like it when sinners lay sacrilegious hands upon that which is consecrated to the Lord for a sin much like to which Ananias and his wife were once stricken with sudden death and how many such dreadful strokes have been felt and heard in these later days I shall not repeat what has been already committed to record by others Mr. Bernard Mr. Byfield and sundry others have been serious observers of Gods heavy hand in this kind I could say something of what I have seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears But I shall forbear Numb 10.1 2. when men are struck dead in the very act of their sin as Vzzah in touching the Ark Nadab and Abihu in offering strange fire when the sin and the judgement meet together and do one point at the other surely Gods hand is not to be slighted Mr. Byfield has related many such tremendous strokes upon those that have presumed to work on the Lords day and ended their lives and their work together having no more respit between their sin and their execution or expiration then with trembling lips to tell others the secret reflections of their own guilty Consciences and how many Malefactors have we heard at their execution bewailing their profanation of the Lords day as the leading-cause of all their mischiefs and miseries Now the Conscience of the sinner smarting under Gods revengeful rod is many times like a finger to point out the sin for which God smites as we see in the case of a Judges 1.7 8. Adonibezek To be short the exemplary judgments of God against this sin of Sabbath-breaking falling in so great variety and happening so thick together in many places do call aloud to the
no congruity in that passage of T.T. where he reasons thus against reason p. 54. Certainly if Adam were a follower of God as a dear child he must needs keep the Sabbath with his Father With his Father how then could he follow him Certainly God went before if Adam followed him as a dear child I cannot conceive how he could possibly keep a Sabbath that God himself had not first blessed and sanctified to that end I may upon better grounds suppose with a late renowned Champion in this controversie that God alone kept the first Sabbath as Christ alone the first Lord's day that he might afford Adam an example Mr. Cawdrey's Sab. rediv. p. 3. cap. 1. as of working six daies by his being exercised six daies in the work of creation so of resting the seventh in it's next weekly return and so successively week after week But it will be said if Adam were bound to keep the first Sabbath we are bound to believe he did keep it Therefore a word or two of that 2. If he were bound I demand quo jure by what Law By the Law written in his heart why then was he bound to keep a Sabbath before there was a Sabbath to keep for the Law was graven in his heart on the sixth day as a branch of that * Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 divine image of God concreated with him Whereas the Sabbath to be sure was not instituted till the seventh day if then Besides the Law written in the table of Adam's heart was the same in this Authors judgment which was afterwards written in Tables of Stone that is the fourth Commandement which if we take his and Mr. Brabournes Comment upon it prescribes six daies for labour before a seventh of rest Now this order Adam could not possibly observe for the first week being created but on the sixth day He must therefore look out some other Law and where he will find it I cannot see unless in Gen. 2.3 and he must be very sharp-sighted to find any thing there that looks like a Law binding our first Parents to observe the first Sabbath For let the words be well pondered And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it Gen. 2.3 Opened becase in it he had rested from all his works which he had created and made Whence we may clearly gather 'T is not said because he should rest but had rested that God's resting on the seventh day was in order of time before his blessing and sanctifying of the day as those words ver 2. On the seventh day God rested from all his works which he had made See Mr. White of Dorchester Gen. 2. imply the making of the works before God's resting so ver 3. He blessed and sanctified the seventh day because in it he had rested must needs intimate that God's resting on the seventh day went before his sanctifying of the day or setting it apart for a Sabbath Not long before I grant As Chap. 1. where Moses relates God's six daies works as finished by him then followeth the blessing upon them So in the 2. Chap. he makes the blessing to follow upon Gods resting as before upon his working but evidently long enough to discharge our first parents by virtue of those words from any obligation to keep the first Sabbath And whereas T.T. argues that the Sabbath was made for man and if Adam were a man the Sabbath was made for him I grant the whole argument onely with this distinction That although it was made for man yet it follows not that it was made for man as soon as man was made Neither has he alledged any one text of Scripture Valeat quantum valere potest of sufficient evidence to support his grand conclusion That the seventh-day-Sabbath was instituted and observed in pure Paradise Which if it b Yet I grant it not should be granted him yet his feeble cause would receive no invincible strength by it For although it would prove a Sabbath and a weekly Sabbath one day in seven to be moral and perpetual which I deny not and herein I could joyn issue with the contrary-minded yet what is this to the perpetuity and immutability of that old seventh day since in the judgment of all Interpreters both antient and modern except Jews onely one day in seven or a seventh part of weekly time is here perpetually established that old seventh day onely temporarily and during the state of the old world So Chrysostome Here saies he from the beginning God has intimated to us this doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Hom. 19. in Gen. 2. instructing us to set apart one day in the circle of every week for spiritual exercises Note by the way he saies not it is expresly determined here that is left for the fourth Commandement but it is intimated and implied here And the like saies Junius But to draw to a conclusion I suppose it is more then probably demonstrative If I may so speak without a Soloecism that the old Sabbath was instituted though in the beginning yet after the Fall in man's corrupt estate when he had put off his publick capacity as the representative of mankind and was looked upon as a single person yea a sinful person and one that stood in need of a Redeemer and so the day must needs be alterable as shall be shortly argued and evinced However if we should suppose the date of the Sabbaths institution to be utterly uncertain as the institution of Sacrifices is I see not but this may argue as to the day mutability stamped upon it It is true the solemne worship of God is unalterable as long as there is a God to be worshipped but the old way of worship by Sacrifices was mutable from the very first original of it Thus I grant the time of worship Rom. 12.1 Chrys in Hebr. Hom. 11. Basil in Isai c. 20. the Sabbath it self being an inseparable adjunct of solemne worship is perpetual but the old day the seventh from the Creation was made mutable in the first institution of it Indeed in some sense we have sacrifices still spiritual sacrifices and we have a Sabbath still yea * Mat. 24.20 a literal Sabbath But old Sabbaths and old Sacrifices being twins though both honorable and serviceable in their generations yet like Hippocrates twins they lived together and died together and let both together in God's name be buried in the grave of Christ so as never to rise again 2 Cor. 5.15 17. But let our Gospel-worship and Gospel-Sabbath take life from our Saviour's Resurrection which brought with it a new Creation a new World making all things new as the Apostle speaks 2. That the old seventh day was made alterable in the first institution will further appear if we consider the Law or command by which it was instituted which is no where to be found but in Gen. 2.3 As for the Law written in Adam's breast it is
among Christians redeemed from the earth Obj 2 T.T. p. 61 62. To this I may easily answer without any great study Answ that the constant celebration of two dayes in a week is more then the Law requires or the Gospel allowes More then the law requires for that calls but for one day in seven Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy not Sabbath-dayes Exod. 20 8. Again six dayes shalt thou labour not five dayes Chrysostomes descant upon it is very pithy Tom. 5. p. 5 23. The week contains seven dayes sayes he Now see how the Lord hath distributed these dayes he hath not taken the greatest part to himself and left us the least neither has he taken half and left half requiring three for himself and leaving us but three no the Lord is more liberal he hath given thee six and taken but one for himself So he And indeed the Law saith the same I know it is disputed whether these words six dayes thou shalt labour be preceptive or permissive only but to me it is past dispute that they carry a preceptive force for the injunction of working six dayes is delivered in the same commanding terms v. 9. with the inhibition of work on the seventh day v. 10. T. T s gloss therefore falls to the ground Exod. 20.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 10.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Six dayes shalt thou labour that is God gives thee leave sayes he as if it were but a bare permission Or six dayes thou wilt labour pointing out the creatures earthly inclination as if there were a prediction in the words But let me advise him in the fear of God to read over the Commandement once more not as he would have it but as it is in the Original since he professes skill in the language of Canaan and then I shall ask him whether those words verse 10. On the seventh day thou shalt do no worke be not imperative If so why not also these Six dayes shalt thou labour since the forme of speech is one and the same It nothing helpes him that the word is otherwise translated Exod. 31.15 six dayes may worke be done for whatever the translation be the tense is the same and it may as well be rendred shall as may And so learned Ainsworth reades it And thus his Critical flourish proves but an empty flash For my part I look upon these words Six dayes shalt thou labour as having the force and vertue of a precept and command in them not directly injoyning us to labour upon any day for that belongs rather to the 8th Commandment but injoyning us such a proportion of time Eph. 4.28 Among the Jewes when holy dayes were so frequent there was never any weekly holy day ordained to go cheeke by jole with the Sabbath But their holy dayes were either monethly or yearly Mr. George Abbot p 118. Periculum mortis tollit Sabbathum necessitas non habet ferias six dayes together within the compass of which our labours must be confined 'T is as if the Lord had said Thou shalt not ordinarily labour more nor less then six dayes together nor rest more or less then one in seven ordinarily That God was pleased to appoint the Jews a greater number of holy dayes as Passeover Pentecost c. and so a lesser number of working-dayes was only in extraordinary cases as our fasting-dayes and thanksgiving-dayes are The fourth Commandment was to be the standing rule only for ordinary time both of weekly work and weekly rest And as those words on the seventh day thou shalt doe no work hinder not but souldiers in time of war may fight a battel and Citizens in case of fire breaking out may quench the flames upon the Sabbath day It was never the Apostles meaning nor in their power when God by a perpetual Law had given us six dayes for labour and destined a seventh for rest to turn it into five dayes labour and two dayes rest Idem ibid. the precept interdicting only the servile works of our ordinary callings In like manner these words six dayes shalt thou labour hinder not but in case of extraordinary judgements or unusual mercies we may set apart dayes of prayer and of praise but ordinarily and weekly to keep two dayes of rest and leave but five dayes for labour is utterly inconsistent with the fourth Commandment And here a word with our new Sabbath-keepers at Colchester you are erroneously taught to think you are bound in conscience to rest from labour two dayes every week else you are woful earth-wormes miserable worldlings dunghill drudges and what not Now I beseech you bring conscience to the rule hath not God said six dayes shalt thou labour and will you listen to man contradicting God and telling you nay thou shalt labour but five dayes only What Antichristian usurpation and Tyrannical imposing upon mens consciences is this to tell them in Print as T.T. does It is not one day in seven will serve your turn when the books shall be opened Why p 3. Why what are those books Shall not the book of the law be one of them And what is written there How readest thou Is it not plain six dayes shalt thou labour and do all thy work Blot this clause out of Gods book Deut. 12.32 or alter the figure and write five instead of six And be sure God will blot out thy name out of the book of life Consider this you that suffer your consciences to be mancipated and enslaved to the dictates of Man Either you must make the week longer by a day or confess in limiting conscience to five dayes only for labour you break the Law under a pretence of keeping it yea you totally make void the Commandment of the living God in subverting the equity of it this is one thing The letter of the Law will bear but one day in seven for holy rest yea the liberty of the Gospel will allow no more ordinarily Rom. 3.21 For do we by faith make void the law God forbid Nay rather we establish the law Yet if we allow but five dayes in the week for labour we must unavoidably make void the law in this particular And besides the observation of dayes legal dayes is disputed against by the great Apostle as contrary to Christian liberty It is but a poor evasion to say Col. 2.16 Gal. 4. â—0 compared with Gal. 5.1 The Apostle speaks only of festival dayes Passeover Pentecost and the like for if these were inconsistent with Gospel-liberty as the adversary grants how much more two dayes every week which amount to more at the years end then all those Jewish festivals twice told The Church in the Apostles time had no other holy day besides the Lords day And the fourth Commandment enjoyns the labour of six dayes Mr. Perkins in Galat. Let him therefore sadly consider the dangerous consequences of his errour forcing him at once both
the mighty God King of Saints and King of Nations having all power in heaven and earth put into his hands alter a circumstance concerning the Sabbath by translating it from the last to the first day of the week Well if he had power to alter it then it was alterable which was the thing to be proved If it be said the question is not what the Lord could do but what he did whether he did indeed alter the Sabbath as to the day I answer we shall put this question out of question in the next Position POSITION IV. That the Old Sabbath was actually altered and changed from the last to the first day of the week by the authority of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and that upon the noble account of our Redemption manifestly accomplished by his most glorious resurrection from the dead on that day FOR the Confirmation whereof I shall First propound some Scripture-Arguments Secondly Produce some Authentick Records of antiquity both which we shall find harmoniously concurring in all the three branches of this Position First That the day is certainly changed Secondly That this change was occasioned by our Saviours most glorious Resurrection Thirdly That this was done by the Soveraign authority of Christ himself either immediately in his own person or mediately by the prescript and practise of his inspired Apostles either or which will be sufficient We shall begin with Scripture-proof and argument in way of Preface whereunto let it be premised that this truth is not Syllabically and totidem verbis in so many words at length set down in Scripture neither needs it considering the question in not about the change of the septenary number one day in seven but the order only the last for the first of seven and besides it is not the Lords method and manner of speaking in many other New Testament-cases as Church-Government Family-worship and sundry others which were plain enough in the Old Testament to express himself in full sentences but very briefly in short hints and touches here a little and there a little to exercise the ingenuity of believers not to fatisfie the curiosity of Cavillers The Scriptures were no more designed to answer all the cavilling questions of wanton wits then the Sun was made for them to see that shut their eyes yet I deny not the sufficiency of Scripture-light to make us wise unto salvation only we must not presume to give laws to Heaven and teach the Lord how to speak But a Hebr. 12.25 see that ye refuse not him that speaketh from heaven that speaketh I say not only by express word but by his b V. 24. blood or death and so also by his c Joh. 2.19 21. Rom. 1.3 4. resurrection from the dead by the d John 15.26 mission of his Spirit by the unction and inspiration of his Apostles whose writings are his words their counsels his commands their pattern and practise his e 1 Cor. 14.37 precept f Luke 10.16 for he that heareth them heareth him therefore let him that hath an ear hear the voice of Christ yea though he open his mouth in a parable to carnal reason g Psalm 78.1 Mat. 13.9 35. as it seems he does even in some of his gospel-Gospel-law yea let us hear Christ speaking by his Spirit I mean the spirit of Prophecy breathing in the Old Testament for h Rev. 19.10 the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of Prophecy nay let us learn to spell his word out of his works for his i John 5 36. ch 10. 25. works do testifie of him In a word consider it is k Luke 11.49 Wisdome it self that uttereth her voice in the written word and she useth to speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much in a little yea to speak by l Mat. 22.32 Acts 14.47 arguments couched in Scripture as well as express affirmations and what those Scripture-arguments are which speak the change of the Sabbath as here stated we come now to shew The first may be taken from the new Creation Arg. 1 or reparation of the world by Christ as thus Incongruum erat veteris Creationis Sabbathum novae Creatimi Lighâ—f Horae Hebr. p. 321. ubi plura The new Creation must have a new Sabbath or set-day of Commemoration now this new Creation came in by Christs resurrection Therefore a new Sabbath The form of this argument I grant is not found in Scripture but the force of it is as shall be seen in the proof of each proposition 1. That the new Creation must have a Sabbath of Commemoration This may not only be gathered from parity of reason but plain Scripture prophecy I might recite that forementioned famous Text in Isai ch 65. 17. Behold I create new heavens and a new earth and the former shall no more be remembred i. e. in respect of solemnity for otherwise remember the work of Creation we do and must but not as the greater work for look as the Jews m Isai 43.18 19. Jer. 16.15 16. ch 23. 7 8. deliverance out of Egypt was subordinated by their after-deliverance out of Babylon so is the work of Creation by that of Redemption whereby the world at least the Church was put into a new frame and form Anno Mundi changed for Anno Domini upon the account whereof as the year of the world was worthily changed for the year of our Lord so was the old Sabbath for the Lords day But that which I would further argue from Isai 65. is this The old Sabbath cannot stand with the new Creation therefore it must have a new or none This was touched before Posit 1. that there should be none at all none but old Anabaptists Familists and Atheists will affirm And that the old cannot stand is evident because the foundation on which it stood the memory and celebrity of the worlds Creation is swallowed up by the glory of a greater work Sicuti Sol exoriens stellis eripit suum fulgorem Calv. in Loc. and we cannot possibly retain that old seventh day but we must memorize our Creation above our Redemption our being above our well-being which were expresly to contradict this ancient promise and Prophecy If it be objected that this Scripture is not yet fulfilled because the Apostle sayes 2 Pet. 3.12 we look for new heavens and a new earth viz. at the end of the world I answer Although it shall then receive a further accomplishment in the latter yet inchoatively and sufficiently as to the thing in question it was fulfilled long ago even before the name Jew was laid aside and the name Christian take up Isai 65.15 So ch 62. 2. for let the context be minded vers 15. the Prophet foretels the rejection of the Jews and the change of their name for the Christian name Ye shall leave your name for a curse to my people Ac si Dominus diceret non amplius nomen
it so Having premised this by the way now let us see how the old Sabbath was founded upon the finishing of his works As thus That day which God hath honoured and crowned with the accomplishment of the greatest work must be the day of solemn worship or Sabbath-day But the seventh day from the Creation was thus honoured and crowned in the Cradle or infancy of the world Therefore that day must be the Sabbath day viz. till a greater work take place And then the argument will conclude as strongly for the change of the day as ever it did for the choice of it For we shall argue thus If the ground of stating the Sabbath on the seventh day were applicable to another day then the Sabbath in the first ground-work of it was alterable to another day But the ground of stating it upon that old seventh day was applicable to another day therefore c. The consequence is cleere as the Sun for as it is with duties so with dayes of worship the grounds upon which they are setled being applicable to other times and places the dayes and duties themselves have alwayes been moveable and circumstantially mutable also as that duty of reverencing of Gods Sanctuary which is mated and coupled with keeping his Sabbaths the ground of it being applicable to the Temple as well as the Tabernacle Levit. 19.30 the duty it self was also moveable from the Tabernacle to the Temple although the first were only in being when the precept was given And the like must be said of the Sabbath The consequence hath evidence enough in it self to every vulgar eye If the foundation be moveable so is the building If the Assumption be questioned viz. That the ground of fixing the Sabbath on the seventh day was moveable and applicable to another day we shall thus confirm it The ground of fixing the Sabbath on the old seventh day was Gods honouring and advancing that day above all other dayes for the time being by his most eminent work of Creation manifested to be accomplished on that day therefore when another day shall be crowned with the accomplishment of a more eminent Creation the same ground and reason which cast the Sabbath on the old day will unavoidably carry it to the new Now the work of Redemption is a new Creation 2 Cor. 5.17 and it was long ago prophesied that as the a Hag. 2.9 glory of the second Temple should out shine that of the first so the glory of this new Creation should excell that of the old and comparatively eate out the memory of it b Isai 65.17 Behold I create new heavens and a new earth sayes the Lord and the old shall not be remembered nor come into mind Not that the Lord would simply and absolutely have the memory of the Creation to be lessened but respectively and in comparison of Redemption it must not be obliterated but only subordinated retained and remembred it must be still but as a lesser work then Redemption and as a lesser good to us as the Law is to the Gospel or the Old Testament to the New Redemption must be owned as the greater and better work in as much as Spiritual things are better then Natural and Gods last works are his best the first being only preparative to the last as Dr. Sibbs excellently observes Mat. 16.26 Mark 8.36 And verily he that shall question whether Redemption be a greater and better work then Creation knows little what a Redeemer is or what the ransome of an immortal soul is worth See Mr. Phil. Goodw. Dies Dominic rediv. pa. 11.12 13. I should think as mans gaining the world cannot recompense the loss of his soul so Gods creating of the world doth not equalize Christs redeeming the soul In creating the world indeed the Lord has done much for me but in shedding his precious blood in conquering sin and death he hath done more then if he had created another world for me Let the redeemed of the Lord say so yea the work is not only better to me but greater in it self too In creation there was but a words speaking and the work was presently done 2 Cor. 5.21 Gal. 3.13 See more in Dr. Gouge Heb. 9. S. 63. but in Redemption there was doing and dying God must come down from heaven God must be made man yea God-man must be made sin and a curse for me Here was a work exceeding wonder Besides in the work of Creation there was nothing to with stand But in the work of Redemption here was Justice against Mercy wrath against pity In a word in the Creation God brought something out of nothing but in redemption he hath out of one contrary brought another good out of evil life out of death Is not thy soul ravished Christian at these discoveries of wisdome grace and power shining forth in thy souls Redemption Canst thou see the like in the worlds Creation Is there not more glory in one Christ then in many worlds What a sapless unsavory question therefore to a soul that knows any thing of Christ Pa. 130. is that which T. T. propounds Who told thee the work of Redemption was the greater work A question more beseeming a Jew then a Christian But the answer is ready at hand He that hath told me the heavens are the works of his a Psalm 8.3 fingers and Redemption the work of his b Isal 52.9 10. arm his out-stretched unbared arm hath sufficiently taught me that Redemption is the greater work a work of greater might I am sure of greater mercy And so for his next question If it be the greater work who told thee that it deserves the honour of the day I answer a wiser and better man then you or I that man after Gods own heart who was most likely to know the mind of the Lord he has foretold it in that 118th Psalm when by a prophetick spirit foreseeing the glory of the resurrection day as a day amongst the seven dayes like the Sun amongst the seven planets he accordingly salutes it with a magnificent Title This is the day which the Lord hath made yea magnified for the word signifies not only to make but to magnifie and advance above all others c 1 Sam. 12.6 And such was the power of God in raising Christ hat the Psalmist cryes our it is marvellous in our sight Acts 4.10.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est vel imus vel summus lapis Arretius in 1 Pet. 2.7 Mat. 11.11 As by the same word the Lord is said to advance Moses and Aaron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to lift them up in dignity and preeminency above the rest of the people Thus he foresaw that the Lord would magnifie and exalt the resurrection day and why Because on this day the most glorious work of redemption was to be accomplished the stone which the builders resused being made the head of the corner i. e. to perfect
as needs he must those that maintain the fourth Commandment to be moral for one day in seven not the old seventh day then let me tell him his charging them with no want of ignorance argues in himself no want of impudence for upon whom does this arrogant censure fall but upon all the Learned Zealous and pious servants of God called Puritans who have encountred the rigid prelatical party in this controversie as a p 73. Dr. Bownd b Hexap in Gen p 43. Dr. Willet c Sect. 6. Dr. Twiss d Dies Domin l. 1. c. 10 Dr. Young e Mosaic Sab. p. 70. Mr. Bernard of Batcomb f in Gen. 2. moral of the fourth Co. Mr. White of Dorch g Doctr. of the Sab. vind p. 236 Mr. Byfield h of the Sab. p. 78. Mr. Fenner i Declar. the Sab. p. 101. Mr. Cleaver k p. 6. 36. Mr. Sprint l part 2. c. 7. throughout Mr. Cawdrey and Mr. Palmer and whom not of savory name in the Church of Christ do they not all affirm the same thing That the Comandment is substantially moral for one day in seven not that old seventh day and must all these modern worthies be branded for meer ignoramus's And not only these but all the Ancients too whose testimony they have all along cited Surely this man is very wise in his own conceit that he can thus look upon the greatest lights of these latter dayes as fools and dunces But I shall not answer him in his folly therefore to proceed Whereas he objects that we have Gods pattern in the mount the precise time of his rest to point out the day Answ 2 As in the first Institution of the supper Christ made use of unleavened bread yet his example binds us only to the use of bread not that which is unleavened So for the first Institution of the Sabbath God rested on the seventh day from Creation yet his example binds us only to a day of that number not that particular day See the new Annot. in Exod. 20. Attersolls new Cov. I answer as before that Gods pattern or example is directly propounded in the Commandment to point out the proportion not the particular day The proportion I say of one day in seven for rest in opposition to six working dayes And therefore the number of Gods working dayes is specified in the example as well as the day of his rest for in six dayes the Lord made Heaven Earth and Sea and rested the seventh day plainly intimating that the main force of the example is to bind us to such a number of dayes six for labour and one in a week for rest not such an order as first or last of seven Or admit there were some thing else in it namely that indirectly and occasionally it did lead the Jews to that old seventh day that is during the significancy of that day and the supereminency of the first Creation yet when a new Creation is finished and a new rest from a greater work manifested upon another day that indirect and occasional force of the example for the old day must needs be out of force to us being subordinated and swallowed up by the glory of a greater work and a better rest upon another day And that without any violation of the precept at all yea or the example either in the direct scope of it for one day in seven A new day might be and is instituted and yet the main scope both of the precept and example still observed in our labouring six dayes and resting every seventh Only that which was circumstantial and occasional is altered upon the account of the new Creatio or Redemption which comparatively was to put out the memory of the old Creation as it is plain Isai 65.17 And that thus it should be that the occasional force of Gods example as to the old day should be out of force to us and yet a weekly Sabbath to be still observed by the moral and direct force of the command me thinks it is not obscurely signified in the Commandment it self if we do but compare two places together Exod. 20. with Deut. 5. at the first giving of the Law in thunder and terrour Exod. 20.11 compared with Deut. 5.15 the Sabbath is wholly inforced from the Creation and Gods example in resting from that work as was said before but in the repetition or second-giving of the law by the hand of Moses a typical mediatour Deut. 5. you see the reason from the Creation is quite left out and the Sabbath is altogether inforced by a type of our Redemption viz. their deliverance from the Egyptian bondage Remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt Mr. G. Abbot Vindic. Sabb. a most accurate Treatise never yet answered So also see learned Ainsworth in Exod. 20. and the Lord brought thee thence by a mighty hand therefore he commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day lively intimating as a learned Author observes the subsistence of the fourth Commandment under the Gospel and the binding authority of it by the incorporation of a new reason drawn from our Redemption or spiritual deliverance by Christ instead of the old reason drawn from the Creation which is here utterly omitted And as he sayes well it is worthy to be considere whether such a repetition of the fourth Commandment not Seorsim or by it self alone but together with the whole decalogue in its proper place and order with such a material omission or alteration be not very significant and what can it more properly signifie then this that under the second and best dispensation of the Law that is under the Gospel the main argument for our weekly Sabbath should be the work of Redemption Surely their deliverance from Egypt literally considered was not comparable to the work of Creation that it should here be propounded as the reason of the Sabbath and the other left out but as a type of the most glorious and gracious work of Redemption there was much weight in it And if the type it self were thus significant Argum. a minori as to carry the force of a reason for the weekly Sabbath setting aside the Creation how much more should the antitype which excells all types in glory as much as the Su does the shadow It will perhaps be objected That this argues the perpetuity of the old seventh day under the Gospel I answer No it quite overthrowes it for in as much as it signifies the weekly celebration of a Sabbath in memory of Redemption rather then of Creation it evidently implyes that when this greater work should be finished the memory of the Creation upon which the old day was fixed should be swallowed up by the worke of Redemption and then the day it self must unavoidably be changed It s true while the type lasted and Redemption was rather figured then fulfilled the old day was still to be obseved
decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away Where among other things the Holy-Ghost seems to imsinuate the shadowy nature of the old Covenant setting forth the deficiency of it by a metaphoricall expression of vanishing or disappearing viz. as the shadow disappears when the substance or body comes in place so that if the old Sabbath were of a shadowy uature 't is clearly gone But here lies the knot of the question which yet in the judgment of the most and best interpreters is dexterously decided in that vulgar Text Coloss 2.16 Let no man therefore judg you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or new Moon or Sabbath dayes which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ In the exposition of which Scripture I conceive there have been two great extremes for some in opposing Judaism from hence have opened a gap to Libertinism by condemning all difference of dayes under the Gospel others in going about to stop that gap have made a Bridge to bring in Judaism again I shall equally shun both extremes hoping to find truth in the middle And therefore First I shall premise this as a sure foundation That the Sabbath indefinitely considered as abstracted from the precise seventh day Isai 56.6 7 8. Is a plain prophecy of a Sabbath under the Gospel So is Mat. 14.20 See both opened and vindicated by Mr. By field p. 220 c. was never a shadowy ceremony but was and is a moral and perpetual duty incumbent upon all the people of God to the end of the world for not only Scripture but even Nature it self teacheth us that as there is a supreme God so this God must be worshipped with solemn worship and that therefore there must be some solemn time set apart for his worship and this time not less then a whole day together yea a day of frequent return and this day a day of rest from worldly labour for worshipping-time and working time are utterly inconsistent All this may be fairly deduced from the dictates of Nature Indeed as to the punctual proportion of time whether it should be one day of six or one of seven Nature which doth not so well discern of numbers cannot so positively determine and therefore in this case where the instinct of nature fails us Praxis sanâ—lorum interpres praeceptorum had wont to passe for a principle and maxime in Divinity the instruction of Discipline as one calls it relieves us By which I understand both the prescript of Gods law and the practise of his Church especially Apostolical practise which is the best and clearest commentary upon the Divine precept Now both these determine the proportion of one day in seven for the ordinary season of solemn worship and the last limits it to the first of seven as shall be seen hereafter That the law of God even the fourth Commandment which was the tenth part of Jehovahs will published at Mount Sinai is directly for one day of seven not the last of seven or the seventh from Creation I have proved before and that in this point it is moral and perpetual although not moral-natural may be briefly hinted here I shall offer but one Argument for it Rom. 7.12 Morale est mandatum quatenus praecipit ut è septem diebus unum consecremus cultui divino proinde quatenustale mandatum est nunquam fuit abrogatum nec abrogari patest Zâ—â—ch in praecept 4. p. 595. Ut aelique dies in septimana fit deo dedicata praetum est stabile aeternum Jac. de Valen. adv Judaeos q. 2. Nobis cum veteri populo quoad hanc partem communis est necessius Calâ— in praec 4. Item Luther Quoad observationem unius dieiiu singulis hebdomadis Sabbatum nonest legis Ceremonialis sed moralis qua immota ao perpetua est Ravanel Bibl. grounded upon that Scripture-aphorism That Commandments is holy just and good these are the uudeniable Characters of a moral and immutable law Now if the proportion of one day in seven for holy rest be holy just and good it must needs be moral and perpetual and so must the precept it self that prescribes it But this proportion is holy just and good Grant it to be just and you cannot deny it to be holy grant it good and you cannot deny it to be just Now let me reason the case with any religious soul yea with any rational man Is it not a point of moral equity to pay tribute out of all our times to the Lord of time who holds our souls in life and in whose hands both our times and our breath are do we owe him a piece of every day and shall we grudg him a day of every week when he has given us six can we in equity deny him one Not that I take upon me to demonstrate the equity of this number by the light of Nature or to the light of Nature for as I said before Nature is blind in these things but I presuppose Nature and Reason informed by divine discovery and acquainted with the written word Surely such as have read and pondered Gods liberal grant of six dayes to man cannot but yield his demand to be very reasonable requiring but one in seven for himself Thus in respect of God Again in respect of Man Is it not just and meet that since Mans life upon earth is a pilgrimage and he has no abiding City here but looks for one above therefore he should not spend all his time and thoughts and studies about the trifles of the world but as some time every day so also some one day every week retire from the world and draw neer to God to seek communion with him with whom he looks to live for ever Again in respect of servants and cattel is there not grand equity and reason that one day in a week they should injoy some relaxation from their painsul servitude and bondage that thy poor drudging servant especially who bears God image as well as thy self should have a breathing-time a day of weekly rest for his wearied body and one holy day in a week for his pretious soul Can we in equity afford them less when we have had six dayes service from them can we find in our wretched hearts to grudge the Lord one True you will say there is much equity in this that some time in general should be set apart for holy rest but what necessity of such an exact proportion why one day of seven more then one of ten or two of seven I answer as before A natural necessity we do not pretend but a Scriptural necessity there is why we should be tyed to this proportion and not to any other and herein lies the moral and religious equity of it as thus The written word informs me that there are but four main divisions of time and these of Gods own making viz. dayes weeks moneths years and I am convinced that
Jewes Sabbath was not at least not as a Sabbath nor with equal solemnity as the Lords day nor as of necessity so it was ever condemned and the Lords day was ever preferred before it if not observed without it in the purest Churches for the first two hundred years after Christ to say no more Let us examin witnesses in order as they come First Ignatius Let us hear what Ignatius saies who lived some thirty years in the Apostles times and in his Epistle to the Magnesians in the Vulgar Edition is brought in speaking to this purpose * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us therefore no longer keep the Jewish Sabbath as rejoicing in idleness for it is written He that will not labour let him not eat and in the sweat of thy browes shalt thou eat thy bread But let every of us keep Sabbath spiritually not in bodily ease but in the meditation of the Law not eating meat drest yesterday or drinking luke-warm drinks or walking out a limited space nor in dancings and sensless sportings but in admiration of the workes of God And setting aside the Sabbath let every one that loves Christ keep holy the Lords day the Queen of days the Resurrection day the highest of all dayes I do the rather insert this Testimony though Dr. Vsher except against this Edition of Ignatius his Epistles because T. T. cites it also for the Saturday-Sabbath only he mangles and misinterprets it dealing with Ignatius as men use to deal with Mag-pyes slitting their tongues to make them speak what they would have them Just thus he deals with this renowned father severing the last clause from the rest of the sentence and singling out a little piece of it to serve his own turn for he insists only upon the last branch and mistranslates it too his words are these Next after the Sabbath-day let every friend of Christ make the Lords day a Solemn festivall As if Ignatius had preferred the Jewes Sabbath before the Lords day but by his favour this clashes with the context for in the foregoing words Christians are counselled no longer to keep the Jewes Sabbath but to work upon it for it is written He that will not labour let him not eat Whereas on the contrary all that love Christ are charged to keep the Lords day a solemn Festival Exam. Concil Trid. de dieb Fest p. 257. being the Queen and princess of dayes Besides these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are well rendred by setting aside the Sabbath So learned Chemnitius and others translate them If any desire further satisfaction I referr them to judicious Mr. Cawdrey who ha's dexterously discuss'd this Testimony The more * Approved by Dr. Twiss after it had been compared with a latin translation found in Caius Col. library in Cambrig and two other Manuscripts in Oxon the one in Magdal the other in Balliot Coll. Library correct copy of Ignatius ' Epistle to the Magnesians presented by Dr. Vsher as agreeable to the citations of Eusebius Athanasius and Theodoret ha's this material and remarkable passage in it The Blessed Martyr speaking of the Jewes converted to the Faith of Christ in his dayes gives this most Christian Character of them * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Magnesian That they did no longer keep the Sabbath but led their life according to the Lords day in which our life arose in which words First He expounds what St. John meant by the Lords day Rev. 1.10 namely the day of our Saviours Resurrection and that not as an anniversary but a weekly holy-day contradistinct to the Jewes Sabbath Seconly He acquaints us with the practice of the Church in those Apostolick times which was to observe the Lords day in stead of the old Sabbath If the converted Jewes did thus how much more the Christian Gentiles Therefore blessed Ignatius his preface to this discourse shall be my conclusion by way of caution to my Christian brethren a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem Suffer not your selves to be carried about with diverse and strange doctrines for if we shall still live according to the Jewish Law we deny that we have received grace And a litle after b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. ibid. Since we are become the disciples of Christ let us learn to live according to Christianity For it is absurd to profess Christ and Judaize For Christianity ha's not beleeved into Judaism but Judaism into Christianity As for Ignatius's Epistle to the Philippians which the adversary glories it is rejected as spurious and counterfeit and indeed there is nothing of an Apostolical spirit breathing in it See Mr. Perkins Praep. to the dem of the problem Our next witness is Justin Martyr who lived in the very prime of the primitive times about a hundred and fifty years after Christ's Nativity Justin Martyr at * Vide Alfied Chron. Patr. p. 450. what time he wrote a learned Apology for the poor persecuted Christians to Antoninus pius the Emperour wherein among other things he mentions the manner of their publick meetings on the Lords day which he calls Sunday because he had to do with a Pagan Emperour his words are these Vpon the day called Sunday 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Apol 2. ad Cal◠all that abide within the cities or the villages do meet together in some place where the Records of the Apostles and the writings of the Prophets as much as is appointed are read unto us The reader having done the Priest or President ministreth a word of Exhortation that we do imitate those good things which are there rehearsed then standing up together we send up our prayers to Heaven which being ended there is delivered unto us bread and wine with water Water to mingle with their Wine in those hot countries of which as he sayes a little before none are allowed to partake but baptized persons Beleevers and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as live according to the rule of Christ After this the Priest or President offers up as much as in him is our prayers and thanksgivings to God and all the people say Amen then those of the richer sort every one as his good will is contribute something towards the relief of the poorer Brethren c. What an excellent pattern is here for after-ages and how agreeable to the practice of the Apostles themselves here we have publike assemblies prayer preaching reading the Scriptures breaking of Bread distributing to the poor and all this upon the day called Sunday that is the Lords day and why upon this day rather than any other let Justin himself resolve this as he doth in the next words * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ib. On the Sunday saies he we all make a publike Assembly in as much as it is the first day in which God who changed the darkness and the first matter made the world and because on this day Jesus Christ our Saviour arose from
16.8 On the seventh day shall be a solemn Assembly to the Lord thy God thou sahlt do not work therein And as the seventh or last so also the first day of that Feast was to be a day of rest because a day of Convocation On the first day shall be a holy convocation ye shall do no servile work therein saith the Lord. Numb 28.17 18. Now that first day of unleavened bread being a memorial of their Redemption from Egypt was typical of our Christian Sabbath as was noted before And besides there being a moral equity in Gods argument that a day of holy Worship and holy Convocations must be a day of rest it is as applicable to the Lords day as ever it was to any day for we have abundantly proved that this is a holy Convocation-day and 't is a good note that of Mr. Ainsworth on Deut. 16.8 That the Hebrew word Gnat-sereth which we translate solemn Assemblies does also signifie restraint from labour whereby the Holy Ghost would teach us that Holi days set apart for solemn assemblies must be days of holy rest and restraint from work Such is the Lords day to us Christians and no other day but that a day of solemn Assembly it is and has bin from the Apostles days till now yea a day of solemn Worship therfore a day of rest or Sabbath day yea a day of solemn weekly worship therefore the undoubted Sabbath of the fourth Commandment which is the standing rule for a day of weekly worship and but a day ordinarily for the Commandment numbers out six days in the week for worldly business As when a man makes two Wils the last does ipso facto make void the first although there be no express clause to signifie the repeal or revocation and one for religious exercises neither more nor lesse So that supposing there were no repeal of the last day of the week yet the first day being instituted by Divine Authority makes void the last and takes possession of its place by the warrant of the Divine Precept it self Again as the Ministry and the Sacraments appointed by Christ are used by virtue of the second Commandment so the day appointed by Christ must be observed by virtue of the fourth Commandment because this is the general scope both of the second and fourth Commandment that we must observe all the Institutions of God from time to time I might argue further from that prophetical speech of our Saviour Matth. 24.20 where he presignifies to his Disciples that there should be a Sabbath in force long after his death at such time as the old seventh-day-Sabbath was either quite out of doors or out of date at least therefore he spake of the Christian Sabbath which we are obliged both by Law and Gospel to observe The Ancients indeed do seldom apply the title of Sabbath to the Lords day yet sometimes they do They were but too jealous of Judaizing in this particular Orat. in Christi Resurrect Ex illo Sabbato praesens hoc Sabbatum agnosce c. Sic quâ— que ritè sanctificamus Sabbatum Domini Dicente Domino omne â—pus c. Tract de tempore 152. Gregory Nyssen is express for having spoken of the old Sabbath he presently adds from that Sabbath acknowledge thou this present Sabbath the Lords day this day of rest which God hath blessed above other days For in this the only begotten Son of God did truly rest from all his works So also Austin or he that writ the Book De tempore having pleaded the due celebration of the Lords day he concludes with respect to the fourth Commandment concerning the Sabbath so do we rightly sanctifie the Sabbath of the Lord as the Lord hath said In it thou shalt do no work Hence that Royal Edict of Charles the Great published in the year 789. We ordain says he according as it is commanded in the Law of God that no man do servile work on the Lords day To which may be added the decree of King Edgar expresly stiling the Lords day the Sabbath day Diem Sabbati ab ipsa Die Saturni hora pomeridiara tertia usque in Lunaris diei dilaculum festum agitari taking order that the Sabbath should be celebrated from Saturday three a clock in the afternoon till Munday morning at break of day and this was in the year of Christ 959. seven hundred years ago better Antiquity than any can be produced or so much as pretended against this appellation If it be objected That this was in times of Popery I answer That even since the Reformation the Lords day hath been frequently called by the name Sabbath Those precious but persecuted Saints To all these might be added the Church of England Can. 70. So Hom. of time and place of prayer the Waldenses in a Catechism of theirs teach their children to call it by this name And the holy Martyr Bp Hooper in his treatise on the ten Commandements uses the same Dialect some scores more might be reckoned if need were But leaving these Authors I return to the Objector who sets all his wits a work to prove the Lords day a working day most sinfully and shamefully abusing the Scriptures to this purpose I am loth to stain my Paper with his profane Sophisms yet lest his ignorant and erroneous Proselites should take them for unanswerable Arguments I shall briefly sum up all into one Objection and return several answers to it Object T.T. p. 14. of his Pamphlet In stead of that honour put upon the first day of the week First The Father wrought upon it Gen. 1. and therefore we should be his followers as dear children Ephes 5.1 Secondly The son travelled upon it Luke 24.13 15. And he hath given us an example that we should do as he hath done John 13.15 Thirdly The Saints cast their accounts upon it 1 Cor. 16.2 And so may we Thus he quotes Scripture to as good purpose as that Arch Sophister did Matth. 4 But we shall answer him soberly though he deserve it not Answ 1. That which was the Fathers working-day at the Worlds Creation was the Sons Rest day from the work of Redemption and we must not be sollowers of God in contradiction to Christ or oppose the works of God against the Word of God lest in stead of followers as dear children we be found fighters against him as desperate enemies the first day of the week was a common day when it was made at first Gen. 1. but since it is made again and made a solemn day a day of holy worship Psal 118.24 therefore no working day now but to such as have no God to worship or no hearts to worship him God the Father wrought upon the first day of the week yet Israel must not work on this day once a year at least Viz. on the day of unleavened bread as often as it fell on this day Numb 23.18 why because it was a day